THE GRAPES OF WRATH

I'm pretty sure John Steinbeck had a very different meaning with the title of his American literary work than the meaning intended in this blog, which will be applied to veterinary care.

Recently, I had the opportunity to cover a shift for another veterinarian at a local veterinary hospital.  When I arrived, my first question was, "What (cases) do we have for today?"  After which I was presented with a 3 year-old, neutered, male Schnauzer.  This particular patient, two days prior, decided to eat a bunch of grapes (the owner estimated about 24 grapes), those delicious, sweet treats from nature.  However, as we all SHOULD KNOW... GRAPES ARE TOXIC to dogs and cats!!

This patient had already spent a night at the local emergency hospital, a day at this clinic, and then I saw him for his 2nd full day of hospitalization.  The owners had an expectation of taking the dog home that day. The pet was evaluated in the morning, had a physical examination done, and the determination was to repeat comprehensive blood and urine testing.  These follow-up tests revealed a worsening case, with deteriorating kidney function and severe dehydration in a stable patient.  The owners were advised to continue critical care until the patient's laboratory results were managed, and within more normal ranges, which would possibly take a few more days of critical care. I do expect this dog to make it through this with continual care.

Needless to say, these (possibly) 24 grapes are costing the owners thousands of dollars in veterinary services; but, even worse... the grapes' wrath may claim a good portion of this dog's lifespan.  I commend these owners for their commitment to the care of their pet, and their resolution to bring him out of this crisis!! And, I use their recent emergency as an urgent exhortation to be as cautious as possible when it comes to pet ownership.  Knowledge is power!  In the case of recent pet toxin ingestion, contact Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435, or contact your local veterinarian (Dr. Sam Pet Hospital 435-406-6716), and seek immediate veterinary care because it may save your pet's life!

www.doctorsam.net

Aging and Deteriorating Cognitive Function in Dogs

Four years ago I performed a wellness examination, vaccinations, and other preventative care with screen tests on a relative's pet dog, "Guppy," a 13-year old, intact male, grumpy Chihuahua.  The question came up about how long he had left to live, and I responded he was well into his geriatric years, and lifespan could certainly be increased with proper and timely wellness, preventative and illness care.  About one year later, he became very ill, with vestibular syndrome, more sedentary, with difficulty walking, and reduced trips to the bathroom and to his food dish.  Slowly, he improved, and now lives a very old, grumpy, sedentary life in the environment he feels most comfortable in, living one day at a time.  Some days are better than others, but he's still around to bless us with his pleasant personality.

In the past four years, "Guppy's" sensation and mental interpretation of his environment have slowly declined, and he is another geriatric pet suffering some level of Cognitive Dysfunction.  This slowly-developing degenerative brain disease is sometimes missed by pet owners.  Sometimes the signs are subtle and easily missed before pets are evaluated by their veterinarians.  Some common signs of cognitive dysfunction include (but are not limited to): mood swings, decreased activity, decreased appetite, inability to recognize previously-familiar environments, surroundings or people, inappropriate elimination in the house, slow to respond, increased irritability, some level of blindness, and sometimes seizure-like activity.

When an aging pet begins to show abnormal signs and "not acting right," it is time to schedule an appointment with the veterinarian, whom may recognize the signs of cognitive dysfunction and best recommend the course of intervention.  The first things that may be recommended could include: physical examination, neurologic evaluation, blood and urine testing for metabolic and infectious diseases, fecal testing for parasites, X-ray studies to identify any tumors, etc.  Some treatments that may help slow down mental degeneration include supplements for increased brain function and decreased inflammatory chemicals, increased play time, problem-solving toys, exercise, and some prescription diets and medications.  

Remember, dogs age much faster than humans, correlating an average 7-year old dog to 47-human years, an average 11-year old dog to 65-human years, and an average 15-year old dog to 83-human years (varying for weigh, breed, and average veterinary care).  Most veterinarians may recommend bi-annual examinations for dogs 7-years and older and annual blood screening tests to best detect any abnormal aging and disease in your pets.  Early detection leads to earlier veterinary intervention and correlates to better outcomes.

Any questions you may have about Cognitive dysfunction may be directed to your veterinarian or to Dr. Sam Pet Hospital (www.doctorsam.net).

To Neuter or Not to Neuter, and When?

Recently, I had a lengthy conversation with a well-educated, well-informed and most concerned pet parent.  The conversation hopped around from the need to vaccinate, to what vaccines to use, neutering, to why and when we should neuter dogs.  During the conversation, he brought up the conversation with an emergency veterinary specialist who was educated in Europe, and mentioned that our train of thought here in the United States is more of a "shelter medicine" thought where we focus on population control.  I paused, thought about it, and then agreed with that statement.  The reason this emergency veterinary specialist made that observation is because he is an outsider looking into our society and because animal population control is not a big issue in most European countries.  On a side note, I know and have been mentored by this specialist, so I know his credentials, knowledge and expertise are trust- and noteworthy. 

Well, even more recently a UC Davis article* has been published and has gained a lot of attention as it found an association between certain diseases and the age when Golden Retrievers are neutered.  This was a retrospective study, looking back at records of Golden Retriever patients that had certain diseases and the age range when they had been neutered.  Having looked at certain factors, but not all, the results indicated an positive association with early castration and the diagnosis of certain diseases later in life for Golden Retrievers.  This, like many other studies in veterinary medicine, sheds some light of knowledge into a dark abyss of lack of understanding, and should be interpreted with its strengths and well as its weaknesses.

Until this point, for the most part, it has been recommended to neuter pets earlier rather than later to reduce the incidence of some reproductive cancers, help with temperament and reduce unwanted reproduction.  With this new article, we can conclude that there are certain increased risks for the development of other diseases if Golden Retrievers are neutered under a year of age.  However, we cannot necessarily generalize these results by applying it to other pure breeds or mixed breed dogs, or even to Golden Retrievers exclusively.

And the question arises, "when should your dog be neutered?"  In my opinion, and this is the same resolution and recommendation from the author of this mentioned article (i.e. Dr. Ben Hart), each neuter case should be a discussion between the veterinarian and the pet parent to discuss risks and benefits, and to make the most educated decision in benefit of the owners and pets.  I'll end with what he said, "... the time has come to talk over options with owners of puppies about when and if to neuter or spay, and let them [the owners] make decisions that can impact the long-term health of their canine family companions."  Having this conversation will help the veterinarian and pet owner to decide on the best time to neuter a pet, and it should be tailored for each individual's needs.  Dr. Sam Pet Hospital is happy to provide insight and information for the decision of when to neuter your pet, and the risks and benefits of this procedure.

*Hutchins, Brian. "New scrutiny on early neutering after UC Davis study on goldens." Veterinary Practice News, Volume 25, Number 5, May,2013.

National Pet Week

This week, May 5th through May 11th, we celebrate National Pet Week.

This weeks helps us remember to care for our pets, our animal companions, our furry pals, our working animals, and our brothers and sisters from another species.  We take this opportunity to promote that recommended care for each and every one of these animals.

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association have made the best veterinary care recommendations, and the following serves as a summary checklist for all pet owners:

DOGS: 

[] Examination at least annually which includes the following evaluations:
Life style, life stage, behavior, diet, dental exam, pain assessment, body condition, medical conditions, diseases, parasite prevention and control, dental care, and breed considerations
[] Annual heartworm testing and monthly preventative
[] Annual internal parasite testing and appropriate control and prevention
[] Control and prevention of ticks, fleas and other parasites
[] Dental diagnostics (e.g. x-rays)
[] Early disease screening through blood and urine tests
[] Genetic screenings
[] Proper diet and behavior recommendations
[] Vaccinations for Rabies, Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Parvovirus, Canine Adenovirus-2, and other non-core vaccines as needed
[] Appropriate identification, INCLUDING microchip
[] Reproductive counseling, including spay and neutering, or proper breeding planning
[] Council regarding transmissible diseases to humans


CATS: 
[] Examination at least annually which includes the following evaluations:
Life style, life stage, behavior, diet, dental exam, pain assessment, body condition, medical conditions, diseases, parasite prevention and control, dental care, and breed considerations
[] Annual heartworm testing and monthly preventative
[] Testing for Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
[] Annual internal parasite testing and appropriate control and prevention
[] Control and prevention of ticks, fleas and other parasites
[] Dental diagnostics (e.g. x-rays)
[] Early disease screening through blood and urine tests
[] Proper play and environmental enrichment
[] Genetic screenings
[] Proper diet and behavior recommendations
[] Vaccinations for Rabies, Feline Panleukopenia Virus, Feline Herpesvirus-1, Calicivirus, Feline Leukemia Virus, and other non-core vaccines as needed
[] Appropriate identification, INCLUDING microchip
[] Reproductive counseling, including spay and neutering, or proper breeding planning
[] Counsel regarding transmissible diseases to humans

At Dr. Sam Pet Hospital we always make the recommendations the well-being of your pet.  We promote wellness and preventative care because at the end, it is easier (and less expensive) to prevent than to lament!