A resident of Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood, Uncle Chichi was a philanthropist. Because of an appearance on “Good Morning America,” he garnered a donation of 10,000 servings of Spot’s Stew for the John Ancrum Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Charleston, SC, the organization that found him his forever home 24 years ago. That’s right, 24 years ago. Uncle Chichi was one of those centenarian miniature poodles I wrote about in “How Old is Old, in Dog Years.”
Any dog living over 24 years is guaranteed to become a connoisseur of veterinarians, and Uncle Chichi was no exception. He arrived at The Animal Medical Center with a pathology report in French stamped with an official-looking Swiss stamp. His family had noticed a black mass on his lower lip while traveling and a veterinarian in Geneva, Switzerland diagnosed mélanome. The attached translation said melanoma.
Melanoma is a common tumor managed by the veterinarians at The AMC. The lip mass was surgically removed by AMC board-certified soft tissue surgeon, Dr. Janet Kovak McClaran. Uncle Chichi’s board-certified oncologist, Dr. Maria Camps,
prescribed the state-of-the-art canine melanoma vaccine and administered four doses. This vaccine has prolonged the survival of many grateful dogs suffering from melanoma, but Uncle Chichi’s melanoma defied the statistics and spread to his lungs. As the tumors in his lungs worsened, Uncle Chichi’s cough worsened. A molecularly targeted chemotherapy agent, Palladia, and a cough suppressant were prescribed and relieved the constant coughing. But then the seizures started. Uncle Chichi came to The AMC ER and they diagnosed spread of the melanoma to his brain.
The typical dog with a melanoma treated with the vaccine lives over 400 days. Uncle Chichi lived just over half that time. Although we wish it would have been longer, The AMC is proud to have contributed to such a well-lived and long life. Uncle Chichi will be missed by many, including those of us who knew him here at The AMC.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
In my last blog, I wrote about some of the situations that cause stress in pets. Today I will share my suggestions for relieving their stress.
Natural remedies In addition to having adequate litter boxes and feeding special diets to control stress-related diarrhea mentioned in my last blog, the concerned pet owner can respond with environmental enrichment, exercise, and natural destressors, such as pheremones. When I have hospitalized feline patients at The AMC, I like to give them a cardboard box in their cage for hiding. I spray the box with Feliway, a feline pheromone, which signals comfort and reassurance to the cat.
Dogs have their own pheromone for stressful situations, called DAP. I find spraying it on a bandana and placing it around the dog’s neck often calms a dog stressed by travel or a clinic visit.
The popularity of lavender in candles, soaps and lotions is in part due to its natural stress reductions properties. One of my patients, a nervous terrier named Fred, benefitted from lavender oil daubed on the tips of his ears at the beginning of a clinic visit. This simple, safe stress buster immediately stopped Fred’s shaking and calmed him enough that he would snooze while I spoke with his family.
An intriguing new product is Pet Naturals of Vermont’s Calming for Pets treats for cats and dogs. This product contains natural ingredients to support stress reduction and comes in a variety of sizes to fit your pet. Last week I tried some on my patients who enthusiastically give these bone-shaped treats an all paws up rating.
Environmental enrichment Providing an enriched environment helps to combat stress and is one way of providing activities other than lying on a sofa.
Challenge your pet with puzzle toys for feeding. Food puzzle toys will amuse your pet and will simultaneously help to control their weight by slowing their rate of eating. These puzzles are available for both dogs and cats at nearly every pet emporium.
Water fountains provide entertainment for your cat or dog and will encourage adequate water consumption for those pets with medical conditions requiring increased water intake.
Fresh air and sunshine improve everyone’s mood, cats included. If taking your pet outside is difficult, make sure it has a safe perch on a window ledge or piece of furniture so it can look beyond the four walls. Cats love to perch and if you do not have a good view from your windows, try a cat tower to add perching opportunities to your home.
What are your suggestions for decreasing stress in your pet? Please share them in the comments section below.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
People talk a lot about the stress in their lives: their job, their mortgage, their spouse; but do pets have stress? And if they have stress, how can you manage it?
Delbert and Donovan
Cat stressors Since this blog is titled “Pet Stress,” you can guess I believe pet stress exists. I actually see it on a daily basis. The photo shows a good example of cat stress. Donovan, the new kitten, is trying to be friends with Delbert, the established top cat in the household. Donovan has snuggled into the chair. Delbert is giving him the cold shoulder and is unwilling to even make eye contact with the little invader. The addition of a new pet can be very stressful to the current one.
To decrease stress when a new cat is added to the household, the number of litter boxes should equal the number of cats, plus one. Cats like privacy and an inadequate number of litter boxes can result in inappropriate urinations and defecations. Some cats even wait outside the box to attack the other cat as he exits the preferred litter box.
Stress colitis Dogs may respond to stressful events by developing acute diarrhea. The AMC’s emergency room staff saw a lot of this over the holidays in response to houseguests, following parties, or after a stay at the boarding kennel. I have one dog patient who always struggles with diarrhea while he is in New York City and the minute he decamps to the country house, the diarrhea is better. I think New York City is a great place to live; obviously he doesn’t agree with me, but he does eat the special food I prescribe which nicely prevents the diarrhea flare-ups.
Other stressors Just like a new pet in the household can be stressful, a new baby, new boyfriend or a new home can cause stress in your pet. Change can be difficult for them too: a change in food, schedule, or the absence of a favorite family member, including another pet, can upset pets. Your behavior is also a pet stressor. Door slamming, yelling, angry voices and other loud noises can send your pet under the bed or provoke an accident in the house due to stress.
If you think your pet is experiencing stress, talk to your veterinarian first and if the clinical signs you’re seeing are not related to a medical condition, check back here next week for suggestions on destressing your pet.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
I must admit, diapers for a pet seemed way over the top to me. But recently some of my patients have convinced me otherwise. Their use of diapers is only part of the medical management required to keep them active and happy members of their family. Here are their stories.
One of the obvious uses for a diaper is on a female dog in heat. If your dog comes into heat unexpectedly or if you are waiting a heat cycle before breeding her, a diaper may be a good solution. The diaper protects the furniture, rugs and floors from staining while your female dog is in heat. Don’t count on the diaper as a form of contraception, as a male dog will find a way around the diaper and you may find an unexpected litter of puppies. Always keep a female in heat away, crated or in a separate room from an unneutered male dog.
Sophie in her gingham print diaper
Sophie Sophie is another example of how helpful a doggie diaper can be. She has several medical problems which we keep in check with regular visits and a strict medication regimen. Sophie’s bladder capacity is limited since she had surgery last spring to remove a bladder tumor. Her Cushing’s disease and elevated calcium level cause her to drink more water and consequently produce more urine. This combination of problems make her use of wee-wee pads unreliable, so she wears a diaper when her owners are not home. Sophie is happy, energetic and a vital member of the family.
Spenser Spenser only needed a diaper for a few weeks after his bladder surgery. Surgical manipulation of the bladder made it painful for his bladder to hold much urine and it was difficult for him to wait between walks. Even though his owner walked him extra times following surgery, the diaper prevented embarrassing accidents until his bladder recovered and he could hold urine normally again.
Pumpkin I even have a cat patient who occasionally wears a diaper. Even though he is a neutered male cat, Pumpkin has a bad habit of spraying urine on the living room drapes. When his family wants everyone to be together in the living room, Pumpkin wears stud pants, a special form of cat diaper to prevent urine spray on the drapes. The female form of cat diapers are sometimes called queen panties since female cats are referred to as queens.
If you are looking for diapers for your pet, Sophie recommends the ones with the cute prints.
I found a series of videos showing how to convert baby diapers to pet diapers, which might be a good solution in an emergency.
Have you ever used diapers on your pet? Do you think they’re helpful or unnecessary? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
This is Joey, who you have met before my blog titled “The War Horse Kitten.” Not only did she have a serious esophageal problem which was corrected at The Animal Medical Center, but she also had an “outie” belly button seen at the tip of the arrow.
What is a belly button? The navel, or scientifically speaking, an umbilicus, is where the blood vessels from the placenta attach to a baby before it is born. The blood vessels are an in utero life support system providing nutrition, oxygen and waste product removal. Once a baby is born, it no longer needs the blood vessel, which then dries up and falls off. The photo of the one-day-old puppy at right shows just a scab where the blood vessel had been the day before. In an adult dog or cat, the belly button is very different than that of a human. Belly buttons are typically flat, without hair and often white like a scar. Even though pets are covered with hair, the bellybutton is easy to find since they occur at a cowlick of hair on the abdomen.
What determines an innie or an outie? Outies are not very common in humans and some estimates suggest only 10% of the population has an outie. Since most births of puppies and kittens are not attended by a veterinarian, I wasn’t sure what the determining factors for the type of belly button were. I contacted a friend who is an obstetrician at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. She has delivered a lot of human babies and I thought she could shed some light on my question. My obstetrician friend says, “When a human baby is born, two clamps are put on the umbilical vessels by the obstetrician. The placenta is separated from the baby by cutting between the two clamps. When the baby is discharged from the hospital nursery, the clamp is left on the umbilical vessel, which falls off a few days later.” The clamp nearest the baby is nowhere near the belly button location and in my friend’s expert opinion, a belly button happens on its own; she has no control over whether it’s an innie or an outie.
Why did Joey have an outie? In some cats, dogs and people, the muscles of the abdominal wall do not close completely around the umbilical cord during development. The defect in the body wall is called a hernia and in severe cases, abdominal organs can protrude through the hole. Joey had an umbilical hernia which did not cause any medical problems but was successfully repaired at the time of her spay surgery since the umbilicus is near where the spay incision is routinely placed.
Interesting research is being conducted into human belly buttons by the Belly Button Biodiversity Project. ________________________________________________________
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
Cold weather presents a number of hazards for your pet. Some are related to cold weather and some to the escape to warmer climates from colder ones. If you are a SiriusXM subscriber, these comments are taken from my December 30 interview on Samantha Heller’s Diet and Exercise program on “Dr. Radio,” powered by the NYU Langone Medical Center on Channel 81.
Be anti-antifreeze Winter brings with it the need for certain products to help us continue our day-to-day lives in the cold. Often, these same products pose a danger to our pets. Automotive anti-freeze, for example, contains ethylene glycol which is a potent toxin to the kidneys. It is not the same as propylene glycol, which is a safe compound found in many household products. If your pet even licks a bit of the yellow-green antifreeze from the ground, head straight to your veterinarian’s office for treatment. Pets can be saved if treated early.
Salt safety Rock salt is another winter hazard, especially for city dogs walked on salt-treated sidewalks. The salt dries and cracks the paw pads. There are several options to prevent this problem. The simplest way is to wash your dog’s feet when she comes in after a walk. Boots are another solution, but not all dogs find boots fashionable. Finally, musher’s wax can be applied to form a protective barrier between the elements and your dog’s pmusher’s wax, companion animal parasite council, dogaws.
Avoid heat hazards Everyone is looking to warm up during the cold winter months. Heaters, heat lamps and warm car engines are appealing to pets feeling the chill, but can result in injury. A fluffy tail might easily ignite if it brushes against a space heater. Heat lamps can cause a serious thermal burn and should never be directly aimed at a pet. A snug, warm dog house will be a much safer way to keep your dog warm outside. Cats find a nice warm car engine a cozy place for the night, but when the engine is started up the next morning, they can sustain severe trauma. On cold mornings, bang on the hood with your fist before starting the car to wake any sleeping cats to alert them before the engine turns over.
Snowbird suggestions Over the past few weeks, a number of my patients have departed for Florida or other warm-weather states. Taking your pet on a winter holiday involves some advance planning. The Companion Animal Parasite Council, a body of experts who make recommendations to veterinarians on parasite prevention, recommend year-round preventative medications for fleas, ticks and heartworms. The southern United States are a hotbed for parasites and a vacation puts your pet at risk for acquiring one or more of the parasite-borne diseases. If for some reason you have discontinued these medications in your pet or have forgotten to give them recently, check with your veterinarian about restarting them before you head south. Every winter I see dogs and cats coming home from Florida scratching and itching from southern fleas.
Some sort of travel will be required to get to a warmer climate. If you and your pet are traveling by airplane, check the airline’s website for pet travel requirements and be sure your pet’s vaccinations meet the airline’s rules. If you and your pet are driving, visit DogFriendly.com for dog- and cat-friendly hotels on your route.
No matter how you travel, be sure your pet has both a collar with an ID tag and a microchip in case your pet escapes.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
In my last blog I wrote about Pusuke, the world’s oldest dog and the role of breed and size in dog longevity. Every pet owner dreams of having their beloved cat or dog with them for many, many years. But do you know you could be doing something which might decrease your pet’s longevity? That something is overfeeding.
Every living creature needs food to survive. But research has shown overweight and obese pets do not live as long as their thinner counterparts. Maintaining your pet at an ideal body condition score will help to lengthen its life.
Ideal body condition score Your veterinarian may have talked to you about your pet’s ideal body condition score (BCS). Body condition assessment is used by veterinarians to quantify under and overweight pets. It serves the same purpose as the BMI your doctor calculates for you. At The Animal Medical Center, we record the body condition score of each pet we examine using a separate system for dogs and cats.
Portion size matters Portion control is critical to maintaining an ideal body condition. An article in the New York Times about kitchen scales made me think of another worthwhile use for your kitchen scale: weighing pet food. It is so easy to be too generous when you use a scoop or cup to serve up a portion of dry food nuggets. When I prescribe a cup of food, I mean a level cup, not the heaping one I suspect pet owners are serving. Not all cups are created equal and some cups have the measuring line just below the top of the cup – allowing you to feed more than the cup you think you are feeding. Now, I prescribe pet food in grams – easily weighed on your kitchen scale. Busy pet owners might want to premeasure pet food servings into plastic bags or storage boxes, kind of like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig meal plans for people. This will make it quick and easy to feed your pet easy at the end of a busy workday.
The kitchen scale can also be used to measure canned food by putting the feeding bowl on the scale using the tare button. The kitchen scale should be used if your pet’s daily portion is a little more or less than an easily measured amount like a ½ can at each meal.
Portion control will go a long way toward keeping your pet at their ideal body condition and healthy for a long time. If you need help deciding on the best kitchen scale for your kitchen, try Cook’s Illustrated.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
A couple of weeks before Christmas, the world’s oldest dog – as certified by the Guinness Book of Records – died in Japan. Pusuke was reported to be 26 years and nine months old. Based on the photograph in this article, he looked like a typical Japanese dog and also looked pretty darn good for a serious senior citizen dog. Twenty-six years is really an achievement, because only about 8% of dogs live past the age of 15. If you do the math and one calendar year equals seven dog years, that made Pusuke 182 years old by human standards.
Can a dog really be 182 years old? Common sense tells us this is not possible and yet everyone has heard that one human year equals seven years for a dog. So how old was Pusuke really? Based on gerontology research, my best guess is between 100 and 110 years old.
The relationship between chronological and physiological age in dogs is not linear. Young dogs age rapidly at first and then the rate of aging slows down in middle age before increasing again in geriatric dogs. For example, a Miniature Poodle at one year of age is about 11 human years old; at seven years, it is middle aged at 42 human years, and 14 years old is 67 human years. Great Danes, who have a shorter lifespan than Miniature Poodles, at one year of age are 27 human years, at seven years are 59 human years and by 14 years are 98 human years.
Which dogs live the longest? Longevity in dogs depends on multiple factors. Two important ones are breed and body weight. Owners of small dogs will be happy to learn that the smaller the dog, the longer they live. This inverse relationship of body weight and longevity is one of the unique features of dogs since the converse is true for other mammals. Take for instance the largest mammal in the world, the blue whale, which has a lifespan of 85 years, but the 1.8 gram Etruscan shrew has a lifespan of only three years.
Your dog’s breed will also affect her longevity. Overall, a mutt lives longer than a purebred dog with three notable exceptions. Miniature Poodles, Jack Russell Terriers and Whippets have been identified as purebred dogs with average lifespans longer than the average mutt. Breed also affects the diseases your purebred dog is prone to developing and will dictate some of the healthcare decisions you will make on behalf of your pet.
What about cats?
There is less information about how cat age relates to human age. Personally, the oldest cat I have ever seen was 23 years old. Siamese cats, in my opinion, live the longest. My sister’s Siamese cat, abandoned at The AMC as a kitten because of head trauma, lived to a ripe old age of 21, despite his handicaps. A study of longevity in Swedish cats enrolled in an insurance program found 68% of Birman cats were still alive at 12.5 years of age. Swedish Siamese cats did not fare as well with only 42% alive at 12.5 years of age.
Your veterinarian can help you keep your aging pet healthy though twice yearly checkups once your pet becomes a senior citizen. With a proper diet, weight management, environmental enrichment and treatment of geriatric conditions such as arthritis and periodontal disease, your pet can live healthy and well into its teens.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
New Year’s resolutions seem to always have a common theme: self-improvement. Everyone wants to lose weight, stop smoking, or eat healthier foods. While these are all worthy resolutions, my 2012 list of resolutions for pets and their owners focuses on others instead of on ourselves.
Personally, I am resolving to be more aware of the environment and to give back more to my community. Some of my suggestions below might fit on your New Year’s resolution list for 2012.
Save the environment and the snow leopard too!
Honest Pet Products are made from sustainable fabrics, making them sturdy and very tactile for pets. Elvis, shown left with his mini Eco-Pouncer, loves to dig his claws and teeth into the all natural sheep’s wool covering and pretend he is a predator cat in the wild. The dog Eco-Fetcher is a woven hemp disc filled with wool, which is heavy duty for the chewers and floats for swimmers. These products are made by disabled adults. When you purchase the Eco-Pouncers, money is donated to help eliminate poverty and protect snow leopards in Mongolia.
Recycle and rest in an eco-friendly pet bed
Empty plastic water bottles and old clothes contribute to landfill accumulation at a rapid pace. We all know we should have reusable water bottles and should donate our unwanted clothes to charity, but it doesn’t always work out that way. P.L.A.Y. pet beds use recycled water bottles to create a Hi-Loft fill inside their comfortable fabric beds.
MollyMutt pet duvets use a mesh sack to create a “mattress” out of old textiles. The filled mesh sack fits inside a colorful duvet cover, creating an environmentally friendly cat or dog bed and keeping your old clothes out of the landfill.
Don’t litter
Clay cat litter may be one of the most environmentally unfriendly products in your local pet store. Clay is strip mined and once used, it sits in landfill for years. There are a number of cat litter products which offer biodegradable litter produced from natural materials.
Purr and Simple cat litter is made from a sustainable material – the fibrous portion of a nutshell. This litter contains a low level of dust, which is advantageous for cats with respiratory conditions like asthma. World’s Best Cat Litter™ was also developed to be environmentally friendly and is made from whole kernel corn, scented with lavender. Either of these products may be the ecofriendly solution for your cat’s litterbox.
Scratch your way to a healthier environment
The folks at Imperial Cat manufacture 100% recycled and 100% re-recyclable cat Scratch ‘n Shapes. These cardboard scratchers come in various sizes and shapes to fit with your cat’s taste. Cats love to scratch and giving them a scratcher will prevent your sofa from becoming part of the landfill problem. Imperial Cat also gives back to the community through their inexpensive line of scratchers developed for shelter cats called Scratch n’ Bits.
Giving back
You and your pet can give back to those in your community who are less fortunate by participating in a pet-assisted therapy program at your local hospital, senior center or rehabilitation facility. The Animal Medical Center’s partner in pet assisted therapy is Angel on a Leash, but you can give back through any of the wonderful organizations that support pet-assisted therapy in your neighborhood.
Finally, not-for-profit agencies continue to be underfunded due to worldwide economic volatility. If you can, give generously to your favorite animal not-for-profit.
Everyone at The AMC wishes you a happy and healthy 2012 and wishes you success in keeping your 2012 resolutions.
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This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
Pet owners frequently ask their pet’s veterinarian, “What can I do to keep my pet healthy as long as possible?” I probably give the same answers as my colleagues across the country:
Take your pet to the veterinarian regularly
Keep your pet in ideal body condition
Feed a complete and balanced diet
Brush your pet’s teeth daily
Exercise your pet regularly
Pet proof your home
This week, the answers to this question came from a couple of The AMC’s pet owners. Through careful attention to their pet’s health, they may actually have saved their pet’s lives.
Wynston’s Tumor
Wynston’s upper front teeth with a red circle around the tumor.
Wynston’s owner does brush his teeth every day. But she doesn’t just brush his teeth; she looks at his mouth too. A couple of weeks ago, she noticed a redness around one of his upper front teeth which is easily seen in the photo.
His regular veterinarian performed a biopsy of the area and discovered a benign plasma cell tumor. Even though it is benign, if not treated, it will become larger and impede his ability to eat. Because the tumor is so small, Wynston is an excellent candidate for strontium radiation therapy.
Strontium works only on small, superficial tumors, and if Wynston’s owner had not been looking in the mouth regularly, the tumor might have become too large to use this type of treatment. We anticipate the tumor can be controlled without a surgical procedure. The cost of a doggie tooth brush and peanut flavored tooth paste: $4.99.
The cost of the lifesaving look at Wynston’s gums, $0.
Tito’s Kidneys Tito lives in a multi cat household. Because of a diet change, his owner started monitoring his weight on a baby scale because the “hold your cat and weigh yourself” method is not sensitive enough to detect weight loss in cats. Even though all the cats in the family seemed to be eating the new food, Tito kept losing weight, while the other cats gained weight on the new food. A visit to The AMC discovered kidney disease and an abscess on one of Tito’s kidneys. If his owner had not been closely monitoring his weight, the kidney damage might have been greater and Tito might have required a major hospitalization.
The cost of the lifesaving baby scale, $25-125.
Marty’s Heart Marty the Beagle has a myriad of problems, including lung and heart disease. Right now his cough is really bad, but his owner is sure the cough is not his heart failure flaring up again. Why? Recent research has shown if a dog’s respiratory rate is normal, heart failure is not the problem. Marty’s cardiologist instructed his owner to count his respirations every day. When his rate is normal, she knows Marty does not need to be rushed to the animal ER for heart failure. Both she and Marty feel better and the cost of this lifesaver, $0.
What low cost lifesavers have you discovered for your pet. Let us know!
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
An emergency room snapshot of a ruler stuck in a dog’s eye.
A very sad dog crying blue tears.
A veterinarian testing for tear production.
If you guessed number 3, you are correct. This photograph shows a dog being tested for tear production. The paper strip, called a Schirmer tear strip, is placed in the eye for one minute. As the tears are absorbed by the special ruled paper, an eye-safe dye turns the paper blue as it is moistened by the tears. In normal dogs, the blue dye rises to between 15 and 25 millimeters over the course of one minute. Blue dye below 15 mm indicates the dog is producing inadequate tears. Lucky for this dog, he has normal tear production.
Why check tear production? Inadequate tear production, dry eye or keratoconjunctivitis sicca has many causes and often the cause cannot be identified. Medications, infections, immune disorders and general anesthesia are some of the most common causes of dry eye.
Can dry eyes hurt my dog? Dry eye is a serious disorder which can compromise vision, especially if left untreated. The lack of tears allows the normally transparent cornea to become thickened and opaque, leading to blindness. Corneal ulcers and bacterial conjunctivitis are other disorders occurring as a result of dry eye.
How can I tell if my dog is producing an inadequate level of tears? Only your veterinarian can tell for sure using the Schirmer tear strips. But any time you notice your pet squinting, rubbing at her eye or redness, swelling and ocular discharge, dry eye is a possibility and a trip to your neighborhood veterinarian a necessity.
For more on dry eye treatment, click here.
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This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
The Animal Medical Center has all kinds of cool equipment to help make treating diseases in dogs and cats faster, safer and more successful. Today’s blog is about one of those devices, the vacuum assisted positioning device used by our radiation oncologist.
The video below shows a feline patient under anesthesia and being positioned by Dr. John Farrelly, AMC’s radiation oncologist, in the vacuum-assisted positioning device.
When you watch the video you will:
Hear The clicking on/off of the vacuum pump and the beeping monitors for the devices monitoring heart rate and respirations.
See A cat under general anesthesia with a visible tumor, laying on his back on the vacuum-assisted positioning device pillow.
Not See The anesthesia machine attached to the cat’s breathing tube and a nurse monitoring anesthesia. There is also a console outside the CT scan room where the machine controls are housed.
What is a vacuum-assisted positioning device? The large white “pillow” the cat is laying on is filled with little pellets, similar to a bean bag. The pillow attaches to a vacuum device that extracts the air from the pillow causing the pillow to mold around the anesthetized cat. The device retains the shape of the cat after the vacuum lines are locked in place.
Why do we use vacuum-assisted positioning devices? This device ensures exact placement of the patient for each radiation therapy treatment and allows very precise delivery of the radiation treatment.
All of us at The AMC hope your pet never needs radiation therapy for a tumor, but if he does, the vacuum assisted positioning device will help us (and other vets) deliver the best possible treatment available.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
One of my favorite paintings by the great American artist Norman Rockwell is the 1952 scene “At the Vet’s.” Rockwell skillfully captures what every veterinarian knows: people often look like their pets. In the center of this painting, a Beagle—the all-American dog of the 1950’s—sits on the lap of an all-American boy of the 1950’s. On the left edge of the painting, an elegantly dressed lady wears a black pillbox hat and veil mimicking the hairdo of her elegantly groomed black Standard Poodle.
Pets are much more than caricatures of their owners. We share many similar diseases – diabetes, breast cancer and food-borne illness. Research into the diagnosis and treatment of diseases like these ultimately helps everyone.
Multispecies Melanoma Take for example the results of a clinical trial published just this month. A DNA melanoma vaccine for dogs, co-developed by The Animal Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has been shown to improve the long-term survival of dogs receiving the vaccine compared to dogs that did not get the vaccine after their oral melanoma was surgically removed. This information paves the way for a human clinical trial of a melanoma vaccine, and because horses get melanomas too, the vaccine is being studied in them as well.
Dogs and Cats Get White Coat Hypertension Too! Going to the doctor is stressful for everyone, and approximately 10-20% of the population are stressed enough to elevate their blood pressure above the normal range. In some patients, their blood pressure reaches the level when antihypertensive medications are dispensed. This false elevation in blood pressure has been called the “white-coat effect” or “white coat hypertension.” Physicians must work hard to determine if the hypertension is real or stress-related before prescribing medications.
The same white-coat effect has been seen in both dogs and cats having their blood pressure measured in the veterinarian’s office. If your dog or cat has a disease which predisposes him to hypertension, such as chronic kidney disease, your veterinarian will take multiple blood pressure measurements to be sure your pet does not have white coat hypertension.
Ticks Bite Everyone Lyme disease is the number one tick-transmitted disease seen in humans and a common one in dogs. Most dogs with Lyme disease exhibit lameness, but serious infections can affect the heart and kidneys. Researchers have shown the presence of Lyme disease in a canine population mirrors the geographic distribution of Lyme disease in humans. Furthermore, an uptick in canine cases of Lyme disease predicts an increase in human cases of Lyme disease.
Surprising, isn’t it? You think you love your pet because it is a great companion and an entertaining family member. But because they are like us in many ways, you now know they help keep us healthy too.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
Willa came to The AMC today. Her owner was worried she might have diabetes because the dog bed was smelly and soaked with urine the last couple of mornings. Dogs with diabetes (and cats too!) will drink and urinate excessively, often having accidents in the house. When I questioned Willa’s owner, the “accidents” only happened when the dog was sleeping and there was no increase in water consumption or urinations. A quick test of the urine the owner brought with her dog determined diabetes was not the problem.
Causes of Urine Dribbling Simple and complex disorders can lead to urination abnormalities in dogs. Infections, bladder stones and hormone problems are common causes of urine leakage and can readily be identified with routine blood tests, analysis of urine and x-rays. The x-ray to the right shows a dog with four large stones in its bladder. In some cases, a special diet will dissolve bladder stones. In this case, surgical removal of the stones resolved the urine dribbling.
In Willa’s case, testing showed no urinary tract infection, no stones and no blood test abnormalities. Because she is an older spayed female dog, I thought she might have “urethral incompetence.” Large breed, older, spayed female dogs are at risk for developing this condition, which may be related to a lack of estrogen in spayed female dogs and occasionally neutered males.
Treatments for Urine Dribbling Commonly it is treated with medications including drugs to tighten the urethra (known as α-blockers), such as phenylpropanolamine, ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, or with estrogen replacement therapy using diethylstilbestrol. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved estriol for use in dogs.
If your dog resists taking medications, specialists at The Animal Medical Center can inject collagen into the urethral wall using special noninvasive endoscopic equipment to help narrow the urethral lumen and prevent urine dribbling. For refractory cases, AMC specialists also use a hydraulic urethral occluder.
Willa quickly responded to treatment with estrogen and once again has a dry bed in the morning. With all these options available to plug the leak, no dog should have to suffer with a stinky, wet bed.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
Last year my holiday gift list for pets and pet lovers included products chosen by The Animal Medical Center veterinary staff for pets with various medical conditions.
This year, I have selected gifts which will be fun for the whole family—both people and pets.
Wrap Up an Interactive Dog Puzzle Here you see an interactive board game for your dog by Nina Ottosson. The white plastic (dishwasher safe) bones are hollow and can be used to hide treats or food. The dog smells the food and moves the bones around with his nose to get the treat. We—ok, Tallulah—tried this out after dinner one evening and the game was a runaway success. You can see it was impossible to photograph since she was a blur of activity looking for the treats hidden in each hollow “dog bone.” What you can’t see is the delighted children who filled up the bones and the entertained adults who surrounded the happy dog!
Bake a Fetching Fruitcake Dogs like special holiday treats too! So gather the family in the kitchen to bake a fruitcake with dog-safe ingredients – no raisins, currants or nuts. Find the recipe for the fruitcake and other pet treats here.
One caution about holiday treats for both you and your pet: enjoy them in moderation. We all know how easy it is to pack on the pounds at holiday time.
Safe Made Pet Products carries a line of colorful, food-grade, oven-safe, freezer-safe and dishwasher-safe bowls and toys you can use for oven-baked treats. Not a holiday baker? These bowls and toys can also be filled or stuffed with food or water and frozen for your dog to enjoy as a cooling treat in the summer.
Eliminate Holiday Odors, Except for the Smell of Pine Boughs The gifts on this list are supposed to be fun for the whole family, and a smelly dog bed or a stinky cat box are no fun for anyone. Zero Odor® pet products use a molecular technology to eliminate pet odors, not just cover them up. The litter box spray has no scent, is biodegradable, non-toxic and safe for all family members, and research has shown Zero Odor will help a finicky cat resume using the litter box by keeping the box smelling nice.
Work Off Those Holiday Pounds Together Ask any cat owner if they can exercise their cat to help take off unwanted pounds and you are likely to get a resounding NO! Neko flies can help your cat exercise her predatory drive and burn off any excess weight. A flexible rod with interchangeable flies means your cat can chose his favorite fly or switch to avoid toy boredom. Your purchase benefits Nekochan’s charitable mission to distribute their products to cat shelters and sanctuaries. In these shelters, inactive cats can learn to interact with humans and get much-needed exercise at the same time. The opportunity to play and have fun helps decrease the stress shelter cats experience. Think how happy you and your cat will be playing with these attractive toys as you take a break from holiday activities!
Do you give your pets gifts during the holidays? What are your favorite gifts to give? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
Last week I switched hats for a few days and was more an obstetrician than an oncologist. One of my friend’s dogs, a Jack Russell Terrier named Tallulah, had puppies.
Planned Parenthood This was a planned litter of puppies, all of which already have good homes. When Tallulah came into heat, we measured her blood levels of progesterone so she could meet the father dog at the optimal time for successful mating.
Getting the Good News Unlike humans, there is no blood test to determine pregnancy in a dog. Ultrasound can detect a pregnancy 24 days after conception. Most dog pregnancies are diagnosed by palpation about 26-32 days after conception. The veterinarian can palpate swellings lined up like a string of pearls in the mother dog’s uterus – each swelling represents one tiny, growing puppy. Tallulah, being a willful terrier, would not let me feel her abdomen long enough to be sure, so we did an ultrasound to confirm there would be puppies coming around Thanksgiving. Here, you can see what we saw on ultrasound – puppies 3 and 4.
Just What the Doctor Ordered Because this was a planned litter of puppies, Tallulah was vaccinated long before she was pregnant, and she was dewormed too. Because small dogs are prone to low calcium levels from pregnancy and nursing, once I was sure she was pregnant, I prescribed a puppy food high in calories and calcium and tasty vitamins as well.
Predicting the Big Day Pregnancy lasts approximately 65 days in dogs. An x-ray is commonly used to determine the number of puppies to expect. See if you can count the five puppies on Tallulah’s x-ray.
Eight to 24 hours prior to delivering, a pregnant dog’s rectal temperature will precipitously drop. Tuesday morning, before Thanksgiving, Tallulah’s temperature dropped and she began shivering. By 4:30 am the next morning, there were five little female Jack Russell Terriers! Delivery took just under two hours. See a video of the new family below:
Organizing a Puppy Layette Puppies don’t have nearly the requirements for clothes, beds, rockers and bouncy chairs as human babies. Tallulah needed a comfortable, clean and safe place to deliver her puppies. I have found a kiddie pool works well. The sides are high enough for Tallaulah to jump in and out, but keep the puppies corralled.
Pampering the New Mother Mother dogs are totally focused on caring for and protecting their new pups. Tallulah hardly wanted to leave them long enough to go outside to urinate or defecate. Her food and water were close by the kiddie pool so she could eat and drink with the puppies nearby.
Although everyone wanted to visit the puppies, some new mothers may not feel comfortable having her family displayed and won’t want her puppies handled by strangers until they are bigger. In fact, Tallulah growled and snapped at her dog sister when she came anywhere near the puppies, but was fine for her human family to hold the puppies.
All five girls are doing well and you can see two of the fat, sleepy puppies to the left.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) demonstration has been front and center in the news over the past six weeks. Until now, the news has been about humans, but recently the dogs of OWS have hit the newswire due to a parvovirus outbreak at the San Francisco encampment.
Parvovirus in Dogs Parvovirus is a contagious gastrointestinal disease affecting dogs.
Infection can be fatal at worst and cause serious illness at best. Parvovirus is not a subtle disease: it is associated with the most severe cases of diarrhea and vomiting we veterinarians recognize in canine patients. Because the virus attacks rapidly growing cells, the bone marrow cells producing white blood cells are depleted, decreasing the white blood cell count and putting dogs at risk of contracting a serious infection on top of the severe diarrhea and vomiting.
Panleukopenia is the Feline Parvovirus The dogs of OWS are not the only ones at risk for contracting parvovirus infection. Any dog coming in contact with the feces of a parvovirus infected dog is at risk, unless they are protected by vaccination. Cats have their own version of parvovirus – the panleukopenia virus. Infection by the panleukopenia virus results in similar clinical signs in infected cats as parvovirus infection causes in dogs. Fortunately, panleukopenia rarely occurs in my practice, but the few cases I have seen could not be saved. Vaccination protects against this frequently fatal feline viral infection. Veterinarians consider vaccinations against parvovirus and panleukopenia virus “core” vaccines, meaning these are vaccines nearly all pets should receive.
Close quarters with limited sanitation like OWS are the perfect place for an outbreak of a contagious disease and it would not surprise me to see an outbreak of canine influenza, kennel cough or intestinal parasites at an OWS camp.
Pet Owner Precautions Pet owners taking their dog or cat to a location where it will come in contact with many other animals should first check with their veterinarian to confirm their pet has been adequately vaccinated. Cats boarding at a kennel for the holidays, dogs attending obedience classes or doggie day care, or any pet demonstrating as part of OWS have an increased risk of contracting an infectious disease simply due to increased exposure to other animals. Pet owners should keep their healthy pets away from other animals with signs of illness such as coughing, sneezing, vomiting or diarrhea to help protect them against contracting a life-threatening illness.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
November is American Diabetes Month. According to the American Diabetes Association, a person is diagnosed with diabetes every 17 seconds, and annually the disease kills more Americans than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Diabetes also affects dogs and cats, but there are differences in the manifestations of the disease between the species.
My patient Charity has had diabetes since 2005. At that time, she was overweight and developed the most common form of diabetes in cats, Type II diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes). She still required insulin injections because uncontrolled high blood sugar caused a decrease in insulin levels due to the toxic effects of glucose on pancreatic insulin production. Although Charity is a female cat, neutered male cats with a sedentary lifestyle who become obese have a four times greater likelihood of developing diabetes. Genetics seem to play only a small role in the development of feline diabetes, most notably in the Burmese cats in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes) is the form most commonly found in dogs. Concurrent diseases such as obesity and hyperadenocorticism (Cushing’s disease) play a role in the development of diabetes in the dog. Since certain breeds such as Australian terriers, schnauzers and bichon frises are at greater risk of developing diabetes, genetics are believed to play a role in canine diabetes.
Treatment of diabetes in both dogs and cats almost always requires insulin injections. Insulin therapy, weight loss and a high-protein diet corrects the diabetic condition in some lucky cats. Charity lost four pounds following a diet change and insulin therapy, but her diabetes did not go into remission and still requires insulin injections six years later. For those pet owners who give insulin (or use needles at home to administer any medication), the syringes and needles must be properly disposed of to prevent injury to family members. The Food and Drug Administration has just developed a website for safe disposal of needles and sharps.
Hallmark signs of diabetes in dogs and cats include:
-Increased thirst
Dogs may start drinking from strange places like the toilet or puddles in the yard. Most cats drink very little water, and if your cat becomes diabetic, you may actually need to refill the water bowl.
-Increased urinations
For dogs this may manifest as accidents in the house. If you accidentally walk in a puddle of urine, it may seem sticky since it will be loaded with sugar. For cats, you may notice a litter box flooded with urine
-Weight loss despite a good appetite
If your pet is overweight, prevent diabetes by getting them into an ideal body condition through diet and exercise recommended by your veterinarian. If you recognize any signs of diabetes, see your veterinarian immediately.
For additional information on diabetes in pets, try the dLife video archives.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
No other animal on earth may be found in greater variety than the domestic dog. Lovers of purebred dogs are enamored of these creatures for a variety of breed-specific features. Some are partial to large dogs like the Bull Mastiff, others to small ones like the minute Xolo. Some dog lovers are drawn to long-coated dogs like the Bearded Collie; others, to dogs with an untamed haircoat like the Chinese Crested. For some people, the attraction to a particular breed of dog is not its physical characteristics, but its skills. For example, the trustworthy Labrador is a wonderful guide dog.
Whatever breed you fancy, you can find it at the 2011 “Meet the Breeds” show at New York City’s Javits Center on November 19-20, 2011. Billed as an event where families can meet 160 dog breeds and over 50 cat breeds, the event promises to have something for everyone.
Consider This
From my veterinary viewpoint, health is a critical issue when choosing a family dog. Before selecting a new puppy for your family, do your homework. Everyone in the family, a dog included, will have health issues during their lifetime. By knowing your breed’s issues up front, you will be better equipped to detect and monitor problems early. To get started, check the website of the national breed club for your breed. Most national breed clubs devote a section of their website to the health issues AND the ongoing research into those issues for their particular breed.
New Research Helps
Owners of new puppies often ask their veterinarian, “What can I do to keep my new dog healthy for a long time?” Recently published research gives dog owners some insight into this issue. Researchers reviewed the medical records of over 70,000 dogs and classified the cause of death by breed. This information helps owners of purebred dogs to monitor for disease related clinical signs and intervene before a crisis occurs. In this study, Dachshunds were most likely to die from neurological disorders. This is likely related to Dachshunds’ “bad back” and the problems associated with protruding disks common to this breed. Weight control and proper exercise can help to avoid this problem. Like humans, older dogs are more likely to die of cancer and five breeds were associated with an increased risk of cancer: Bernese Mountain Dog, Golden Retriever, Bouvier des Flanders, Scottish Terrier and Boxer. Owners of these dogs must monitor every lump and bump on their dog and have each one evaluated. Large breed dogs more commonly die of musculoskeletal diseases. Owners of large breed dogs need to keep their dogs in ideal body condition since overweight and obese dogs develop more musculoskeletal disorders.
Involve the Family
Every family member needs to be involved in monitoring and caring for the family dog. Adults are ultimately responsible for managing the canine family member’s healthcare issues, but getting buy-in from all members will simplify the process. Even the youngest child can promote a healthy lifestyle for the family dog by not feeding the pet from the table. The extra treats will result in obesity and a shorter lifespan and the behavior is just plain bad manners! Every dog needs obedience training and this is a perfect opportunity to involve older children. Obedience trained dogs are less likely to be involved in bite incidents and are also less likely to suffer from separation anxiety – a major cause of relinquishment of dogs to rescue groups and animal shelters.
See You There
Don’t miss this great opportunity to meet wonderful purebred dogs, ask questions about them and learn which one is the best one for your family. Stop by The Animal Medical Center booth to say hi! You can meet some of the staff and veterinarians who work with us and ask questions about your dog’s health.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
Second-hand smoke is bad for the entire family, including pets.
Thursday, November 17 marks this year’s Great American Smokeout. Since 1997, this event has been sponsored by the American Cancer Society to encourage Americans to stop smoking. Reducing illness, disability and death related to tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure is one of the objectives of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. According to the CDC, an estimated 46.6 million Americans were smokers in 2009.
This number represents 20% of the United States population. I think everyone would agree that eliminating smoking in the United States is a worthy goal since tobacco-related illness is the cause of 443,000 deaths annually in the USA. Not accounted for in these statistics are those family members affected by second-hand smoke: adult non-smokers, children and, yes, the family pets.
Pets suffer from second-hand smoke Studies from the United States, Brazil and Scotland demonstrate the impact of smoking on pets worldwide. Dogs and cats absorb measurable amounts of nicotine metabolites into their bodies when they live in a home with smokers. The more smokers and smoking in the household, the higher the levels of nicotine metabolites found in the family pets. Not only can the metabolites be measured, but if the lungs themselves are tested, deposition of carbon material, a byproduct of smoking, can bee seen.
Increased disease risk Research has shown disease occurs in pets as a result of their exposure to tobacco smoke.
A recent study of dogs with a cough lasting greater than two months suggests dogs living in a household with a smoker are more likely to have a cough, but further research is necessary. Oral squamous cell carcinoma, a deadly tumor in the cat, has been associated with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
The most common tumor in cats is lymphoma and the risk of developing lymphoma is tripled in cats living in a smoking household.
This may also be found in the “Tales from the Pet Clinic” blog on WebMD.com.
For over a century, The Animal Medical Center has been a national leader in animal health care, known for its expertise, innovation and success in providing routine, specialty and emergency medical care for companion animals. Thanks in part to the enduring generosity of donors, The AMC is also known for its outstanding teaching, research and compassionate community funds. Please help us to continue these efforts. Send your contribution to: The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. To make an appointment, please call 212.838.7053.
Posted by Fur the Love of Pets 
