A question submitted by a reader: Why does my beagle eat toilet paper and ear cleaners?
There are any number of reasons why this occurs. I hear about it a lot in my clinic, pets eating non food items and the owners are puzzled. Some reasons are medical, some are behavioral. It may take some investigation and help from your veterinarian to figure it out.
One of the reasons is called "pica". This is a condition where anything and everything the pet sees that is a non-food item is eaten. Rocks, paper, wood, etc are all fair game to your pet. This is a behavioral condition that training may help with, but it may not. The very best solution is to keep everything out of your pet's reach. It can be very serious, even fatal, if your pets consumes something that gets stuck in their intestines. If this occurs, you could be looking at a very costly surgery! Or they could eat medication and become very sick or die.
Another reason is a condition called separation anxiety. This occurs very often in certain breeds, such as beagles, but it can happen to any dog. A dog with separation anxiety will display destructive behaviors when you leave them alone, even for a short time period. They will chew and eat non food items, tear up carpets or the floor, and other unwanted behaviors. Their main goal is simple: to try and find their owners. They don't know where you went, or if you will return. They just want you back where they can see you! These dogs can be managed by behavior modifying medications and a special type of training known as B.O.N.D. This will take time and patience on your part to help maintain your pet's fearful behaviors.
Finally, there is just plain boredom, or "being a dog" syndrome. Dogs just love to chew. They will sometimes get bored and find something non-food to chew on and eat. This is why it is important to have appropriate toys you want your pet to chew on. If, for example, your pet is eating toilet paper, he or she may be bored and it is up to you as a pet owner to correct the behavior. Do not allow your pet access to the toilet paper anymore. Give your pet toys you do want him or her to chew on and praise them when they do so. Never punish your pet after the fact, like if you come home to toilet paper all over the house. They will not know why you are upset with them. Some dogs will chew up things just because they think it is fun. The key to correcting this is consistency and patience.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
How to Introduce a New Pet
This topic was submitted to me by one of my followers. It can be really hard to get a new pet used to your family, and your family used to the new pet! Here are some helpful hints to get you started.
If you have other pets, make sure to introduce your new friend slowly. It can be a really good idea to keep them separated, but allow them to see and smell each other, for a short period of time. Cats especially can have a hard time with a new dog or cat so make sure you help your feline by giving him or her an adjustment period. If you are adopting from a shelter, you might see if the shelter will let you bring your whole family, pets included, for an introduction on neutral ground. This way, the current pets may feel less territorial and not feel like their home is being intruded. A very important thing to keep in mind is that you need to give the current pets the same amount of attention as you always have! If you spend more time with the new pet and less time with the current pet(s), there may be jealousy that develops. This will be counter active to what you are trying to accomplish.
Pets will attempt to establish their own hierarchy, or "who is the boss" situation. You should keep this in mind when the new pet wants to go for a walk, or eat their dinner. The current pet may try to nip, bite, hiss, or growl at the new pet to let them know they are stepping out of place. It can be a good idea to walk them separately for a little while until they get used to each other. You also may want to feed them separately to prevent anyone from guarding their food, or eating all the food so there is none for other pets. If you are introducing cats, make sure there are extra litter boxes around the house. Some cats who are trying to be more dominant may guard the litter box. A good rule of thumb is one litter box per cat in the house, plus one. So if you have 2 cats, you should have 3 litter boxes.
When introducing a new pet and you have children or babies, the most important thing you can do is NEVER leave them alone! Always, always supervise kids and babies around pets. Even the nicest pet can be just fine around kids but the minute the pet feels slightly threatened, it may bite or snap at a little hand or face. Babies make noises and jerky movements that a cat or dog can perceive as a prey animal sometimes. Babies have no defense against cats or dogs. Be sure your baby is in your arms or in a safe place where the pet cannot reach it. Children often get excited around new pets and may accidentally hurt them, the pet does not know they don't mean it and may try to defend itself. Planning, patience, and caution are the keys to a successful introduction of a new pet.
If you have other pets, make sure to introduce your new friend slowly. It can be a really good idea to keep them separated, but allow them to see and smell each other, for a short period of time. Cats especially can have a hard time with a new dog or cat so make sure you help your feline by giving him or her an adjustment period. If you are adopting from a shelter, you might see if the shelter will let you bring your whole family, pets included, for an introduction on neutral ground. This way, the current pets may feel less territorial and not feel like their home is being intruded. A very important thing to keep in mind is that you need to give the current pets the same amount of attention as you always have! If you spend more time with the new pet and less time with the current pet(s), there may be jealousy that develops. This will be counter active to what you are trying to accomplish.
Pets will attempt to establish their own hierarchy, or "who is the boss" situation. You should keep this in mind when the new pet wants to go for a walk, or eat their dinner. The current pet may try to nip, bite, hiss, or growl at the new pet to let them know they are stepping out of place. It can be a good idea to walk them separately for a little while until they get used to each other. You also may want to feed them separately to prevent anyone from guarding their food, or eating all the food so there is none for other pets. If you are introducing cats, make sure there are extra litter boxes around the house. Some cats who are trying to be more dominant may guard the litter box. A good rule of thumb is one litter box per cat in the house, plus one. So if you have 2 cats, you should have 3 litter boxes.
When introducing a new pet and you have children or babies, the most important thing you can do is NEVER leave them alone! Always, always supervise kids and babies around pets. Even the nicest pet can be just fine around kids but the minute the pet feels slightly threatened, it may bite or snap at a little hand or face. Babies make noises and jerky movements that a cat or dog can perceive as a prey animal sometimes. Babies have no defense against cats or dogs. Be sure your baby is in your arms or in a safe place where the pet cannot reach it. Children often get excited around new pets and may accidentally hurt them, the pet does not know they don't mean it and may try to defend itself. Planning, patience, and caution are the keys to a successful introduction of a new pet.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Hip Dysplasia
Another topic submitted by a friend: "Can you list some facts/tips on hip displaysia? I'm sure I spelled that incorrectly, but our 13 year old dog tested positive for it when he was around 2-3 and I'm just curious how this will continue to develop and if there is anything we can do for him? He is on glucosomine tablets already, but I would love to make him be in the least amount of pain possible."
Hip dysplaysia for dogs is fairly common, especially in the large breed dogs. Small breeds can have it too, it is just not as common. Usually it is diagnosed by a veterinarian by X-rays. What we see upon X-ray, if a pet has this problem, is the "ball and socket" joint of the hips, where the femur sits in the hip, is not normal. The "ball", or head of the femur does not sit correctly in place and appears to have slipped out of the "socket".
This condition is usually found in young dogs, around 6 to 20 months of age, or the elderly pet who is maybe limping or walking like they are in pain. In young dogs, it is best to not breed them, as this is a hereditary trait. If you have a large breed dog, you will want to feed it a large breed, quality food. This will help the bones to grow at an appropriate rate for the puppy. Large breed foods will have a decreased calcium content, which is what you want for a large breed. If their bones grow too quickly, this can lead to a number of joint diseases. In young and old dogs, you simply have to control any discomfort. There is no cure for this disease and the condition will continue to develop. It usually results in pain, arthritis of the joint, and sometimes muscle atrophy (where the muscles start to "disappear") if the pet will not use its legs.
For the pet who has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, Glucosamine supplements are a good idea. Make sure you get them from your veterinarian as human pills can be an incorrect dose for your pet. When they begin to have a lot of discomfort, you can ask your veterinarian to prescribe pain medication. There are a few we routinely use for dogs/cats. The NSAIDs (like Rimadyl or Meloxicam) are a good choice because they reduce pain and inflammation. Regular blood tests may be needed if your pet is on these long term to check their liver. NEVER give your pet human pain meds, like Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Advil. These are toxic to dogs and cats, even a small amount!
Hip dysplaysia for dogs is fairly common, especially in the large breed dogs. Small breeds can have it too, it is just not as common. Usually it is diagnosed by a veterinarian by X-rays. What we see upon X-ray, if a pet has this problem, is the "ball and socket" joint of the hips, where the femur sits in the hip, is not normal. The "ball", or head of the femur does not sit correctly in place and appears to have slipped out of the "socket".
This condition is usually found in young dogs, around 6 to 20 months of age, or the elderly pet who is maybe limping or walking like they are in pain. In young dogs, it is best to not breed them, as this is a hereditary trait. If you have a large breed dog, you will want to feed it a large breed, quality food. This will help the bones to grow at an appropriate rate for the puppy. Large breed foods will have a decreased calcium content, which is what you want for a large breed. If their bones grow too quickly, this can lead to a number of joint diseases. In young and old dogs, you simply have to control any discomfort. There is no cure for this disease and the condition will continue to develop. It usually results in pain, arthritis of the joint, and sometimes muscle atrophy (where the muscles start to "disappear") if the pet will not use its legs.
For the pet who has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, Glucosamine supplements are a good idea. Make sure you get them from your veterinarian as human pills can be an incorrect dose for your pet. When they begin to have a lot of discomfort, you can ask your veterinarian to prescribe pain medication. There are a few we routinely use for dogs/cats. The NSAIDs (like Rimadyl or Meloxicam) are a good choice because they reduce pain and inflammation. Regular blood tests may be needed if your pet is on these long term to check their liver. NEVER give your pet human pain meds, like Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Advil. These are toxic to dogs and cats, even a small amount!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Heart Murmurs in Pets
I am addressing a topic submitted to me by a friend, Megan, who I hope finds this helpful! Megan's question: "What exactly does a heart murmur mean for your pet? What causes it, is there anything to be done to lessen the effects on the heart, and how does it change their health outlook?"
A heart murmur is a condition of the heart where a valve is not closed all the way and so the normal flow of blood in the heart itself is disrupted. There is a back flow of blood that happens and makes a "whoosh whoosh" sound when the veterinarian or veterinary technician listens to your pet's heart. Heart murmurs are graded on a scale of I to V (1 to 5), with Grade V being the worst.
This valve issue can be caused by a number of things. Number one is genetics. Some pets are born with the valves not developed correctly. Puppies can however have a murmur that will go away on its own as the heart grows and matures. This is usually not an issue and will resolve itself. When it does not go away as your pet ages, you may need medications to help your pet during its life, which I will discuss later. Number two is heartworm disease. Dogs and cats can, and do, get heartworms. When a mosquito bites your pet, it puts the babies (called larvae) in their system. Those travel in the blood stream, go to the heart, and live as adult heartworms in the valves. This is a very serious disease that causes murmurs and death. Keeping your dog and cat on heartworm prevention (even if it's indoors-mosquitoes come in the house!) and having it tested every year is the best way to ensure your pet does not pick up these nasty pests. Number three is old age. As your pet becomes a senior citizen, the valves of the heart will weaken and a murmur will develop. This is a fairly common occurence with older pets.
As far as your pet's health outlook, you may notice your pet is a little more tired or gets out of breath more easily. Exercise may be difficult. Some pets will develop a cough as the back flow of blood can cause fluid to accumulate elsewhere in the body. Sometimes, there may be no outward signs or symptoms at all.
If your pet has a murmur, there is not really anything that can be done to lessen the effects on the heart itself but you can help ease your pet's symptoms. Your veterinarian can prescribe a drug called Furosemide (or a similar medication) to help decrease fluid build up in the body. Your pet may need to pee more often while on this medication. Some other drugs that may be prescribed are Enalapril or Vetmedin. Both of these meds help blood flow more smoothly so the heart can pump blood more efficiently with less work. It is also a very good idea to have bloodwork done by your veterinarian yearly to make sure your pet's other organs, electrolytes, and blood counts are staying in healthy ranges. By doing a combination of the bloodwork, medication, heartworm prevention, and visiting your veterinarian regularly, a pet with a heart murmur can still live a normal life for years to come.
A heart murmur is a condition of the heart where a valve is not closed all the way and so the normal flow of blood in the heart itself is disrupted. There is a back flow of blood that happens and makes a "whoosh whoosh" sound when the veterinarian or veterinary technician listens to your pet's heart. Heart murmurs are graded on a scale of I to V (1 to 5), with Grade V being the worst.
This valve issue can be caused by a number of things. Number one is genetics. Some pets are born with the valves not developed correctly. Puppies can however have a murmur that will go away on its own as the heart grows and matures. This is usually not an issue and will resolve itself. When it does not go away as your pet ages, you may need medications to help your pet during its life, which I will discuss later. Number two is heartworm disease. Dogs and cats can, and do, get heartworms. When a mosquito bites your pet, it puts the babies (called larvae) in their system. Those travel in the blood stream, go to the heart, and live as adult heartworms in the valves. This is a very serious disease that causes murmurs and death. Keeping your dog and cat on heartworm prevention (even if it's indoors-mosquitoes come in the house!) and having it tested every year is the best way to ensure your pet does not pick up these nasty pests. Number three is old age. As your pet becomes a senior citizen, the valves of the heart will weaken and a murmur will develop. This is a fairly common occurence with older pets.
As far as your pet's health outlook, you may notice your pet is a little more tired or gets out of breath more easily. Exercise may be difficult. Some pets will develop a cough as the back flow of blood can cause fluid to accumulate elsewhere in the body. Sometimes, there may be no outward signs or symptoms at all.
If your pet has a murmur, there is not really anything that can be done to lessen the effects on the heart itself but you can help ease your pet's symptoms. Your veterinarian can prescribe a drug called Furosemide (or a similar medication) to help decrease fluid build up in the body. Your pet may need to pee more often while on this medication. Some other drugs that may be prescribed are Enalapril or Vetmedin. Both of these meds help blood flow more smoothly so the heart can pump blood more efficiently with less work. It is also a very good idea to have bloodwork done by your veterinarian yearly to make sure your pet's other organs, electrolytes, and blood counts are staying in healthy ranges. By doing a combination of the bloodwork, medication, heartworm prevention, and visiting your veterinarian regularly, a pet with a heart murmur can still live a normal life for years to come.
Beware the Heat!
A topic submitted by a friend of mine, and I thought with summer coming it would be a good idea to discuss it! Pets are very susceptible to heat stroke, dogs and cats alike. You need to be considerate of them during warm weather.
There are a few reasons why this occurs. A human's normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees, while the normal for a dog or cat is around 102! You can imagine how easily they can get overheated. Humans have a mechanism to cool their bodies off when they get hot... sweat. Dogs and cats cannot sweat, except a small amount that comes from their paw pads. Dogs pant to get rid of heat, however in cases of extreme heat, the function of panting may not work as well as our sweating mechanism. Short-nosed, or brachycephalic breeds, such as Bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pugs, have an even harder time with the heat. They have compromised airways due to their genetics and so they can't move enough air when they pant sometimes to keep themselves cool. Those thick-coated breeds, such as Siberian Huskies, are meant for cold weather and do not do well in the summer.
For an outdoor dog, make sure it has access to plenty of fresh water and shade. If there is a heat advisory in your area, the best thing to do for it is to bring it inside in the air conditioning. Some owners will get a small kiddie pool, fill it with water, and put that in the shade as a way for their pet to cool down.
Never leave your pet in a car unattended in the heat, even for a minute. Cars heat up very rapidly. I would like to share a story with you that happened to me about three summers ago. I was working at my veterinary clinic and a man rushed in with a Bulldog that was limp and breathing very hard. It was not conscious. I took the dog into the back treatment area and began assessing its condition. I took its pulse, which was 100, and temperature, which was 108 degrees!!! The man proceeded to tell me he was watching the dog for its owner and he needed to run to the store. He decided to take his dog (a black lab) and this dog with him. He only needed to run in the store for a minute so he left the dogs in the car and cracked one window very slightly. He was in the store for 20 minutes and when he came back out, his dog was panting very hard and this dog, the bulldog, was laying on his stomach not looking good. So, here we are now at the vet clinic where we are attempting to cool this dog down by running IV fluids into the pet and wrapping his paw pads in cool towels. His body temp dropped to about 97 after only 3 minutes, then rose back up to 106. This continued for about 15 minutes until the veterinarian had to tell this man that this dog needed to be put down. It had suffered severe hyperthermia and we probably would not be able to save it. Moral of the story: Think about your pets in very cold or very hot weather, they can suffer also!
There are a few reasons why this occurs. A human's normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees, while the normal for a dog or cat is around 102! You can imagine how easily they can get overheated. Humans have a mechanism to cool their bodies off when they get hot... sweat. Dogs and cats cannot sweat, except a small amount that comes from their paw pads. Dogs pant to get rid of heat, however in cases of extreme heat, the function of panting may not work as well as our sweating mechanism. Short-nosed, or brachycephalic breeds, such as Bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pugs, have an even harder time with the heat. They have compromised airways due to their genetics and so they can't move enough air when they pant sometimes to keep themselves cool. Those thick-coated breeds, such as Siberian Huskies, are meant for cold weather and do not do well in the summer.
For an outdoor dog, make sure it has access to plenty of fresh water and shade. If there is a heat advisory in your area, the best thing to do for it is to bring it inside in the air conditioning. Some owners will get a small kiddie pool, fill it with water, and put that in the shade as a way for their pet to cool down.
Never leave your pet in a car unattended in the heat, even for a minute. Cars heat up very rapidly. I would like to share a story with you that happened to me about three summers ago. I was working at my veterinary clinic and a man rushed in with a Bulldog that was limp and breathing very hard. It was not conscious. I took the dog into the back treatment area and began assessing its condition. I took its pulse, which was 100, and temperature, which was 108 degrees!!! The man proceeded to tell me he was watching the dog for its owner and he needed to run to the store. He decided to take his dog (a black lab) and this dog with him. He only needed to run in the store for a minute so he left the dogs in the car and cracked one window very slightly. He was in the store for 20 minutes and when he came back out, his dog was panting very hard and this dog, the bulldog, was laying on his stomach not looking good. So, here we are now at the vet clinic where we are attempting to cool this dog down by running IV fluids into the pet and wrapping his paw pads in cool towels. His body temp dropped to about 97 after only 3 minutes, then rose back up to 106. This continued for about 15 minutes until the veterinarian had to tell this man that this dog needed to be put down. It had suffered severe hyperthermia and we probably would not be able to save it. Moral of the story: Think about your pets in very cold or very hot weather, they can suffer also!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Controlling Fleas on your Pet
Ah, fleas...one of the biggest annoyances of dogs and cats. How do you control them? How do you prevent an infestation? Both great questions some pet owners do not know the answers to.
It is important to understand the flea life cycle. Adult fleas lay eggs, eggs hatch into larvae, larvae go into a cocoon-like stage called the pupa, and adults then come out and look for a blood meal. Most of the flea life cycle (which is 21 days from start to finish) takes place in your carpet and/or bedding. Adult fleas eat blood which they take from your unsuspecting pet. A huge flea infestation on an animal can lead to anemia and death.
So, how do pets get fleas? Well, dogs go outside to potty or go for a walk. The flea jumps on them and starts a life cycle. A cat who ventures out will come upon the same. Cats even get fleas when they hunt a rabbit or mouse that is usually loaded with fleas. So what about the dog or cat who does not go outside....it doesn't need flea prevention right? Wrong. While fleas do not live on humans, they like to "hitch a ride" on our pants or shoes to come in our house! They see that you have a lovely cat or dog for them to feed on and suddenly you have a flea problem. Oh and one other wonderful flea feature.... they carry tapeworms. YUCK! Your pet has a few fleas that itch them so they bite at it to help "scratch" themselves, swallow a flea, and get tapeworms! Aren't fleas fun?
There are several products you can use to prevent and treat a fleas. The best way is to go to your veterinarian and ask for flea prevention. These are products you usually give your pet once per month either orally or topically. Be VERY careful of buying products sold over the counter or through online "pet pharmacies". The products you can get in stores are not made of the right ingredients to actually kill fleas so they usually do not work. Some of those products can also be toxic to your pet! Flea collars are another method to avoid. They do not kill fleas either, they just keep them from being around your pet's neck. They will still live on your pet's back, legs, tail, etc. The "pet pharmacies" are not very reliable sources to get any meds from, including flea prevention. They sell what is called black market product, meaning it is shipped in from overseas illegally sometimes and it is not always the product it says it is on the package. These "pet pharmacies" are also not regulated by any government agencies (such as FDA) so the fake products can potentially be lethal to your dog or cat. You should also take note that flea shampoos do not work long term. When you bathe your cat or dog with a flea shampoo, you do kill SOME (but not all) of the adult fleas on your pet. You do not kill larvae or eggs or adult fleas in your carpet. As the flea life cycle continues, you will see more and more fleas coming "out of the wood works".
Your veterinarian can get you safe, reliable flea control methods. Frontline, Revolution, and Comfortis are just a few of the choices you have. All of these products will kill and prevent adult fleas, larvae, and eggs on your pet when used once a month. The cost to use these preventatives is about $13-17 a month. A flea infestation can cost you about $100-300 a month when all is said and done. Choose prevention...your pet (and pocket book) will thank you!
It is important to understand the flea life cycle. Adult fleas lay eggs, eggs hatch into larvae, larvae go into a cocoon-like stage called the pupa, and adults then come out and look for a blood meal. Most of the flea life cycle (which is 21 days from start to finish) takes place in your carpet and/or bedding. Adult fleas eat blood which they take from your unsuspecting pet. A huge flea infestation on an animal can lead to anemia and death.
So, how do pets get fleas? Well, dogs go outside to potty or go for a walk. The flea jumps on them and starts a life cycle. A cat who ventures out will come upon the same. Cats even get fleas when they hunt a rabbit or mouse that is usually loaded with fleas. So what about the dog or cat who does not go outside....it doesn't need flea prevention right? Wrong. While fleas do not live on humans, they like to "hitch a ride" on our pants or shoes to come in our house! They see that you have a lovely cat or dog for them to feed on and suddenly you have a flea problem. Oh and one other wonderful flea feature.... they carry tapeworms. YUCK! Your pet has a few fleas that itch them so they bite at it to help "scratch" themselves, swallow a flea, and get tapeworms! Aren't fleas fun?
There are several products you can use to prevent and treat a fleas. The best way is to go to your veterinarian and ask for flea prevention. These are products you usually give your pet once per month either orally or topically. Be VERY careful of buying products sold over the counter or through online "pet pharmacies". The products you can get in stores are not made of the right ingredients to actually kill fleas so they usually do not work. Some of those products can also be toxic to your pet! Flea collars are another method to avoid. They do not kill fleas either, they just keep them from being around your pet's neck. They will still live on your pet's back, legs, tail, etc. The "pet pharmacies" are not very reliable sources to get any meds from, including flea prevention. They sell what is called black market product, meaning it is shipped in from overseas illegally sometimes and it is not always the product it says it is on the package. These "pet pharmacies" are also not regulated by any government agencies (such as FDA) so the fake products can potentially be lethal to your dog or cat. You should also take note that flea shampoos do not work long term. When you bathe your cat or dog with a flea shampoo, you do kill SOME (but not all) of the adult fleas on your pet. You do not kill larvae or eggs or adult fleas in your carpet. As the flea life cycle continues, you will see more and more fleas coming "out of the wood works".
Your veterinarian can get you safe, reliable flea control methods. Frontline, Revolution, and Comfortis are just a few of the choices you have. All of these products will kill and prevent adult fleas, larvae, and eggs on your pet when used once a month. The cost to use these preventatives is about $13-17 a month. A flea infestation can cost you about $100-300 a month when all is said and done. Choose prevention...your pet (and pocket book) will thank you!
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