Skiing and Your Dog

Winter in Colorado is a funny thing.  Storms can dump feet of snow in the mountains and not a flake will reach the valley and plains.  Such is the case this winter.  The great part is that the feet of snow in the mountains makes for great skiing, on the slopes or back-country, whichever you choose. But if you choose to bring your dog into the woods with you, consider his safety.

A very energentic 11 month old Visla was having fun in the woods with his owners, who were on snowshoes, when a back country skier collided with their dog.  Unfortunately, the dog sustained a severe laceration to his right front leg that needed immediate medical care.  The edge of the ski sliced through the muscle and a nerve, cutting down to the bone.  The owners were able to get him to Central Veterinary Emergency Services where the ER Veterinarian sutured the wound.  This sweet dog lost a lot of blood, but he recovered well and was sent home that evening.  It will be 2 - 3 months before the Veterinarian and his owners will be able to determine the full extent of his injuries and whether he suffered any long term effects from the accident.

Fortunately there is a positive ending to this story, but had his owners been in the back country when this happened he might not have faired so well.

Outside magazine has a great article that describes the steps to train your four footed friend to behave safely around you as you're skiing, but it really depends on the dog. Cross-country skiing is less dangerous, but, as some commentors pointed out at the end of the article, is still best done with a well trained dog.

The moral of the story... enjoy the great outdoors, but consider how well your dog can obey commands before bringing him along.

Toxic Compost Pile

Composting has become a rather common practice as  more people look for ways to "go green" or to simply decrease their food bill.  The booth at the farmers market was busy all summer long describing the various systems of composting and how to get started.  If you are considering starting your own compost pile and have a dog, consider the method that is best for keeping your four legged scavenger out of the pile.

Unfortunately, a largely unknown danger may be lurking in your compost pile.  A substance identified as a tremorgenic mycotoxin could be growing in your pile and if ingested by your dog, could cause a serious or even deadly reaction.  Tremorgenic = shaking, tremors, seizures and mycotoxin = poisonous fungus.  Penitrem A is a type of tremorgenic mycotoxin associated with the Penecillium fungi that can be found in compost piles and spoiled food.

If you see your animal get into the spoiled garbage or catch him eating from the compost pile it is best to get him to a Veterinarian who can induce vomiting, especially if symptoms of poisoning are present.  Symptoms of toxicity include increased heart rate, panting, tremors, very excited or anxious, vomiting, hyperthermia or fever, and if enough has been ingested, or if left untreated, can develop into seizures or even death.

Treatment will include making the dog vomit followed by a dose of activated charcoal (also known as Toxiban) that helps to absorb any remaining mycotoxin left in the stomach.  Then medication will be administered to stop the tremors which will help decrease the body temperature.  Additionally IV fluids and other supportive measures will help flush the poison from the body and make the dog more comfortable. 

Tremorgenic Mycotoxin is not a common household name, but if your dog is caught munching in the compost pile it's one that you know warrants immediate action with a trip to the Veterinarian.  Tell "Lucky" to leave the compost for the garden - he has plenty of delicious food in his dog dish!

My Pet Is Having A Seizure - What Do I Do?

It's been a busy holiday weekend for Central Veterinary Emergency Services.  When I asked one of the Technicians the most common condition among the cases her response was that we had seen all kinds of conditions without any common theme.  Then just an hour later we had three dogs come in for seizures all in a row. 

This sweet Rottweiler may look like she's ready or Christmas, but the bells are actually to alert us if she starts having more seizures. 

Seizures are an indication of something else going on in the body.  The cause can originate from a toxic exposure, epilepsy, too much calcium after having puppies, a tumor, a head injury, or multiple other disease conditions.  Your veterinarian can take a full history and do some diagnostic testing to rule out possible causes and narrow down the reason for the seizures.

Watching your cat or dog have a seizure can be frightening.  His body may tense up. He may have a far away look on his face along with body twitching or feet paddling. His whole body may shake and convulse. He may start drooling and seem unaware of your presence.  He may even stop breathing or urinate or defecate on himself.

The best thing you can do for your pet during a seizure is to keep both of you safe. Protect him from rolling off a bed or couch, or falling down stairs. Keep your hands and face away from his mouth so he doesn't unknowingly bite you. Place pillows or blankets under his head and between his body and sharp corners or furniture.  Remove other pets from the area.  Dim the lights and turn off load noises like TVs or radios to provide a quiet environment. Time and record the length and intensity of each seizure.  Call your veterinarian right away to determine if an immediate visit is advisable. Be sure to inform your veterinarian of any possible exposure to a poisonous substance.

Give your pet some time to recover.  He may be groggy or "out of it" for a while.  Once he has returned to normal (within about 10 to 20 minutes) he can resume regular activities.  Allow him to go outside for a potty break if he is stable on his feet and seems aware of his surroundings.  It may be advisable to keep him in close proximity for a while to see if another seizure develops.

A seizure can be an isolated incident or they can become recurrent.  Medications can be prescribed by your veterinarian to control seizure activity.  As always you know your pet the best ,so be an advocate for him to be sure he gets care if you are concerned or feel like something isn't right.

Thanksgiving Safety for Your Pets

Just a couple days left to finish your meal planning and decorating for the start of the holidays. What is your favorite part of the Thanksgiving dinner? The turkey, or maybe ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, or let's not forget the stuffing and pumpkin pie. Are you drooling yet? Guess who else is drooling? Or maybe a four legged feline is walking between your legs, purring loudly, letting you know he wants some too.

Pets add a special part to any holiday celebration, whether you are entertaining one or 20. You may be tempted to include your pet in the festivities by handing him some table scraps or letting him lick your plate clean. For the sake of your pet, and your stress level, you may want to rethink that "treat".

Pancreatitis
Dogs that are fed very fatty food can develop a sudden onset of pancreatitis. Symptoms of acute pancreatitis may range from mild to very severe. The symptoms are similar to those of other diseases and may include a very painful abdomen, lack of appetite, depression, dehydration, a 'hunched up' posture, vomiting, and perhaps diarrhea. Fever often accompanies these symptoms. Cats can get pancreatitis also, but they don't usually have the acute symptoms and it is usually associate with other causes.

Turkey Bones
The other common food indiscretion at Thanksgiving are the turkey bones. Even if you try your best to keep your pets out of the turkey carcass they have a way of being sneaky just when you turn your back. Cooked turkey bones can be brittle and will shatter easily when chewed. The sharp slivers of bone are dangerous if swallowed. They can get caught in the throat causing him to choke, or pierce the stomach or intestine requiring surgery. Sometimes the bones will pass uneventfully. To increase the likelihood you may feed your dog some pieces of bread. The thought is that the bones will get encased in the bread and decrease the danger of passing through the intestinal tract.

For either of these instances, if your pet is vomiting, has diarrhea, seems very week or lethargic, has pale gums, or seems painful it is best to bring him to see a Veterinarian right away.

Hopefully these tips will decrease your chances of needing a Veterinary Emergency Room on Thanksgiving, but if you do, we'll be open all day and would be happy to see your pet. If you are in the Denver area just call 303-874-7387.

From our Veterinary ER to you, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Coughing Kitty

Have you noticed a persistent cough from your favorite feline?  There are a few possible reasons for a cough.  They range from a respiratory infection or asthma to parasites or even a heart condition.

If you've recently adopted your kitty from a shelter it's possible that he/she picked up an URI or Upper Respiratory Infection.  URIs can be be either bacterial or viral.  Either way you should separate her from other cats in the house and have her seen by a Veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

There are simple things you can do in your home to help decrease respiratory problems.  Keep the air clean and smoke fee, use a litter with little to no dust, be careful about cleaning products - if you have a hard time breathing when you use them your cat probably does to.  It is also important to decrease stress for your kitty.  Give her a safe place to get away from young children, other pets, or loud noises.

See my early post titled "Cat Air" for  more information on a heart condition known as cardiomyopathy that can be indicated by a persistent cough.

If the cough is combined with decreased activity, decreased appetite and less drinking it is important to get her in to see a Veterinarian right away.  These signs could indicate pneumonia or other infection that could be life threatening.  Cats tend to hide illness much longer than dogs and often by the time the signs are evident they are already very sick.

The AAHA PetsMatter November/December edition has a great article on coughs in cats as well.  Be sure to jump over to their website for additional information.

Herbal Remedies for Animals

CAVM aka Complementary and/or Alternative Veterinary Medicine is a growing segment of the veterinary market.  CAVM can include chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathic, naturopathic practices along with use of herbal remedies, Bach flower essences,  massage, traditional Chinese medicine, nutraceuticals, and many other modalities. This blog post is not intended to make a recommendation for or against CAVM treatment options.  Rather, as I have done in many other posts, in order to keep you informed and your animal safe I will point out some products or practices that without proper application could be potentially harmful to your pet.

I will mention that there are strong opinions on both sides concerning the use of CAVM modalities in Veterinary Medicine. As with any type of medicine, it is important to research the education and practice background of the person providing treatment. Treatment of your dog or cat by someone unfamiliar with small animal anatomy, physiology, and body systems may prescribe a treatment that while non-toxic for humans, could be potentially life threatening to your pet.

For instance, there are herbal remedies that affect animals differently than people.

Garlic:  Garlic is used in herbal remedies in whole plant form or infused oil for its antiviral, bactericidal and fungicidal properties.  Like onions, garlic ingestion can cause anemia in pets.  Anemia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells or hemoglobin in blood.  Since hemoglobin caries oxygen from the lungs to tissue, severe anemia can have negative effects on multiple organs and systems in the body.  Symptoms of anemia often show up three to five days after an animal has ingested the vegetable oil.  Exposure to garlic oil on the skin can cause a dog or cat to have allergic reactions of the skin or asthmatic attacks as well.

Chamomile:  This herb is often used in tinctures or teas as a digestive aid, stress reducer, poultice for cuts or burns or for the treatment of abscesses.  It can also be found in oil form.  For animals chamomile causes vomiting and lack of muscle coordination.

Oil of Wintergreen:  Are you familiar with Bengay ointment?  Bengay and other natural pain relieving ointments use Oil of Wintergreen as a main ingredient.  It comes in ointment or oil form and is applied to the skin to relieve muscle pain.  The scientific name for this type of medicine is a Salicylate.  Salicylates are toxic to cats and dogs.  Signs of salicylate toxicity include nausea, vomiting, restlessness that progresses to seizures and coma.

Tea Tree Oil:  Ridding your animals and house of fleas can be a tough job. One of the suggested methods is the use of Tea Tree oil as a topical application for your pet as well as a spray for bedding.  Tea tree oil can be toxic to pets if applied in large quantities or groomed off the skin by the pet.  According to the ASPCA "clinical effects that may occur following dermal (skin) exposure to significant amounts of tea tree oil include loss of coordination, muscle weakness, depression, and possibly even a severe drop in body temperature, collapse and liver damage."

Moral of the story...what's good for the goose may not be good for the gander.  In other words, talk to your veterinarian about herbal remedies before using them for your pet.  Your pets may be thought of as human, but their body systems are very different and some medicines don't cross over well.

Much of this data can be found in Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy volume XII

Counterfeit Pet Drugs - FDA Warning

US - COUNTERFEIT PET DRUGS The FDA has issued a consumer alert to pet owners, warning them about the dangers of buying discounted pet drugs online. The FDA warns that its own investigations have found online companies that sell unapproved drugs or other counterfeit products and some will sell them without a veterinarian prescription. The FDA advises pet owners who want to buy online drugs to place orders at sites that are a Vet-VIPPS (Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) accredited pharmacy. (Veterinary Advantage)

I know it is sometimes tempting to try to find a "deal" on medication for your animal, but the FDA has issued a very valid warning with good reasoning behind their concerns.  Website pharmacies who dispense drugs without a veterinary exam or try to evaluate your pet through a questionnaire on their website are potentially putting your animal in danger.  It is very difficult to assess and diagnose an animal without an actual hands on examination.  Often, results of blood tests must be reviewed before dispensing certain medications to ensure that your pet will not be harmed by taking the drug.

There are two types of medications sold online through disreputable websites that are especially concerning.

NSAIDS - Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Heart Worm Medication

I've written about NSAIDS before  under the title Is She In Pain? as well as the post titled Top 10 Human Medications that Poison Pets.  In addition to that information there is really only one NSAID that can be given to cats and it is only approved for one injection after surgery.  Otherwise, any NSAID given to a cat can cause life threatening kidney damage.

 Secondly, heart worm medication can be harmful or even fatal to your dog if already infected with heartworm.  Before starting a preventive program, all dogs should be tested for heartworms.

Adult heartworms produce millions of microscopic "baby" heartworms (called microfilaria) into the bloodstream. When you give a monthly heartworm preventive to a dog with circulating microfilaria, this can cause the sudden death of microfilaria, triggering a shock-type reaction. Even if your dog does not have this type of reaction, heartworm preventives do not kill the adult heartworms (although they may shorten the worms' life expectancy). This means an infected dog will remain infected with adult heartworms.

Unfortunately, as long as a pet remains infected, heartworm disease will progress and damage the heart and lungs, which can lead to life threatening problems. Giving heartworm preventives to heartworm-positive dogs can mislead an owner into thinking everything is all right, while within a pet, heartworm disease is worsening.

The moral of the story...look for the Vet-VIPPS certification before buying online.