Obesity in dogs & cats

Is Obesity Killing Your Pet? 

Obesity is a huge health concern in our pets because it is a health risk that predisposes them to arthritis, diabetes, and many other life threatening diseases.  Simple changes in your dog or cats routine like increasing activity levels and decreasing caloric intake will not only improve the health of your pet but save you money long term.

Most owners follow the recommendations found on the back of every dog and cat food bag.  However, the food companies set a standard label that doesn’t take into account different breeds and skeletal frames of each pet.  For example, thirty pounds on a sheltie is completely different than thirty pounds on a Jack Russell Terrier.  Therefore, it is important to talk with your veterinarian to determine what weight is ideal for your pet.  It is also important to discuss with your veterinarian running routine diagnostic tests to rule out diseases that may predispose your pet to weight gain such as hypothyroidism. 

 Unlike dogs that are fed twice a day most cat are given free feeding throughout the day and share among multiple pets.  This method may result in one cat eating over their share of food which typically leads to obesity.  Most indoor only cats should be fed between 1/4 -1/2 cup of food daily because of their limited activity in the home.  For cats that are overweight it is recommended to separate out them from the other cats in the house so that a controlled amount of food can be given.  Also it’s important to encourage these cats to be more active at home by providing cat nip toys, balls and dangle toys. 

Listed below is a simple chart to evaluate the body condition of your pet.  Most veterinarians use a 1-9 scale with 1 being very underweight and 9 being obese.  Visually looking at a pet to determine whether they are obese is done by measuring a waist which is the circumference of the pet just after the rib cage ends and in front of the rear legs.  This area can be measured and monitored as a method to determine if your pet is losing weight.  The other way to evaluate a pet for obesity is to palpating along their rib cage.  In a very underweight dog the ribs can be seen and easily palpated.  In a very overweight dog no ribs can be evaluated or palpated.  At an ideal weight a pet’s ribcage can be slightly visualized and palpated with very little pressure on the sides of the chest.  Talk with your veterinarian about learning how to evaluate your pet with these methods. 

Whether your pet is getting too many treats, not enough exercise or being over fed the key to curbing obesity is to make a plan with your veterinarian.  By monitoring your pet’s progress with monthly weight checks and measurement you can easily see your pet success.  Obesity can shorten your pets life which is why it is so important to treat this life threatening disease from harming your beloved pets today.

picture from: http://cute-n-tiny.com/tag/kitten-toys/



picture from:http://www.arthritisindogsblog.com/it-is-an-epidemic-obesity-in-dogs-is-on-the-rise/

Importance of Yearly Exams: Your Pet Can't Tell You What Hurts

Dont let your Pet suffer in silence...may owners dont notice simple problems that are very painful for pets.  So make sure your pet has been examined this year!

Each year more and more veterinarians are seeing a dramatic decrease in the number of clients who bring their pet in for yearly exams.  This has resulted in more pets being seen on emergency visit for preventable and curable diseases that could have been caught earlier if a yearly exam was done.  Every pet despite their age needs to have their eyes and ears examined,  their heart and lungs listened too, their teeth evaluated for disease, their abdomen checked, their skin looked over, their joints manipulated, their stool checked for parasites and overall bloodwork evaluated.  In total every pet needs to be looked over from nose to tail at least once a year and sometimes twice a year especially for elderly pets.  Without being examined simple problems become big issues that threaten the life of your pet. 

One of the big reasons owners have stopped visiting their veterinarian is because they are no longer buying the flea and tick products at their local veterinary clinic.  However, this is a minor concern for your pet that can become a big issue if the right product is not given.  By not visiting the veterinarian clients are missing out on the critical step of what products they should be buying and how it should be applied.  As a result the number of pets with fleas, ticks, as well as intestinal parasites has steadily increased in the last couple of years.  Only when an infestation of fleas has resulted in a complete baldness of a patient, with severe secondary skin infection, and a house overrun with fleas do owners then make an appointment.  Veterinarians are then forced to play defense instead of getting those patients protected from the beginning and eliminating the need for antibiotics, steroids and professional treatment of the home.  Therefore, by visiting your veterinarian yearly you can have that imperative discussion about how to protect your beloved pet and your household from preventable infestations.

One of the big reasons yearly exams are so important in middle age to elderly patients is because this is when more chronic diseases start to develop.  As our pets get older yearly bloodwork because an integral part of catching disease early.  By catching a disease like diabetes, renal disease, or hyperthyroidism when it first develops patients can be started on treatments earlier which will prolong their life.  This also saves owners from a larger financial burden and stress because it prevents the inevitable middle of the night crash from a very developed disease that will results in a large cost with a lower probability of survival.  Therefore, pets that are middle age or elderly must have yearly exams with bloodwork to monitor changes and catch disease early.

So next time you see a yearly reminder from your local veterinarian telling you it’s time for fluffy’s annual exam do not brush it off.  Your pet needs to be examined every year.  This will help to keep your pet healthy and save you money in the long run! 

Stay Out of The Heat!

How to Avoid Heat Stroke in Your Pet:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/heat.htm

Dogs are more prone to overheating compared to humans due to the limited number of sweat glands found only in their paws.  In order to keep cool dogs will pant and drink cold water to prevent over heating.  For this reason it is very important to always provide shade and fresh cold water to your pet. 

Some dogs are more prone to overheating than others such as bulldogs, pugs, and boxers due to their decreased airway circulation within their mouth.  Also dogs with double coats have a harder time staying cool.

A dog should never be left in the car even if you are just running a quick errand.  Cracking the windows or putting the car in the shade is not enough to prevent pets from becoming overheated and suffering from heat stroke.  This is because the cabin of your car can very quickly reach over 100 degree temperatures in less than 10 minutes!  So make sure to leave your pet at home in the cool air conditioning instead of taking that risk.                                                                                          http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/heatphotos.htm

 

Symptoms of heat stroke to watch out for in your pet:

Dark/ purple gums

Unresponsive

Rapid heavy panting

Rapid heart rate

Staggering

Heavy drooling

Weakness

Seizures

Vomiting

Diarrhea

If you notice any of these symptoms in your pet bring them into the shade or air conditioning immediately.  Start to lower their temperature slowly by putting the dog’s feet or whole body in cool water (not cold water).  Also apply wet towels to your pets head, neck and belly.  Make sure to offer your dog a drink and contact your veterinarian right away. 

To see other pictures of dogs beating the heat go to:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/heatphotos.htm

Heartworm Disease: Still a Concern in ALL Pets

   Every year owners are shocked to find out their pet has been diagnosed with heartworm disease, a life threatening disease that is preventable with monthly heartworm prevention.  Dogs and cats must be given heartworm prevention every month.  Prior to starting prevention a heartworm test has to be evaluated; this test ensures that your pet doesnt already have heartworm disease.  A pet treated with heartworm prevention can cause severe fatal reactions in patients already infected with the disease. 

Heartworm disease is a life threatening condition that affects dogs and cats, as well as many other species of wildlife.  It is caused by a parasitic worm that lives in the major blood vessels of the lungs and heart.  These microscopic larvae of the parasite are passed by the bite of a mosquito. 

Though some patients never show any clinical signs here are some symptoms to watch out for in your pet:

• Coughing
• inappetance or anorexia
• excercise intolerance
• lethargy (tired all the time)

When caught early heartworm disease can be treatable.  However, in long term infections the trauma caused to the vessels, lungs and heart can be life threatening. 


http://www.houstoncollierescue.org/collie_health_articles/heartwormdisease.html

Treatment of heartworm disease involves a series of intramuscular injections to kill the heartworms.  In some cases treatment requires surgical removal of heartworms.  Untreated heartworm disease can be fatal.

The key to preventing this disease is monthly heartworm prevention that can be bought at your local veterinary office.   Whichever method of prevention is chosen, it far out ways the cost and risk of treating heartworm disease.


Further resources for information:
http://www.vetstreet.com/care/heartworm-disease-in-dogs
http://www.vetstreet.com/care/heartworm-disease-in-cats

Urinary Stones:

http://www.kingmananimalhospital.com/bladderstones.html 


Similiar to humans, some dogs and cats are prone to forming urinary stones, which can be very painful when the pet urinates. These patients are also more prone to having recurrent urinary tract infections. Owners typically notice these pets urinating more often, straining to urinate as well as urinating in the house, which are all symptoms of urinary tract infections as well as urinary stones.

Patients with large stones typically require surgical removal but expensive surgery can be avoided in pets with smaller stones and crystals thanks to prescription urinary diets.  Urinary diets work by creating an unfavorable environment for the formation of crystals, which are the precursors of stones. 

Fluffy, a six year old Shi Tzu presented to Keystone Animal Hospital for inappropriate urination. On exam, stones could be palpated in the bladder and on x-ray 11 stones ranging in sizes were identified. Due to the severity of the disease, surgery was necessary to remove all the large stones but there was no guarantee that all of the small stones were completely eliminated. After surgery, Fluffy was immediately started on Royal Canin Urinary SO to prevent more stones from forming and to dissolve the remaining small stones. The owner was thrilled that Fluffy loved the food and as their veterinarian, I was thrilled that after 3-4 weeks, Fluffy’s urinalysis was completely clear of all crystals. A year later, Fluffy is still on the food with no further urinary tract problems and no longer urinating on her mom's favorite rug!

So if your pet is prone to urinary tract stones, talk to your veterinarian about starting one of the prescription urinary diets available at their hospital! Also, make sure to have your pet's urine tested yearly because checking for urinary stones early will save time and money.

Flea Products: Read the Label!!


Do you buy your flea products over the counter? Make sure you are using products specifically labeled for your pet, especially with cats. Some flea and tick products for example, contain Permethrin a very toxic ingredient that is deadly to feline patients. From my experience what owners save in flea and tick products over the counter they end up doubling in treating there homes for flea infestations or medical bills from giving the wrong product. Therefore, if you think cheaper medications is worth the savings make sure you read the label and talk to your veterinarian first!



http://dayandeveningpetclinic.com/services/flea-tick-prevention/

See this other blog from other pet owners who used the wrong product:
http://www.hartzvictims.org/2010/07/19/hartz-ultraguard-one-spot-treatment-can-seriously-harm-a-pet/

Its that time of the year again!  Flea Season

With fleas worse than they have ever been before it is imperative that all your pets are kept on monthly flea prevention. This not only means dogs but indoor only cats & ferrets as well! Even if your pet never goes outside it is possible to bring fleas into the home on your clothing and infect an unprotected pet. Therefore, make sure all of your pets are given their flea prevention every month!

http://www.dermvetvegas.com/fleas.html