Need Another Reason?

Why does Butch pull my arm off when I take him for a walk??  Why does Rover urinate on EVERYTHING?  Why doesn't Fifi pay attention to me when I give a command outside our home?  Why do Fido and Fluffy keep escaping my yard and running away?

If you have asked yourself any of the above questions, then perhaps it's time to re-examine the reasons why you have not yet had your dog spayed or neutered.  Not only does spaying or neutering your pet cut down on reproductive diseases, it also can have a major influence on your pet's ability to remain obedient.  Intact (non-spayed/neutered) pets are more hormonally driven when not properly trained, and the properly trained pet has a higher attention span when she/he is spayed or neutered.  Make sense?

Dogs who are spayed or neutered tend to be more loyal and devoted to their owners, more obedient, and far less likely to run off than intact animals.  In our experience, as many as 80-90% of the dogs and cats hit by cars are intact.  Intact animals are also at higher risk for aggressive tendencies.  75% of dog bites to humans are from intact dogs.

This is not to say that intact animals are incapable of being well-behaved.  I can personally vouch for that, since I am an exhibitor at dog shows.  However, the pet owner who finds his/her dog incapable of walking NICELY on a leash without pulling, wandering, sniffing everything, marking everything, and mounting other dogs regardless of sex, age, or hormonal status, should take a serious look at other factors (besides lack of training) that may be  inhibiting your dog's ability to be a canine good citizen in public. 

Although the outrageous pet population is a major factor influencing recommendations to neuter by veterinarians and their staff, it is certainly not the only reason.  First and foremost, it's due to the health benefits.  The second reason is population control.  In the end, it will make it easier for you to raise a calm, obedient family member.

Stephanie Severson, CVT

Stay Cool, Avoid Heat Stroke

Ain't summer great?!!  It offers all those wonderful outdoor activities that our pets can join in with us!  However, I would like to be sure you are aware of the dangers hot weather can pose, as well as a few special situations that you may not have considered.

There are two categories of dogs (and cats, although, due to lifestyle, cats are generally at lower risk than dogs)  I would consider at increased risk for heat stroke by man's design.  Bracheocephalic dogs (you know, the ones whose eyes are even with the end of their noses) are not as efficient at dissipating heat through their respiratory system (panting).  Panting is the major mechanism in cooling a dog's body.  The second category is that of the dogs bred to tolerate cold climates.  These animals have thick, heavy coats.  Dark colored coats will also enhance heat absorption.

The very young or very old pet is certainly more sensitive to extremes in temperature.  Young animals do not have fully developed thermoregulatory mechanisms.  Those at the other end of the age spectrum do not generate or lose heat as readily.

The health status of an animal will contribute significantly to its ability to tolerate heat.  Examples are respiratory tract disorders, cardiovascular (heart) disease, obesity, previous episodes of heat stroke, hyperthyroidism, neurological disorders, certain medications, and obesity (I know I mentioned obesity twice, but there are so many overweight pets!)  If you think your pet fits any of these criteria, consult your veterinarian for advice.

Most importantly, in our humid climate, we have to consider the environment.  First and foremost, cars and hot weather are a deadly combination.  If the mercury climbs above 70 degrees and Fido must stay in a parked car, leave him at home.  While at home, if your dog is the outdoorsy type, provide free access to fresh water and well-ventilated shade.  Remember, just because an area is shady in the morning, it is not necessarily so in the afternoon, and vice versa.  High humidity can contribute to heat stress as well.  Your dog also needs proper acclimation to the heat.  Activity should be in the early morning or late evening, especially if your dog is not in good physical condition.

Finally, any combination of the aforementioned risk factors increases your pet's risk, so if your companion is a 14-year-old obese Pekingese with a cardiac condition who has an affinity for sleeping twenty hours a day on a sofa, beware!

I hope this information is useful and helps make our warm Wisconsin summer more tolerable for man and beast.  If you are concerned about your pets' particular situation, contact your veterinarian.  Be cool and safe.

Brian C. Ray, DVM

Games Sparky Plays

To Sparky, everything is a toy - bottle caps, cardboard boxes, slippers, paper towel rolls, and/or any of his fellow housemate cats.  Sparky's a kitten, so he has boundless energy.  Have you ever watched kids tear around a kitchen after dinner?  Somehow six bites of chicken, one 'no-thank-you bite' of carrots and a piece of bread sends a child into hyper drive.  Kittens (and puppies) are like this all the time.  While it's not at all exhausting for them, it can be very tiring for any of their older animal housemates.  How can we find more interesting 'toys' for our kittens than their unwilling feline friends?

This week's idea involves you as the owner (or perhaps your kids).  Cats and dogs are smarter than we think they are, and they get in trouble when they're bored.  If we devote just five minutes a day to playing with our cats, they'll look forward to this session which will relieve some of the frustration caused by boredom.  This can be anything from swishing a 'bird' on a string toy in front of your cat to winding up a mechanical toy to throwing balled up pieces of paper to playing "chase the dot" with a laser pointer.  (If you play the laser game, be aware of possible side effects.  After a play session, my sister-in-law's cat will spend the next twenty minutes staring at the last spot on the wall where he saw the red dot!) 

For the young cat like Sparky, these sessions expel some frantic energy.  For the plump cat like Maude, play time gives a little much-needed exercise and stretching of the muscles.  For a shy cat like Violet, this provides vital one-on-one time with you, her loving owner.  If one toy doesn't interest your cat, try another.  One of my cats loves feathers on a string.  Another loves toys with bells.  (I put the toys away between sessions so they're always fresh and exciting.  Also, every time I open that drawer, I'm instantly joined by my eager feline friends - a great way to find them in a pinch.)  If one of your cats dominates play time, have a play session with your other cat(s) in another room while that cat is distracted with food or another toy.

In addition to the joy of laughing at his/her acrobatics, actively playing with your cat once a day gives you the benefit of 'touching base' with your cat once a day.  Observing kitty will help you notice if she's less active than usual or limping on a back leg or losing fur on her belly.  Waking up to play with your cat is a great way to start your day, and unwinding with a play session before bed can help all of the day's frustrations to evaporate.  Our cats think we're here to take care of them, but really, we know they take care of us.

Kelley Wagner, C.V.T.

Monday Funny

Happy Monday!

Weight Loss For Kitty

Last week, we talked about Maude, our slightly plump older cat.  While Maude knows she’s perfect just the way she is, we as owners know our overweight cats would lead longer, healthier lives if they could take off a few pounds.  As with any creature (dog, cat, human J), the best way to take off pounds is to reduce calories and increase exercise.  Now that the weather is finally improving, we have the desire to be outside and move around a little.  Maude can see the outside just fine from her comfortable window seat, thank you very much.  She thinks watching you weed your garden is as close as she needs to get to exercise. 

How do we encourage Maude to take off a few pounds?  First of all, take it slow.  Don’t deprive a cat of food or try to reduce intake too quickly.  Starting a diet program should always be discussed with your veterinarian.  It’s not healthy for a cat to lose too much weight too quickly.  If you’re switching to a lower calorie food (or any new diet), gradually wean your cat(s) onto it over a 5 to 7 day period.  “He’ll eat when he’s hungry” does not work in cats.  If your cat turns his nose up at food for more than a day or two, he can develop serious health problems.  If your cat doesn't want to eat the mix with the new food, back off to a mix with more of the old food.  If the new diet is absolutely unacceptable, see if another diet might work better.

There are a few tricks of the diet trade to help manage kitty's food intake.  First, feed kitty for the weight you want her to be, not the weight she is now.  Second, make sure you have a measuring cup to accurately measure food.  When you actually measure the makeshift serving cup you use, you may find that it holds a lot more food than you thought.  You can also use a kitchen scale for even more accurate measurements.   Also, consider feeding your cat a few times a day rather than letting her forage all day.  This way, you can keep track of what she's eating.  This may also help you notice more quickly if she ever starts to lose her appetite-one of the few signs cats give us when they're ill or injured.

Now for the fun bits:  If you want get a little creative, you can kill two birds with one stone.  Consider fashioning 'foraging toys' for your plump cat (and maybe a few for your overactive kitty).  Foraging toys are simply toys that help our cats work a little more for their dinner.  This provides mental stimulation, excitement, and that much-needed exercise.  A foraging toy can be made out of something as simple as an old egg carton.  Sprinkle some dry food inside the container and then poke a few paw-sized holes in the top.  Your cat will do the rest.  For more ideas, read this article on feline foraging. 

Finally, here’s a simple answer for a frustrating challenge.  What if I have more than one cat?  How can I let my thin cat(s) have food without my overweight cat acting as a self-appointed cleanup crew?  First, you can have several different feeding stations (which will also cut down on intimidation around the food bowls for cats like Violet).  You may also consider feeding your thinner cats on a counter the overweight cat can't reach.  What about the motivated fat cat who can spring amazingly well?  Try a box with a hole cut in the side through which only your thinner cat can fit!

Kelley Wagner, C.V.T.

My Constant Companion

So, why does Fluffy have to leave the exam room when it's time to get her blood drawn or her nails trimmed?  Will she be OK without me?

We often get asked these questions by our clients.  You bring Fluffy to the veterinarian anticipating that she'll be traumatized by the whole ordeal.  Then, you're asked to allow her to leave your side when she needs you most, right?  The fortunate truth of it all is that nine out of ten pets are far calmer and easier to handle while not face to face with their owners.

Being a loving owner, there is a certain amount of anxiety that goes along with taking Fluffy to the veterinarian - an anticipation of how frightened Fluffy is going to be.  What we don't realize, as pet owners, is that this fear and anxiety is transferred to your pet through body language.  This raises the level of anxiety for your dog or cat.  By removing the stimulation, Fluffy is actually able to calm down, which makes her veterinary visit more enjoyable and less scary. 

From a technical perspective, things such as blood draws and nail trims are able to be accomplished more quickly with the assistance of other technicians in the treatment area.  We all want to think that our pets are incapable of hurting anyone, but sometimes we have to do things to them that may not be comfortable.  As animals, they only have a few ways to let us know that that wasn't cool, so proper, yet gentle restraint by another trained technician helps everyone stay safe.  If Fluffy is still stressed or needs a potentially painful procedure, we will recommend sedation.  With this option, Fluffy comes to see us, takes a nap, and then goes home.

Our favorite part is bringing Fluffy back to you when treatments are done since our pets love their owners better than anything else in the world, and it's the best treat we can give them!

Stephanie Severson, CVT

Maude's Long Journey

In our imaginary family, Maude is our oldest cat.  Life has been pretty easy for Maude.  She has food readily available, she can always find a warm spot to curl up, and she’s mellow enough to find Sparky the kitten to be only moderately annoying.  This life of ease has led Maude to become a bit plump, and she’s a bit slower to get up from naps due to some developing arthritis.  When Maude has to use the litter box, it can be a bit of a challenge for her because she has to make it all the way from her sleeping spot in the family room to the basement steps where she creaks her way downstairs and around the corner to the litter boxes.  Once there, she has to step over the high side of the box to get inside and maneuver into a good spot to eliminate.  This seems to get more challenging every year, especially since Maude now seems to have to urinate more often.  It’s easy to imagine a time when Maude doesn’t quite make it to the litter box before she absolutely has to find another spot to ‘go’.

     How can we make it easier for our older cats to use the litter box?  Here are a few ideas.  First, it’s great idea to have a litter box on every level of the house.  This way, our older (or larger) cats don’t have to deal with stairs every time they have to use the litter box.  Also, our older cats can sometimes deal with declining eyesight and hearing as well as mental confusion (much like our older relatives).  We want to make it as easy as we can to find a litter box.  If you have a litter box with higher sides, it might be nice to cut a ‘doorway’ into the side of the box so the cat can simply step into the box rather than having to climb in.  Finally, note whether the boxes seem to need to be cleaned more often than usual.  Kidney disease, diabetes, and other conditions can creep up on our pets.  A wetter litter box may be one of the few signs we have to warn us that kitty needs to see her veterinarian to diagnose an underlying medical condition (and perhaps discuss some arthritis medication).  We’ll work to make sure our ‘Maude’ kitties have comfortable golden years.

Kelley Wagner, C.V.T.

Next week: Weight loss?  Who needs it?