About Vaccines: Rabies

rabies2The rabies vaccine is probably one of the greatest successes in veterinary medicine and the public health field. It has saved countless lives and proves to be a very safe and effective vaccine, greatly reducing the number of cases seen in our pet populations. Rabies is rare these days in pets (the number of reported cases of rabies in the U.S. for 2012 was 81 dogs, 300 cats according to the Centers for Disease Control), but is still prevalent in wildlife and the disease is endemic in all states except Hawaii. A few countries are rabies-free, but all continents except Antarctica have rabies. Most U.S. states have laws requiring dogs and cats to receive regular rabies vaccination; some will also include regulations for ferret vaccination.

Rabies is caused by a number of different species of Lyssavirus, and can cause infection and clinical signs in any mammalian animal. (Experimentally it could infect birds but doesn’t seem to cause any clinical signs.) The virus is transmitted by exposure to the nerve tissue or saliva of an infected animal. The typical route of infection is by a bite from an infected animal, though there are other possible ways to be infected (e.g. organ transplant). After infection by a bite, the virus enters the peripheral nervous system and travels along the nerves to the central nervous system. Once the virus reaches the brain, it causes encephalitis and clinical signs begin to show.

In the first phase of clinical signs, called the “Prodromal phase,” behavioral changes like anxiety, withdrawal or isolation may be noted, fever can be present, and itching can occur at the site of the exposure (bite wound). The prodromal phase may last 2 – 3 days. The disease can then progress to a “paralytic” form or a “furious” form. A majority of dogs show the paralytic form, whereas the majority of cat cases show the furious form. In the paralytic form, animals are lethargic or even paralyzed, can have difficulty swallowing, drool excessively, can have a dropped jaw, and voice or bark changes may be noted. This may last 1 – 7 days, from onset of signs to death. In the furious form, animals may be aggressive and biting, seem hyper-sensitive to visual or auditory stimuli, and can also have altered voice, ataxia, paralysis or seizures. This phase may last 2 – 4 days.

Rabies vaccine is given to cats and dogs around 4 months of age. The vaccine is a killed virus vaccine, meaning that the virus is not infectious when injected into the patient. The vaccine also includes “adjuvants,” which are additives that will stimulate or enhance the immune response. The initial vaccine is followed by a repeat dose the following year, then repeated every 3 years unless using the feline non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine (e.g. the Merial Purevax feline rabies vaccine). The latter requires annual re-vaccination because it does not have the adjuvants that may produce a greater immune response, thus duration of immunity may be less.

Cat owners must decide whether they would like to use the non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine or not. In theory, the non-adjuvanted vaccine reduces the risk of chronic inflammation at the site of injection, which has been associated with soft tissue fibrosarcomas. These are often referred to as “vaccine-induced fibrosarcomas” but in some studies the link is not so certain. The adjuvants or even potentially just the action of puncturing the skin with hypodermic needles has been suggested as the inciting cause of these fibrosarcoma formations. In addition, some cats may be more predisposed to the formation of fibrosarcomas than others. Other studies show some strong statistical evidence in favor of the non-adjuvanted 1-year vaccine. These vaccine will hopefully soon get approved labeling for a 3-year duration, which may effectively end the debate… but for now, this is still a hotly debated topic within veterinary medicine, and when consulting your vet about which vaccine to choose you may get a myriad of answers. Both options are valid and the most important thing will be to follow the vaccine schedule closely for best results.

Rabies vaccine has very effectively reduced the number of rabies cases of domesticated animals in the past few decades, but the disease cannot be eradicated because of the “reservoir” of wild animal hosts. Public health efforts have extended to vaccination of wild animals through dropped oral vaccine in food bait. Though this is also very beneficial, there will probably always be rabies (just think about bats!). Because there is very little that can be done to treat rabies and survival is very rare, vaccination should still be a mainstay of preventive care. If your pet is unvaccinated or overdue for a re-vaccination, and is bitten by an unvaccinated animal, it should be quarantined for 6 months. This is due to how long the incubation period of the virus is before clinical signs develop. Testing for rabies is unfortunately only possible on brain tissue, therefore is only done post-mortem. During the quarantine, there should be minimal to no contact to reduce risk of transmission to others. If your pet is unvaccinated or overdue for re-vaccination and bites another animal or human, it should be quarantined for at least 10 days. This is because if no signs develop in 10 days, the animal was likely NOT shedding virus through its saliva at the time it bit the victim. However, the victim should be treated immediately (if a human victim, most likely will be treated with rabies immunoglobulin therapy and possibly given a vaccine; animals are typically just revaccinated). Any bite wound should be immediately decontaminated as best as possible by thorough flushing with cold water and antibacterial soap. Report any animal bite to a physician or the proper authorities.

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Puppy’s First Trip to the Vet Clinic

Getting a puppy is a fun and joyous occasion, but learning about all a puppy needs to be happy and healthy can be overwhelming and intimidating for those who have never raised a dog before. So much information is available now on the internet and so many conflicting opinions regarding pet care are voiced that it can be difficult even for the experienced to decide how to navigate the world of “puppy stuff”! Though everyone has quick access to websites, speaking to a veterinarian during check-ups will still provide the most reliable and relevant advice specific to your pet.

Being prepared and organized for your visit to the clinic can maximize the time you get to spend with your vet. It can be helpful to write down any questions you may have so you don’t forget them during the whirlwind of the first few days of having the puppy. There can be a lot of material to cover during the first appointment, so the list of questions can help keep the conversation focused. Prioritize the questions because there may not be time to ask all of them in one visit! If you have a lot of questions it may be worthwhile to ask the receptionist if you can have an hour long appointment, rather than a 15 – 30 minute allotment.

When should my puppy go see the veterinarian?

It is a good idea to bring your new pet to the veterinarian for an examination within the first week of bringing it home. You may want to give a young puppy some time to settle down from the stress of moving to a new environment, but it is better not to wait too long so any problems can be identified and addressed quickly.

For puppies, the first trip to the vet usually occurs around 8 weeks of age. Most responsible breeders will not separate the puppy from his/her mother and littermates before then, and most will also have done some routine care already – deworming, vaccines, etc.

What should I bring?

Please remember to bring any adoption or breeder paperwork, including any medical/vaccine/deworming history to the first appointment. If your puppy is on any medication right now, please bring the medicine or write down what it is exactly, and what dose they are receiving.

It is useful to bring a stool sample from the puppy if you have one, since it is routine practice to test the stool for intestinal parasites. If you do not have one, the vet may choose to collect one rectally from the puppy during the visit, but it typically is easier on these little ones to bring in a sample if possible. The stool is often re-checked at subsequent visits as well, so it’s always helpful to bring a sample in. The fresher the sample the better, so try to bring in something from the same day. It doesn’t have to be refrigerated, but helpful to bring it in a small sealed container or plastic bag. The vet will only need about a gram, so it doesn’t have to be much.

If you know what the puppy was being fed before coming to you, it is good to make a note of it, as well as what he/she is being fed now, including treats.

Checklist for the first Appointment:

  1. The first exam – the vet will look at your puppy from nose to tail: he/she should look at the puppy’s eyes, ears, nose and mouth, checking for signs of infections and palate or dental defects. He/she will listen to the chest to make sure there are no signs of a heart murmur or respiratory problems. He/she will palpate the puppy’s abdomen and check the genitalia to make sure he or she is developing normally.
  2. Check vaccine history and update as needed – the “core” vaccines that the puppy should get are the rabies vaccine (at 16 weeks of age) and the DHPP (distemper/parvovirus) vaccine. Depending on region and risk factors, bordetella, lyme disease and leptospirosis vaccines may also be recommended. The vet will recommend these as needed and vaccinate the puppy if he is old enough and due for it.
  3. Talk about parasite control and de-worm; start flea/tick/hw prevention – puppies as young as 7 weeks old can start on flea/tick and heartworm prevention. The vet can provide you with these medications. Most puppies are prophylactically dewormed because it is very common to have parasites. The most common signs of intestinal parasites will be diarrhea, occasionally vomiting, a distended abdomen, and in some cases anemia, failure to gain weight, and an “unthrifty” (unkempt/unhealthy) appearance.
  4. Get a fecal test – bring that stool sample if you can!
  5. Talk about nutrition – there are countless varieties of dog foods these days and largely most of those available at reputable pet stores will be acceptable brands, but it is important for your puppy to be on a puppy-specific diet. Puppy diets will have a better nutritional balance for the growth life stage. The rest of the selection criteria may be determined by cost, availability, taste preference, or specific health needs. These issues your vet can help you sift through.
  6. Talk about training and socialization – typically, until a few boosters of vaccines are given, the vet will recommend limited interaction with other dogs to prevent your puppy from picking up contagious diseases. This doesn’t mean you can’t start training your puppy! You can start teaching basic commands like sit and stay, teaching good manners on a leash, and of course, working on house training.
  7. Talk about spaying/neutering – spaying and neutering pets is the standard recommendation for most pets in the United States. It is recommended for various health reasons, behavioral reasons, as well as population control (reducing unwanted litters and shelter overcrowding/euthanasia). There is a lot of controversy in this area because there are opposing philosophies about the ethics of elective surgery as well as some studies suggesting increased risk of specific diseases associated with earlier age spay and neuter. It is appropriate for you to have a discussion with the vet about all these pros and cons, as well as finding out about the surgical procedures and after-care. This discussion can be postponed, because typically dogs are spayed or neutered at 6 – 9 months of age.

Remember to relax and have fun! Take notes if you need to, but don’t worry… you don’t have to remember most of these things the first time. Your puppy will probably need a check-up every 3 – 4 weeks until he/she is about 5 months old, so there will be plenty more opportunities to learn/refresh your memory.

Tiffany Fu, VMD
Associate Veterinarian at Glenvilah Veterinary Clinic

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What’s Eating Me? Internal Edition

Parasites, those little bugs that infest your pet. We’re going to talk about the ones that attack from the inside. We’ll get to the ones on the outside next.

When your veterinarian asks you to bring in a fecal sample for testing I promise you it’s not because we like the smell. Fecal samples are most often used to perform a fecal floatation test. In this test the samples typically have specific fluid added to them, they are spun in a centrifuge then left to sit for some time allowing parasite eggs to collect at the top of the fluid. In this way we get the best chance to find eggs, cysts and sometimes the infective agents themselves. Fecal samples can also be used for direct smears and other testing if required.

Caveat to the following article. The information being given is basic in nature so that you have a basis to understand results given to you by your veterinarian. As in any case of disease (parasitic or otherwise) discuss test results and treatments with your doctor.

Let’s talk about the most common parasites found during this routine test.

Coccidia (protozoan parasite)

Infection of this little periodic troublemaker comes primarily from ingesting the oocytes (eggs) in infected feces. This typically occurs in environments that are not being cleaned properly. That said, the majority of coccidia infections are non-disease causing.

If disease is present there are typically other factors along with the coccidia themselves. These include stress, malnutrition, overcrowding and unhygienic conditions. Clinical signs start with diarrhea (watery, sometimes with blood). Other signs can include weight loss, energy level decreasing and possible vomiting. The majority of animals that show clinical signs are puppies as their immune systems are still immature.

Because coccidia can be found in asymptomatic animals (those not showing any signs of disease) treating just on the presence of it in a fecal floatation is not always warranted. Often these will be self-limiting infections. However, if there are multiple animals in the home treating can help reduce contamination in the environment.

There are many drug treatments for coccidia (the most common being sulfa containing antibiotics) and this should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Giardia (protozoa parasite)

Giardia are pear shaped protozoa that infect the small intestine leading to poor absorption and possible diarrhea. Animals are typically infected by consuming contaminated food or water. Again puppies are most commonly infected along with animals in groups that are kept in small areas.

Clinical signs are characterized by diarrhea which can be persistent, intermittent, start acutely or last chronically.

Giardia can be diagnosed with fecal floatation or, more commonly, by a test for the Giardia antigen.

Treatment is often with a combination of antibiotics and anti-parasitic agents. However, failure to respond to initial treatment is common. Animals will shed infective cysts and can recontaminate themselves and other animals in the house. Along with medical treatment the patient should be bathed frequently to help remove cysts from fur, clean environment often and well, discuss treating animals that are housed together. As always, discuss treatment with your vet.

A whole mess of worms

Roundworms

Or Ascarids. These are the most common type of intestinal parasite in dogs and cats. Typically seen in puppies or kittens. Infection can occur from ingestion of eggs, ingestion of an intermediate host or even infection via mother’s milk or through the placenta (depending on which species of worm).

They cause discomfort of the stomach, potbellied appearance, diarrhea and poor growth. On very rare occasions large numbers can cause an intestinal foreign body, intussusception (when the intestine telescopes in on itself) or intestinal perforation.

It is easily diagnosed by fecal examination.

Hookworms

Hookworms attach by mouthparts in the intestine to suck blood and other fluids. As they move along to eat they leave bleeding ulcers. Infection can occur similarly to the roundworms above. The eggs from the adult worms pass into the feces and are then ingested by another host.

Signs of hookworm infestation include anemia, lethargy, pale gums and dehydration.

Again, hookworms can be readily diagnosed by fecal floatation.

Bad news time: both ascarids and hookworms can be zoonotic (fancy word for a disease that can infect both animals and humans). Hooks cause a disease called Cutaneous Larva Migrans. Infection in humans is on the skin, very itchy, and usually treatable. This is one of the reasons that dogs are often banned from public places (beaches/parks etc.). The good news is, however, hookworm eggs do not last long in the environment (lasting only a few months) are do not survive freezing. Bleach will destroy the eggs outer coating leading them to dehydrate and die quicker.

Ascarid eggs if ingested by humans can lead to the larva migrating to the eyes, neurological tissue or other internal organs. The damage done can be permanent, the disease signs depending on which tissue is affected. Roundworms are much hardier in the environment so treatment/prevention is very important.

The good news is that both Ascarids and Hookworms are easily treated with de-worming agents and by your pets monthly heartworm pill (another good reason to give heartworm prevention). Also this is why puppies should be started on a broad deworming medication (one that treats for many species) starting at 2 weeks old. They should then be given a dose every 2 weeks until 8 weeks old when the owner should be bringing their new pups to the vet for a first time and have a fecal sample checked.

Whipworms 

As with other internal parasites, whipworms primarily cause diarrhea (sometimes with blood present). In very rare cases severe infestations can lead to electrolyte disturbances. 

Whipworm eggs are not infective when they are excreted, it takes 2-3 weeks for them to become and infective (larval) stage. When the dog or cat ingests the larval eggs they mature first in the small intestine, moving finally to the large intestine. Adults produce eggs for 70-90 days, intermittently. This means that whips cannot be ruled out as a cause of diarrhea even if the fecal sample is negative. It also means that careful cleaning of the environment is essential in preventing reinfection.

Diagnosis is via fecal floatation, the eggs are characteristically barrel shaped.

Treatment is via de-wormer (typically given for 3-5 days then repeated at 3 weeks and 3 months due to the long lifecycle). But in good news there is a heartworm product that treats whipworms too. Sentinel (from Novartis) has an active ingredient that treats for this worm. If your dog is on another heartworm prevention product and is positive for whipworms it is advisable to switch.

Tapeworms

 Tapeworms rarely cause severe disease if any signs are seen a slight loss is overall body condition is the most likely.

 Infection occurs from ingesting the intermediate host (most often fleas or lice) where the eggs have started to mature.

Identification of infection is most often brought to vets attention when the owner notices “rice segments” in the animal’s feces.

They are easily treated with deworming agents but the most important factor in preventing reinfection is good flea control.

One final species to mention is Strongyloides or threadworms. This is an uncommon disease in dogs and cats leading to no clinical signs in a light infection to diarrhea in heavy ones. It is important to mention because it is another zoonotic agent. It can be difficult to treat. If your animal is positive for this infection your vet will have more information in terms of treatment/environmental control and helping to prevent reinfection.

Last tip-and I’m hoping this did not need to be said but you never know. Due to the fact that some of these worms can affect you too ALWAYS follow good sanitary policies. In other words WASH YOUR HANDS after touching your dog’s rear end and/or feces. Especially with young puppies/kittens who are more likely to be harboring infections.

www.cdc.gov/parasites is a good source for more information.

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Dog and Lyme Disease: The Good, the Bad, and the Scary

lymeLyme disease, just the name alone is enough to give veterinarians a headache. It is a complicated combination of exposure, infection, clinical signs, prevention and treatment. All of this is wrapped up in multiple controversies: is my animal at risk? Should we vaccinate? Should we test on a regular basis? What should be done once an animal tests positive? This article is going to try and sort out these questions and give some advice. But always remember whether it is Lyme or any other disease process the best place to discuss information, testing and treatment options is going to be with your veterinarian.

The critters that cause this and how they pass it on.

The problem starts with the Ixodes species of tick (specifically the Ixodes scapularis, or deer tick, in the eastern United States). These critters carry the bacteria that cause Lyme: specifically a gram negative spirochete called Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). This infectious agent multiplies within the tick and will enter the animal at the end of the tick’s feeding cycle (approximately 48-72 hours after attachment). The agent then replicates in the skin at the tick bite site followed by migration through the tissue. Lyme disease is endemic to the northeastern United States (Massachusetts to Maryland), north central states and northern California.

Lyme does not begin to show signs in a dog for weeks to months following infection. The most common signs are fever, lack of appetite and joint pain. The most serious possible consequence of infection with Lyme disease is glomerular disease leading to renal failure (more on this later).

Stop it before it starts.

There are two main parts to prevention of Lyme disease: vaccination and tick prevention. Let’s tackle the second first. If you live in an endemic area (and, let’s face it, even if you don’t) it is VERY important that your dog have good tick prevention. There are many different medications/medicated products out there including Frontline, Revolution, Advantix and the Preventic collar. You may live in an area where there is resistance to one, or more, of these products. Discuss this with your veterinarian, make the best choice for your pet and make sure you are applying the chosen product correctly.

Now for vaccination. If you live in an endemic area then vaccination for Lyme disease is a good idea. It is a course of 2 vaccines given 3-4 weeks apart and then an annual booster. It is important to note at this point that according to most studies only approximately 5% of all dogs infected will actually show signs of disease. Also approximately 1-2% of vaccinated dogs will still get the disease (nothing is 100% effective). The take home message about prevention is this: Good tick prevention will help more than vaccination when it comes to keeping your dog from being exposed.

The test you don’t want to pass.

Before talking about testing I want to take a moment to discuss how the body reacts to infection. When the body is attacked it forms antibodies in response to the part of the bacteria (or other attacker) known as the antigen. This is also how vaccines work; they stimulate the body’s immune system to produce antibodies to a specific disease. If the body becomes exposed to the disease again it will recognize, and fight it off, faster. All tests for Lyme disease test for the antibody and not the antigen. This becomes important soon.

The most common test performed by small animal veterinarians is either the Snap-3 or Snap-4 test by Idexx laboratories. These two tests also test for heartworm disease, Lyme disease and other tick borne diseases. Many vets use these combination tests as a screening tool. Both are C6 tests that are sensitive too, and specific for, antibodies that have been formed due to natural exposure to Bb. C6 is a peptide (a unique area of one of the surface antigens of Bb). This peptide remains constant and always detectable in a body infected by Bb. Dogs exposed to Bb will test C6 positive within 3-5 weeks and can stay positive for years. Vaccines, however, do not contain this particular peptide. In other words, these tests will not come up positive for Bb in vaccinated animals.

So what’s the problem (or why all the controversy surrounding Lyme tests)? It lies in the fact that there is no proven correlation to testing positive and whether or not your dog will become symptomatic for Lyme disease. In fact-as stated above-approximately 90-95% of all dogs that test positive will not come down with the disease. In some endemic areas up to 70-90% of all healthy dogs will come up positive.   Which leads to the question of whether or not testing on a regular basis is necessary and the diagnosis of Lyme disease?

So my dog is positive, now what?

The big question to ask yourself (or your vet will ask) is whether or not your dog is showing symptoms for Lyme. Do they have a fever? Are they eating? Are they limping? How’s their energy level? If the answers to all of these are good and normal then your dog is what we call an asymptomatic positive. And now the can of worms opens. I’m going to lay out what I’ve found in my research for this article. BUT this is where that disclaimer at the top bears repeating. This is my opinion and, as with any disease, you need to consult with your veterinarian before deciding on any treatment course.

Onward. Let’s hit the easy one first, your animal is positive for Lyme and has symptoms. They should, and will, be treated by your veterinarian. First choice antibiotics are doxycycline or amoxicillin. Typically dogs are treated for a month, though no one knows how long it takes to truly clear a dog of the carrier state (be clear of the disease). There is a second C6 test (called a Quant C6) that tests for the same antibodies as the SNAP test but it quantifies the level of antibody present. There is some use in using this test in dogs receiving treatment as you can test before and after to see if antibody levels falling which may give you an idea of if the treatment is working (more on that later-see below).

And the murky, scarier part.

Less easy one. Asymptomatic animals. First question, is it worth doing the Quant C6 test in these animals? Well, maybe. There is no evidence that antibody levels as measured by this test correlates to whether or not the dog will become symptomatic and, if so, the severity of the disease. Is it worth treating asymptomatic animals with a course of doxycycline? Well, maybe. There are arguments for this, primarily of the “if we don’t treat will my animal get worse later?” variety-no one knows the answer.

Arguments against include: overuse of antibiotics can lead to resistance (and no one wants doxycycline resistant Lyme disease), doxycycline can lead to unwanted side effects (typically vomiting, diarrhea and lowering of appetite) and, finally, back to most of these dogs will not get sick. So what’s the answer……that, for me, leads to the most concerning of all the potential consequences of Lyme disease.

A small percentage of dogs that get Lyme disease may get Lyme nephritis. This is a kidney disease thought (right now) to be caused by antibody/antigen immune complex formation that are deposited in the kidneys and lead to acute renal failure. These dogs have, unfortunately, a universally grave prognosis. They go downhill and die very quickly even with aggressive treatment. How can you tell if this rare consequence will occur in your dog? you can’t. BUT it does help answer whether or not you should treat asymptomatic dogs.

Back to my dog is an asymptomatic positive now what? First have their urine tested for protein. This should involve both a full urinalysis and a test called a urine protein/creatinine ratio. If these are both normal then these tests should be repeated every 6 or so months to make sure there are no changes. If either test is abnormal then full blood work should be performed (to include a chemistry profile and complete blood count). It is also a good idea to talk to your vet about testing for possible co-infectious agents (Anaplasmosis, Bartonella to name 2) as there is a reasonable chance the renal disease could have been caused by another infectious agent. If there is protein in the urine then, in my opinion, yes do a course of antibiotics. If there is no urine protein, no clinical signs of Lyme disease, you live in an endemic area where there is no way to know how long your dog has been positive, well, like I said, murky. Talk to your vet. You’ll get information, you’ll get confused (welcome to the club) and you’ll make the best decision for you and your pet.

One last thing, do you vaccinate an already positive dog? Most experts say no. Why? Vaccines are to help prevent infection in the first place, they’re infected now. The proverbial horse has left the barn. There is no evidence that vaccinating a positive animal will either help clear the disease faster and/or help prevent them being infected again.

The final word on Lyme: it is murky, it is confusing and one thing I can tell you for sure is if you get 5 vets in a room to talk about Lyme, especially about treatment of asymptomatic positive dogs, you will get at least 11 opinions at ever increasing volume levels. This is not a bad thing; in fact I think it’s a good one. The more questions means there are more people out there looking for answers. And maybe one day we’ll have them-but not today. Best advice I’ve got is Prevention First, with good prevention hopefully you won’t have to deal with decisions on treatment. But if you do discuss it with a veterinary professional and make the decision the suits you best. Good Luck.

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Leptospirosis: What’s Lurking in the Water

lepto-waterLeptospirosis is a disease that many dog owners are familiar with by name, as it is commonly included in their pet’s vaccine schedule and reminders. However, as a veterinarian I find that most pet parents are unfamiliar with what leptospirosis is or how it is spread. Here we will overview some basic information about leptospirosis so that we can understand the purpose and benefit of vaccination.

What is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is the disease caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Leptospira. There are at least 16 species of bacteria classified as Leptospira, with each species including potentially over one hundred serovars, or subgroups. This is significant because these different serovars of Leptospira bacteria have different antigens (surface proteins), so vaccines may need to be tailored to recognize these different antigens in order to be effective. In practical terms, the vaccine your pet may be receiving for protection against leptospirosis may include protection against several serovars, but will never be completely protective against all strains of leptospirosis. Dogs appear to be affected more commonly by the following serovars: grippotyphosa, braislava, canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, and pomona.

How is Leptospirosis spread?

Leptospira bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments, commonly stagnant or slow moving water. They can survive for months in wet conditions without a host, and peak incidence of leptospirosis in dogs occurs between July and November, often after periods of rainfall or flooding. Leptospira bacteria are shed in the urine of infected animals, thus it tends to end up accumulating in still water from runoff. Animals become infected when the bacteria enters broken skin. Bite wounds, reproductive secretions, or consumption of infected tissue (eating an infected animal), and contact of broken skin with contaminated water all can transmit infection.

Who is affected by Leptospirosis?

It is common for veterinarians to recommend vaccination against leptospirosis based on lifestyle and exposure risks. In the past, it was often not recommended unless the pet was very active outdoors (e.g. roaming or working outdoor dogs, especially if swimming in natural bodies of water). Today this is not the case; Disease incidence appears to be increasing in suburban and urban environments due to spread by rodent and urban wildlife populations, and vaccination may now be recommended to all dogs – even the little Yorkshire terrier walking down the city street.

Leptospirosis is more prevalent in warm, tropical environments throughout the world. In the United States, dogs are affected in Hawaii, West coast states, the upper Midwest, the Northeast, and mid-Atlantic coastal regions.

Many different species of animals (e.g. dog, mouse, rat, raccoon, cow, pig, horses and humans) can be infected by leptospira bacteria, with certain serovars affecting different species of animals. Younger animals seem to be more severely affected than older animals, and there may be a genetic predisposition for infection in German Shepherd dogs.

Of note, leptospirosis is considered a zoonotic disease, as humans can contract the infection from contact with contaminated animal urine. Veterinarians, animal caretakers, sewer workers, and farmers may be at increased risk due to exposure.

How do Leptospira bacteria cause disease?

Once the bacteria enter the bloodstream, it spreads quickly and begins to replicate in the kidneys. This causes inflammation in the kidneys and can potentially cause acute renal failure. Some serovars of leptospire can cause other organ failure, most commonly the liver. The leptospires produce a toxin which can cause liver damage and acute or chronic hepatitis. Lung tissue can also be injured by the toxin, secondary to vasculitis (fluid leaking from blood vessels).

What are the signs of leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis can be marked by fever, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and lethargy. Excessive drinking and urination may be secondary to kidney damage, typically starting about a week after the fever. Jaundice and bleeding disorders may be caused secondary to liver damage, resulting in bruises, hemorrhaging, epistaxis (bleeding from the nose), bloody stool or vomit.

How is leptospirosis diagnosed?

Basic blood chemistry can be performed to support a clinical suspicion of leptospirosis before more advanced testing is ordered by the veterinarian. Increased kidney and liver enzymes will often be noted. Blood tests to detect antibodies against Leptospira can be performed. An initial titer of 1:800 or greater supports a positive diagnosis, a second antibody titer must be performed between 2 and 4 weeks later. If the second titer shows a four-fold increase, the diagnosis of leptospirosis is confirmed. Unfortunately, vaccination may affect test results since vaccines cause antibody production. If a dog was vaccinated within the past 3 months, testing may be difficult to interpret due to their high antibody level. If antibodies are detected against a leptospire serovar for which there is no vaccine, it must be a positive test result and the individual has leptospirosis. There is also a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction test), which detects Leptospire bacterial DNA, enabling the lab to detect even small amounts of bacteria present. The PCR test is an excellent choice for a diagnostic test, especially if there has been recent vaccination in an individual.

Urine testing can also be performed, but because the bacteria may be shed only intermittently, detecting the infection may be inconsistent. The bacteria can be seen using darkfield microscopy, which uses a dark background to highlight the paler leptospire organisms. Unfortunately, darkfield microscopy is not readily available to most animal hospitals and the typical urine culture tends not to be very successful.

Kidney biopsy may be also performed, but this is obviously a much more invasive procedure.

How is leptospirosis treated?

Patients with leptospirosis are treated with antibiotics, commonly penicillin and a tetracycline (such as doxycycline). They also need supportive care for their fever and other signs (e.g. blood transfusions if bleeding disorders occur, anti-emetics if vomiting), and require intravenous fluids to maintain good blood flow to the injured kidneys. With aggressive and appropriate treatment, 80 – 90% recovery rate in dogs is reported.

It is also very important to clean the patient’s environment and anywhere the contaminated urine may have touched. An iodine-based cleaner should be used anywhere the urine may have contacted, and gloves should be worn by anyone touching the patient and cleaning up after them.

Conclusions: Should I vaccinate my dog against leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a very serious disease and may be on the rise. Infected individuals may quickly develop signs of illness and have extensive organ damage in a short time. The vaccines available are against the species Leptospira interrogans, including only the serovars canicola, grippotyphosa, pomona and icterohaemorragiae (some vaccines have all four serovars, others only have two of the four available). Though there are other serovars that can cause infection, these are the more common serovars causing disease in dogs. Due to the use of the vaccine for many years, it is difficult to determine incidence of the disease in environment, but reported cases of leptospirosis caused by these four serovars have decreased (as opposed to those serovars for which no vaccine exist). The vaccines are associated with allergic reactions in some patients, causing signs like hives, facial swelling, and rarely life-threatening anaphylaxis. If a patient has a history of significant vaccine reaction, it may be recommended to avoid this particular vaccination. Otherwise, for most dogs it is a useful, relatively safe vaccine due to the seriousness of the disease and the potential zoonotic risk to human family members. As always, the pros and cons of vaccination should be discussed with your veterinarian about your specific pet, as every individual case may be unique.

References

Morgan, R., DVM, DACVIM, DACVO and Rothrock, K., DVM. Leptospirosis, from VIN libraries. January 2012

http://vetgirlontherun.com/leptospirosis-part-1-geographic-distribution-vetgirl-veterinary-ce-blog/; June 24, 2015.

Brooks, W. Leptospirosis: Client Education, from VIN libraries. August 2011

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Happy Valentine’s to Me from Zeus, My Heart Dog

zues-heartI will always associate Valentine’s Day with Zeus and chocolates. For those who don’t know of him: Zeus was my heart dog. You know how once someone is dead, he or she becomes basically a Saint? Not Zeus! I loved him the way he was. Yes, I could have done it with all the stealing and the emergency visits, but I would not have changed a thing about him. Not one!

Today, I think that if he had to write something about his life, that’s what he would have written.

“My life started when I was over 3 years old. Let’s just forget the first three years of my life where happiness was not on the menu.

I had been brought by my last owners to a noisy place filled with dogs, some nice, some sad, some angry, and some hungry too, including me. Food has always been my Achilles’s heel!

It was such a weird place. People were walking by the cages, looking at me, and then passing me. That was until I saw her. She was walking and I made sure to lock my eyes in hers. She stopped. I looked at her, sitting quietly, wagging my tail. She had to know that I was the sweetest dog on earth. Wouldn’t you think so? They took me out, and I met her outside. It was love at first sight.

Two days later, on October 10, 2000, she took me home. It was a home I had to share with Douchka, a German shepherd, and Pouch, good old Pouch, a Golden Retriever. They seemed nice…. Until the next morning. After gulping down my food, I decided to see if I could taste Douchka’s. It was a bad idea. I learned! Douchka attacked me, but thanks to my Mom, she put herself between the two of us, and she was the one who got Douchka’s teeth in her arm. I was so scared she was going to take me back to that ugly place.

She did not. Instead, and don’t get me wrong, I am not bragging…. I became hers, and she belonged to me. I even gave her for Xmas one of those dog tags saying that she belonged to me, just in case she gets lost! I forgot, she changed my name. I had an ugly name before: Smudge. I became Zeus. Quite a change!

She had dogs before, but I was the first one who was just hers, no sharing there. I would not have tolerated it! I liked her girls a lot, but I loved her even more than food.

I went everywhere with her. From her office (I mean I went with her until I stole a sandwich from her boss, then, I did not get a chance to go back that often.) I loved being in her truck. One time, I remember, she took me grocery shopping. She went first to buy some bread and croissants, then she went to another place. I thought she had left the bread and croissants for me to kill time while she was somewhere else, but now that I think about it, I am not that sure! She did not seem too happy.

Pouch and Douchka were cool once you knew them. Douchka was very protective of us. No one could touch us when we were with her.

My Mom was really cool too. She was leaving everywhere some tokens of love for me. I wanted to please her, so I swallowed everything she put on my way even though sometimes it did not taste that good, but I did not want to disappoint her. One of the worst gifts was a black thing which started ringing when it was in my stomach. I swear that thing made me nauseous. Fortunately, it stopped soon. Real weird you know when your stomach rings, and then seeing Mom rushing to me, screaming like if I had been lost or something and that she had just found me! I was there the whole time!

Another time, it was that black thing Mom left by her computer. She was always using it there, and leaving it for me. So, I took it. Who could blame me to swallow that mouse, except that they were all lying: it was not a mouse. It was hard and bald. A huge disappointment!

One time, she got really upset with me. I guess it was because I did not eat it as fast as I should have, and again, I did not want to hurt her feelings but it did not taste that good! I was sleeping on our bed, and she came in, and placed near me a cute little pink bag with a bra and some other stuff in it. When she came back, I was just hardly finishing the bag, and she really got upset but I did my best. The bra was hard to chew. And I did not even have water nearby! She did not realize how good I was to finish the whole thing so fast!

Mom took me with her girls to many places. My favorite one was the beach in Florida where I had my own pool. Sometimes, I allowed her to use it as well as the girls, but it was mine. I had a good buddy at that time, another black lab named Hunter, but that poor thing was afraid of the water! Maybe he was not a real lab, I don’t know!

I remember that time where I hurt my knee and had to have surgery. That place was so frightening without her around. The next day, she came back to get me, and, since I could not climb stairs, she slept with me for over a month in a sleeping bag next to me.

Oh, and Christmas, I loved Christmas! One year, she put chocolate boxes around the tree for me. It had to be for me. I love chocolate so much but I don’t know why each time she was taking me to that emergency place where they were not that nice. Since I was adamant about not sharing my chocolates with them, they were making me barf!

I think ONE TIME, I made a mistake, OK, sue me! Mom had guests for dinner, and put those cute little chocolate boxes by each plate. I thought it was a mistake on her part, so I tried to correct it as fast as I could. I certainly did not want her guests to notice the faux pas! I swallowed chocolates, boxes, everything. That time, I saw several vets at different places. They were nice though, and you know they always made me feel special when they were seeing me in the waiting room. They were saying “Hi Zeus, you are here again!” It was the time where I started to lose my hair on my back and tail, and it was so humiliating!

That’s when I met another vet, Barbara Kummel, and I loved her to pieces. She was so nice to me, and my hair grew back, and each time she was giving me a treat. I know she passed away too, but I did not have a chance to say hi yet.

I started to have pains in my joints. It is really not fun to get old. I could not jump into my truck anymore so Mom got a cool ramp. I could not climb stairs anymore so we moved to a house where everything was on the same level. The previous house, I could not go to her bedroom so she had to sleep on the couch.

The new house was so exciting! I was sleeping in my Mom’s bedroom on a big bed but Jessica sometimes was screaming my name from downstairs because she was saying she could not sleep when I was wagging my tail. Hey man, I was happy … Had to wag that tail!

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Eulogy to my Slippers

zoe-shoe

Zoe the “Show Queen.”

Someone has to be held responsible! And yes, I plead guilty! I knew, I know, and I should know in the future, but my brain doesn’t seem to register it!

Therefore, I am now barefoot in the house! I can’t wear flip flops. Seriously? It’s 15 degrees outside. I would look silly with them in the house surrounded by 1 foot of snow outside! So I am barefoot!

I had slippers, the best ones ever, the comfy one, the cute ones from Target! Yes, yes, yes, I am a Target girl! The proof? Right now because of my love for Target, I receive every day phone calls from people who want to get my SS and all my info telling me that they can lower the rates on the credit card I don’t have to almost nothing! And I can’t even report them since they are calling me from numbers which don’t exist. Is it paranoia or what?

Anyway to go back to Target, every year I get a pair of these comfy socks/slippers. Last fall, when my feet needed some TLC, I bought a new pair, but kept the old ones as well, just because. Let me tell you “just because” was not even enough!

I have a dog, I have dogs, OK, I have a pack, and even though sometimes I give myself the illusion of being the “alpha,” I don’t think they see it that way, at least not all the time!

One of them is a beautiful girl, yellow, with a long nose (her face looks more like a collie) and sometimes I wonder if Lola, her Mom, did not have a quick affair with the postman’s dog or something! Anyway, Zoe is a yellow lab. She is blonde, and has a lot of “Zoe moments.”

Since she was born (hey I was there!) she had a thing with shoes. At 8 weeks old, she was stealing my sneakers when she managed to find them, and using them (one at the time) as a pacifier. Shoes make her feel good. I follow her there honestly. I love shoes or should I say I loved shoes? My taste in shoes has greatly evolved: from high heels, I am now at cowboys boots! But Zoe doesn’t mind the change. OK, if she could still get into a pair of stilettos, she probably would, but my change of style really never bothered her.

So, to go back to my slippers, I forgot – sue me! I am just human! – my pair of slippers under my desk when I left to run an errand! As soon as I came back home, I knew that a cold murder had taken place on the couch: the remains of one of them was there, while Zoe, seeing my “look”, just flew away with the remaining one! Some could think that Zoe is somewhat “mentally challenged” but let me tell you, she knew exactly what she was doing: she went straight to her crate, sat there with the slipper between her front legs and looked at me like “You can’t catch me!” Rule #1 in the house: their crates are untouchable. I will never punish someone with a smack on his or her butt when they are in their crates. She knew it! So, I took my remaining slipper, and closed the gate to her crate! I can’t touch you girlfriend, but I can still lock you up!

You could have thought that I learned my lesson. I went back to my last year pair of slippers grateful I did not get rid of them! I was keeping them safe whenever I was leaving the house. Those slippers are good you see because on top of being warm, they have  rubber soles allowing me to go outside to feed the birds to name one thing! I love birds….. as long as they are wild, free, and don’t interfere with my life meaning don’t you dare try to come inside the house. I have a feather phobia! No clue where it came from, but from the minute I have been walking which is like a half century ago, you could have made me run a marathon by going after me with a feather!

That afternoon I left home, and put my cherished slippers on the counter in my kitchen. Don’t frown: my slippers are not worse than my cats who made the kitchen counters their home away from home! I was feeling good about it because Zoe doesn’t jump. There are two thieves/jumpers in this house: Jackson and Sophie. These two are also the two who never beg at the table, because if they want something, they just help themselves. Begging is beneath them!

Breaking news like would say Nancy Grace: Zoe jumped to get my slippers! And yes I found the remains of one where its sibling had died a week before.

I did not even have to run behind her. She was already in her crate. You see, I can’t punish her, and I would certainly not skip her meal or anything similar. Zeus was starved by the previous families he was with before I rescued him. Making her skip a meal would be cruel and insane!

zoe-moment

Zoe having a “Zoe Moment.”

I gave a eulogy to both pairs of slippers: they kept me safe in the snow or ice; they warmed my feet, and protected them against 14 front paws with nails! They were good little slippers.

So now what? I went to Target desperately seeking twins of my slippers. But what can you expect from Target in the middle of February with a foot of snow outside? Winter slippers had already been kicked out of their stores to be replaced by exotic flip flops! Makes sense, right?

Since I am the only one to blame for the senseless murders of my two pairs of slippers, I am now barefoot in the house! That will teach me! Yes, now my feet are like veterans from a lost war with bruises from loving nails from my loving crew!

But I do have a secret: I am expecting! Yes! They should be coming as soon as my postman can access my mailbox buried in the snow (hopefully this weekend since it’s supposed to be in the 50’s!), then he will just have to cross a pond of melted dirty snow! Being a Target girl all the way, I just ordered online one of their last pairs: pink with little pompoms! Am I going to be cute with them or what? And Zoe, not a chance you will get near those: wherever I will go, the slippers will follow me! Got it, girl?

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Declawing your kitty? Are you serious?

It always amazes me how everyone became so glued to their phone. Seriously, people? Can we rewind a bit there, and be able to walk your dog, do your grocery shopping, or take your kid to the park WITHOUT TALKING ON YOUR DARN PHONE?

Anyway, I was grocery shopping while I heard a woman telling someone on the phone as well as all the patrons of the store that she had to pick up her cat soon after he got declawed. She just mentioned it like it was something as casual as a manicure!

Declawing has nothing to do with a manicure. What if your cat was taking you to get a declawing? Let me explain to you what it is. If declawing was performed on a human, it would mean to CUT OFF EACH FINGER AT THE LAST KNUCKLE. Want to be casual about it?

They suffer, they freaking suffer on top of the fact that by removing their nails, you remove their defense if one day they escape. They will be at the mercy of any predator.

This is exactly why humans are really pissing me off more and more! Humans don’t want to adjust to the environment or to their pets. Environment or pets have to adjust to them. Did I miss something somewhere? Is it part of an amendment I have not been aware of written by our Founding Fathers?

I live in the country side around DC, meaning that yes I was privileged being able to watch nature around instead of people. It just changed not long ago since someone built a monster house next door to me. You know with 2 kids and a dog you need a bare minimum of 7,000 square feet! So anyway, I will be moving soon, but I witnessed so many people around here, moving from the city to the suburbs and complaining about the wild critters. Breaking news: they were there before you. I still remember that woman complaining that she spent over half a million of dollars in her yard with bushes and trees, and the deer ate the bushes! No kidding, lady! If you can spend $500,000 in bushes, why don’t you spend a few more bucks to get a fence high enough for Bambi not to jump over?

Declawing is the same thing. You want a cat, but at the same time, you want to make him fit your environment. We could call him the “Stepford cat”! There are solutions to keep your furniture safe without going through that barbaric surgery which will also alter your cat’s personality forever.

Nail Trimming

You have to trim their nails. Have you looked at them? Those things are dangerous! Seriously! On top of it, I have dogs, and even though my cats and dogs are getting along, you can never know what one of my kitties could do since he has a perverted sense of humor! He loves to hide and catch the dogs’ tails with his nails to give you an example.

So, get ready to trim those claws!
Step 1: Don’t go straight at your cat with nails clippers the first time. It takes some taming here! When Kitty goes to your lap, let him get accustomed little by little at having his feet handled. Doing this every day for a while will make it less stressful for your cat and for you!

Step 2: You should have someone with you to handle Kitty when Trimming Day is here! Cats have a very good memory, and if it becomes a fight the first time, it would be Hell in the future! Don’t expect your cat to stay still for 10 or 15 minutes. No one has that kind of tolerance!

Step 2: Do it on a regular basis, so you will become good at it. Trust me on that one! The only thing you have to clip anyway is the sharpest part at the very end of the nail. This is not like for dogs, just a tiny part has to be removed. If you hit a quick (blood and nerves which provide feeling to the nails), have “Quick Stop” to apply to stop the bleeding. Most likely you won’t need it since the sharpest part of the nail is at the very end, so only a tiny bit needs to be removed anyway.

Cats Do Scratch

Scratching is a normal feline behavior, and every cat should have at least one scratch post.
You are going to tell me that you have 5 scratching posts in hour house but that your cat prefers your leather sofa!

Maybe they are not at the right place. Try to monitor your cat to see when he feels the most like scratching. Is it after meal time? After a nap? When he is stressed by someone coming? You have to put the post on his path.

Your kitty scratches a specific spot of your carpet or your sofa? You can find at PetSmart something called “Smart Cat Sticky Paws sheet.” They are applied and removed easily from carpet or furniture once your cat acquires good manners and it will prevent any scratching since they absolutely dislike the texture of those sheets.

Fake Nails

If despite of the nails trimming and the posts, your cat is still trying to kill your carpet or your furniture, there are cool fake nails that you can glue to his or her own nails. It comes in cool colors if you kitty is into fashion but clear ones are available as well.

As always there are solutions far less drastic and barbaric than surgery. You can let your kitty be a kitty without fearing for your kids, other pets or furniture! I would love to hear from all the kitties’ parents now and share pictures! No “Stepford Cat” please!

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Am I Poisoning My Dogs?

image003_495This morning, it just hit me. I was fixing their food and as usual, I had a concert of whining because I am never fast enough! Sorry guys, but it takes a few minutes for Honest Kitchen dehydrated food to become REAL FOOD that you can swallow in 1 minute and 2 seconds. Each meal I fix for them makes me laugh…. It’s like Thanksgiving for humans. I spend so much time in the kitchen, and then half an hour later, it’s all done and gone…

Right now, they are all sleeping in my office because that’s what they do, they follow me all over the house. This is their mission in life: giving me as much love, and company they could think of. If I take too long of a shower, I start hearing them getting annoyed on the other side of the door, because, yes, sometimes there is a door between them and I, and I can tell you one thing: they don’t like it. The only time where all the doors within the house stayed open, it was after George’s death. That death hit us all pretty bad. One day, he was there, playful, loving, funny George, the next day, I came back empty handed. September 2012 was the month where I had to take showers with my six labs in the bathroom with me or they were howling at the door and freezing my blood which was already not that warm with George’s death.

There is always a before and after in every story. There is a “before George” and “after George”. During that Labor Day weekend, that Sunday, I had friends over, and they were all over George saying how beautiful he was, how shiny his coat was, how all of them were so healthy and beautiful. Yeah, right, the next day, George was at the emergency, and the day after, I had to put to sleep my sweet boy, so telling me, vets or friends, that my dogs are beautiful, healthy, shiny coats, etc., doesn’t do anything for me now.

George’s death, I tried to understand it. He was diagnosed with Lyme Nephritis. The day after his death, my whole bunch went to my vet for blood tests, and the whole nine yards. They were some off values related to kidneys. My vet suggested I test the well water, and sure enough they were some bacteria in the water. As the well guys explained to me, it’s nothing bad if you are healthy, but if you are not, let’s just say that it’s not going to improve your health. So, since that September 2012, my pack has only bottled water, thanks to Deer Park for that one! I was so paranoid with the water that the summer 2012 was the last time I had their kiddie pool outside.

That water was the enemy. I had to find someone to be guilty for my boy, right, so I took it on the water. It’s an old well with bacteria which go with the fact that it’s old, and there is not much I can do since I don’t own the house. That water is funny, you see, because it’s clear, it’s odorless but in my book it’s the enemy!

George’s death hit me hard, not only because he was only 3 years old, but also because I am so paranoid about what they eat. They had a grain free kibbles which was supposed to be real good, and the treats come out of my dehydrator or my oven. Dogs are like kids, and you get them accustomed to healthy treats. They will get as nuts as if you were giving them dog “fast food”. If I say the word “carrots”, I have 6 labs rushing to the fridge to get one, and when I say one, this is not totally true because Sophie anticipates, and is never satisfied with one. She has to grab at least two or three, you know, just in case of bad days ahead of her! That’s my Sophie. She is the only dog I know who doesn’t live in the present moment but thinks ahead. My tomboy, my love bug, my hunter girl who catches squirrels on a weekly basis. Basically, the squirrels that come to my backyard have to have a death wish!

Every year, they have their annual checkup with blood tests, urine, fecal. You name it, they have it. Last year again, in all six labs, the kidney values were all normal except one: the creatinine. My vet told me not to worry about it. It was probably coming from the food which was a great food. Gosh, I never heard that one before: each time something is off, blame it on the quality of the food you are giving them. It’s too good of a food. Besides the labs, I also have a Cairn terrier, who is without any doubt, the alpha of the bunch. His name is Sammie. I do believe that Sammie in another life was a sheep dog of some sort. When my pack is outside, and I call them in, he goes after each of them to make them go faster by barking at them and maybe chewing a bit on their hind legs if they are not fast enough! So, despite of his exercise, Sammie needs to lose two or three pounds. I started to reduce his calories intake but he doesn’t lose an ounce, Okay maybe one or two. Here again, my vet blamed it on the food which is too good. He gets less than 400 calories a day. How can he not lose any weight?

Six months ago or so, I asked the opinion of a holistic veterinarian to see what I can improve in my pack (it was basically to ask her what I could do for two of my girls who had a high Ph in their urine, and I did not want to give them the meds they were taking for it, and were useless anyway: Methio-Form). That’s another story.

She suggested the raw diet or the best after that would be “The Honest Kitchen”. The raw diet won’t be happening anytime soon. With 6 labs, I would go bankrupt in no time, and then you would see me at the corner of a big intersection with a sign: “Homeless and I need food for my dogs!” Just kidding. So I went for Honest Kitchen “Force” which would be the least processed food. Kibbles are still very much processed, so I was feeling good, and I was not the only one. Gosh THEY LOVE THAT FOOD! I know they are labs, and love any food, but the constant whining, drooling while I fix it is just too funny. The food is organic and human range, and my dogs look so good. Go back, scratch that one!

Anyway, this month was checkup time again, and again the creatinine value is far too high. Most of them are the higher end of normal, but Jackson is not even in the normal range. It’s just high. All the other kidney values are normal, so my vet gave me his explanation: there are 5% of dogs with high creatinine numbers but there is nothing wrong about it. Sorry, but this time, I don’t take it. I don’t like statistics anyway, and yes he blames the food again.

So today, I was in the kitchen, fixing their meals, and thinking: “what if I am the one to poison them?

Instead of the whole nine yards, we are going to the next step “the whole ten yards” thanks to Bruce Willis for this step ahead! The next step is going to be an internist, as a matter of fact, George’s internist at the Life Center in Leesburg, because the 5% is not a good enough answer for me. I am also writing this to see if anyone (who was patient enough to read everything until the last lines) had any similar experience with grain free food? Am I doing something wrong by doing something too good? This morning I am lost, but I know one thing though I am looking for a real answer, not statistics.

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A New Year’s Resolution: Getting the Pets in Shape!

It’s the start of a new year, a typical time for many to take steps towards a healthier lifestyle. It’s old news that there is an “obesity epidemic” in America, and most people are aware that there is a plethora of health complications associated with being overweight. It is also coming to public attention that there is a similar obesity epidemic in the American pet population. It is estimated by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) that 55.6% of pet dogs and 54% of cats are overweight or obese. Obesity is caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, but can be boiled down basically to taking in more calories than are used by the body. From a cultural standpoint, pet animals are becoming obese because of a modern, first-world lifestyle. Many owners express affection to their pets by feeding them, often overfeeding or feeding rich treats. There was a time when most cats and dogs roamed outdoors all day long, but now most are relatively sedentary. Many owners don’t spend the time to walk the dog, and many cats are indoor only with limited space for activity.

Just like humans, dogs and cats can have many health problems that are secondary to or exacerbated by being overweight. They can develop diabetes, have high blood pressure (which in turn can stress the heart and damage the kidneys), and have increased strain on joints leading to or worsening conditions like cruciate ligament tears in the knees and osteoarthritis. Obesity can even be linked to increased risk of certain forms of cancer. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), studies suggest that being overweight can decrease our pets’ life expectancy (up to 2.5 years). Maintaining an ideal weight for our pets is obviously important for maximizing their longevity and quality of life.

So… where do I start?

A reliable and practical place to start getting in shape is going to the doctor’s for a routine physical exam! Too many humans neglect to do this; many pets are also not checked up unless they are due for vaccines or have a perceived problem. Keep in mind that cats and dogs lifespans are shorter than a human’s, so in a sense an annual physical exam could equate to a check-up every 6 to 8 years – a lot can change in that amount of time! The vet can address any of your concerns regarding your pet’s weight as well. Get their opinion on whether there needs to be any changes in diet, exercise, or if any blood tests need to be run, as there can be underlying metabolic diseases that can affect a pet’s weight.

In evaluating the weight of dogs and cats, it’s not easy to go by numbers on a scale alone. The variety of shapes, body types, and ideal weights, even within specific breeds, can be staggering. The veterinarian on exam will evaluate your pet based on palpation as well as visual appearance, so a target weight can be estimated for your individual animal. For your own reference, you could always compare your pet to a Body Condition Scoring Chart, like the two below. (You can download a PDF version of both charts HERE.)

body-condition_both

Very roughly speaking, regardless of the breed of your animal, they should still have a waist (where the body narrows down behind the ribcage, and the abdomen should tuck up) and you should be able to feel individual ribs without putting too much pressure on the chest. Many Americans are accustomed to seeing overweight dogs and cats by now, so our perceptions may be skewed by expectations. While you don’t want to see the spine, shoulder blades and hip bones sticking out, seeing some definition to the trunk of the pet is a good thing!

Selecting a quality pet food is also important to maintaining appropriate weight. While there are thousands of opinions as to what constitutes a good brand, what helps is to make sure the food has clinical nutrition trials to back it up and that it at least meets standards by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO ) for being complete and balanced. Many owners are interested in creating home cooked diets or supplementing commercial pet food with table food, but if this is to be done properly a veterinary nutritional specialist should be consulted and a lot of good research should be put into formulating something balanced and appropriate. Home-cooked pet food recipes found on the internet may result in nutritional deficiencies and significant disease, if owners are not careful.

It is also very important to control how MUCH a pet is fed daily. Many owners will only roughly estimate how much a pet is fed, using non-standard “cups” to measure out portions; some will just “keep the bowl full.” If the food is left out for pets to eat at their own pace, at least a controlled total quantity should be offered. Feeding guidelines on the pet food bag or cans may even be overestimating how much should be fed, so these recommendations should be taken in light of the animal’s current body condition, activity level, etc. Also take into account how many calories are added into the daily diet by treats.

Often, if there is difficulty losing extra weight and other underlying medical issues have been addressed, the vet may recommend a specific veterinary prescription diet to help animals have decreased caloric intake while feeling more satisfied than they would if they just decreased their regular diet quantity. Often these prescription diets are higher in fiber or protein to help the animals feel more full, and some also are formulated to increase metabolic rate to help burn calories. Often, fatty commercial dog treats can be replaced with pieces of vegetables, which are often in large part water and fiber. (Unforunately, cats are carnivorous; but high protein and low carbohydrate diets are important for their weight management!)

Exercise is obviously an important component to maintaining healthy weight. It is also critical for our pets’ overall well-being and can be important for avoiding or resolving behavioral issues like anxiety, supposed hyperactivity, and destructiveness. For very overweight animals, it will be important to slowly increase activity over time to avoid injury. Walks and jogs are obviously mainstays for dogs, but for cats a little more creativity may be required. Investing in toys, laser pointers, etc. may be in your future!

For many helpful tools (such as calorie calculators) and much more information, go to www.PetObesityPrevention.com. Good luck and good health!

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