Ruptured Cruciate Ligaments And Early Spay And Neuter

by Dr. Robert Foley, DVM

The data has been compiled. I went through our patients over the last ten years who are over the age of three years old. A summary of the data shows that while 2.1% of our spayed and neutered patients had to undergo ACL surgery, only 0.3% of the intact animals had to have the surgery.  

This represents a seven fold  increase for animals that have been spayed and neutered before the age of 6 months to have to undergo knee surgery for anterior cruciate rupture.

These results are staggering (so much so that I am submitting these results for publication…if we are published I will post the article and everyone can see the specifics of the study…don’t want to get too technical here).  In pouring through the archived studies there does seem to be a possible explanation.

A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 found that animals spayed and neutered at less then a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more then a year. 

The sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones, promote the closure of growth plates at puberty, so bones of neutered or spayed animals continue to grow longer.  These dogs have longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls.

This delay of growth plate closure can result in different angles from one set of long bones to another.  

For example, a study  by Dr. Kathy Linn and her resident Dr. Felix Duerr showed that spayed and female animals have a significantly greater tibial plateau angle. This is because the tibial growth plate stays open longer then it is supposed to and the tibia continues to grow longer relative to the femur in “fixed” animals as opposed to those animals who are intact.  It is widely known and accepted that animals with a greater tibial plateau angle are at a much higher risk for anterior cruciate injury.  Perhaps Dr. Michael will delve into this on later posts.

It is these changes in bone structure then that subject prepubertally spayed and neutered animals to anterior cruciate rupture.  

Other orthopedic abnormalities like osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia have also been correlated with early spay and neuter.  In addition, spayed and neutered animals tend to gain weight, are more likely to develop obesity, and have decreased lean muscle mass.  Obesity itself is a major risk factor for orthopedic abnormalities and injury.

The increased risk of anterior cruciate rupture and surgery is just one more reason to think strongly about whether we should be spaying and neutering our pets….particularly before puberty and before normal growth has finished.

***

Angry Vet's blog offers objective opinions on many controversial topics often not readily available from your local veterinarian. This includes health concerns with over-vaccination, spaying and neutering controversy, and nutritional issues.

Dr. Robert Foley and Dr. Michael Ferber, founders of Angry Vet blog, are raising questions about the general recommendations that veterinarians are taught to give to their patients. Why do veterinarians vaccinate so much? Why they recommend spaying and neutering as a dogma, and as the only option? Is an intact animal actually healthier? Why are certain diseases so prevalent in our pets? Why is "people food" unhealthy for our pets but processed dog or cat foods superior?

Are you asking the same questions? And if you're not, should you? Check out  Angry Vet blog or connect with them on Facebook or Twitter.

Related articles:
Compensation: An Attempt To Restore Harmony
How The Oddysey Started: Jasmine's ACL Injury 
Talk To Me About ACL Injuries
Newest Surgery For Ruptured ACL In Dogs
Preventing ACL Injuries In Dogs
ACL Injuries In Dogs: Xena's Story 
ACL Injury Conservative Management: Sandy's Story
Surviving The Post-Op: After Your Dog's ACL Surgery
Talk to Me About Arthritis
Don't Forget the Physical Therapy 
My Love Is Sleeping At My Feet: ACL Surgery Complications 
Coco's TPLO Post-Op Diary 
Small Breeds Can Hurt Their ACL Too: Star's Naughty Knee 
One Thing Leads To Another: Why The Second ACL Often Goes Too 
ACL/CCL Injuries In Dogs: Is There Such a Thing As A False Positive Drawer Sign?
Dog Knee Injuries: Should You Say Yes To Pain Management? 
Knee Surgery Post-Op Helper: Bottom's Up Leash

Dog Cartoon Of The Week: Actually, I'm A Labrador

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Dog Cartoon of the Week is brought to you by Andertoons. Check out the website for more great cartoons.


Cartoonist Mark Anderson lives in the Chicago area with his wife, their children, two cats, a dog and several dust bunnies. You might have seen his cartoons in a number of publications including Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, Barrons, Woman's World, Harvard Business Review, Saturday Evening Post, American Legion Magazine, Funny Times.

Really Angry Vet: Winston's First Seizure

by Dr. Robert Foley, DVM

A wonderful client of mine brought her 12 year old Boxer to see me.  

Last night, the dog had his first seizure and the owners found themselves at a local 24 hour veterinary facility because we were closed.  They were in today to see me to discuss what had happened last night, to have me examine their pet, and to get my opinion as to what was the next step to take.

I typically subdivide my seizure dogs into one of three categories based upon age.  

A three month old puppy, for example, that starts having seizures typically has a congenital malformation (liver shunt, hydrocephalus etc.).

A middle aged dog, let’s say 3 to 5 years old, who begins having seizures is typically your epileptic patient.  Epileptics are simply animals predisposed to having seizures with no identifiable cause other than genetics.  We all have a seizure threshold, an accumulation of neuronal stimulation where the brain will have seizure activity.  Epileptics have a lower threshold and thus seize more readily.

The third category, unfortunatetly the one poor Winston fell into, is the older patient that begins to seize.  

This, unfortunately, is usually due to an intracranial lesion ( a lesion like a tumor in and invading or surrounding and compressing the brain).  As an added clue, this patient is a Boxer, a breed that is notoriously known for developing cancer ANYWHERE.  Of course there is the outlying infectious disease that can infect an animal of any age and cause seizures but let’s dismiss them for the moment as they are certainly rare.

The reason that I am giving you this background is to provide a perspective to the “treatments” that were given to Winston at the emergency hospital.  

They ran some baseline tests (appropriate) and some other tests (that were aggressive) without discussing options to the owner (the words MRI, neurology consult, cancer, or guarded or poor prognosis were never mentioned).

Then they proceeded to dispense Amoxicillin to treat possible pancreatitis (the dog demonstrated no signs of pancreatitis and Amoxicillin would not be the treatment if he had).  They gave the dog multiple pain medications (notice I didn’t say anti-seizure medications or sedatives but pain meds).

Then the kicker. They VACCINATED the dog!

To the unfortunate and unknowing pet owner, the illusion of care and compassion was provided; to the knowing and discriminating veterinarian, this is criminal.

Treatments (some unnecessary and some downright dangerous) and tests were performed simply to pad the client’s bill.  The client received no education and no options.

They simply were gouged then “shipped”.

A little secret…we never really started Angryvet because we were “angry”.  It was a catchy name that would hopefully draw people to our site to help bring attention to some issues that we felt warranted more study and more accessibility to pet owners.  I never intended to be a whistle-blower or to bad-mouth veterinarians.  Today, on this post, I will skip the obligatory qualification that most vets are good, honest, and educated people.  Today, I am angry.  Really.

Dishonesty and price gouging are not unique to veterinarians by any means.  

If someone goes to any professional to seek advice on something with which they are not educated or familiar, they run the risk of encountering a dishonest person.  I am not well-versed at all with construction or auto mechanics and have definitely been taken for a ride or two over the years.

Am I angry with humanity?  Why do we do this to each other?  Is money that important?  Is it too difficult to take pride in an honest day’s work and to receive an honest day’s pay?  Do the pressures of making money and surviving the stress and pace of life cause some of us to forget ethics and decency?

Am I angry with veterinarians in particular?  Should we be held up to a higher standard?  Did we not take an oath that includes the words “Primum non nocere” , or “First do no harm?”  Do we have an unwritten code amongst veterinarians to not blow the whistle on another veterinarian when they are acting unethically or is it our responsibility to the client who may not understand what is being done to them to do just that?

Once again, as I often state, I don’t have all of the answers.  Today, I feel good because I not only explained all of this to my valued client, but because I have a following of people who actually are out there to listen to what I have to say.

I just wish I had a better story of humanity to share.

***

Angry Vet's blog offers objective opinions on many controversial topics often not readily available from your local veterinarian. This includes health concerns with over-vaccination, spaying and neutering controversy, and nutritional issues.

Dr. Robert Foley and Dr. Michael Ferber, founders of Angry Vet blog, are raising questions about the general recommendations that veterinarians are taught to give to their patients. Why do veterinarians vaccinate so much? Why they recommend spaying and neutering as a dogma, and as the only option? Is an intact animal actually healthier? Why are certain diseases so prevalent in our pets? Why is "people food" unhealthy for our pets but processed dog or cat foods superior?

Are you asking the same questions? And if you're not, should you? Check out  Angry Vet blog or connect with them on Facebook or Twitter.

Adoption Monday: Inky, Labrador Retriever, Clovis, CA

Inky came from a small rural shelter where he came in as a stray. 

This beautiful guy gets along with other dogs, loves children and is ok with cats too! 

He likes going for car rides.

Inky is about 3 years old, house trained, needs a little leash training, but he's learning. Inky has a beautiful black shiny coat and loves to be by your side especially if you pet him.

Inky is a sweet guy and we can already tell he’s going to make a wonderful family friend.

Inky is ready to meet is new family – is that you?

***

The Labrador Retriever Rescue of Fresno (LRRF), was established out of a growing need to rescue and provide loving homes for abused, abandoned, and unwanted Labs in the greater Fresno and Central Valley area. 

LRRF is an all volunteer, 100% foster based local organization and they rely completely on donations from dog loving community to help with medical expenses, food and supplies to meet the needs of their Labs.

Making Your Own Dog Treats: Our Home-made Jerky Treat Production

I haven't met a dog that didn't love jerky treats. I think, and the dogs I know concur, that jerky is the best kind of treat going.



Buying jerky treats for you dogs, though, you can run into major safety issues. 

Jerky treats made in China are behind numerous dog illnesses and even deaths. I can only imagine how it would feel to hurt my dogs while thinking I was doing something good for them.

FDA has been issuing warnings since 2007 but failed in getting these dangerous treats off the shelves.


Jerky treats are very easy to make at home!

We've been making jerky treats for our guys for about six years now. It all started when on her play date with Jasmine's best buddy, his mom pulled out something very yummy. Dehydrated beef lung chunks!

Jasmine could not get enough of them!

As a loving mom, I ran to the store to get some more. It was $10 for a tiny little bag. Well, that was not going to cut it. And that's when we started thinking about making dog jerky treats ourselves.

We looked into dehydrators and started small. But the treats were so popular, our treat making evolved into treat production. As you can see in the video, eventually we ended up with a butcher meat slicer, jerky gun and stainless steel heavy-duty dehydrator. Of course, you don't need all that, a simple American Harvest dehydrator will get you started as well.

We make jerky treats from beef, ground beef, beef hearts or beef liver.

You can, of course, use any meat you like, or even experiment with some veggies, such as sweet potatoes. If you do want to make jerky from ground meat, you will need a jerky gun (or if you want to go big, jerky cannon). Having a slicer works for us but you could have your butcher slice it up for you as well.

Home-made jerky treats are cheaper and SAFER.

We like using the dehydrator, but you can experiment making them in the oven as well.

Why risk your dog's health when you can make their jerky treats yourself?

Related articles:
Chicken Jerky Anyone? Not When It's From China!

Further reading:
Time for Another Jerky Treat Update
Safety Alert on Jerky Treats for Pets
FDA Investigates Animal Illnesses Linked to Jerky Pet Treats

Getting On The Pet Health Insurance Wagon: Does Being Insured Equal Being Covered?

To get a pet health insurance or not to get pet health insurance, that is the question. 

It's been a dilemma for us for a very long time. The main reason? We don't like insurance companies and we don't trust them.

Insurance companies are not charity organizations.

They are businesses; they are in it to make money. And as they say in Vegas, “the house always wins.” So why would anybody ever pay for any insurance?

We were struggling with this dilemma when we got Jasmine.

We asked her vet at the time what the cost of some common mishaps and accidents could be. We then decided, that instead of paying insurance, we would put an equal amount into a savings account instead. Made perfect sense to us and it is an advice you'll often hear.

It was the advice we got from Jasmine's chiropractor when we mentioned we were considering getting pet health insurance for JD.

Logical, isn't it?

We had five thousand dollars put aside in a dedicated savings account for Jasmine's unexpected vet bills and we felt very good about it.

And then Jasmine injured her knee. Then a mass was found in her abdomen. Then she busted her other knee. Then she ended up spending a week in the ICU at the teaching hospital after her drug-induced hyperthermia …

Over sixty five thousand dollars of veterinary bills later (and that's just for the past four years) the five thousand dollars, we'd originally saved, turned out to be about as good a spit in the ocean.

Here is the question, though, how much of that would have actually been covered and paid had we had an insurance?

Jasmine's acupuncture vet adopted a dog who ended up with back-to-back health issues, similar to Jasmine. She did have an insurance. Guess what? After a number of claims, the insurance cut her off.

Getting pet health insurance is one thing. But what does it cover, how much does it pay up, and under what conditions? 

Does one actually need to get a lawyer in order to figure out all the different policies and conditions in order to get an insurance that will do them any good?

With Jasmine, it is what it is. But what about JD?

JD might of course remain perfectly healthy for his entire life. Not all dogs get sick and keep on getting sick. But short of having a crystal ball, there is no telling what might happen.

Every time I watch JD throw up bunch of wood chunks, run after a squirrel without any regard for the terrain and obstacles, or simply run into things expecting them to get out of the way, I get covered in cold sweat.

We don't have any more money or credit to draw from!

Frankly, we don't even have any extra money to spend on an insurance. Jasmine is an ongoing project and expense.

We discussed this over and over, time and time again. We looked at different policies from different pet health insurance companies. We looked at the premiums and the conditions. And we kept procrastinating. Stories we heard did very little to encourage us.

With JD, I mostly worry about intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, broken limbs, busted knees, bloat …

Many companies offer insurance at reasonable rates. But when you look at the policies, you'll find that the policy might cover only say up to $2,500 per accident/illness/year.

Well, that is all fine and dandy, but how much of veterinary care does that really buy?

• Jasmine's hospitalization after her drug-induced hyperthermia, and to remove an abdominal abscess –   $13,000
• Lilly's severe adverse reaction to a rabies vaccine – $16,000 (or more, I don't know the exact number; the insurance covered something around $3,500)
• Ella's hospitalization and surgery after ingesting a string – $7,000
• Diagnostics and treatment/surgery of cruciate ligament injury – $5,000
• Ella's syringomyelia diagnostics and treatment – $10,000 plus
• Cancer diagnostics and treatment – $10,000 - $20,000 plus
• IVDD diagnostics and surgery – $8,000 plus

And for all that you'd get $2,500 minus your deductible. So that is not very helpful, is it?

A friend of mine had a coverage that included stem cell therapy. Awesome, right? So they did the treatment and the insurance paid. $150. (Stem cell therapy comes to $2,500 plus, depending on where you have it done) Their policy covered stem cell treatment but had a maximum of $150 for arthritis treatment per year! That wouldn't even cover the cost of NSAIDs!

Makes you wanna run out and get one [pet health insurance], doesn't it?

Some plans out there offer coverage up to $5,000 per accident/illness/year. That's better, but apart from the knee injury, doesn't really cover any real disasters either, does it?

If we were going to pay for an insurance, we wanted to be covered no matter what happens. You can't tell your dog to get hurt/sick only within the coverage you happen to have.

Our sentiment in that regard was clear. We're not going to waste our money on insurance just to get a consolation prize.

Then we found an insurance who has a premium plan that offers unlimited coverage per accident or illness. Sounds good, right? They even cover  things such as annual check-ups and dental cleaning. HOWEVER—and there always seems to be a however—they pay out only up to 80% of the actual cost (minus the deductible, of course). AND if you make too many claims they can lower it all the way down to 50%!

No wonder we kept abandoning the idea of getting pet health insurance.

Not to mention all the things that don't get covered anyways, such as pre-existing conditions, hereditary conditions ...

Is there actually ANY way to get insured AND covered?

On the other hand, as healthy as he is, JD is a disaster waiting to happen...

The most no-nonsense plan we could find is with Trupanion.

The core policy covers

• Accidents
• Illnesses
• Hereditary conditions (other than hip dysplasia)
• Congenital conditions
• Diagnostic tests
• Surgeries
• Medications
• Hospital stays
• Veterinary supplements

There is no lifetime limit per claim, per incident, or per year and no lifetime payout limit. It pays 90% of the cost (minus deductible). It seems simple and sweet.

So JD is now officially a Trupanion insuree.

He is now insured—and, hopefully—covered. If we get disappointed, you'll hear about it.

Do you have a pet health insurance? Do you have misgivings with pet health insurance?

Veterinary Highlights: New Hope For Dogs With Fatal Heart Disease?

An international study revealed a clear survival benefit associated with the administration of pimobendan (Vetmedin) in the preclinical phase of canine dilated cardiomyopathy.

Photo by channah

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged. As a result, it cannot pump enough blood. This condition is the most common cause of congestive heart failure CHF).

The study concluded that treatment with pimobendan (Vetmedin) delays the onset of heart failure or sudden death, and brings a significant increase in overall survival time.

I am not a big fan of drugs, but there is certainly a time and place for them. Half the dogs in the study received conventional treatment, and the other half was treated with Pimobendan.

Dogs with CHF treated with conventional therapy, including an ACE inhibitor, lived  approximately four months. Dogs who received pimobendan lived about 9 months longer.

How does this drug work? It acts in two ways. It opens up the blood vessels, which reduces the workload on the heart, and it increases the strength of the heart beat, improving it's function.

Source: Vetmedin

The results seem conclusive that  pimobendan is by far a superior treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. This one is going into my notes.

Source article:
RVC researcher helps to lead pioneering study offering new hope to owners of dogs with fatal heart disease

Further reading:
Enlarged Heart (Dilated Cardiomyopathy) in Dogs
Pimobendan Can Prolong Lives Of Dogs With Heart Failure Up To Nine Months, Study Says
Efficacy of Pimobendan in the Prevention of Congestive Heart Failure or Sudden Death in Doberman Pinschers with Preclinical Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Gastric Dilatation And Volvulus (GDV): What Did The Latest Study Reveal?

Gastric dila-what?

Ok, you're probably more familiar with the term bloat. And if you don't know that one either, and own a large, deep-chested breed, you better do your homework quick.

Gastric dilatation and volvulus is as deadly as cancer, except it kills way faster. So What is it?

gastric [gas-tric]; from Greek gaster - stomach
(btw. the word stomach itself comes from Latin stomachus, which is derived from the Greek word stomachos)

dilate [dahy-leyt]; from Latin dīlātāre - expand, stretch beyond normal dimensions

volvulus [vol-vyuh-luhs]; from Latin volvere - turn, twist

In other words, this is a two-fold problem.

The dilation bit means that excessive fluid or gas cause the stomach to expand/distend  (way) beyond its normal size. This is very painful but it is not the worst of the problem.

The real trouble comes when the distended stomach flips around, which is also referred to as torsion. Now all exits are blocked and everything becomes trapped while the stomach continues to expand. On top of that,  blood circulation to the stomach also becomes impaired, which leads a whole other set of problems ...

Gastric Dilatation And Volvulus (GDV)
Image Purina Care

This paints a picture that is as horrifying as it is painful and deadly. 

The only way out of this mess is an immediate surgery, which may or may not save your dog's life. GDV is a number two killer right after cancer.

That's why understanding the risk factors and prevention are extremely important.

How can we prevent this from happening to our dogs? And there lies another problem. There are only a few risk factors that are well understood.

The School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania conducted an internet-based, cross-sectional study in the attempt to shed some light onto the matter. The study included 2,551 privately owned dogs.

Unfortunately, the study didn't bring much needed clarity at all.

Here are the factors significantly associated with an increased risk of GDV from the study results:

• being fed dry kibble
• anxiety
• residence in the United Kingdom
• being born in the 1990s
• being a family pet, and spending at least 5 hours a day with the owner

Factors associated with a decreased risk of GDV were:

• playing with other dogs and running the fence after meals
• fish and egg dietary supplements
• and spending equal time indoors and outdoors. 

Now, wrap your brain around that.

One interesting bit is that sexually intact females have the highest risk for GDV.

So what do we do to prevent GDV in our guys? Apart from feeding multiple smaller meals, pray, mostly ...

Something I might consider in the future would be preventative gastropexy. It's a procedure that can be done while a dog is in for a spay or neuter, and it involves surgically securing the stomach to the abdominal wall. Then, even if it does dilate, it's not going anywhere.

Related articles:
Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (Bloat): RIP Barbie 
Know Your Dog's Enemies: Bloat

Further reading:
New Research Fails to Clarify Risk Factors for GDV
An Interned-based Survey of Risk Factors of GDV
Laparoscopic Preventative Gastropexy
Preventative gastropexy can save a large dog’s life
Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus Syndrome in Dogs
Gastric dilatation-volvulus: Controlling the crisis

Dog Cartoon Of The Week: Fire Station Dog

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Dog Cartoon of the Week is brought to you by Andertoons. Check out the website for more great cartoons.


Cartoonist Mark Anderson lives in the Chicago area with his wife, their children, two cats, a dog and several dust bunnies. You might have seen his cartoons in a number of publications including Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, Barrons, Woman's World, Harvard Business Review, Saturday Evening Post, American Legion Magazine, Funny Times.

The Whole Picture: When The Test Results Don't Match What's In Front Of You

by Nancy Kay, DVM    

As is true for all health care professionals, veterinarians sometimes develop tunnel vision. Now and then, they become so focused on test results that they fail to consider whether or not these results actually make sense in relationship to the animal sitting atop their exam room table.

When the patient’s appearance says one thing and test results indicate something different, astute veterinarians know to dig a bit deeper in order to reconcile the discrepancy.  

Recommendations based solely upon test results have the potential to seriously undermine a positive outcome.

Barney

Barney, a 14-year-old Siamese kitty, received a physical exam along with blood and urine testing during his “senior wellness” visit.

Much to everyone’s surprise, the laboratory test results indicated that Barney had advanced stage kidney failure. 

This news was shocking, as Barney appeared so normal at home and he had passed his physical examination with flying colors. The test results simply didn’t make sense.

Should Barney’s veterinarian have prescribed treatment for the kidney failure? 

No way! Rather, this savvy vet collected a second set of blood and urine samples for resubmission to the lab. Lo and behold, this time all of the results were normal. How could this be? Simple, there must have been a mixup of samples at the lab. While such an occurrence is uncommon, it certainly can and does happen.

Fortunately, a heads up veterinarian who focused on the patient as well as the test results prevented this situation from morphing into a medical comedy of errors.

Rascal

A six-year-old mixed breed dog named Rascal was evaluated for vomiting and profound weight loss. His weight had dropped from 65 pounds to 52 pounds over the course of six weeks.

Blood test results identified that this poor dog was in liver failure. 

A thyroid level (part of the blood panel) was lower than normal suggesting that Rascal was hypothyroid (producing inadequate thyroid hormone).

The veterinarian hospitalized Rascal for treatment of his liver disease and started him on a course of thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

Had this veterinarian considered his patient as well as the test results, he would have questioned the accuracy of the hypothyroid diagnosis. After all, the most common symptom of hypothyroidism is weight gain, not weight loss. Rascal was likely experiencing “sick euthyroid syndrome” in which significant illness causes a false positive diagnosis of hypothyroidism (the dog is not truly hypothyroid, but appears so on paper).

Poor Rascal was already much too thin, and the addition of thyroid hormone would only serve to promote more weight loss.

In this case, the veterinarian acted based solely on test results while ignoring the evidence presented by the patient.

While I would love to have you believe that all veterinarians understand the importance of weighing in on the appearance of the patient in conjunction with test results, such is not always the case.

As your pet’s medical advocate, I encourage you to question things that don’t make sense. 

Has your dog been diagnosed with a disease, yet you’ve not observed any of the typical symptoms? Has the X-ray documented an abnormality in your cat’s left front leg, but you are quite certain her right front leg is the one that is painful? As the team captain of your pet’s health care team, speak up and speak out- as loudly and persistently as necessary to make sure that things make sense.

Have you ever been provided with a diagnosis that didn’t make sense? Has nonsensical therapy ever been recommended? If so, how did you respond?

***

Nancy Kay, DVM

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.

Articles by Dr. Kay:
Reasonable Expectations: The Ability to Discuss Your Internet Research With Your Vet
Finding Dr. Wonderful And Your Mutt's Mayo Clinic: Getting Started
Even The Best Veterinarian Can Make A Mistake
A Different Way to Spay
Making Tough Medical Decisions For Your Dog: Lily's Story
If You Don't Know What A Lick Granuloma Is, Count Your Blessings!
Anesthesia-Free Dental Cleaning 
Talking Teeth 
Urinary Accidents
I Can't Believe He Ate That! Foreign Body Ingestion 
What Caused Murphy's And Ruska'sPneumothorax? 

Adoption Monday: Cookie, Labrador Retriever Mix, Deerfield, NH

Check out this wonderful girl at Mary's Dogs Rescue & Adoption!

Cookie is a southern sweetie for sure. 

At 7 years old she is a mature and well behaved girl. 

She's been a faithful companion to her dog mom but now she need a new home as her mom must give me up through no fault of mine or hers. Cookie is a great size, at 35 pounds and she is a healthy girl.

Cookie is sweet, social and gets along with people, dogs and cats. 

She walks well on a leash too. Cookie is ready to move on...ready to find a new special someone. A new relationship.

Are you looking for a new love affair?

Cookie is house trained, spayed and up-to-date with routine shots.

Want more info on Cookie? Call Mary's Dogs: 603.370.7750 or send along an email: marysdogsrescue@gmail.com

Ready to bring Cookie home? Tell us about yourself and your interest in Cookie in our adoption questionnaire. Check out all the wonderful dogs on Mary's Dogs Facebook Fan Page.

***

Mary’s Dogs rescues and re-homes dogs and puppies from Aiken County Animal Shelter, a high-kill shelter in South Carolina, USA. They also serve as a resource to communities in Southern New Hampshire and pet owners nationwide by providing education and information on responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spay/neuter, positive behavior training, and good nutrition.

Don't Skimp On Vet Visits

This is something I am quite religious about, even with Jasmine, who sees her vet all the time. Going in with a specific problem is one thing, a comprehensive wellness exam is another.

You won't catch me skipping regular wellness exam.

Skipping one appointment may not seem like a big deal, but regular checkups are extremely important in preventing certain conditions and catching serious diseases early.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, most and dogs and cats should visit the vet at least once a year for a wellness exam. As pets get older, they may require checkups more often than yearly, so speak with your veterinarian regarding your pet’s specific needs.


Brought to you by VetDepot – your source for discount petmeds for dogs and cats. 

Related articles:
Practicing What I Preach: Jasmine's Semi Annual Wellness Exam 
Top (Potentially) Deadly Dog Health Sins: Skimping on Vet Visits

NEVER Feed Your Dog Cooked Bones Unless...

Feeding Jasmine home-cooked diet, one of the things I always regretted was that I could not include bones in her food.

Yes, we use a mineral supplement, but I always thought I'd feel better being able to include actual bones.

Feeding your dog cooked bones is a big NO.

Unless...

Just recently I found a tip at Dog Dish Diet, which got my attention. (Actually I saw a video too, which I now cannot find)

Slow cooked bones.

Dr. Greg uses chicken or pigs feet, with the premise that after enough slow cooking the bones become tender and chewable, thus don't splinter or pose any other danger. Could that be?

I thought back to the days in my old country. Carp is a popular fish but it's full of annoying little bones. I remember that some fishermen were able to cook it in such a way that the bones became tender and there was no need to worry about them any more. (Of course, it was their trade secret which they wouldn't share)

Then I though of canned fish, which often has bones in it, which are also tender, easily chewable, and no threat.

Could this work?

As soon as we were able to get our hands on some pork feet, I decided to try it. Yes, you have to cook the living daylights out of it (about 20 hours on high; until they're soft and crumbly ), but it works! I am very excited about it.

(Of course, paranoid as I am, I decided to grind them up into a paste before offering them to my dogs.)

What a treat though!

It has the bones, bone marrow, all the cartilage, and other connective tissue ... Our guys are crazy about it! Not sure whether it's because they know it's good for them or because it's something new, but, either way, they think it's awesome.

And I do feel better.

Very happy that I can supplement their diet with some new goodies. The only thing to watch is that you don't give too much because it could cause constipation.

Veterinary Highlights: Nutriscan - Dog Food Sensitivity Kit

"Nutrition is the key to a healthy immune system and resistance to disease."

Does your dog suffer from non-seasonal skin issues? How about irritable bowel syndrome?

Food allergies are the talk of the decade and elimination diets, hypoallergenic diets, novel protein and limited ingredient diets are a topic of every other dog conversation.

Is the problem food allergies, or food sensitivity and intolerance?

Why split hairs? The fact is, that the problem is in the food.

Elimination trials are one answer.

The problem is, that this process can be cumbersome, takes quite a long time to get results and it often meets with poor compliance.

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a shortcut solution?

Perhaps there is. NutriScan.

NutriScan is a new, patented food intolerance and dog food sensitivity testing system. No blood is needed, all it takes is your dog's saliva.



NutriScan tests for 20 most common food allergens; beef, corn, wheat, soy, milk (cow), lamb, venison, chicken, turkey, white fish, egg (hen), barley, millet, oatmeal, salmon, rabbit, rice, quinoa, potato, peanut (peanut butter).

It is definitely easier, and it is supposed to be superior to other testing methods (such as serum-based food allergy testing).

I think, that if your dog is suffering with food-related skin problems, or digestive problems, it just won't hurt to take NutriScan for a test ride.

I am curious enough myself, that I plan on getting this done for Jasmine, as soon as we have some extra money. Maybe we will learn something new and maybe we will discover a way to improving her life.

Did you get the NutriScan test done for your dog? How did it work for you?

What’s In the Vomit?

by Jennifer Coates, DVM

Dogs are built to vomit. No, I’m not kidding. 

A part of the brain named the “vomiting center” is especially well developed in dogs, and they have a layer of skeletal muscle throughout the length of the esophagus that essentially allows them to vomit at will.

So, if your dog occasionally throws up but you can point to the reason why (e.g., he ate too much, he ate too quickly, he ate something yucky, you’re driving on a curvy road) and he’s perfectly normal in all other regards, you probably have nothing to worry about.

There are times, however, when vomiting can be indicative of a serious medical problem, which begs the question, “How is an owner supposed to know when to be worried and when to write off vomiting as a dog just being a dog?”

Paying close attention to exactly what a dog is doing and producing will usually reveal the answer.

If your dog exhibits any of the following symptoms, play it safe and call your veterinarian:

• vomiting more than once or twice in a day
• projectile vomiting (a sign of possible gastrointestinal obstruction)
• poor appetite
• diarrhea
• lethargy
• weight loss
• changes in drinking and urinary habits
• abdominal pain
• abdominal enlargement

But that’s not all.

An often overlooked method of determining whether or not a dog’s vomiting is serious is to examine the vomit itself. 

I know, you’re thinking “gross,” but there really might be some good information in there. Here’s what to look for.

1. Nothing – as paradoxical as it may sound, a dog that is trying to vomit but nothing is coming up may be in the greatest danger of all. This is a classic symptom of gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV or bloat), a life-threatening condition that necessitates immediate veterinary attention if an affected dog is to survive.

2. Bright red blood – if there is more than just the smallest streak of blood, call your veterinarian ASAP. It should go without saying that if a dog is bleeding from his gastrointestinal tract, he needs immediate veterinary attention.

3. Coffee grounds – no your dog didn’t just raid the garbage can, this material is partially digested blood, call your veterinarian ASAP.

4. Worms – yes, dogs can vomit up gastrointestinal parasites. Roundworms are the most likely culprit, particularly in puppies. If your dog has just been dewormed, this is not an immediate cause for concern as long as he is happy, active, eating, drinking, and pooping. Continue with your deworming protocol. If your dog has not been dewormed recently, he needs treatment – call your veterinarian.

5. Frothy yellow or orange-tinged fluid – the froth is mucus mixed with other gastrointestinal fluids and the yellow-orange pigment comes from bile, which is secreted into the upper part of the small intestine. If your dog tends to vomit up fluid like this when his stomach is empty, he may have a condition known as “bilious vomiting syndrome.” Most cases can be managed by feeding more frequently throughout the day. Offering two or three small meals rather than one big one will usually do the trick.

6. Bright green material – some types of rodenticides (poisons used to kill mice and rats) are died a bright green color. If you notice a green discoloration to your dog’s vomit, call your veterinarian immediately.

And while you’re poking around in the vomit, collect a sample to bring to your dog’s veterinarian should you decide to make an appointment. 

The vet may not need it, but if they do (e.g., to test for a poison) you’ll be happy you didn’t throw it all away.

***

Jennifer Coates, DVM graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999.  In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado.  She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-veterinarian. 

Dr. Coates has recently joined the PetMD team and she is now writing for the Fully Vetted column; great blog, do check it out.

Jennifer also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics.  Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and pets.


Articles by Dr. Coates:
Kidney Disease – Say What? 
What Happens In The Dog's Body When The Kidneys Fail To Function Properly? 
Heat Stroke: What Happens In The Dog's Body?  
The Perplexities of Pancreatitis
The Other Side Of The Coin: The Cost Of Defensive Medicine
To Neuter Or Not To Neuter… That Is The Question
Don’t Forget the Physical Therapy
Common Misdiagnoses (Part 1)
Common Misdiagnoses (Part 2)
Picking the Right Dog to Breed
When Is It An Emergency?
Dog Allergies: Common, Commonly Misdiagnosed, or Both? 
Why Does The Spleen Get No Respect?
Protect Your Dog From Snake Bites 
More Creepy Crawlies
Why I Dislike Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Salmonella – A Significant Problem, Or Not?

Related articles:
Vomiting in Dogs: Is He Actually Vomiting?
Causes of Vomiting in Dogs
The Story Of Flossy And The Mystery Vomiting
Whats In The Urine? (Part I: What You Can Notice On Your Own)
What's In The Urine? (Part II: Urinalysis)
What's In The Blood? Blood Testing And Interpretation

Dog Cartoon Of The Week: We'll Have The Homework

***

Dog Cartoon of the Week is brought to you by Andertoons. Check out the website for more great cartoons.


Cartoonist Mark Anderson lives in the Chicago area with his wife, their children, two cats, a dog and several dust bunnies. You might have seen his cartoons in a number of publications including Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, Barrons, Woman's World, Harvard Business Review, Saturday Evening Post, American Legion Magazine, Funny Times.

Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA): Reader Stories (Part II)

Our 10 year old rat terrier Ralph was diagnosed with IMHA last December.

He was not acting like himself for a couple days, then he stopped eating, and was very warm. 

We took him into the vet the next morning. They suspected IMHA and started him on predisone, while we waited for the labs to come back. The labs confirmed the IMHA and we admitted him to a hospital with an autoimmune specialist. After six days in the hospital, three blood transfusions, daily acupuncture, and daily cocktails of predisone, cyclosporine, and lefluedomide, they were able to get the IMHA under control and released him.

It has been almost 4 months and he has been off medication for 7 weeks now and is back to his spunky, playful self. 

There were so many times during the treatment we thought we were going to lose him and were wondering if it was best for him to continue treatment. We are so grateful to his doctors and the staff at the hospital that told us to hang in there and give the medications a chance to work.

***

On April 7th 2011 my 11 year old Yorkie/Maltese, Bridgette, woke up sick. 

She had been fine the night before, running around with her 2 sisters. It was 7:30 in the morning and I had taken them out. Upon coming in she didn't want to eat she just sat and looked dazed.

Then she collapsed and cried at which point I rushed to the vets. 

My vet was not in but another vet checked her and said when he listened to her lungs it sounded like she had a little fluid on them and also a heart murmur which she hadn't had before.

He told me we should wait until the following Tuesday and gave us some fluids pills. 

He also said, that if she had another episode to bring her back.

When I got her home she slept for a while and then almost seemed like she was having a seizure. 

I returned to the vet at which time he took a chest x-ray. Again we returned home. Bridgette slept for a while and then started throwing up. It was now late Saturday afternoon and I had to call the vet as they were closed. He said he'd meet me there.

It was 4:30 PM the day before Easter that I kissed my sweet precious Bridgette good bye. 

They wanted to keep her and watch her.

They called later that night, that they thought it was IMHA. 

Bridgette was given large doses of predisone and a transfusion. On Easter they said that she was holding her own but her red blood cell count was very low.

Easter Monday morning I was hurrying to get ready to go to the clinic to see her as it was again open and I received a call that Bridgette had passed away. 

It was the worst day of my life. I hope no one has to go through it. I wasn't even aware that IMHA even existed.

***

We lost our Australian Shepherd, Bonnie, to IMHA complications. 

Like everyone else here, we never heard of the disease until April 28th. Bonnie survived the initial event and was put on prednisone and immunosuppressants, but died from a horrible internal fungal infection.

The infection wasn't diagnosed until it spread to her spinal cord and she couldn't walk. 

We had to let her go when it moved into her lungs. .

***

My beautiful 10 yr old terrier mix,Sadie was very vibrant and full of life. 

She was a rescue who entered our home over 9 yrs ago and declared that she was alpha female to our little family of dogs and cats. Except for needing thyroid meds, she was healthy for her age.

On mon 9/10/12 at 4PM she collapsed. 

We took her to the vet immediately, after blood tests,she was diagnosed with IMHA.

First time I heard of it. 

Our vet started meds and was optomistic. Had a good night, was tired but good. Went back to vet for blood test and slightly worse, but still ok. Next day was weaker, started new meds, but alert, lost appetite late in day. That night she would only lay still and watch us or sleep. Then very late breathing became labored, we knew she was leaving us.

Called vet who met us at animal hospital,but she died before we got there. 

Three days is all it took for this horrible illness to take our baby.

***

It is so comforting to read other stories.

And yet I still don't know if I did the right thing for my baby girl. 

Her name was Tinkerbell 5years old rat terrier she was so fun and sweet and she loved me and much as I will always love her.

She was fine one day - playing, chasing her tail - and the next, not eating, sleeping constantly, her gums where white I knew this wasn't good. 

I took her to the vet the next day, her counts were at 25. She was put on prednisone. Next day she was worse (15). They doubled her meds and gave her IV and was to bring her back in the morning.

By then her counts dropped down to 10 and they said she needed blood transfusion. 

I was not going to make her suffer anymore. She couldn't even hold her head up and her eyes were just glazed.  I couldn't put her though that.

I will always love her and miss her.

***

I too have a Chihuahua who has IMHA . I have never heard of this awful disease before and have had pets all my life. 

I went to work and all was well. When I got home, Hayley did not act like herself. I do not know why but picked her up to look at her gums, which were very pale...

Off to the vet where we were told of this awful disease.

Hayley was sent to critical care animal hospital where she had a transfusion and IV and they put on her meds. She has done very well from get go.

After the 4 hours of the transfusion, Hayley wanted to eat and drink. 

She started having wasting from the predisone... so cut the dose and she is more like herself now . Her count went up from 8 to  24 after the transfusion, and the next day it was 25.

Now, after 4 weeks it is 40. We are going to send her to physical therapy with laser so she can regain her muscle.

We are not out of the woods.

Many things can happen with IMHA. It is very scary and we feel it was her shots. She had such a bad reaction she has a waver on all shots.


Related articles:
Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA): Reader Stories (Part I) 
IMHA Is Not To Be Taken Lightly: Know The Symptoms
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde: Razzle's Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA)
Battling IMHA With Integrative Veterinary Medicine (part 1)
Battling IMHA With Integrative Veterinary Medicine (part 2)
I Am An IMHA Survivor! Dylan's Story
Liver Tumor? IMHA? Daphne's Story (Part I)
IMHA Complications: Daphne Didn't Make It

Further reading:
Anemia Related to the Immune System in Dogs
Immune-mediated Hemolytic Anemia
IMHA: Diagnosing and treating a complex disease
Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia in Dogs (IMHA), Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia