You need to check my Cat’s Blood pressure?

Post by Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)
Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

Cats get high blood pressure problems(hypertension) just like people. We may not detect our aging furry friend has this issue from her behavior at home. The signs are subtle, and in many cases may be chalked up as "getting older." What are red flags that should make you suspect blood pressure issues? Your older feline may seem less social, grumpy, or may spend more time hiding. Sound like common behaviors in most older felines? That's the problem!

In people hypertension is associated with profound headaches. Therefore, we suspect cats experience the same problem, which leads to those behaviors listed above.  

What causes high blood pressure in cats? Usually hypertension occurs secondary to another problem such as kidney failure or heart disease or overactive thyroid disease. However, some older cats develop primary high blood pressure, which means it is not due to any other issue.

 

Treatment? Antihypertensive medication is the answer. We also must to treat any underlying condition (such as heart disease or kidney disease). Of course, this sounds daunting – giving your cat medication every day for the rest of her life, but this is one medication that can easily be compounded into anything from a transdermal gel that you rub on the inside of her ear to a liquid to a chewy treat. The pill, itself, is quite small and easy to hide in food for most cats (and inexpensive this way).

Outlook for the hypertensive cat? In cats where the only problem is hypertension, then this can usually be controlled with medication and regular blood pressure monitoring. If there is an underlying problem the the overall prognosis for your cat depends on that problem. For example, hyperthyroidism is also usually straight forward to treat and control, but chronic kidney failure can be trickier to control and will progress over time.

Prevention? Your cat’s blood pressure should be checked twice a year when over the age of 9 years old.

WHAT'S BEHIND EVERY GOOD VETERINARIAN?

Guest Post by Dr. Elizabeth Broel

 

Disclaimer:  All animals featured in this post made full recoveries.  Most of the people did too.

I've done a lot of cool stuff in my veterinary career to date.  

 

Worked on draft mules in Montana? Done it.  

 

 Pulled various sharp objects out of pet faces?  Oh yeah, done lots of that.

Removed this....

 

From this stomach?

 

How could you not love a face like this?

Yep.  Done that.  A lot.  Labs love to eat things they shouldn't.

 

 

Saved Bambi after being hit by a car?  Yep, done that too.

 

 

 

 

My point? I've seen and done a lot of stuff. But this awesome-ness is not a one woman show. Who is always by my side?  Who helps me keep my sanity?  Who always has my back?  That’s right: a veterinary technician. 

 

 

 

 

The Staff

 

 

WELCOME TO

CAROLINA PETS ANIMAL HOSPITAL

 

 

 FROM THE FRONT DESK

 

TO OUR TREATMENT AREA

 

WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE YOU AND YOUR PET!

Retractable Leashes: A Dangerous Idea

Article by Sara Enos
Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

Written for Examiner in April of 2011, I covered some of the dangers related to the misuse of retractable leashes. With concern for the growing popularity of this style of leash, it seems appropriate to tackle this topic again to help dog owners avoid a few devastating mistakes.

Originally designed to let owners choose how far a dog can go and offer more freedom for canine companions on walks; retractable leashes are proving to provide a false sense of security and pose a danger to both dog and owner.

There have been thousands of human-related injuries reported from use of retractable leashes such as:

• blindness from the clasps breaking and snapping back to the face
• amputations to fingers when the cord gets wrapped and a dog jerks
• rope burns
• deep cuts

On the canine side, injuries are occurring as well and the results are proving tragic. A not so well-known cause for severe injury from dog fights comes from retractable leashes not capable of holding a dog running full speed. When a dog is running, and the leash is unwinding rapidly, the stop button is often difficult to engage and when it is engaged, it can break fairly easily. In addition, when the dog has reached the end of the leash, the forward momentum paired with the jolt of the lead coming to a sudden halt on the owners end, often causes the lead to snap and break where it is connected to the handle. The end result leaves the owner with a potentially irreversible injury and a dog given the ability to commence attack.

Retractable leashes prove to be constantly cumbersome in vet hospitals. Owners and dogs often become entangled when other dogs are entering or exiting the clinic. Countless cases of entanglement have resulted and staff finds themselves having to cut the dogs free from their entwined leads. Getting two dogs untangled that have come to a disagreement during the commotion can prove dangerous to the pets as well as the owners and staff trying to untangle them.

In the case one would need to quickly pull their pet away from danger, (car, bicycle, aggressive dog, away from cliff while hiking) doing so with a retractable leash proves frustrating, slow, and often ends undesirably without complete cooperation or ability from the dog.

From a safety perspective, retractable leashes offer very little control over a pet. One never knows if the next dog walking by is friendly or not; it is important to be in control of your pet at all times not only just for their well-being and safety, but for the well-being and safety of other dogs as well.

Perfect walking position for canine companions

 - Diane Jessup

Safer alternatives to retractable leashes for safe areas of play are lunge lines, training leads, or simply allowing your dog off-leash to exercise and play in a fenced area.

Overall, the safest way to leash your pet is a thin, comfortable lead, (such as a leather lead or soft nylon lead) that positions your pet by your side for walks in the neighborhood, veterinary visits, or trips to your favorite local pet stop.

Anal Sacs - Will my dog ever stop scooting?

Post by Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)



Is your dog scooting and licking at her hind end? Perhaps she is emitted a foul odor reminiscent of dead fish? That indicates the anal sacs are irritated or too full. Maybe you already know this and find you need to have your dog in to the vet every 4 to 6 weeks to have those glands expressed? Sometimes the anal sacs experience an overproduction of secretion that leads to this scenario. But expressing them on a routine basis when your dog is not showing signs they bother her may not always be the best plan. If this is a NEW problem, then your dog may have an anal sac infection that needs medication.

THE BASICS

What are the anal sacs? Popularly called "anal glands", these are two small pouches located on either side of the anus at approximately 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions. The sacs are lined with numerous specialized sebaceous glands that produce a foul smelling secretion.

What's their function? The anal sac secretion acts as a territorial marker or could be seen as a dog's "calling card." The sacs are present in both male and female dogs, and are normally emptied when a dog defecates. This is why dogs are so interested in smelling each other's stool.


WHAT TO DO?
NEW PROBLEM: Bring your dog in for an exam with her veterinarian. She may have an infection that needs treatment. If not, then you can discuss long-term strategy to help your dog naturally express her anal sacs.

OLD PROBLEM, NOT INFECTION: Treating overproduction of anal sac fluid can be handled either by frequent manual evacuation of the anal sacs, or increasing fiber therapy. If frequent anal sac expression is chosen, please remember that the more often the dog's anal sacs are expressed, then the more likely she will be to need them expressed. The body will adjust to frequent expression and produce more secretion. This is not an ideal scenario.

Please phone to consult with us on how to increase your dog's fiber therapy, if you think this is what your dog needs: (704)220-0226.

WHEN IS IT TIME TO GO TO THE VET?

Guest post by Jessica Fellers, DVM

Sometimes it is tough to know when to make an appointment with your veterinarian for your pet. What symptoms should cause the most concern or even warrant a trip to the emergency clinic in the middle of the night? The most important thing you need to know is ask, ask, ask. Call us at (704) 220-0226 with any questions you may have.  It's always better to make an appointment, have your pet examined, and find out that your pet is fine. Peace of mind is of great value!

There are times when it is obvious that emergency care is necessary, such as traumatic injury, severe bite wounds, difficulty breathing, seizures, collapse etc. But what are some things that you can do, to help you to decide, when you aren’t so sure?

GUIDELINES FOR AT HOME TO KNOW WHEN TO HAVE YOUR PET SEEN:

If your pet allows you to safely take a rectal temperature with a digital thermometer, apply a small amount of petroleum jelly, and gently insert only the small metal tip. Normal values are between 100F to 102.5F for cats and dogs. Temperatures above or below these values indicate your pet needs to be checked by your veterinarian ASAP. A dry or wet nose is of little value. Also, if you can safely lift your pet’s lip and check their gums, they should appear pink, not red, yellow or white/pale. You can also gently press on the gums with your fingertip. It will briefly turn white, but should return to pink in less than 2 seconds. Three seconds or greater is a concern.

If your pet has ingested anything other than their normal food and treats, please call to find out if treatment is necessary. Items of significant concern include chocolate (especially dark), macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, xylitol-containing chewing gums, homemade play dough, paintballs, fertilizer, rat poison, etc. Some of these can result in death if not addressed immediately. Please bring in the bag, wrapping, label, etc. for the product. This can be a critical piece of information.

Never give human medications without consulting a veterinarian. If you feel tempted to open your medicine cabinet, give us a call first. If there is an accidental ingestion of medications or supplements, please call to be sure they are safe.

A few instances of vomiting or diarrhea are not likely to be a concern unless your pet is not acting normally. If there are more than 2-3 episodes it is time to make an appointment.

 Anytime your pet has difficulty urinating, especially male cats, please bring them in immediately. This may also appear as vocalizing or even hiding.

Pain may not always be easy to assess. Some symptoms include restlessness, panting, not eating, whining, loss of appetite, acting withdrawn, aggression, or hiding.

Injuries to the eye should be taken seriously and treated quickly. Look for squinting, tearing, cloudiness, rubbing, or sudden loss of vision.

Since our pets can’t tell us when they don’t feel well, we have to be knowledgeable of signs that they need our help. Your pet’s safety and your peace of mind are important to us. Call us with your questions, we are here to help.

Happy Labor Day!

 
 

We want to wish you a happy Labor Day weekend.

We WILL be here on Monday Sept. 2: 7a.m-5p.m.

Cats get chin acne?

By Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)

Notice any black debris on your cat's chin, or maybe even pimple-like lesions? Then your cat has chin acne. This is not a hormonal problem. Actually, we are not entirely certain why some cats get these lesions.   Some cats only experience one episode in their life, while others may have cyclic or near-constant disease.  There are several suspected causes, including poor grooming habits, abnormal hair follicles with overproduction of sebum, virus infection (calicivirus, herpes virus), stress, chin trauma (due to excessive scent marking by rubbing the chin on vertical objects, or from scratching the chin due to underlying allergy), plastic food dish contact allergy, underlying immunosuppressive disease or bacterial contamination from rubbing the chin in food (especially in old dried canned food). 

 

SIGNS: Early clinical signs include crusts and plugged hair follicles forming "blackheads" on the chin and lower lip.  Some cases stay in the blackhead phase, while others progress to form infected, draining pustules, nodules, or cysts.  In severe cases, a cat may develop painful swelling of the chin and lips.  Cats that develop the infected pustules will often act itchy and rub or scratch the chin.   The problem often recurs in susceptible cats and seems related to the hair growth cycle.

  

TREATMENT: Treatment varies according to the severity and extent of lesions, and how much the condition is bothering the cat.  Cats with only a few blackheads often require no treatment, but may benefit from cleaning the chin once a day with a medicated antibacterial wipe, changing to a dry diet, and feeding out of ceramic or stainless steel bowls that are washed with soap and water daily, rather than plastic.  In more severe cases, antibiotics may be necessary for 4 – 6 weeks to clear a bacterial infection. 

 

Call us if you are worried about this problem in your cat: (704)220-0226.

Pictures courtesy of Cat World: http://www.cat-world.com.au/feline-acne

Top 3 Dog Allergy Questions We Hear

By Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)
Carolina Pets Animal Hospital



Why can't my dog's allergies be cured?

Allergies, whether due to fleas, food or something in your pet's environment are caused by the immune system overreacting, NOT a weakened or "sick" immune system. With flea allergy dermatitis, allergy shots (immunotherapy) doesn't work. The only treatment is avoidance, which means keep your pet on monthly flea control year round. The same is true for food allergies (your pet needs to stay on a prescription hypoallergenic diet).
     
For environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis), pets can be desensitized with allergy shots (immunotherapy). This type of treatment helps down regulate the body's overreaction to items in the environment, but even if it works these dogs require treatment for the rest of their lives. In rare cases after years of therapy, the dog may no longer need to be treated.








Why does my pet need such a high dose of antibiotics for such a long time to treat his skin infection?

Most pets, especially dogs, with skin infections have pyoderma  (or bacterial folliculitis) which means bacteria have colonized the hair follicles. This is not a classic "hot spot" an allergic dog may create after hours of scratching at one location where the infection is usually superficial. These pyodermas are deep infections. This is why topical therapy alone does not work well and antibiotics are needed. For a pet with standard pyoderma, at least 3 weeks of antibiotics are needed, and the rule is to treat at least one week beyond resolution of clinical signs (rash, itching).








Is my pet's condition contagious?

This depends on what type of infection your dog has. If your dog has an infection secondary to allergies such as yeast (Malassezia) or bacterial infection, then this is probably not contagious. We have rarely identified methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus infections in dogs, usually only those with very long-term recurrent infections; these do have potential to be contagious. But with these resistant infections there is some newer information to suggest the dog may have contracted it from a person.

There are certain skin conditions, such as sarcoptic mange (caused by Sarcoptes scabiei) that can cause lesions in people. The canine Demodex mites are not contagious to people, but Cheyletiella mites can be. Some ringworm infections can be contagious.

If you have any questions, give us a call: (704)220-0226!

Information for this article provided by Veterinary Medicine, June 2013 Vol 108, No. 6, p.13.

Fleas...old news but bad problem!

by Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)

Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

 

Fleas…those icky little brown bugs that infest your dog or cat when you lapse in flea control (or sometimes in spite of flea control). They are terrible this year, primarily because of the weather. We are seeing a huge surge in the number of flea infested pets in the past two weeks. So, I thought it time to parade out this old problem and remind you it is time to put that flea preventive product onto your pet. Fleas in this area spike in August and September and will be in high numbers until well into November. Indoor only pets are susceptible to infestations too.

Newsflash on flea preventive products: The traditional Frontline Top Spot and Frontline Plus, and its knock-off fipronil-containing products are not working well in North Carolina. Most inexpensive grocery/pet store products will not work.

What does work right now? Frontline TRITAK, which is the newest generation Frontline product is working extremely well. Both Frontline Tritak and Advantix (only to be used in dogs) are our only reliably effective products for both fleas and ticks. For flea-only the other effective products are Comfortis tablet (or Trifexis which has both the Comfortis plus heartworm preventive), Revolution (topical) and Advantage (topical).

What to do if you are already seeing fleas on your pet? First step, treat ALL furry pets in the household with an effective flea product such as one of those listed above; and use it once a month unless your veterinarian tells you to apply more frequently. If you are already using one of these products, give us a call. There are guarantees on some of the products that, if purchased through our clinic, we may be able to help you activate.

Second, treat the environment. For indoors, you should do a good vacuum every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks. This as effective, if not more so, than any chemical sprays/bombs/powders.  For the outdoors we recommend you use a sprinkle granule treatment that you can purchase at any home improvement store that has the active ingredient: imidicloprid. Follow directions on package for application outside.

 

Call us if nothing is working or you have any questions:

(704)220-0226.

WATCH OUT FOR THE HEAT!

By Zoe Forward, DVM, DABVP
Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

 

It’s 90-degrees, your dog is panting heavily and dragging behind, but you’re almost done with your 2 mile walk. This scenario is flashing a big red **DANGER** sign.

The only way for a dog to dissipate heat is by panting it off or sweat glands in their pads. Therefore, in this scenario your dog is highly susceptible to heat exhaustion or, even worse, heat stroke if it gets too hot. Heat stroke is a life-threatening (as in death) emergency.

The best plan? AVOID THE HEAT. Exercise your dog in the cooler parts of the day (early morning or just before dusk).

 

 

 

 

What are the signs of heat stroke? It starts with restless behavior as your dog becomes uncomfortably hot. You will see heavy, sometimes labored panting, excessive drooling or frothing at the mouth, and red gums. This will progress to weakness and lethargy often to the point the dog cannot move or might collapse. Eventually, affected animals will be in so much distress that they will become listless and slip into a coma. Unfortunately, the coma point is bad news… death is fairly imminent unless the dog receives immediate and aggressive medical treatment!

 

Who is at highest risk? Very young and very old dogs have a higher risk of developing heat stroke than do dogs in the prime of their lives. Brachycephalic breeds (e.g., pug, Boston Terrier, Bulldogs, etc), obese/overweight dogs, long-haired dogs and dogs that are black or dark in color. Dogs with hyperthyroidism, heart disease, lung disease or thick hair coats have an increased risk as well.

 

Bottom line: If you and your dog were out in the heat and you notice (s)he is restless, uneasy, having breathing problems or otherwise is just not doing right, call us or bring your dog in immediately.  This is an emergency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTERVIEW WITH MEGAN

Interview by Zoe Forward, DVM, DABVP


Hello Everyone!  I am so pleased to welcome Megan to our blog today.
Megan is a registered veterinary technician who has been working in the veterinary medical field for over eight years. Originally from California, she lived for a while in Colorado Springs before settling here.  She’s been involved in canine search and rescue groups and performed veterinary technician relief work in Haiti. She enjoys the small town atmosphere, close client relations, and the high caliber of medicine practiced here at Carolina Pets.

 

 

 

Megan, what is your favorite part of the job?

Of course I love working with animals, but I have to say I also really enjoy the medical aspect of the job. Being able to do everything from radiology to surgery and everything in between makes my job ever changing and unpredictable. I love it!

 

 

What advice would you give to anyone considering a career as a veterinary technician or veterinary assistant?

It’s not all puppies and kittens! You have to really enjoy the medical aspect of the job. It also gets messy sometimes! So, you need a strong stomach and a desire to challenge yourself.

 

Tell us about working in Haiti!

Working in Haiti was a once in a lifetime experience! I saw a lot of sad situations but it felt really good to help.  I was able to train villagers in areas of animal husbandry, nutrition, and preventative medicine as well as offer much needed care to animals that had gone so long without. The animals in Haiti serve a job, so you don’t see many companion animals. I always had to keep that point in mind when treating a sick or hard worked animal. Working there gave me a new perspective.

 

 

 

If money was no object, what hobby would you like to pick up?
Competitive Sailing

Favorite 4:

What’s your favorite word?

“Totally”…I’m from California!

What’s your favorite TV Show? 

Grey's Anatomy

How many personal pets do you have?  

 3 Dogs, 4 cats, and chickens!

What’s your favorite hobby?     

Backpacking and skiing in the winter

Thank you Megan for talking with us today. We are so fortunate to have you as a member of our team!

Anesthesia-Free Dental? Not so great a deal.

Posted by Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)

Information provided by the article written by veterinary dentist, Dr. John Lewis in Veterinary Practice News (Vol 25, No 7)

An anesthesia-free dental cleaning sounds great, doesn’t it?  No anesthesia means lower risk.  But is it less risky? Sure the crowns of your pet’s teeth look great afterwards, but without anesthesia your veterinarian is unable to probe each individual tooth (there’s no way your pet will stay still to have this done), take dental x-rays or get a good look on the inside or back of teeth.  Therefore, this procedure barely scrapes the surface of dental disease….no pun intended. 

Although the term “anesthesia-free dentistry” is commonly used to describe the practice of cleaning teeth without anesthesia, the American Veterinary Dental college prefers to use the term “non-professional dental scaling,” or NPDS, to describe these procedures.

Why isn’t an anesthesia-free dental cleaning a good idea?

1.       Dental procedures can be uncomfortable!  Rarely is a dental cleaning for our animal patients just a tooth cleaning. When we take a closer look with the right tools, there are common problems found. This could be in the form of a periodontal pocket where bacterial infection has created a deep pocket between the tooth and gums. This requires therapy. Or a deep abscess or even a necessary extraction. Even the act of ultrasonic cleaning of the teeth is uncomfortable. We don’t want our patients to feel pain during treatment!

 

2.       A thorough mouth exam requires anesthesia.  A thorough evaluation of each tooth is essential. It isn’t a dental cleaning without this! As well there are mouth structures we cannot see without anesthesia such as tonsils and the back of the throat, where disease often hides.  Pets will not allow us to probe teeth away and this is how we check teeth for fractures, cavities, and infection. Probing means that a periodontal probe is submerged into the gingival sulcus in six places around each tooth. No dog or cat will allow this.

 

3.       Dental radiographs (x-rays) are the best care for your pet.  Dogs and cats simply cannot tell us when they have a painful tooth or when there is an infection brewing. Often the problem is not above the gumline where we can see. Most of these patients will still eat and may even have otherwise normal play behaviors. The only way for us to know what is going on beneath the gums is to take a picture.

 

4.       Scaling requires thorough polishing afterwards.  That gritty stuff your dentist puts on your teeth after cleaning is called polish. It fills in all the little defects caused by scraping off the tartar. If a patient is a moving target while scaling, then potential damage for the surface of the tooth is greater. Polishing smoothes out the rough surfaces, but the patient has to be still. This is often not going to happen on an awake pet.

 

5.       False sense of security.  When the crowns (tops) of the teeth looks clean, we assume all is going well beneath the gums.  The level of tartar is what clues us in that the teeth need to be cleaned and it looks great for a while after it has been scraped off, but it may be that there is more significant disease we didn’t know about brewing beneath the gums.

 

Weighing the Pros and Cons.

There is always some risk with anesthesia, usually small, but in some patients this risk is higher depending on the pet’s medical status.  There are pets who should not be placed under anesthesia, and perhaps only in those patients anesthesia-free dentals could be considered.

However, advances in anesthesia and monitoring equipment have allowed the risk to be lower than ever in the past. At Carolina Pets Animal Hospital we use the most current monitor tools and advanced inhalant anesthesia (Sevoflurane) to maintain our patients.