A Veterinarian's Lesson to her Children: "Do Not Ever Pet Wild Animals"

We had just finished an impromptu cook-out with some college friends on their way home from visiting family for Father's Day. The men had taken the troupe of seven kids on a short walk around the farmland. I was in the kitchen chatting with my friend and packing lunches for my kids' first day of summer "enrichment" school. It had been a noisy evening. Seven children under age eleven bickering, whining, laughing, crying, and showing off with the adults' voices escalating to converse over the top of them. Suddenly, in the farmyard, a new sound met our trained mother-ears: shrill screams of excited fear overridden by the two dads' scolding in an oddly harsh, desperate tone. 

A cute but unhealthy and abnormal acting raccoon kit

We rushed to the window, our hearts in our throats. The little girls ran up to us chirping, "A baby raccoon! A baby raccoon!" Puzzled about the drama unfolding outside, we joined the raccoon's entourage. Kids ran pell-mell around the driveway, shouting and pointing, daring each other to get close to the wild creature hiding among the rocks and weeds in front of the playhouse. As I listened and watched, it became clear that the youngest of my brood, my fearless three-year-old, had been reaching out to pet the baby raccoon prompting the fathers' commanding shouts earlier.

With the kids at a safe distance, I approached the baby raccoon and evaluated it from afar. As the kids chanted "it's so cute" in the background, I listed off my concerns. First, it was barely moving. Paralyzed with fear? Fear can make dogs, for example, appear to move in slow motion as if they are sleepy. But this raccoon barely seemed aware of our presence, as loud as we were. Next, its third eyelids (nictitating membranes) were elevated from the inside corners of both eyes, practically obscuring its eyeballs. Elevated third eyelids in my dog and cat patients frequently indicate serious illness and discomfort. Finally, we've never seen a raccoon in the farmyard or even evidence of one since we've inhabited the buildings here. A wild animal hanging out in a high activity area crawling with people and dogs--even an inexperienced youngster--is probably sick, possibly rabid.

It being mid-June, this raccoon kit should still be living with his mother and littermates. The juveniles do not become independent until the fall. Was this kit's mother one of the countless roadkill raccoon that populate Wisconsin highways? Did she die of distemper virus, a frequent cause of death in North American raccoon that can reach epidemic proportions wiping out large numbers of animals? Perhaps this kit is likewise affected and showing the neurological symptoms. Incidentally, the distemper virus that kills raccoon is the same distemper virus that all puppies and dogs should be vaccinated against. It is the same virus, it is just as lethal in dogs as in the raccoon, and as long as it exists in the raccoon population it remains a threat to our canines.

After observing the creature and debating our options (by the way, as cute as it is, the raccoon is not commonly accepted for wildlife rehabilitation for a variety of reasons), I decided humane euthanasia was the kindest ending for the kit and the safest for my human and canine family (and friends). 

Once the raccoon had been put out of its misery, we had a fervent and frank discussion with the staring children. My eldest two had heard this speech many times before, but I had unfortunately never gotten around to telling my preschooler. "Never, never, ever touch a wild animal. If it lets you get close enough to touch it it is probably very sick and might bite or scratch you. It might have a terrible disease called rabies that can kill you." Grave nods all around. How much of this do they even understand, I wonder. "But if you forget," I add gently, "If you someday forget and do touch a wild animal, it is very important that you tell a grown up right away." Even though I regret I failed to prepare my youngest child for this unusual scenario, after tonight I guarantee there are seven Wisconsin kids who won't easily forget the lesson learned first-hand.

Herpes Virus: Putting the "Crud" into Recrudescence

For the past week I've been battling a hideous cold sore on my upper lip which puts me in the frame of mind to discuss upper respiratory infections in cats. If that seems like an incongruous association it may help to understand that both conditions are caused by a herpes virus. Human cold sores result from infection with Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) while many cats with chronic or recurrent upper respiratory infections have feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV1).

Most cold sore sufferers contracted the virus in early childhood (often before the age of seven). Approximately 80% of Americans have been exposed to HSV1. Similarly, FHV1 infections are usually acquired during kittenhood with 80% of the cat population being affected.

HSV1 is spread from person to person through kissing or through sharing drink glasses, utensils, lip gloss, toothbrushes, and so on. Self-infection, or spread from a primary oral location to other parts of the body (eyes, fingers, etc.), can happen by touching the sore and not washing hands properly. Yikes! In cats, FHV1 spreads by direct contact with infected ocular or nasal secretions. The virus can be transferred on a caretaker's clothing or inanimate objects (this is called "fomite" transmission) from sick cats to healthy ones which contributes to herpes virus epidemics in humane societies and shelters. Unlike Kennel Cough in dogs, feline herpes is unlikely to spread far through aerosolization of virus via sneezing or coughing.

Symptoms of feline herpesvirus include fever, sneezing, nasal discharge and conjunctivitis in the eyes. Some cats are left with permanent damage in the affected eye with reduced vision from scar tissue. Occasionally infection in the eye is so severe that surgical removal of the eyeball is required!  Bacterial infections secondary to the feline herpesvirus are common causing secretions to become thick and greenish. Pneumonia is uncommon but possible.

Cold sore symptoms begin as a tingling in the skin then progress to blistering and then a scabby wound. Cold sores usually occur around the mouth but can affect the nostrils, chin, cheeks and even eyes. Interestingly, I just learned that cold sores are not canker sores! Canker sores are non-contagious ulcerations affecting the lips and soft tissue inside the mouth caused by stress, injury, allergy or bacteria.


If you've ever suffered from a cold sore you understand that it tends to reappear in the same spot each time and often emerges during times of stress or illness. This is because, unlike romance, herpes lasts forever. Seriously. Once infected, the body begins fighting a guerrilla war it can't win. The virus goes into hiding or hibernation on a particular nerve pathway until it senses weakened immune defenses resulting from another illness, exhaustion or injury. Then it creeps to the skin surface to wreak havoc and reproduce.

Many adult cats brought into my veterinary clinic for evaluation and treatment of a "cold" actually are showing reappearance, or "recrudescence," of their herpes virus. In cats, anything from the stress of a new family member to serious organ failure can lower the immune system awakening the latent herpes virus. I have found that treating the underlying problem in these cats hastens their recovery from the viral upper respiratory infection.

Fortunately for cats, vaccination against FHV1 (also called feline rhinotracheitis) is available to lessen  severity of symptoms as well as reduce the spread of the virus. Vaccination for FHV1 is usually given as part of a combination "distemper" vaccine, which includes protection against several other feline diseases. There is no vaccine available to prevent or lessens symptoms of cold sores from HSV1 in people.

Because herpes is a virus, antibiotic therapy is unnecessary and inappropriate unless a secondary bacterial infection has developed. Duration of a cold sore outbreak can last 8-12 days in people. Several special ointments have been developed to shorten the duration of the outbreak. Healthy living, sun protection and immune boosting supplements may help prevent recurrence.

I have seen symptoms of feline herpes virus drag on for weeks to months. A non-resolving upper respiratory infection in a cat may be a warning sign of an underlying illness or lowered immune system. Unfortunately, some severely affected cats are left with permanent damage in their eyes and nasal passages that predispose them to a lifetime of weepy eyes, gooey noses and frequent bacterial infections. Several of the anti-viral medications available for humans have been used to treat feline herpes virus infections: some can be effective while others cause serious side-effects. Never give your cat any human medication without first checking with your veterinarian! L-Lysine is regularly used in cats to inhibit replication of the virus and speed recovery. While L-Lysine is available over-the-counter, check with your veterinarian for dosing instructions.

People often suggest to me that their cat gave them a cold (or vice versa), but this is highly unlikely. While cats and humans may both be plagued by a herpes virus, subtle genetic differences between the different strains dictate which animal can be infected and how. So if you come down with a cold sore, please don't blame your kitten--even if you have been planting lots of kisses!

Thoughts on Vaccinating at Home

"I'm just here for a rabies shot. I give my dog the distemper vaccine at home myself." This sentiment has repeated so often lately it's become somewhat of a theme.

I grew up on a farm. We gave our farm dogs distemper vaccine at home. For this budding veterinarian, it was fun to play doctor. And it certainly was economical.  Now, as the Practical Pet Vet, I appreciate self-sufficiency and I understand the desire to save money. My goal as a preventative medicine practitioner is to help owners make the best decision for their animal's care from youth until old age. Today's blog is not meant to persuade you not to vaccinate at home. I hope to enlighten you, the reader, about aspects of vaccination you might not have considered.

Parvovirus is highly contagious and often deadly,
especially in young puppies.

I believe vaccination is an important part of preventative health care. Periodically there are outbreaks of canine distemper and parvovirus that trigger rumors of "new" deadly virus strains against which current vaccines are not protective. In actuality, across the U.S. there are pockets of unvaccinated and inadequately vaccinated dogs that are highly susceptible to these preventable diseases. A dog would be inadequately protected if it did not receive vaccine boosters according to schedule as a puppy and young adult. If you're going to vaccinate at home, PLEASE consult your veterinarian to make sure you've timed your puppy's distemper series properly.

An emerging sentiment among many clients is that pets are over-vaccinated. Based on recommendations from independent researchers on vaccine effectiveness, many veterinarians now vaccinate against rabies and distemper every three years. The canine 5- and 7-way vaccines I've seen for purchase at pet stores are labeled to be given every year. Most likely this over-the-counter vaccine is protective for longer than a year. However, because you can't be certain the vaccine was handled properly (meaning kept at the proper temperature during transport and on the loading dock) it may not be as effective as those carried by your veterinarian whose vaccine shipments are more precisely controlled. Boostering annually with the pet store distemper vaccine increases the odds your pet has received a potent dose at several points in time.

Facial swelling may be a
symptom of a vaccine reaction. 

Vaccines, like all medicines, provide many benefits to health but are not completely without risk. Most dogs and cats respond as expected to vaccination and enjoy the benefits of protection with just a moment of minor discomfort. A potential side effect of vaccination in some pets is vaccine reaction, the severity of which ranges from mild GI upset to moderate facial swelling to severe anaphylactic shock and death! I worry that owners who vaccinate at home do not anticipate a vaccine reaction in their pet. Imagine the horrific irony of vaccinating your dog at home on a Sunday night to save some money, then having to rush to an emergency clinic for treatment of a life threatening reaction. If you're going to vaccinate at home, try to do it when your veterinarian is available to help you in the event of complications.

In the end, if it comes down to choice between not vaccinating your dog at all or vaccinating at home I'm certainly in favor of home vaccination. As with any medical treatment there are risks and benefits to consider. I hope to have made some educated consumers today.

The Mushroom Vaccine?

We all do it. We misunderstand a word or a phrase we hear in music or conversation and verbalize something amusing as a result. Recently my first grader informed me that she does not like "toxic water" but enjoys eating "octopus testicles." I was glad to have less household competition for my favorite summer refreshment (tonic water), but explaining that her recent seafood dining experience involved tentacles not testicles produced several other awkward anatomy questions.

Adults are not immune from publicly garbling unfamiliar words or phrases. I'll admit I walked around for some time talking about "lost leaders" in reference to a pricing strategy used by some big box department stores. In this strategy the company offers a ridiculously low-priced item to lure customers into the store knowing the average customer spends a substantial amount on more profitable items once there. Finally my accountant, chuckling, informed me that I probably meant to say "loss leader" unless there actually was a missing manager (a lost leader) in my scenario.

I'm sure that every professional out there--from plumber to physician--has heard some very funny alternatives to technical terms they use every day! It certainly happens in veterinary medicine, especially with vaccines.

I'd wager the oldest vaccine terminology mix-up involves "distemper." The "distemper" vaccine is given to dogs and cats to protect against a collection of viral and bacterial diseases. It is not given to improve the behavior of pets with surly or unruly temperaments! Usually when I hear this mix-up, the client has requested the "temperament" vaccine with a smile and a laugh, and I'm not sure if he is putting me on! To set the record straight, the Distemper virus in dogs can cause serious if not fatal neurological, respiratory and gastrointestinal illness. In cats, feline distemper (actually panleukopenia virus) can result in dangerously severe immune suppression. Thankfully, the vaccines available for canine and feline distemper are very safe and effective.

Another common terminology goof-up involves the Kennel Cough vaccine. One of the important causative agents of Kennel Cough is a bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica. (Yeah, it's a mouthful!) Each year, dogs that may come in contact with this infectious organism at kennels, dog parks or grooming facilities receive the "Bordetella" vaccine. It is understandable that some clients--who only have to think about this organism once a year when they get a reminder card from their veterinarian--remember just enough of the scientific name to request the "portabella" vaccine when making the appointment. 

Please forgive us if we smile when you accidentally say your pet needs a "mushroom" vaccine. It's a common enough mistake. We know what you mean, and we appreciate your effort to provide good veterinary care for your pet!