Gifts for Pet Lovers, Book Review, $15

This is a quick note to tell you how useful I've found the Merck/Merial manual for Pet Health.  There is a home edition that you can pick up in the $15 ballpark that will cover everything you want to know about caring for your own pets. It covers mostly dogs, cats, and horses, but also exotics from fish to prairie dogs. The text is a simple read, probably at 11-12th grade level.

At what age does a cat normally develop tumors or polyps?  What is lung worm?  How is FIP treated? Diseases that are zoonotic are important to know and can be found in this book also. Can you deal with behavior problems in horses?  Colic - there's a word that makes horse owners shudder, but there's an entire chapter on Digestive Disorders of horses in this hefty book.

Over 1300 pages of information of the like that I learned in veterinary college, and some things I didn't know about at all!  How to make a first aid kit for your birds, info on sugar gliders, viruses of amphibians, ferret hazards, and so on.  I have to say this is my go-to first book when I am puzzled by something with my Animal Cornucopia. 

It also covers emergency care for horses, dogs, and cats, drugs used to treat specific disorders (informational, not a formulary), trauma care, bites, and poisoning symptoms and what to do in different cases. If you are searching for a gift for an animal lover, animal person, pet parent, this is the book to get.  Just click! You'll be glad you did! (Clicks help support the blog, you can always search for other products once you get there.....thanks!)

So get this book for the pet lover on your gift list.

 

If you need pet sitting service, be sure to visit our website at www.AllPetsCS.com  Coming to Las Vegas?  We can take care of your pets in your hotel while you are enjoying the city.
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Keeping Horses Warm

The recent cold snap across America has a lot of folks scrambling to cover pipes and protect pets from the unusually low temps.  I am one of those folks, with nearly 30 animal outside that are hostage to my efforts to keep them safe.

I've been asked sometimes about blanketing horses and feeding extra grains and corn during cold spells.  Um, no, that's not the best course of action in most circumstances.  Of course, an explanation follows!

Here in Las Vegas we have pretty mild winters, and are not generally set up for snow, or even much rain for that matter (less than 4 inches per year average). We are set up to combat heat and sunlight, with shade and misting systems, and we are usually set up for wind, being a desert it is usually windy here if nothing else.  Shade covers sloping west or south west, pvc and brass mister systems, and five foot high solid or semi-solid panels on the north side are the usual protections.

For horses over 20, and temps that go below freezing, I will use a blanket that is not for Alaskan winters but has a light to medium poly-fill and a water resistant nylon outer, or even a heavy canvas rug if the horse has a good winter coat. My miniature looks like a bear and will never need a blanket in any Las Vegas winter unless he was clipped, something I have no need to do for him.

My Tennessee Walker mare, however, is 23 years old, and although she grows a decent coat, I hate to think of her leggy ectomorphic frame shivering in the cold, so the lightweight blanket goes on in the evenings, and it comes off in the daytime.  We have yet to experience a daytime high of less than 32F so given that's my criteria, if the sun is out, the blanket comes off. I remove the blanket so she is not "acclimatized" to wearing it.  It's the body getting used to a temp and then adjusting its personal internal thermostat so the environment.  If she wears the coat all day, it will not generally keep her "as warm" than if we remove it for part of the time. When it goes back on, it resets the thermostat to keep the cold away better.

I have a hard time explaining it, but that does seem to be how it works.  If you wear a coat in the house where it's warm, it doesn't help as much when you go outside - you need a heavier coat. If you walk about your comfortable house, you put on a coat to go outside and it keeps you warm. Of course, if the horse has a heavy coat, you can't do this, but nature gave the horse what it needs for the climate it's genes hail from - Shetland is cold, Shetland genes grow bigger coats, American minis have Shetland genes, thus - you get the idea. Arabian horse blood will not give a horse nearly as thick a coat, being a desert creature from the equatorial latitudes.

The same goes for a horse clipped for winter time shows.  Put that blanket on because you've removed the weatherproof hairs and left only the fuzzy stubs that will dry quicker after a ride but won't do anything more than a T-shirt would for you.  A barn should not be closed up and hot, it should be in the 50F ballpark, and a blankets on clipped horses.

The other thing people often will do in an attempt to keep their horses warm is to increase grain. Please don't increase your horses' grain rations.  Continue to feed the same amount of grain as always, if any, and increase the hay and roughage.  Grain simply encourages founder, and the bacterial flora will have a party and send their waste products straight to your horses' feet. By the time winter arrives, it's too late to "fatten up" your horse for winter. That is supposed to happen in the wild during summer when food is available.

 

Alfalfa on the left, Orchard-Timothy on the right

Increase hay rations by about 25% for every 10 degrees of F temp below normal.  If your normal winter is 30F at night and 50F in the day, and it's down to 25F with 40F daytime highs, give an extra 2-3 pounds of hay at night.  This should be a high quality grass hay like orchard or timothy, not a legume like alfalfa.  Alfalfa has a high percentage of calcium which can cause an imbalance in potassium and other electrolytes.  When water intake is reduced, as it will be in the winter, it is easier to become dehydrated and in imbalance.  If temps are staying below freezing, don't be afraid to increase grass hays by 50%.  It creates much more heat to digest the hay and roughage than it does the corn and grains, and won't contribute to hoof maladies.

My dog ate (fill in the blank) !

Well, here is a new one I've heard about.  I've seen a lot of things removed from a dog's stomach, but this one is sad because it came too late. It came out during a necropsy (animal version of autopsy) and the killer was an AA battery. 

I've seen dogs eat rocks, jewelry, cat poo covered in clay litter, a tea bag with staple and tag, peach pits, a Scrunge, a sponge, chocolate of course, but never had I thought that a dog would pick up something so innocuous as a battery, and a dead battery at that.

The toxins in a battery do not go away, they just become inaccessible to the electronic thing that needs the toxins to run.  



 

This is just one example.

And that isn't the only kind of battery you need to beware of.  Watch batteries, hearing aid batteries, remote control batteries, smoke detector batteries, toy batteries - anything that uses portable power is a potential killer. The smaller the battery, the easier it is to swallow, altho a small battery in a big dog may be found in time before it's too late.

 

Radiographs!  If your dog is vomiting or having diarrhea, and the vet doesn't have an answer, try an X-ray.  Yes, they're pricey.  Yes, they find things that you'd never guess at.  I spent a lot of money on my dog getting acupuncture and supplements when a single x-ray would have shown the stone in her bladder, which, once removed, cleared up her incontinence in 12 hours flat.

 

It is the time of year we hear "Batteries not included" with just about every item on the Christmas list.  You buy batteries, batteries can roll off a tabletop, you won't miss them when they're gone (like your wedding ring would be missed).  They don't necessarily cause a blockage, but serious gastrointestinal pain and suffering follow their ingestion.  They rarely come out without doing some damage along the way (unlike, say, a dime or the cat poo).  Don't leave batteries laying around - 9 volt, AAA, AA, C, even D can be swallowed and kill.

 

Speaking of cats, don't forget that tinsel from the tree can snare up their intestines like an accordion, and death happens quickly.  It's so fun to play with, shiny, and irresistible, just use garland and keep the tinsel off the temptation list.   It is a surgery that is rarely successful if even the cause is discovered in time.     

 

Going away for the holidays?  Call a trusted Pet Sitter to care for your furry friends while you are vacationing.  In Las Vegas, call me at 702-560-8234, or visit my website at All Pets Concierge Service, LLC.  I am a licensed veterinary technician who has never had a dog eat a battery or a cat eat tinsel!      

 

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Working with protocols: anethesia

As for anesthesia in dogs and cats, and exotics and livestock for that matter, this is an area where I was constantly at odds with others, from the other technicians to the veterinarians as well. I spent many, many hours monitoring anesthesia during my training, at a nationally known facility in Las Vegas.  It's a testing and training facility not just for technicians, but also for veterinarians and human doctors as well. 

A technician is trained in anesthesia in different contexts. I was trained not only by the book but also hands on, by the doctors, including experts in anesthesia.  I was assigned to perform the blood work, assess an anesthesia risk category, calculated the drug dosages, induce the anesthesia, monitor the animal while in surgery, and recover the animal post surgery. Sometimes this entire process would last 4-5 hours.  Then, we'd do it again for the second half of the day.

We were required to know every part of the machine, how to assemble and disassemble, to read the pressure gauges, change the filters, etc.  Every part of the machine was required  knowledge and anything less than 100% was a fail.  This is one area that is critical to care of our patients. We had to know the physiological effects of everything associated with anesthesia, from the drugs, the rate we injected a drug, when to increase O2 and when to decrease it. There was no fooling around; this was probably the most serious part of our training.

Sometimes, in our training, we would monitor a dog while it was kept under anesthesia to test veterinary candidates in radiology proficiency.  In these long sessions we often saw drops in blood pressure, O2 levels, high CO2 levels, hypothermia, and other complications, simply because of the nature of the procedures.  These were not textbook cases and required thinking at all times, usually while wearing 20 pounds of lead, for 2-4 hours at a time.

During some of our sessions, we would use a CLOSED system. Medical people often think I'm nuts when I say I monitored animals on a closed system, which means that the waste gases exhaled from the animals are recycled instead of being exhausted to a filter and then into the air. It involves closing a critical valve, and on some machines, you can no longer even close this valve completely because of the potential risk to patient. But close it we did, and knowing what was involved was obviously critical to a successful outcome.

So.....when I was going to be demoted for not following protocols, I was a bit stunned hearing the doctors didn't trust me with anesthesia. WHAT?  Oh, I see, every pet no matter it's size or health status was to be started on 3% O2 and 3% Sevoflourane for 3 minutes. That is one of the dumbest protocols I've ever heard.  How can you get your patient unconscious if you are pumping that much O2 and gas at the same time?  The O2 must be LOWER than the inhalant or they all but cancel each other out. Why 3 minutes?  A Great Dane will need 5-7 minutes to reach a surgical plane, a chihuahua about 2 minutes.  And does the chihuahua that is 5 years old and healthy get the same dose as the Great Dane that is 5 years old and undergoing an emergency surgery?  No!

Incredible.  Sevoflourane is probably the safest anesthetic gas made for veterinary purposes.  it's used for human purposes as well.  Animals can remain under Sevoflourane for hours without serious risk.  Most veterinary practices use this gas above the others for this very reason. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it is used on an open system with venting to the outside. To say "average" we could say that to induce a pet you turn the Sevo to 2 or 3 %, and the O2 to 1-2%, and this varies of course.  The pet is physically monitored by a human being while it goes from a light plane, to a deeper plane (which sometimes appears lighter or deeper) and then the 3rd plane for surgery.  It involves listening to the heart, feeling for a pulse, looking at the pupils, and of course, watching the chest rise and fall. 

During this time the human usually attaches various monitors, including a capnograph to measure CO2 exhaled (the company I worked for didn't have one on either of its machines, the most important tool in IMHO to monitor patient status), a sphagnomymometer to measure blood pressure, and electric lines at the chest and hip area to monitor electrical heart activity (not a substitute for watching the chest and listening to the heart, ever).  The gums are checks for color to indicate blood flow, and the tongue is used with a light device that measures the saturated O2 in the blood. Usually one of those things or another one will act as a thermometer also.  And don't forget the fluids we talked about last week.

When the animal reaches Plane III, it is time to re-evaluate the anesthesia machine.  Usually the O2 is turned down and the gas is adjusted to maintain Plane III until the end of surgery.  It must be watched, monitored, and recorded every 5 minutes in Plane III.  Better charts in the 21st century don't simply record the number but will show trends by charting on a graph.  These trends are more important than a single number.  I prefer to mark a paper rather than leave my patient to record in a computer, but the company preferred the computer.  Save time, see more patients, record right into the computer instead of transcribing later (when we weren't busy thereby making more productive and efficient use of our time).

  

Monitoring a 45 pound dog, in a closed system, between veterinarian radiology exams.

Here is my example that made me throw in the towel.  You'll love this.

During mid-day, a large dog was prepared for a dental cleaning, a procedure done under anesthesia.  I was to do the cleaning, the vet agreed to be the anesthetist for this time. After 2-3 minutes of starting, my patient seemed to be in Plane II, starting to wake up and twitch, eyelids fluttering.  When I stopped, I turned to see the anesthesia machine at 0 on the Sevoflourane, and I forget today what the O2 was because I realized my patient was about to wake up.  I quickly pushed the Sevo to 5 or 6%, and looked around for the doctor, no where in sight.  I took over anesthesia for a moment to make sure my pet would go back to sleep and not wake up with a tube in his mouth. The doctor appeared, texting her boyfriend, so I returned to my procedure. Suddenly the doctor is aghast that the Sevo is up, accusing me of incompetence, telling me I was about to kill the dog, etc. 

Nothing was further from the truth! My anesthetist had neglected her duty to monitor the patient, I had made an emergency effort to return the patient to status.  I knew the dog was under a high level of gas, so I reached over and turned it down to 3%, putting O2 at 1%, and the deal was done.  So I thought. Those 30 seconds of 5% were important to quickly put the dog back to Plane III.  Had the dog not been intubated and covered with attachments  it's waking would have been inconvenient, but not dangerous.  Waking up under a procedure is never a good thing. 

So, I was reported as negligent and incompetent when I had made a quick emergency decision required because of the veterinarian's obsession with her new boyfriend. Texting on duty was prohibited.  Leaving your patient is active negligence.  Blaming someone else:  Priceless.

The Corporate Powers decided that 5% was a lethal dose and it was my fault (um, no, 5% Sevo is not lethal after 30 seconds on a 80 pound dog). I was not offered an opportunity to air my grievance, especially since I was lower in medical rank than the veterinarian. Another practice within the chain wanted me to join their group, as they had seen me work many times and were sure that what they saw was not an idiot.  But given the distance, and my frustration with the old technology I was working with, I decided to leave the company.

I've been contacted by them in the last couple of years probably 8 times to join their team, get a sign on bonus, etc. but I can't do it.  Go back to machines without capnographs, analog radiology, have to run back and forth between patients and doctors to discuss money and treatments - no thank you. It's a small town, this big city, and most everyone knows most everyone else in a relatively small professional community of maybe 1000 people. I prefer to go out and meet those who are looking for safe, reliable care for their pets during the holidays, and leave the drama to somebody else. 
 

Critical Thinking

I was reading the November issue of Atlanta magazine today, their technical issue.  Something hit me that I thought I needed to share.

An article identifies how we as humans have forgotten how to think.  Intrigued, I read further. It explained how some airline accidents occurred because of too much reliance on the autopilot, and in an emergency, the pilots reacted, incorrectly, instead of responding to the situation, resulting in dozens of deaths.

I was educated as a veterinary technician by a seasoned group of veterinarians, not other technicians as some quick private schools tend to use.  We learned the real-world way to nurse animals as well as the new technologies.  As an example, I will use the anesthesia and fluids drip scenarios to explain.    

In some veterinary practices, there are rigid protocols for starting animals under anesthesia or a certain amount of fluids to be given while under anesthesia.  These figures are always based on weight and species of animal.  However, a thinking person should not need the "basic" protocol to begin with.  Every patient should be treated uniquely and separately based on a number of variables including age, blood chemistry, type of operation, circumstances surrounding the operation, weight, and of course, species.

For instance, a pet undergoing anesthesia for a heart valve repair doesn't need the same level as one getting a dental cleaning.  Female cats need inhalant anesthesia for sterilization, males do not. Older pets must be monitored for additional factors that younger pets do not need.  Same with giving fluids intravenously while under inhalant anesthesia.  A dehydrated pet in an emergency situation needs an entirely different protocol than a 6 month old spaniel going for a spay.

I want to point out why I decided to leave a well known chain veterinary practice for exactly these reasons, and to remind folks to ask questions about procedures to their veterinarians, which keep doctors and technicians on their toes and accountable to clients.

My first example was regarding pre-anesthetic fluids to a dog about to undergo a spay, a straightforward operation but not exactly a simple one. The doctor asked me to set up the dog at a certain rate before she was going to go to surgery s the dog would get a certain amount of fluids in her body to offset any blood loss or low volume induced shock.  A great, precautionary measure I endorsed. The facility had two fluid machines, a stand with a hook and a box that would pinch the tube until the appropriate amount of flow was obtained in relation to how much you wanted to give over a period of time. One machine was for the pre-op and treatment room, the other was in the operating room.  The machine in the treatment room was, for whatever reason, not functioning, so instead of going into the clean operating room to get the other machine, I set up a manual drip.  This involves calculating the need of the pet, the time period to deliver, the drip rate per ml and then by per drops in a ml, then looking at your watch's second hand and setting the dial that comes on the tube. This is what the dial is for (manual setting).

The doctor came by and was upset that I hadn't used the machine from the operating room.  Did she think I couldn't do simple math?  Did she think that I would perhaps not contaminate the clean machine when it was returned to the operating room?  Did she think I would over or under dose the pet or that I couldn't count drops per second?  I wasn't sure about her reasoning, and not feeling comfortable to ask, I left my system in place knowing I was perfectly capable of doing this task. I bit my tongue over the sanitation issue of the operating room.  

Another instance came along later when setting up for a surgery of a small dog, a straightforward castration of a dog which would take less than 20 minutes.  The dog was small, and the smaller they are, the more attention they need; their body systems fail quicker for the simple reason of volume - a tablespoon of blood means more to a chihuahua than it does to a saint Bernard.  In my head I was able to quickly calculate the fluid dose, which came to about 99 drips per hour, or something of that nature (20 pound dog).  I set the machine to 100, and the doctor has a bit of a hissy fit that I had not set it at 99.  I reset her glorious machine at 99 and we continued on. I resisted telling her she was nuts to be doing my job instead of her own.

Extra fluids on a small dog that amount to perhaps 0.5 of a ml of fluids over a 20 minute procedure. This is even a difficult amount to measure, about 1/10th of a teaspoon. They don't even make measuring spoons that small. In my educated opinion, and the fact that there is more than that amount simply in the tube that delivers the fluids, over 20 minutes, even if there had been complications to cause an hour of surgery, the dog would have benefited from this extra half a milliliter rather than it cause detriment, simply because he was a small dog, all of which can benefit from 6-7 extra drops.     

The reliance on this machine was absurd.  However, the corporate office, in its attempt to create a Big Mac button its cash register, dumbed down the ability of a good technician to calculate and think and set up.  What if I'd needed to suddenly increase fluids?  Instead of simply lifting the bag or squeezing it, I would have had to touch the pad and re-enter data to reset it, then unset it a few moments later down the road, simply to be able to accurately count how many mls of fluid the dog was being pushed, not necessarily what is received, because of the difference in the tube anyway! There are markings on the bag that tell you how much fluid has been dispensed, there is no urgent need for the machine to do it.

I will continue on this vein (pun intended) in another post using anesthesia induction as an example of idiocy when it is always the same, for every pet, no matter what, and the trouble this causes for the pet (and the technician who follows blind protocols without thinking).  In an effort to make things run smoothly, I didn't want to insult the veterinarian's intelligence by stating the obvious, but these things seemed obvious to me, and I kept wondering why they didn't jump out and shout at the doctor.

Lastly, about fluids, I was trained in a theater of veterinarians, well known and accomplished, published veterinarians, and machines were the last thing we relied upon. We didn't use drip machines, and we never stepped away from our patient while it was under anesthesia.  We didn't record everything in a computer, or let a machine read all our blood smears.  Perhaps thinking isn't what this company I worked for wanted.  In that case, a robot could have been doing the work.  What have humans evolved for if not to think? 

Proteins and Lipids and Fats, Oh My!

Been pretty busy these days, so apologies for those following that I've not put anything new out lately.

Diabetic cats are becoming an epidemic in America. Are you noticing any signs?  Lots of drinking and lots of trips to the cat box to urinate? Owies that don't heal?  Weight gain? Lethargy?  You can make changes in your cat's diet to reduce these symptoms and help manage diabetes, but if you are honestly following the guidelines and your cat's health doesn't improve, it might be time to see the veterinary for more drastic measures.

Personally, I find that a diet high in protein and fat will force the liver to produce the glucose needed for brain function, and the body will start to burn the fat for energy needed by the muscles and metabolism. You hear talk of complex carbohydrates, but these food items tend to take longer to digest (of course) which happens closer to the large intestine where the bacteria count is highest. This in turn produces, well, a lot of intestinal gas.  It can be uncomfortable for the cat (and anyone within olfactory distance of the cat), so I recommend staying away from any extra carbohydrates if possible.

Start with canned cat food. Buy a premium food that is not made from ingredients that are primarily "by-products" of some sort of animal.  The canned food is to add moisture and provide the vitamins and minerals that cats need not found in the pure sources of protein and fat we can obtain (unless you want to go hunt mice and songbirds and grasshoppers).  Then we're going to add cooked chicken thighs. Not boneless skinless breasts, but thighs with the skin on.

Two weeks worth of chicken thighs can be had for about $5.  Cook them long and slow in simmering water about an hour, then cool and refrigerate until they are cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bone and dispose of the bones unless you want to grind them up into very small pieces - not as small as salt but smaller than peppercorns.  Don't let the cats shew on cooked bones or they could end up with a shard stuck in their esophagus.

Dice the meat into 1/4 inch cubes, fat and lean, add a little of the gelled broth, and freeze half for next week.  Put this week's half in a bowl, cover with tight lid, and then add this to your cat's canned food at about 2 parts chicken to 1 part canned food. Feed the cat a teaspoon or less of the bones or offer about a teaspoon or tablespoon of dry food for some crunch factor.  Be sure that dry food is of the utmost quality and as high in protein as you can find. Beyond One or Blue Buffalo are both good dry foods. Do not use the partially soft foods in pouches; they are usually preserved with glucose.

Fat soluble vitamins include A, D, E, and K. These can build up in fat tissue, and can be toxic, so err on the side of a little less for these four. The rest are water soluble and will wash out pretty regularly, and you need to replenish these. Talk to your veterinarian about adding vitamin supplements to your cat's homemade diet.  You can purchase over the counter vitamins at the pet shops or online made for cats' needs, but again, err on the side of less is more because there are supplements in the canned food, cats make their own vitamin C (unlike humans), and adult cats don't need the same as kittens or geriatric cats.  You do not want to deprive kittens (18 months and under) of vitamins, and your veterinarian should recommend supplements for your geriatric cats (over 10 years).

And yes, this high protein and fat, no carb diet seems extreme.  Most people are so befuddled by the combination, it going against what we've heard for so long about fats and carbohydrates, that it is hard to think about how it works.  Domestic cats are not as far removed from the wild as even dogs.  Nutritional ideas are changing.  When you consider that diabetes in humans (and cats, for that matter) has skyrocketed in the face of low fat diets and complex carbohydrates, throwing carbs, made of starch, made of sugar, at an organism not equipped to digest these compounds, is illogical and contrary.

If you are at all concerned about your cat's pancreas, kidney, and liver functions, have those checked with a urine test and chemistry blood panel test at your veterinarian.  If you don't see results within 30 days, discontinue the diet and have your pet examined for other causes of the symptoms.  If you cat is receiving insulin injections, check with your veterinarian before implementing this diet.  Insulin levels will drop substantially on this diet and then medications may be contra-indicated.

Spay and Neuter Soapbox

Just a quick reminder that the overpopulation problem with pups and kits is only one symptom of pets that have not been altered sterile.  Of course, we may think this is the top problem, and it is significant, but no one thinks about the problems for the mom and pop dogs.

I received a telephone call the other day from a person wanting to know what to do with her male dog, an intact Chihuahua-Boxer mix.  He was overly excited because their female dog, a mutt of some mysterious breeding, was in heat.  Although she'd separated them, the male continued to be ready to give the mutt his 'chioxer' DNA, which was causing him to have difficulty urinating, didn't want to drink, or eat, and, well, seemed to be running a fever.

Because I'm not a doctor I can't give a diagnosis, especially since I can't even see the animal, but I recommended she place a cold towel on his underparts and give him 80 mgs of aspirin (he was about 7 kg).   She'd given him naproxen, the day before, which is not helpful.  It's not helpful because it's not a vasodialator, it is a pain killer.  It talks to the nerve endings.  No cardiologist recommends taking naproxen for a heart attack. 

The point that we never got to was Why do you have an unneutered mix dog AND an unneutered mixed bitch?  For one, at least in Las Vegas, it is illegal to have any pets over 6 months of age that are intact without a breeder's permit, something that's not given out for mutts.  For another, it's unhealthy for your dogs (getting to that shortly).  For another, it's adding to the overpopulation problem we have putting, at last count, 10,000 dogs and 18,000 cats to death every year.  That's just in Las Vegas.

Health issues:  stop telling me you wanted to breed your dog.  It's not a valid, mature, responsible answer to "why didn't you spay her?"  Females that are allowed to breed or are left intact will almost certainly die young, as they develop a uterine infection called Pyometra.  Their uterus is not a pear, but a sausage, and their anatomy allows for easy access to bacteria.  These females usually have multiple mammary tumors, as well, often cancerous, also leading to an early death. It is much more common than people realize.  Going into heat every 6 months is no picnic, either, for owners or the dogs.

As for males, stop cringing and putting human emotions onto a sensible, intelligent animal. Dogs and cats could care less about breeding and that removing testicles is any sort of a concern.  They are perfectly happy chasing balls, squirrels, their own tail, fetching Frisbees or going for walks with YOU, their person.  I have seen not only testicular cancer (necessitating the removal of them anyway), but a condition where the penis comes out, gets trapped out, and eventually has blood supply cut off and the poor dog is thus, if caught in time, has first, an amputation, followed by a castration, followed by a new urethra opening which is much shorter than the one he was born with. The penis turns black and dies, and once that happens, it's surgery or death.

That is probably what the lady who telephoned me is facing (her dog).  I'd also suggest taking the male to a neighbor's or friend's for a few days (or the female) so the pheromones aren't floating around his poor nose 24/7.  She will probably not be able to afford the complex surgery, as she called me hoping for a cheap solution.  I suggested she take him to a vet, but she only has $50 to spare.  Well, not to sound like a heartless jerk, she ought not to take on the care of something she cannot afford to care for.

Which leads us back to puppy and kittens going to homes that might not have the resources to take care of a pet as it needs.  At the basic minimum dogs and cats need vaccines and to be neutered, with booster vaccines every 2-3 years and a dental cleaning two or three years or so. Annually is better but most pets can get away with every 2-3 years. They need quality food - not the cheapest nugget in a bag, and not assorted people foods.  The former is loaded with soy, corn, and other carbohydrates that pets don't need, the latter being unbalanced for nutrients required by pets.

If you can't do that, do everyone a favor and pass up the pet until you can.  Aren't you glad I'm not posting photos with this one ???

Are blue eyes an automatice deaf sentence?

Cats, dogs, horses, and sometimes other pets of our acquaintance, sometimes are born with one or both eyes blue.  When both eyes are the same color is it called homochromatsism, and heterochromotsism when they are different from each other or sometimes two colors in one iris.  This is not a defect, a throwback, or even any kind of a problem.  So why do people ask if my dog is blind in one eye? Sometimes they ask if he's deaf on that side. The right side of my hairy beast has a white, or low pigment 'switch' on, for lack of a better term. The eye on the right is blue.  The black side of him, his left, has dark pigment genes switched on, and hence, the common brown eye.  The flash, of course, shows you mostly a red eye and a green tapetum on the left.

 

 

Many animals have the ability to pass on blue eyed genes.  Sometimes, the gene connected with the low color pigments is related to the gene for audio processing in the brain. A pet with an all white coat, white skin, and blue eyes, although not albino (no color), may indeed be deaf.

 

Merles are often born with blue eyes, and they are not deaf, even when both eyes are blue. We often see in the Paint breed of horses a white face, called a bald, and if it includes the eye area the eye is often blue.  Again, no deafness.  Of course, a truly white horse doesn't exist as the genes for white are lethal. 

 

Many genes tag along on others, and in specific cases we may call some of these sex-link genes.  It's why females are rarely colorblind, that gene being passed on the Y chromosome in humans. In chickens, female chicks will grow adult plumage that matches the rooster, and the males will mature with the plumage of their hen momma. Alas, it doesn't work with all breeds.

 

The long answer, then, is no, blue eyes are not an automatic "deaf" sentence.  To check your pets' hearing, stand behind them when they are interested in something in front of them, and make a noise, as long as the noise doesn't make so much wind that your pet can feel the noise!  If they turn about, they heard you.  You can also snap your fingers behind their head and see if that gets you a response.  Most dogs and cats can read our body language, and will come when called even if their ears didn't hear you (and their blue eyes saw you!).

 

 

All white dog, both eyes brown.  Not deaf, and not blind!

 

When is it time to let go? Euthanasia.

Oh, the subject of euthanasia.  I get asked, often, when will I know it's time?  Did I do the right thing?  Are they suffering?  My answer is, well, each situation is different.  This not being what a person wants to hear, I thought I"d do a little research and see what I could come up with from our medical community.

I found some very good Q & A that a pet's owner should consider when trying to make the Big Decision.  Hopefully this will give you an idea from the medical standpoint.

Dr. Alice Villalobos is a well-known veterinary oncologist. Her “HHHHHMM” Quality of Life Scale is another useful tool. Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Happiness, Hygiene (toileting), Mobility and More (good days than bad days). Dr. Villalobos recommends grading each category on a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being poorest quality of life and 10 being best). If the majority of categories are ranked as 5 or above, continuing with supportive care is acceptable.

Another thought process is that animals, bless their hearts, do not think the way we do.  They live for NOW, and are not possessed by thoughts of an afterlife, the future, or their wills, or most anything else humans have instilled into the subject of death. 

Quality is more important than quantity in this case.  Why do you want to keep your pet alive (for yourself?) or euthanize him (for yourself?).  If you pet is suffering and the joy is gone, it is time to let go.  I feel we OWE our pets, for all the things they've given to us over their lifetime, a kind passing even if we must hurt ourselves in the process. Are they facing recovery or will they simply have more days of pain, vomiting, seizures, or the like?  Are they facing $5000 in medical bills that most people cannot afford to pay?  An older pet without monetary value (unlike an animal such as a horse) may fall into this category.  Guilt is the biggest motivation here.

I have been there myself.  A young dog facing a straightforward amputation is not the same as an older cat with diabetes facing dialysis. Without insurance, we must pay the veterinarian CASH or perhaps credit.  Does this take college education or even food away from our family?  Would your unselfish pet want you to go into serious financial hardship to give them a few months of life that won't be much fun anyway?

Setting your dear friend free of a painful body is not unkind; it is the greatest kindness.  When medicine can no longer cure or ease the pain, if you pet no longer lies in the sunshine nor wags their tail to greet you, it's time to discuss the end.  Your pet would thank you for your sacrifice.

 

Excessive Heat & Animals

Just a quick note to some residents who may not know the law in Clark County.  Horses, Dogs, and Cats are required by law to be provided with supplemental cooling devices when there is an excessive heat warning advised by the NWS. 
Dogs and Cats should NOT be left outdoors without access to serious shade and cool water.  Although my silly cats will stretch out on the patio in 105F, they can come into the 78F A/C through the pet door anytime (and usually do after 10 minutes outside).  Dogs and cats do not sweat and must pant to cool off.  When the air temp is over their body temp (101.5+-), what are they going to do?
Horses are often left in the direct sun, with folks thinking they don't need shade.  Horses can sweat, but they can't take in nearly enough water to stand in the sun and 110F heat from 6 am to 8 pm without dehydration.  Lighter horses can become sunburned, leading to cancer. It is the LAW that horses must be provided 90 square feet of shade during all daylight hours, even in the winter. 
If you see a pet outdoors unable to find shade or have access to water, call Clark County Animal Control at (702) 455-7710 and tell them the address where to find the animal victim. People may have time to correct the offense, or, simply be cited on the spot.  In some cases animals may be removed from the property and taken to shelter.
As a side note, I have chickens, a goat, and a few free roaming birds that have access to cool water and many shaded places.  The chickens and goat, and horses, all have shade at all times, much more than 90 square feet, and we have installed misters in the horse corrals (under the shade) and in the chicken pen (2 feet off the ground).  All pets that can come in the house are in the house.
Rabbits and Guinea pigs are especially susceptible to heat stroke, so if it's over 100, bring them indoors, at least during the hottest part of the day.  No amount of shade will protect them and again, dehydration will kill them in a few hours.
It is a crime in Clark County to leave animals out in record breaking heat, and it is a crime of humanity to ignore such an act.  Call Clark County Animal Control at (702) 455-7710.

Hawaii has no rabies

A strict four-month quarantine policy on animals coming in from, well, anywhere, makes Hawaii one of the few places globally that does not panic when a person is bitten by a dog.  Rabies, a deadly disease of the neuro-system, affects mammals, of which taxonomic Class humans belong to.  As a veterinary professional, I have had a rabies vaccine (I'm probably due for my booster, too). 

The disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected animal.  Saliva carries the virus into the nervous system, then it travels to the brain over a series of months.  During this time, the animal may not show symptoms of having the rabies, and thus, why an animal bite is a serious thing. The only way to be sure an animal does NOT have rabies, is to examine it's brain in the lab.  I should not have to tell you the animal and its brain must be separated....

Rabies vaccines are CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP.  Usually less than $15 protects your pets for up to 3 years (young animals need a booster after 1 year).  It also protects your pet from the possible separation of its body from brain with proof of the vaccine, so keep that information in a safe place.

If you are in an area that routinely has natural disasters where you may have to evacuate in a hurry (fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc) keep a copy of that rabies certificate with your pet's evacuation package.  You can never have too many copies of it.  Remember to make a paper package and keep it in a large zip baggie with your pets' carriers, or in your emergency kit. 

If you live in Hawaii, it is recommended that you have your pet vaccinated before you come back to the mainland.  Military folks with pets they have adopted in Hawaii will need this to fly pets back anyway, so do it a few weeks ahead of time. Dogs and cats, both, need this protection.  Cats are even more vulnerable, now, than dogs, as they still often roam the woods where carriers may be lurking.

Most importantly, if your pets bites someone, the proof of the vaccine, something only licensed veterinarians are allowed to do, keeps your pet's brain in its head and may even prevent a 4 month quarantine.  Unless you go to Hawaii.    

Summer time changes everything

When the temps go up, it's time to make some changes to your pets' environment and general care. The heat, and humidity, makes a marked difference in the ability to stay cool (thermoregulated) if you're a mammal or bird, and its the time for reptiles to become more active.

Riding horses:  if the humidity and temp combined are over 120, riding becomes stressed.  More humidity reduces the ability to cool by evaporation (sweat) and the higher temps make it all the more necessary.  Dehydration occurs quicker. Consider the condition of your animal before embarking on any long rides with out water stops. Most average horses will need 20 or more gallons of water every day when the temps are over 90F (32C).  Think about using electrolyte solutions and be sure to provide a salt block and shade.

Dogs and cats:  don't sweat.  Well, they do a little.  Sweat glands are located on the pads of the feet.  If you are covered in fur and can't sweat much, the body pumps blood to thin-skinned areas such as the ears to help maintain their normal body temp of 101.5F  (38.6 C).  Cool water and shade MUST be provided for pets that are outdoors. Consider trimming fur for long haired breeds, but don't shave it off to the skin.  Fur also is an insulation device and protects skin from sunburn.

Bunnies and guinea pigs cannot tolerate heat well.  No matter how much water, if they are left in a sunny area without access to hide or get away, they can die in a few hours. Hang wet bath towels over their cages to provide shade and act as an evaporative cooler. If possible, bring them indoors to where the temps are below 90. 

Birds generally like hot weather if they are provided water and/or dust to bathe in.  Chickens, pheasants, and outdoor birds need both shade, clean cool water, and dirt or DE to fluff themselves in.  This helps keeps bugs off their skin and insulate them from sun rays.  Parrots and passerines (finches/canaries) need water to bathe in and drink.  Air conditioning can be detrimental to birds, so keep them away from the vents and above 72F (22C).

Reptiles become more active, and will need extra humidity.  If they are in your home and the A/C is running, keep them away from the vents and give extra sunshine.  They need the extra light to tell their brain that it is time to be active if the temperature doesn't fluctuate indoors like it does outdoors. Extra feedings can help them prepare for their winter metabolism.

Dont forget insect control.  Flies and mosquitoes are happiest in hot weather, and carry all sorts of pathogens, many of them deadly (Parvo and West Nile come to mind).  Keep water fresh - no standing more than 24 hours.  Keep pet waste cleaned up every 24 hours to prevent outbreaks of flies.  If you will be on holiday, have someone look after your pets (preferably a professional pet sitter) to make sure they are visited at least daily to check and clean water and see that they are not developing any heat related medical conditions.

If you're in Las Vegas, you can visit our website for more tips and how to contact us for pet sitting services.    www.allpetscs.com 

Weed:  a plant you didn't plant, don't like, and/or don't want, that is supremely adapted to its climate and resists all attempts to eradicate it !  I give you the Foxtail. 



The Evil Foxtail

This noxious invention of nature is the plant world's version of the cockroach.  It proliferates in yards across the west and will not only choke out other plants, but will always hitchhike on anything that passes it from your socks to your pets. Especially your pets.

Foxtails comes in a large variety of species and sub-species.  They rise from the ground with the first Spring rain and pretend to be grass so you don't notice them until it's too late. Suddenly the grass sprouts fat seed pods, and they fan out like a broom, more or less. Don't confuse these with Fluff Grass or Fountain Grass, mounding grasses that are relatively benign. These things have sharp edges and pointed barbs that are adept at drilling into any object they touch, including, probably, solid rock.

Veterinarians see these things as magicians, wondering how on earth they get to where they get.  Of course, they know, but did you know they have been found in ears, eyes, between toes, stuck in fur and burrowing into skin, up the nostrils, and even up into the bladder and uterus of, mostly, dogs.   Cats are not at all immune to their evil ways.  Long haired cats that travel in the yard will bring them in on their coats and end up with them in their stomachs.

The end of just one of these seeds is needle sharp.  The barbs ensure that the thing hangs on and then augers its way inside your pet causing tremendous pain, abscesses, and infection in a very short amount of time, from days to just hours.

You must kill the weed in its green stage before they dry and cast their demonic seeds to the wind. They have shallow roots and I recommend pulling them out with your bare, or gloved, hands, and removing them to the nearest trash can and landfill.  Don't put them in your compost pile as they are remarkably resilient (remember the cockroach).Another good way to remove them is with a sheet of black plastic over the top of their patch, weighted down with bricks along the edge.  The lack of sunlight will all but melt them. Salt is another non-toxic weed killer, but it will kill your other plants as well, so use this only where the weeds grow.  Vinegar, applied weekly, will kill the things so you can easily remove them - recommended for those that grow in sidewalk cracks as vinegar, like salt, kill other plants as well.

If chemicals don't bother you, try any herbicide with GLYPHOSATE in it.  You SHOULD, however, use a mask and never use when it's windy (thereby eliminating the entire month of April).

Here is the problem with simply killing them.  They croak and leave their seeds right where they die.  Now what do you do?  Remember the cockroach:  they just don't die. As I mentioned, you must do this when they are GREEN and pretty, innocent looking and swaying gently like a field of wheat in the sun.  You can try to blower them away, vacuum them, burn them (altho this can enrich the ground so more will grow back).

I felt an urgency to talk about this horrid plant today as yet one nasty seed head found its way into my dog's ear the other day.  Of course, the family and I are pulling these nasties by hand over our one acre when the dog joined us. In 72 hours he was howling, holding his head to one side, doing his best to shake out the menace in his ear.  Unable to see it, or hold him still for the pain, it was off to the vet ASAP.  After sedation, the doc was able to pull out a 1 inch seed head with a still sharp-as-a-pin point on it that had been crafting its way into his ear drum.  At the cost of $152 to remove.

I have personally removed them from between the toes of both cats and dog, the eye of a cat, the chest of a hunting dog, cat's fur, and the nostril of a particularly nosey dog that wouldn't stop sneezing.  Being they are barbed this is not a pain free procedure nor an easy one. Thus, from years of personal experience with this wild weed, keep your pets as far away from possible from this by whatever means you have at your disposal.  If you spend $150 that is less than a vet visit, and a lot less pain and suffering for everyone!

If you are looking for a compassionate and educated pet sitter in Las Vegas, be sure to look us up and see what we can help you with - from vacation visits to taxi, nail trims to exercise.  www.allpetscs.com   

 

poisonious plants

Spring brings the growth of all kinds of plants that you didn't even know were planted in your yard.  Wild things can be poison to your pets, as well as the everyday houseplant and shrubs you tote home from the nursery.

I don't want to list the hundreds of plants and symptoms here in the blog.  Instead, I want you to keep this website handy:

http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/

And when I mean handy, I mean write it down and stick it on your refrigerator or tape it to the inside of your medicine cabinet, or in your pets' medical record books, and so on.  It can save a life.  Pets often eat things we don't think of as food, like cigarette butts, rocks, flowers, bees, sponges, batteries, jewelry, wood, prescription pills, marijuana, cocaine, and a host of other things you'd probably not imagine had you not seen it (as those of us in the veterinary profession have on an x-ray or in the bloodstream).

So don't spend any more time looking at this post.  Go to the Pet Poison Helpline website and take a look at what you never imagined could happen to your beloved beasties. Pre ready in advance.  Eating junk isn't just for goats anymore.

It's time to talk ugly - about fleas.  It's starting to warm up, pets are spending time outside, and the fleas are gearing up to party.

In southern Nevada, we rarely see fleas.  That doesn't mean they aren't there.  But with humidity around 5% most of the time, these little buggers simply dry up and die in the environment. But many of you are not so lucky, and to you, I have empathy.  When I was growing up, we tried flea collars, but for the most part, the nasty bugs lived in our carpets and yard, which was watered a lot. Seemed impossible to get rid of them.  I remember watching them jump onto my bare legs, then I'd run into the bathroom to wash them off in the tub.

Nasty, yes.  What's worse, they carry some pretty disgusting stuff.  My two favorite are tapeworms and bubonic plague. 

Tapeworms: white flatworms that live in the intestine, hooked on by mouth suckers that steal nutrients from the digesta. The worm regularly sheds little segments of its ever growing "tail" that contain eggs - eggs of tapeworms. If you've seen the little maggot like monsters creeping around on your pet's behind, you know what I'm talking about. Those are sections that have broken away, hoping they will fall off your pet and get to live in a nice moist carpet or grass where they will meet up with an errant flea. 

The flea, often flea larvae, we will say, will eat what it can find until it morphs into the nasty jumping insect we all hate and it becomes a vampire. The egg manages to find its way into the flea, where it develops into a mini time bomb.  What has this got to do with anything?  It is the flea that your pet ingests when she is biting the spot where the flea is siphoning blood.  You've seen dogs and cat do this, I know.  A flea gets stuck between the teeth, swallowed, and yippee, the tapeworm is now inside the host (your pet).

Sounds incredible, but that's the way it is. To kill tapeworms you must kill fleas, primarily by disrupting their life cycle. You can give your pet a de-wormer of Droncit, but if you don't get rid of the fleas, you can bet your last dollar (in Las Vegas, please) that tapeworms will return.

Responsible for killing perhaps a quarter of Europe's population many centuries ago, Bubonic Plague, the Black Death, was blamed on rats, which were running rampant because cats were thought to belong to witches and rat terriers we not yet invented. Fleas that lived on the rats happily carried their plague wherever the rats went, and if the rat was too overpopulated, the fleas jumped off and found people to bite instead. 

The bacterium Yersinia (aka Pasteurella) pestis would cause disgusting boils which usually overtook the host and killed it, and thereby releasing itself from the body and getting onto the next person.  Bodies should have been burned, along with their clothes, but given they still believed cats were witches' familiars, they didn't think fleas were involved, just the rats (hence the love of cats returned). 

So back to ridding ourselves of fleas.  The cheapest and easiest item you can use is diatomacious earth (DE) the powdery grey stuff which is eensy weency crystals that cut and dehydrate the flea in its environment (namely, your carpet).  You can get this stuff everywhere, and its cheap cheap cheap. Plant nurseries, swimming pool supply shops, your local big box department store retailer - use it liberally by sprinkling in your carpet near doors and sleeping areas.  At the same time, wash your pet with an insecticidal shampoo.  Use caution with this by putting some ointment in the eyes and cotton in the ears so this won't get in your pets' mucous membranes.  Start at the head of the pet, at the nose, and make the fleas run away towards the tail, not into the nose.  Leave a ring of suds around the pet's neck and rinse the head and dry.  Now you can do the rest of the body.

If you want to make sure, use a topical (on the skin) oil that you can get from your veterinarian like Advantage, Frontline, or Program (Program is Droncit, the tape worm killer, by the way). These can be used if your pet ventures outside to keep new fleas from coming back via your pet taxi.  After 3 weeks, vacuum your carpet and apply the DE a second time.  You can leave it there, or vacuum it after 3 weeks.  This should take care of fleas that hatched since the first treatment.

While you're at it, check for ticks - small round nasties that also carry a multitude of disease from Lyme to Spotted Fever. 


My spell checker had a lot of fun with this post.

Emergency Evacuation for Pets

Hurricane season is coming.  No, not quite yet, but now is the time to prepare. Take tips from the people who live in earthquake country. You know how to prepare for yourself:  flashlights, candles, food, water, blankets.  What if you must evacuate?  Full tank of gas, emergency cash; you take your valuables, one category of which should be your pets.


A wagon will not be sufficient to transport your animals to safety.

Do not leave your pets behind.  It is cruel and you will most likely never see them again. Your pets very likely cannot accompany you to the people shelter.  Let's talk dogs and cats. 
Collar, microchip, tattoo, these are a start.  You should have a plastic zip bag with information in it to attach to the collar, identification of where you are, how to reach you, and a phone number of someone out of state who can take messages for you.  Your veterinarian's info is also important, and any info on medication your pet is taking.

For each pet, you should have a kennel/crate, collar (dog) and harness (cat).  Most of these will store in two pieces nested; nest from largest to smallest for easy access. Put the rest inside the nested halves of carriers. Be sure the cat carriers are large enough to accommodate a small kitty pan and a small pair of dishes. Think 72 hours for your pets' confinement and plan accordingly.  Dogs will of course have to get out to potty, on a leash, but otherwise that may be their home and they will need room for two small dishes also.

LABEL each carrier.  Do this BEFORE a disaster strikes.  On a sheet of paper, list all pertinent information including address, phone numbers, veterinary information.  Put this in a large zip bag and tie it or tape it securely to the top of the carrier. For dogs (and cats) place a copy of their vaccine record in the bag, if nothing else, a rabies certificate.  Don't forget to store blankets and a toy or two, plus plastic dishes and a kitty box, with the crates so all is ready to go.

Importantly, include a photo of yourself with your pet in the bag attached to the animal and/or carrier. This could help you reclaim your pet if lost.  Keep a second photo on your body as well.  And, make and keep a list of pet friendly hotels and boarding facilities within a 100 mile radius in case you need to rent a room for you and your pets.  

Also, in a plastic 18 gallon or smaller tub with lid (much larger and it will be too heavy to carry), pack the following and rotate out every 6 months.

• 5 day (or more?) supply of canned and dry food
• 5 gallons of water (this will weigh 40 pounds!) for each large dog,
• 1 gallon ( 8 pounds) for each cat or small dog
• Pets' medicines, and instructions (refrigerated medicine? take an icepack in Styrofoam)
• Information on pets' diet including what not to feed
• Copies of pet information and proof of ownership in those handy zip plastic bags
• First aid kit with matches*
• Lighting with fresh batteries or solar lanterns
• Trash bags, stakes/tie outs, litter scoop
• Newspaper, kitty litter

*That first aid kit will not be like the human kind.  Here's some important items to have in addition to rolls of tape: vet wrap, non-stick gauze pads, eye wash, washcloths, flea and tick repellent, cotton swabs, scissors, charcoal tablets, latex gloves.

Remember to evacuate as early as possible to secure resources, and take advantage of escape routes that may be jammed later. Remember, a secure collar or harness on every pet with identification.  If you are ready to move your animals beforehand, you will stand the best chance of saving the WHOLE family. 

Gosh, where did I go the last couple weeks?  It's been a busy time here.  Booking clients who are going out of town, but also taking care of my own pets.  Thought I'd pass on some notes to you about them.

Taffy is our puppy mill rescue, a nightmare of genetic dysfunction, a product of irresponsible breeding and profit. She has a wonderful personality, very sweet, affectionate, a tiger at the doorbell, but has lots of medical issues that we have had to deal with (and the accompanying bills, upwards of $2000 so far). She has bi-lateral luxated patellas, which caused her to walk like a bunny rabbit.  Although our excellent surgeon, Dennis Olsen, DVM, here in Las Vegas, repaired the deformity, years of bunny hopping left her muscles too weak to hold her up once the mechanics of her condition were solved.  Over the last 2 years she has improved, however, to at least being up on the toes, although no longer taffy knees, more like Chaplain feet.

She also has an underbite, and a malocclusion of her incisors.  Therefore, her teeth  don't meet or match, and tartar builds up twice as quickly than on a normal bite.  We can live with that.  She has epiphora, runny red at the eyes.  We found a supplement that helps with that.

Her latest issue was a bladder stone.  Not just a little stone, mind you, but a huge one.  It has been the cause of her incontinence, the blood in her urine, her bowels going without her knowing it, and a few other unplesant symptoms.  Take a look at this thing:

That round white oval just in front of the hips shouldn't be there!  THAT is the stone. No wonder she was having troubles.  Of course, in this radiograph you can see the pins in her knees, also, from her patella repair, which involves the tibia as well.

 

This dog is just now 4 years old.

 

SO, a word to anyone looking at small dogs available at pet shops: Yorkies, Chihuahuas, Maltese, ShizTsus, and the like - BEWARE.  Just because it says AKC on the papers doesn't mean it had healthy parents, a clean environment, or any love until the day you end up with it.  This girl was at the shelter, and because of her disabilities, destined for the euthanasia room but for my rescue of her, and even though it's been expensive, it's hard to put a price on the love this dog returns to us. 

 

I will save the adventures of our horse's medical issues for another time.

Continuing Education

The annual Western Veterinary Conference held here in Las Vegas offered hundreds of opportunities to earn annual continuing education units that are required to maintain a professional license in medicine; in our case, veterinary medicine. I was lucky enough to get a whole day in this year, although in the past I have attended most every day, gone to the special Veterinary Technician concerts and events, and participated in the hands on labs that are not at the convention center but at the designated Oquendo Center, an affiliate of Western Veterinary Conference itself.
The Oquendo center is a fantastic facility, newly completed, with a theater, barn, conference rooms, and concierge service for groups.  Among the annual events are interspersed regular opportunities to advance knowledge for medial professionals. There is a 12 table surgery suite, with 12 prep stations; a formal dental suite (for animals) that includes 5 wet tables; classrooms, radiology with digital equipment, a freezer and necropsy room; lab stations.
A learning session at Oquendo is nothing to pass up. 
But I digress to the labs, when I spent most of my time at the lectures this year. I had an opportunity to hear about wild animal diseases, behavior, training, and emergency care for patients in shock, this last one being what I wanted to discuss.
SHOCK:  life threatening condition where oxygen isn't getting to the tissues.  It can be caused by many events, trauma being the primary reason most pets are seen at he emergency center.  What can you do if your pet is in shock?  Know the signs/symptoms of shock (cats and dogs).

• Profuse bleeding that cannot be stopped (don't forget about internal bleeding)
• Fainting, Unconsciousness
• Bright dark red or white/blue gums 
• Fast heart beat (varies, but generally above 200 beats per minute)
• Weak pulse (feel at neck or inner thigh)
• Fast breathing (more than 60 breaths per minute)

For the pet caretaker, or owner, these are the things to look for.  Your job is to get your animal to the veterinarian as quickly as possible; minutes count.  Wrap the pet in a warm blanket and apply pressure to stop arterial bleeding (press the artery against the bone on the inner thighs or
just above the "elbow", inside, of the front legs).

What causes shock, besides being hit by a car or other obvious trauma?  Heartworms can cause shock by blocking blood flow to and from pulmonary systems.  It can be induced by severe dehydration or diarrhea.  Poisons can cause shock.  Heart disease can cause shock.  Shock is a general term for several different pathologies that result in the tissues not receiving adequate oxygen, which can cause damage and eventually death.  It pays to keep an eye on your pets' condition every day, and don't let little problems mount in huge ones.

I'll post some photos on the website for you to reference. 

Food for Dogs and Cats

So sorry, but we were unable to get a booth this year!  Nevertheless, Vegas Pet Expo will be at Cashman center and its free to the public!  Bring your pets and meet up with hundreds of exhibitors that have all kinds of neat animal stuff, from costumes to food, how-to clinics and raffles, and Shorty and Hercules from the Animal Planet show Pit Boss will be there!

We're going to turn to homemade diets soon.  Information about the pet food industry has me concerned about what I've been feeding my dogs and cats over the years.  I'm going to be posting some great recipes at the website and would like to know if you are using something that your pets are eating and also maintaining or improving in their health.  I'll be posting my Helium article that was published a few years back on the ups and downs of the "raw food diet" that has seen a lot of controversy in the decade or so.   As a licensed veterinary technician, I am educated in animal nutrition, so heads up:  I don't support a 'raw' diet.  Here's why:

Salmonella in meats that you buy in the market;  a potentially harmful bacteria.
Digestion: cooked foods are more easily absorbed and have a higher TDN than raw.
Natural is not the same as raw (natural includes bugs, mice, worms, bones, fur, organs, etc)
Access to taurine and other essential amino acids may be limited, reducing nutritional quality.

I elaborate more in my article, but you can see the gist is that most raw food diets will be lacking unless you are willing to go kill wild animals and feed them whole to your pets, which is still not a great idea because of parasites and bacteria life cycles. Seen those feral dogs and cats?  THEY are eating a "natural" diet, along with the cheapest pet food the colony sustainers can buy (because they need a LOT, and no one raises money for them, bless their hearts).

For now, feed the highest quality pet food you can find which does not contain "meat by-products" or large amounts of corn (in any form).  Try poultry based foods whenever possible, and stay tuned for more on the raw meat diet for dogs and cats.  Please feel free to ask questions or post comments on your experiences, or visit www.AllPetsCS.com for more information as it comes in.

happy tails! 

Pet Fun Feb 9th 2013

Just a quick reminder that Pet Expo is coming to Las Vegas' Cashman Center on Saturday, Feb 9th. There will be exhibits, give aways, and celebrities to meet.  Hopefully I will see you there. Come get a free gift when you fill out our Capcha Card.  We'll be demonstrating proper training techniques, discussing pet foods, and you will be able to place orders for PlaqClnz, the best way to keep your pets' teeth in good condition between veterinary cleanings.

You can find more info at Pet Expo's facebook page, and you can always find us at www.allpetscs.com  if you need help, information, or would like to meet for a consultation. 

Are you in Las Vegas?  If you are a horse owner, this post is for you.  It keeps coming up, year after year, that horses are being kept in corrals with no shade.  I ask you to think about this a moment.  No shade.  In Las Vegas, we reach the 100+ mark every day for at least 3 months a year. We don't see frequent clouds or rain. Imagine yourself in your horse's shoes (no pun intended there.)

A horse is a warm blooded mammal, with a normal body temp of about 101.5F.  They are hotter blooded than we are, plus they wear fur year round. Place yourself in your horse's corral, with no shade, no way to move to shade, and no relief in sight. There's a bucket of lukewarm water with bugs, hay, and dirt floating in it.  Now, you are there, at high noon, the sun beating on you, and being a gentle creature most of the time you can do nothing but bear it.

Do not break the law.  In Clark County, Title XXX specifies the minimum area of 120 square feet of which 90 square feet must be covered to provide shade.  For more information on what they will do to you, see the Nevada Revised Statutes: 574 and the jail time you could serve.  This means you must have at least a 10 x 12 corral with a 10 x 9 shade at a bare minimum.  I personally think these are small, small minimums, and are barely within humane keepings for a horse.  I keep my horses in a 24 x 24 with a 12 x 24 shade that runs north to south, angled down on the west side. For the most part, the horses have shade from 9 am to 7 pm in the summer, and about 10 am to 4 pm in the winter.

I OFTEN hear that horses are outdoor critters and don't need shade. Not true. Pure Bunk. That's the cheap, lazy person's excuse. The wild horses in Nevada, as seen on our beautiful quarter, can move to higher ground where it is cooler if there is no shade.  Otherwise, you will often see them standing in the shade of a pinyon or cypress, even a Joshua tree, to get some relief from the hot Mojave sun.

You should know that I, as an animal advocate and veterinary technician, will report the address of any place I see that doesn't provide these minimum conditions for horses on the property. If YOU want to report a violation go to the Clark County website and make an on-site complaint.

www.accessclarkcounty.com is all you need to know. Horses are not stupid, just unable to speak our language.  I'm sure a few would like to smack their owners upside the head now and then. Nevertheless, when we put an animal in a pen and make it dependant on us, we OWE it proper shelter, wholesome fodder, and clean water.  A bit of snuggle now and then doesn't hurt.

If you need help caring for your horses, goats, sheep, cows or poultry, or would like to schedule some consultation time, don't hesitate to contact me at www.allpetscs.com (All Pets Concierge Service, LLC).  I can transport your horse or your hamster, feed your goat or your guinea pig, and we are always happy to make new friends!

Pet Obesity

Uh, oh, there is the word no one wants to hear - FAT.  Veterinarians make their living off fat pets, or at least their retirement.  From bunnies to horses, we are a nation of overfeeders. Extra fat affects the digestive, urinary, reproductive systems.  It affects endocrine systems (primarily hormones), and also the skeleton and muscles, skin and cardiovascular systems. Did I mention the organs - liver, kidney, pancreas, among others (OK, all of them).

Over feeding is the primary cause of overweight pets.  It is not the only cause, but is the number one, preventable, most common nutritional disease in dogs and cats. In this post I don't want to discuss leptin or thyroids or diabetes I, breeds, and so on.  We will just discuss the primary factor that you are in control of: food and exercise.

What is true for people is true for other animals (yup, we're animals too).  Too many calories and not enough activity to use them causes storage of them, usually as fat.  Almost all diets of people and pets are to high in startch (you thought I was going to say fat).  Starch is sugar, plain and simple. A potato becomes no different than table sugar molecules in the body, as does rice, breads, grains, and fruit.  Wild cats don't eat corn or soy; frankly, wild dogs don't either. We will talk more about this later.

Protein is the key to good health. Fat is also important to the health of dogs and cats - not so much rabbits and horses! Restricting our conversation to dogs and cats, it's important that they receive adequate animal protein (not vegetable or garin).  The requirement for dogs is around 25-30%, for cats 30-35%.  Calories should be made up mostly of protein, then fat, with startch as the last source. 

Find a high quality food, and feed less of it.  Instead of giving your pets treats or feeding them when they ask for attention, play instead.  Not only does this keep food as being a way to interact with you, it will burn calories at the same time and reduce the appetite. Keep a laser toy or balls near the feed stations.  When pets beg, pick up the toy and have at it.  Giving your pets extra calories is not doing them any favor.

Nurtition is a huge subject with volumes of literature available. More will be coming, but for now, keep your pets lean and active.  It is good for both of you.  If you have trouble making this a regular routine, or would like more information on your pets' dietary  needs, please feel free to contact me at All Pets Concierge Service, a limited liability company in Las Vegas, Nevada.  As a licensed veterinary technician (Animal RN), and certified by Hills Science Diet as a small animal nutritionist, I am sure we can find some solutions for feeding and exercising your pets to optimize their health and longevity. 

Dental hygiene is an important facet of pet health. More than 70% of dogs over age 3 and cats over age 4 have issues with plaque, calculus, tartar, gingivitis, and, worst of all for those of us who keep our pets close, halitosis that could knock over an elephant. Advances in veterinary medicine have discovered many things that are important for pet caretakers to be aware of.

Veterinarians and groomers have been the traditional dental hygienists of the pet world, but there is not reason owners can't assist in preventing or reducing disease in their pets' mouths. Dental sticks are easy, but not entirely effective.  Water additives are hard to maintain at the proper percentage to be optimally effective.  Brushing, well, we all know how hard that can be, despite meat flavored toothpaste even on a cooperative dog.

Veterinarians often hear the woes of finance when it comes to a serious cleaning and scaling of their pet's teeth.  As I just mentioned, dogs and cats don't hold still the way a human will (more or less) during a tooth scaling.  The pet must undergo anesthesia so the doctor or technician can radio graph the mouth, then remove the build up from the tooth and the gum line with sonic or hand scaling instruments, rinse with lots of water and antiseptic, polish the enamel surfaces, rinse again, and then undergo any extractions. Pets don't hold still, they don't rinse and spit, and don't appreciate their teeth being removed any more than we do.

The more an owner can do to reduce the need for this procedure, the better for everyone! Older pets will often dictate that they need pre-anesthetic blood work, another cost that is sometimes more expensive than the cleaning itself. Antibiotics, if necessary, can be difficult to administer at home, and once a tooth is gone, the remaining teeth are more likely to see the build up of tartar even faster because the missing teeth no longer articulate with remaining teeth to help clear the plaque from the surfaces when biting.

Gum disease can cause organ failure.  The bacteria in your pets' mouths makes it way through the bloodstream and can eventually cause heart, kidney, and liver disease.  Caught early, those red and inflamed gums can be brought back to normal, but if left untreated, the damage can be irreversible.

Be sure your dogs and cats are seen regularly by a veterinarian, and in between veterinary visits, you can do your part to reduce the frequency and severity of the anesthesia dental prophy.  You have probably heard of the "anesthesia free" dental cleaning.  This is a lot like comparing the cleaning you get at your dentist's office to what you do at home twice a day with your toothbrush. It is not a substitute, but an additional way to keep your pet's breath fresher, the teeth cleaner. Many groomers offer this service; we at All Pets Concierge Service also offer this service.

A three step process with follow up products sent home will help ensure that your dogs and cats are getting in-between care from their veterinarian. We used a product that is completely natural and could be used on your own children or yourself.  There is very little taste, no chemical sedation involved (although cats may get body wrapped or "clipped") and the entire process takes less than 20 minutes.

• Pre-treat the teeth with our zinc-formula spray
• Wait 20 minutes
• Irrigate the mouth with water to remove debris
• Treat with our zinc-formula gel
• Follow up daily or every 2-3 days with the gel at home
• Repeat in 2 weeks for more advanced cases, or every 12 weeks

Of course, as I said before, all pets should see their veterinarian at least once a year for a complete check up nose to tail.  Pets under a year old or over 7 years old should see a veterinarian twice a year unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian of another schedule.

For more information about dental hygiene and our at-home dental care service, see us at All Pets Concierge Service, in Las Vegas, Nevada.  If you would like to purchase our zinc -based spray and gel products, contact us by clicking here!  We don't just pet-sit, we inform, educate, and want the best care for your pets!  Thanks for reading, and happy tails!