Pet and Wellness Fun this Saturday, May 18, 2013

Looking for a fun, outdoor activity for the whole family this weekend? Join us at The AMC’s Annual PAW (Pet and Wellness) Day celebration in Carl Schurz Park (84^th Street and East End Avenue, 10am – 1pm), where every family member, including the furry ones, will find special activities designed just for them.

Doggy massages and more
Members of The AMC’s Tina Santi Flaherty Rehabilitation & Fitness Service will teach two sessions on how to relax your dog with yoga and massage. Veterinary staff from The AMC will provide free screenings for canine high blood pressure (hypertension), tooth brushing lessons, obesity assessment and many other hands-on health activities.

There will also be two sessions entitled, “Pet First Aid for the Pet Owner,” presented by one of The AMC’s board certified emergency and critical care veterinarians. Other specialist veterinarians from The AMC will be on hand to answer questions about pet health and disease. They will distribute pamphlets and fliers as well as free samples of treats and pet products.

Kid’s stuff
This year, PAW Day will feature a dog well known to children – Clifford, the Big Red Dog, from the PBS series of the same name. Another PAW Day highlight for children will be the stuffed animal veterinary clinic. Children may bring their favorite stuffed animal for a veterinary examination and treatment or adopt an animal at the event. Children attending PAW Day can also purchase a veterinary kit and receive instruction on examination techniques by the highly trained AMC veterinarians.

Over 400,000 children receive medical treatment each year for dog bite injuries. Since children are the most common victims of dog bites, every parent should be concerned with teaching their child how to safely interact with dogs. Children attending PAW Day can practice the four steps of being safe around dogs with friendly dog volunteers who will be on-hand. If children are shy around dogs, they can still learn about safe interactions with dogs at the coloring book station, which will be in a dog free zone.

PAW Day is free and open to the public, so stop by and say hello to your favorite AMC veterinarian! Check out The AMC’s website for additional information about the event: www.amcny.org/pawday2013. 

Household Cleaning Products: A Pet Danger

X-ray of a cat that has eaten a metal mesh scouring pad

It’s spring cleaning time, but if you have pets please clean cautiously since some of the most common cleaning agents can be toxic to your pet. Birds are especially sensitive to the fumes from household cleaning agents.

Chlorine bleach has an extremely wide spectrum of activity against common bacteria and viruses. Its low cost makes bleach an attractive disinfectant and laundry additive. Bleach disinfects by oxidizing cell membranes, rupturing and killing cells. Bleach has the same effect on the gastrointestinal tract if your pet drinks undiluted bleach or chews on the bleach container. A splash of bleach into the eye of a curious pet can cause tearing, irritation and even an ulcer.

Some websites recommend the use of phenol-containing pine scented cleaners as a deterrent for cats who urinate outside their litter boxes. If you use these products, you may no longer have a healthy cat and the litter box issues will seem insignificant. When walking across your freshly mopped kitchen floor, your cats get phenol on their feet. Phenol is caustic to the delicate paw pads. Then, when cats groom, they ingest the cleaner which damages their liver and kidneys. When compared to dogs, cats are extremely susceptible to phenol toxicity since their liver lacks an important enzyme for metabolism of phenol.

Although not technically toxic, steel wool and metal mesh scouring pads can cause intestinal obstruction if consumed by your pet. At first glance these products do not have much culinary appeal, but when encrusted with steak bits from the grill or some scrambled eggs from the frying pan, a scouring pad becomes a tasty treat for your dog or cat. As you can see in the x-ray, the scouring pad unravels and prevents food from normally passing though the intestine. The sharp strands can also slice into the intestinal wall. Emergency surgery is required for removal.

Quaternary ammonium compounds are disinfectants with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses and fungus. These compounds are popular cleaning agents colloquially called “quats.” Serious injury can result to both pets and people if they inadvertently come in contact with quats. Caustic burns, convulsions, low blood pressure and even death occur following ingestion or contact with the skin.

The AMC Emergency and Critical Care staff recently teamed up to save the life of a young Yorkshire Terrier with severe oral swelling and respiratory distress from ingestion of quaternary ammonium. Read his story: Yorkie Ingests Deadly Poison and Survives.

Not sure if a product is pet-safe? Download the material safety data sheet for any product you might purchase to prevent bringing a dangerous product home.

A Busy Night in the ER: Pet Toxicities

Every morning around 5am, the veterinary staff at The Animal Medical Center receives an email listing the cases admitted to the hospital overnight. I found last Sunday’s list particularly intriguing. Four dogs were admitted to the hospital suffering from ingestion of a variety of toxic agents. All four dogs ultimately recovered, but there are some important lessons to be learned from these cases.

High time to avoid marijuana

Despite his bold name, Tiger is a tiny Chihuahua. He came to The AMC’s ER in the middle of the night for being wobbly and weak. The veterinarians used a special drug test kit on his urine and found he had been exposed to marijuana. Small dogs like Tiger can easily become intoxicated by ingesting marijuana or. They develop clinical signs similar to humans, but in serious cases, signs may progress to seizures and even coma. Veterinarians in Colorado, one of the states where medical marijuana is legal, report an increase in canine marijuana toxicity in their animal ERs.

Just say no to human drugs

Charlie, a cute Yorkshire terrier, landed in the ER for one of the most common intoxications: ingestion of a human medication. His owners thought he was painful and administered just a sliver of a naproxen tablet. Naproxen alone is enough to cause a gastric ulcer as well as damage his kidneys, but Charlie was also taking a steroid medication. Steroids plus naproxen are a ‘one, two punch’ to the stomach lining and Charlie vomited a dozen times on the way to The AMC. After two nights in the hospital, Charlie was much better and was released.

Chocolates are no treat

Bibi, a chocolate colored standard poodle, gave herself an abnormal heart rhythm by eating one half of a giant dark chocolate bar. Chocolate contains theobromine, a stimulant related to caffeine. The ER staff administered activated charcoal to help decrease the absorption of the theobromine. The darker the chocolate, the greater the concentration of theobromine in the chocolate. The theobromine is responsible for the hyperactivity, vomiting and abnormal heart rhythms. Like most dogs, Bibi has quite a sweet tooth. This is not the first time she has eaten chocolate, but the first time she consumed enough to require medical attention.

A sugar-free spree

Rocky, a German shepherd was the least sick of the overnight admissions, thanks to the quick response by his family and the ER staff. He had chowed down on some sugar-free gum containing xylitol. Dogs react much differently to xylitol than we do. Just a few pieces of gum are enough to drop a dog’s blood sugar to dangerously low levels and also cause liver failure. Because his family saw him eat the gum and the ER staff forced him to vomit, the gum did not cause any problems for Rocky other than a night away from home and some lost sleep.

Keeping your pet safe from toxins

• The only medications your pet should receive should be those prescribed by your veterinarian. Although we often prescribe human medications, the doses used in pets may be vastly different than those used in humans, so never give your pet human medications without the approval of your veterinarian.
• Educate yourself about substances potentially toxic to your pets.
• If you must keep products which can be toxic to your pet in your home, put them away in a cabinet with a tight latch to avoid inadvertent exposure.

What’s New for Fleas and Ticks?

Ticks have been around forever. Even the ancient Roman author, Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.) was vexed by these creatures. He is reported to have said, “Ticks: the foulest and nastiest creatures that be.” Ancient Rome must not have had fleas, or Pliny would have included them on his nasty creature list as well. Besides being nasty, fleas and ticks spread disease to you and your pets.

A new kind of collar

Collars to prevent flea and tick infestations have been around a long time, but their effectiveness has been limited. A veterinary school professor of mine said, “The only fleas killed by a flea collar are those squashed when the collar is put around the pet’s neck.” Polymer technology has advanced flea collars from a dusty plastic strap to a timed release medical device, and in the newest version even repels ticks before they attach. For additional information on year-round flea and tick control, check with the Companion Animal Parasite Council.

A new way to remove ticks

One of my most frequent calls is from an owner who finds a tick attached to their dog or cat and wants to know how to get rid of the nasty critter. The internet is rife with misinformation on how to remove ticks – nail polish remover, smoking matches and petroleum jelly. All of these are bad ideas. Either grasp the tick firmly with tweezers or a tick removing device and pull the tick, head included, out of the skin. This is easier said than done in a wiggly dog with a teeny tiny embedded deer tick. Now, there is a way that will make pet owners ecstatic with an easier way! A new a non-toxic product has been designed and produced to loosen the tick’s grip on the skin and allow it to be lifted off your pet with a cotton ball or moistened pad.

A new method to decrease ticks in the environment

Currently under investigation for the control of Lyme disease are bait boxes for mice. This clever study aims to attack Lyme disease where it starts, with the deer ticks that feed on the reservoir host of the Lyme disease bacteria: the white footed mouse. Bait boxes are placed outdoors. Mice enter the box and a mouse sized dose of fipronyl gets rubbed on their back. Fipronyl is an Environmental Protection Agency registered product found in several top spot tick and flea preventative medications for dogs and cats. When applied to mice, it kills ticks, decreasing the number of ticks which can bite you and your family.

Do you still want more information about ticks? The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has an exhaustive tick handbook available online.

Confused about flea and tick preventatives for your dog and cat? Make an appointment with your veterinarian to find the right prescription for your pets. Follow their directions exactly, because reactions to flea and tick products are most commonly due to improper use of these products.

Drug Fright: Scary Medication Labels

Everyone has heard them: the rapid fire voiceovers on television advertisements for medications. They sound something like this, “Do not use this medication if you have serious heart disease, suicidal thoughts, liver problems or hangnails. Ask your doctor if this drug is right for you.” If you fast forward through commercials on your DVR and have missed the voiceover, then perhaps you have opened a bag from your pharmacy and found the accordion pleated paper, printed in size two font, containing drug information, warnings, contraindications, precautions, adverse reactions and risks.

Here is a portion of one for a commonly used human medication:

1. General: Urticaria, drug rash, anaphylactic shock, photosensitivity, excessive perspiration, chills, dryness of mouth, nose, and throat
2. Cardiovascular System: Hypotension, headache, palpitations, tachycardia, extrasystoles
3. Hematologic System: Hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis
4. Nervous System: Sedation, sleepiness, dizziness, disturbed coordination, fatigue, confusion, restlessness, excitation, nervousness, tremor, irritability, insomnia, euphoria, paresthesia, blurred vision, diplopia, vertigo, tinnitus, acute labyrinthitis, neuritis, convulsions
5. Gl System: Epigastric distress, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation
6. GU System: Urinary frequency, difficult urination, urinary retention, early menses
7. Respiratory System: Thickening of bronchial secretions, tightness of chest or throat and wheezing, nasal stuffiness

Here is a portion of a drug label for a canine chemotherapy agent:

Anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, lameness, weight loss, blood in stool/GI bleed/hemorrhagic diarrhea, musculoskeletal disorder, dehydration, dermatitis, pruritus tachypnea, localized pain, nausea, general pain, polydipsia, pyrexia, flatulence, pigmentation disorder, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, increased alanine, aminotransferase, hypoalbuminemia, decreased hematocrit, hyperbilirubinemia, increased creatinine, urinary tract infection.

The United States Food and Drug Administration has strict regulations governing drug labels. Drug labels should be accurate and not promotional. The list of possible side effects is comprehensive to help prescribers, like me, alert their patients, like your pet, to possible problems that might arise while the medication is being taken. Without this critical information, you might keep giving a medication that is actually making your pet worse. The information on a drug label helps me to weigh the risk of not treating a disease with benefits of a medication used to treat the disease.

The warning labels for both the commonly used human drug and the canine chemotherapy agent sound moderately frightening and yet these drugs are critical to improving a patient’s quality or quantity of life. What the drug labels can’t substitute for is experience. Once your veterinarian or physician has used a drug on many patients, we know what to expect and what to tell you to expect. Reading the drug label is a good thing since it helps you to recognize any adverse reactions to medications early. Not giving a drug to your sick pet because the drug label is frightening is foolish, unless you tell your veterinarian about your concerns and together you decide the best course of action for your pet. Remember, we love to talk about sick pets and about medications; it’s what we do every day!

Oh, by the way, the human drug with the seven body system long list of adverse effects was Benadryl.

Staphylococcal Infections: They’re Not All Superbugs

Last week I saw two patients with Staph infections. Finding a Staph infection is not unusual; veterinarians see Staph infections every day because Staphylococcus bacteria are normal inhabitants of the skin of dogs. Staph infections start like this: your dog scratches, breaks the skin and the Staph slip in and cause an itchy infection in the hair follicle called pyoderma. Staphylococcus psuedintermedius is one of the resident bacteria in the skin of dogs and a common cause of pyoderma. Staphylococcus aureus is the analogous human bacteria. When either of these bacteria acquires resistance to an antibiotic called methicillin, they have been branded “superbugs,” and in medical terms are called methicillin resistant Staphylococcus psuedintermedius (MRSP) or Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Just because they have the name superbug, doesn’t mean the infections caused by these bugs are not treatable; they are not successfully treated with the typical antibiotics we use for a “normal” Staph infection.

Hospital bug

Originally, MRSA/MRSP infections occurred in hospitalized human or animal patients, but recently MRSA infections have been found in patients who have never been in the hospital. This type of MRSA/MRSP infection is often called community acquired. Hospital acquired methicillin resistant infections can readily be transmitted from patient to patient in the hospital, and preventing transmission is one reason veterinarians and physicians wash and sanitize their hands between patients.

Infections with methicillin resistant bacteria may be becoming more widespread. Recently reports indicate wild rats can be carriers of MRSP and a baby alpaca was found to be colonized with MRSA. Obviously, these animals did not acquire the infection in the hospital.

Pets with the superbug

In studies testing a large number of dogs and cats for MRSP, less than one percent of animals screened carried these bacteria. This week’s first patient with MRSP developed a bladder infection confirmed via a urine culture to be MRSP. Neither she nor anyone in her family has been hospitalized, but she has recently completed a course of chemotherapy for a mast cell tumor and possibly the infection is related to those treatments. Happily, the test results indicated a common antibiotic will be effective in treating the infection.

People to pets?

The healthy pets living with humans infected with MRSA have been tested and some found to carry the MRSA which appears to be the same in both the pet and the human. In this interesting study, dogs, cats and even a hamster living with a human infected with MRSA were found to carry MRSA.

Whether the pets were the source of the infection or simply accidently infected by the human is unknown. Nevertheless, this study shows pets could be a source of infection or reinfection for their human family members.

Last week’s second patient with a Staphylococcus psuedintermedius infection did not have a methicillin resistant one, but she could have. Angel is a therapy dog who visits hospitals. Because of her occupational risk, we tested her to protect not only her health, but the health of those under her care.

What can a pet owner do?

If your veterinarian recommends a culture of your pet’s skin or urine, I strongly recommend you agree to the test to help determine the best course of treatment and to identify MRSA/MRSP early.

If you have a therapy pet, follow the guidelines set out by your therapy pet group to protect your pet, yourself and your patients.

If your pet has an infection, tell your veterinarian if someone in your family has recently been hospitalized or diagnosed with MRSA. This information is critical when we submit tests to the lab and prescribe antibiotics.

Brush Up on Your Bicuspids: A Dog and Cat Tooth Tour

February is National Pet Dental Health Month. According to the American Veterinary Dental College, your pet needs daily toothbrushing and annual dental cleanings to keep their pearly whites white. Just like your visit to the dentist, where x-rays are taken to find periodontal disease or tooth abscesses, x-rays are a critical component of an annual dental cleaning for your dog or cat. Since most pet owners don’t get a chance to see their pet’s dental x-rays, I thought I would show you some from The Animal Medical Center.

Above, you see Spanky the cat’s six normal front teeth (incisors) flanked by his big fangs, also called canine teeth, even though he is a cat. Based on x-rays, the rest of Spanky’s teeth were normal and he did not have to have any teeth extracted during his annual dental cleaning.

 

In this x-ray you see one of Rhett Butler’s big molars. Both roots are surrounded by a dark area, instead of normal white bone. The dark area represents a periapical tooth root abscess which was the cause of his reluctance to eat and his swollen face. Once the tooth was extracted and he was treated with antibiotics, he recovered quickly.

Here you see dental x-rays of the right jaw of two different cats – Spanky on the left and Willie on the right. At first glance, the two look the same. If you look closely you will notice the third tooth in Willie’s x-ray appears moth eaten, especially on the left side of the tooth. The appearance is characteristic of a feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion (FORLS) or root resorption. Teeth with root resorptions need to be extracted as they can be painful and are prone to fracturing. The American Veterinary Dental College recommends cats affected by FORLS should be evaluated twice annually to detect and treat these lesions early.

Despite daily tooth brushing by her owner, Pippa has developed periodontal disease. You can see a pocket of bone loss around the two adjoining teeth. Both teeth had to be extracted during her annual dental cleaning.

Since I shared pictures of pets’ pearly whites, you might want to share yours!

On Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/pearlywhitepets

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/121936134646100/

On Twitter: Use the hashtag #pearlywhitepets

Practical DNA Testing

I suspect many of my readers think practical DNA testing is an oxymoron. For many, DNA testing conjures up visions of sleek, shiny, sterile laboratories for solving crimes, but not day to day management of sick dogs and cats. DNA testing can also be fun when it is used to determine the ancestry of your mixed breed dog. This week I used DNA testing in my clinical patients to help better manage their health.

Platelet problems

Coco is one of my patients without cancer. She came in for a routine examination. Because she is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and screening blood tests showed her platelet count was low, she needed DNA testing. Platelets are blood clotting cells and patients with a low platelet count may have severe hemorrhage. Coco wasn’t sick in any way, but because certain dogs within the Cavalier breed have a genetic disorder causing a low platelet count, we tested her DNA for the known mutation.

The strange thing about Cavaliers with an inherited low platelet count is that they are not prone to hemorrhage, but if you don’t know for sure your patient has the mutation, you cannot distinguish between a Cavalier with the inherited platelet disorder and one with a propensity to bleed. Luckily, Coco has the mutation and we need not worry about her low platelet count.

Drug intolerance

Gus has a different genetic problem. He is a flashy, blue merle Australian shepherd. Dogs of this and other collie-like breeds have a genetic mutation leading to poor tolerance of certain drugs which, in Gus’s case, are chemotherapy agents he desperately needs for the treatment of his lymphoma. For us to safely treat him with chemotherapy drugs, we tested his DNA to determine if he carried this mutation before choosing the drugs in his treatment protocol. Fortunately for Gus, his DNA is just fine and he can be treated with our standard multidrug regimen. Additionally, affected dogs are also sensitive to common heartworm preventatives and diarrhea medications.

Anemia and DNA

Aby-Doux is an Abyssinian cat with a decreased number of red blood cells, also known as anemia. Once again I used DNA testing to help elucidate the cause of his anemia. Some Abyssinian cats have a genetic mutation affecting their red blood cells.

The mutation weakens the robust normal red blood cells and causes them to rupture inside the blood stream. When this occurs, the affected cat becomes lethargic and sometimes is jaundiced. Genetic testing did not find the mutation in Aby-Doux. Further investigation found his anemia was due to blood loss from an intestinal tumor which was then surgically removed.­

Additional information

Does your dog’s breed have a predisposition to a genetic disease? The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has a listing by breed.

Are you an international reader? Find a listing of genetic testing laboratories worldwide on the University of Pennsylvania Medical Genetics website.

Neutering: Not Just Doggie Birth Control

Dexter, a new dachshund patient of mine, was in last week for another round of puppy shots. He will soon be six months old and it was time for me to discuss the next step in his preventive health care plan: neutering.

Neutering meets the guidelines

The American Veterinary Medical Association has developed guidelines for responsible pet ownership. One of the guidelines obligates pet owners to control their pet’s reproduction through spaying and neutering; subsequently helping to control pet overpopulation in their community. Neutering is the common term for castration of a male dog or cat and spaying refers to removal of the ovaries and uterus, or in some cases just the uterus, of a female pet.

Lifesaving responsibility

Pet overpopulation is a serious issue in the United States today. According to the Humane Society of the United States, over 4 million unwanted pets are destroyed annually. For every puppy or kitten prevented by neutering an adult pet, there is one less homeless and unwanted puppy or kitten euthanized in an animal shelter.

The traditional surgery

Surgical removal of the testicles is the current standard of care in both dogs and cats. This surgery renders a male dog or cat unable to reproduce and also removes the major source of the male hormone, testosterone. Removing the source of testosterone eliminates mating behavior in males and also plays a role in eliminating other unwanted dog behaviors. In both the dog and cat, neutering involves a small skin incision through which the testicles are removed. Cats typically go home the same day, but dogs may stay overnight to recover from anesthesia and for incisional monitoring.

My recommendation

Dexter’s owners were concerned about the surgery. They asked if he could just have a vasectomy instead of the traditional neutering surgery. Because my job is to make the best medical recommendations for the specific health concerns of each of my patients, I recommended the traditional surgery for Dexter. It provides him with the greatest number of health benefits. The surgery prevents unwanted litters of puppies and also prevents prostatic disease, testosterone-induced tumors and behaviors linked to testosterone production.

Plan Ahead for International Pet Travel

With the holidays over and summer not yet here, now is a good time to think about advanced planning for the upcoming trip you and your pet will be taking. If you haven’t thought about taking a trip with your pet, think again. Millions of Americans travel with their pets both locally and internationally and according to an August 2012 TripAdvisor.com survey, 49% of the pet owning public have plans to travel with their pets.

Get some ID

Entrance into many countries requires your pet to have a permanent form of identification. The best form is a microchip placed by your veterinarian. Even if you don’t plan to travel anytime soon, every pet should have a microchip to help get them back home if they are lost. If your pet already has a microchip, double check and make sure the registration information is paid and up to date. Inaccurate information in the microchip database prevents animal rescue groups from contacting you when they find your pet.

Do your homework

Research the pet entry requirements for your destination. Every country is different. As a start, review the information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Their website contains both general information and some country-specific information about pet travel.

You should also locate information on pet travel on the website of the country you plan to visit. Although you and your pet are simply going on vacation, the information about pet entry requirements may be found under import/export regulations. If you cannot find the information or you need further clarification, call the country’s consulate or embassy. The United States Department of State has a listing.

If you find conflicting information about entry requirements, the destination country holds the trump card, so rely on their website and embassy.

Pack the paper

Not newspaper, but your pet’s papers. According to TripAdvisor.com, only 45% of pet owners travel with health certificates and rabies documentation. I find this surprising. Keeping your pet’s vaccinations up to date and keeping their vaccination certificates on file will help streamline obtaining critical travel documents. Bring copies with you and ask your veterinarian for a summary of your pet’s medical conditions and medications.

Important reminders

• Start early. Some countries require your pet to have a special rabies blood test performed. Only certain laboratories perform this test and timing is critical.
• Even though you may have started preparing early for your trip, certain travel documents must be signed only days before departure. Allow time in your schedule to finalize any of your pet’s travel documents.
• Some countries require your pet’s health papers be signed by a USDA accredited veterinarian. Not all veterinarians are accredited, so check with your veterinarian well in advance of your trip to make sure you have an appointment with one who can sign the travel papers.

Books for Pet Lovers

If you are like me, you received gift cards during the holidays. What better way to spend them than on books about dogs and cats. Here are a few titles that are currently sitting on my nightstand:

Dogs: Man’s best friend

The Divinity of Dogs: True Stories of Miracles Inspired by Man’s Best Friend is a collection of stories about life changing dogs. Each section of stories has a title: “Love,” “Comfort and Forgiveness,” etc., but for me they all ring true to the wonderful role dogs play in our lives. Some stories, no more than two pages long, will provoke hours of thought about the special gifts of dogs.

Spoiler alert: get out the tissues! When I attended the author’s book reading, the hors d’oeuvre trays should have had tissues instead of napkins. These stories touch the very depth of your soul and remind you why you love dogs, and more importantly why we can’t live without dogs.

Dog: Detective’s best partner

A Fistful of Collars is another installment in the Chet and Bernie mystery series. Chet, the narrator of the book, partners with Bernie, a private detective. Chet is a dog with an opinion. He relishes dinner at the local rib joint, thinks shoe polish is tangy, and muses over words like “collar.” He doesn’t understand why Bernie always talks about collaring perps when they never seem to wear anything around their necks, but instead end up wearing orange jumpsuits! For dog lovers, this book offers a fresh perspective into a dog’s mind.

New kitten and puppy tips

My friend and former AMC colleague, Dr. Jason Nicholas, aka The Preventive Vet has two new titles being released early this spring: 101 Tips for Puppies and 101 Tips for Kittens. I have read the proofs of these attractive and informative books and think they are a must read for new pet families. Beautifully illustrated, even children will like these books and they can be used as a way to actively involve children in the caring of the new family member.

Cooking fun

The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook is not on my nightstand, but is on my kitchen shelf. It contains over 100 “tail wagging” recipes. I made the Great Dane Candy Canes as Christmas gifts for a few select dogs. The ingredient list includes brown rice flour, oat flour, Parmesan cheese, egg and tomato paste. These biscuits proved very popular, and Marley, the dog with an office across the hall, comes by and sits by my desk every day, hoping for a sample from the test batch. Dog owners like them too as they are really cute done up as holiday treats. I think cats would like the Going All the Way Upstream treats, which contain salmon. Testing these treats on some hungry cats will be my next cooking project.

National Pet Cancer Awareness Month

November is a busy month. Not only is it National Diabetes Month, but it is also National Pet Cancer Awareness Month.

Cancer and diabetes are two important diseases the veterinarians at The Animal Medical Center treat every day.

According to VPI, a pet insurance company, their top ten insurance claims for pet cancer treatment include tumors we veterinary oncologists commonly treat.

1. Lymphoma or lymphosarcoma
2. Malignant skin cancer
3. Splenic cancer
4. Bone or joint cancer
5. Liver caner
6. Chest cancer
7. Bladder cancer
8. Brain of spinal cord cancer
9. Mouth cancer
10. Cancer of the cells lining the inside of the chest and abdomen

Surgery and cancer

Surgery is often the first procedure for a cancer patient and is commonly performed to get a biopsy of a lump which leads to the diagnosis of cancer. For one or two of the tumors on the top ten list, surgical excision might be the only treatment needed to control the tumor. If surgical excision isn’t enough to control the tumor, we often recommend chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy concerns

The tumors listed in the top ten insurance claims also include tumors veterinary oncologists manage with chemotherapy treatments. Chemotherapy helps us control the spread of some tumors and shrink others, improving both the length and quality of a pet’s life.

Many pet owners express concern over the potential side effects of chemotherapy treatment on their pet. Scientific research has proven their concerns unfounded. Carboplatin, a chemotherapy drug used to treat bone tumors called osteosarcoma and other tumors in dogs and cats, receives high marks for improving quality of life.

A combination of chemotherapy drugs for the treatment of feline lymphoma also improved the quality of life of cats suffering from this common tumor.

Setting expectations

Veterinary oncologists successfully give chemotherapy to dogs and cats on a daily basis. Because we have been treating pets with cancer for decades, we know what doses are safe and what additional therapies to administer to limit adverse reactions. In my experience, dogs tolerate chemotherapy better than people and cats tolerate it even better than dogs. I think psychology plays a role in chemotherapy reactions. Humans know what chemotherapy can do. My patients, smart as they are, have no clue about chemotherapy. The typical pet receiving chemotherapy has one or two off days following treatment and then their appetite and energy rebound. We obsess over every patient’s white blood cell count and send them home without treatment if the count is too low for safe administration. Every one of our patients has at least two people helping with chemotherapy administration: someone who holds the pet on a soft, comfortable mat, and a nurse specially trained in administration of chemotherapy drugs.

What can a pet owner do about cancer?

Take an active role in screening your pet for cancer using the Veterinary Cancer Society’s Ten Common Signs of Cancer in Pets.

Investigate pet insurance to see if it is right for your family. If you already have a policy, find out if cancer treatment is covered.

Animals Were Affected by the Hurricane Too

Hurricane Sandy created hardships for people living up and down the East Coast. Residents were displaced from their homes and sent to evacuation shelters or lived in flooded apartments, and life in general was disrupted. Sandy spared few. Animals, too, suffered as a result of the high winds and flood waters inflicted by the storm. The concept of zoobiquity springs from the fact that animals and humans share many of the same diseases. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, I would argue we share much, much more.

Animal homes flooded

The ponies of Chincoteague Island have always held a special allure for me, and after visiting this barrier island last summer, I was concerned for the ponies’ safety as the storm surge rose. Before the storm, the pony caretakers opened the gates on the fences around the pony habitat, allowing the ponies to go to higher ground and have free range of the entire island. All the ponies safely weathered the storm, as you can see on this video of their hurricane experience.

The New York Aquarium sits right on the famous boardwalk of Coney Island and is at the epicenter of New York City hurricane damage. Although the aquarium was without power for several days, generators ran filters and staff members pumped oxygen into tanks, keeping the fish, invertebrates, and mammals well cared for in their watery homes.

One of the newest aquarium residents, Mitik, an orphan baby walrus, seemed to enjoy the storm, not unlike many other New York City youngsters who rejoiced when school was cancelled for a full week.

Animals displaced

Aquarium residents were not evacuated from their home, but many New York City pets were. All New York City evacuation shelters accepted pets and Mayor Bloomberg encouraged residents to take their pets with them as they evacuated. The New York Veterinary Emergency Response Team has monitored the census of pets in evacuation shelters in the New York area. As of Veteran’s Day, 141 pets still remained in the city’s shelters.

Other animal displacements were a pair of brown pelicans. Brown pelicans are normally southern birds and are neighbors of the Chincoteague ponies. Wildlife rehabilitators reported two displaced brown pelicans blown off course by Hurricane Sandy and found in Rhode Island.

This time of year, Rhode Island is much colder than the birds’ normal southern habitat and these fellows are currently resting and recovering from their harrowing hurricane experience while awaiting transport home.

Families, animals included, reunited

Despite the upset and havoc Hurricane Sandy caused, there are happy stories too. Neighbors helping neighbors, runners of the cancelled New York City Marathon helping in relief efforts and families reunited. Patches the cat was rescued from the rubble of his home by a dump truck operator and Sandy the dog is back with his family.

My fellow animal lover, Jill Rappaport of NBC News, made this touching video about pet families and the hurricane.

What you can do

Microchips are a large part of the reason why happy post-hurricane stories can be told. If your pet is not microchipped, don’t wait until the next big storm. Now it the best time to get one.

The Animal Medical Center’s friend, Amy Sacks at The Daily News, has posted great information about how you can help pets affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Do you know anyone who had their lives or those of their pets disrupted by the storm? Share your stories in the comments below.

Photo: Matt Stanton

Can Hurricane Sandy Make Your Pet Sick?

The deadliest feature of Hurricane Sandy was not the wind and rain, but water from the storm surge. The storm surge was so massive it brought water into the lobby of The Animal Medical Center, but my basement, prone to flooding during a heavy rain, stayed dry.

The severe flooding has displaced families, ruined homes and washed away cars. Flooding can also make you sick when it contains bacteria, viruses, and parasites from sewage. Severe flooding can also make your dog sick by providing ideal conditions for a bacteria known as leptospira. It rarely affects humans, but at The Animal Medical Center we see several serious cases of leptospirosis in dogs each year. Recently, leptospirosis in outdoor cats has been reported.

Fall hurricane season provides an optimal situation for leptospirosis to occur. Even without a hurricane, cases are more common in the spring and fall. Several different varieties of leptospira bacteria are responsible for illness, but all are considered waterborne illnesses, explaining why flooding increases the risk of contracting it. Rats are considered the major reservoir of leptospira bacteria in urban areas such as New York City. Sandy’s flooding “displaced” rats from the subway tunnels, bringing rats and their leptospira bacteria into the city streets.

Because of the increasing interface between wildlife and suburbia, even dogs in flooded suburban areas are at risk for contracting leptospirosis carried by mammals other than rats, including deer, mice, skunks, raccoons, cattle, and rabbits.

Dogs infected with leptospira bacteria are lethargic, refuse to eat, and vomit. When veterinarians test the blood of these dogs, anemia, decreased blood clotting ability, kidney failure, and liver dysfunction were commonly found. In severe cases, the lungs also lost function. Leptospirosis is treatable with antibiotics, but severe cases of kidney failure may require intensive treatment, including dialysis.

• If your dog is sick and has been exposed to floodwaters, tell your veterinarian.
• Don’t let your dog walk in or drink water where flooding has occurred.
• Talk to your veterinarian about your dog’s need for the leptospirosis vaccine.
• Read The AMC’s post hurricane safety tips.

 

Photo: Purina ONE

Understanding Feline Diabetes

Cat receiving insulin. Photo: Sugarpet.net

According to the American Diabetes Association, November is American Diabetes Month. Due to obesity, diabetes is on the rise in people and, unfortunately, the same is true for our feline companions. The theme for American Diabetes Month 2012 is “A Day in the Life of Diabetes” and I will detail some of the daily routine of a diabetic cat and his owner, me.

Symba was the cat who came to me shortly after I graduated from veterinary school. He became acutely ill while I was traveling, and my colleagues at The Animal Medical Center diagnosed him with pancreatitis and diabetes. Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, destroys the ability of that organ to make insulin, and without insulin the result is diabetes. Recurrent pancreatitis and obesity commonly play a role in feline diabetes.

Giving insulin
When Symba came home from the hospital, I had to give insulin injections twice a day. Easy for me, but an aspect of managing diabetes most families with a newly diagnosed diabetic cat initially worry about. In a recent international survey on the quality of life for cats with diabetes, 221 cat owners reported few difficulties in administering insulin, but they did not like adhering to the required rigid schedule of injections.

Twice daily insulin administration gives your cat the best chance of achieving remission of diabetes. Remission means no more insulin injections – good for you and your cat. Twice daily insulin injections did work for Symba. He went into remission which lasted over a year.

Scary hypoglycemia
The feline diabetes quality of life survey found cat owners worried about hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar. Low blood sugar deprives critical organs of the sugar they need for fuel. Early signs of hypoglycemia include muscle tremors, lethargy, weakness, and staggering. A seizure or coma means the blood sugar is seriously low and a trip to the animal ER is necessary.

Monitoring blood sugar levels or urine sugar levels will help your cat avoid a hypoglycemic crisis. At the first signs of hypoglycemia, feeding a meal may avert a crisis. Although cat owners involved in the quality of life study worried about hypoglycemia, in actuality it rarely happened. When Symba developed hypoglycemia, I gave him the corn syrup I had in the kitchen cabinet just for this purpose. Maple syrup or honey work too. The good thing about a hypoglycemic crisis is it may mean your cat requires less insulin and might be going into diabetic remission.

Boarding barrier
When I traveled, my colleagues at The AMC took care of Symba at the hospital, but the feline diabetes quality of life participants ranked finding a friend, family member, or boarding facility to take care of their diabetic cat one of their major challenges. Advance planning will help remove some of the stress associated with leaving your cat behind while you travel.

Good quality of life
Despite the challenges to cat and owner, 94% of cat owners rated their diabetic cat’s life as good, fairly good or as good as it could be. When asked if they would treat another cat for diabetes, a resounding 90% said yes.

Prevent diabetes in your cat by keeping her in ideal body condition. Control food intake and provide opportunities to exercise.

To help support diabetes research, CVS pharmacies are donating one dollar for every photo depicting a day in the life of diabetes that is posted on the American Diabetes Association Facebook page.

So start uploading!

Hurricane Sandy: The Animal Medical Center Story

The view down E. 62nd Street on Monday night

By Sunday night, the Governor and Mayor had shut down all mass transit in NYC, our schools were already closed for Monday, and by Monday morning even the New York Stock Exchange suspended trading for the day. New York City was silent; everyone was indoors and the wind and rain of Hurricane Sandy had not yet arrived. Despite all the closures, The Animal Medical Center was open for business as usual.

As far back as anyone can remember, The AMC has never closed. We mean it when we say we are open 24/7. When a disaster is anticipated, the staff work together to determine how best to cover shifts and maintain adequate nursing and medical expertise for our patients. During blackouts, natural disasters, and human disasters, our staff comes to work prepared. Many employees came to work on Sunday with food, clothes, and bedding, planning to stay for the duration of the storm. The AMC stores inflatable beds for those employees sleeping at the hospital. The beds got blown up Monday afternoon since the electricity fluttered on and off during the day. Lucky for us, our favorite deli and neighborhood diner were still open.

It was a good thing we were open for business, as really sick animals needed care. Here is a sampling of the Sunday night admission list: a stray cat and a stray dog were brought to The AMC since the shelters were closed for the night; Harley, a cat, came in with complications of diabetes; Lexi, a bulldog, was admitted for serious vomiting; Gus the cat developed heart failure; Monkey, a Pekingese, required an emergency MRI and back surgery; a golden retriever named Aristotle became unconscious and he too required an emergency MRI ; Rysiu was admitted for feline bladder stones resulting in a urinary blockage. On Monday, he had an urgent surgery to remove the stones.

Visits to our emergency room were steady on Monday morning, but most scheduled patients cancelled their visits. The ER continued accepting patients overnight, even though there was at one point a foot of water in the first floor lobby. Our power went out from about 10 p.m. until 1 a.m., during which time our generator kicked in to run essential electrical equipment. Once the high tide began to recede, the lobby was squeegeed dry and, except for internet service that was slow to be restored, we were back to normal. The banners on the north side of the building are in tatters and our awning has a rip, but these are cosmetic only and we feel very fortunate to only be slightly damp around the edges.

New York pets were fortunate, too. For the second hurricane in a row, pets were allowed in evacuation shelters and in his Monday press conference, Mayor Bloomberg announced 73 pets had already been accepted into shelters.

Find more information about Hurricane Sandy and pets here.

For help in planning for the next disaster, click here.

Should Pets Go to College?

For college students, the fall semester is well underway. While undergrads percolate chemistry experiments, burn the library lights late into the night, and strike keyboards as they type out the latest term paper, some will find themselves homesick and missing their family pet. Often on a whim, many students go so far as to take a quick trip to the local animal shelter to adopt a puppy or kitten to fill the void. But is this a good idea?

I asked this exact question of my college best friend when she simultaneously announced her daughter, Colleen, had been accepted to Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and was getting a puppy named Fripps as a graduation gift. As you can see, veterinary college suits Fripps and Colleen and they have made lots of friends already.

First, a backup plan

Colleen is lucky — her parents love Fripps. If Colleen’s academic demands become overwhelming, her parents will keep Fripps at their home with their own dogs. Many parents might not be as accommodating as Colleen’s are. So, if you are a college student considering a pet adoption, think about how you will provide for your pet if you have the opportunity for a semester abroad or if your roommate develops allergies. Check with your parents to see if they would agree to provide you with the backup you might need. If the answer is no, you will need to think of another alternative, such as a friend or relative who can take in your pet when necessary.

Before adopting

Since Fripps came before Colleen found a place to live, she leased a pet-friendly apartment. If you already have an apartment, check your lease to determine if yours is pet friendly. Talk to your roommate(s) regarding his or her feelings about having a pet in the shared areas of your apartment. Considering a dog adoption? Investigate doggie day care options for days when you have late classes – or simply want to have a burger out with friends before going home. Fripps goes to the Shaggy Dog three days a week, since there is a three days for the price of two special, and being a college student, Colleen is on a budget. Remind yourself, a pet is a lifetime commitment and those lives can last 10-15 years. A college education is partly about exploring opportunities. Although adopting a pet is a wonderful experience, it may limit opportunities for academic travel and work experiences offered by your college.

Budget suggestions

Not only does your new furry friend need food, a collar and leash, and a crate or carrier, but preventive healthcare will be a must. A puppy or kitten series of vaccines and a spay or neuter surgery are just the start. Fripps has access to good medical care through Community Veterinary Services at Mississippi State University, but college students on a limited budget must consider how they will pay for routine veterinary care. For some budgets, a prepaid plan might make sense. To help handle the cost of emergency care, college students — and all pet families — should investigate pet insurance. If you are an automobile-less student, investigate how you and your new pet will get home to visit your family and the veterinarian.

Parents listen up!

If your college student sounds pet homesick on the phone, guide them in making a wise decision about adding a pet to their list of college experiences. With some advance planning, your homesick college student may benefit from a friendly furry face greeting him at the door every evening.

Your Child and Animals: Advice to Parents

As parents, we want to raise children who have a reverence for all living things, and what better way to educate them about animals than to spend a day at a petting zoo, a country fair, or a natural science museum featuring live animal displays? Animal events are fun and educational for the entire family, but before you attend an animal event, your children need a bit of advance preparation to protect themselves. Animals in public setting have been associated with some preventable health issues such as infection, injury, and allergic reactions.

Infection connection

Rodents, reptiles, livestock, pocket pets, and even wild mammals visit schools and are displayed at county fairs and science museums. The potential dangers vary from animal to animal. Livestock can carry the bacteria E. coli, which causes gastrointestinal upset in humans. Just last week I read a report of an E. coli outbreak linked to a fair in North Carolina.

Reptiles commonly shed another bacterium causing gastrointestinal upset: Salmonella. This organism is the reason turtles less than 4 inches in size have been banned from sale. Most experts consider turtles appropriate pets for children over five years of age.

Approach animals cautiously

Parents take their children to visit animal displays because they want their children to be comfortable around animals and to appreciate the natural world. Before you go, make sure your child understands if the animals can be touched and, if so, how to approach one safely. If your child is bitten during one of these events, you risk dampening your child’s enthusiasm for animals and simultaneously exposing him to a serious injury or infection.

Even iguanas can cause allergies

If you have a child with animal allergies, check with her allergist about how best to handle an animal visitation. Most children allergic to dogs and cats are likely to be allergic to other furry critters such as guinea pigs, chinchillas, and rodents. Some people even have allergies to iguana scales.

Take home messages

1. Teach children how to safely interact with an animal before visiting a petting zoo, county fair, or school event featuring animals.
2. Wash hands after every animal interaction or use hand sanitizer.
3. Children should not kiss animals or put their hands in their mouth after handling an animal.
4. Children too young to follow directions about hand washing and keeping their hands out of their mouths should not handle animals in public displays.
5. Because of the risk of transmitting an infection, hands should be washed after petting animals and before snack time.
6. Wild animals do not make good pets.

If you are an early childhood educator, guidelines for animals in schools have been developed by the Centers for Disease Control.

The Compounding Pharmacy Problem: What Pet Owners Should Know

A rare form of human meningitis has recently been in the news. The outbreak, believed to stem from fungal contamination of a medication compounded to treat back pain, has resulted in several fatalities. The manufacturer of the implicated medication is not a big pharma or an overseas company; the medication was produced by a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts. The Food and Drug administration has identified fungal organisms in a sealed vial of methylprednisone acetate produced by the compounding pharmacy.

Pets not affected

This outbreak is unusual since the fungi involved, aspergillus and exserohilum, live in soil and water. Exactly how they came to contaminate the medication is under intense investigation. Since veterinarians don’t treat back pain in dogs and cats with steroids like methlyprednisone acetate injected around the spinal cord, there are no reports of fungal meningitis in pets, but veterinarians do use compounded medications, and understanding their role in managing disease in your pet is important.

Compounding defined

Compounding is the alteration of the original drug dosage form for the purposes of ease of administration or because the original dosage form is unsuitable for the purpose intended. Translated for the pet owner, compounding is flavoring a medication to hide the bad taste, dissolving pills into a liquid to facilitate administration, or putting multiple medications into one capsule to help a pet owner comply with a multidrug treatment protocol. Without a good compounding pharmacy, my job would be impossible.

Compounding dangers

Compounding is not regulated by the FDA because it is a process initiated by prescription and on a case-by-case basis. In veterinary medicine, compounding rules have been stretched in an attempt to create cheaper medications. Some compounding pharmacies offer expensive medications at unbelievably low prices. I suspect these cheaper products are being produced by what is known as bulk compounding from raw materials. Just last week, I had to advise a pet owner against using the compounding pharmacy’s cheaper “house” brand of an expensive medication. That medication is not currently available as a less expensive generic. Although I am sympathetic to the financial burden of treating a pet with cancer, my overriding concern is for the patient and the efficacy and safety of the prescribed treatments. Prescribing an approved medication provides some assurance of efficacy and safety for my patients.

Medication safety

Listen to your veterinarian. If they believe a particular medication is better, ask why. If they are concerned about the safety and efficacy of a compounded medication, I recommend trying to make the standard formulation work for your pet.

Learn more about safely medicating your pet.

Plan, Prepare and Respond: Disaster Planning for Your Pet

September is Disaster Preparedness Month. Whether it is a hurricane, flood, or fire, disasters affect every member of the family, pets included. To help the furred and feathered members of your family weather a disaster safely, here are The Animal Medical Center’s suggestions for disaster planning.

Plan

Advanced planning is critical. Identify a safe place to take your pets in an emergency. New York City shelters will house animals in the event of emergency, but not all shelters will. Check NOW to see if your local emergency shelter plan includes pets. If not, find a boarding facility that will. Make a list of pet-friendly hotels in your area. Visit PetsWelcome.com for a state-by-state listing.

In case you and your pet are separated, be sure you pet is both microchipped and is wearing a collar with ID tags for quick identification.

Prepare

Create a Pet Go Bag for each pet in your household. The Pet Go Bag should contain information about your pet and necessary supplies. These include: your pet’s medical records and contact information for your veterinarian, proof of identification (including microchip number, photo of you and your pets), food, water, medications – enough for one week, pet first aid kit, leash, muzzle, toys, a sheet to use as bedding or to cover the carrier, towel, litter and pan, trash bags. Keep everything together with your pet’s carrier and consider storing your pet’s medical records in the “cloud” using a service like Microsoft Health Vault.

Respond

Remember first responders’ primary goal is helping people, but keep these following tips in mind once disaster strikes: Take your Pet Go Bag if you and your pet are evacuated. If your pet has sustained injuries administer first aid until veterinary help is available. Bathe your pet as soon as possible to clean wounds. Feed your pet only safe food such as that in your Pet Go Bag. Register your family and your pet as “Safe and Well” using the Red Cross website.

For more information about disaster planning for your pet, go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.