Services to the Community
Community education on the world of small animals and the responsibilities of pet ownership is a central part of our practice.
School Visits
Developing youngsters’ appreciation for the responsibilities and consequences of pet ownership as well as an appreciation for all living things are the main objectives of our occasional classroom visits to area elementary schools. We also help students form habits promoting preventive healthcare for pets.
We invite inquiries from schools and established youth groups and organizations for arrangements, subject to scheduling availability. Please contact us at 508-347-7374.
[back to top]
Pet Therapy
For a local long-term care facility for senior citizens, we conduct, from time to time, a pet therapy program enabling elders to interact with gentle dogs and cats. Nursing home officials have reported that the residents are generally more responsive, expressive, and interested in their surroundings during the time they visit with the animals and for a while afterward.
[back to top]
For seniors age 62 and above, who are pet owners, we offer discounts on all of our services and most dispensable items.
Pet Owner Tips
Pet Ownership and Your Responsibility
The subject of responsible pet ownership is among the most important subjects on which any veterinarian could write. In our country, we have many rights, one of which is to own a pet if one so chooses. While all have the right to own a pet, the question we need to ask ourselves is just this—is it right for you to own a pet? For many, the answer is yes; for others, the best answer at this point of your life may be no, especially when one considers all the responsibilities that pet ownership involves. There really is no such thing as a free kitten or puppy. I hope that by the end of this article, if we agree on nothing else, we all will see eye to eye on that one truth.
Yes, pet ownership comes with a cost. Cost number one is your time. Most dogs and cats are social creatures. For every aloof feline, there is a cat whose owner says “it’s just like a dog,” suggesting that these felines really don’t like being alone and choose to be near at least one member of the family. Is this bad? No. After all, if you resent spending time with your pet, then pet ownership isn’t for you.
Then there is the time required for meeting the pet’s daily needs. Someone needs to feed the pet every day. Someone has to make sure a fresh source of water is available. This is necessary 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for possibly 10 to 20 years. Planning to go away for a week’s vacation? Called away because of an emergency? Your pet can’t take care of itself for a week. Imagine a litter pan that hasn’t been changed for over a week in a two-cat household! You’d probably smell it as you drove up the driveway!
For all dog owners, time is needed to house-train a puppy. Time is necessary to obedience-train a puppy. Time is needed to exercise a puppy so that it doesn’t tear your house apart. Time is needed to properly comb out your dog when the weather warms up and it seasonally sheds fur. Time is needed to take your adult dog out for a walk. While the amount of time required for many of those responsibilities isn’t a lot, the important point is that there is a time commitment that you must be willing to schedule into your daily activities.
Pet ownership obviously does cost money. There is a cost to buy food for your pet. Food and water bowls, collars, harnesses and leashes all come with a cost. There is a cost if you want to buy one of the numerous treats available for pets. There is a cost to take care of the medical needs of your pet. These include vaccinations, spaying or neutering, various parasite controls, possible professional grooming, and boarding or pet sitting when you go away. And there is caring for your pet when it is ill. All require your out-of-pocket expenditure. Starting to notice that there is no such thing as a free puppy or kitten?
Pet ownership entails an emotional cost. Cats are now living an average of 15 to 20 years. Depending on the breed and size of dog, you can expect a commitment between 10 and 20 years. How can anyone live with a pet day in and day out for that long and not become attached to it? When pets are sick, their owners worry. When pets have dental problems, their owners worry. When pets unexpectedly disappear, owners worry. Yes, there really is a bond—the well described human/animal bond that develops during pet ownership. There is no other relationship between living beings in which you experience true unconditional love day in and day out. Pet ownership has a larger emotional cost, so high, in fact, that some people, after experiencing the euthanasia of their beloved pet, choose never to have another pet because the pain of loss was so great.
The final cost is the cost of commitment. We live in a throw away, fast food, easy is better society. Well, when it comes to relationships, including those involving pets, difficult circumstances arise in which the solutions may not be easy and the results may not come quickly. Sadly, all too often there are pet owners who respond by taking these animals either to a nearby shelter or for a ride somewhere and dump them off. It’s difficult for most of us to believe that pets are brought somewhere and left, with the hope that someone will take care of them. Ask anyone involved with an animal shelter whether they’ve ever found pets left at the door when they arrived at work.
It is time for any potential pet owner, young or old, to realize that pets are living, breathing creatures, not stuffed animals to be discarded when they get tattered. So give some real thought the next time you think you’d like to get a pet. Do careful research before you make the commitment because, as you will discover, pet ownership means responsibility—not to be taken lightly.
[back to top]
Spay Your Pet or Plan a Litter
Have you ever seen a “free kittens or puppies” sign posted as you travel the roads? Keep an eye out for them because, soon, they will make their annual appearance. While it would be wonderful to think that we live in a generous world, the reality is that these signs indicate that puppies or kittens weren’t planned.
At this time of year female cats come into heat. Dogs aren’t as season specific. Let’s look at the reproductive cycles of female dogs and cats and the benefits of spaying your female pet.
Cats are seasonally polyestrous. This is a fancy scientific term meaning that cats begin to cycle reproductively at certain times of the year. The cycle is known as the estrous cycle. When a female cat is in heat she will stand to be bred. This cycling usually begins in January or February and usually continues to late September or October. Considering that the gestation period, which is the duration of pregnancy, is about 2 months, it’s clear that timing aims to ensure that kittens won’t be born in the dead of winter, when their survival chances are less likely.
Cats are biologically known as induced ovulators. This means that the ovaries won’t release eggs for fertilization until breeding occurs. If a cat isn’t bred, it cycles about every 3 to 4 weeks. If you own an intact female cat that is old enough to cycle, it comes into heat every 3 to 4 weeks during the spring, summer and early fall until it is bred, spayed, or finally goes through the reproductive season. Anyone who has had the “pleasure” of experiencing a cat in heat knows that its behavior can be stressful for the owner and the repetitive cycles can be quite stressful for the cat. Many females going through repetitive heats may lose weight. It isn’t unusual for an owner to bring an abnormally acting cat to the veterinarian only to find out that the reason why the pet is yowling, rolling on the floor, waving its tail (known as “flagging”) and spending more time at the windows is because the cat is in heat.
A female dog’s reproductive cycle is different from that of our feline friends. A female dog cycles as if it were pregnant even when it hasn’t been bred. Unlike our feline friends, dogs can come into heat any time of year. They aren’t limited to any particular season. When a female dog comes into heat it usually goes through about a 7-day period when it “spots” blood from the vulva. Once again, many an unsuspecting owner has brought the pet to the veterinarian because it is bleeding and the owner can’t find any cuts. While spotting lasts for about a week, owners are advised against leaving a female dog unsupervised for about 3 weeks. By then it is unlikely that a female dog would stand to be bred. Hormonal changes occur for another 5 to 6 weeks as the heat cycle is completed. On average, an intact female dog cycles every 6 to 9 months. The smaller breeds begin to cycle at about 6 months of age. The larger breeds begin to cycle between 8 and 12 months of age.
There is only one reason not to spay your pet, and that is if you want it to have a litter. If this is your plan, it is recommended not to breed your pet on its first heat because it is still growing and physically maturing. It is recommended to wait until the pet is at least 1 year of age before breeding. The larger breeds of dogs shouldn’t be bred until the third heat cycle, which may not occur until nearly age 2. If you are considering breeding your pet, discuss your plans with your veterinarian, especially if you have never experienced caring for a pregnant pet.
There are several medical reasons to consider spaying your pet if you don’t intend to breed it. Mammary gland tumors are more prevalent in intact pets than in spayed pets. In dogs 50% of these tumors are malignant; in cats 85% are malignant. Malignant mammary gland tumors, or breast cancer, shows the same action as breast cancer in women. Malignant mammary gland tumors are predisposed to metastasize to the lungs, resulting in lung cancer. Mammary gland tumors are very unlikely to occur in pets that are spayed before they have any heats.
There is a risk that the uterus of an intact female can become infected. This is a condition known as pyometra and is more likely to happen in the older intact female dog. This condition can occur in cats, but may be seen in younger intact female cats. If not treated, this is very serious and potentially fatal. The usual treatment is to surgically perform an ovariohysterectomy, or spay these pets. The difference is that pets in this condition are at higher surgical risk because they are usually very sick.
Finally, if you spay your female pet you won’t find yourself posting a free puppy or kitten sign in your front yard. There are already too many unwanted pets in our country. Don’t be responsible for adding to these unwanted numbers.
[back to top]
Your First Action After A Pet’s Car Accident
What do you do when your pet has been hit by a car?
Proceed carefully. You don’t want to get bitten nor do you want to cause any further injury or pain. Initially, look at the pet to get a rough idea how badly it is hurt. Is it alive?
Conscious and aware of its surroundings? Difficulty breathing? Bleeding? Able to get up and walk? Limping? Ideally, either someone is calling your veterinarian at this time or you will do so soon after you make this rough assessment.
If your pet is able to walk, even if it is limping, try to help it to a more suitable place in your house or into your car for the trip to your veterinarian. Watch its breathing. If it will let you, check for any areas that are bleeding. Look at the color of its gums. They should be a nice deep pink color, although black colored gums are normal in some pets. If your pet should void, notice if there is any blood in its urine or bowels.
What do you do if your pet is unable to get up? Or, what if your pet is in so much pain it tries to bite you when you move it? In these circumstances you will need help. Try to place some type of muzzle around your pet’s mouth so that it cannot bite you. A gauze roll works very well in these situations. Make a big loop, slip it around your pet’s upper and lower jaws and snug it up. If you don’t have roll gauze, try nylon stockings. Attempt this muzzling only if your pet is not in any real breathing distress.
Once you are sure that you can’t be bitten, it is time to try to move your injured friend. Smaller or medium size pets may be picked up and carried into the house or brought to your car. Should it be too large to carry, try to carefully move it onto either a piece of wood or a blanket. With two or more people, you should be able to carry this pet to the appropriate place. Obviously, this pet needs emergency attention from your veterinarian.
How do you handle bleeding? Again, first and foremost, do not get bitten. Wounds that are slowly seeping are best left alone until seen by your veterinarian. It is wise to control any serious bleeding. At this point take what reasonably clean material you might have available to use as a bandage. Try to get some form of direct pressure on the bleeding wound, just so you can slow down the bleeding. Don’t worry about cleaning or applying triple antibiotic ointments to these wounds. Don’t worry if the bleeding doesn’t completely stop. The purpose of this bandage is to slow the bleeding. This bandage doesn’t need to win any scouting awards.
If this injured pet happens to be a cat, the same principles apply. You need to realize that an injured cat can be very frightened, nervous or protective--it is very likely to bite or scratch. So you may want to place a towel or blanket on the cat, reach around it to pick it up, place it in a large carrier or box, if one is available, and transport it to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
It is recommended that a veterinarian see any animal that has been struck by a car. Even pets that look fine to you may have some internal injuries that your veterinarian can detect. It is unfortunate that, just as with people in car accidents, some pets can be fatally injured. Some pets die on the way to the veterinarian’s office. Hope that you never have this nightmare happen to you.
One final note: Should your pet be fortunate enough to survive a run in with a car, don’t assume that it has subsequently become road wise. More than once we’ve seen pets that have been hit by a car a second time. They don’t learn to look both ways and cross with the green light.
[back to top]
Beware! Rabies Remains a Threat
Do you know if your pet is up to date on its rabies vaccination? Remember when rabies was a hot issue in the news? Rabid raccoons were being identified in almost every town in the Commonwealth. Newspaper articles discussing wildlife rabies were commonplace. Although rabies has lost its hot status, dare we become lax about this issue?
Let’s begin by recognizing that rabies is still a threat in our pets. Raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes remain the primary wildlife sources mentioned as potential rabies infected animals. Rabies is transmitted by a bite from an infected pet into its unfortunate victim. The virus in the saliva is deposited in the local wound where it stays for several days. The virus travels up the nerves until it finally reaches the brain. The virus, after reaching the brain, also travels to the salivary glands. The incubation period or the time period between exposure and onset of disease is about 3 to 8 months. The closer the original wound is to the head, the shorter is the incubation period.
As we all know thanks to “Old Yeller,” rabies is a fatal infection in all pets. There are usually two stages of the disease. A stage of excitability and irritability known as the furious form is the stage which we are most familiar with. In this stage the infected pet seems to be unusually aggressive. This will eventually develop into the paralytic form, which is the terminal stage of the disease.
There is no treatment available for an animal diagnosed with rabies on history and clinical signs. Rabies is positively diagnosed by identifying the presence of rabies virus in the brain of the infected suspect. This is done by removing the head of the suspect and submitting it to the state lab for testing. No blood test can point to this disease. This is important when the owner of an unusually aggressive pet that has bitten one too many people calls to have the pet euthanized. If the wound has penetrated the skin and resulted in bleeding, then the pet cannot be euthanized for 10 days, unless the owner is willing to have the pet tested for rabies. This 10-day period arises from the knowledge that if this bite was secondary to rabies infection, within 10 days this pet will die from the disease.
Massachusetts state law requires vaccination of all dogs and cats against rabies. The initial vaccination can be given after the pet is 12 weeks old. Then a booster should be given 9 to 12 months later. If these guidelines are followed, the next rabies vaccination will be needed every 3 years after the second vaccination.
It is not uncommon to have either an improperly vaccinated or unvaccinated pet, usually a cat, arrive at the clinic with a bite wound of unknown origin. If the pet is improperly vaccinated, this is a reportable situation to the local town, and the pet may be quarantined, usually at home, for 5 to 6 months, after which the pet may be vaccinated. Legally, an animal control officer may stop by periodically to check on the status of the pet in question. If an improperly vaccinated pet bites a person and breaks the skin, the local authorities can mandate a 10-day quarantine period. This time it may not be in your house. After this quarantine period is completed, the pet will be vaccinated and most likely the owner will be fined for failure to comply with the law. The penalty in this situation depends upon the animal control in each town, and it is possible that nothing may be done.
Consider the real reason the state mandates that all pets are vaccinated against rabies. Rabies is a major public health concern because the most likely source of exposure for most of us would be if our pets were unknowingly exposed to a rabid wild animal. More than would we, pets are likely to contact an infected wild animal and, therefore, they pose the potential risk of transmitting rabies to us. It is for the protection of you and your family, including any children, that the state mandates rabies vaccinations for all dogs and cats. Considering the potential risk, it is amazing that there are any unvaccinated or improperly vaccinated pets in our communities. Years ago when rabies was a hot issue most people were contacting their veterinarians to ask if their pet was current on its rabies vaccination. If the pet wasn’t up to date these owners wanted them vaccinated as soon as possible, if not yesterday.
Just because rabies isn’t a front page newspaper topic these days doesn’t mean that the disease has been eradicated. It is still out there, so don’t become complacent. It is much easier and safer to have your pet current on this particular vaccination than to face a situation that you may dearly regret. And finally, teach your children to stay away from any wildlife, especially any that seems to be acting “funny.”
[back to top]
Making Your Pet’s Fleas Flee
Let's begin with the flea life cycle. The adults live on your pet. They are unlikely to jump off. Why should they? Your pet is their dinner table and the meal is delicious blood. Besides feeding, adult fleas breed on your pet. One female flea can produce hundreds of eggs, which she deposits on your pet. The eggs fall to the ground and your house floors or any place, including your furniture, where pets spend time. Larvae hatch and feed on animal dander and flea droppings, then fall to the floor. The larvae develop into the cocoon stage, then emerge as young adult fleas. These hungry critters hop on your pet and the life cycle repeats.
Fleas are a common reason for pets to scratch, bite, chew, or lick. Fleas especially like a dog’s rump, groin, the inner aspects and backs of the thighs and under the tail. On our feline friends, fleas often reside between the shoulder blades as well as on the rump, hind legs and belly. Besides fleas, you may also find little thin black specks in your pet's fur. This is fleadirt, which is digested blood, the end result of their tasty meals.
Flea control products have improved immensely over the years. While flea collars, flea spray, powders, and dips are available, the newer spot-on products have changed flea control dramatically. These products kill the adult fleas more rapidly than the older products. Easy to apply, they are used once a month.
The spot-on topicals have some effect on the immature forms in the environment. These products work best in the oils on the skin. When animal dander—small flakes of dead skin—drops from your pet, it has some of the flea control product on it. The flea droppings also have these flea control products on them. When the flea larvae feed on these substances, they won’t develop into the cocoons. Killing the immature forms before they reach the adult stage really helps to control a flea infestation. Studies show that 95% of the flea population exists in those immature stages—egg, larva, and cocoon. If you can stop the development of 95% of the population, it becomes much easier to control the last 5%, which is the adult stage.
While these spot-on products have environmental control capabilities, sometimes conditions in the house require the use of a house control spray or flea bombs, or the skill of an exterminator. These will reduce any environmental flea population in the house more rapidly than the monthly flea applications can do. When you treat your house, you should treat all the rooms that are accessible to your pet. And be sure to treat all of your pets.
Flea-infected pets are usually very itchy. When you face this situation, your veterinarian can help stop the itch. This can lead to a good night’s sleep for both your pet and yourself. Many owners report that their incessantly scratching pet keeps waking them up. Don't let this happen to you. After all, your veterinarian's staff is well versed in the war against the flea and knows just what needs to be done to bring comfort to your furry friends.
[back to top]
Warmer Weather Signals Pet Heartworm
Cool spring weather can lead some people to overlook the approaching heartworm season. Because most veterinarians recommend that dogs should be given heartworm prevention year round, there is no longer the urgency to get them restarted in April, before the first mosquitoes make their appearance. If your dog isn’t on heartworm prevention all year, this is the time for an appointment for your dog’s heartworm check. If the results are negative, it signals the time to start it back on heartworm prevention.
With the development of different forms of heartworm prevention medications, we see fewer and fewer heartworm-positive dogs. But this shouldn’t lead to the wrong assumption that this disease is a thing of the past. No, the risk is ever present; however, the decrease in the number of infected dogs is because more and more of our canine friends are protected when their owners give them their once-a-month heartworm prevention.
It is important that all pet owners become familiar with this disease. I emphasize all pet owners because heartworms are also a risk to cats. While the prevalence of heartworms in cats is much lower than in dogs, more than the occasional cat has been diagnosed with heartworm disease or has died secondary to it. It is no longer just a disease of dogs. All cat owners should question their veterinarian about their recommendations for heartworm prevention in cats.
One guilty culprit in heartworm disease is the mosquito. This insect transmits the infection to your pet. The main guilty party is the infected neighborhood dog where the mosquito picked up the parasite. As the mosquito feeds, it may ingest some immature forms of heartworms from an infected pet. The insect transmits this infection to another pet when the mosquito feeds again. The immature heartworm then travels through the blood for about 5 months-6 months before finding its home in the right side of the heart. There the adult worms breed, if both sexes are present. The end result is females producing more immature worms, which can then be picked up by a mosquito as the whole lifecycle resumes.
As you would imagine, having these worms inside the heart isn’t a good thing. This is where the disease differs between dogs and cats. Cats rarely have more than 1 or 2 worms in their hearts, and yet with just these very low numbers of adults the results can be fatal. In fact, acute unexpected death is a common presentation with feline heartworm disease.
But, it is very unlikely that 1 or 2 worms would kill a dog. The problem in dogs occurs when a larger number of heartworm begin to fill the right side of the heart and, therefore, interfere with the circulation of blood through the heart. Importantly, these worms don’t wrap themselves around the heart and somehow squeeze it to interfere with the pumping of blood. The end result of untreated heartworm disease in dogs is right-sided heart failure. This doesn’t seem to be so in cats. It is felt that the sudden deaths are due to some type of anaphylactic reaction secondary to the presence of adults or the immature forms of the worms, known as microfilaria.
Ultimately, when enough worms are present a dog begins to show signs of heartworm disease. The initial sign is a persistent cough. Decreased appetite, weight loss, weakness, decreased exercise tolerance, and finally, a swollen abdomen are seen if the disease is left untreated and allowed to progress to the point of right-sided heart failure.
Heartworm disease can prove fatal if left untreated. If the infected pet is in heart failure at the time of treatment, continued treatment for the diseased heart is necessary after the adult worms have been eradicated. Obviously, dogs with this stage of disease have a poorer prognosis than those that are either infected but asymptomatic or are in the early stages.
Cats with heartworms may show no signs at all, then suddenly die. They may vomit intermittently, cough, or show asthmatic type signs, such as shortness of breath. These signs are frequently seen in cats secondary to other diseases, so don’t panic from fear that the cat has heartworms and may suddenly die. This is just one possibility, if the problem persists, and another reason cannot be found.
Canine heartworm disease is treatable and the results are usually favorable if the pet is in good condition and shows no signs of advanced disease when treatment is started. While there are cats that have been treated for heartworms, the success of treatment is less than for dogs.
When it comes to heartworm disease the emphasis belongs on prevention, which is available for both dogs and cats. These preventives also help control several other parasites. There are forms of prevention that help to control various intestinal parasites as well as external parasites such as fleas, ear mites, and scabies mites. Discuss treatment and prevention with your veterinarian. Perhaps the day has come when we need to stop thinking of the preventions as being only for heartworms since they now do so much more than just prevent heartworms. This is part of why these preventives are recommended for use all year long.
[back to top]
Sink Your Teeth Into Your Pet’s Dental Care
Take a good look at your pet. What do you notice? One place I am sure you don’t see is inside the mouth. When was the last time you lifted those lips and took a look at your pet’s teeth? After so many years of our stressing the importance of oral health in pets, we know that the mouth still remains the most neglected part of the body. Out of sight, out of mind.
All pet owners would be well advised periodically to lift those lips and check out those pearly whites. Don’t be surprised if the teeth aren’t as white as you would expect. A word of caution: Some pets don’t like their mouths touched. Don’t get bitten as you try to sneak a peek.
Dental tartar and gingivitis are common problems in pets. Dental tartar can develop in some pets as early as 1 to 2 years of age. Most pets have some dental tartar by 3 years of age, especially on the larger cheek teeth. This happens even in those pets that eat only dry foods. The smaller dog breeds, like poodles, are very prone to dental and periodontal disease, especially of the incisor region. Cats are known to develop these erosive lesions, known as neck lesions, on the molars and the premolars. Broken teeth are often seen. Surprising to most owners, many of these pets eat normally. Because dental problems are common, examination of a pet’s mouth is an important part of its annual physical exam.
What would prompt a pet owner to see a veterinarian regarding a problem with a pet’s mouth? Bad breath is a common reason. While significant dental disease can cause bad breath, at times bad breath is related more to the different items your pet may be eating. Many cat owners bring their feline friends in because the pet no longer wants to eat dry food, but continues to eat the canned food offered. Drooling, especially foul smelling drool or blood tinged saliva, usually prompts a visit. Most pets with dental tartar and mild periodontal disease simply don’t exhibit abnormalities at all.
There will come a time in your pet’s life when your veterinarian will recommend a dental cleaning. As you can imagine, your pet isn’t going to lie quietly with its mouth wide open as the veterinary technician cleans its teeth. To do a complete dental prophylaxis, the pet needs to be anesthetized. Preanesthetic blood tests and a recent physical exam should be performed prior to doing any anesthetic procedure. In dental prophylaxis the teeth are cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner, scaled with a hand scaler, and polished. Sound familiar? The same procedure your dental hygienist performs for you is done for your pet. No, we aren’t dental flossing, yet.
All too often veterinarians find that teeth need to be removed because there is so much disease of both the teeth and the adjacent gums. Imagine having 3 or more teeth removed at the same time. Regrettably, this isn’t an uncommon occurrence in veterinary dentistry. Sometimes teeth literally fall out as the technician attempts to remove the tartar. Amazingly, these pets don’t experience as much pain as one would expect. But they probably feel a lot better without all the disease inside their mouths. Pets with mouths like this do go home on antibiotics and medications to relieve any discomfort.
After your pet’s teeth are cleaned you can use some home care procedures to help keep the teeth clean. You need to realize that regardless what you do, some time this may need to be done again. The best thing to do, if your pet will let you, is brush its teeth. A pet dentifrice is recommended because the substance is safe to swallow and won’t upset the stomach. There are flavors your pet may find more appealing than those found in our toothpastes. Oral rinses, which reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth, are available. Tartar control pet foods can help remove some of the tartar as well as slow down its formation. Some types of chews help to slow the formation of tartar. Dry dog and cat foods tend to cause slower tartar development than do softer canned foods. Just which is best for you depends on your pet. You would be wise to discuss home dental care with your veterinarian. If nothing else, be sure periodically to check those teeth and gums. For many pets, dental care amounts to routine cleanings as deemed necessary by the veterinarian.
Good oral care is so important to your pet’s overall health. It certainly can lead to a longer life as compared to those pets with severe periodontal disease. Do your pet a favor and don’t ignore this body part. Too bad they can’t give us a big smile when they rush to greet us.
[back to top]
Signs Your Pet is Aging
The good news is pets are living longer. For instance, older teenage cats, at 15 to 20 years old, are more common. Many small breed dogs now live well into their teenage years. Even the larger breed of dogs can reach their teenage years, which once was rare. This good news makes it important for pet owners to watch for the normal aging changes in our senior pets.
The odds are that one of the first things you unconsciously do when your pet comes a-running is to make eye contact. Normally your pet’s pupil, which is the dark central area of the eye, is black. As many of you know pupils in dogs are round; they are elliptical in cats. As your pet ages, the pupil becomes cloudy with a blue-gray cast replacing the black that you have been accustomed to. Many owners fear that their aging pet is developing cataracts, which could lead to blindness.
While cataracts are certainly seen in pets, this gradual clouding of the pupil is referred to as nuclear sclerosis. Nuclear sclerosis doesn’t lead to blindness. Possibly, it will affect your pet’s vision at night, but during the day any change in your pet’s vision will be undetectable. If, however, you were very astute and paid attention to the size of your pet’s pupil when it was younger as compared to now, when it is older, you would notice that the pupil is larger or more dilated. During the day this allows more light to reach the retina, where the vision receptors are located.
Do older pets go deaf? You bet they do. Consider your pet when it was younger. Didn’t it always seem aware when you entered a room or came down the stairs, especially if you walked right by? This may be less so with an older pet. In fact, many owners report that their pets seem to be in a deeper state of sleep because they don’t arise when they walk into the room. Actually, these pets experience a degree of hearing loss and they aren’t aware that you’ve entered the room. Eventually the pet may become totally deaf, which only may appear to have happened suddenly when you notice that your pet doesn’t come when you call it. Amazingly, some of these pets still seem to hear when the cupboard doors open at feeding time. Maybe they are smarter than we give them credit for as they, like our children, may be exhibiting selective hearing loss.
It is important to be aware if your dog is losing its hearing, especially if your dog happens to like lying under the car in hot, humid weather. It may not hear the car engine start up, and if it is also arthritic, it may not be able to get out of the way before you begin to back out of your driveway. Sadly, all veterinarians have seen dogs, usually of the larger breed variety, which have been accidentally run over by their owners in this exact situation. Always check to make sure your dog isn’t underneath the car in the shade before you drive away.
Just as we get sore joints, stiffness, aches and pains as we get older, so do our pets. Arthritis is very common in our older furry friends. This may be obvious when an older pet has a harder time getting up from a lying position. There’s the older pet that is now having trouble climbing stairs, or the older dog with trouble jumping into the car. Arthritic changes in cats may be the reason why older cats can’t jump up on a favorite window sill perch, where it watched birds in its younger years.
Yes, arthritis is a definite aging change seen in our senior pets. Luckily, there now are some alternatives so that they don’t need to live with significant aches or pains. As many of you are probably aware, some nutrient joint supplements are touted for easing the pain of those achy joints. These are much advertised for people. You may have heard of glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate, two of the more popular components of these supplements. While it is debatable just how these joint neutraceuticals work, the bottom line is that in many instances they do. The end result is less stiffness, less joint pain and more comfort. These products are also available for our arthritic pets, both dogs and cats. Safe to use, such products cause little or no concern about possible future kidney or liver problems secondary to their long-term use. They are available in several forms, including pills, powders for sprinkling on food, chewable biscuits, and capsules which also can be opened for sprinkling on food. Some foods are being sold with these supplements included; however, the amount in a daily feeding is much less than the amount recommended as a daily supplement.
Sometimes neutraceuticals alone don’t offer enough relief. Luckily, there are several arthritis medications and formulations available for pets with more significant disease. These products are NSAIDs, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While they can prove very helpful for many arthritic pets, there is a risk of liver or kidney changes. As a result, pets taking these products chronically should have periodic blood tests for any unwanted side effects.
Pets living longer—isn’t this wonderful? Could this mean one time fewer that we need to experience the heartache of having to say goodbye? As pets live longer, it is your responsibility to ensure that they experience quality, comfortable years. Be especially attentive to any changes you see in your older friend and if you have questions, call your veterinarian.
[back to top]
Pet Owner Resolutions
These New Year's resolutions concentrate on our responsibilities to our current or future pets.
DO NOT IMPULSIVELY BUY A PET as you stroll through the pet store. All the puppies and kittens are so cute and your compassionate side wants to give the poor little things a good home. Do not make this mistake—unless you were looking to add a pet to your family anyway and are willing to take on the responsibility, a responsibility that could last for a good 15 years!
IT IS WRONG TO SURPRISE A GRIEVING INDIVIDUAL with a new responsibility, even though it is tempting to buy a pet for a family member who has recently lost a loved one, more specifically a spouse. You feel it would relieve the loneliness. While this is a loving step, it is wrong to surprise a grieving individual with this new responsibility. Sometimes this gift might not backfire, but usually the pet becomes the major loser. And don’t surprise anyone whose beloved pet has passed away by replacing it with another one, even if it is the same breed. Make a resolution not to buy a pet for anyone unless you’re absolutely certain that it would be a welcome gift.
NEXT COMES A VERY IMPORTANT RESOLUTION, which goes against your first impulse if you’ve ever been in this situation. Make a resolution that, if you should ever hit a dog or cat with your car, you will not hit the accelerator, hoping that no one saw it happen. How would you like it if someone hit your pet and sped away to leave your injured pet somewhere in the road. I’ll tell you how you’d feel, because veterinarians are faced with this situation all too often when the owners find their injured animal or discover that someone else called regarding their injured pet. They are very grateful to the ones who helped and are invariably upset that someone could leave an injured pet in the road. Make this resolution to display your humanity and compassion at a time such as this!
RESOLVE TO HAVE YOUR PET SPAYED OR NEUTERED, unless you’re going to breed responsibly to ensure that there are homes for all of the puppies or kittens. Will this help control the pet population problem? Probably not, since there are so many feral pets, especially cats. You can take consolation in knowing that you’re not adding to the problem.
Consider a DONATION to help care for homeless pets. Humane societies and animal shelters are always in need of financial assistance. While considering this, do not forget to contribute to charities that also benefit mankind. So many people are appalled by stories of animal abuse. My response to them is to also consider the abuse of children and women.
I RESOLVE TO KNOW WHERE MY PET IS AT ALL TIMES. This is certainly difficult for those of you who have cats that go outside. In most of these situations, the cat goes out unsupervised, so you should be willing to assume the potential risks and costs. Our canine friends would be just as happy to be walked or to play with some family member as they would to run free. After your pet has been hit by a car or has suffered a significant injury, perhaps you’ll see the value of leash laws.
RESOLVE TO MAKE TIME FOR YOUR FAMILY. Yes, pets do become important family members. Dogs are social creatures and do appreciate your time, but don’t forget the bigger picture—the rest of your family. How easy it is for people to hug their pets and tell them that they love them. Please do not forget to do the same for your children and your spouse and other family members. Doing this routinely and saying it like you mean it could help make 2005 a very special year for you!
Enjoy the holiday season. Be responsible and careful on New Year’s Eve and have a wonderful New Year!
[back to top]
Your Pet’s Continuing Care is Vital
Let’s look at a maintenance program for our pets. While it is true that pets aren’t machines, and there will be some differences when you own a dog or a cat, the general principles of continuing care are applicable to each. Much of this you do routinely as a matter of fact, and others are done when you get the reminder notice from your veterinarian.
Let’s begin with the obvious: All pets need fresh water and food every day. The water should be changed twice a day. This becomes an issue for pets living outside, and especially in the winter when the water may freeze. At this time of year, though, a conscious effort is needed to check the status of your pet’s water bowl. In warmer months all kinds of little bugs may crawl or land in the water bowl. While I really haven’t asked any pets if they mind the little critters floating in the water, it is more comforting to know that a pet has clean, fresh water to drink.
Who doesn’t like to feed a pet? In fact, the truth is that we do too good a job of this most of the time, because the majority of pets seen by veterinarians are overweight. As a guideline, most dogs should be fed some commercial dog food twice daily. Some owners choose to feed raw food diets that they prepare at home, and dogs on that diet seem to do very well. It involves extra time and effort when the owner prepares each meal. But table scraps and other treats should be kept to a minimum.
Cats may be fed either free choice, meaning that they have access to eat anytime they choose, with the food always left out, or a couple times a day. A free-feeding regimen works for many cats, but I can attest that it doesn’t work for my own cat, as for many others. My cat would probably eat till he explodes; therefore, he is fed twice a day. While there are a variety of foods available to feed—some better than others—it is recommended that you talk to your veterinarian or the staff concerning dietary suggestions.
All pets need exercise. Many housecats run after some small object rolled on the floor, or something like a long piece of string or yarn pulled across the floor. Whatever you use be sure that the cat cannot swallow the object used for play. It certainly is easier to have exercise time with our canine friends, and it is a great way to spend time with your dog. This is very important, because dogs are social animals. Taking them out for walks on a leash, to run in fields, and throwing balls or some other object for them to run after are all great forms of exercise, and help control your pet’s weight.
Certain preventive maintenance needs to be done on each month. All dogs should receive a once-a-month heartworm preventive, especially at this time of the year. Remember that there are heartworm preventives for cats, too. Although the tick burden has periodically subsided, the flea loads now begin to increase until the colder weather arrives. It is very important to utilize some form of flea and tick control on your pet. The popular monthly spot-on products are very effective. Be prepared for the emerging deer tick load, which seems to show up sometime in the fall.
On a yearly basis, and for older pets twice yearly, it is recommended that pets receive a complete physical exam. If your pet is getting on in age, it is recommended that wellness blood tests be drawn on an annual basis. Any required vaccinations are often given at these visits. Vaccination protocols have been changing in the past several years. What once were considered annual boosters may now be recommended for your pet every 2-3 years. Vaccination schedules are now tailored to your pet’s risk factor for these different diseases. Vaccines are now categorized into core and optional. Core vaccines are given on a specific schedule, and optional vaccines may not be needed for your pet. You would be well advised to discuss your pet’s vaccination needs with your veterinarian. Even if your pet never goes into the great outdoors, and now I am speaking to owners of indoors-only cats, you still need to have them vaccinated against rabies. It is the law.
It is recommended to do a fecal exam 1-2 times a year on all pets that go outside. The comforting truth for dogs on the oral heartworm preventives is that they are dewormed for many of the intestinal parasites each time you give them their heartworm medication. None of these preventives treats for tapeworms. In the case of cats going outside and, as successful hunters, eating what they catch, it is important to deworm them at least once a year.
Your pet depends on you for its good health. Keeping good records of when its preventive health needs are due is such an important part of your care. This, combined with your attending to its daily needs, and your love will be more than enough to provide completely all that your pet could ever desire.
[back to top]
|
|
