My Cat's Not Fat!

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

Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

 

Do your friends and family ooohh and aaahh over the size of your cat? Does she seem to get bigger every year? If she was a person, would she be a contender for the Biggest Loser TV show? I'll bet you dread bringing her in to see the vet out of fear that she’s gone up another pound or two.

We should start a support group.  I’ve got a fat cat too…and I’m a vet. There are some cats out there that do tend to put on the pounds easier. It's not fair. There are also some cats that are taller and "bigger boned," but if your cat weighs more than 15 lbs no matter her breed, then...she's fat. :(  You may even feed the best high quality food, maybe even use the "light" version of that food and, yet, she still gains weight. Honestly, cat weight loss has to be the gosh darn hardest problem to resolve in an indoor-only kitty with little opportunity to go to the gym (and no motivation) and whose only challenge in life is to get off the bed to eat the next meal.

I feel obligated to list off all the reasons the weight is a life-threatening problem, and perhaps be a small motivation to get our cat’s weight under control before she reaches the age of five:

1. High risk for diabetes mellitus (treatment requires twice daily insulin injections)
2. Urinary tract disease (infections, stones, and idiopathic cystitis – which translates into urinating outside the box)
3. Arthritis
4. Poor quality of life (all she does is sit around and sleep; she’ll have shorter lifespan)
5. Inability to groom (yeah, as she gets older she’ll get greasier and matted on the back end…you’ll have to deal with that through daily brushing and probably paying to have her groomed on a regular basis...she's not going to like that)

So, what’s the problem (other than you feel your cat needs liposuction) and how do we fix this?

I wish there was a miracle cure...a magic pill that would resolve this without us needing to put in a lot of work and change how we feed our cat. We want to feed-and-go, not watch the cats eat and play referee. There are pills out there for overweight kitties, but they are certainly not miracle pills. Just like people the drugs require diet and exercise to have any chance to work. So, what is the real problem? Us! We feel guilty depriving our weight-challenged feline from that treat she loves and cutting back on the food (going to meal feeding) or even a prescription diet. To save our cat's life, though, we need to get serious and realize this is a life-threatening problem. We helped her get that big and have been in denial long enough. The only way to get it off is to feed that prescription diet food your vet has been hounding you to try for several years (not the “light” or “indoor” or “less active” grocery store or pet store brand food -- those don't work). These guys need the serious weight control food.  They need the weight loss diets that are grounded in research. Most are high protein (like Royal Canine Calorie Control) so the cat feels good on the diet (not starved, which is what we are very concerned about). Remember Weight Watcher's slogan (it applies to these diets): Believe, Because It Works.
I’ve tried all the diets on my larger kitty and had success with two of the weight loss prescription diets. It’s hard, though. I’ve got more than one cat, which means I have to meal feed and watch that big guy like a hawk. He’ll push out the thinner, perfect weight kitties out of the way  if there's even a chance he'll get one extra morsel.


We can win. Ask us. We can help. And we understand (truly) how hard this can be.

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!

  
 

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.