September is National Pet Health Insurance Month

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) is sponsoring National Pet Health Insurance Month.  I've written about pet insurance before and believe that is does play a significant place in the lives of many pets and their families.  I continue to hear of stories where pet insurance allowed the pet owners to make a decision they would not have otherwise been able to afford.

Part of the month long awareness program includes an opportunity for you to submit a story about the impact pet insurance had in your family for the medical needs of your pet(s).  To enter the contest see the NAPHIA website for the guidelines.  Please note the deadline for submissions is September 15, 2010 at 11:59 pm EST.  You could win $1,000 or an iPad.

Or, you could nominate your vet for an educational grant and award of excellence plaque.  Write about a one time encounter, or a life long relationship, with the veterinarian who has shown compassion and medical excellence for your best friend.   See the NAPHIA website for the recommendation requirements.

If you don't currently have pet insurance consider PurinaCare. Their plans make sense and I believe you get what you pay for with their policies.

Disclaimer: PurinaCare has not asked for my recommendation nor have they offered me any financial compensation for doing so.  My selection comes from extensive research of the products currently on the market.

Kitty Virtuoso

I thought something a little light hearted to bring a smile to your face might be in order.  Enjoy this kitty virtuoso on the piano.

National Take Your Cat to the Vet Week

August 16-22 has been designated the 2nd Annual National Take your Cat to the Vet Week.  Feline Pine, maker of natural cat litter, is sponsoring the event.  Their slogan is so fitting "Every dog has his day. We're making sure cats have their day too!"  I've noticed as I've been writing this blog for over a year and a half that the majority of my topics relate more to dogs than cats.  I'm not trying to be bias, it just seems like the canines get into more stuff than the felines.

The main reason I've heard for not bringing kitties to the vet is the fear of the car ride.  I get that, my own kitties were never fond of being placed in the carrier and our vet lived right across the street.  

Some tips for getting your kitty in the carrier:

1. Wrap kitty in a towel first and then place in the carrier.
2. Tip the carrier up on it's end with the door in the air then gently put the kitty in head first.  This will give you time to close the door before kitty has time to escape.
3. Try a soft sided carrier.
4. Place a favorite toy, towel, catnip mouse, etc. into the cage first.
5. Set the carrier out in the room a few days ahead of the appointment to let your kitty get used to the feel, look, and smell.  It won't seem so foreign and kitty might just take a nap inside if it has her favorite towel or blanket to lay on.
6. Never transport kitty in a towel or loose in the car.  They are great escape artists and can hurt you or themselves trying to get away.  It is also dangerous for the other animal owners in the waiting room as some dogs are not so friendly with cats and vice versa.

Why take kitty to the vet?
As kitties age they are more prone to some serious diseases and unfortunately cats tend to hide illness better than dogs and you might not even be aware of the change before kitty is already pretty sick.  Conditions like chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes are three illnesses that tend to land older kitties in our ER when they have otherwise seemed to be healthy cats.

An annual check-up with your regular veterinarian can screen for these conditions through a physical exam and simple blood tests.   To learn more about common feline medical conditions visit the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Cats up to 10 should have an annual exam and cats over ten should be seen every six months.  Feline Pine conducted a survey and discovered that fewer than 50% of cat owners took their cat to the vet unless their kitty was obviously sick. 

Do you need to find a veterinarian?  Try visiting AAHA's Healthy Pet website to search for an AAHA accredited hospital near you.

Happy Cat Week!

Rimadyl Overdose or Toxicity

Rimadyl is a commonly prescribed medication for dogs to help alleviate pain and inflammation related to osteoarthritis.  Rimadyl is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) similar to aspirin and can be prescribed for short-term or long-term use.

Overdose - how does it happen?
Rimadyl tastes terrific to dogs.  The chewable tablets are liver flavored and dogs have no qualms about taking them.  Pet owners often refer to the medication as a treat.  Just reach for the bottle and your canine friend will start salivating and prance around like a puppy.  If left within reach of your dog he/she will find very creative ways of getting that bottle open and ingesting the remaining contents.  But therein lies the problem.  Rimadyl is not a treat.  In fact, when a dog ingests too much Rimadyl the results can be life threatening.

Toxicity
Rimadyl toxicity can also happen even if the prescribed dosage is given.  Sometimes after being on the drug an animal will develop a sensitivity and will exhibit the same symptoms as an overdose.  It is important to bring your pet to the veterinarian immediately if you suspect or witness your dog ingesting more than the prescribed daily dosage of Rimadyl, or if you recognize signs of a developed toxicity to the medication.


Signs of Overdose/Toxicity

• Gastrointestinal symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, melena (black, tarry stools), and abdominal pain.
• Damage to the kidneys may cause signs of acute kidney failure such as increased thirst, increased urination, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy and dilute urine (lighter in color).
• Symptoms associated with damage to the liver include jaundiced skin, gums, inside of ears, and sclera (whites of the eyes) as well as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy.
  

MobileVet.net also has a very comprehensive feature about Rimadyl on their website.  PetPlace has a great article on all the specifics of drug reactions and signs of Rimadyl overdose.  

Treatment
Depending on the timing, your pet may be given medication to cause it to vomit followed by activated charcoal to absorb any remaining medication in the stomach.  The main concern with Rimadyl is damage to the kidneys or liver.  Your pet will be placed on IV fluids to flush the liver and kidneys and eliminate the drug from the animal's body.  Multiple blood tests are performed over the length of hospitalization to evaluate the red and white blood cell counts, BUN, and creatinine levels.  Each of these values indicates whether the treatment is decreasing the toxicity and if the liver and kidneys are working correctly. 

The moral of the story...make sure Rimadyl is in a secure "dog proof" location.

Urethral Obstruction in a Cat (AKA Blocked Tom)

Male cats have a tendency to develop stones or debris in their urine that can become an obstruction in the urethra, the tube that connects the bladder to the penis.  A urethral obstruction prevents urine from exiting the body and can become a painful and dangerous condition in just one or two days.  A complete blockage (no urine can getting through) can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys and can even cause death.

Signs of a urethral obstruction include:

• using the litter box often
• straining to urinate with no or little resulting urine
• unusual accidents in the house
• constantly licking his bottom
• vocalizing more than usual, especially when using the litter box
• depression
• weakness
• lack of appetite
• dehydration (lift up the neck skin, it if doesn't return to normal quickly your kitty is dehydrated)
• collapse

Some cat owners think these behaviors indicate constipation.  While that is a possibility, it is safer to assume an obstruction since the condition can become life threatening quickly.

Your veterinarian will attempt to remove the obstruction.  Often unblocking the animal is successful and the cat can return to normal function after hospitalization and IV fluids.  However, sometimes blockage is a reoccurring problem, or the obstruction is too large to remove, and your kitty will need surgery.  The surgeon will perform a perineal urethrostomy.  The surgery involves removing part of the penis to enlarge the exit for urine out of the body.

"Lucky" will be hospitalized for several days, and often a catheter will be left in place overnight or longer. Afterward, "Lucky" may be treated with antibiotics, urinary antiseptics, and urinary acidifiers. Post-operative care at home will require you to carefully observe "Lucky" and his litter box habits.

Diet is a key component in decreasing the likelihood of an obstruction if crystals or stones were the cause. Free access to water is a must. In addition, wet food, that is low in magnesium, seems to decrease the formation of crystals and provide increased hydration to flush the kidneys and remove debris.  Because many cat owners feed this type of diet, urethral obstructions is less common than it used to be.

The moral of the story...diet and exercise are the age old answer.