Furbaby Doc:

Important Insulin Notes:

- Do not give insulin if your pet skips a meal. Give HALF a dose of insulin. Contact your vet if your pet skips 2 meals.

- Give insulin under the skin with a new needle each dose.

- Give insulin twice daily.

- Only feed twice daily (just before your insulin dose).

- Keep insulin in the refrigerator.

- Obtain a new insulin vial each month (it expires!).

- Do not throw insulin syringes/ needles in the trash (bring them to your vet for disposal).

Important Monitoring Notes:

(1) Keep the cone (E collar) on! No licking or chewing the incision.

(2) Rest is best. Leash walk only, no running and avoid jumping motions that may put added stress on an incision.

(3) Monitor for excessive inflammation or discharge from the incision. Apply cold/ warm compresses for 10 minutes 3 times daily to help reduce swelling.

Dog's overheat more easily than humans. Learn how to recognize the warning signs, prevent heat stress in dogs, and provide some emergent treatment on your way to the vet.

1) move to a cool area

2) offer water if alert and strong enough to stand

3) put in shallow water if standing/ or put wet towels on their body

4) go to the vet!

There is a MAJOR overpopulation issue with thousands of animals being killed daily to make room for more in shelters. Consider adopting a friend.

Sometimes one of our biggest regrets is not letting go sooner. Seek options to end suffering before it's unbearable for your pet.

Info about treatment and decontamination if your pup is infected.

-Can be transmitted dog to dog via feces.

-Can NOT be transmitted to humans.

-Is treatable - but it can get expensive.

-Can be prevented with vaccination

What is a "zoonotic" disease? Something that can be spread from an animal to a human.

Pathogens that have been found in commercial raw diets:

-Salmonella: may cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps

-E coli: may cause abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting

-Listeria: fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions

-Yersinia: fever, weakness, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and bleeding

-Campylobacter: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal cramps, and fever

*Listed clinical signs in humans according to the Mayo Clinic

Scientific literature to review:

(1) Bree, Freek & Bokken et al. "Zoonotic bacteria and parasites found in raw meat-based diets for cats and dogs." Veterinary Record. 182, 50 (2018).

(2) Finley, Rita et al. “The risk of salmonellae shedding by dogs fed Salmonella-contaminated commercial raw food diets.” The Canadian veterinary journal. 48,1 (2007): 69-75.

(3) Freeman, Lisa et al. "Current knowledge about the risks and benefits of raw meat-based diets for dogs and cats." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 243, 11 (2013): 1549-1558

-Leptospirosis (Lepto) can cause permanent kidney and liver damage that can result in death if not treated.

-Dogs usually contract it from stagnant water that wildlife has infected.

-Cats are resistant to infection (incredibly uncommon).

-It is a bacterial disease so treatment involves antibiotics and IV fluids for hydration and to protect the kidneys.

-It is transmissible to humans via contact with urine and other bodily fluids.

-It is preventable with vaccination!

Causes of dog aggression:
1. Territorial
2. Protective: of family members/ pack
3. Possessive: resourcing guarding
4. Fear
5. Social: dog unable to read normal dog cues
6. Pain
7. Sexual
8. Predatory: a small fluffy dog may look a lot like a prey squirrel

Dog bites are like an iceberg!
A small tooth puncture may not look like much on the skin surface but the shearing force of a bite and bacteria on teeth can cause serious damage. Go to a vet ASAP after any dog fight to get them checked out.

Xylitol

Safe for humans.

Causes insulin SPIKE which leads to a blood sugar DROP and seizures.

Can cause liver damage at high doses.

Cats may vomit or cough up a hairball regularly.

(1) Reasons for vomiting may include:

--hairball

--eating something foreign like a toy

--motion sickness from car travel

--stomach upset from a new food (or human food)

--metabolic and endocrine diseases (including hyperthyroidism)

--many, many reasons. when in doubt, get your furbaby checked out!

(2) Learn signs to recognize when vomiting may be a more serious emergency:

--more than 2 vomit episodes within 24 hours

--no interest in food for 12 hours

--straining in the litter box

--lack of urine or stool production

--lethargy

--hiding in unusual places

--vocalizing as if lonely or in pain

Brachy means short; cephalic means relating to the head.

-Cat breeds include Persian, Himalayan, Burnese.
-Dog breeds include English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pekingese, Pug, Boston Terrier.

(1) Stenotic nares
(2) Elongated soft palate
(3) Everted laryngeal saccules
+/- Hypoplastic trachea

Treatment is surgery. Do it before your furbaby has a breathing crisis!

-Animal Rights is a belief that animals should have rights similar or the same as humans. All use of animals by humans should be banned. No raising of livestock for food, breeding of animals, pets, horse racing, hunting, medical research using animals, zoos, ect.

-Animal Welfare supports these uses as long as humane guidelines for housing, management, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthansia are followed.

- It is not a routine or benign procedure!

- Declawing means removing the last bone in each finger (distal phalanges)!

- There is a risk of permanent nerve pain similar to phantom limb syndrome described in humans. Also, cats benefit from the enrichment of scratching.

- Provide scratching posts! Use positive reinforcement with petting them after they use the post & attractive scents like Feliway or catnip on or near the post.

Humans & Guinea pigs both need vitamin C in the diet! Think old time sailors and the fear instilled into each of us as children: Without fresh fruits and veggies, your teeth will fall out!

Guinea Pigs need at average of 30 mg Vitamin C per day. Pregnant, young, or sick GPs have greater needs.
--- Symptoms of deficiency: lethargy, swollen painful joints, bleeding or sores around mouth, reduced appetite and weight loss, diarrhea, unkempt coat and fur loss. When severe, death!
--- Sources of Vitamin C: bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, parsley, spinach, kale.

- Avoid food fads! No grain free diet for dogs. No vegetarian diet for cats.

- Check food brands for AAFCO statement. AAFCO establishes the nutritional standards for complete and balanced pet foods. It is still the pet food company's responsibility to formulate their products according to the appropriate AAFCO standard.

- Make sure that the food company has a veterinary nutritionist!! Well trusted brands include: Royal Canin, Hills, Purina.

- If you wish to cook your pet's diet, consult with a board certified veterinary nutritionist! Without guidance, It's easy to miss important nutrients and harm your pet.

- Food allergies in pets are usually to the protein source! (chicken, beef, turkey, ect)

- How much should my pet be eating? Learn about kilocalories and body condition score.

If you are unsure if you should be worried after your pet ate a chemical or medication, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435. Veterinarians with the most up to date literature and resources will help guide you based on your pet's weight, clinical signs, and health concerns.

Foreign bodies: toys, string, rope, ect

Toxins: plants, cleaning products, rat poision, ect

Medications/ Drugs: marijuana, opioids, heart medications, ect

DO NOT make your pet vomit at home unless a veterinarian recommends it for your pet.

-risks: trauma to esophagus (tear or burn), aspiration pneumonia, choke

Recommendation:

Anyone sick with COVID-19 should restrict contact with animals, including pets, during their illness, just as they would with other people.

Trusted resources:

-CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

-USDA: https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus

-NIH: https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus

-WHO: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen

Cats tested positive for Coronavirus: *Not yet peer reviewed studies*

1) https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.30.015347v1.full.pdf

2) https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.01.021196v1.full.pdf

Start them young!

Only use DOG tooth paste.

Buy a tooth brush and finger brush to see which works best for your pup.

Try to brush at least once weekly.

Make it fun! Don't force it or hold them down.

If brushing can't work, opt for dental chews or diets!

You know when your dog is acting off. But sometimes it is tricky to tell if they're just having a weird day versus you need to go to their doctor. Learn the basics of a dog physical exam so you can monitor your pet at home!

Part 1: covers temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

Part 2: covers a quick whole body exam to find the source of discomfort or swelling.

You know when your dog is acting off. But sometimes it is tricky to tell if they're just having a weird day versus you need to go to their doctor. Learn the basics of a dog physical exam so you can monitor your pet at home!

Part 1: covers temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

Part 2: covers a quick whole body exam to find the source of discomfort or swelling.

Outline:

-- Infected pets! 2 pet cats in NY state (respiratory symptoms) and 1 pet dog (gagging, reduced appetite) in North Carolina have tested positive for Coronarivus! But cats and dogs are still deemed HIGHLY unlikely to transmit infection to a human.

-- Tests for pets! IDEXX laboratories now has a test approved to diagnose symptomatic pets once more common causes of illness are ruled out.

-- Less meat availability! Millions of pigs, cattle, and chicken will be culled due to inability to keep some meat processing factories open. Approximately 20 US meat facility workers have already died from Covid-19 due to much closer human contact than other food production facilities.

-- Early human testing! The UPenn Working Dog Center is training pups to detect the smell of infected people! This will aid in the detection of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals as soon as July.

Sources:

1) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html

2) https://www.americanveterinarian.com/news/cancersniffing-dogs-where-are-we-today

3) https://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/6-medical-conditions-that-dogs-can-sniff

4) https://www.vet.upenn.edu/research/centers-initiatives/penn-vet-working-dog-center/working-dog-news-stories/working-dog-center-releases/penn-vet-launches-covid-19-canine-scent-detection-study

5) https://time.com/5827631/tyson-foods-meat-shortage/

6) https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/28/business/meat-shortages-grocery-stores-coronavirus/index.html

7) https://www.businessinsider.com/millions-of-chickens-killed-food-supply-chain-brink-meat-shortage-2020-4

8) https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0422-covid-19-cats-NYC.html

9) https://www.wric.com/news/north-carolina/familys-dog-pet-pug-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-in-north-carolina/

10) https://www.idexx.com/en/about-idexx/news/idexx-makes-pet-test-covid-19-virus-available-veterinarians/

Feeding live prey to a captive snake may lead to bites and nasty infections.

Frozen thawed prey is:

- safer (prey in an enclosed space will likely fight back resulting in tough to treat infections)

- easier to keep stocked

- more humane

-What are lymph nodes?

-Where are they on my pet's body?

-How do I tell if they are large due to inflammation, infection, or cancer?

Tools needed: tweezers, +/- clear plastic bag

Furbabies can receive the appropriate workup (less unnecessary expensive tests) in less time if an idea of the presenting concern is provided.

Be prepared for your emergency visit to the vet hospital.

-when was she last normal?

-were there any changes in environment, diet, medication/supplements before she started acting differently?

-have you already tried any treatments?

-is she still eating, drinking, urinating, defecating?

-what past medical problems (even if they may be unrelated) has your pet experienced?

-take photos to keep track of progression or send to a vet if you're unsure if an issue is emergent.

-take videos of episodes such as seizures or clinical signs that are intermittent like a lameness.

-bring all medications with the bottle they were dispensed in so you have the "mg" dose and write down the last time each medication was given

1) Size matters

2) Change (in discharge, color, fur loss, texture)

3) Sample or remove it

4) Biopsy! (submit to a lab for analysis to find out what it is and if the entire thing was removed)

Neoplasia ~ growth, nodule, mass, cancer

Benign means not aggressive. But in the wrong location or if it causes a secondary issue like bleeding, then benign tumors may still be deadly.

Malignant means aggressive. Fast growth and spread through the body.

Treatment options:

(1) surgery to remove or debulk a neoplasm in 1 location

(2) radiation to kill a neoplasm in 1 location 3. chemotherapy for diffuse systemic neoplasia Option B is symptomatic supportive care which may include steroids or pain medications. Consult with an veterinary oncologist. This is a specialist in treating cancer.

Low blood sugar in a 3-4 year old ferret is most often due to an Insulinoma.

This is a beta cell tumor on the pancreas that results in high insulin levels which result in low blood sugar.

-Clinical signs: drooling or pawing at mouth, weakness, lethargy, wobbly gait, seizures

-Differential diagnosis: liver disease, systemic infection (sepsis), cancer

-Treatment: Surgery, medication (steroids), diet (high protein, feed often without a long fast)

Walking off leash in the city is not a good look. There are distracting and unpredictable noises like honking cars and sirens & other dogs that may be unpredictably fearful or aggressive towards your dog.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can be used to evaluate soft tissue structures with tremendous detail. This is a non-invasive way to help diagnose conditions including intervertebral disc disease, a stroke, traumatic brain injury, congenital anomaly, tumor, and more conditions.

Learn about sterile cystitis and feline lower urinary tract disease. How to recognize warning signs early and keep your furbaby healthy.

Symptoms you may see at home:

-lethargy, exercise intolerance, panting, distended abdomen, collapse, pale gums

Diagnostics on initial triage:

-PCV or HCT (evaluate for anemia), blood coagulation (clotting disorder), abdominal ultrasound or x-rays (mass or other source of bleeding)

Treatment options:

-stabilize (blood transfusion, fluid therapy, ect) then surgery vs. euthanasia vs. hope the bleed with stop Prognosis:

-70% of tumors found on the spleen are malignant (aggressive).

Pet psittacine birds should be fed a predominant (75%) diet of pellets!

GOLPP stands for geriatric onset laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy. G

OLPP is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that may result in loud breathing, a voice change, exercise and heat intolerance, regurgitation, megaesophagus, aspiration pneumonia, weakness and muscle loss in the hindlimbs.

The larynx (voice box - functions to open airway when breathe in, protect airway scan swallow, and houses vocal cords) is affected, which tends to result in the first clinical signs noted at home and ultimately a decline in quality of life.

Diagnosis is made via radiographs of the neck and chest, sedated upper airway exam and laryngoscopy (scope), and a neurologic exam.

While there is no cure, surgery on the larynx can greatly improve breathing and quality of life. Some options include a tie back (unilateral arytenoid lateralization) or BVEAP (bilateral vocal fold excision and arytenoidopexy) . While the hindlimb and esophageal weakness will continue to worsen, this occurs very gradually and the condition is not painful.

Sources: A

- merican College of Veterinary Surgeons

- Michigan State University Veterinary School

Dr. West shares some of the most common calls to the ER from owners unsure if they need to come in and the answers for most pets. As always: When in doubt, get your Furbaby checked out.

UV (ultraviolet) lighting is the #1 husbandry need for Avian, Reptilian, and Amphibian pets! There are 3 kinds:

- UVA: Unlike mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians are able to see UVA wavelengths. This may be important for: food selection , species recognition, habitat selection , and mate selection.

- UVB: Allows animals to synthesize vitamin D3 in the skin and metabolize calcium in the body. Deficiency will result in: low blood calcium , soft eggs (females) , metabolic bone disease, poor immune system function.

- UVC: Not required. Damaging at high levels.

Broad-spectrum bulbs (incandescent lights) typically only contain UVA light.

Full-spectrum bulbs (fluorescent lights ) contain both UVA & UVB light. Go for linear (tube) fluorescents or compact (spiral fluorescents) with a hood to help concentrate the light where you want it.

Use a SCREEN top! Not glass or plastic, as these filter out too much of the beneficial light. Use a screen barrier to prevent your pet from getting to close which may result in burns.

Exception:

- If a cat is treated with a dog PERMETHRIN flea product, licks the wet dog product off the dog, or brushes up against the dog and then licks their fur, this can cause life-threatening toxicity. Immediately seek veterinary care.

Resource: https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/blog/common-flea-tick-toxicity-questions-answers/