Rory, our beloved Westie, went peacefully yesterday. Robbie lost his battle with catastrophe kidney failure today at the age of 16. Robbie was the little master of the house. Undaunted by anything and loving everyone. After adopting Rory, Robbie became his mentor, his buddy, and his bolster, since wherever Robbie lie, Rory would lie on top of him. We miss him very much.

The APCC provided us with the 10 most common human medication complaints they receive. Here they are, in order based on the number of complaints:

1. Ibuprofen – Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) is the most common human medication ingested by pets. Many brands have a sweet outer coating that makes it appealing to pets (think “M&M,” but a potentially deadly one). Ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure.
2. Tramadol – Tramadol (Ultram®) is a pain reliever. Your veterinarian may prescribe it for your pet, but only at a dose that’s appropriate for your pet – never give your medication to your pet without first consulting your veterinarian! Too much tramadol can cause sedation or agitation, wobbliness, disorientation, vomiting, tremors and possibly seizures.
3. Alprazolam – Alprazolam (Xanax®) is prescribed as an anti-anxiety medication and a sleep-aid. Most pets that ingest alprazolam can become sleepy and wobbly; however a few will become very agitated instead. These pills are commonly ingested by pets as people put them out on the nightstand so they remember to take them. Large doses of alprazolam can drop the blood pressure and could cause weakness or collapse.
4. Adderall® – Adderall® is a combination of four different amphetamines and is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. This medication doesn’t have the same effect in pets as it does in people; it acts as a stimulant in our pets and causes elevated heart rate and body temperature, along with hyperactivity, tremors and seizures.
5. Zolpidem – Zolpidem (Ambien®) is a sleep-aid for people. Pets commonly eat pills left on the bedside table. Zolpidem may make cats wobbly and sleepy, but most pets become very agitated and develop elevated heart rates.
6. Clonazepam – Clonazepam (Klonopin®) is used as an anticonvulsant and anti-anxiety medication. It is sometimes also prescribed as a sleep-aid. When animals ingest clonazepam they can become sleep and wobbly. Too much clonazepam can lower the blood pressure, leading to weakness or collapse.
7. Acetaminophen – Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) is a very common pain killer found in most households. Cats are extremely sensitive to acetaminophen, but dogs can be affected too. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage. It can also cause damage to your pet’s red blood cells so that the cells are unable to carry oxygen – like your body, your pet’s body needs oxygen to survive.
8. Naproxen – Naproxen (Aleve®, Naprosyn®) is an over-the-counter pain reliever. Dogs and cats are very sensitive to naproxen and even small amounts can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure.
9. Duloxetine – Duloxetine (Cymbalta®) is prescribed as an antidepressant and anti-anxiety agent. When ingested by pets it can cause agitation, vocalization, tremors and seizures.
10. Venlafaxine – Venlafaxine (Effexor®) is an antidepressant. For some unknown reason, cats love to eat the capsules. Ingestion can cause agitation, vocalization, tremors and seizures.

As you can tell from this list, a medication that does one thing for people does not necessarily do the same for our pets. And although this may be the list of the medications about which the APCC receives the largest numbers of complaints, remember that any human medication could pose a risk to your pets – not just these 10.

You can keep your pets safe by following simple common sense guidelines:

• Always keep human medications away from pets unless you are specifically instructed by a veterinarian to give the medication;
• Do not leave pills sitting on counter or any place a pet can get to them;
• Do not leave pill bottles within reach of pets (You’ll be surprised how fast your dog can chew through a pill bottle.);
• If you’re taking medications out of the bottle and you drop any of it, pick it up immediately so you know your pet won’t be able to eat it;
• Always contact your veterinarian if your pet has ingested any medication not prescribed for them;
• Never give your medication (or any medications prescribed for a two-legged family member) to your pet without first consulting a veterinarian.

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

M. H. Archer, DVM
Loveland Veterinary House Call

Rory, our beloved Westie, went peacefully yesterday. He finally lost the battle with heart and lung disease. He was such a pitiful thing when we met him twelve years ago, but he grew into a great personality and a real comedian. He lost much of that over the past year as his health began failing, but was still the sweetest little boy ever.

Myth #1:  Clients are always telling me that their dog does not have heartworm because they don’t see it in the stool, well you shouldn’t.  It does not live there; it is not an intestinal parasite, it is a blood parasite.

Myth #2:  The next thing clients tell me is that their dog does not live outside so it’s not at risk, wrong!  I hope your dog is going outside at least to go to the bathroom and hopefully for walks.  Also mosquitos do come inside our houses so all animals are at risk.  Indoor cats actually have a higher incidence of heartworm infections.

Myth #3:  My dog only needs to be on heartworm prevention for 6 months – well maybe, it depends on where you live but for the most part (and definitely in Colorado) they need to be on prevention all year round.  With our volatile weather all over the country nowadays it is possible for a mosquito to bite and infect your animal in those 6 months that you think you are safe because it’s “cold” out.  A random fact that I recently learned was that one mosquito can bite your pet 80 times in a single evening.

Myth #4:  My dog does not need to be tested yearly – yes they do and it is important for a number of reasons.  Just like all parasite medications, there are heartworms that have developed a resistance to the prevention.  If your dog is the unlucky dog to get one of these infections, we need to know about it so it can be addressed.  Your dog could have vomited up the medication without you knowing it and was not covered for a month.  User error also comes into play – a large amount of people forget to give it and may skip a month or two so that naturally makes them vulnerable.

Myth #5:  Cats do not get heartworm disease – false.  Cats do get heartworm disease just not as easily as dogs because they are not a normal host.  When cat’s get the disease from a mosquito it is hard to know because they may not show any signs.  They usually do not have as large of a worm burden as dogs and may only have 1 worm in their heart.  The test for cats is not as straight forward as it is for dogs because of this.

So the moral of the story – make sure your pet is on heartworm prevention all year round and test each year too.  This will save you much headache and money because treating a heartworm infection is expensive, has risk, and takes time and many tests to get rid of.  This is a very simplified explanation of heartworm disease so as always, consult your veterinarian with any questions or concerns you may have for your specific pet.

M. H. Archer, DVM
Loveland Veterinary House Call

-Mark Twain

Roundworms are the most common parasite of dog and cats.  It is passed into the environment in the stool.  Animals and people become infected by drinking infected water or by licking the soil or licking dirt off fur or paws.  Hookworms spread the same way in the environment, people can be infected by walking barefoot over infected soil/sand/dirt.  Roundworms and hookworms can be spread to the puppies or kittens either through the placenta or through the milk.  Tapeworm infections come from the dog or cat eating an infected flea or lice (external parasites).  Tapeworms look like dried rice segments stuck to the fur around the rear end.  Whipworms, coccidian, and giardia are all picked up from ingesting soil or water infected with the parasite as well.

Each parasite causes different symptoms in pets.  The most common symptoms of an intestinal parasite are diarrhea, bloating in puppies and kittens, weight loss, poor hair coat quality, scooting, and seeing parasites in stool or stuck to fur.  In my experience many animals have no symptoms depending on which parasite it is and how high the worm burden is.

Prevention consists of making sure to pick up animal feces as soon as possible as to not contaminate the soil.  Avoid places where their might be a large amount of feces from untreated animals (i.e. the dog park).  For people, prevention consists of good hygiene, washing hands after touching animals or soil, and making sure to wear shoes when outside and then take them off and not walk through the house with shoes on.

Treatment consists of various deworming agents depending on which parasite(s) is(are) present.  Different parasites require different tests and dewormers to treat them.  Most parasites can be found in a fecal sample from your pet.  Depending on what part of the life cycle the parasite is in you may or may not be able to detect them.  Giardia is notoriously hard to find and may require more than one fecal sample to find it.  It is good to have your pet’s feces checked at least once a year by your veterinarian; twice a year depending on which part of the country you live in and what risk factors your local environment provide.  There are so many different dewormers on the market it is impossible to speak to each one of them.  They can come in liquid or pill form and can kill one or many parasites.  Since fleas are the major cause of tapeworms, having adequate flea control is important in preventing future tapeworm infections.  Most heartworm (blood parasite) preventions contain dewormers for some of the most common intestinal parasites so they are being dewormed on a monthly basis.  There are other dewormers that can cover most of the intestinal parasites but there is no one magic pill to get rid of all of them.  Giardia and coccidia require their own individual treatments.  Puppies and kittens can get parasites through the placenta and/or milk so having a deworming protocol from your veterinarian is very important for the safety of the mother and the babies.

There are many, many, more parasites out there that can also infect animals.  That is why a fecal sample to your vet is vital to identify which parasite your pet has and that will determine which dewormer is right for your pet.  If you just go buy a “wormer” off the shelf at the local feed store, there is no way to know if you are treating the right parasite or if there is more than one parasite present.  Prompt treatment will help your pet feel better, lessen internal intestinal damage, and decrease the chance of your pet infecting you or another animal.  Good hygiene and prompt removal of feces from the environment goes a long way to help prevent everyone from getting intestinal parasites.

M. H. Archer, DVM
Loveland Veterinary House Call

Video Source: youcarnews.com

While most pet owners feel great pleasure in taking their pets for car rides, experts suggest that they must not forget to keep their furry friends properly restrained. Pets without restraints can not only cause a good deal of distraction for the drivers but can also become a projectile during accidents. Hence, proper pet safety equipment is almost a necessity for car trips, not only for your own good but also for the safety of your loving pet.

However, it has been found that most of the pet restraints fail to meet the safety standards. In fact, certain crash tests conducted to prove this point has revealed that 25 out of every 29 pet safety care products for cars, trucks and other vehicles fail to work during crashes in one way or the other. Pet products do not fall under the category of consumer products. Hence, they can easily bypass all kind of regulations or oversight.

This kind of revelation can be quite intimidating for pet owners who love to or need to carry their pets along in their vehicles on road trips. If the pet restraints fail to serve their purpose during accidents, it can not only put the pet owner and their family at risk but can also pose a huge threat for other drivers on the road.

Thankfully, not all pet safety care products fail to deliver on quality.

Avail Effectively Designed Pet Safety Products in the Market

Even when most pet safety products today complain of having faulty designs, there are some that serve their purpose most efficiently. One such product that deserves to be trusted is a large or medium Booster/Carrier/Car Seat from Pet Gear.

This product is extremely handy when it comes to travel with your pet without hampering your driving ability or convenience. The firm yet cozy Booster or Car Seat helps to keep your pet comfortably secured using your car’s seat belt system. Not only this; it is also designed with several pockets to keep your leash, snacks or other pet needs safely. You can conveniently use this car seat for dogs weighing up to 15 pounds.

The Pet Gear Booster/Car Seat is easy to install and does not require any special tools for its installation.

With great customer reviews, the Carrier/Booster from Pet Gear is a product you should certainly try out when your sole concern is pet safety in the car. The product is trustworthy and seamlessly designed for ensuring optimal safety for your pet.

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• Keep all food and trash away from pets at all times – I can’t tell you how many times a large breed dog (Labs!) end up sneaking the entire turkey off the counter or pulling the carcass out of the trash and it makes them really sick.  The drawback to animals eating people food is that their GI track is not used to it and it will likely cause vomiting and diarrhea.  The large amount of food and/or fat can also start up a bout of pancreatitis which can be deadly.  Bones usually dissolve but occasionally cooked bones can splinter and perforate the digestive track or if they eat a very large amount, become stuck and cause an obstruction.

• Human food can be toxic to pets – Just because we enjoy holiday food does not mean you should share it with your pet, lots of human foods are toxic to pets. Onions, garlic, chocolate, desserts containing Xylitol, macadamia nuts, grapes, and raisins.

• Decorations – They look great on the tree but not so much when I’m surgically extracting them from the intestines. Ribbons and tinsel are especially dangerous for cats, the ribbon can get stuck under the tongue and then they swallow the ribbon. As it sits there the intestines try and move the ribbon down the digestive track but it can’t move so it ends up sawing through the intestines instead.  Real mistletoe and holly are very poisonous to cats.  Poinsettias are not as toxic as perceived, they usually just cause mild intestinal upset.

• Taking pets to relatives houses – Every holiday without exception I’m usually trying to piece back together a little dog that visited a relative’s house and tried to act like he was boss. The smaller dogs have big attitudes but usually end up getting really hurt because they (or the dog they are visiting) have not been properly socialized.  Sadly many dogs have been killed this way and it’s really not the way you plan to spend the holidays.

• Boarding and Traveling – don’t wait until the last minute to make arrangements for boarding, any good facility should require current vaccines. If you are traveling to a different state, country, or if you are flying you may need a health certificate which also requires current vaccines and a visit to your veterinarian within 10 days of travel.  If traveling in the car make sure to always have updated identification on the pet’s collar and a microchip in case they escape from the car, hotel, or rest area.

Hopefully these tips will save you from a stressful event for you and your pet over the holidays!  However, make sure to have a local vet ER number handy just in case.  If leaving your pet with a sitter, it is also a good idea for you to make payment arrangements in case they have to take your pet into the vet.

Whether you’re entertaining at home, traveling with pets, boarding them, or leaving them home with a sitter, take note of these important safety precautions.

Dec 20, 2013

By Greg McClure

VETERINARY ECONOMICS

Whether you are leaving your pets at home or traveling with them over the holidays, planning is the key to ensuring their safety, a Purdue University veterinarian says.

“The last thing any pet owner wants on Christmas or New Year’s is to rush their pet to the animal emergency room,” says Lorraine Corriveau, a pet wellness veterinarian at Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “The truth is that many pets can be injured or poisoned during the holidays unless their owners take proper preventive measures.”

Animals that travel by air are required to have a health certificate from a federally accredited veterinarian within 10 days of the flight. Corriveau says pet owners should bring medical and vaccination records as well as their own pet food. They also should research pet-friendly hotels and parks and try to keep their pets on the same schedule to minimize stress.

Those who will be driving with their pets to a holiday destination should use a carrier or a harness to ensure the pet’s safety as well others’ safety while driving. Some pets may benefit from a mild sedative to help with travel. This should be discussed with your veterinarian to decide what drug is best for your pet. Corriveau recommends that the drug should be tested on the pet in advance to make sure it has the desired effect.

If pet owners decide to board their pets, Corriveau offers the following tips:

> Ask to visit/tour the facility.

> Does your pet have special needs? Can the kennel care for those needs?

> Check to see if there is a veterinarian associated with the kennel.

> Take note of how they handle the animals and the facility’s cleanliness.

> Ask the staff about the services they offer and if there are structured daily activities.

“If your dog hasn’t been at a kennel for a while, and you’re leaving on a long-term vacation, it’s probably best to board your dog for a night or two before you go to get them used to it,” Corriveau says.

Another option is having someone come and pet sit at your residence.

If you decide to do this, Corriveau presents some advice:

> Ask the sitter to come multiple times a day or stay at your home with the pet.

> Get references.

> Search for certified professional pet sitters, or ask your veterinarian if he or she can recommend someone who offers this service.

> Find out if the caretaker is insured.

> Have a contact number for emergencies.

Even when owners don’t travel, holidays can be dangerous for pets. Homes should be pet-proofed when holiday decorations are out.

“Ribbons, shiny tinsel and noise-making ornaments are especially attractive and hazardous to cats,” Corriveau says. “Keep an eye on electrical cords to ensure puppies and kittens don’t chew on them.

“Decorative plants also are a source of danger. Mistletoe and holly can cause vomiting and lilies are often deadly to cats. Poinsettias, despite their reputation, are not deadly and often cause little more than mild stomach upset.”

Food also can be a problem for pets.

“Poultry bones, especially cooked, have potential to both break off and cause a perforation of the digestive tract, or if large amounts are consumed, could cause an obstruction,” Corriveau says.

She says other foods to avoid include grapes and raisins, excessively salty foods, foods flavored with onion or garlic powder, desserts and sweets containing Xylitol, and chocolates.

When pet owners host family and friends for large holiday gatherings, they should take their pets’ anxiety level into account.

“It might be best to keep pets confined if they are overly anxious,” Corriveau says. “Also, monitor people going in and out of the front door. Pets might take advantage and try to escape.”

Corriveau says keeping emergency contact information close is a good idea.

“Keep phone numbers for your veterinarian and the local animal emergency hospital handy,” she says. “A quick call to either of them can give you life-saving advice or even help you avoid a trip to the ER.

M. H. Archer, DVM
Loveland Veterinary House Call

Westie Rescue of California, El Cajon, CA

We would like to commend the staff at WRCA for their tireless efforts in promoting the Westie Diet in doing so relieving the suffering of many dogs with skin allergies. This applies to Westies and other breeds.

Best regards and keep up the good work!

Rescue Pet Supply Staff