Well the holiday season is almost upon us and Anne had the question "Is it true that turkey is not healthy for our dogs?" So I decided to write this blog about just that.
Anne your question is a complex one. Because the answer is both yes and no. Turkey is not bad for dogs that are used to eating it, especially when it is an ingredient in a balanced dog food. There is nothing toxic or dangerous in turkey meat for our dogs. The problem comes when our pets who are used to eating a well balanced, set ratio of fat, protein and carbohydrates, suddenly get a high fat treat. Think about how you would feel if you ate a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, and lean meat and then suddenly you went to McDonalds and got a Big Mac. My guess is that you would not be feeling so hot for the rest of the day or even for several days. That is the best case scenario for a dog that gets a high fat treat: a little belly ache, some gas, and diarrhea.
Turkey (or other fattening scraps like butter, gravy, etc.) become dangerous when they cause the pancreas to kick into high gear. Eighty to ninety percent of all pancreatitis cases in humans are found in alcoholics or people with gallstones. It is not a disease most people need to worry about. That is not the case in dogs and cats. They are much more sensitive to a sudden changes in fat intake.
When your pet eats a meal several things happen. Before the first bite of food is taken salivary secretions increase. This then triggers the stomach to start producing more acid chyme (pronounced kime) which is responsible for the acidic environment of the stomach which allows the dog and cat to eat dead and decaying things with high bacterial contamination and not get sick. The increase in chyme stimulates the duodenum (first part of the small intestines) to produce secretin which then causes the pancreas to produce its digestive enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for the breakdown of fats and proteins. OK enough digestive physiology!
Because the digestive enzymes the pancreas produces will break down fats and proteins they are capable of digesting the pancreas and other internal organs as well. There are protective measures in place to prevent this and under normal circumstance they are very effective. The theory is that with a sudden high fat meal the pancreas over secretes enzymes to the point that the safety mechanisms are overcome. (I always picture the I Love Lucy episode in the candy factory where the conveyor belt is put on super fast speed and she can't keep up). These enzymes then start to digest the pancreas itself causing more inflammation, unregulated production of more enzymes, and hence more damage. A single high fat meal could be fatal for a dog or cat. Once the enzymes damage the pancreas enough they can start to leak into the rest of the body and eventually general organ failure, DIC, and death can follow. While many cases of pancreatitis are successfully treated, there is no guaranteed cure. A dog or cat may stay in the hospital in intensive care for weeks (and thousands to tens of thousands of dollars), appear to be getting better, only to suddenly die from organ failure.
I know many people will think "but I've fed my dog table scraps at Thanksgiving for years and never had a problem." All I can say to them is they were lucky. I know many people that didn't wear a seat belt as a child and they are here to tell about it, but I know of at least three people who died because they weren't, the same theory applies. I can also name many people that did feed their dog Thanksgiving scraps only to lose their beloved pet from severe acute pancreatitis or have to spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to get them through the illness. So next time your dog looks up at you with those pleading soulful eyes while you are eating Thanksgiving dinner, think long and hard about what is best for him. Hand him a raw carrot or green bean or even have some dog treats at the table instead.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Demodex - Warning graphic pictures of wounds
Today I am going to write about Demodectic mange in dogs. Many people mistake demodex for scabies (Sarcoptic mange), but though clinical signs are similar they are two completely different organisms. Scabies is contagious to people and other dogs while demodex is not. All dogs have demodectic mites living on their body. They are typically well controlled by the dog's immune system and cause no problems. Sometimes, however, a dog is born with an immune problem and is unable to suppress the mite OR an older dog gets sick and his immune system is suppressed so much that he can no longer prevent multiplication of the mite.
The mites look like little caterpillars, but can not be seen with the naked eye. Instead people begin to notice patches of hair loss. This is because the mites live down in the hair follicle causing the hair to fall out. The are passed from dog to dog through prolonged contact (typically from mother to pup while they are nursing) and are species specific (meaning people can't get dog demodex). To diagnose demodectic mange the affected area must be scraped down to the dermis (small amount of bleeding) and looked at under the miscroscope. Finding a mite in a normal dog is nearly impossible because there are so few present. Occasionally the mites live deep down (especially on the feet) and a biopsy is necessary to make the diagnosis.
There are two forms of demodex: localized and generalized. Localized demodex is classified as up to six small areas of alopecia (hair loss) generally on the face, head, and forelegs. Generalized demodex is classified as more than six lesion, large affected areas, or involving more than one paw. Localized demodex is a common puppy ailment that typically resolves on its own with or without treatment. Treatment may be necessary if there is secondary infection, but often a rotenone based medication called Goodwinol is prescribed more to make the owner feel that they are doing something though it may shorten the time the lesion is visible.
Generalized demodex is a severe and possibly life threatening condition commonly occurring in dogs less than 18 months of age and in older dogs that have a reason for a suppressed immune system. Fortunately with proper treatment the signs can often be controlled or even completely resolved (until the next time the dog's immune system is suppressed). I have recently seen two cases in the last 6 months. One in a young puppy that was rescued after being abandoned in the middle of winter and another in an elderly dog.
Piper is an absolutely sweet, loving Labrador that was adopted by a friend of mine after she was found abandoned. She was treated when she first got her last January with ivermectin and antibiotics. I saw Piper in June because she had a sever flare up. In a matter of a few days she went from looking like a normal dog to one that you would expect to find slinking in alleys and half starved (she was not and this is a common presentation for the disease). I personally know her owners and they take very good care of her and called me as soon as she started showing signs again. She also healed very quickly and is still being treated to prevent another outbreak.
The most severe case I have seen in an older dog occurred in a 13 year old Labrador retriever. I was called out to see Thunder, because in a matter of 1-2 days he suddenly developed severe bleeding wounds. His owners were afraid that they might have to have him euthanized because he was so miserable.
Fortunately we were able to make a quick diagnosis of demodectic mange with a secondary staph infection and start treating for both. In just a few days he started feeling better, was scratching less and acting more normal. In one month he was already healing very well. Both his owners and I were estatic at his progress. We ended up having to treat him with ivermectin for 2 and 1/2 months and his last skin scraping was finally negative! I unfortunately did not take a picture of him looking normal again.
We looked for the underlying cause of Thunder's outbreak of demodex and were never able to pin point it, but hopefully it was stress or infection induced and won't bother him again.
A point to note is that if you have a dog with a skin problem I recommend asking your vet to perform a skin scrape to rule out demodex. Though it is fairly uncommon in adult dogs if left undiagnosed it could cause serious problems, especially since the treatment of skin ailments often involves the use of steroids. Steroids like prednisone will cause an explosion of the mites and severe worsening of the clinical signs.
The most severe case I have seen in an older dog occurred in a 13 year old Labrador retriever. I was called out to see Thunder, because in a matter of 1-2 days he suddenly developed severe bleeding wounds. His owners were afraid that they might have to have him euthanized because he was so miserable.
We looked for the underlying cause of Thunder's outbreak of demodex and were never able to pin point it, but hopefully it was stress or infection induced and won't bother him again.
A point to note is that if you have a dog with a skin problem I recommend asking your vet to perform a skin scrape to rule out demodex. Though it is fairly uncommon in adult dogs if left undiagnosed it could cause serious problems, especially since the treatment of skin ailments often involves the use of steroids. Steroids like prednisone will cause an explosion of the mites and severe worsening of the clinical signs.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Training dogs
OK. I have been slacking the last two weeks and didn't write a blog. I apologize for that, I was truly being lazy! Anyways I am going to talk about proper training techniques for dogs and puppies. I know there are a lot of people that like watching Caesar Milan and think he is the be all end all with dog training, but I have to disagree on a lot of points. First of all it helps to understand a little bit about how dogs view the world.
Think of our canine companions as a mix between wolves and toddlers. They are as intelligent as a 2 year old, but can be a 2 year old with a hunting knife! Decedents of wolves have been co-habitating with humans for a minimum of 12,000 years and some recent DNA research puts that time frame closer to 135,000 years! In the beginning dogs helped with protection, hunting, and keeping us warm. In return we shared scraps and affection. In today's world dogs rely on us for all aspects of their care just like young children do. They look to us for security and for companionship, yet they are our protectors and our best friends. It is important to understand how a dog thinks and sees the world in order to help them fit into our mold of an ideal canine companion.
In the past many training techniques focused on negative reinforcement and fear as a motivator. This training method hinders the full potential of the canine-human bond. The dominance based training methods of the past are continually being proven to be inferior to newer training methods. This goes contrary to how many people think. Doesn't the alpha wolf dominate the rest of the pack? Don't the submissive dogs roll on their backs and look away? The answer is in a very few circumstances they do, but most of the time the alpha leaders (male and female) of the pack are respected and benevolent leaders. An alpha wolf does not have to bully the pack to assert his dominance. Instead he leads by taking care of the pack first with confidence and wisdom. So why then do many trainers still insist that we dominate our dogs?
If we look at our dogs as children in fur coats then the idea of teaching with correction and dominance begin to make even less sense. Ask any mother of a two year old and they will tell you that redirection is a far more effective method of keeping everyone happy than trying to constantly reprimand them. I've had many arguments with my husband on this topic when our oldest was in her 1's and 2's and he finally had to agree that a 2 year old just doesn't have the mental capacity to understand a lot of things and it is much easier to substitute or distract than it is to yell and fuss and punish. Dogs are very similar.
The training methods of behaviorists like Ian Dunbar believe in a more hands-off, reward based system. This system promotes confidence in the human and the dog as well as building a bond of trust rather than a bond based on fear. Second these training methods are safe, easy, and fun to use for the average pet owner. Dominance based methods are much more likely to get someone bit or create a more aggressive and fearful dog.
How to make a friendly dog: If you obtain your puppy at 8 weeks of age, it isn't too young to start training. In fact by doing so at such a young age you are more likely to have a happy, friendly well adjusted canine companion. The socialization window for dogs ends by about 12 weeks of age. Begin by introducing your new puppy to at least four new people each day. Pick people of all different shapes, sizes, ages, gender, etc. The more people your puppy is exposed to the more people he will be willing to accept as "normal". Hand feeding your puppy during the socialization exercises will help your puppy to associate strangers with good things. If your adopt your puppy or dog after a few months of age then you may have to proceed a little slower. She may already be nervous around new situations. Make each interaction a positive experience and don't push her beyond her endurance. Only feed your dog during these social interactions. This is meal time and she will learn that strangers are a part of this.
Language of dogs: Despite the fact that many people believe their dogs completely understand them, this is not the case. Dogs are capable of learning some of our words, but they are even more capable of reading our body language, odors, and voice tones. Because of this it seems like they understand us when we talk to them. When creating command words for dogs it is important to me consistent and use simple words. Telling a dog to "Stop" or "No" is much better than "No! No! Buddy don't do that, bad dog!" Your dog will understand the few words and tone, but nothing in between and the rest may just confuse him. Pick simple words like "Yes" or "Good" when your dogs does what you want, "Oops" or "Nay" to mean that your dog didn't quite get it right, and "Stop" or "No" for a true forbidden activity such as peeing on the carpet, of chewing the baby's toy. Overuse of the "No" command words makes them less effective, just like with children. Having the "Oops" command lets the dog know that they didn't do what you wanted, but they aren't in trouble and didn't break any serious rules. It keeps the tone positive and keeps the dog more willing to continue to try and get it right.
House-Training: Most dogs can not hold their bladder for six hours until they are at least six months of age. The first step to successful house training is to introduce your dog to a crate. Crates are a useful tool and can become your dog's safe haven when he wants to be left alone. Crates only become cruel when a dog is left in one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whenever you are not keeping your eyes directly on the puppy he should be in his crate. The crate needs to be small enough so the puppy doesn't feel he can eliminate on one side and still sleep on the other. You need to take your puppy out at LEAST 6 times a day and especially after eating or drinking. Pick a particular spot outside to use as the "elimination" area. Take your puppy out on a leash (even if you have a fenced in back yard). Don't distract your puppy with talk or play. Bring him to the spot and use a command such as "Go potty". Praise him profusely when he does go. Then have some outdoor playtime. If you immediately bring him back into the house he will be more likely to waste time to avoid having to go directly back into the house. If your puppy has an accident in the house it is YOUR FAULT. YOU are responsible for watching your puppy and looking for signs that he needs to eliminate. If you catch him in the act, a firm "No", pick him up and take him immediately outside to the elimination spot. Praise him if he finishes going. If you find an accident in the house then just sigh and clean it up. Rubbing his nose in it teaches the puppy nothing. If you can't watch the puppy put him in his crate or in a play area where he can't ruin anything if he has an accident.
Chewing: Puppies and some dogs like to chew. Their mouths are a very important part of they ability to sense the world around them. Also young puppies, even up to a year of age are still cutting their teeth and chewing helps to alleviate some of the discomfort. Teach your puppy which toys are acceptable to chew on by putting part of their daily dry kibble inside a kong treat or other hallow treat. Place these in the basket or area where his other toys are kept. When you find him chewing on something that is not allowed make a trade. Don't just take it away and tell him no. Tell him "No!" and then give him a toy so you can tell him "Yes!" If your puppy is chewing on you then you can let out a yelp and freeze for a few seconds. Your puppy will likely become apologetic. Forgive him and continue to play, possibly using other toys that he can bite harder on.
There are a lot of excellent resources to help you, help your canine family member fit in well with your family. Patience, compassion, consistency, and understanding your dog will go a long way.
Think of our canine companions as a mix between wolves and toddlers. They are as intelligent as a 2 year old, but can be a 2 year old with a hunting knife! Decedents of wolves have been co-habitating with humans for a minimum of 12,000 years and some recent DNA research puts that time frame closer to 135,000 years! In the beginning dogs helped with protection, hunting, and keeping us warm. In return we shared scraps and affection. In today's world dogs rely on us for all aspects of their care just like young children do. They look to us for security and for companionship, yet they are our protectors and our best friends. It is important to understand how a dog thinks and sees the world in order to help them fit into our mold of an ideal canine companion.
In the past many training techniques focused on negative reinforcement and fear as a motivator. This training method hinders the full potential of the canine-human bond. The dominance based training methods of the past are continually being proven to be inferior to newer training methods. This goes contrary to how many people think. Doesn't the alpha wolf dominate the rest of the pack? Don't the submissive dogs roll on their backs and look away? The answer is in a very few circumstances they do, but most of the time the alpha leaders (male and female) of the pack are respected and benevolent leaders. An alpha wolf does not have to bully the pack to assert his dominance. Instead he leads by taking care of the pack first with confidence and wisdom. So why then do many trainers still insist that we dominate our dogs?
If we look at our dogs as children in fur coats then the idea of teaching with correction and dominance begin to make even less sense. Ask any mother of a two year old and they will tell you that redirection is a far more effective method of keeping everyone happy than trying to constantly reprimand them. I've had many arguments with my husband on this topic when our oldest was in her 1's and 2's and he finally had to agree that a 2 year old just doesn't have the mental capacity to understand a lot of things and it is much easier to substitute or distract than it is to yell and fuss and punish. Dogs are very similar.
The training methods of behaviorists like Ian Dunbar believe in a more hands-off, reward based system. This system promotes confidence in the human and the dog as well as building a bond of trust rather than a bond based on fear. Second these training methods are safe, easy, and fun to use for the average pet owner. Dominance based methods are much more likely to get someone bit or create a more aggressive and fearful dog.
How to make a friendly dog: If you obtain your puppy at 8 weeks of age, it isn't too young to start training. In fact by doing so at such a young age you are more likely to have a happy, friendly well adjusted canine companion. The socialization window for dogs ends by about 12 weeks of age. Begin by introducing your new puppy to at least four new people each day. Pick people of all different shapes, sizes, ages, gender, etc. The more people your puppy is exposed to the more people he will be willing to accept as "normal". Hand feeding your puppy during the socialization exercises will help your puppy to associate strangers with good things. If your adopt your puppy or dog after a few months of age then you may have to proceed a little slower. She may already be nervous around new situations. Make each interaction a positive experience and don't push her beyond her endurance. Only feed your dog during these social interactions. This is meal time and she will learn that strangers are a part of this.
House-Training: Most dogs can not hold their bladder for six hours until they are at least six months of age. The first step to successful house training is to introduce your dog to a crate. Crates are a useful tool and can become your dog's safe haven when he wants to be left alone. Crates only become cruel when a dog is left in one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whenever you are not keeping your eyes directly on the puppy he should be in his crate. The crate needs to be small enough so the puppy doesn't feel he can eliminate on one side and still sleep on the other. You need to take your puppy out at LEAST 6 times a day and especially after eating or drinking. Pick a particular spot outside to use as the "elimination" area. Take your puppy out on a leash (even if you have a fenced in back yard). Don't distract your puppy with talk or play. Bring him to the spot and use a command such as "Go potty". Praise him profusely when he does go. Then have some outdoor playtime. If you immediately bring him back into the house he will be more likely to waste time to avoid having to go directly back into the house. If your puppy has an accident in the house it is YOUR FAULT. YOU are responsible for watching your puppy and looking for signs that he needs to eliminate. If you catch him in the act, a firm "No", pick him up and take him immediately outside to the elimination spot. Praise him if he finishes going. If you find an accident in the house then just sigh and clean it up. Rubbing his nose in it teaches the puppy nothing. If you can't watch the puppy put him in his crate or in a play area where he can't ruin anything if he has an accident.
There are a lot of excellent resources to help you, help your canine family member fit in well with your family. Patience, compassion, consistency, and understanding your dog will go a long way.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Diabetes in Cats
I am currently managing several feline patients with diabetes so I thought that would be an appropriate topic to write about this week. Much of this information can also apply to dogs, but I will focus on the disease in cats. So what is diabetes? There are technically two types, diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipudus is a disease where the animal is unable to concentrate urine and not the topic of today. I am going to discuss diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes mellitus is a disease where the body is unable to regulate blood sugar. First of all it is important to understand how a normal cat regulates their glucose. Glucose is the energy source for all cells in the body. When a cat eats a meal it is digested in the GI tract and the food broken down into it's basic parts of amino acids, fats, and sugars. The liver then plays a further role in breaking down fats into usable glucose. As glucose levels increase in the blood this triggers the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is the "key" that opens the cell door to allow glucose in. Without this key the glucose can not enter the cell and the cell will not get any energy. It is like being in the middle of the ocean, but not having any water to drink. Most cat's suffer from Type II diabetes where the body may produce enough insulin, but no longer knows how to use it properly.
Because cats are not pack animals, they will hide illness until they are no longer able to. This makes early detection difficult, even with the most astute owner. Diabetes occurs in 1 out of 400 cats, but is becoming more common due to rampant obesity in companion animals. Neutered male cats are twice as likely to develop diabetes than females, but cats weighing over 15 lbs and over the age of 10 are at the greatest risk of developing diabetes. Many experts also believe that a high carbohydrate diet predisposes cats to diabetes. All dry foods and a majority of canned food contain a much higher percent of carbohydrate than cats need. Once a cat develops diabetes this definitely plays a role in controlling the disease.
Regular check-ups every six months as well as screening bloodwork can be a very good way to detect the disease early. The earlier the disease is diagnosed the more easily it is controlled. Common signs that people first notice in a diabetic cat are increased drinking, increased urination, and weight loss despite a good appetite. In more advanced stages weakness, wobbly gate, vomiting, anorexia are the common signs.
Diabetes is actually fairly easy to diagnose. A small drop of blood to check glucose level will rule diabetes out if it is normal. A blood glucose level above 200 mg/dl is a strong indication that the cat is diabetic. Stress or a recent meal can falsely elevate glucose so a urinalysis or fructosamine level will need to be done to confirm the diagnosis.
If the diagnosis is made early enough many cats can be controlled by feeding a low carb diet. Eventually about 70% of cats will need insulin to control the diabetes. There are oral medications for humans to control diabetes, but most cat owners find it much more difficult to give a cat a pill than an injection. Also the oral medications tend to be much less effective in controlling the diabetes and may promote further pancreatic cell damage.
Diets that are low in carbs, meaning less than 7% carbs, are difficult to find. Purina DM canned is the only prescription diet that is available that has <7% carbs. Janet& Binky'sCat Food Nutritional Information Page is a good resource for over the counter diets that are low carb. You can't go by what the guaranteed analysis of a can says because they count water content so I recommend picking something off the list or calling the company and asking what percent of carbs are in the food on a dry matter basis. Water intake is also a critical component to feline health, especially in sick cats. For the last 10-15 years veterinarians have been preaching how important it is to feed your cat dry food for dental health, when in fact there are only a very few dry foods that actually do any cleaning of their teeth. Dry foods are very high in carbs and low in water content. We are now seeing other health issues such as renal disease, urinary tract disease, and diabetes that may be due to these dry diets. So should all cats be fed canned food? I honestly don't know, but more and more research is coming out to support the belief that they should.
OK back to the subject of diabetes. Switching your cat to a low carb diet is a very important part of managing diabetes. If your cat is already on insulin it is VERY important to note that he may suddenly no longer require as much insulin or any at all once switched. Many cats can go into an insulin seizure or coma from getting the same dose of insulin they have been getting for months or years once switched to a low carb diet. Careful glucose monitoring is critical to prevent this. If your cat is newly diagnosed then many vets will start them on a low carb diet before insulin is started to see if the disease can be managed that way. Regular insulin checks and close monitoring of water intake and urinary output are necessary to be able to quickly realize when diet control are no longer adequate and insulin will be needed.
Insulin therapy is often instantly rejected by many clients as an option. People fear to give their cat injections once or twice a day and are afraid they will stress out or hurt their cat too much. In fact I find it much easier to give a cat a subcutaneous injection than to pop pills down their throat. With proper instruction most people can learn to administer these tiny injections. Especially of done while the cat is eating or relaxed they often don't even seem to notice the shot. Don't reject insulin therapy out of hand. Worst case scenario is you try it and you can't do it. Don't euthanize your diabetic cat without at least giving it an honest try.
Monitoring a diabetic is very important. Once you are good at giving your cat insulin injections, learning how to prick their ear for a small blood sample to check glucose levels is an easy step. This is the best way to monitor glucose. A glucose curve is a very important test to see how your cat's body responds to the insulin injections. This is a test where blood glucose levels are checked every 2 hours for a 12-16 hour period. Taking your cat to the vet hospital to stay the day for this test is unlikely to give very accurate results due to the stress involved. Being able to perform this test at home give a much better indication of the true effectiveness of the treatment.
Diabetes is a manageable disease that does not have to shorten your cat's life expectancy or overtly affect his quality of life. Diabetes left untreated is a completely different story. Uncontrolled high blood glucose levels lead to repeated urinary tract infections, kidney damage, neurological effects (weakness, dementia, seizures, coma), cataracts (more common in dogs), liver damage, dehydration, infection, and eventually death.
Because cats are not pack animals, they will hide illness until they are no longer able to. This makes early detection difficult, even with the most astute owner. Diabetes occurs in 1 out of 400 cats, but is becoming more common due to rampant obesity in companion animals. Neutered male cats are twice as likely to develop diabetes than females, but cats weighing over 15 lbs and over the age of 10 are at the greatest risk of developing diabetes. Many experts also believe that a high carbohydrate diet predisposes cats to diabetes. All dry foods and a majority of canned food contain a much higher percent of carbohydrate than cats need. Once a cat develops diabetes this definitely plays a role in controlling the disease.
Regular check-ups every six months as well as screening bloodwork can be a very good way to detect the disease early. The earlier the disease is diagnosed the more easily it is controlled. Common signs that people first notice in a diabetic cat are increased drinking, increased urination, and weight loss despite a good appetite. In more advanced stages weakness, wobbly gate, vomiting, anorexia are the common signs.
Diabetes is actually fairly easy to diagnose. A small drop of blood to check glucose level will rule diabetes out if it is normal. A blood glucose level above 200 mg/dl is a strong indication that the cat is diabetic. Stress or a recent meal can falsely elevate glucose so a urinalysis or fructosamine level will need to be done to confirm the diagnosis.
If the diagnosis is made early enough many cats can be controlled by feeding a low carb diet. Eventually about 70% of cats will need insulin to control the diabetes. There are oral medications for humans to control diabetes, but most cat owners find it much more difficult to give a cat a pill than an injection. Also the oral medications tend to be much less effective in controlling the diabetes and may promote further pancreatic cell damage.
OK back to the subject of diabetes. Switching your cat to a low carb diet is a very important part of managing diabetes. If your cat is already on insulin it is VERY important to note that he may suddenly no longer require as much insulin or any at all once switched. Many cats can go into an insulin seizure or coma from getting the same dose of insulin they have been getting for months or years once switched to a low carb diet. Careful glucose monitoring is critical to prevent this. If your cat is newly diagnosed then many vets will start them on a low carb diet before insulin is started to see if the disease can be managed that way. Regular insulin checks and close monitoring of water intake and urinary output are necessary to be able to quickly realize when diet control are no longer adequate and insulin will be needed.
Insulin therapy is often instantly rejected by many clients as an option. People fear to give their cat injections once or twice a day and are afraid they will stress out or hurt their cat too much. In fact I find it much easier to give a cat a subcutaneous injection than to pop pills down their throat. With proper instruction most people can learn to administer these tiny injections. Especially of done while the cat is eating or relaxed they often don't even seem to notice the shot. Don't reject insulin therapy out of hand. Worst case scenario is you try it and you can't do it. Don't euthanize your diabetic cat without at least giving it an honest try.
Monitoring a diabetic is very important. Once you are good at giving your cat insulin injections, learning how to prick their ear for a small blood sample to check glucose levels is an easy step. This is the best way to monitor glucose. A glucose curve is a very important test to see how your cat's body responds to the insulin injections. This is a test where blood glucose levels are checked every 2 hours for a 12-16 hour period. Taking your cat to the vet hospital to stay the day for this test is unlikely to give very accurate results due to the stress involved. Being able to perform this test at home give a much better indication of the true effectiveness of the treatment.
Diabetes is a manageable disease that does not have to shorten your cat's life expectancy or overtly affect his quality of life. Diabetes left untreated is a completely different story. Uncontrolled high blood glucose levels lead to repeated urinary tract infections, kidney damage, neurological effects (weakness, dementia, seizures, coma), cataracts (more common in dogs), liver damage, dehydration, infection, and eventually death.
Monday, September 26, 2011
New Pet
I have people ask me almost on a daily basis about getting a new pet. I will try and offer a few pearls of wisdom (or at least my opinions) about where and how to get a new pet.
First of all the decision to bring another living creature into your household should not be made lightly. There are so many people that walk into a pet store "just to look" and walk out the proud owner of a new puppy or kitten. A very large percentage of those puppies and kittens, ofter turning into not so cute dogs and cats end up in the local shelter.
Another thing a good breeder will do is only breed every other heat cycle. Pregnancy is hard on the body (as any woman with children can attest too!) and back-to-back pregnancies lead to many potential problems. Most "good" breeders are not breeding for a living. Yes they would like to make some money, or at least recoup their expenses for the litter (which if done right can be upwards of a few hundred dollars a puppy/kitten), but they have another income source that pays the bills. There are some exceptions to this, but in general it is true that breeders that are in it for a living are eventually more concerned with paying the bills and less concerned with the quality of dog/cat they are producing. This is not to say you can't get lucky and get a good dog or cat this way, but it will truly be a crap shoot.
What can you afford food and medication wise? If you have a tight budget then you probably can't afford heartworm prevention and food for a great dane.
What can you afford for health issues? Can you drop $2500 (or more) in a second when your Corgi herniates a disc and needs emergency back surgery or heart medications and repeat testing when your Doberman develops dilated cardiomyopathy?
What can your lifestyle handle? Do you run several miles a day and want a companion to go with you? If so you want an active dog that likes to get up and go. Are you a couch potato? Then get a dog that is content to sit at your feet and won't chew a hole through the wall from excess energy.
Where do you live or are you going to live? Thick coated dogs like the St. Bernard and Husky don't do well in hot climates and thin skinned/haird dogs like the greyhound and chihuahua are lest tolerant of very cold weather. How much square footage do you have for the dog or cat to roam? How tolerant are your neighbors going to be to running feet or barking? Do you have stairs to climb and when your pet develops arthritis are you going to be able to carry them down the stairs to go outside?
Do you have children or are you going to have children? Some dogs are much more tolerant to having hair and ears pulled than others. Do you have other pets? Some dogs, such as greyhounds, have high prey drive and may kill a cat without a second though. Or bird dogs like Pointers may think your parrot is there for practice.
Well I seem to have rambled on with lots of questions to ask yourself before getting a pet. It basically all comes down to "know what you are getting yourself into." Plan for a 10-20 year commitment and try and think of all the possible scenarios that you may have to face over the life of the pet and you will be much better prepared and a much happier pet owner. If you aren't totally set on a puppy, but want a specific breed check out breed rescues and adopt an adult dog. If you aren't dead set on a specific breed (or even if you are since 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred) then please check out the shelter or rescue groups. About 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized yearly so even if you don't adopt then at least have your pet spayed or neutered.
First of all the decision to bring another living creature into your household should not be made lightly. There are so many people that walk into a pet store "just to look" and walk out the proud owner of a new puppy or kitten. A very large percentage of those puppies and kittens, ofter turning into not so cute dogs and cats end up in the local shelter.
- My first piece of advice is to NEVER make a purchase on an impulse.
- My second piece of advice is to research where the puppy/kitten in coming from.
Another thing a good breeder will do is only breed every other heat cycle. Pregnancy is hard on the body (as any woman with children can attest too!) and back-to-back pregnancies lead to many potential problems. Most "good" breeders are not breeding for a living. Yes they would like to make some money, or at least recoup their expenses for the litter (which if done right can be upwards of a few hundred dollars a puppy/kitten), but they have another income source that pays the bills. There are some exceptions to this, but in general it is true that breeders that are in it for a living are eventually more concerned with paying the bills and less concerned with the quality of dog/cat they are producing. This is not to say you can't get lucky and get a good dog or cat this way, but it will truly be a crap shoot.
- The cheapest cost for a new dog or cat is usually the purchase price.
- You get what you pay for.
- You do not "rescue" a dog or cat from a pet store!
- A designer mutt is just an expensive mutt.
- Know what you are getting yourself into!
What can you afford food and medication wise? If you have a tight budget then you probably can't afford heartworm prevention and food for a great dane.
What can you afford for health issues? Can you drop $2500 (or more) in a second when your Corgi herniates a disc and needs emergency back surgery or heart medications and repeat testing when your Doberman develops dilated cardiomyopathy?
What can your lifestyle handle? Do you run several miles a day and want a companion to go with you? If so you want an active dog that likes to get up and go. Are you a couch potato? Then get a dog that is content to sit at your feet and won't chew a hole through the wall from excess energy.
Where do you live or are you going to live? Thick coated dogs like the St. Bernard and Husky don't do well in hot climates and thin skinned/haird dogs like the greyhound and chihuahua are lest tolerant of very cold weather. How much square footage do you have for the dog or cat to roam? How tolerant are your neighbors going to be to running feet or barking? Do you have stairs to climb and when your pet develops arthritis are you going to be able to carry them down the stairs to go outside?
Do you have children or are you going to have children? Some dogs are much more tolerant to having hair and ears pulled than others. Do you have other pets? Some dogs, such as greyhounds, have high prey drive and may kill a cat without a second though. Or bird dogs like Pointers may think your parrot is there for practice.
Well I seem to have rambled on with lots of questions to ask yourself before getting a pet. It basically all comes down to "know what you are getting yourself into." Plan for a 10-20 year commitment and try and think of all the possible scenarios that you may have to face over the life of the pet and you will be much better prepared and a much happier pet owner. If you aren't totally set on a puppy, but want a specific breed check out breed rescues and adopt an adult dog. If you aren't dead set on a specific breed (or even if you are since 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred) then please check out the shelter or rescue groups. About 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized yearly so even if you don't adopt then at least have your pet spayed or neutered.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Caring for a Senior Pet
Fortunately our pets are living longer lives. The downside to this is that we are now having to deal with how to care for our senior pets. It is something that veterinary medicine is not yet prepared to deal with and we are having to extrapolate a lot of things from human medicine. In our field we are typically about 10 years behind human medicine in many things.
First of all let me say that old age is NOT a disease. Old age just means you are more likely to have a medical condition such as organ deficiency, degenerative changes, or cancer. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that senior pets have a physical exam twice a year. This equates to a senior citizen going to the doctor once a year. Senior pets are more likely to have kidney failure, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, arthritis, thyroid disease, and cancer to name a few.
So besides regular vet visits what can you do to make your senior pet's life more comfortable? The first thing is to make sure your pet isn't carrying around any extra weight. The average cat should weigh about 10 pounds. When Fluffy weighs in at 12 pounds you may think "It's only 2 pounds, that's nothing." when in fact it is equivalent to an average person carrying an extra 30 pounds. Encourage your senior pet to continue moving around and stay active. Not only will this help keep the weight off, but will help keep stiffening joints more flexible and keep blood flowing. The next thing you can do is feed your pet a good quality food and limit how much you feed. A few extra kibbles each day can add up quickly. Our perception about what is a lot is usually not very accurate. Many cats only need 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of food a day. Pour that into a bowl and most people think they are starving their cat to death! Most pet foods quantity recommendation is based on a very active, intact, or even growing pet. Your senior Labrador that spends the day lounging on the couch only needs about 50-75% of the calories recommended on the bag.
It is very difficult to tell if your pet is overweight just by looking at them, especially if they have long hair or a thick undercoat. You will have to put your hands on them to really determine how much extra weight they are carrying. Purina has a great weight chart for cats and dogs with illustrations to help you "score" your pet. If your pet is too fat or too thin then an adjustment in their calorie intake is required. Especially if your pet is too thin some lab work should also be performed to determine if there is a more serious cause.
One study showed that 95% of cats over the age of 10 years old have radiographic evidence of arthritis. There are no specific statistics in dogs that I could find, but I am sure it is similar in smaller dogs and probably occurs earlier in large dogs. The signs of early arthritis are often over looked. Your pet may start laying in a different position, get up a little slower, take an extra second before deciding to jump, chase the ball a few less times than normal. Most people don't notice signs of arthritis until their pet is in obvious pain which they show by limping, difficulty getting up or down, no longer jumping up, etc. I don't think I have ever met a pet that cried because of arthritis pain. Most animals won't vocalize because of chronic pain. If your pet is limping, he is in pain.
Ways you can help your pet be more comfortable with arthritic pain are vast. Simple things like adding a stool or stairs to help them get up onto your bed. Give them a pet bed with extra padding. Raise your big dog's food and water bowl to shoulder level so they don't have to bend down to eat. Put your cat's food on the floor instead of the counter. Give your cat a more shallow litter-box so they don't have to step over a big lip. Do physical therapy in the form of stretches with your pet. Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep when it gets cool to decrease stiffening of their joints. These are all simple things that can be done.
Talk to your veterinarian about joint supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, and EPA. Adding vitamins such as Vitamin E and C and fish oils may also be beneficial. Make sure you talk to your vet before starting your pet on any supplement. Just because it is not a medicine doesn't mean that it is harmless and there are some medical conditions that could be made worse by giving certain supplements. There are also diets out there that have research backing their effectiveness in easing arthritic symptoms such as Purina JM and Hill's j/d.
Many older pets begin to suffer from hearing loss as well as changes in vision. If you think your pet is not hearing as well as before then consider getting a whistle or teaching them to respond to a loud clap if they don't seem to be able to hear you calling them. Put a nightlight in the hallway so your pet can get around easier in the dark.
Bathroom habits are also something that starts to change as a pet gets older. Dogs that potty trained in one day start having accidents in the house and cats start finding places outside the litter-box. When this happens there is usually an underlying medical reason. It is important to make a note of details such as: Is it urine or feces or both? Is it large amounts or small? Are they awake or sleeping when it occurs? Does it happen in the same spot every time or is it random? Is there anything abnormal about the urine such as color, smell, etc? Are the feces normal and formed or are they soft/diarrhea? Knowing these things will help your vet better pinpoint what may be the underlying cause and treat appropriately. Sometimes there is not a physiological reason for this to be occurring. Dogs and cats are both known to develop cognitive dysfunction which is similar in signs to Alzheimer's disease in humans and like humans there is no cure but there are treatments that may help.
Hopefully these are a few tips that you can use to help your senior pet. If you have any questions or want me to elaborate on any specific issue let me know and I will be happy to do so!
Thanks to Candace for the topic suggestion.
It is very difficult to tell if your pet is overweight just by looking at them, especially if they have long hair or a thick undercoat. You will have to put your hands on them to really determine how much extra weight they are carrying. Purina has a great weight chart for cats and dogs with illustrations to help you "score" your pet. If your pet is too fat or too thin then an adjustment in their calorie intake is required. Especially if your pet is too thin some lab work should also be performed to determine if there is a more serious cause.
Ways you can help your pet be more comfortable with arthritic pain are vast. Simple things like adding a stool or stairs to help them get up onto your bed. Give them a pet bed with extra padding. Raise your big dog's food and water bowl to shoulder level so they don't have to bend down to eat. Put your cat's food on the floor instead of the counter. Give your cat a more shallow litter-box so they don't have to step over a big lip. Do physical therapy in the form of stretches with your pet. Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep when it gets cool to decrease stiffening of their joints. These are all simple things that can be done.
Talk to your veterinarian about joint supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, and EPA. Adding vitamins such as Vitamin E and C and fish oils may also be beneficial. Make sure you talk to your vet before starting your pet on any supplement. Just because it is not a medicine doesn't mean that it is harmless and there are some medical conditions that could be made worse by giving certain supplements. There are also diets out there that have research backing their effectiveness in easing arthritic symptoms such as Purina JM and Hill's j/d.
Many older pets begin to suffer from hearing loss as well as changes in vision. If you think your pet is not hearing as well as before then consider getting a whistle or teaching them to respond to a loud clap if they don't seem to be able to hear you calling them. Put a nightlight in the hallway so your pet can get around easier in the dark.
Hopefully these are a few tips that you can use to help your senior pet. If you have any questions or want me to elaborate on any specific issue let me know and I will be happy to do so!
Thanks to Candace for the topic suggestion.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
The ABC's of Reading Pet Food Labels
I'm going to expand some on my last blog. I have recently gotten into reading labels a lot for my family's nutritional health and since I consider my cat part of the family I have to learn to read pet food labels too. I will do this over several blogs since it can be dry reading!
It is amazing how little information is required to be on the label of a bag or can of pet food. According to the FDA, proper identification of product, net quantity statement, manufacturer's name and address, and proper listing of ingredients are the only requirements for a bag/can of pet food. Many states have also adopted the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) regulations which are more specific. I will focus on AAFCO regulations since most diets will follow these.
The name of a food is a very important factor in most consumer's decision to buy a food. To prevent companies from misleading the consumer about what is in a food there are a few definitions imposed on them.
It is amazing how little information is required to be on the label of a bag or can of pet food. According to the FDA, proper identification of product, net quantity statement, manufacturer's name and address, and proper listing of ingredients are the only requirements for a bag/can of pet food. Many states have also adopted the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) regulations which are more specific. I will focus on AAFCO regulations since most diets will follow these.
The name of a food is a very important factor in most consumer's decision to buy a food. To prevent companies from misleading the consumer about what is in a food there are a few definitions imposed on them.
- A product can only be labeled "Beef for dogs" or "Salmon for cats" if the meat product makes up 95% of the total weight of ingredients (not counting added water). These foods are typically canned food. This definitions only applies to animal based products in the diet.
- The "dinner" rule means that if a food is labeled a dinner (or entree, platter, nuggets, formula, etc.) such as "Classic turkey dinner", it must contain at least 25% by weight of the named ingredient. In this case turkey. This means if your pet does not like a certain ingredient then a "dinner" flavor needs to be more closely analyzed. A look at the ingredient list may find that it contains a significant amount of the unwanted meat.
- Combined dinner rule: I a food is labeled "Turkey and Rice Dinner" then the combined ingredients must equal 25% by weight of the total diet. The first ingredient listed must be present in greater quantity than the second and the second ingredient must make up at least 3% by weight of the total ingredients.
- The "with" rule means that the named ingredient must make up at least 3% by weight of the diet. So a canned cat food with a pretty picture of a beautiful salmon that is labeled "Gourmet Classic with Salmon" is only guaranteed to contain 3% salmon by weight. The main ingredient could be anything else.
- The "flavor" rule simply means that the food must must contain an amount sufficient to be able to be detected. A "Beef flavored dog food" does not need to actually contain any real beef. Beef digest (materials treated with heat, enzymes and/or acids to form concentrated natural flavors) or beef stock can be what is added to provide the flavor.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Claims by Pet Food Companies...True or False?
Recently there seems to be a lot of people running towards the expensive "all natural" or "grain free" diets so I decided to do some research to help clarify their claims and what they really mean. Unfortunately in the pet food industry it is very easy to make all sorts of misleading claims about a product. Advertising is done to get you to buy a product and the more facts you have, the better you can interpret if a product really is "the best." It ultimately comes down to the fact that 95% of dogs and cats will do fine on almost any food available on the market and most people are spending the extra money because it is a food "that you can feel good about giving your beloved four-legged family member." as seen by this quote from one pet food company. I personally still recommend brands such and Purina, Royal Canin, and Hills that have not only been "formulated" to meet your pet's nutritional needs, but have gone through rigorous testing and food trials to ensure that what goes in your pet's mouth will actually provide good nutrition and not just pass through.
Here are some common statements that I have cut and pasted from different pet food web sites.
"modern science proves that your dog or cat still share the DNA of the wolf or wild cat. ***** offers your pet a diet dictated by his genes. It provides your pet with the kind of natural, balanced diet that he could find "in the wild." We all love to think of fido as a tame wolf, but he is not. Yes, genetically he is very similar to his wolf ancestor, but he is still not a wolf. If you can change one single amino acid in a gene and cause a dog to have a long versus short muzzle, then what kind of dramatic changes can be made by changing many different genes. Domesticated dogs are genetically different enough from wolves (Canis lupus) that they are classified as a whole separate species, Canis familiaris. We have bred dogs for thousands of years to the point that they no longer even communicate with each other the same way that wolves do. Domesticated dogs have adapted to interact with us, play with us, work with us, and, yes, even eat with us.
"supplemented with fruits and vegetables" The definition of supplement is: "Something added to complete a thing, make up for a deficiency, or extend or strengthen the whole." It amazes me how in the first sentence a pet food will claim that their product gives your pet what they would get in the wild and then in the second sentence makes a claim like this. While wolves in the wild have been known to occasionally eat vegetables, it is not a very common occurrence. When you open the bag and there is a whole bison waiting for your pet to chow down on, then they can claim that. It is also a fact that almost ALL pet foods are supplemented with fruits and vegetables to meet the nutritional needs of dogs and cats.
"All natural" Only a few pet foods today are "artificial" in that they use BHA or BHT as preservatives. Otherwise, food is food. And to be nitpicky, no pet food is "all-natural" if there are added vitamins and minerals (which 99% of pet foods use). So when pet stores say "we only recommend and sell all-natural pet foods" they're lying. Not to mention rattlesnake venom is all natural, but I seriously doubt many people would claim it is good for you!
"A grain-free formula for all life stages with sweet potatoes and peas..." I will take this statement in two parts. The first part is the "all life stages" comment. The last time I checked the nutrient requirements for a baby or a nursing mother are different than the nutritional requirements for a senior citizen. A food that is formulated for "all life stages" meets the requirements for the most demanding phases of life. This is good if you are a growing puppy or a lactating queen, but it may contain too much of something if you are a senior dog that sits on the couch all day.
The second part of this statement is the "grain-free". Grain free is the most recent fad in the pet food industry. Back in the 1960's there was the big hype to feed dogs and cats all meat based food. Then we started seeing dogs and cats with massive and fatal nutrient deficiencies. In the 1970's research really began to try and create dog and cat foods that are balanced and meet all their nutritional needs. Now at least pet food companies seem to be smart enough to not promote all meat diets, instead they are getting their ingredients from novel sources. Instead of using corn or wheat they are using "sweet potatoes and peas." There is nothing inherently better in sweet potatoes or peas than in another carbohydrate source. They all have variations in their mineral and vitamin content, but that will be corrected by adding vitamins anyways. It is theorized that maybe 1% (or less) of the pet population is gluten intolerant (extrapolated from the human population statistics). Should grocery stores stop carrying gluten containing products because 1 out of 100 people that shop there can't eat them? Why should we stop feeding our pets corn or wheat because 1 in 100 may have a problem with it?
"Corn, wheat and soy have been linked to allergic reactions in some dogs" If it contains protein you can be allergic to it. Food allergies in dogs and cats develop over time to something they eat regularly. Because corn, wheat and soy are common ingredients in pet foods we see more animals with allergies to them. In fact we see more allergies to beef and chicken than we do to corn and wheat because these are the common meats used. When companies started making lamb based products it was the big thing because there were no reactions to it because no animals had been exposed to it. In about 10 years time if these new pet foods maintain their popularity we will start to see more and more dogs and cats allergic to peas and sweet potatoes! I'm not saying these foods are bad, just that this statement is very misleading.
This brings me to a quick aside for those who want to feed their pets a raw meat diet. All I can say is that you need to be careful about bacterial contamination and make sure you feed the entire animal. Going on the theory that you want your pet to eat what it's wild cousins do, remember a wolf does not just cut out a steak and eat it. Most wild predators go for the belly first to get at the tasty, nutrient rich organs inside and then go for a flank steak. A dog or cat will protein starve to death on a complete all meat diet.
"many of the well-known pet food brands contain ingredients like chicken by-product meal or poultry by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives" For some reason "by-product" has a very bad reputation. The definition of by-product is "Secondary products produced in addition to the principal product" (page 355, AAFCO 2011 - chapter six - official feed terms). This means if you have a factory that produces leather then the prime rib would be considered a by-product because it is a secondary product.
The legal definition of meat by-products is "the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat (which is basically muscle), derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does NOT include hair, horns, teeth, and hooves." (page 369, AAFCO 2011) There is large nutritional value in organ meat and bone.
"poultry by-product meal" Consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poulty, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines, exclusive of feathers." (page 369, AAFCO 2011): The definition of rendering is a "cooking and separating process in which conditions such as time and temperature, with or without pressure, are sufficient to remove water, kill pathogenic microorganisms, and separate fats and oils from other components.” In other words the parts are cooked so that fat can be separated out and the crude protein is left behind. It usually results in a higher density of protein than meat alone.
Hopefully this will give you some information to help see through the smoke and mirrors that pet food companies try to use to convince us to buy their foods. Remember the bottom line for any company is the all mighty dollar and there are good and bad points to all of them. Most of the time when something costs more money it is a better product, but not always. A company will charge as much as they think they can and still be able to sell their product. The better the advertising is the more product they can sell at high costs. Don't believe everything you hear and see, just know that the majority of the good quality foods will provide good nutrition to your pet, you may just pay a little more or a little less depending on the success of their advertising campaign!
Here are some common statements that I have cut and pasted from different pet food web sites.
"modern science proves that your dog or cat still share the DNA of the wolf or wild cat. ***** offers your pet a diet dictated by his genes. It provides your pet with the kind of natural, balanced diet that he could find "in the wild." We all love to think of fido as a tame wolf, but he is not. Yes, genetically he is very similar to his wolf ancestor, but he is still not a wolf. If you can change one single amino acid in a gene and cause a dog to have a long versus short muzzle, then what kind of dramatic changes can be made by changing many different genes. Domesticated dogs are genetically different enough from wolves (Canis lupus) that they are classified as a whole separate species, Canis familiaris. We have bred dogs for thousands of years to the point that they no longer even communicate with each other the same way that wolves do. Domesticated dogs have adapted to interact with us, play with us, work with us, and, yes, even eat with us.
"All natural" Only a few pet foods today are "artificial" in that they use BHA or BHT as preservatives. Otherwise, food is food. And to be nitpicky, no pet food is "all-natural" if there are added vitamins and minerals (which 99% of pet foods use). So when pet stores say "we only recommend and sell all-natural pet foods" they're lying. Not to mention rattlesnake venom is all natural, but I seriously doubt many people would claim it is good for you!
"A grain-free formula for all life stages with sweet potatoes and peas..." I will take this statement in two parts. The first part is the "all life stages" comment. The last time I checked the nutrient requirements for a baby or a nursing mother are different than the nutritional requirements for a senior citizen. A food that is formulated for "all life stages" meets the requirements for the most demanding phases of life. This is good if you are a growing puppy or a lactating queen, but it may contain too much of something if you are a senior dog that sits on the couch all day.
The second part of this statement is the "grain-free". Grain free is the most recent fad in the pet food industry. Back in the 1960's there was the big hype to feed dogs and cats all meat based food. Then we started seeing dogs and cats with massive and fatal nutrient deficiencies. In the 1970's research really began to try and create dog and cat foods that are balanced and meet all their nutritional needs. Now at least pet food companies seem to be smart enough to not promote all meat diets, instead they are getting their ingredients from novel sources. Instead of using corn or wheat they are using "sweet potatoes and peas." There is nothing inherently better in sweet potatoes or peas than in another carbohydrate source. They all have variations in their mineral and vitamin content, but that will be corrected by adding vitamins anyways. It is theorized that maybe 1% (or less) of the pet population is gluten intolerant (extrapolated from the human population statistics). Should grocery stores stop carrying gluten containing products because 1 out of 100 people that shop there can't eat them? Why should we stop feeding our pets corn or wheat because 1 in 100 may have a problem with it?
"Corn, wheat and soy have been linked to allergic reactions in some dogs" If it contains protein you can be allergic to it. Food allergies in dogs and cats develop over time to something they eat regularly. Because corn, wheat and soy are common ingredients in pet foods we see more animals with allergies to them. In fact we see more allergies to beef and chicken than we do to corn and wheat because these are the common meats used. When companies started making lamb based products it was the big thing because there were no reactions to it because no animals had been exposed to it. In about 10 years time if these new pet foods maintain their popularity we will start to see more and more dogs and cats allergic to peas and sweet potatoes! I'm not saying these foods are bad, just that this statement is very misleading.
This brings me to a quick aside for those who want to feed their pets a raw meat diet. All I can say is that you need to be careful about bacterial contamination and make sure you feed the entire animal. Going on the theory that you want your pet to eat what it's wild cousins do, remember a wolf does not just cut out a steak and eat it. Most wild predators go for the belly first to get at the tasty, nutrient rich organs inside and then go for a flank steak. A dog or cat will protein starve to death on a complete all meat diet.
"many of the well-known pet food brands contain ingredients like chicken by-product meal or poultry by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives" For some reason "by-product" has a very bad reputation. The definition of by-product is "Secondary products produced in addition to the principal product" (page 355, AAFCO 2011 - chapter six - official feed terms). This means if you have a factory that produces leather then the prime rib would be considered a by-product because it is a secondary product.
The legal definition of meat by-products is "the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat (which is basically muscle), derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does NOT include hair, horns, teeth, and hooves." (page 369, AAFCO 2011) There is large nutritional value in organ meat and bone.
"poultry by-product meal" Consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poulty, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines, exclusive of feathers." (page 369, AAFCO 2011): The definition of rendering is a "cooking and separating process in which conditions such as time and temperature, with or without pressure, are sufficient to remove water, kill pathogenic microorganisms, and separate fats and oils from other components.” In other words the parts are cooked so that fat can be separated out and the crude protein is left behind. It usually results in a higher density of protein than meat alone.
Hopefully this will give you some information to help see through the smoke and mirrors that pet food companies try to use to convince us to buy their foods. Remember the bottom line for any company is the all mighty dollar and there are good and bad points to all of them. Most of the time when something costs more money it is a better product, but not always. A company will charge as much as they think they can and still be able to sell their product. The better the advertising is the more product they can sell at high costs. Don't believe everything you hear and see, just know that the majority of the good quality foods will provide good nutrition to your pet, you may just pay a little more or a little less depending on the success of their advertising campaign!
Monday, August 29, 2011
The hidden iceburg: Dental Disease
We just recently had an interesting case that brought home to me how important dental radiographs are when doing a proper dental cleaning. Tao is a 12 year old Retriever mix with numerous problems. She has many problems including epilepsy and blindness which made her person hesitate to do anesthesia. Yes she had really bad breath, but her teeth really didn't look all that bad.
As you can see the back teeth (premolars and molars) are somewhat covered in calculus, but the gums aren't red and bleeding and there is no obvious major disease. Because her gums are pigmented (black in color) it makes detecting gingivitis more difficult. In Tao's case instead of the gums receding back they became inflamed and thickened, but it isn't very obvious to the casual glance.
Once Tao was under anesthesia we took some radiographs and found some major periodontal disease. There were many teeth where the bone was eaten away by infection and I was able to pull several teeth, some with 3 roots, without having to section them. (Normally you have to cut the teeth apart and pull each root separately).
Below is a radiograph of a normal adult molar (right) and premolar (left). The red arrow points to the crown of the tooth. The blue arrow points to the root tip. The yellow arrow points to the pulp cavity and the green arrow points to the think dark line going around the root tip. This is the periodontal ligament. Both of these teeth have two roots and notice how there is bone (the mottled white material) all the way up to where the roots join at the top. The line around the roots is thin and uniform.
Now here is a radiograph of the same teeth on Tao. Notice the yellow arrow points to where the bone should be up to. The black is air on an radiograph. The bone on this premolar has been eaten away. This was one of the teeth I was able to remove without cutting.
This next radiograph is of the maxillary teeth (upper) right behind the canines. The blue arrows are pointing to the edge or a root abscess. If you notice the area around the tooth is a darker grey than the rest of the bone. There is no longer ANY bone around this tooth. It has been completely eaten away. The green and red arrows point to defects in the actual teeth. The roots on these two teeth have actually been "eaten through" (darker areas) by bacteria. Compare them to the radiograph of the normal teeth above.
Once we were done poor Tao was left with only 15 teeth in her mouth. We had to remove all 26 molars and premolars and one incisor. Adult dogs have 42 teeth. Adult cats have 30.
That being said her breath was instantly better and her mouth probably hurt less than before and within a few days she should be feeling so much better. Since her teeth were already so bad she probably wasn't chewing on anything, including her food so she won't miss the teeth.
Once Tao was under anesthesia we took some radiographs and found some major periodontal disease. There were many teeth where the bone was eaten away by infection and I was able to pull several teeth, some with 3 roots, without having to section them. (Normally you have to cut the teeth apart and pull each root separately).
Below is a radiograph of a normal adult molar (right) and premolar (left). The red arrow points to the crown of the tooth. The blue arrow points to the root tip. The yellow arrow points to the pulp cavity and the green arrow points to the think dark line going around the root tip. This is the periodontal ligament. Both of these teeth have two roots and notice how there is bone (the mottled white material) all the way up to where the roots join at the top. The line around the roots is thin and uniform.
This next radiograph is of the maxillary teeth (upper) right behind the canines. The blue arrows are pointing to the edge or a root abscess. If you notice the area around the tooth is a darker grey than the rest of the bone. There is no longer ANY bone around this tooth. It has been completely eaten away. The green and red arrows point to defects in the actual teeth. The roots on these two teeth have actually been "eaten through" (darker areas) by bacteria. Compare them to the radiograph of the normal teeth above.
Once we were done poor Tao was left with only 15 teeth in her mouth. We had to remove all 26 molars and premolars and one incisor. Adult dogs have 42 teeth. Adult cats have 30.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Facts and Fiction about Heartworms
When I was in vet school I saw a large 9 year old lab mix by the name of Gator. He came to the school health clinic every year since he was a puppy and every year diligent veterinary students like me tried to convince his owner to put him on heartworm prevention. Every year it was a different reason, but I think the one I got takes the cake. Gator's owner told me that he did not need to be on heartworm prevention because he only went outside into his fenced in backyard. When I asked about the fence (picturing a screened in area), i was told it was a chain-link fence. I breathed a sigh of relief to learn that Gator and his owner lived out in the country, because if the mosquitoes in his area were too big to fit through a chain-link fence then I think heartworms were the least of their concerns.
I hear almost on a daily basis hundreds of different reasons why someone doesn't want to put their dog or cat on heartworm prevention. I want to address the common ones I hear and explain why it is so important, especially in Florida where we have mosquitoes year round.
1) Scenario: "My dog doesn't go outside." says the owner.
"Oh! You have him litterbox trained?" I ask.
"No," replies the owner.
"Then where does he urinate and defecate?"
"Outside," the owner replies. "But, he is on a leash at all times and I am right with him."
I don't know about where you live, but mosquitoes are really common in my backyard. I may be able to protect Fido from another dog, or from being hit by a car by keeping him on a leash, but I can't even protect myself from those tiny little vampires. Even stepping outside long enough to get the mail can be enough for a bite or two. And for those cat owners who's cats never go outside....I just killed a mosquito that landed on my arm, in a closed room, in a closed house where no one has been outside for several hours.
Heartworms have a two host life cycle. A mosquito takes a blood meal from a dog infected with heartworms. With the blood meal the mosquito ingests the microfilariae (baby heartworms). The mosquito then flies happily on its way. Over the next 10 to 14 days the microfilariae mature into L3 stage larvae and migrate to the mosquito's salivary gland. When that mosquito bites another dog or cat the droplet of saliva it leaves behind will contain heartworm larvae. The larvae then burrow into the body of the animal through the mosquito bite wound. Over the next two to four months the larvae travel throughout the body until they finally end up pulmonary vasculature. During this time the larvae are also maturing into L4 and then L5 (adult) heartworms. The adult heartworms then mate and start producing microfilariae in six to nine months after the initial bite. Now they are carriers and start the whole cycle again.
It only takes a single bite from an infected mosquito to give your dog or cat a life threatening disease.
2)Heartworm prevention is too expensive.
If someone told you that for a mere $7 a month (thats $0.23 a day) you could protect yourself from a deadly form of heart disease don't you think you would find a way to do it? I know times are tight and every penny counts, but $7 is one meal at McDonalds, or two Mochas at Starbucks. Considering treatment is anywhere from $300 to $1000+, I think heartworm prevention is VERY affordable.
3)Giving your pet poison: Many people are afraid to give their dog or cat heartworm prevention because they believe they are giving them a cehmical that is staying in their body for the whole month. While there are a few topical medications that do stay around for that length of time, most oral preventions are out of their system in 24 to 48 hours. The medication is a dewormer that kills any susceptible parasites as soon as it is administered. The reason we can get away with only giving it once a month is because the L3 and L4 larvae take at least 50 days to mature to adult heartworms. Once the parasite has matured into the adult stage heartworm preventatives can no longer kill them. Another thing to note is that most heartworm preventatives contain an active ingrediant at such a small dose that the chance of a bad reaction are almost non-exsistant. More pets react to the taste additives than to the active ingredient.
4)Why not just treat if your pet gets heartworms instead of giving a prevention?
First reason is that the medication we use to kill adult heartworms is on manufacturer back-order that is expected to last for at least several months. This means that other than surgically removing the adult heartworms from the heart, there is NO treatment available for adult heartworms. This has always been the case in cats because the available treatments are more likely to kill the cat than the worms.
Second reason is that once treatment becomes available again it is risky. If you want to compare poisons, Melarsomine (the active ingrediant in Immiticide) is a nuclear bomb compared to the vinegar and baking soda bomb that the active ingredients in preventatives. While Ivermectin (the active ingredient in Heargard and Iverhart) can be given at 800 times the dose in heartworm prevention before serious side effects occur (the LD50 is 6500x the dose) just two times the standard dose of melarsomine can be fatal.
The third reason is the actual death of the hearworms can be fatal not only to the heartworms, but to the dog as well. Preventing heartworms provides almost no negative effects to the dog. Its like wearing sunscreen to prevent a sunburn. Once you ahve the sunburn it is painful and can have lasting negative effects such as skin cancer. The same thing is true for heartworms. An adult heartworm can reach a foot in lenght and it lives inside the heart and pulmonary vessels. Not only is it causing damage by existing, but when you kill it where do you think it is going to go? Thats right, right into the lungs. If too many worms break off at the same time or there is too much inflamation you can get a serious pulmonary embolism which can be fatal. Heartworm treatment requires two to three injections with a 1 and a half inch needle into the lower back muscles. Then you MUST keep you dog calm and quiet for six to eight weeks after the last injection because anything that increases his heart rate could lead to a pulmonary emboli and death.
5) Why should cats be on heartworm prevention? Cats are not the preferred host for heartworms and are much more resistent to infection than dogs. According to the American Heartworm Society "When dogs not previously exposed to heartworms are injected with 100 L3 larvae, approximately 75 adult worms develop in almost 100% of the dogs whereas in cats, 3 to 10 adult worms develop in 75% of the cats." Cats will usually only have 1-6 adult worms, but when you take a single foot long worm and place it into the tiny heart and lungs of a cat you can still have major problems. There is NO treatment for adult heartworms in cats except for surgery which in itself is very risky. Common clinical signs of a cat with heartworm disease are asthsma-like symptoms, coughing, collapse, or sudden death. Treatment is supportive with fluids and oxygen.
If you haev any other questions about heartworm disease or any "facts" that you would like verified please ask! Heartworm disease is 100% preventable. We walk our dogs on a leash to keep them from being hit by a car. We vaccinate our cats for Feline Leukemia to protect them from that fatal disease. Lets protect them from heartworms as well.
I hear almost on a daily basis hundreds of different reasons why someone doesn't want to put their dog or cat on heartworm prevention. I want to address the common ones I hear and explain why it is so important, especially in Florida where we have mosquitoes year round.
1) Scenario: "My dog doesn't go outside." says the owner.
"Oh! You have him litterbox trained?" I ask.
"No," replies the owner.
"Then where does he urinate and defecate?"
"Outside," the owner replies. "But, he is on a leash at all times and I am right with him."
I don't know about where you live, but mosquitoes are really common in my backyard. I may be able to protect Fido from another dog, or from being hit by a car by keeping him on a leash, but I can't even protect myself from those tiny little vampires. Even stepping outside long enough to get the mail can be enough for a bite or two. And for those cat owners who's cats never go outside....I just killed a mosquito that landed on my arm, in a closed room, in a closed house where no one has been outside for several hours.
Heartworms have a two host life cycle. A mosquito takes a blood meal from a dog infected with heartworms. With the blood meal the mosquito ingests the microfilariae (baby heartworms). The mosquito then flies happily on its way. Over the next 10 to 14 days the microfilariae mature into L3 stage larvae and migrate to the mosquito's salivary gland. When that mosquito bites another dog or cat the droplet of saliva it leaves behind will contain heartworm larvae. The larvae then burrow into the body of the animal through the mosquito bite wound. Over the next two to four months the larvae travel throughout the body until they finally end up pulmonary vasculature. During this time the larvae are also maturing into L4 and then L5 (adult) heartworms. The adult heartworms then mate and start producing microfilariae in six to nine months after the initial bite. Now they are carriers and start the whole cycle again.
It only takes a single bite from an infected mosquito to give your dog or cat a life threatening disease.
2)Heartworm prevention is too expensive.
If someone told you that for a mere $7 a month (thats $0.23 a day) you could protect yourself from a deadly form of heart disease don't you think you would find a way to do it? I know times are tight and every penny counts, but $7 is one meal at McDonalds, or two Mochas at Starbucks. Considering treatment is anywhere from $300 to $1000+, I think heartworm prevention is VERY affordable.
3)Giving your pet poison: Many people are afraid to give their dog or cat heartworm prevention because they believe they are giving them a cehmical that is staying in their body for the whole month. While there are a few topical medications that do stay around for that length of time, most oral preventions are out of their system in 24 to 48 hours. The medication is a dewormer that kills any susceptible parasites as soon as it is administered. The reason we can get away with only giving it once a month is because the L3 and L4 larvae take at least 50 days to mature to adult heartworms. Once the parasite has matured into the adult stage heartworm preventatives can no longer kill them. Another thing to note is that most heartworm preventatives contain an active ingrediant at such a small dose that the chance of a bad reaction are almost non-exsistant. More pets react to the taste additives than to the active ingredient.
4)Why not just treat if your pet gets heartworms instead of giving a prevention?
First reason is that the medication we use to kill adult heartworms is on manufacturer back-order that is expected to last for at least several months. This means that other than surgically removing the adult heartworms from the heart, there is NO treatment available for adult heartworms. This has always been the case in cats because the available treatments are more likely to kill the cat than the worms.
Second reason is that once treatment becomes available again it is risky. If you want to compare poisons, Melarsomine (the active ingrediant in Immiticide) is a nuclear bomb compared to the vinegar and baking soda bomb that the active ingredients in preventatives. While Ivermectin (the active ingredient in Heargard and Iverhart) can be given at 800 times the dose in heartworm prevention before serious side effects occur (the LD50 is 6500x the dose) just two times the standard dose of melarsomine can be fatal.
The third reason is the actual death of the hearworms can be fatal not only to the heartworms, but to the dog as well. Preventing heartworms provides almost no negative effects to the dog. Its like wearing sunscreen to prevent a sunburn. Once you ahve the sunburn it is painful and can have lasting negative effects such as skin cancer. The same thing is true for heartworms. An adult heartworm can reach a foot in lenght and it lives inside the heart and pulmonary vessels. Not only is it causing damage by existing, but when you kill it where do you think it is going to go? Thats right, right into the lungs. If too many worms break off at the same time or there is too much inflamation you can get a serious pulmonary embolism which can be fatal. Heartworm treatment requires two to three injections with a 1 and a half inch needle into the lower back muscles. Then you MUST keep you dog calm and quiet for six to eight weeks after the last injection because anything that increases his heart rate could lead to a pulmonary emboli and death.
5) Why should cats be on heartworm prevention? Cats are not the preferred host for heartworms and are much more resistent to infection than dogs. According to the American Heartworm Society "When dogs not previously exposed to heartworms are injected with 100 L3 larvae, approximately 75 adult worms develop in almost 100% of the dogs whereas in cats, 3 to 10 adult worms develop in 75% of the cats." Cats will usually only have 1-6 adult worms, but when you take a single foot long worm and place it into the tiny heart and lungs of a cat you can still have major problems. There is NO treatment for adult heartworms in cats except for surgery which in itself is very risky. Common clinical signs of a cat with heartworm disease are asthsma-like symptoms, coughing, collapse, or sudden death. Treatment is supportive with fluids and oxygen.
If you haev any other questions about heartworm disease or any "facts" that you would like verified please ask! Heartworm disease is 100% preventable. We walk our dogs on a leash to keep them from being hit by a car. We vaccinate our cats for Feline Leukemia to protect them from that fatal disease. Lets protect them from heartworms as well.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Summer Heat
In these unbearably hot days we have been having it is important to remember Fido and Frisky aren't going to like the heat anymore than you will. Brachycephalic breeds (pets with short noses), breeds with thick fur coats, the very young and the elderly, and pet;s with heart or respiratory problems are even more susceptible to the dangers of heat stroke, though any animal can succumb. Here are some tips to help keep your furry family member safe from the Florida heat.
Water
Even though dogs and cats don't sweat as much as people do, they still lose a lot more water through panting when the weather is hot. Excessive water loss can lead to dehydration so make sure there is plenty of fresh, clean water available for your pet. Normal water consumption for a dog is about 2 ounces per pound body weight in a 24 hour period. This will increase with hot weather.
Outdoor Cooling Tips
If at all possible keep your pet indoors where there is air conditioning. If that is not possible then plenty of shade is essential to prevent overheating. Freeze gallon jugs full of water overnight and put them in the shaded areas to keep them cooler (don't fill them too full because water expands as it freezes). You can also place a fan outside and put the frozen jugs in front of the fan to cool the air even more. If your pet has a long thick coat giving them a summer hair cut will be appreciated. Clip the hair down to 1 inch in length. If your pet has light or pink skin then consider leaving the hair a little longer to protect from sun burn.
I have to get on my soap box real fast so bear with me. For all those runners out there, I know your dog loves to go running with you, but do you realize how hot the asphalt and sidewalks are? Can you imagine having to walk on blistered feet? Also you can stop when you get too hot, but your dog, being the loyal companion that he is, will go as long as you can. He is also closer to the ground and will be affected more by the reflected heat from the ground. Do yourself and your dog a favor and don't run with him except for in the really early morning or late evening.
Parked Car
NEVER leave your pet in a parked car. On a 85 degree day (we can wish for temperatures that cool!), the temperature in your car with the windows open can reach 102 degrees in just 10 minutes. In just 30 minutes, the temperature can reach 120 degrees. With the windows closed, the temperature can reach 160 degrees. In 10 short minutes your pet will start feeling the effects of heat exhaustion and within 30 minutes will be suffering from heat stroke and could die, even with intensive veterinary care.
Know the Warning Signs
Signs of heat exhaustion include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, and weakness. Signs of heat stroke include all previous signs in addition to stupor or even collapse, seizures, petechia, bright red gums, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees. Body temperatures above 107.5 degrees can lead to rapid organ failure and death.
As the body temperature increases, the body begins to go into shock. This leads to a drop in blood pressure which decreases blood flow to the vital organs, especially the heart and brain. The increased temperature also affects the normal physiology of the body which causes fluid to accumulate in the lungs (pulmonary edema), the heart to have irregular beats, the blood clotting factors and functionality to go haywire, DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation), etc. If normal body temperature is restored permanent liver, kidney, heart, and brain damage are common complications.
What to Do?
If you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke take a rectal temperature. A dog and cat's normal body temperature is up to 102.5 degrees and up to 103 degrees can occur with excitement or activity. A temperature above 104 degrees is serious and you need to bring your pet into the vet immediately. In the mean time it is essential that you do NOT try and cool your pet down too quickly. A rapid drop in body temperature can cause the body to go into shock more quickly and can also cause ischemic necrosis. You can put your pet and a bathtub of lukewarm water or put wet cloths on their groin, arm pits, and abdomen. Placing them in front of a fan in an air conditioned room is also helpful. Encourage your pet to drink. Sports drinks are better than water if you can. Do NOT apply alcohol or ice to your pet's body as this will increase dehydration and drop body temperature too rapidly.
Water
Even though dogs and cats don't sweat as much as people do, they still lose a lot more water through panting when the weather is hot. Excessive water loss can lead to dehydration so make sure there is plenty of fresh, clean water available for your pet. Normal water consumption for a dog is about 2 ounces per pound body weight in a 24 hour period. This will increase with hot weather.
Outdoor Cooling Tips
If at all possible keep your pet indoors where there is air conditioning. If that is not possible then plenty of shade is essential to prevent overheating. Freeze gallon jugs full of water overnight and put them in the shaded areas to keep them cooler (don't fill them too full because water expands as it freezes). You can also place a fan outside and put the frozen jugs in front of the fan to cool the air even more. If your pet has a long thick coat giving them a summer hair cut will be appreciated. Clip the hair down to 1 inch in length. If your pet has light or pink skin then consider leaving the hair a little longer to protect from sun burn.
I have to get on my soap box real fast so bear with me. For all those runners out there, I know your dog loves to go running with you, but do you realize how hot the asphalt and sidewalks are? Can you imagine having to walk on blistered feet? Also you can stop when you get too hot, but your dog, being the loyal companion that he is, will go as long as you can. He is also closer to the ground and will be affected more by the reflected heat from the ground. Do yourself and your dog a favor and don't run with him except for in the really early morning or late evening.
Parked Car
NEVER leave your pet in a parked car. On a 85 degree day (we can wish for temperatures that cool!), the temperature in your car with the windows open can reach 102 degrees in just 10 minutes. In just 30 minutes, the temperature can reach 120 degrees. With the windows closed, the temperature can reach 160 degrees. In 10 short minutes your pet will start feeling the effects of heat exhaustion and within 30 minutes will be suffering from heat stroke and could die, even with intensive veterinary care.
Know the Warning Signs
Signs of heat exhaustion include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, and weakness. Signs of heat stroke include all previous signs in addition to stupor or even collapse, seizures, petechia, bright red gums, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees. Body temperatures above 107.5 degrees can lead to rapid organ failure and death.
As the body temperature increases, the body begins to go into shock. This leads to a drop in blood pressure which decreases blood flow to the vital organs, especially the heart and brain. The increased temperature also affects the normal physiology of the body which causes fluid to accumulate in the lungs (pulmonary edema), the heart to have irregular beats, the blood clotting factors and functionality to go haywire, DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation), etc. If normal body temperature is restored permanent liver, kidney, heart, and brain damage are common complications.
What to Do?
If you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke take a rectal temperature. A dog and cat's normal body temperature is up to 102.5 degrees and up to 103 degrees can occur with excitement or activity. A temperature above 104 degrees is serious and you need to bring your pet into the vet immediately. In the mean time it is essential that you do NOT try and cool your pet down too quickly. A rapid drop in body temperature can cause the body to go into shock more quickly and can also cause ischemic necrosis. You can put your pet and a bathtub of lukewarm water or put wet cloths on their groin, arm pits, and abdomen. Placing them in front of a fan in an air conditioned room is also helpful. Encourage your pet to drink. Sports drinks are better than water if you can. Do NOT apply alcohol or ice to your pet's body as this will increase dehydration and drop body temperature too rapidly.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The dangers of internet pharmacies
In today's economy everyone is looking to save every penny possible. I am no exception. I love being able to have people take advantage of the free antibiotics at Publix or $4 and $10 generic drugs at WalMart or Target, but let the buyer beware when hunting for a bargin. As much as I would like to believe in the inner goodness of all people, there are a lot of people out there that make that difficult. Scams and cons abound in today's society and the Internet has made it even easier because you can scam someone from thousands of miles away in a different country where it would be almost impossible to catch you.
There are hundreds or even thousands of pet medication pharmacies on the Internet and according to the NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacies) at least 96% of them are fake. World-wide drug counterfeiting is a 32 BILLION dollar industry and the Internet pharmacies are their main store fronts. They are not run by licensed pharmacists, they do not acquire their drugs from legitimate sources, they are not located in the United States to be regulated by the FDA, and many of them are selling counterfeit, adulterated, or contaminated drugs . It may look like the same product you get from your vet or from the pharmacy, but packaging is easy to copy. Anyone with a good scanner and printer can make a realistic looking package.
How can you protect yourself from purchasing a product that at best may be an innocuous sugar pill to at worst a toxic chemical contaminated with E. coli? The most obvious solution is to buy your medications directly from a brick and mortar pharmacy or directly from your vet, but that can often be more expensive. To cut out the middle man ordering directly from the source can sometimes save you a significant amount of money. The NABP has created an accreditation program called Vet-VIPPS. There are 13 pet prescription pharmacies that are listed on the site. The is a great place to start. The NABP also has a list of Not-Recommended online pharmacies. There are close to 8,000 of those listed. The Better Business Bureau is another good place to look to see if a company has many complaints against it, but many companies are too new or too small to be listed on their site.
Saving a few dollars here and a few dollars there is smart budgeting, but if a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Items are priced at what the market will allow them to sell for. If someone is selling something for substantially less than everyone else, it probably isn't the same thing.
There are hundreds or even thousands of pet medication pharmacies on the Internet and according to the NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacies) at least 96% of them are fake. World-wide drug counterfeiting is a 32 BILLION dollar industry and the Internet pharmacies are their main store fronts. They are not run by licensed pharmacists, they do not acquire their drugs from legitimate sources, they are not located in the United States to be regulated by the FDA, and many of them are selling counterfeit, adulterated, or contaminated drugs . It may look like the same product you get from your vet or from the pharmacy, but packaging is easy to copy. Anyone with a good scanner and printer can make a realistic looking package.
How can you protect yourself from purchasing a product that at best may be an innocuous sugar pill to at worst a toxic chemical contaminated with E. coli? The most obvious solution is to buy your medications directly from a brick and mortar pharmacy or directly from your vet, but that can often be more expensive. To cut out the middle man ordering directly from the source can sometimes save you a significant amount of money. The NABP has created an accreditation program called Vet-VIPPS. There are 13 pet prescription pharmacies that are listed on the site. The is a great place to start. The NABP also has a list of Not-Recommended online pharmacies. There are close to 8,000 of those listed. The Better Business Bureau is another good place to look to see if a company has many complaints against it, but many companies are too new or too small to be listed on their site.
Saving a few dollars here and a few dollars there is smart budgeting, but if a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Items are priced at what the market will allow them to sell for. If someone is selling something for substantially less than everyone else, it probably isn't the same thing.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Skin Problems
We saw a patient by the name of Duke back in October of 2010. He was emaciated, almost completely hairless, lethargic and his owners were considering having him euthanized because they had been to vet after vet with no consistent results
.
With some labwork, skin tests and a culture we were able to figure out (at least partially) what was wrong with him. His main problem is an underlying autoimmune condition initially brought on by an allergy to something, but now raging out of control. This condition was causing his small intestines to not properly absorb nutrients such as B vitamins. It also made the intestinal cells "leaky" so that protein that should have stayed in his body and blood was leaking out into his intestines. Duke weighed 46 lbs when we first saw him because he could not take advantage of the food he was getting.
To make matters worse poor Duke was bombarded with a variety of secondary infections. He had a
Pseudomonas aeruginosa in his ears He also had a Staphylococcus intermedius (bacterial) and a Malassezia (yeast) infection on his skin.The first bout of treatment for Duke included a topical ear medication for the external ear infection and eight weeks of oral Cephalexin for the Staph infection. We also started him on medicated baths twice a week. Then we waited a few days for the blood work results to come back and found out he was hypoproteinemic (low blood protein levels) so we started him on Vitamin B injections and Prednisone. About a week later the ear culture came back and we started him on an antibiotic that the Pseudomonas was susceptible to (Ciprofloxacin). We saw him again on November 11, 2010 and he was already starting to grow some hair back.
That is when we started to treat him for the Malassezia (yeast) infection with Fluconazole (brand name is Diflucan). By January he was growing some hair back and was up to 66lbs!
We saw Duke again on July 25, 2011 and he was actually overweight at 88lbs! I am happy to say Duke is looking great though he now has some hair loss from the chronic use of Prednisone. It is unfortunate that even the best of medications all have some side effects. Prednisone is a medication that, especially with chronic use, can have some serious and severe side effects.
The next part of Dukes story will be balancing the dose of Prednisone to minimize his side effects, but yet maintain his skin and GI health. There are some other medications that we can try but for now we are slowly lowering his dose and will see how he does. With long term problems there are no quick fixes. Duke has actually come a long way in a short time.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Vaccines Aren’t Everything.
Veterinarians have spent the last 60 years drilling into people’s heads that their pets need to come in every year for their rabies vaccine. Because the government required a rabies vaccine every year we never bothered to stress the importance of a yearly physical exam since we knew we would see them every year for their “shots”. Now we have vaccines that are licensed for 3 years and the perception is that we now only need to see pets when they are due for vaccines. As a vet I am kicking my proverbial mentors for not having talked about the importance of a physical exam. The vaccines are important for pet health as well as for public safety, but they are not the “be all end all”. A regular yearly physical exam while your pet is young and a biannual exam for senior pets is the most important preventative care you can offer your furry family member.
I also hear many people say their pet does not need to see the vet because they are mainly living indoors. While it is true that an indoor pet is less likely to contract an infectious disease or become injured, it does not protect them from diseases such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, kidney failure, heart disease, cancer, etc. Dogs and cats are living longer which means we are seeing more cancers and organ failures. The early signs of these diseases are very subtle and can be difficult to pick up unless you are trained on what to look for.
A skilled veterinarian that takes the time to perform a thorough “nose to tail” physical exam and take a complete history can often discover the little clues that point to early disease. In combination with lab work an early diagnosis can be made. This is when intervention is most beneficial. Once you as a pet owner notice signs such as increased urination, decreased appetite, vomiting, etc. the disease is often in the advanced stages and little can be done except to keep the pet comfortable. This is especially true with cats that will hide illness until they are on death’s door.
Another important reason for regular check-ups is so that chronic conditions such as obesity, arthritis, dental disease, etc. can be addressed before they become debilitating. It is much easier to get your pet to lose a pound or two than it is to try and get them to lose 30 pounds. Once your pet is grossly overweight there is damage being done to the rest of the body which could significantly shorten his or her life. Dental disease is also better addressed in the early stages when a simple cleaning can solve the problem versus having to extract several teeth. Arthritis is a common ailment in both senior cats and dogs and it is not just something that your pet has to live with. I have seen many pets for a euthanasia only to put them on some pain control and have them up and playing again in a few days. If I had only seen those pets earlier on in the progression of their arthritis I may have been able to prolong their good quality life even more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)