Mushroom Mania

Did you know?
Who would have thought Colorado could possibly have been in a drought just a couple years back with all the rain we've had this year. Increased moisture levels for May, June, and July have contributed to abundant flora growth. The Denver Botanic gardens didn't even have to water one of its gardens until last week. Unfortunately, not all the flora is friendly. In fact, some of the mushrooms can be downright deadly.

Let me tell you why.
There are numerous varieties of mushrooms that grow here in Colorado. I think I've seen seven varieties in my own backyard. Most are harmless and don't even cause an upset stomach for your dog, but others can cause a severe reaction that can lead to death in a matter of a few hours.

Unfortunately, it may be difficult for you or your veterinarian to determine if the mushroom consumed by your family pet is dangerous, even if you bring a sample to the clinic. It would take a mycologist (a person who studies mushrooms) to differentiate one brown mushroom from another. Because of that we choose to treat according to the possible ingestion, the animal and the symptoms, not according to the type of mushroom.

Mushroom toxicity can affect the kidneys, liver, autonomic nervous system, central nervous system, and the gastrointestinal tract, depending on the species. The symptoms of toxicity can include vomiting, diarrhea, staggering or acting drunk, excessive drooling, and being mentally "spaced out''. The toxin can cause an immediate response and the dog will exhibit some of these signs of poisoning right away, or the affects may take 6 to 24 hours to appear.

Treatment for mushroom ingestion, and possible poisoning, most often includes making the animal vomit and then administering activated charcoal to help absorb any remnants of the toxin from the gastrointestinal tract. The animal may also be placed on IV fluids to help flush the kidneys. Additional treatment may be needed if the toxin has affected the liver or kidneys. Repeat blood tests will help to monitor enzyme levels for both organs to determine the type of medication needed.

The moral of the story...magic mushrooms cause misery.

(Note: Special thanks to Kristine Rotundo, CVT for her research on this topic)

Cat Air

Did you know?
It seems my posts have been slanted towards "dog world" of late and the cat content has been sorely lacking. I don't want to leave the kitties out, it just seems like the dogs tend to get themselves in trouble more often and end up taking more trips to the emergency room. So, from that point of view it probably is better that the felines have had fewer posts. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that we never see them in the ER.

One of the reasons we might need to see your sweet kitty "Lucky" is if she starts struggling to breath, opens her mouth, starts panting, and has pale or grey gums. These physical signs are what we call "open mouth breathing" and can be very serious.

Let me tell you why.
Open mouth breathing in cats can be a simple stress reaction to a change in environment which will subside if the stressful conditions are removed. Or it can be an indication of a serious condition such as an airway blockage, respiratory disease or heart disease. If you notice your cat struggling to breath or open mouth breathing you should bring "Lucky" to your family veterinarian or, if it's after hours, to an animal ER for care right away.

One type of heart disease that causes breathing trouble might be a thickening of the heart muscle, called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or HCM, which decreases the amount of blood that is pumped in and out of the heart chamber and increases the workload of the heart. This type of disease, if left untreated, can lead to congestive heart failure and even death. Your family veterinarian may refer you to a Veterinary Cardiologist so your cat can receive specialized care for this condition.

Open mouth breathing might also be caused by a respiratory issue. A foreign body that is blocking the airway, pneumonia, or fluid in the chest are all conditions that the veterinarian will try to rule out as causes to get to the crux of the problem and start treatment.

To diagnose the cause of respiratory distress the veterinarian will listen to the heart and lungs, take a blood pressure, take x-rays, and potentially perform an ultrasound of the heart also known as an echocardiogram . Your cat may need to be hospitalized for a time and be on oxygen to help her breath easier. "Lucky" may also need some medications or further diagnostics to monitor progress.

The moral of the story...let the open mouth tell the story and get to the vet right away.

The Facts About Dog Bites

Did you know?
A tough part of our job in an animal ER occurs when we learn that a person has been bitten by a dog either in a direct attack or when trying to break up a fight between two (or more) dogs. The latter is more often the case, and a recent incident lead me to search out an article that came across my desk earlier this year.

The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs (CLSD) released the results of a study in May on the dog bite incidents in Colorado from July 2007 - July 2008. The CLSD partnered with the Colorado Association of Animal Control Officers (CAACO) for data collection and contracted with Corona Research, Inc. to analyze the bite data and to create a report on the findings. The project was funded by Animal Assistance Foundation. The CLSD says that "this report is the most rigorous study of its type and the first comprehensive collection and analysis through Animal Control."

I thought I'd share the Key Points and Recommended Actions in this blog. To see the full report you'll find a link to the PDF document on the CLSD website.

1. Most dogs do not bite. Less than one-third of one percent of dogs in the reporting area were reported to animal control for biting a human.
2. Many different types of dogs were involved in reported dog bite incidents. Bites from 129 different breeds of dog were reported to the 17 participating animal control organizations during the one year period of study.
3. Any dog can bite given certain circumstances.
- Running at large (unleashed) was the single most common bite circumstance.
- Many bites were not a result of aggression towards humans, but occurred when a
human intervened in fighting or play between dogs.
- Approximately half of all bites occurred at home, usually when a dog was
protecting property, food, or toys.
4. Whether any breed is more or less likely to bite than any other breed depends on knowing the number of each breed living in Colorado. There are more bites from some breeds than others in the dataset. To draw conclusions about breeds, we need to know whether bites are proportional or disproportional to a breed's population. At this time, there is no dog census for Colorado.
5. Adolescent dogs between one and four years of age were responsible for the most
bites.
6. Children (14 and under) were bitten disproportionately to their population; nine and ten year-old boys were the most common victims. Children were bitten twice as often as would be expected given their proportion of the population.

So What, Now What?
There are some obvious conclusions one can draw from these six key points.

- The worst combination is allowing an adolescent dog to play unsupervised with children 14 and under (especially 9 and and 10 year old boys). Please be sure that proper adult supervision is available to train both the dog and the children about how to "play" with each other.
- Any dog can bite under certain circumstances. As Veterinary professionals we hear many clients tell us their dog would never bite. The tough part for us is that the response of an animal that is nervous and in pain can be very different than when at home with family. So to protect us and your dog we may choose to muzzle when providing medical care.
- Never place yourself between fighting dogs. Avoid getting bit by learning how to break up a dog fight. Here are a couple websites with some good ideas.
http://tinyurl.com/m2d4mz;
http://leerburg.com/pdf/howtobreakupdogfight.pdf (kind of lengthy); http://www.howtoguides365.com/how-to/dog-fight/
- Keep your dog on a leash in a public place.

The moral of the story...stay cool and stay safe.

Top of the World

Did you know?
After talking about heat stroke last week you may find it strange that I'd write about taking your dog on a hike up a 14,000 foot mountain in the Colorado Rockies. We locals just call them "14'ers". Over 500,000 people will visit the Rocky Mountain peaks this summer and many will take their dog(s). It sounds like a great idea to have your favorite companion accompany you on such a feat, but there are some things you should know to keep you and your furry friend safe and ensure a successful round trip back to your starting point.

Let me tell you why!
Just as it is a good idea to prepare for yourself for an all day hike the same careful planning should go into what your dog may need. Some thinking ahead may save you from carrying your 60 pound furry friend off the mountain.

1) Leash laws: There really is a leash law on the majority of the trails up to the 14'er summits. The leash law is for the protection of your dog and the other people on the trail. There is a pretty good chance of running into some kind of wildlife on the trail and it would be bad for "Lucky" to take chase. Often times the trail is on a cliff edge or next to a scree field (aka talus or loose rock) and your dog could get seriously hurt taking off after a pica or mountain goat. If you decide to let your dog be free be sure he is well trained and have a leash handy if other dogs come around. Be warned that if you get caught the fine is $200!

2) Dog booties: The most common injury to dogs on mountain hikes is torn pads on their paws from the jagged rocks and rough dirt paths. Imagine your worst blister and then consider having that on the bottom of your foot and walking on rocks or through the dirt. Yup, painful. To prevent these injuries get your dog a pair of dog booties. REI has some or you can go to dogbooties.com; ruffwear.com; or ultrapaws.com. I am in no way affiliated with any of these sites. I've just heard and read of successful use of these brands for mountain climbing dogs.

3) Altitude sickness: Logically it seems plausible that dogs can get altitude sickness just like their humans, but none of our vets have actually diagnosed an animal with altitude sickness. However, here are some signs to look for:

• Increased panting or difficulty breathing
• Change in gum color - kind of dull or grey
• Stumbling or staggering
• Mentally foggy - just doesn't seem to be there

If you notice any of these signs have your dog drink some water and then head back down the mountain. Returning to a lower elevation should decrease the symptoms. If they continue, head straight to the vet's office.

4) Water and Food: Just like you need lots of water and food to sustain you on the long hike to the summit so does your dog. Some dogs can wear a pack and carry their own water. Check Amazon.com for multiple options of styles and sizes to fit your dog. Dehydration is no fun for you or your dog and can be a precursor for heat stroke if left unchecked.

5) First Aid: It's best to be prepared. See my May 31st post on disaster preparedness. It's a good idea to have a basic first aid kit on hand that includes a guide for emergency response (for dogs and their humans).

6) Timing: Weather is unpredictable in the mountains and storms can move in quickly. The smartest thing to do is get started early in the morning so that you summit the 14'er in time to get back to the trailhead by early afternoon. Colorado is notorious for afternoon thunderstorms and the last place you want to be is on the side of a mountain completely exposed to the lightening strikes with no where to hide. Plus, many dogs are sensitive to lightening and thunder and it would be unfair to have them out in such a storm.

7) Cold and Hot: Another aspect of the weather is the temperature. Really hot days can lead to hyperthermia and heatstroke. Really cold weather can lead to hypothermia and frostbite. Either way you should be aware of your dogs response and make accommodations. For the heat let your dog indicate when he/she needs to stop for a bit to rest and be sure to provide lots of water. For the cold consider getting a fleece jacket of sorts that will warm the dogs core to stave off the chill.

I'm sorry this post is long, but hopefully this info will prepare you to have a fabulous time hiking with your furry friend.

The moral of the story...as the Carpenters sang, a dog's love really can put you "at the top of the world looking down on creation".