Posts in Category: Cats

Legal Zoom and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have joined forces to make it easier for pet owners to provide instructions for the care and support of their pets if the owner should become incapacitated or die. Four out of five people have not established a plan for pet care, and half a million animal owners die or are rendered unable to physically care for their pet each year without having made plans for their animal friends, according to the ASPCA. WVLA-TV (Baton Rouge, La.)/NBC News (1/15)

NBC NATIONAL NEWS  — Some of you will be fine-tuning your estate plans and your will this month.

It’s important to make sure you’re not forgetting or leaving out someone special.

About one in five pet owners already have in writing what happens if their animals outlive them, because the consequences for not doing so can be so severe.

“If you haven’t made any arrangements there’s a good possibility that your pet could end up in a shelter, and there’s an even greater possibility that your pet could be euthanized for lack of finding a loving home,” warns Kim Bressant-Kibwe, a trust and estate counsel with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The ASPCA Recently teamed up with Legal Zoom to provide the pet protection agreement.

“It costs about $39 and what it allows you to do is to set out some very basic information about the care of your pet. You can name a guardian, a successive guardian,” Bressant-Kibwe explains.

She says you can’t leave your pet part of your estate, but you can establish a trust fund to pay for future care.

The ASPCA estimates a half million owners die or become incapacitated each year without leaving instructions on how to care for their pets

Veterinarian Susan Nelson, a clinical associate professor at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, offers tips for keeping pets safe in cold weather, such as letting them gradually get used to the cold. Dr. Nelson says smaller, less furry dogs such as Chihuahuas have a lower tolerance for cold than larger, well-insulated breeds such as huskies. Coats, boots and other winter gear designed for pets may help keep them warm but can also pose some hazards if not properly used and monitored, she adds. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (1/5)

With the arrival of winter, dog owners need to be aware of how to keep their canine friends comfortable and safe, an expert says.

“A general rule of thumb is if it is too cold for you outside, it is too cold for your dog,” Susan Nelson, a clinical associate professor and veterinarian at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Pet Health Center, said in a university news release.

Several factors, such as size, help some dogs tolerate the cold better than others.

“Small stature and short coats, such as with a Chihuahua, make dogs less tolerant of cold weather. Some of these dogs may not even tolerate cooler temperatures that are still above freezing for very long,” Nelson said.

“Larger body mass and longer, plusher coats allow dogs to tolerate lower temperatures for a longer duration — think Siberian husky,” she added.

Giving your dog enough time to get used to colder temperatures is a good idea. Being exposed to a gradual reduction in temperature allows your dog to develop a protective winter coat and adjust to the colder conditions.

While coats, sweaters and boots can give dogs added protection, they also have some disadvantages, Nelson said.

“Watch for choking hazards, such as buttons, on coats and sweaters,” she advised. “Ensure they are made of breathable fabrics and that the fabric doesn’t irritate the dog. They should only be worn when supervised as the dog could get caught up in them. Also, if the apparel gets wet, it can promote hypothermia that results from chilling caused from the body being in contact with the cold, wet fabric.”

Boots can keep snow and ice away from paws, but owners need to make sure they fit correctly, can be put on easily and stay on, and have good traction, Nelson said.

Posted by Susan Thixton on January 6, 2013 at 5:40 pm on www.truthaboutpetfood.com

Bittering agent will be applied to products manufactured in all 50 states.

Antifreeze and engine coolant manufactured in the United States will now contain a bitter flavoring agent to prevent animals and children from being poisoned by the sweet-tasting liquid. Although legislation has been passed in several states, the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) and the Humane Society Legislative Fund jointly announced Dec. 13 that the industry would now voluntarily add the flavoring agent to products for sale on the consumer market in all 50 states.

“Poisoning occurs because animals are attracted to the sweetness of antifreeze and engine coolant, which inadvertently spills in our driveways or is left in open containers in garages,” the joint release says. HSLF says estimates range from 10,000 to 90,000 animals poisoned each year from ingesting ethylene glycol, the toxic substance used in antifreeze. The release claims that one teaspoon of antifreeze or engine coolant can kill an average-sized cat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says ethylene glycol is rapidly absorbed following ingestion, leading to systemic toxicity beginning with effects on the central nervous system, followed by cardiopulmonary effects and, finally, renal failure. Clinical signs may be more subtle in animals than humans.

Dr. Shawna Klahn (left) and Dr. Nick Dervisis (right) have begun a new oncology program. “Bootsie” (left) of Blacksburg, Va., and “Josie” (right), a West Virginia native, are in treatment for cancer

Veterinarians at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine have administered chemotherapy to about 70 animals since launching an oncology program six weeks ago. Four-year-old Burmese mountain dog Dylan’s lymph nodes are back to normal after chemotherapy to treat his lymphoma, says veterinary oncologist Shawna Klahn. “What we have done is bring in a closed or a needless system and updated the safe way of giving chemotherapy,” she said. WSLS-TV (Roanoke, Va.)

BLACKSBURG, VA —

Dylan is a Bernese Mountain Dog getting chemotherapy at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg.

The school is offering a new service with the help of Doctor Shawna Klahn and Dr. Nick Dervisis.  A biopsy showed cancer in Dylan’s lymph nodes.

“It came back as lymphoma,” Dr. Klahn explained.  “He came into oncology and we started chemotherapy, and his lymph nodes are all down to normal as of today.”

Dylan is only four years old and the treatment he is getting, is expected to give him a better quality of life.

“There are no hopeless cases for us,” Dr. Dervisis says.

Doc is getting chemotherapy for a rare spleen cancer in cats.  He is one of more than 70 patients that have gotten chemotherapy in the six weeks it has been offered.

Safety in administering the chemo drugs is extremely important.

“What we have done is bring in a closed or a needless system and updated the safe way of giving chemotherapy,” Dr. Klahn says.  “It is safe for our staff, pets and our clients.”

From custom fitted face masks to gloves that are more durable than the typical latex everyone in the oncology department is working toward the same goal.

“Providing hope by improving their quality of life slowing down most of the cancer,” Dr. Dervisis says.

Link to Virginia Tech Veterinary Medical School.

Veterinary at-home hospice services provide end-of-life care for ill pets, improving quality of life for animals and potentially extending life, albeit only for a few days in some cases. Hospice care must be administered by a veterinarian who works in conjunction with the pet’s regular veterinarian to provide palliative treatment such as pain management and catheter placement. San Francisco Chronicle

Shea  Cox has spent her 11-year career as a veterinarian fighting to save  animals’ lives.

Now, as a provider of pet hospice, she shepherds her patients through death,  tending to their needs and those of their guardians, relieving animals’ pain so  they can live out their final days surrounded by loved ones, not in the sterile  confines of a veterinary clinic.

Modeled on human hospice, the growing field of pet hospice offers palliative  care to animals in their homes. It ushers in a profound shift in how people care  for dying and elderly pets, providing an option that falls between aggressive  medical intervention and immediate euthanasia.

For pet owners, in-home care gives solace as they make painful  end-of-life decisions.

Jeff  Aoki of Oakland was in Colorado for his father’s funeral when he got a call  that would only deepen his grief. His yellow Labrador, Sunny, had cancer that  had spread throughout her body.

“I was devastated,” Aoki said. “Sunny was my rock, my best friend and  constant companion.”

Aoki and his fiance, Sandy  Wong, arranged for Sunny to receive pet hospice care from Cox. The care,  which included a urinary catheter (a tumor had made it impossible for her to  urinate), gave her a few extra days at home.

Aoki flew home, and for several days the couple showered Sunny with love,  trips to the beach and park – and filet mignon.

When it was time to say goodbye, Cox put her to sleep in their backyard. “It  was a sad, sad time but this made it so much easier,” Aoki said.

Missing plans

Cox – who was a human hospice nurse before becoming a vet – got the  inspiration for her newly launched Bridge  Veterinary Services while working as an ER/critical care vet at Pet  Emergency Treatment and Specialty Referral Center, a Berkeley  animal hospital.

“Working in that setting, I kept seeing nothing about making a plan if a  patient had an incurable disease,” she said. “The choice was between either  being in the hospital to get better or having to euthanize. It seemed like a  disconnect; there had to be a way to offer something in between.”

With almost two-thirds of American households owning pets, it’s not  surprising that attitudes toward animals’ final days have evolved from the rural  past, when they were unceremoniously put down. The overwhelming majority of pet  owners consider their companion animals to be family members, according to a  2011 Harris poll. At the same time, more and more people have witnessed their  loved ones using human hospice.

Extending care

“We’ve decided as a culture to support human passing as compassionately as  we’re able to, with hospice and palliative care,” said Oakland resident Erika  Macs. As a hospital chaplain, she is intimately familiar with end-of-life  issues. “It’s a natural progression that we would extend that to the animals in  our lives that we’re caretakers for.”

When her 17-year-old cat, Mittens, became critically ill last year, Macs  turned to Dr. Anthony  Smith, a Hercules vet whose Rainbow  Bridge Vet Services has offered hospice and home euthanasia for a  dozen years.

“Dr. Smith was able to bring both a medical model and a sense of respectful,  compassionate presence,” Macs said.

“The beauty of human hospice is it gives time to have (final)  conversations,” Macs said. “With pets, it also gives time to say goodbye. The  better the closure, the more quickly a person is able to heal and  move on.”

Medical supervision

Pet hospice must be provided by a veterinarian because it involves medical  assessments and pain medicines. Pet hospice vets coordinate with the animal’s  regular vet. As in human hospice, if pets get better, they can transition back  to regular medical treatment.

The costs pencil out to be more than regular check-ups but much less than  invasive medical intervention. Bridge Veterinary Services, for instance, charges  $250 for an initial appointment that includes a two- or three-hour at-home  assessment and such initial care as inserting IV tubes or catheters.

Read more: https://www.sfgate.com/pets/article/Hospice-for-pets-comforts-owners-too-3958378.php#ixzz2FxpiHcoa

Loni Fitzgerald was reunited with her cat, Clair, after the cat went missing a year ago, thanks to a microchip implanted in the pet. “I wish she could tell me what she’s been through,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m definitely not going to be letting her outside for a very long time.” Fitzgerald was being treated for cancer when she adopted Clair. Experts say it’s essential that microchip contact information be kept up to date. HeraldNet (Everett, Wash.)

Loni Fitzgerald didn’t expect to see her cat ever again.
The female tabby mix named Clair was only a year old when she disappeared last December. Loni, 30, and her husband, Trevor, searched their Everett neighborhood but couldn’t find their beloved pet. Weeks and months went by without any sign of her.
Then came the phone call on Sunday that caught Fitzgerald completely off-guard.
An Everett Animal Shelter staff member had found Clair standing in the rain near Pacific Avenue and Grand Avenue. The cat’s microchip, implanted under its skin, helped the shelter locate Fitzgerald, who at the time was packing to return home from a family trip to Hawaii.
“I was in shock, I seriously started bawling my eyes out,” Fitzgerald said. “I just couldn’t believe it.”
Fitzgerald, her husband and their 1-year-old daughter, Faith Olivia, were reunited with their cat Monday afternoon at the Everett Animal Shelter.
“Look at how big she is,” she said. “She has the same black stripe and that face.”
Clair, nestled safely in Fitzgerald’s arms, leaned into her owner’s touch and briefly closed her eyes. Fitzgerald gave her a couple quick kisses.
She was undergoing treatment for cervical cancer in 2010 when she adopted the young cat, Fitzgerald said. The two quickly became friends.
“She was like my baby,” Fitzgerald said. “I just loved her.”
Her cancer has been in remission for a year, Fitzgerald added. In October, she and her husband decided to get another cat for their daughter to grow up with. They planned to slowly introduce Clair to their new kitten, Boots. He’ll get a microchip in January, Fitzgerald said.
When a stray cat or dog is brought into the Everett Animal Shelter a staff member will scan the animal for a microchip, said Kate Reardon, city spokeswoman. The information on the microchip often helps to locate pet owners. Four of six lost cats with microchips turned in to the Everett Animal Shelter in the past week were reunited with their owners, Reardon added.
“The good news is when the phone call matches the real pet owner,” she said. “It’s always really important that people update their information.”
Fitzgerald said she’s grateful that Clair is healthy after being discovered about seven miles away from her home.
“I wish she could tell me what she’s been through,” she said. “I’m definitely not going to be letting her outside for a very long time.”
Amy Daybert:425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.

The holidays present numerous opportunities for pets to ingest toxic substances and foreign objects or otherwise get hurt. According to pet health insurance companies, claims increase around Christmas, Halloween and Easter, with claims linked to ingestion of chocolate, candy or raisins by dogs far more likely Dec. 21-31 than the rest of the year, according to Petplan Pet Insurance. Dogs are of particular concern. “Dogs will eat almost anything,” said veterinarian Jules Benson, Petplan’s vice president of veterinary service. “Cats tend to be much more discriminating.” The Hartford Courant (Conn.)/Insurance Capital blog

JoAnne Lipsy came home one day in April 2011 to find that her 5-year-old golden retriever-pitbull mix, “Sascha,” had scarfed down a dark-chocolate bar that Lipsy’s mother set on the couch.

“I came home, found a wrapper on the floor, and realized it was dark chocolate, which is more lethal than other chocolate,” said Lipsy, who lives in Bloomfield. “I knew, once I saw the wrapper, it was an emergency situation. I knew that she would die if I didn’t do something.”

Lipsy rushed Sascha to an emergency veterinary hospital in Avon.

“I didn’t wait for her to vomit, and she vomited in my car — chocolate everywhere, in between the seats. It was horrible,” Lipsy said.

Insurance companies that sell pet insurance see a rise in claims during Christmas, as well as Halloween and Easter. Philadelphia-based Petplan Pet Insurance, for example, analyzed claims and found that those related to dogs eating chocolate, raisins or candy are 284 percent more likely between Dec. 21 and Dec. 31 than the average of other days in the year.

For Lipsy, her visit to the veterinarian resulted in a $769 claim with her pet insurer, Petplan. The average claim cost to pay for a veterinary visit was $487 during the holiday season, said Jules Benson, a veterinarian and vice president of Veterinary Service at Petplan.

“Dogs will eat almost anything,” Benson said. “Cats tend to be much more discriminating.”

The average claim for Seattle-based Trupanion Pet Insurance is about $430 and can be more than $1,500 according to Trupanion’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Kerri Marshall.

“In our experience, Christmastime has been the biggest time for chocolate ingestion, with Halloween coming in as number two in chocolate-related claims, followed closely by Easter,” Marshall said.

“Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine which are poisonous to dogs and cats,” Marshall said. “Darker chocolates are more dangerous because they contain more of these stimulants and smaller dogs and cats often show more severe signs than bigger dogs. When a pet consumes chocolate, it may show signs of vomiting, diarrhea and increased heart rate.”

‘It’s Not Just Chocolate’

The holidays come with all sorts of food people eat that can be toxic to dogs and cats.

“It’s not just chocolate,” Elisa Mazzaferro, a doctor of veterinary medicine, and Ph.D, who specializes in emergency and critical care at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists on Canal Street in Stamford.

Pets also shouldn’t have table scraps, including turkey drippings or bones, veterinarians say. Even seemingly innocuous things like sugar-free candy can be dangerous.

“Sugarless gum products contain something called Xylitol,” Mazzaferro said. “That can cause a massive release of insulin from the pancreas in dogs and cause their blood sugar to drop to the point of having seizures. Some dogs can get liver failure from it.”

Xylitol also can be found in other sugarless products, like candy for diabetics, said Benson, the veterinarian at Petplan Pet Insurance.

Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs while macadamia nuts can cause temporary paralysis, Mazzaferro said.

In March, Ann Dowd of West Haven stepped out of her kitchen for a few minutes, and her 5-month-old New Foundland, Bruno, leaped up and started gobbling two batches of bread dough that were on the kitchen counter. One batch had yeast and another batch, of Irish soda bread, had raisins.

Ordinarily, Bruno would be kept in a crate if Ann was out of the room, but she stepped away only briefly.

“He destroyed everything,” Dowd said.

“We were so scared,” Dowd said of herself and her husband, Tim. “I read somewhere about raisins. I couldn’t recall.”

She called the New Haven Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine on State Street, and the staff told her to bring Bruno in because of the raisins and yeast. Bruno stayed several days overnight in a veterinary bill that resulted in a $1,188 insurance claim, not including hundreds of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.

Often when dogs eat something toxic, they are admitted for surveillance and veterinarians use a carbon-based substance to filter out toxins in the animal’s body, said Mazzaferro, the Stamford veterinarian affiliated with Cornell.

Christmas can be an unusual spectacle to pets, festooned with glittery things to chew or bat around.

Cats may not be likely to eat chocolate, but they often are attracted to tinsel or ribbons. For example, the pet insurer Trupanion paid a claim for a 5-month-old cat that ingested some ribbon and needed $2,800 of veterinary care to have it surgically removed.

“A large tree suddenly showing up in the living room will seem odd to pets,” said Marshall, Trupanion’s chief veterinary officer. “Expect them to want to climb it, chew on it, knock it over, potentially on top of them or breaking ornaments leaving glass shards to step on, or urinate on it — trees are commonly used for scent marking.”

Trupanion recommends pet owners think of ways to ensure the safety of their animals, such as putting a Christmas tree behind pet gates or up on a tabletop, if the tree is small enough.

Probably the best known caveat to pet owners is about poinsettias toxicity to cats and dogs. The bright red flowers often used to decorate around Christmas can be irritating to a pet’s stomach and mouth, sometimes causing vomiting, but the toxicity is “generally over-rated,” according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Lilies are more dangerous than poinsettias.

“Lilies can cause kidney failure if animals eat the leaves, stems or any part of the flower,” said Mazzaferro, the emergency and critical care veterinarian at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford. “Mistletoe can cause vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and collapse … English holly can cause vomiting, diarrhea and tremors.”

Cyclamen is sometimes used as a decorative Christmas flower, and it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, salivation and potentially death if an animal ingests a large amount, Mazzaferro said. Another popular holiday flower, Amaryllis, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, salivation and tremors.

Pet owners and veterinarians have different strategies and suggestions about keeping animals from toxic treats. For Lipsy, whose dog ate chocolate, she doesn’t leave anything tempting anywhere near “nose level.”

“We have a strict rule now that there is no chocolate out in the house, on a counter, or anywhere, if she can get within reach of it,” Lipsy said.

Normall Veterinary Tract

When an owner asks why a pet is constantly drinking water and urinating more frequently, veterinarian Robert Runde explains the potential conditions that could lead to the symptoms in dogs and cats, discusses tests used to help discern the cause and points out the health consequences in pets who are not diagnosed and treated. Dr. Runde emphasizes the importance of promptly seeing a veterinarian for any animal whose drinking and urinating habits have increased. TCPalm.com (Fort Pierce, Fla.)

Question:    Why is my dog drinking and urinating more?  Is this normal? What is the quickest way to find out the causes?

Answer:   One of the most common owner complaints in veterinary medicine for both cats and dogs is for increased drinking and urination. There are a plethora of causes, but if your animal shows these clinical signs a timely appointment with your veterinarian is warranted. You may notice that your pet has increased frequency and volume of drinking/urination, is having “accidents” in the house, is showing signs of urinary incontinence (waking up in a pool of urine, dribbling urine while walking around), or urinating in unusual places.

Some of the common causes of increased drinking and urination in dogs are diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, infection in the urinary tract, excessive adrenal hormone production, pyometra (infection of the uterus), and liver disease. In cats, the most common causes of increased drinking and urination differ slightly than of those in dogs, and include kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and liver disease. Most of these potentially life-threatening conditions can be quickly ruled out through accurate history taking, a thorough physical examination, and simple blood and urine tests. In some cases additional diagnostics may need to be performed. These may include X-rays of the chest and abdomen, cultures and hormonal blood tests. Depending on the results of the diagnostics referral to an iternal mdicine specialist may be helpful as more advanced diagnostics/treatments may be required. These could include ultrasound, Xrays with contrast, endoscopy, MRI and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

For example, if diabetes mellitus is left untreated, severe metabolic disturbance (Ketoacidosis) will develop. This is a life-hreatening condition requiring 24-our intensive care.

An infected uterus occurring in female intact dogs requires an emergency surgery. If not addressed promptly, this condition may prove fatal.

Untreated hyperthyroidism in cats can result in severe weight loss, chronic diarrhea/vomiting and significant heart disease. Hyperthyroidism may be managed medically, or more definitively treated with radioactive iodine (I-131) therapy.

There are a variety of liver conditions often require more advanced diagnostics such as ultrasound, full thickness biopsies, or a portogram (videofluoroscopy). Untreated liver diseases may progress to cirrhosis (irreversible scarring of the liver).

Hyperadrenocorticism is a condition of excessive adrenal hormone production. Although a diagnosis in most cases is relatively easy to obtain, some specific cases require further diagnostics such as an abdominal ultrasound to evaluate the adrenal glands and liver, and an MRI to evaluate the pituitary region of the brain.

Prompt identification of the cause of increased drinking/urination leads to a better chance of successful outcome.  If you notice any increased drinking and/or urination in your pet please contact your primary care veterinarian immediately.

Robert Runde, VMD

Owners and veterinarians are similarly focused on preventive care, including vaccinations and parasite control, writes veterinarian Ann Hohenhaus, who discusses the results of a survey. Owners expressed concern over pet medication costs, but Dr. Hohenhaus endorses veterinary-grade medications, noting the medications are specifically designed for animals. WebMD/Tales from the Pet Clinic blog

By Ann Hohenhaus, DVM

Pet owners said they were primarily concerned with vaccinations, fleas and ticks, heartworms, intestinal parasites, and spending money on medications. This list appears to overlap with the veterinary list on the topic of intestinal parasites, and both owners and vets are squarely focused on preventive healthcare; care to keep their favorite furry, feathery, or scaly companion healthy.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations float to the top of most pet owners’ lists because they save pets’ lives. Before vaccinations were available for common diseases like canine distemper and feline panleukopenia, these diseases spread through neighborhoods like wildfire, often resulting in the deaths of many pets. Decreases in the recommended frequency of some vaccines, coupled with the association between injections and tumors, has raised many questions in pet owners’ minds.

Intestinal parasites

Both pet owners and veterinarians agreed intestinal parasite control was an important issue for pets. How could it not be? Intestinal parasites are high in yuck factor, high in pet discomfort, and on the list of diseases people and pets can share.

Fleas and ticks

These critters are very similar to intestinal parasites with regard to yuck factor and pet discomfort. A pet with a flea infestation may mean you also have a house or apartment with a flea infestation since fleas spend more time off your pet than on. Pet owners want to avoid an expensive exterminator bill by preventing fleas on their pet. Pet owners also want to prevent fleas and ticks to protect their pet against diseases like Lyme disease and blood parasites.

Heartworms

Because heartworms are a serious health concern in both dogs and cats, they are an important medical issue for most pet owners. Nearly every state in the United States reports cases of heartworm in resident dogs and cats. This map shows heartworm cases by state.

Year-round heartworm preventative is a “two-fer” since most prevent both heartworms and some intestinal parasites.

Pet medications

Pet owners want the best for their pet. In my mind, the best are veterinary-specific products.  I prefer to prescribe medications developed specifically for veterinary patients rather than human or compounded medications. Veterinary-specific medications assure you, the pet owner, the product has been tested in dogs or cats and will be absorbed, metabolized, and effective in your pet. But, because most pets do not have insurance and medications are paid for “out of pocket,” many times pet owners can be surprised at the cost. As a pet owner myself, I believe that these veterinary-specific medications are worth paying for.

After looking carefully at the two lists of pet healthcare issues, one from pet owners and the other from veterinarians, are they really so different?  Both groups’ lists really have only one item and it’s the same one: healthy, happy pets.