Nail Trimmers = Tazmanian Devil

Fido puts his paw on you to say "I need to go outside and potty", before you process that information, the sensation of his long, sharp toe-nails scratching your leg takes over...ouch! You go to the tool drawer and pull out the nail trimmers and boom, Fido turns into a tazmanian devil; it takes everyone in the house to hold him down and get those nails trimmed up. Weeks later, same thing, finally, you take him to the veterinarian to have it done but he's horrible there, too. The veterinarian says, we'll need to sedate Fido, next time, for his nail trim, he was biting everyone and he really doesn't like to have it done. Far too many of us can relate to that little scenario.

I recently read an article by Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS about training your pet to enjoy a nail trim. It's really an article about counter-conditioning your pet's behavior, specifically his/her loathsome outbursts during nail-trimming. It's really good, so I'm gonna let you read it and watch the video. Even if your pet isn't bad during nail-trims, it's still a good read, the concepts she's using here can be extrapolated to other negative behaviors as well.

Find the article and video here.

Dr. Sophia Yin is a veterinary behaviorist and currently sees behavior house calls, works at San Francisco Veterinary Specialists (www.SFVS.net), writes for several veterinary and popular magazines and has consulted for several zoos. She also lectures and teaches workshops internationally on animal behavior and low stress handling and has served as a behavior expert for shows such as Dogs 101 on Animal Planet. She is also on the executive board for the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Handling Guidelines Committee, and the American Humane Association (AHA) Animal Behavior and Training Advisory Committee.

One thing that the article and video don't mention, that I'd like to add, is that although the dog in the video was counter-conditioned in about 4 minutes, your dog may require a little more patience and training to overcome his anxiety or negative behavior. The principles she uses here are excellent, but I'd say take your time and your dog will learn to love his nail trims too.

Tips For Taking Your Cat To The Veterinarian

Here's a really good video with some tips for when your kitty needs to come see us at the veterinary clinic. Cats generally don't see the veterinarian as often as dogs, and many times it's because they can be difficult or become stressed about the visit. This video will give you some tips about how to keep your kitty calm and get safely to the veterinarian and back home without too much stress.

This video produced by the CATalyst Council, a non-profit group dedicated to raising the level of care and welfare of cats by cat owners.

To find more information about the CATalyst Council, or to enjoy other cool stuff (e-newsletters, more videos, cat health guidelines, and more) visit http://www.catalystcouncil.org/

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

A while back we talked about pet shelters and what you can do to help decrease the unwanted pet population; you can read that story here. Many of my clients adopt pets from these shelters, but some do not; some clients purchase pets directly from breeders, pet stores, or so-called "puppy mills". Notice that I make the distinction between the three sources. Recently, a couple of my friends each acquired a new puppy; without talking to me first, mind you. They found an ad in the newspaper and each purchased a puppy on Saturday afternoon; one of the pups died Sunday afternoon, the other pup was severely ill, both from parvovirus. This was an excellent illustration of purchasing a pet without doing some research first, only to end up with an unhealthy, and in this case, gravely ill pet. I wanted to shed a little light on these pet sources and talk about how to go about finding a good healthy pet.

The dreaded puppy mill is all too often the source of many pets here in the U.S.; they typically have more dogs than they can provide adequate care for, animals are typically housed in less than ideal conditions, and, as a result, often have unhealthy puppies and kittens that may have a myriad of health problems when presented to a prospective buyer. These problems do not, however, always appear obvious to the new pet buyer and often require treatment and care for days to weeks before the young pet becomes healthy; if it doesn't succumb to deadly diseases in the process. Such problems/diseases would include, but are definitely not limited to: parvoviral enteritis, distemper, coccidiosis, giardiasis, hookworm/roundworm/tapeworm infection, fleas, ticks, ear mites, sarcoptic mange, demodectic mange, cleft palate, congenital heart defects, heart murmur, inguinal/umbilical hernias, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, congenital cataracts, hypoglycemia, post-weaning stress, etc. These are just the common problems that we see in young pets from these unscrupulous "puppy mills". Here's a recent article that gives you an idea of how these places do business. This pet source is typically not very well educated in animal welfare/husbandry, does not work closely (if at all) with a veterinarian to ensure the health of the operation, and does not operate with ethical and humane principles. Obviously, this is the worst source for a new puppy or kitten. Fortunately, these types of operations are being tolerated less and less these days; see this article.

Pet stores are becoming increasingly less popular in some areas (check this article), due to overpopulated shelters and some pet stores acquiring animals from questionable sources. Pet stores often acquire their animals from various mixed sources; some of which are often puppy mills and some reputable breeders. When purchasing from a pet store, typically you are getting a healthier animal than from a puppy mill, but who knows where that animal actually came from and what type of care it and it's parents received prior to arriving at the store. Why is that important? We'll get to that in a moment.

Finally, the responsible breeder; these breeders often operate on a much smaller scale, say 2 or 3 females, or maybe up to 8 females. These people breed these animals because they have a passion for a particular breed, and feel that they have exceptional animals that have something to contribute to the breed. They take exceptional care of their animals, they work closely with a veterinarian to ensure the health of these animals, and they strive to produce excellent offspring that are very healthy and often have many health clearances on the offspring's parents. These health clearances are typically for genetic disorders/diseases and differ among breeds but the most common ones are performed through an organization called Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), and would include: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, eye CERF exams, and other genetic/congenital diseases and disorders.

OK, so there's one more source that we really didn't cover; the pet owner/one-time breeder. This source is a little more difficult to describe because it can vary quite a bit, but most of the time, this is Joe Pet Owner who really wants an offspring from his beloved pet "Coco". Most of the time this pet owner talks to his veterinarian and educates him/herself about the process and decides to breed his pet. Most often you will hear of their puppies from friends or relatives. Now this is not a terrible source for a new pet, but it can be if Joe didn't do his homework.

If you decide to purchase a new pet, rather than adopt from a shelter, there are a few things you should do first:

• Decide what type or breed of pet you and your family desire
• Study the type or breed to make sure that it will be a good fit for your family
• Find out the common problems or defects that breed may have
• Determine how much money you'd like to spend on your new pet

Once you've done your homework on your new pet, you're ready to begin the search. If you're prepared to spend top dollar for an exceptional quality animal, your best bet is to start with breed clubs or organizations and their magazines and websites; you'll find advertisements of excellent quality show or working dogs there. Talk to trainers or people at a dog show, test/trial , or event to get leads on where to look for the right pet. Talk to your veterinarian and your friends about reputable breeders that offer the type of pet your looking for.

So you're not looking for an exceptional show or working dog, don't have a lot of money to spend, but still want a good family pet; no problem, here's where you want to start: Go to the local shelters and check them first, you may get lucky and find what you want. No luck, find the reputable breeder that breeds for a hobby, or find the Joe Pet Owner that just wants a pup out of his beloved pet. These sources will be found mostly by word-of-mouth and occasionally maybe in the local newspapers. Still no luck, well be patient. If timing is important (birthday, Christmas present, etc.) and you need that pup now, remember to be careful and think about a few things to avoid buying a puppy from an unscrupulous source. So how does the potential new pet owner know how to distinguish these sources in order to ensure they are getting a healthy, quality pet for their money? Here's some things to ask for when you're buying from a breeder that you don't know:

• When you arrive, ask the breeder to see their kennel. If they won't show you their facility, they probably have something to hide and you don't want to purchase a puppy from them.
• Ask to see the parents of the puppy or kitten; again, if they won't show you, then no deal.
• Ask which veterinarian they use, get the phone number and call the vet to get a reference. He'll be able to give you an honest opinion on the animals health and care.
• Has the puppy or kitten you're looking at been seen by the veterinarian for a check up? If so, were there any health problems that the veterinarian identified?
• Is the breeder offering a health guarantee? Unless the breeder is Joe Pet Owner, they should offer some type of a guarantee or contract to cover both you, the buyer, and them, the breeder.
• Has the breeder dewormed the pet and given the first set of vaccinations? If not, then no deal. These are very important health considerations that could mean life or death for a young pet.
• How old is the pet? 6 to 8 weeks is standard. Any less than 6 weeks is too young to take to a new home. I personally prefer that new pets are acquired at 8 weeks or older; they simply do better.
• Is the new pet registered? If so, are there any restrictions on its registration? Which registry is it? (Not deal-breakers, just some things you need to know to ensure you're getting what you're paying for.) Make sure you receive registration papers when the transaction occurs, or no deal.
• Is this pet what you want? In the end, every animal has a different disposition, that needs to be taken into account when you are looking to purchase.

OK, so you've done your homework on breeds, you've found the right breeder, you've found the right pet, you're satisfied that the breeder has done a great job with the animals, the transaction went great; now what? Do not pass go, do not collect $200; instead take the puppy/kitten as soon as possible to your veterinarian for a checkup. The new pet should be examined and checked for parasites, to ensure his/her health. It's best to do this before an emotional attachment has been made. Your veterinarian should discuss any health concerns and let you know when to return for the next set of vaccinations. One vaccination by the breeder will not convey enough immunity to protect your pet; a series of boosters must be administered to ensure protection from deadly diseases. Your veterinarian should also discuss other important health care needs your pet may have, such as heartworm and flea/tick prevention. Congratulations, you've succeeded in your quest for a healthy new pet!

Breaking the Doggy Bank

The advance of medical technology is at warp speed; health care is constantly evolving and offering better and more advanced treatment options for both humans and pets, alike. The cost of these advancements is ever-increasing, as well. Human health-care and veterinary care costs continue to rise as the advancement and demand for newer, better treatments develop. Still the cost of veterinary care is only a fraction of the cost of the same procedures in human medicine.

Veterinary medicine is becoming more highly specialized than ever nowadays. Just 10 years ago, most veterinary clinics were small, private clinics in both rural and urban areas that performed most treatments and procedures in-house and occasionally referred more difficult cases to a veterinary teaching hospital. Today, more and more veterinary specialists are practicing in large private referral/specialty hospitals and the demand for their services just continues to rise. Pet owners are continuing to demand better and more specialized treatment for their animals. Cataract surgeries with lens implants are being performed on dogs; laparoscopic surgery, orthopedic surgery, endoscopy, echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) and allergy testing procedures are all being performed daily at these specialty hospitals; and even at some small clinics today. Most of these specialty hospitals are by referral only and work with the regular veterinarian to diagnose and treat advanced cases.

Money is a consideration for the majority of people when dealing with the cost of health care for animals, according to an Associated Press-Petside.com poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media.

While most pet owners, 62 percent, would likely get vet care if the bill was $500, the percentage drops below half when the cost hits $1,000. The number drops to 35 percent if the cost is $2,000 and to 22 percent if it reaches $5,000.

In our clinic, these numbers would be pretty close to what we actually see, in terms of actual decisions versus a survey report; however, I think the actual numbers are a little lower in all respects. Nevertheless, the cost of good veterinary care and the standards of veterinary practice have definately increased with the demand for it. This is making it increasingly difficult for some owners to afford the care that they desire for their animals. This situation often leads to pet euthanasia; but the issue of pet euthanasia is confounded by children and a stronger emotional attachment to pets these days, than in the past. We often will do what we have to, especially when children are involved. So when faced with a pet that is going to require a large, unexpected veterinary bill, it seems pet insurance may serve a need.

Many veterinarians seemed to foresee the day when pet health insurance would be available due to this rise in veterinary costs and the associated demand for newer and better care. That day has come; pet health insurance is becoming more and more popular, being offered by many employers as benefits to employees, and in many cases makes good sense. However, not all pet insurance policies are the same, and there are a few important things that differ about pet health insurance and people health insurance.

Most policies will exclude pre-existing conditions, so be aware of that before you buy. This makes it unattractive for older pets; however, covering younger pets seems to make alot of sense. Unlike human health care, the veterinary community has always been and remains today, a cash-and-carry type of system. In addition there is no system in place for Veterinarians to recieve payment from pet health insurers. So this means, pet owners must still have the money to pay their veterinary bills up front, and then be reimbursed by the pet health insurer. This may seem a bit of an inconvienience but it allows pet owners to use any veterinarian they choose with no exclusions.

Read the plans carefully before you buy insurance, different companies offer different benefits. VPI pet insurance is the nation's oldest and largest pet health insurance provider; this company blazed the trail for pet insurance in the U.S. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, VPI pays more claims annually than all other pet insurance companies combined. They offer three benefit packages: the most popular is their Superior Plan, which offers the best medical benefits and good cancer benefits with maximum reinbursement for eligible expenses; the next plan is called the Standard Plan, which offers good economical coverage with moderate reinbursement; and finally the routine care coverage called Careguard. To learn more about VPI, their policies, or to get a quote, visit http://www.petinsurance.com/

Liz Pulliam Weston of MSN Money says: "A few years ago, pet insurance would have ranked right up there with life insurance for children and dread-disease coverage on my list of policies you don't need. Now I'm not so sure. I still believe most people are better off forgoing pet insurance and instead putting the money they would have spent on premiums into a savings account...But if you're the type of person who would do anything to save your pet, including spend thousands of dollars on medical care, pet insurance might be a preferable alternative to going into debt." To read more of Liz Pulliam Weston's article, click here.

Here's a couple more reputable pet insurance companies to compare: PetCare Pet Insurance, and PetsHealth Care Plan.

Photo of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, N.J. by Steve Dunwell of Steve Dunwell Photography Featured in the March 2010 issue of Veterinary Economics.

I Care for Animals

Many of my clients adopt their pets from local shelters and many of these pets haven't had appropriate care prior to arrival at these shelters. It is a sad situation that these pets are in and the shelters in our area are at capacity. It was determined last year that approximately 109,000 animals enter Mississippi animal shelters each year and only 35,000 make it out alive. Yes that's over 70,000 animals euthanized each year. Unfortunately, those are the real numbers.

What can you do to help? Well, first spay and neuter your pets to prevent overpopulation. That's the obvious thing. Spaying and neutering also has other health and behavioral benefits for your pet. The prevention of cancers and other unwanted health concerns are at the top of the list, among other benefits. Secondly, if you're in the market for a pet, check your local shelters first; chances are, you just may find what you're looking for. Not in the market for a new pet, no problem, your local shelters are always in need of volunteers to help care for the pets they have. Lastly, there is a car tag program here in Mississippi called "I Care for Animals".

The "I Care for Animals" program allows Mississippians to purchase this license plate

for an additional $31. The money from each tag goes to city and county animal shelters, private animal shelters and humane organizations that submit grant applications for these funds. This program has helped homeless, injured and abused animals in shelters and humane organizations all across Mississippi.

Alternatively, you may wish to simply donate to the “I Care for Animals” program by sending a donation to the following address:

Mississippi Board of Animal Health

Attn: I Care of Animals

P.O. Box 3889

Jackson, MS 39207

For a list of animal shelters in Mississippi, click here.

What's In Your Dog's Heart?

Let's talk about something that's near and dear to my heart and your dog's...literally. This is a hot topic of discussion among many veterinarians and dog owners in the southern US right now; we're talking about Heartworm disease. According to the newest guidelines published by the American Heartworm Society..."It is estimated that currently more than 1 million dogs in the United States are infected with heartworms. This potentially fatal disease has been found in dogs native to all 50 states. Even as diagnostic methods advance, preventive therapies improve and disease awareness increases among veterinary professionals and pet owners, heartworm continues to present a serious threat to dogs’ health."

Heartworm disease is a deadly and devastating, parasitic infection affecting the heart. The parasite responsible for this disease is a long, slender worm called Dirofilaria Immitus. D. Immitus is the only worm that infects dogs in this way. The disease is not contagious; however, the disease is transmitted through a mosquito bite and cohabitating dogs may easily all be infected. Here in the state of Mississippi, the disease is widespread due to our overwhelming mosquito population. For some time, there have been products available to prevent heartworm disease. Almost all of these products are inexpensive and administered monthly. Speak to your veterinarian for specific product recommendations.

Life Cycle
The dog is infected by a mosquito bite, which transmits the heartworm larvae. (The mosquito is the only vector for transmission because the first stages of larval development must occur inside the mosquito.) From this point, the heartworm larvae mature and migrate to the pulmonary artery of the heart. After approximately six months, the larvae mature into an adult stage heartworm. These mature heartworms reside in the pulmonary artery and right side of the heart and feed off the blood in the heart. Adult male and female worms reproduce. Over the course of another 3-9 months (depending upon the size of the dog, season, etc.) these adults have multiplied from a few worms to possibly hundreds of worms.

Disease Stages
The heartworm can be readily picked up on a routine screen test at early stage disease. However, the dog will be asymptomatic (not showing signs of infection) during the early to middle stages. This is due to the fact that a low number of worms can be present and detected on a test but not cause enough damage or occlusion to create a problem in the dog. For this reason, we at Brandon Veterinary Clinic perform heartworm tests on every annual vaccination visit. Unfortunately, dogs that are not on heartworm prevention and that do not have routine, yearly tests may be infected without the owner realizing it. As the number of worms increases, the disease state also advances. If untreated, the large number of worms in the heart eventually begins to physically obstruct the chambers of the heart. The heart enlarges somewhat to compensate, but eventually is left severely strained and debilitated. At this point, the heart can no longer compensate by its normal mechanisms and blood begins to back up in the system. The overloaded blood vessels in the lung tissue begin to leak. This leads to congestive heart failure, which is fluid accumulation in the lungs and ultimately in the abdomen due to heart disease. The dog then begins to develop a cough (from the fluid accumulation and heart enlargement) and becomes lethargic, reluctant to exercise, and easily “winded”. Unfortunately, these signs only develop late in the course of disease. Thus emphasizing the importance of heartworm prevention and testing. If left untreated, the disease can be severely debilitating and even fatal.

Treatment
Heartworm treatment consists of a series of injections with a drug called “Immiticide”. It is currently the only FDA approved drug available for the safe and effective treatment of heartworm disease. The treatment is effective but can be costly, reaching into the thousands of dollars; severly affected dogs will be at considerable risk with treatment. Dogs must be evaluated thoroughly prior to the start of a treatment protocol; this includes blood work, x-rays, and a physical examination. Typically, one or more pre-treatment medications will be started to facilitate a safe and effective outcome. Dogs must also be confined and put on restricted activity during and after treatment. Many dogs have been treated successfully, but the treatment process is long, can be complicated, and is expensive.

Prevention
There are many heartworm prevention products on the market, most of which are very inexpensive, relative to the cost of treatment. Most prevention products are given monthly as a treat or as a topical application and although these products are effective, if heartworm prevention is not given every 30 days, a heartworm infection is likely to develop.

"As the United States economy continues to struggle, we as Americans closely inspect our monthly spending for what is and isn't necessary. It's tempting to cut preventative heartworm care for pets, but the cost of prevention is still relatively low compared to the cost of treatment if heartworm disease is diagnosed. Both dogs and cats may needlessly suffer and possibly die from this completely preventable disease. The risk from the increased mosquito population makes the need for prevention even greater this year," says Dr. Sheldon Rubin, American Heartworm Society president and Chicago area practitioner.

Heartworm Disease in Cats

Yes, your cat can get heartworm disease. Although it's really a canine specific parasite, the cat is the second most reported domestic species that can acquire the parasite. The cat is not very tolerant of the parasite either; it only takes a few worms to cause a devastating respiratory disease in cats. There is currently no FDA approved treatment for heartworm disease in the cat, however there are preventive products that are safe, effective and FDA approved for the cat.

As you can see, it is critical to keep your pet on monthly heartworm prevention to avoid this devastating disease.

To watch a video animation of heartworm disease click here.

For more information on heartworm disease visit http://www.heartwormsociety.org/

The American Heartworm Society, headquartered in Batavia, Illinois, is the global resource for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heartworm disease and was formed during the Heartworm Symposium of 1974. The American Heartworm Society stimulates and financially supports research, which furthers knowledge and understanding of the disease.

Off and Running

Alright, I've decided to start a blog after realizing that this may be the best forum to put my ideas, insights and random thoughts into the world. Primarily, I'd like this blog to be informative for our clients, fans and other interested readers; but from time to time we may stray a bit and just include some off-topic stuff. I'm gonna do my best to keep this casual and laid back, so those of you reading this, please feel free to send me an email with ideas for future topics, or general questions about your pets. I'll try my best to use them here on the blog. By the way, the blog's title may be a bit misleading as I do treat the feline species as well as the dog!