Hairball Times - Lifetime Small Animal Hospital

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A bi-monthly newsletter from Lifetime Small Animal Hospital
Issue 6
November /December 2009
Our Mission Statement
We will provide the highest level of veterinary care in our community
so every pet may have the best and longest life possible.
We will offer excellent service and value to our clients,
while treating everyone with respect and courtesy.
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital
“Helping Your Pet Be Its Best – for a Lifetime”
Malcolm L. Blessing, DVM
Erin L. Pedersen, DVM
• 2627 Big Horn Avenue • Cody, WY 82414
• Phone (307) 587-4324 • Toll free (877) 587-4324
• Emergency 24 hours (307) 587-4324
Web site: www.LTSAHosp.com E mail: dvm@LTSAHosp.com
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 1 of 12
What’s Going On at
@
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital?
November
2009
Thanksgiving
November 26
Fur
Free
Fridays
Pet Cancer
Awareness
Month
National
Diabetes
Awareness
Month
15
December
2009
25
Christmas
Cat Herder’s
Day
Winter
Begins
cat-herding (verb) : Persuading a group of independently minded people to go in the same direction; (alt): a difficult, frequently
failing enterprise in leadership.
Index
Added by Andy...................................................... 5
Ask Dr. Blessing .................................................... 9
Ask Dr. Pedersen.................................................. 4
Carol Barks ............................................................ 3
Events Calendar .................................................... 2
Grooming Tips from Verna ................................ 11
Hospital Notes ...................................................... 6
Jackie Meows ......................................................... 12
Jan Jots..................................................................... 10
Nutrition Info......................................................... 8
Sam and Skanky Speak ......................................... 7
Training Tips From Deana Baker, CVT............ 8
Our favorite graphics are used with the permission of
fuzzyfaces.com.
Preserved Hairballs:
LTSAHOSP.COM
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 2 of 12
“ Carol Barks “
Animal Apparel
Winter attire can be fun and festive as well as functional.
Apparel for dogs can be as simple as a cable knit sweater
or as elaborate as a jacket, matching scarf and hat, and
sometimes even booties for those early morning walks
on snow and ice covered roads. Proper fit is very
important—too large or small a garment does not serve
the purpose of keeping out the winter chill. There are a
number of great websites specializing in canine apparel
ranging from very inexpensive to over-the-top
extravagantly, ridiculously expensive. Most have a userfriendly sizing chart. Petsmart, Petco, WalMart, and
Pamida, and The Barn Feed and Pet (kitty corner behind
LTSA) also carry limited quantities of pet apparel. Be
sure to shop early for holiday designs before they’re all
gone. The Chi Chi’s are perfectly content in anything I
dress them in, although the smallest pair of booties I
could find are a bit too big and Renny Joe does not want
to walk in them.
Have a wonderful holiday season and be sure your little
elves are dressed appropriately for the weather.
Carol
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 3 of 12
Ask Dr Pedersen
I have heard about diabetes in animals. I know the
symptoms of diabetes. What are my options? What
can I do? My family has always put a diabetic animal down—is there a
way to help it have a high quality of life?
We suspect diabetes in animals when we see symptoms such as weight loss while
maintaining a good appetite, increased thirst, and urinating large volumes, among other
things. Blood and urine tests will confirm a diagnosis of diabetes. While a diagnosis of
diabetes does not need to be a death sentence, it is important for an owner to know the realities of managing
a diabetic pet. Insulin shots need to be given regularly, every 12 hours, every day. Observing the pet’s
behavior, appetite, and urination habits regularly are very important to detect possible
problems. Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels, either in the hospital or at home with a
blood glucometer is required. Concurrent illnesses can cause diabetes to be unmanageable,
so further diagnostic testing or treatments may be necessary. Dogs almost always get
sudden onset cataracts and eventually become blind. Some animals simply do not respond well to
treatment. Any of these aspects may make it difficult or impossible for an owner to treat a diabetic patient.
This is when we may need to talk about quality of life and end-of-life options. No
owner should feel guilty at this point – diabetes can be a very challenging and unforgiving
disease. However, there are many treatment options available.
Options differ a little bit between dogs and cats. Cats are more similar to
human type 2 diabetics, and diet plays a huge role in their diabetic control. High
protein, low carbohydrate diets may keep a cat under control (we call it in remission)
or greatly reduce their insulin needs. Dogs are insulin dependent diabetics. Dogs
should also be put on prescription foods to facilitate regulating their diabetes, but it is
virtually unheard of for a dog to go into remission or not need insulin once
they are diagnosed. Giving a pet insulin is much easier than most people
think. Even cats learn very quickly to tolerate the tiny needle used to give
injections and will hardly flinch (especially if they can be bribed with a small
treat!).
As mentioned above, it is important to recognize and treat other illnesses a pet
may have. Dogs may end up with multiple endocrine disorders, such as hypothyroidism
or Cushing’s disease that also need to be treated and monitored. Urinary tract infections are more common
in diabetics. Severe dental disease is another common issue we see in our diabetic patients. Exercise is
important for our diabetics, just as it is in people. Encourage cats to play with toys, or climb a cat tower.
Continue taking your dog for its normal walks, although he may have to be on a short leash if he becomes
blind.
See also:
www.petdiabetesmonth.com
www.cat-dog-diabetes.com
www.veterianrypartner.com
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 4 of 12
Just so you
know…Veterinary Staff
are “regular people” too
Added by Andy
Have you Ever. . . . . . ???????
Brought Home a Pet from the Hospital?
Verna— Most recently Valdese, then Phoenix, then Patty O’Brien. Verna needed to keep busy ;-)
Ishy is a Pekingese who was love at first site from 3 days old. She ended up with pick of the litter.
Deana—Tommy and Vixen were feral cats brought in for a neuter and a spay. They adapted to her home.
Jackie—Bob, the girl cat was from technician school.
Benson, aka Bent Butt, was brought in injured and we found a broken pelvis.
Sully came for a first kitten check and he ended going up home with her. (it was love at first sight)
Andy—Number 5 was a feral who now lives with my small children and the rest of the zoo.
Shep needed a foster family. He loves being our neurotic 3rd dog. He’s my ‘foster´ dog.
Sammee the turtle came home with me at the beginning of October because she also needed a home.
Carol—Petey, aka Pizza Man, was here as a stray—he came home from the shelter with her.
Jan—Eve was a shelter cat in need of a family and TLC. She fits right in with the extended family.
Dr. Blessing—Tinsel was a fan-belt kitty here at the hospital before he was adopted.
Suzy was ready for a new home—she shredded her way into his heart.
Dr. Pedersen—Nope [But she has two pound puppies ;-) ]
Sam(the clinic cat)-Skanky was one of the feral cats. I kept her (she rubbed me the right way).
Skanky(Sam’s clinic cat) -Charlie needed a home after outliving two owners. He’s diabetic.
***NOTE*** Tommy, Vixen, Skanky, and Number 5 were all from the same feral family. They have
transitioned into lovable indoor and indoor/outdoor pets without much difficulty. Feral cats can be tamed!
The W O R S T things our pets have ever done….
Many more to come ……….
Krista’s St. Bernard ate her brand new birthday present boots (they were a very very expensive
chew toy). She also chewed up Krista’s cell phone. And has a taste for Midol.
Jackie’s lab-cocker had anxiety and ate the doorknob during a storm.
Her malamute stole mittens off of the kid next door—And immediately ATE THEM!!!!!
Deana: Her dogs had sex in the living room. In front of company.(just another reason to spay and
neuter)
Jennifer: After surviving expensive treatments for ringworm, being neutered, vaccinated, and all that jazz,
her cat ran away!
Dr. Pedersen’s dogs at their naughtiest:
Wyatt, our 2 year old pound puppy from Riverton, is very adept at sneaking
food off of counters. He can remove tin foil from a plate without leaving a tooth
mark and avoiding detection by people in the same room! He has eaten 2 nearly full
tubs of Smart Balance butter on separate occasions – it must be his favorite!
Unfortunately, after his thieving adventures, he also vomits nearly soundlessly,
leaving me nice little messes to find in the morning.
Maddie likes to eat “keepsake” stuffed animals and is dangerously OCD
concerning rabbits.
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 5 of 12
,!3%2
The name LASER is made from an acronym.
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation is the full nomenclature.
It is a very pure and powerful form of light energy, of a single wavelength. One of its major properties
is coherency. Since this property is lost, as the beam crosses the skin, the term LASER cannot properly be
applied to anything other than superficial treatments. For this reason, the term Low Energy Photon Therapy
(LEPT) has been coined. The machine used is termed a 'cold LASER'. Different colours can be used in
veterinary medicine, according to the application. The most common are infra-red. It provides its own
particular form of concentrated energy input to the body, to act as a stimulus for healing processes.
We are pleased to offer a new treatment option for pain. We have leased a class
IV therapy laser and should have it in the clinic and running by the end of the month.
We currently have a surgical laser, which focus light energy very precisely to make an
incision. A therapy laser, on the other hand, has two different
wavelengths of light that penetrate more diffusely. The specific
wavelengths in the therapy laser have been shown to reduce
swelling and inflammation and produce an analgesic effect while
stimulating healing. Possible applications for this laser include
management of arthritis pain and pain reduction after surgery or
trauma. It can also help reduce detrimental inflammation in conditions such as ear
infections, feline stomatitis or cystitis (mouth and bladder inflammation, respectively), lick granulomas, and
more. While you may see improvement after just one treatment, the laser’s effects are additive. It generally
takes 4-6 treatments within about one week to reach full effect, and chronic conditions may need a once a
month treatment after that. Each treatment takes only 5-10 minutes, and the animal does not need sedation.
Contraindications for laser use include any use on the eye, pregnant uterus, or cancers. If you have any
questions on the laser, please feel free ask!
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 6 of 12
Sagacity of
Sam & Skanky
[Cat Wisdom]
Skanky who’s your new friend?
For those of you wondering who I am, my name is Charlie. I’m the black and white cat that was living up in
the front window. I have some medical issues – mainly my diabetes. I was diagnosed with diabetes a little
over a year ago and started having to get shots every day. Shortly after that, my owner died and I ended up
here at the clinic. I guess they were trying to find a home for me, but not too many people are willing to take
home an adult cat with medical issues. About two months ago, I got my breakfast and my shot as normal, but
by mid-afternoon, I got sick and threw up and then had a splitting headache. Someone got me out and they
poked me to look at my blood. The next thing I know, there was a can of food shoved in my face and I ate till
my head quit hurting. They said I had low blood sugar. They tested me again a couple of times in the next
few days and said I’m in ‘remission’. All I know is that I haven’t had a shot since. They put another bed in the
kennel and put me in with Sam and Skanky. Life has been pretty comfortable in my new digs. They have to
split us up twice a day because we all eat different food, but it doesn’t take long before we’re back together
again. The only thing I really don’t like about the whole thing is them taking my blood all the time.
Editors note: People are wondering where did Charlie go? Well, he’s now one of the clinic cats, and lives
with Sam and Skanky. He’s been here a year hoping to be adopted, but since that hasn’t happened, we’ve
moved him in with the crew. He has been in remission from his diabetes for about 2 months now, but has his
blood glucose tested every month to make sure he is still in remission. Cats can go into remission, but almost
always return to needing daily insulin. Remission can last a few weeks to several years.
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 7 of 12
Nutrition notes &
Training
Deana Baker, CVT
HOLIDAY FOOD HAZARDS
I have an older dog. Last Thanksgiving, everyone fed the dog from the table. She got really sick and had to be
hospitalized for several days. How can I train my dog not to eat table food?
Sadly this is a common occurrence. When dogs are young, they seem to have a cast iron stomach and
can eat just about anything. As they get older, their digestive system becomes more sensitive. It can be very
difficult to train older dogs that table food is forbidden. Management usually works better in cases like these.
During the holiday meal, confine the dog to another room, outside, or to its crate. You can
feed her her meal at this time; give her favorite toy; or some other special item like a stuffed
kong. Ifyou start your management program now (before the holidays), you will find that she
will accept confinement during the holiday meal very well. Discouraging guests from feeding
the dog from the table will work if the guests do not include young children or people who
are not so trainable. However most times, people will feel that it’s just a little bite and it will
cause no harm. This is why confining the dog away from the table works better than trying
to train the guests not to feed her from the table.
HOLIDAY PET
We would like to get my son a puppy for Christmas. I know that I shouldn’t get one until after the holidays because of
the rush. What can I give him in place of the puppy?
I know that everyone loves the pictures of the cute little puppy in the box under the tree
and the joy of the child when the puppy pops out wearing a big bow. However, it is good that you
realize that Christmas is a very busy time. Some things that you can give your son
in expectation of the puppy include a book on puppy care, a crate, a leash/collar,
dog toys, and other necessities of dog care and training. It is a good idea to wait one to two
weeks or longer if possible to bring the new puppy into the house.
CHRISTMAS TREE CAT
My cat likes to climb trees outside. I’m worried about my cat climbing the Christmas tree. Is there any
way to train him not to do this?
Christmas trees are very attractive to cats with the twinkling lights, shiny bulbs,
garland, etc. Not to mention some of the food stuffs in the Christmas packages
themselves. At first, it is best to confine the cat away from the tree anytime that
you are not home. If you don’t, your tree may suffer for the antics of your cat.
When you are home, the kitty can be out. If he shows an interest in the tree,
using a spray bottle filled with water, canned air, air horn, or other aversive can be used to train
the kitty that the tree is off limits. You can let the kitty smell the tree and look at the tree but
anything more than that should be discouraged
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 8 of 12
ASK DR. BLESSING
Tell me about Holiday hazards
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s
Holiday Pet Safety Quiz
Drs. Foster & Smith Educational Staff
It is a joyous time of the year filled with holiday festivities, decorating our homes, and preparing our favorite
holiday foods. Flowers are placed appropriately, mistletoe is hung above doorways, and filled candy dishes are
within an arm's reach. However, spirits can quickly dampen when a pet becomes ill from ingesting one of our
favorite holiday decorations or food. Test your knowledge of holiday hazards for pets with this true or false
quiz. Happy Holidays!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Heated teflon is toxic to birds.
Macadamia nuts are poisonous to dogs.
Potpourri is poisonous to cats.
Chocolate is toxic to ferrets.
Electrical burns from chewing cords are a common holiday hazard for
rabbits.
6. Secondhand tobacco smoke can be irritating to amphibians.
7. Grapes can be toxic to dogs.
8. Tinsel, ribbon, and strings from roasts or turkeys can cause severe intestinal
problems in cats.
9. Batteries are toxic if swallowed.
10. Air fresheners can be toxic to fish.
Score
0-2
3-5
6-8
9-10
Toxic
Potentially Hazardous
Poison Control
Safety First
How Many Holiday Hazards Can You Spot?
Answer: there are 13
(not counting each strand of tinsel)
More Holiday Hazard Advice:
http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/holiday_hazards_for_cats_and_dogs
http://www.drsfostersmith.com
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 9 of 12
“ Jan Jots “
BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS
The fall and winter holidays abound with children’s books about animals and Halloween, animals and
Christmas, animals and Hannukkah, animals in winter… well, you get the idea.
Old Dog and The Christmas Wish by Christine Davis 2006 Lighthearted Press Inc.
This is a touching story of Christmas Magic for young and old. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is gentle
and joyful. A wonderful choice to add a new Christmas tradition to your holidays.
Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau Various editions available
This classic is great at any time of the year, but the winter time descriptions are especially nice while drinking a cup of hot tea while
the snow is blowing outside.
Animals in Winter a Let’s read-and-find-out science book 1997 HarperCollins
Although this is non-fiction, young children will enjoy this as a bedtime storybook. The colored pencil
illustrations and text about 13 North American animals, including black bears and river otters, is geared
young children, but is a great break for parents who are tired of reading One Fish, Two Fish, etc.
to
Hanukkah Cat by Chaya M. Burstein 2001 Kar-Ben Publishing
Lenny tries to keep a stray cat out of trouble by telling it about the Maccabees and the Temple and the oil. A story about the
season for miracles, for children 3-8 years of age.
The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell 2005 Little, Brown
An instant classic, this book by the creator of the Mutts comic strip, is a great book to read aloud with the family. A gift of love and
wisdom.
The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques Various editions available
The characters in these books, set in medieval England, are all anthropomorphic animals, in the tradition of Watership
Down. The adventures of these characters has led to comparisons with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and
Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows. Numerous volumes make this a great choice for those who always moan
when a good book is finished.
The Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes 1989 HarperCollins Publishers
Beautifully illustrated by Tasha Tudor and written by her daughter, this book is a mix of reality and holiday
magic.
Through the Animals Eyes: A Story of the First Christmas written and illustrated by Christopher Wormell
2006
Perseus Publishing
This book, by the famous English wood engraver, illustrates Mary & Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and subsequent flight to Egypt as
seen by the animals on the way.
Don’t forget the classics! Before Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer starred in cartoons, his book was a give-away promotion for
Montgomery Ward & Co., written by employee, Robert L. May. 2,400,000 copies were distributed during the holiday season in
1939!
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 10 of 12
Grooming Tips from Verna
Do’s & Don’ts
For the winter and holidays I wanted to share more do’s than don’ts. Aside from regular
grooming and lots of brushing at home let’s touch on a few tips for winter foot care.
As I have written about recently keeping nails short is very important. When nails are too long your dog is
not able to stand on its toes properly. Nails seems to grow at an accelerated rate in the winter months when
dogs are not walking on cement or other surfaces that help keep them worn down. When standing, your
dog’s nails should not touch the floor. So before trimming nails at home be sure to have a jar of quick stop
handy to stop bleeding if you should accidentally cut the quick.
Now that we have the nails taken care of let’s talk about the hair in those tootsies. Hairy feet sound
like they would be warmer but snow and ice can ball up and wedge between paw pads causing
discomfort and sometimes injuries. So trimming those feet neatly of hair both on top and between
the pads makes them winter- worthy.
It may seem like a lot of work but wiping down your dogs feet with a dry towel after being out for a winter
walk or romp in the yard, but it can benefit your dog and your home. For the home it keeps your dog from
leaving snowy and muddy footprints on your furniture and carpet. For your dog it will remove the moisture
and other irritants from your dogs paw pads that could cause dryness or even cracking of the pads.
Now let’s touch on a couple of very important don’ts!
Many owners love for their dogs to have bows put in their hair for those holiday family photos. To
keep them in they often keep cinching the bow back up when it becomes loose. This will do nothing
more than cause a nice matt at the top of that bow. Trying to comb these out of topknots and ears is
extremely painful for your dog. It can even cause some bare spots since all the hair sometimes comes out with
combing. Bows are meant to last only a few days. They should be carefully removed when they are starting to
come loose. For owners that have little
dogs with topknots they should be replaced at home
every few days. There are a lot of things
you can use to keep this hair contained and out of your
pets’ face. And with a little practice you
will be able to have it look very neat and tidy.
There are a lot of really cool colors of temporary hair dyes on the market that are
safe to use on your pet. And the variety of colors is quite impressive. These are great to play
with and have a little fun making your pet look different and cute. Speaking from
experience I do not recommend using food coloring. Let me share with you my tale and
my big
don’t. Many of you know the Cockatoo Barney from The Barn Feed and Pet. Well one
year for Halloween I got a notion to dye Barney orange. I used kool-aid. It turned out ok…I was hoping for
better coverage but in a few weeks it seemed to fade out leaving Barney wide open for my next antic. I had it
in my mind that for Christmas of the same year Barney needed to be BRIGHT red. No kool-aid this time…I
wanted that bird to be red all over. So I used food coloring! Oh was this a mistake. Barney was not only a
beautiful bright red for Christmas but was a weird pink for eighteen months.
Poor bird!
Have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season.
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Verna
Page 11 of 12
Jackie Meows
Living with a Diabetic Pet
November is Diabetes Awareness Month for both the human and animal world.
I’d like to share experiences living with multiple diabetic pets.
Just after Thanksgiving, 2003, I noticed that there was a lot more pee in the litter box than there had been
before. It took me three weeks to discover which cat had the problem. By then I also noticed that “Bob” was
starting to look a little bit skinny. I hauled her (yes Bob is a girl – long story) into the clinic and we did some
blood work and a urinalysis. Sure enough, her blood glucose was really high, and she was passing glucose in
her urine. Diagnosis – diabetes. At this point I really considered euthanasia, not because I couldn’t give the
insulin injections, but because Bob was not really a social kitty and I didn’t think I would be able to catch her
to give her the injection. I decided to try to treat her for a couple of weeks, and if it didn’t work out, think
about other options.
The first few days were difficult. I had to chase that rotten cat through the house to catch her to give her the
injection. But much to my surprise, after about a week she had a TOTAL behavior change. She started
coming to eat when it was feeding time, and she started wanting more attention from me. It has been almost
six years now and things have been really good with Bob. She has only had one incident with a bout of low
blood sugar (she probably vomited up her food after I went to work), and she went into remission once for
about six weeks where she did not need any insulin at all. I monitor her blood glucose at home, and the
Doctor has had me make adjustments to the amount of insulin she receives a couple of times.
About two years ago, I realized that I was using almost a full 35 pound tub of cat litter in a week. My first
thought is that Bob’s diabetes is not controlled. A quick glucose check confirmed it was not her. My other
female cat had a history of urinary tract problems and a weight problem, but it turned out not to be her. My
male cat suddenly was having problems walking. His rear legs seemed weak and wobbly, but he didn’t appear
to be losing weight. He was being treated for congestive heart failure since 2002, and I figured that his kidneys
were probably starting to shut down, so I hauled him in for testing. His blood work showed a high blood
glucose, but his kidney function was good. He has been getting insulin injections twice a day ever since. He
has recently started on a mineral supplement for his heart and is starting to walk normally again.
I know that ideally feeding and insulin administration should be at the same time every day, but with the
schedules we keep, it isn’t always possible. There have been days when it was 10 or 14 hours between
injections, and a few times when Bob didn’t want to eat and didn’t get an injection. I still monitor the amount
of water that they are drinking (it increases in hot weather), and how much pee is in the litter box. Those are
my first indicators that the diabetes is not controlled and testing and adjustments need to be made.
Dogs and cats both can get diabetes. Being overweight is a major contributing factor in causing diabetes, as
well as other medical problems.
Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Newsletter
Hairball Digest
Page 12 of 12