Top 10 Reasons to Spay and Neuter

Posted on August 12, 2011 by

Whether you’ve recently adopted a pet or you’re considering it, one of the most important health decisions you’ll make is to spay or neuter your cat or dog. Spaying—removing the ovaries and uterus of a female pet—is a veterinary procedure that requires minimal hospitalization and offers lifelong health benefits. Neutering—removing the testicles of your male dog or cat—will vastly improve your pet’s behavior and keep him close to home.

Many states and counties have established low-cost spay/neuter programs that make surgery easily affordable and accessible. To find a low-cost program near you:

Not convinced yet? Check out our handy—and persuasive—list of the top 10 reasons to spay or neuter your pet!

  1. Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life.
    Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
  2. Neutering provides major health benefits for your male.
    Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.
  3. Your spayed female won’t go into heat.
    While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they’ll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house!
  4. Your male dog won’t want to roam away from home.
    An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate! That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.
  5. Your neutered male will be much better behaved.
    Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.
  6. Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.
    Don’t use that old excuse! Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.
  7. It is highly cost-effective.
    The cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with the neighborhood stray!
  8. Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.
    Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets.
  9. Your pet doesn’t need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth.
    Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is not a good lesson for your children—especially when so many unwanted animals end up in shelters. There are tons of books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a more responsible way.
  10. Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.
    Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.
Posted in Canine, Feline, Surgery | Leave a comment

Hyperthyroidism in Cats

Posted on August 10, 2011 by

Hyperthyroidism in Cats

This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care.
Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian.

Hyperthyroidism is the overproduction of thyroid hormone by the thyroid
glands. Hyperthyroidism occurs most commonly in older cats and is rare in
dogs. The average age of cats with hyperthyroidism is 13 years of age; only
about 5 % of hyperthyroid cats are younger than 10 years of age. There are 2
thyroid glands located in the neck. One or  both of the glands can enlarge
and overproduce thyroid hormone.  Involvement of  both glands is more common
than involvement of one gland. Thyroid hormone affects the function of most
organs in the body, so the signs of hyperthyroidism are quite variable.

Signs of hyperthyroidism can include:     

  • weight loss
  • increased appetite
  • increased activity and restlessness
  • aggressive or “cranky” behavior
  • a poor hair coat
  • a fast heart rate
  • increased water drinking
  • increased urination
  • periodic vomiting
  • increased amount of stool or diarrhea
  • occasionally difficulty breathing
  • occasionally weakness
  • occasionally depression

A diagnosis of hyperthyroidism is made when the level of thyroid hormone is
increased in the blood.  Most hyperthyroid cats have very high levels of
hormone but some cats will have signs of hyperthyroidism with normal or only
slightly increased levels of thyroid hormone.  Thyroid hormone levels can
vary over time so it may be necessary to check blood levels several times or
perform a different test called a T3 suppression test. The enlarged thyroid
gland(s) can often be felt in the neck. If the diagnosis is not obvious by
blood tests, a nuclear medicine scan of the thyroid glands can be performed
at certain specialty veterinary practices. The cat is given a small dose of
a radioactive compound that travels by the blood to the thyroid glands.
Hyperactive thyroid glands accumulate more of the compound than normal
glands. After this test the cat must be hospitalized for a few days while it
clears the radioactive compound from its body.

A blood panel and urinalysis are also performed to screen for
abnormalities in other organs such as liver and kidney that may be present
due to the advanced age of the animal.

High levels of  thyroid hormone may cause heart disease. The heart may
appear enlarged on x-ray or ultrasound and may show abnormal electrical
activity on an ECG (electrocardiogram).  Heart disease may cause fluid to
build up in or around the lungs. Cats with serious heart disease and
hyperthyroidism need to be treated for both diseases. The heart disease will
reverse in many cats after successful treatment of hyperthyroidism.

There are three types of  treatment for hyperthyroidism: 

  • life long oral anti-thyroid  medications
  • surgical removal of affected thyroid glands
  • treatment with radioactive iodine

All three treatments will reduce thyroid hormone levels and the signs of
hyperthyroidism. Discuss the 3 options with your veterinarian. If your pet
has other diseases, one treatment may be better for your cat than another.

The anti-thyroid pill is methimazole, also known as Tapazole. Methimazole
is given one to three times daily and must be continued life long. It takes
several weeks for methimazole to reduce blood thyroid hormone levels to
normal. If methimazole is discontinued, thyroid hormone levels will return
to high levels over a few weeks. Methimazole may be used to reduce thyroid
hormone levels to normal before surgically removing the thyroid gland(s).
Cats with heart disease may be too sick and fragile to anesthetize for
surgery in which case methimazole can be given until the heart improves and
the cat is stronger. Some owners (and their cats) find it difficult to give
pills daily and may decide, after starting anti-thyroid pills, to later have
their cat treated with radioactive iodine or surgery. Methimazole may
produce side effects in cats including depression, vomiting and lack of
appetite. These signs usually resolve without stopping the medication. A
more serious side effect is the development of low blood cell counts which
are more likely to develop during the first 3 months of treatment.  Blood
cell counts should be evaluated every 2 weeks during the first 3 months. If
blood cell counts decrease methimazole is stopped and another treatment
method should be considered.  Enlarged thyroid glands can be surgically
removed. Methimazole  is given for 1 to 2 months before surgery so that
thyroid hormone levels are normal at the time of surgery. If both glands are
enlarged, they can both be removed and most cats will still produce enough
thyroid hormone by a few thyroid cells scattered through out the body to
prevent hypothyroidism (abnormally low thyroid hormone levels).  A few cats
will become hypothyroid and may need to take thyroid pills. Surgical removal
of the thyroid gland(s) can usually be performed without complications.
Occasionally complications may develop including damage to the parathyroid
glands, which are closely attached to the thyroid gland, damage to nerves
close to the thyroid gland or damage to the voice box. Parathyroid gland
damage causes low blood calcium that may cause seizures.  Low blood calcium
is treated with calcium or vitamin D.  Nerve damage causes abnormal size of
the pupils of the eyes and droopy eyelids. Damage to the voice box causes a
change in voice.

Some cats will remain hyperthyroid after surgical removal
of the thyroid glands. These cats have thyroid cells in abnormal locations,
including  inside the chest cavity where surgical removal is difficult. This
extra thyroid tissue is called ectopic thyroid. If you and your veterinarian
decide that surgery is the best treatment option for your cat, a nuclear
medicine scan (described in the diagnosis section) could be performed at a
specialty veterinary practice before surgery to see if your cat has ectopic
thyroid tissue. If ectopic thyroid tissue is seen on the nuclear medicine
scan, then a different treatment, either methimazole or radioactive thyroid
treatment should be selected.  Cats that have had surgery may have
recurrence of hyperthyroidism.  Blood thyroid hormone levels should be
measured once or twice a year. Treatment with radioactive iodine is only
performed at selected specialty veterinary practices. Radioactive iodine is
given intravenously and will accumulate in the abnormal thyroid tissue
killing the abnormal thyroid cells but sparing the normal thyroid cells.
Radioactive iodine will also accumulate in ectopic thyroid tissue.
Radioactive iodine treatment is very effective and rarely causes
hypothyroidism.  The cats do not have to be placed under anesthesia for the
procedure. The disadvantages of radioactive iodine treatment include the
need to travel to a facility that offers this treatment and the need for the
cat to remain hospitalized until the level of radioactivity decreases to a
safe level as determined by the state radiation control office (usually 1 to
3 weeks).

Older cats with hyperthyroidism often also have kidney disease.
Treatment of these cats is a delicate balancing act.  Hyperthyroidism can
actually improve kidney function by increasing blood flow to the kidneys.
Some cats with kidney disease will show a worsening of kidney function after
treatment for hyperthyroidism. Talk to your veterinarian about monitoring
kidney function in hyperthyroid cats.

Posted in Diseases, Feline | Leave a comment

Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs

Posted on August 4, 2011 by

Chocolate, as sweet as it is, is also very toxic to dogs.

SOURCE & CAUSE(S)
Chocolate contains the alkaloid theobromine and this is what will cause the toxicity in dogs making them very sick.  Theobromine is poisonous when consumed in large quantities.  What kind of chocolate and how much was ingested will determine the toxicity level of the theobromine.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Symptoms will vary based on the amount and type of chocolate that was eaten.

Chocolate toxicity has been known to cause sudden death from cardiac arrest in older dogs with heart problems.  Also it can take up to twelve hours for symptoms to be visible, so if you know your dog has eaten chocolate, the best thing to do is get him/her to the vet right away.
The most common symptoms are:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Panting
  • Increased drinking and increased urination
  • Seizures occasionally

TOXICITY CHART

Chocolate Toxicity Table Copyright Eric Barchas

TREATMENT & MANAGEMENT

Treatment is based on the amount of chocolate consumed and how much time has elapsed since the chocolate was consumed.  Your veterinarian will most likely induce vomiting if the amount is small enough that the majority of it can be removed from the stomach in this manner.  If several hours have passed since the chocolate was consumed, your veterinarian will likely administer activated charcoal through a stomach tube in an attempt to try and reduce the absorption of the theobromine in the system.  This will usually require a few days in the hospital.

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Fleas on Your Cat!

Posted on August 4, 2011 by

 

Nobody wants to get up-close and personal with fleas, but if you want to combat them,  you should know more about them. Here are some fascinating flea facts that could help you keep them off your pets and out of your home:
Fleas are Born on Your Cat

Flea eggs are laid on your cat, then roll off wherever your cat spends most of his time … your carpeting, your pet’s bed, your bed, your sofa and other areas you may or may not be aware of.

Most Fleas are Immature
Over 95% of the flea population is immature — eggs, larvae and pupae. The problem arises when they mature into adult. That’s why it’s important to get them while they’re young.

Adult Fleas are Ugly
They’re small, wingless, reddish-brown insects about 1/16th of an inch long and not very wide. Their hard outer shell makes them nearly crushproof. Covered with spikes, they stick in pets’ fur coats on contact.

All Adult Fleas do is Feed and Breed

They spend their brief lifetime feeding on your pet’s blood and reproducing like crazy.

Female Fleas are Big Producers


One female can lay as many as 25 eggs a day, adding up to hundreds in her several-week lifetime.

And They’re Big Eaters
A female flea sucks up to 30 times her weight in blood per day and excretes six times her weight in flea baby food — blood-rich, nutrient-packed feces for flea larvae to feed on. Your pet carries and delivers these larval lunches throughout your house and yard.

Cat Fleas are the Most Common — Even on Dogs
There are nearly 2,000 species of fleas, each with its own preferred host. When their favorite meal is not around, they’ll settle for another warm-blooded body, including yours. The cat flea attacks both cats and dogs. There are dog fleas, but they’re rarely found on dogs in North America.

Some Pets are Secret Carriers
Cats are notorious flea smugglers. Some can carry fleas without a scratch. Unfortunately, dogs aren’t so lucky. When dogs and cats share a household, they also share fleas. Treat them both.

Note: Cats are very sensitive to insecticides. So for cats, use flea control products labeled specifically for cats and always follow label directions.

Posted in Feline, Flea Control, Parasite Control | Leave a comment

Vaccinating Your Dog

Posted on August 4, 2011 by

Vaccinations are a critical component to preventive care for your dog. Thanks to the development of vaccines, dogs have been protected from numerous disease threats, including rabies, distemper, hepatitis and several others. Some of these diseases can be passed from dogs to people — so canine vaccinations have protected human health as well. Recently, studies have shown that vaccines protect dogs for longer than previously believed. There have also been improvements in the type of vaccines produced. In addition, there is increased awareness and concern that vaccination is not as harmless a procedure as once thought. These factors have led to a growing number of veterinarians who recommend reduced frequency of vaccinations while at the same time tailoring vaccine recommendations to specific risk situations.

To assist veterinarians with making vaccine recommendations for dogs, the American Animal Hospital Association has issued a set of canine vaccine guidelines. Developed by a group of infectious disease experts, immunologists, researchers and practicing veterinarians, these guidelines were first released in 2003 and revised with new information in 2006. One of the key recommendations is that all dogs are different — and thus vaccine decisions should be made on an individual basis for each dog. Issues to consider include the age, breed, health status, environment, lifestyle, and travel habits of the dog. Health threats vary from city to city and even in various sections of cities. You can work with your veterinarian to tailor an immunization program that best protects your dog based on his risk and lifestyle factors.

Is vaccinating my pet a risk to his or her health?

Vaccination against disease is a medical procedure and, like all medical procedures, carries some inherent risk. As in any medical procedure or decision, the benefits must be balanced against the risks. Veterinarians recommend that no needless risks should be taken and that the best way to accomplish that is to reduce the number and frequency of administration of unnecessary vaccines. As is the case with any medical decision, you and your veterinarian should make vaccination decisions after considering your dog’s age, lifestyle, and potential exposure to infectious diseases.

What possible risks are associated with vaccination?

Vaccine reactions, of all types, are infrequent. In general, most vaccine reactions and side effects (such as local pain and swelling) are self-limiting. Allergic reactions are less common, but if untreated can be fatal. These can occur soon after vaccination. If you see such a reaction, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. In a small number of patients, vaccines can stimulate the patient’s immune system against his or her own tissues, resulting in diseases that affect the blood, skin, joints or nervous system. Again, such reactions are infrequent but can be life threatening. There is a possible complication of a tumor developing at the vaccination site in a small number of pets, most frequently cats. Please contact your veterinarian for more information.

How do I know which vaccines my pet needs?

There are two general groups of vaccines to consider: core and noncore vaccines.

Core vaccines are generally recommended for all dogs and protect against diseases that are more serious or potentially fatal. These diseases are found in all areas of North America and are more easily transmitted than noncore diseases. Guidelines define the following as core vaccines: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and rabies. Noncore vaccines are those reserved for patients at specific risk for infection due to exposure or lifestyle. Kennel cough, Lyme disease and leptospirosis vaccines are within the noncore group.

How often should my dog be vaccinated?
Make sure that your dog completes the initial series of core vaccines administered at the puppy stage, as well as booster shots at one year of age. Following these one-year boosters, Canine Vaccine Guidelines recommend that the distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus core vaccines be administered once every three years. States and municipalities govern how often rabies boosters are administered. Some areas require a rabies booster be administered annually. Others require a three-year-effective rabies booster be given every three years. Still others allow either a one-year or a three-year rabies vaccine to be utilized. Noncore vaccinations should be administered whenever the risk of the disease is significant enough to override any risk of vaccination. For example, kennel cough vaccine may need to be administered up to every six months in a dog repeatedly being kenneled or exposed to groups of dogs at grooming salons or dog shows. There is a history of yearly vaccinations boosters, and some veterinarians do not feel it is prudent to change that recommendation just yet. However, Canine Vaccine Guidelines reflect that there is growing support for extended duration of protection. Thus more veterinarians are vaccinating less frequently and more selectively.

Does this mean I only need to see my veterinarian every three years?

Regular wellness examinations — at least once or twice a year — are the most important preventive measure that you can provide for your dog. Vaccinations are just one component of the wellness visit. To help keep your dog in optimum health, regular wellness examinations are critical — regardless of how often vaccines are administered. Remember, dogs age at a much faster rate than humans, so a once-yearly exam is similar to a human getting a physical every 5-7 years. Plus they don’t always show signs of early disease, and they can’t easily communicate discomfort to us. During the wellness exam, your veterinarian has an opportunity to detect and prevent problems at an early stage.

Can my veterinarian conduct a test to see if my dog needs to be vaccinated?

Tests that measure protective antibody levels for diseases are called titers. In recent years reliable titer tests for some diseases such as canine distemper and parvovirus have become more readily available and economical. Veterinarians may recommend using these titer tests in some cases to determine whether or not vaccinations are needed. Your veterinarian can provide you with more information on titer testing.

Posted in Canine, Disease Prevention, Diseases, General | Leave a comment