The Pet Cleaner's Club

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

 Are you the designated pet cleaner up-er in your household? When your dog poops on the floor or vomits up some disgusting half-chewed up toy or dead animal, does everyone wave their arms in the air and wail, “Mom…Misty puked!” Or my all-time favorite: “Eww! Callie peed on the rug again.”  Everyone other than you is paralyzed in the face of pet elimination. They are enthusiastic about pointing out the mess, but then walk away in pride as if they’ve completed their job. You are left to deal. So, you close off all sense of smell and swallow that knot of disgust that’s churning your stomach and pull out the cleaners. Been there?  Have you ever had a rough day at work only to arrive home last and discover the pet disaster has been preserved just for you like a crime scene roped off with DO NOT CROSS tape? And, the mess is now crusted into an almost permanent new layer on the beautiful area rug.

Maybe we’re the strongest one in the family, the heroes that can deal with this. Or maybe we’re the chumps that somehow got roped into this disgusting duty. But I want you to know that you are not alone. I see us as the heroes. I’m here to give you a helpful list of tools to help you fix that mess and get rid of the smell. I've accrued this list over years of suggestions and trial-and-error because, trust me, I've had a lot of messes to contend with over the years.

Cleaners that work:

            URINE OFF - there is a formula for dogs and one for cats

           Anti-Icky Poo!

           Eco-88

Odor removers (to use after cleaning):

            F.O.N.

            Elimin Odor Feline

            Cat-Off Odor Concentrate

The list isn't long but that's it. They work. You will read many online that use some of the natural easily available products like Nature's Best, but unfortunately this product like many is very sensitive to temperature and can be affected by other cleaners that you use. So, I can't recommend it.

Got any other suggestions that you've discovered? Leave a comment! We members of the Pet Cleaner's Club need all the help we can get.

Sometimes Even Veterinarians Go ICK!

 

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

(Disclaimer: This is for entertainment)

I’ve been at this job for almost fourteen years (I can’t believe it’s been that long either) and I’ve experienced the gross, the messy, and the smelly (to the point of throw your nose into mutiny smelly).  My family can attest to this as they are immune to the gross being discussed at the dinner table. In fact, my four year-old takes avid interest in diarrhea blow-out stories. I can’t say I’m proud of that, but it’s the first thing he asks to hear about when I come home. Due to his fascination with the subject, he recently declared his intent to follow in my footsteps into this profession – this coming from the kid that still isn’t sure about picking up a fishing worm. Well, maybe he’s got a bit of his mom’s “ick” on that.

Even though I have a high tolerance for that which would make most think, “No way, I’m dealing with that,” every once in a while I’m hit with a true case of the OMGs. Each of us as veterinarians has our one or two things that exceed our gross-tolerance meter. When I see it, I’m not going to stop examining  your pet to jump away with my hands waving and scream, “Oh, s---!”  But, believe me, I’m screaming on the inside. There’s one particular issue that makes my palms sweat and my heart rate skyrocket. So, what is it that makes my innerds tighten into macrame knots?  No, it’s not smelly bloody diarrhea disasters or pets with horrendous wounds or broken limbs or vomit messes or ears with an oozing infection. It’s those little off-white creepy crawlies called maggots. If you ever see an infestation of these guys in a pet’s wound (the sight, the sound, the destruction), you will be forever altered. I hope you avoid that shock. If you suspect it’s there, then I recommend not looking. Bring it to us.

Side note: I remain baffled by those in human medicine that choose to use these creatures in a “good” way to debride wounds. Oh sure, they’ll eat up the dead and the infected tissue, but they’re not going to stop there. They'll eat up the good and the healthy. These are destructive little monsters. They’re not like a super Sci Fi movie monster that’s going to attack you just for getting close (they like being hidden in the wound), but they will  take advantage of the weak, the young, the debilitated, and, well, anything infected. Personally, I'd never volunteer for maggot wound care assistance simply on the basis of them being what they are. But I do digress.

The most common myasis infestations (that’s the technical and much easier to digest word than maggot) are in dogs with hind limb weakness (especially from back trauma) and rabbits – especially if housed outdoors during warmer months when fly strike is common. If I find these little creepies, this it's a team effort to treat with the key words being: containment and removal. Any vet will tell  you there is not much that kills a maggot. There’s no spray or injection. There is one drug that, if the tablet is crushed, helps. I’ve tried everything over the years. Treatment is about getting every single one of them out and preventing any from getting away. Most pets live, which is the good news. But this is one of those few issues that once your vet team treats it, you need to give that team a huge thank you. It’s tough, it’s gross, and we’re professionals...but a lot of us have that super ick over this.


In the spirit of prevention to avoid this issue entirely, be careful if your pet is high risk in the warmer months and left outdoors. If you have rabbits housed outside, keep fly prevention devices in the area (fly paper works). All of us would be forever grateful to never see this. But when it appears again (and it will...we always get a couple of cases a year), my team and I will handle it. Like every vet, I will shove aside my ick factor and give your pet top notch care with a smile. But remember on the inside I’m still screaming like a four year-old: OMG! OMG!