What to Give that Picky Pet for Christmas?

Millionairecorner.com reports that Americans will spend about $55.5 billion on their pets this year and not just on necessities such as nutrition, veterinary care and grooming. Petsmart, for example, has reported it sold $1.9 million worth of goods and services in the fourth quarter alone suggesting holiday shopping for pets is big business. I am certainly not immune to the desire for my pooches and kitties to find a little something special under the Christmas tree. However, I will wait until the absolute last minute to hide the goodies under the tree for fear their excellent noses will sniff out the treats early and ruin the surprise!

What sorts of things do people buy for their pets? You needn't head to the pet store to find holiday-themed pet products. Major discount chains, department stores and on-line retailers also offer a wide variety of Christmas stockings for canine and feline family members, commemorative ornaments, festive clothing and holiday treats. Just as for my human kids, my furry family members are usually treated to things they need anyway: pet beds, new collars and leashes, chewy treats and toys.

Here are a few of my favorite things that my pets will enjoy this holiday season:

Cat playing with remote-controlled mouse

Cheeks checks out a remote-control mouse (RunawayRascal by SmartyKat) that we gave her earlier this month -- a St. Nick's present! This motorized mouse is so easy to control my preschooler can run it. 

Another favorite toy in our feline household is anything catnip. These toys get very ratty with love over time. A word of caution about homemade catnip toys, however. One feline patient of mine so adored a baby sock brimming with dried home-grown catnip he rubbed his chin positively raw!

Two examples of kibble-filled toys for dogs

My dogs go absolutely wild for this type of food-dispensing toy. The football drops pieces of kibble out as the dog rolls it around on the floor. Yellow Labrador EdGrrr obsessively carried his prized football everywhere and it has since been run over in the driveway. A replacement football (or similar toy) is on his Christmas wish list!

American Bulldog Guppy depends on his daily kibble-stuffed Kong (left) to keep him occupied while human family members are at work and school. Each night I plug the tiny hole on the bottom with peanut butter, place the Kong in a reusable cup and load it with his regular kibble. Next I drizzle the kibble with water and place the entire thing in the freezer overnight. By morning, Guppy has a frozen pup-sicle treat that he licks, chews and nibbles at all day long. Don't like peanut butter? Cheez Whiz, mashed banana or a variety of Kong Stuff'n flavors are also suitable for plugging the small hole. For pets with food allergies I recommend plugging the hole with a small amount of hypoallergenic or limited antigen canned food. 

Food puzzles are not just fun for the holidays. I regularly recommend that my clients invest in kibble-dispensing toys for their dogs and cats with obesity and behavioral problems. Naturally, for overweight pets, the food used in a puzzle toy should be part of the daily calorie allotment. For example, if your fat cat should eat no more than 1/3 cup of dry food per day, the puzzle's contents should be taken from the measuring cup before you place it in the bowl. Chasing a kibble-dispensing ball around the room provides physical and mental stimulation most indoor felines lack. You might have to demonstrate how to operate the toy for your kitty first. 

Dogs with more energy than you know what to do with can also benefit from puzzle toys. Physical activity is not the only way to burn off energy. Mental challenges such as training and puzzles also can tire out an overactive pup. An internet search for "puzzle toys for dogs" will yield an unbelievable array of creative products.

As you search for stocking stuffers and last-minute holiday gifts for your pets, please read labels and directions carefully. With recent recalls of jerky treats derived from China, I would carefully avoid any edible treat produced in China. Avoid giving your dog bones and hard nylon bones to chew, because these objects frequently cause painful and costly dental problems. Practice caution with animal-derived chewies such as pig ears and rawhides because they can carry pathogens like Salmonella that may make you or your pet ill. Although generally well-tolerated by pets, restrict their use to a designated, easily-cleaned area and wash your hands after handling the items. Monitor the use of any toy or treat and discard items that are becoming worn out. The label claim "indestructible" seems to be a challenge for some pets. The last thing you want for Christmas is an unexpected veterinary bill for a broken tooth or intestinal obstruction! 

Inspiration

Tonight I was asked by my neighbor to remove a kernel of corn from her son's ear canal.

Swallowing chuckles, flanked by his desperate mother aiming a light at the barely protruding foreign body and my incredulous son (his best friend), I try first to suction the kernel out with a baby nasal aspirator. Failing with this approach, I grab a pair of finely pointed forceps from my veterinary cold sterilization tray.

The boy whimpers when he sees the instrument, although it is no more sinister than a pair of tweezers. 

"You must hold still," I warn. "If this doesn't work, you're off to the hospital."

With a steady hand and held breath, I reach into the opening of the ear canal and grasp at the kernel. The offending golden seed glides from the boy's ear. It feels as though I just successfully grabbed the "funny bone" from the Operation man without setting off a buzzer.

Amid cheers and high fives, we part ways for the evening. My arm around my son's shoulders, I have a weird nostalgia feeling as we walk into our house. I'm rather proud of my performance and wonder if my son is similarly impressed. And I'm thinking of my own mom being heroic under extraordinary circumstances in a memory from so long ago it feels more like a dream than reality. In college I commemorated the experience with the following poem later published in UW Eau Claire's 1998 NOTA. In honor of moms everywhere rocking at improvisation in times of crisis (and with its slightly spooky Halloween theme), I present:

Mother

The skinny
scream of the bunny
pierces the adults
to their kitchen
perches—
all except for Mother
who flies to her bare feet
and in a voice I've never
heard—vibrant and
strong—summons
Towels!
Thread!
Needle!
Suddenly the objects
appear, submitted
by leaf-trembling
children sooted with
alfalfa dust and wearing gnome-like
wigs of spiky yellow straw.

While the bunny
cries on the table,
she grasps
the torn flap of hide,
rinses dust and leaves
from the bloody meat beneath—
silent now,
surrounded by silence,
except for the spiraling
shriek of the bunny.
She holds him between
her legs, pressing him still
with solid thighs, as she
calmly weaves black
thread through the eye of the needle.

As easily as she glides
our summer green
cucumbers—
warty legless frogs—
into the boiling cauldron
to pickle,
Mother eases the needle
through one slice of soft
hide into the other,
pulling the torn pieces
taut into the whipstitch.

She needs no
finger-pointing from
the stunned children
to divine the truth.
The evil eye she
levels at the smallest two
boys—the ones whose tug
of war broke the animal—

is not a curse, not hatred
but fear and shock and
sadness.

Still wordless
she knots the thread
as peacefully as tying
off a newly darned
sock, rests the quieting
bunny in a shoe box
and sighs,
breaking the spell.

Limping = Pain: Recognizing and Treating Discomfort in Animals

"Spot the Signs" is a brief YouTube video for cat
owners on how to identify feline pain symptoms.

Veterinarians hear variations on the following incongruous statement every day from clients so concerned about their pets' recent behavior they have brought them in for an examination: "He's been limping badly on that leg for two weeks," then as an afterthought, "but he's not in pain."

Not in pain? When you twist your ankle and hobble around awkwardly afterwards, isn't it because of pain? Animals are outwardly very stoic for a reason. Instinctively they know that whimpering and whining is an effective dinner bell for larger predators. It doesn't matter that your city pooch is in no real danger of being devoured by a pack of wild dogs. Instinct is a powerful motivator.

For many years even veterinary professional doubted whether animals experienced pain. The automatic use of pain relievers following routine elective procedures such as spays and neuters is a rather recent development. Veterinary schools spend a good deal of time nowadays instructing students on how to identify discomfort in different species of animals so they can prevent and treat it in future practice. It is widely accepted that pain relief leads to faster healing and happier patients.

Observing an animal from a distance often gives the best indication of how the animal is truly feeling. Rapid breathing (when inappropriate in the face of rest and cool temperature), restlessness or trembling are signs of discomfort in many species. Other signs your dog or cat is experiencing pain include:

• decreased to absent appetite
• reluctance to chew or play with toys (especially in the case of dental disease)
• unusually quiet behavior, hiding (especially cats), decreased sociability or increased sleeping
• repeated licking, chewing or looking at a certain area on the body
• decreased grooming and unkempt appearance in cats
• dilated pupils
• abnormal body position (e.g., hunched posture, tense abdomen)
• limping and changes in gait such "bunny hopping" while running
• difficulty climbing onto the bed/couch or into vehicles, inability of cat to jump onto counters, etc.
• vomiting
• urinating or defecating where they lie
• vocalizing or snapping when approached or handled

Purring in cats and tail wagging in dogs does not prove the absence of pain. In veterinary practice I have met cats horribly mangled in vehicular trauma purring like crazy. Purring can be a self-soothing technique similar  to Lamaze breathing used by women in childbirth to handle intense levels of pain.

Prey species such as rabbits, sheep, horses, cattle and birds are even more stoic than dogs and cats. The weakest member of a herd or flock is the most likely to be picked off by a predator, so these animals classically hide illness and discomfort until they absolutely can't stand it anymore. By the time caregivers  recognize a problem it may be too late, so the minute a problem is noted veterinary care should be sought.

Some owners fret that their pet will become "addicted" to pain medications or the medicine will falsely "cover up" pain prolonging the pet's life beyond quality. First, pets do not become addicted to pain medications because they do not have opposable thumbs! They cannot open vials and pop pills to get a high. Once the discomfort has been treated and the body has healed, dogs and cats are not dependent on the medicine and they do not seek it out inappropriately. (Unless it is a beef flavored anti-inflammatory. I've had more than one Labrador Retriever patient devour an entire bottle off the counter. But that was because it tasted good, not because the dog needed to feel good.)

As for "covering up" pain, I ask people to think of human arthritis sufferers. If Grandma can take an anti-inflammatory that allows her to get off the sofa and into her garden, shouldn't she use it as needed to lead a comfortable and enriched life? The same is true of our pets. Many of my canine patients are given anti-inflammatory medicine for years and enjoy very normal doggie lives. Yes, there often comes a day when osteoarthritis is so severe in these guys that we run out of effect pain relieving options (joint supplements, pharmaceuticals, physical therapy, acupuncture, etc.). This type of quality-of-life robbing pain cannot be "covered up" and pet owners can see the obvious difference.

Inability to recognize the subtle signs of pain in our pets does result in decreased quality of life. Animal lovers do not like to see other creatures in pain, so teaching them to recognize it allows them to better care for their animals. When a client worries they won't know when to give their pet its pain medicine my advice is "it is better to give a pain medication when it is not needed than to withhold it when it is needed." If in doubt, give the medicine.

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.

When the Tail Wags the Dog

It is known by a number of names: the descriptive "limber tail," "swimmer's tail," "cold water tail," "dead tail," or the more nerdy but precise "acute caudal myopathy." What is it? By any name, it is a limp, dangling tail with varying degrees of noticeable pain experienced by the dog.

It is a common complaint, especially amongst active hunting dogs. In my veterinary practice, most calls concern Labrador Retrievers although it can happen to any dog, most recently Springer Spaniel Trixie of thorn-in-foot fame.

This dog's tail is being carried at an odd, limp angle, and the
normally happy canine has a guarded, uncomfortable expression.

Here is the most common scenario. A typically happy pet dog suddenly won't wag his tail. It dangles limply between his legs almost as if he is ashamed of some "bad dog" act. He may not eat (an über-odd change in most of these dogs), and he might be hesitant about defecating or urinating. He may be unwilling to jump onto the bed or couch, yet wants nothing more than to sleep all day. The hair on his lower back--his hackles--may be raised. And if you touch or lift his tail...? Whoa boy! Ouch! The stoic dog who never complains about anything often reacts dramatically to manipulation of a "limber tail."

An investigative probe into the mystery surrounding a dog's sore tail usually reveals the dog was extremely active within the previous 24 hours. Swimming (especially in cold water), hunting or hard playing are usually reported prior to onset of symptoms. The dog may act completely fine following the activity and then wake up the next day feeling miserable. I liken it to feeling stiff in muscles you never knew you had in the days following a new exercise regimen.

Medically speaking "limber tail" results from damage to the coccygeal, or tail, muscle fibers due to overuse. Rest and anti-inflammatory therapy may speed recovery (NEVER give your dog pain medication without first consulting your veterinarian), but most dogs improve on their own anyway within a few days to a week. Future recurrence of the injury is not a foregone conclusion even though most of these dogs happily resume the types of hyperactive exercise that caused the problem in the first place.

There are other potential causes of back-end misery and dangling tail including tail fracture, lower back pain from disc herniation or arthritis, impacted anal glands or prostate disease. If your dog suddenly shows symptoms of decreased appetite, reluctance to move and a dangling tail, it is wise to check with your veterinarian to be sure something more serious is not afoot before chalking it up to an athlete's sprain.

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!

It's Not a Deterrent, It's a Medieval Torture Chamber

My first and only exposure to "sticky mouse traps" was years ago, during my first week as a veterinarian. A distraught woman rushed into the clinic and presented me with a palm-sized square plastic tray with a little sparrow stuck to the adhesive, its feathered breast heaving in panic. The sticky trap had been placed in a garage, its intended target invading mice. The hapless bird had wandered onto the insanely sticky trap and been unable to wander off.

With the delicate precision of a surgeon, I painstakingly pried individual feathers and fluff from the glue. Unfortunately, but as intended by the trap's design, the more the bird struggled in its effort to escape not only the trap but also me, the more of its surface area became firmly attached to the glue. The desperate struggle (also part of the trap's design) was killing the fragile little bird by exhaustion as surely as the inescapable glue would eventually lead to deadly dehydration and starvation. It eventually became clear that the only good option for this little sparrow was a rapid and humane death by injection of euthanasia solution.

It was a sad end for the sparrow, but I could not help but think even then what a medieval torture chamber the sticky trap must be for the intended victim -- the rodent. To become hopelessly entangled in glue, uselessly struggling for escape, finally dying after hours or days from exhaustion and dehydration -- what a horrible death even for a rodent pest! 


And now I have learned from Aves Wildlife Alliance that my sparrow-sticky trap experience is not unique to me. In fact, sticky traps are marketed as a humane bird deterrent. Not death trap....deterrent. There are plenty of good reasons to want to deter birds and rodents from the home, but as with anti-coagulant poisons, it is becoming increasingly obvious that we must think beyond the intended target of our pest deterrents and traps to innocent bystanders such as pets and wildlife.

What follows is a blog by Rebekah Weiss of Aves Wildlife Alliance on the dangers of sticky traps for birds. We can't get away from pest deterrents, but we can choose humane deterrents.

For the Birds…or Maybe Not

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Rebekah

During the spring and summer seasons many of our bird friends are very busy building nests.  Sometimes our porches, light fixtures and outdoor decorations can be as appealing to bird families as the neighboring trees.  If you don’t mind using your back door for a couple of weeks you can enjoy watching the busy pair build their nest, lay eggs and raise their young.  If you would rather they not take up residence under your roof, there are a variety of ways to let the nest builders know your house is not open for birdy renters.

Please avoid Bird Repellent Gels, Pastes or Sticky Strips.  These products are marketed as non-toxic and safe for birds.  Here is an excerpt from one product, “A non-toxic, tacky bird repellent gel.  Can be used on ledges, sills, beams, rafters, signs, statues and hundreds of other outdoor surfaces to prevent pest birds from roosting. The gel does not harm birds – it simply makes surfaces uncomfortable, intimidating and uninviting.”  The reality is these products are not safe and do cause often deadly harm to the unsuspecting birds.  The sticky material coats the bird’s feet and any feathers it comes in contact with.  Small birds often struggle to the point of exhaustion to free themselves while larger birds may lose their ability to fly as a result of the glue on their feathers.  Despite what the label says, these products harm birds and are not safe!

This adult Eastern Screech Owl landed on a surface coated with one of these bird repellent gels.  He could not open his wings or his feet and would have likely starved had he not been found by a concerned home owner.  This little owl will be at the Aves hospital for several weeks while he molts out the sticky feathers and grows in new.

Bird Safe Alternatives:

Wedge a tennis ball or two in between the house and your outdoor light fixtures to keep your lights bird nest free.

Use ½ x ½ inch hardware cloth to close off any openings along the soffits, eves or under open porches of your house.

Use an angled piece of cardboard over ledges.

These items can be safely removed when the pair takes up residence elsewhere and does not cause any damage to your home or to the birds.

That bunny ain't dropping Easter eggs

Years ago, pregnant with my first child and having no veterinary training yet, I acquired a young Nubian goat kid with diarrhea. Fecal testing revealed a protozoan parasite referred to generically as coccidia. A cautious expectant mother, I asked my physician if exposure to goat coccidia was harmful to my unborn baby. When he reported back that goat coccidia (Eimeria spp.) are "host specific" -- meaning goat Eimeria are contagious only to other goats -- I was very relieved.


Flash forward a decade and I find myself, now an animal doctor, doling out this same information to dog owners on a regular basis. Finding microscopic coccidia eggs on an annual fecal float test is not uncommon. Dogs may pass Isospora or Eimeria eggs in their stool, but as with goats these coccidia parasites are "host specific." As I explain this to horrified pet owners, they are relieved to hear it is not contagious to them or their children.

A small sampling of the oodles of eggs
-- coccidia, not Easter -- being passed by two
sick bunnies I saw this month. 

Identifying the presence of coccidia is easy. Now here's where it gets tricky. Remember that coccidia are "host specific." If a dog tests positive for an Isospora-type coccidia it may require treatment because Isospora is a dog coccidia. But if an Eimeria-type coccidia is seen, the dog is simply pooping out the coccidia that a rabbit once pooped out. Quickly differentiating between Isospora from Eimeria based on subtle differences in size or ornamentation takes practice and experience. Nevertheless, seeing as nibbling rabbit poop is a pretty common canine past time, chances are pretty good that many dogs are pooping out a non-canine coccidia.*

Many animals host coccidia without any outward signs of illness. In fact, sickness generally occurs only in very young animals during times of stress. As in my goat kid, coccidiosis may cause severe diarrhea. My yellow Labrador developed screaming diarrhea a few days after we brought him home as a puppy thanks not only to Isospora spp. but also to the stress of leaving his litter. Some of my canine patients--puppy or adult--that test positive for coccidia have unexplained scooting or butt licking without abnormal stools. A short course of treatment for coccidia often relieves all these symptoms.

I recently examined two very young bunnies with diarrhea and lack of appetite. These baby bunnies had been turning up their twitching little noses at hay and pellets for several days, eating nothing but carrots (a treat, not a balanced meal). The day I examined them they had been passing liquid orange stool for several hours. Not having had an occasion to test a pet rabbit's stool before, I was unsure of what I would find. Imagine my surprise when I focused my microscope on the fecal float slide to find hundreds of oval eggs. Coccidia! Eimeria-type no doubt. Treatment with anti-coccidia medication--a teeny tiny portion of the average dog dose--was started immediately, and the owner decided to provide additional nursing care at home.

What fascinates me about this case is not so much identifying rabbit coccidia -- as I explained, we veterinarians see it all the time as an incidental finding on canine fecal floats. It's just that I had never seen so much of it in one place. And never had I paused to think about what the rabbit coccidia might do to the rabbit! The story of these two very sick baby bunnies overwhelmed by coccidia has given this parasite a face and personal meaning to me.


* Cats can be infected with or shed coccidia in their stool as well including various species of Isospora or Eimeria which are not contagious to people. 

Litter Box Laments

One of the most common problems people experience with their feline companions relates to use of the litter box. Or more specifically, non-use of the litter box! Many people automatically assume that urination or defecation outside the designated litter box indicates a spiteful behavior change in their cat. On the contrary, many toileting problems in cats stem from medical conditions. In fact, the only way to prove litter box avoidance is a behavioral problem is to rule out systemic disease.

Posture of a cat straining to urinate,
a medical condition requiring
urgent attention.

Today's blog is not about litter box avoidance due to urinary tract infections, bladder inflammation caused by crystals or stones, irritable bowel syndrome, or systemic disease (such as kidney failure or diabetes). These often treatable conditions are diagnosed by urine, stool or blood tests and imaging studies (e.g., "x-rays," ultrasound) and should always be considered if a previously well-trained feline starts "having accidents" around the house.

So what if your cat truly has a behavioral condition that causes him to abandon the litter box? Cats are fastidious creatures. If something about their litter box is not to their liking they may simply stop using it. My clients often protest that they "haven't changed a thing about the litter box yet suddenly their adult cat won't use it!" A veterinarian professor of mine put it like this: a toddler in toilet-training has no qualms about dropping her pants on the side of the road to use her potty chair when the urge hits, but a teenager wouldn't dream of it! Likewise many cats will tolerate less than ideal litter box setups for years before one day demonstrating that "enough is enough" by peeing or pooping in a preferred location.

Unfortunately what seems like a great litter box set up to the pet owner may be repugnant to the kitty. Consider the following:

Hiding a litter box in a planter seems like a good idea to a
person but breaks Cat Rule Number 1.

1. Your Personal "Porta-Potty." Would you really accept a "Porta-Potty" as a replacement for your home's spacious bathroom complete with ventilation fan? A covered litter box is the equivalent of a public portable toilet. Your meager human sense of smell recoils at the ammonia odor trapped inside. Just imagine how your feline's exceptional sniffer responds!

2. Grand Central Station. For some reason whenever I think about overflowing litter boxes I recall Weird Al Yankovic singing about cleaning "all the bathrooms in Grand Central Station with [his] tongue" in his anti-love song "One More Minute". I'll bet some of you have backed out of a filthy public restroom with a full bladder. I've even met people who won't use an otherwise clean but unflushed public toilet! Is it any wonder then that your cat would rather urinate on a rug than in a litter box that has old waste in it? Litter box waste should be scooped at least daily. The entire box may need to be emptied, cleaned and refilled every one to two weeks.

3. A Very Brady Bathroom. Imagine six kids sharing one bathroom. The inherent conflict is the stuff of which classic Hollywood sitcoms are made! Why then do we think six cats should be forced to share one litter box -- even uncovered and kept immaculately clean? The rule of thumb for litter boxes is "one litter box per cat plus one." Therefore, if you have two cats you should have three litter boxes. And if you're doing the math that means a single cat household should have two litter boxes! To reduce potential inter-cat drama these multiple litter boxes should not be lined up in a row like stalls in a high school lavatory. Also, try to place the boxes on different levels of the home. After all, how would you like to trek from your upstairs bedroom to the basement bathroom in the middle of the night?

Admit it. The basement can be a scary place.
Even for cats -- especially if their only bathroom
is right next to a hissing water heater.

4. Location, location, location. Toilets do not belong in the kitchen. Avoid placing your cat's litter box right next to where you feed him or where he sleeps. (A possible exception to this rule is for the cat who is being nursed through a weakening illness or post-surgical recovery.) A popular spot for the litter box is the basement or mechanical room.  All it takes is the sudden whoosh, whir, or clunk of a furnace, washing machine or other appliance to scare the bejeezus out of a cat settling down to business, and there you have it -- a future litter box avoider.

5. More on the Super Sniffer. Pysch's Burton Guster is not the only one with an exceptional sense of smell. Scent-sensitive people abound. I've had clients whose pet's file was flagged with the note "Remove air fresheners from room prior to appointment! Allergic!" The average cat's sense of smell is said to be about 14 times as strong as the average human's. The "extra fresh" odor controlling kitty litter that appeals to you may knock the socks off your cat. Research shows that most cats prefer soft, sandy litter with no added smells. In fact, any change in litter away from what your cat prefers can cause litter box avoidance. You can skip plastic pan liners (most cats hate them) but make sure you keep 1 to 1-1/2 inches of litter in the box (more is not better here).

6. It's a Cat Thing. When we put ourselves in our cat's "shoes" it is easy to see how the cleanliness and location of litter box can positively or negatively affect his willingness to use it. But some litter box problems stem from feline feelings with which it is hard to identify. For example, most of us do not urinate on objects to claim ownership of them. Nor do we tend to urinate in odd places just to get someone's attention. Territorial scent marking, especially by intact male and female cats, can flare up with the introduction of a new pet, with changes within an established feline family's social structure, or even with the visitation of an outdoor stray merely seen, heard or smelled outside the window! Some cats reportedly urinate or defecate outside the box while staring pointedly at their person as if to say, "Hey, there is something wrong here. Get me some help." It's hard not to get mad, but take a second and listen to your cat when this happens. Then call your veterinarian on his behalf.

An entertaining and enlightening resource for additional litter box management tips is The Fastidious Feline: How to Prevent and Treat Litter Box Problems by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.

The $400 Blade of Grass and Other Surprises

Years ago a senior-aged female indoor-outdoor kitty (let's call her Claire) was brought to the veterinary clinic where I worked because she had recently begun sneezing and gagging. Her breathing was ragged and she was reluctant to eat. She looked absolutely miserable. Her examination suggested a upper respiratory infection possibly with secondary pneumonia. It was clear she had an infection, but her symptoms were strangely severe and sudden. 

Because Claire spent time outside unsupervised, we checked to make sure she hadn't been exposed to two important feline viruses -- feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) -- which can lower the immune system causing various symptoms of illness including a common cold. Some FeLV+ and/or FIV+ cats live their entire lives without being ravaged by the effects of these contagious viruses, while others succumb to secondary infections or cancer. Fortunately, Claire tested negative for exposure to these viruses.

Next we ran comprehensive blood work on Claire. In cats, organ disease such as kidney or liver failure can compromise the immune system enough to cause symptoms of a cold. Cats often hide early symptoms of organ dysfunction, perhaps just vomiting periodically, and then are presented to their veterinarian "suddenly" very sick when their body can't compensate for the changes any longer. Happily, Claire's blood work showed no evidence of kidney or liver failure. Her electrolytes were mildly abnormal, probably owing to her reluctance to eat and drink. But surprisingly her white blood cell count was not out of whack as expected with an infection of the magnitude suggested clinically.

Desperate for clues, screening chest and abdominal radiographs (a.k.a x-rays) where taken, but they showed nothing beyond some mild aging changes. Claire was now breathing with her mouth open and drooling, a terrible finding in a sick feline. Our options included starting supportive care and antibiotics while adopting a "watch and see" approach, or sedating Claire for a look in the back of her throat. At this point, I feared an obstructive tumor or polyp in the back of her throat or near her vocal cords, but Claire was not allowing a good look. More than anything, Claire's owners wanted an answer. Anesthesia on a sick animal is risky, especially one that appears to be going downhill, but we had exhausted on Claire all other diagnostic methods readily available.

While Claire was sedated, I quickly evaluated her oral cavity (normal), epiglottis and vocal cords (normal) and probed around under her soft palate. Ah-ha! Something unexpected... something green and covered in phlegm was tucked up behind her soft palate. Gently I grasped the green foreign object with forceps and pulled it out. It was instantly obvious to the little crowd of astounded veterinary staff gathered around Claire that a blade of grass--a wide sturdy blade of crab grass--was the culprit. I found no tumors or abscesses or other problems in Claire's throat. She woke up quickly, and her relief at having the offending foreign body removed was immediate and obvious!

This winter, I was plagued by a similarly confounding case. A young spaniel named Trixie* appeared to have stepped on something buried in the snow and was limping on her front leg. A tiny healing scab was found on the bottom of her paw. A radiograph showed nothing but a little gas in the tissue between her toes, consistent with infection trapped under the skin. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy helped a little, but then Trixie's  foot would blow up with blister-like abscesses and bleed. We cultured the discharge to make sure our antibiotic choice was appropriate (it was), and checked a sample under the microscope to determine if there was a more insidious cause for the unrelenting swelling like cancer (it wasn't). Because Trixie wasn't getting any better, we debated exploratory surgery on her foot and removal of the blisters for testing. Surgery on feet and toes can be awful because there is no loose skin left to close the wound; therefore, diligent aftercare is required on the part of the owners. 

A post-operative photo of Trixie's paw with a
 drain in place. Note the size of the thorn
compared to a penny! Next to the thorn is a fleck
of thorn material similar to what the owners
noticed at home.

One day Trixie's owners noticed a fleck of black foreign material oozing from between her toes and we bit the bullet on surgery. As I cut into the blisters, a small amount of pus and a lot of scar tissue met my scalpel blade. Another fleck of black material oozed out. I dug deeper and suddenly bumped into a firm black object. I grasped a visible portion with a forceps and pulled. And pulled. And pulled! Finally, a thorn the size of a small twig emerged! Trixie is now recuperating from surgery, and our biggest challenge will be keeping her quiet long enough to allow the wound to heal. 

All medical cases are puzzles that beg to be solved. Some are simple wooden cutouts easily fixed, but some are 1000-piece photomosaic jigsaws of dizzying complexity that take a lot of time and persistence to put together. Working through cases like Claire’s and Trixie’s can be frustrating but the results are incredibly satisfying and unforgettable.

* Name changed to protect privacy.

The Quick and the Dead: Nail Trims

Clickety-clak. Clickety-clak. No, it’s not the sound of a freight train rumbling down the tracks. It is the sound of your dog’s toenails tap-tap-tapping on the tile floor.

Regular nail trims are a necessity for most pets. Just how often it needs to be done depends on a lot of factors. What kind of dog do you have? Do its nails grow very quickly? Does your dog spend a lot of time running on rough surfaces? Is your cat a tenacious furniture scratcher or does he leave his claws sheathed most of the time?

Dachshunds (a.k.a. “wiener dogs”), for example, tend to have very long toenails. Bred as badger hunters, dachshunds have claw-like toenails for burrowing after their quarry. Modern-day pet dachshunds need nail trims but their long toenail quick, the vital portion of the nail, makes super short trims impossible.

Most cats can successfully adapt to indoor living and keep their toenails intact. A declaw surgery actually involves amputation of the tip of each digit! Instead of declawing, training your kitten or cat to allow nail trimming and providing desirable scratching surfaces is preferred.

Some dogs spend hours running, walking and playing outside on rough surfaces which helps wear their toenails down naturally. Regular pressure on the nail forces the quick to recede over time resulting in very short nails. A word of caution: dogs unused to heavy exercise on asphalt or concrete may develop painful blisters or abrasions on their pads until they develop protective calluses. Also, these surfaces get extremely hot during the summer months and can quickly burn foot pads.

Appropriately trimmed toenails are not just a cosmetic preference. Keeping toenails from growing Guinness-book-of-world-records long is more comfortable for your dog and may prevent a messy toenail snag, a common veterinary “emergency." A long toenail may catch in a loop of carpet, for instance, and tear off painfully. These broken toenails usually bleed profusely and typically become infected from the pet’s incessant licking.

Dr. Kim Everson trims her American Bulldog's toenails

The best time to start trimming your pet’s toenails is when it is a baby, but a pet of any age can be trained. If done carefully and regularly,  pets can learn to sit patiently while receiving their pedicure. Before clipping a single toenail, get your pet used to having its feet touched. Massage its toes and apply gentle pressure to the toenails. Tolerance of this type of manipulation should be rewarded.

Now examine the toenail to understand its anatomy. (In cats, you will need to expose the claw by gently but firmly pushing down near the middle of each digit.) The thickest part of the toenail closest to the toe contains the quick. The quick is full of blood vessels and nerves. If you accidentally clip the quick, it will bleed and be painful for your pet. In light colored toenails the vital part of the nail appears pinker and fleshier than the part you need to trim. Dark pigmented toenails are a little tricky because it is harder to delineate between the quick and the trimmable part, but if you look carefully you will notice subtle changes in shape and texture.

Finally, you may start clipping. Only clip as many toenails as your pet tolerates in a single sitting. Future nail trims will become much more difficult if you struggle with your pet now. I have met dogs who require sedation just to have their nails trimmed--what a shame! It is always better to cut a nail too short and take a little more off later than to cut aggressively and sever the quick. If you proceed gradually you will notice the center of the nail becoming waxy and less dry. This is a good place to stop.

There are many types of toenail trimmers available for pets. Some function like heavy duty scissors while others have a guillotine-type blade. Grinding tools and regular nail files may also do the trick. In fact, filing may work best if your pet reacts dramatically to the “snap” of the clipper closing. If the quick extends throughout a very long nail, daily filing of the nail end may prompt the quick to recede so more nail can be removed with time.

Even with care and experience, accidental clipping of the quick does occasionally happen. Bleeding can be controlled by applying direct pressure on the nail bed. If the quick continues to ooze, styptic powder or a little bit of corn starch can be pressed onto the area.

For the squeamish (owner) or squirmy (pet), nail trimming might be best performed by a groomer or veterinary staff. But if you have the inclination, equipment and patience for it, trimming your pet’s nails can be as relaxing and rewarding for them as a day at the spa!

Getting Crabby





Quick. When I say "family pet" what do you think of?

 

A friendly, floppy-tongued dog? A sleek, sly-eyed cat? Maybe if you live rurally, the image of a handsome horse or frisky goat pops into your head. A Google image search for "family pet" returns a plethora of photos of people with their dogs; however, photos of kids with a duck, chicken and a giant boa constrictor also dot the first webpage.

 

My family currently shares our home with two dogs and two cats, wonderful but common mammals. Last spring we got a little adventurous and invited a lovely juvenile corn snake into our midst. Having successfully adjusted to reptile care, we recently branched out to hermit crabs. Our first hermit crab was a Christmas present for our preschooler. At the time, I thought that was a strange, potentially painful gift for a 3-year-old.

 

I was wrong.

 

Hermit crabs are not slimy, stinky or especially dangerous. They have distinct personalities and are surprisingly social. When we visited the pet store to pick out our first crab (named Gooby by our son), we handled numerous crabs in order to find the perfect pet. Most were shy and pulled into their shells with their large claw effectively "blocking the door". Gooby, however, poked out his legs and began climbing around my hand. He (we later learned) was cautious as we took turns looking at and petting him, but his retreats into his shell were momentary. The one and only pinch the kids or I have yet received was at the pet store on my thumb. It was more surprising than painful!

 

Hermit Crab races

Gooby has since been joined by a similarly-sized hermit crab named Crab (also named by the preschooler). When selecting Crab, we were more concerned with size than temperament, trying to reduce the chance of one of the crabs killing the other for its shell. Crab was initially somewhat timid, but has begun to "come out of its shell" with gentle handling. Crab's sex is undetermined at this time. While Gooby is a bit of an exhibitionist, stretching far out of his shell to reveal his lack of gonopores (the sign of maleness), Crab is still a bit more reserved.

 

Our curiosity will remain unsatisfied for as long Crab decides to stay close to home. There is no pulling a hermit crab from its shell against its will. Apparently it would rather die first. We are still waiting for the first shell upgrade which might allow us to glimpse Crab or Gooby’s full hermit crab body in all its glory. In anticipation of The Move, we have provided several empty shells with openings just slightly larger than our crabs’ largest claw.

 

In their natural environment, hermit crabs are primarily land dwellers. In fact, their primary requirement for salt water is to breed. Breeding in captivity is unlikely, so it doesn’t actually matter if Crab is a boy or girl!

 

In addition to being relatively easy to care for—our inexpensive all-inclusive pet store crabitat will keep our duo going for a while—hermit crabs are not known to transmit zoonotic diseases to people. This is in contrast to aquatic pet turtles and many reptiles which can transmit Salmonella bacteria to their handlers. Even so, we all practice thorough hand-washing after playing with our hermit crabs just to be on the safe side.

 

The hermit crab is a crustacean in the phylum Arthropoda to which insects and arachnids such as spiders also belong. This relationship information is important to me because while I admire spiders from afar I do not think I would like to cuddle a Tarantula. Yet I have found I absolutely adore playing with our spider-like hermit crabs. The firm, cool grip of their exoskeletal limbs, their cute beady on-stalk eyes and wiggly antennae, and their funny, friendly antics have made me a crab convert!

 

Is it a Yorkie? Is it a Pom? No it's a Rottie-Poo!

Designer dogs are all the rage right now. They come with as many cool and unusual names as physical appearances. As a sampling we've got the Cockapoo, Schnoodle, Shorkie, Labradoole and my current favorite -- Chiweenie (that's a cross between a Chihuahua and a Dachshund). Say it with me...Chiweenie. Too much fun!

Bull Mastiff and French Bulldog

Of course, these exotic designer dogs are not a new concept. Mixed breed dogs--some would call them "mutts"--have existed before the AKC purebred was even contemplated. The product of mating two totally different breeds has traditionally been considered either an "oops" or a part of the process of creating an new entirely new breed. For example, the cuddly petite French Bulldog is a descendant of the massive Mastiff breed with deliberate selection for size, shape and temperament being done over centuries.

Genetics is a fascinating subject. Sometimes a mixed breed dog shows physical characteristics distinct to its various ancestors--perhaps having the satellite dish ears of a Chihuahua, the thick stubby legs of a Bassett Hound, the brown ticking hair of a German Shorthair Pointer and the icy blue eyes of a Husky. Many times, however, the individual breed traits nearly disappear into whatever is the dominant feature. The ubiquitous humane society moniker "lab mix" or "shepherd mix"is a testament to the fact that many Heinz 57 dogs end up looking a heck of a lot like one these common ancestors. In fact, I currently see several Labrador Retriever-Springer Spaniel puppies in my veterinary practice. If I didn't know better, I'd think they were simply black or chocolate Labradors; you really have to search for the Spaniel characteristics.

A wonderful scientific development in the veterinary world is the Mars Wisdom Panel, an affordable genetic test that not only identifies the ancestry of a mixed breed dog but can also test for numerous genetic diseases. It is nearly always a surprise the breeds that pop up in this genetic test.

Grimm,
the Yorkie-Papillon-Cocker-Rottweiler

Recently, we tested a adorable black scraggly-haired small-breed puppy named Grimm. We guessed he was some kind of terrier, most likely a Yorkie. The actual Wisdom Panel results blew us all away. Grimm's genes reveal that his ancestry indeed includes a Yorkshire Terrier. He also can claim a Papillon, Cocker Spaniel--and get this!--a Rottweiler as his grandparents.

Knowing Grimm's heritage does not just satisfy the owner's (and veterinarian's) curiosity. It also provides valuable signalment that is useful in understanding his risk of developing certain diseases. Fortunately, Grimm tested negative for the genetic diseases included in his Wisdom Panel Professional. However, there are many diseases seen frequently in certain breeds that are not easily testable, and now as Grimm ages, we can use his breed information to predict his  susceptibility to these conditions.

It may seem implausible that a Rottweiler and a Cocker Spaniel reproduced and subsequently passed on their genes to a tiny Terrier. It really should not be surprising that raging hormones (in any species) can create some very unexpected situations. This summer I was privileged to care for a litter of Boxer-Cocker Spaniel pups. The mom (thank goodness) was a very large Boxer and the dad, a medium-sized Cocker. The pups are adorable, with the larger bone structure of a Boxer and the soft, floppy facial features of the Spaniel.

New owners of mixed breed dogs often seek an educated guess from their veterinarian regarding their dog's heritage. I have to be honest. Having witnessed the offspring from unlikely pairings and reading the jaw-dropping reports on official genetics tests has made me much less confident in my guesses. After all, I would never in a million years have guessed that Grimm had a Rottweiler grandparent.