Holiday Hazards

Years ago, a friend told me a story.  Her cat Elmer carried a few extra pounds.  He was, in fact, pushing 20 pounds.  One year, Elmer took it upon himself to scale the family’s Christmas tree.  The entire family watched in horror as the tree bent, bent some more, then ultimately crashed to the ground, sending one very surprised cat scrambling and several ornaments scattering.  Fortunately, aside from his wounded pride and a few broken ornaments, there were no injuries and everyone had a good laugh.  While a funny story, it highlights the fact that, as we celebrate the holiday season, hazards abound for our furry friends.  And while many hazards pass after the holidays, many persist through the brisk winter weather we Wisconsinites must endure.  Let’s take a look at some of the more common winter hazards for cats and dogs.

The Christmas tree
Like Elmer, many cats and dogs may think a Christmas tree is a veritable playground.  But be careful with your tree and what you place on and under it.  Ingestion of needles – yes, this does happen – and ingestion of water contaminated with bacteria and chemicals from a live Christmas tree can result in stomach upset. Keep decorations out of your pet’s reach!  Recently, a friend of mine who is an emergency veterinarian, had to perform surgery to remove an ornament hook from a dog’s intestines!  Tinsel and ribbon on the tree and packages are particularly tantalizing for cats, but ingestion can cause a life – threatening intestinal obstruction. Don’t forget that many of the plants we cherish during the holidays including Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly are all poisonous to pets.  Candles and lights pose a hazard as well so use caution with curious pups and cats.  

Guests
Yes, I said guests.  Really.  In a former life, I practiced as an emergency veterinarian.  One of the most common problems I encountered was ingestion of prescription medications.  Dogs do this.  A lot.  Often, the medication was intended for the guilty party or a housemate, but I was always surprised at how many times a dog had ingested a houseguest’s medication that was left sitting out.  Houseguests may also be more inclined to slip your pet goodies from the table that can cause a bellyache or even worse, pancreatitis or poisoning. Common culprits are chocolate, fatty cuts of meat, and candy or gum containing xylitol.  Pets, and this is often true for cats, may also become stressed with the extra chaos guests bring to a house.  Set ground rules with guests.  Make sure they know what your dog or cat can and can’t have, remind them to keep medications tucked safely away, and give your pet a safe haven if they seem anxious.

Food 
What’s the saying?  It’s Thanksgiving, time to set the scale back 10 pounds.  Goodies are such an important part of the holidays.  Not only does this wreak havoc with our waistlines, it could end up causing problems for your pets.  Most people are aware that chocolate can cause problems, but many don’t know that xylitol, a sweetener used in gum and other candies can be very dangerous for dogs. See our previous blog for more information on xylitol.  Fatty cuts of meat can, at best cause vomiting or diarrhea, or at worse can cause pancreatitis, a potentially very serious condition.  Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in some dogs, so make sure to avoid giving these as treats and don’t let your dog or cats eat significant quantities of onion or garlic as both can cause anemia.  

The Great Wide Outdoors
Whether you like it or not, winter has finally arrived in Wisconsin.  Hypothermia and frostbite are serious concerns in both dogs and cats that venture outdoors.  Thin, older, and sick animals are at higher risk, but don’t be fooled into thinking healthy pets can’t develop problems.  Limit your pet’s time outdoors and consider booties to protect tender tootsies.  Be careful of de-icing products as these can be caustic and cause foot pain and lameness.  Look for products that are pet safe if you need to use anything and clean your pet’s paws well after they’ve been outdoors to remove any residual salt.  And speaking of ice, be very careful of thin ice on our lakes and smaller bodies of water.  Even though it’s finally gotten cold, the mild fall and winter means that when the ice finally comes, it may not be as strong as we would expect this time of year.

There’s a lot going on this time of year and it’s easy to get distracted but taking stock of your house now and removing any hazards could prevent some potentially serious problems.

All of us at Hallett Veterinary Hospital wish you a blessed holiday season and New Year filled with happiness and good health.

Check out this video on Pets and Holiday Foods from our friends at Veterinary News Network.

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Morgan the Missing Cat dies at age 17

Morgan with his brother

Many people have heard me talk about Morgan, the cat who was reunited with our technician/practice manager and her family, five years after disappearing.  Someone found Morgan near a horse barn and he was unable to walk on one leg. He was identified at the humane society by his microchip. His owner, Cyndi, rushed to pick him up and bring him back to our hospital so we could repair his broken leg. Without the microchip he would have been euthanized. It is not surprising that we like microchips so much.

Here is an article with his story.

Morgan recovered completely after his surgery and could walk and run without limping. Morgan liked going outside and just hanging out with the family, including the family dogs, Labrador Retriever Kailey and Doberman Benny. Morgan had a never stop attitude, even while healing from orthopedic surgery.



Radiographs of Morgan's leg before, during and after surgery



Indoor Cat Gets Rabies, Bites Owner

"Why does my indoor cat need the rabies vaccine? He never goes outside."

The short answer is that bats come inside and sometimes indoor cats go outside.  Rabies is fatal and is transmissible to people. Protect yourself and your family by vaccinating your cat!

A Georgia couple found this out the hard way Last month. Their cat was overdue for the rabies vaccine when it bit the owner and then died.   The cat tested positive for rabies so the owner and his fiancé are both undergoing treatment.  If the cat had run away and died, the owners may not have known that they were exposed to rabies until it was too late. Here is a link to more information on that case.

Rabies vaccine is required by law in Oconomowoc, yet many of our clients choose not to vaccinate their cats for rabies. The risk of their cat getting rabies is certainly low but the consequences could be deadly to the cat, and to human family members as well.

As veterinarians, we work hard to keep pets healthy. Many people don't realize that we also take our role in human health very seriously too. Your pediatrician may not think of pet health and how it relates to keeping your children healthy but we do. Rabies and intestinal parasites are the two things we worry about most.  

Veterinarians recommend deworming pets and checking annual fecal exams, not just because worms are disgusting, but because some intestinal parasites can transmit from pets to people.  About 10% of the fecal samples we test are positive! 

Keep your pets healthy, keep your family healthy: keep pets current on rabies vaccine, fecal exams and deworming.

For more information on rabies, see this CDC website

For more on intestinal parasites, see this CDC website

Prepare for Disaster with Your Pet in Mind

Thankfully we don't get hurricanes in Wisconsin, but we do see flooding, tornadoes and other disasters, sometimes with no warning at all.  While many of us are sending money for relief efforts after Superstorm Sandy, we should also take some time to prepare here in Wisconsin. A little disaster preparation can really help, especially for pet owners.  Listen to Linda's story about Rock River flooding a few years ago.

Many pets are left behind when disaster strikes. When food and water are in short supply, it can be hard to provide for our four legged friends. Here are some suggestions to help prepare:

• Have your pet microchipped. If you are separated from your pet, the microchip will help you find them if they end up at a shelter or veterinarian's office.
• Make a disaster kit. Include things like a flashlight, cash and food and water for both you and your pet. Banks and ATM's may not be functioning if the power is out and pet food may be hard to find. Clean drinking water is most important in survival situations.
• Leash and pet carrier. Pets and people can get very stressed and upset in disaster situations. Keeping pets contained can keep them safe. 

Check out other suggestions at hallettvet.com and start building your pet friendly disaster kit now.

This Product Kills Pets!

 This Product Kills Pets!
Internet Rumors: Are They True or False?

by Dr. Michael Fagan

When was the last time you encountered a sensational-sounding internet pet health alert?  Swiffer?  Sugar free gum?  Any number of pet foods alleged to be harmful?  Rumors are very common and spread at nearly the speed of light.  So how can you discern whether a particular rumor should be ignored or heeded?

Let's look at an example that illustrates a few of the classic signs of a FALSE rumor (some are true!): 

"Swiffer kills pets! "

"Birkie" Eyes the Swiffer

A google search of that phrase turns up several versions (this particular rumor has been around for years), but this post is still in the top 5 search results:

                "I was just informed today that my Sister's young cat has just passed away. Coincidentally, after using SWIFFER for the first time. Her death was described as "just keeled over and died." When my Mother told me this, she also said her friend's dog died from using SWIFFER. Outraged, I googled "SWIFFER KILLS ANIMALS", and produced some results with other allegations! Has anybody heard of this happening???? I was actually going to buy a SWIFFER in the near future. NOT ANYMORE! I have three furbabies! Thought I'd pass this info along."

She followed a few posts later (after others assured her that Swiffer is safe) with, "Sorry for the dramatism. I just got very scared and wanted to share with everyone the news I had just heard."

Signals that skepticism is due:   

• The Fear Factor   
  
• Second or Third Hand Information - (my sister's, my mother's friend's, etc.) is less reliable.  Note that there was no verification of the cause of death.
• Vague,Improbable, or Multiple Symptoms - ("just keeled over and died")  Don't you think the manufacturer would have noticed if this were a common symptom?  
• Claims of Similarity to Other Scary Chemicals - Swiffer was reported by other emphatic posts to be "one molecule away from antifreeze" and "causes liver failure".  We can probably assume that they meant that propylene glycol is one carbon atom away from ethylene glycol (antifreeze), which is irrelevant since propylene glycol is a safe food additive.  Besides, antifreeze causes kidney failure, not liver failure.

The verdict:  Swiffer products are safe for use around pets.

So, if you encounter an alarming claim about a product, a little research can often ease your mind.  Some useful websites includewww.snopes.com, ASPCA Poison Control , Centers for Disease Control , FDA recall notices, and OSHA's Material Safety Data Sheets (search by company name and "msds").  Of course, you can also call us!  (262-569-0801) We have addressed many of these stories before, so we may have a quick answer, or if it's new to us, we have a network of specialists and other veterinarians available  for consultations.

By the way, sugarless gum with xylitol can cause major problems in dogs! (see our previous blog post)

Antlers and Bones?

Are Antlers or Marrow Bones Good Chew Toys?

Absolutely not! Every week we see dogs with fractured teeth from chewing on hard objects. Sometimes there is just a chip in the crown without exposing the pulp canal but sometimes the pulp canal is open, the nerve is exposed and the tooth is bleeding. Owners are usually amazed when we show them the fractured tooth because the dog is still eating and not showing any outward sign of pain. Dogs hide their discomfort very well.

What Can Dogs Chew On?

We recommend hard rubber chew toys that you can hide treats in. Rope toys are good too. As with any chew toy, make sure to throw it away if your dog starts to tear pieces off of it. Rawhide chews are soft but when they start to fall apart, it is time to put them in the trash. Rawhide will eventually digest, but if a large piece is swallowed it can stay in the stomach and cause vomiting, or even move into the small intestine and cause an obstruction. 

What If My Dog Has a Broken Tooth?

Have the tooth examined by your veterinarian. If there is pulp exposure or if a dental radiograph (x-ray) shows there is evidence of disease (like a root abscess) below the gumline, then extraction or root canal are needed.  Dental radiographs can show hidden disease that is not visible when looking in the mouth. This radiograph shows a tooth that looked normal on the outside but both roots were fractured below the gumline.

Will Chewing Clean My Dog's Teeth?

Chewing on bones, rawhide or toys is not a substitute for regular tooth brushing. Brushing the teeth and gums removes plaque and stimulates circulation in the gums, reducing gingivitis. Here is a video to help get you started with brushing your pet's teeth. Most dogs love to chew and it is important to have things that are appropriate to chew on, but don't expect bones to crack the tartar away - they might just crack part of the tooth away.

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Choosing the Right Pet Food

A few weeks ago we posted about how much to feed your pet. This video from Veterinary News Network has some great information on selecting the right food for your pet. Check out the American College of Veterinary Nutrition website at www.acvn.org for additional information.

Grain Free?
There seem to be as many fad diets for pets as there are for people. Recently many clients have been telling me that they have switched to a 'grain free' diet.  There really doesn't seem to be any decent research that says grain free diets are better for dogs. Dogs are omnivores, meaning they are built to eat both meats and grains (unlike cats). Corn is rarely responsible for food allergies in dogs. The "grain free" label seems to be more marketing than science.

One Food Fits All?
I have also been hearing from clients that pet food stores are recommending 'all life stages' foods. This concerns me because we know that puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs and large breeds need different diets than small breeds. To suggest that there is a single dog food on the market that can meet the needs of a Chihuahua puppy and an elderly Great Dane is just not right. Again, marketing over science.

Ask Your Veterinarian About Diets
Our techs and doctors discuss diet with all our clients when they are in for their pet's physical exam. Please contact us for information if you are thinking of changing your pet's diet, especially if you want a medical opinion on that food that the pet store is recommending.