Veterinary Specialities
NEED INFORMATION ABOUT ANYTHING MEDICAL FOR YOUR PETS?
Puh-leeze do NOT try to understand a medical diagnosis or look up symptoms by simply "googling" on the internet. You will get partial or even incorrect facts or advice. Instead, there is a fantastic service for pet owners called Veterinary Partners ( www.VeterinaryPartners.com) that is run by actual vets - imagine that?! Even better, it is a free site from V.I.N., or the Veterinary Information Network, which is the professional version and costs a vet around $600 a year to subscribe. So Veterinary Partners is not just the most reliable source of medical information for your dogs and cats, it is also a huge bargain. You can't beat that!
Veterinarians Who Specialize In Behavior Issues
Behavior Issues: Do you have serious behavioral issues with your dog or cat? There is a veterinary specialty called an Animal Behaviorist and only vets who have received this additional training qualify to belong to their organizations, The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. You can find one in your area by going to: www.avsabonline.org and/or www.dacvb.org.
Veterinary Care: Cats
There are veterinarians who see only cats in their practice and most of them belong to the American Association of Feline practitioners (AAFP). You can see if there are any such vets practicing in your area by calling 800-874-0498 or going to www.catvets.org
Alternative Practitioners
There is such wide variation in the advice, methods and training of the medical caregivers dispensing non-traditional care that the best way to guide those seeking an alternative to Western veterinary medicine is to recommend that you consult the list that follows. Keep in mind that you do not need to turn your back on traditional veterinary medicine just because you want to explore these options – in fact, there are many Western-trained vets who welcome alternative methods, have studied some themselves and advocate care that “bridges” between the disciplines.
Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy: 866-652-1590
AltVetMed Complementary & Alternative Veterinary Medicine
American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture: 860-635-6300
American Veterinary Chiropractic Association
International Alliance for Animal Therapy & Healing: 530-795-5040
Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association
ALTERNATIVE PRACTITIONERS (PDF File, 40KB)
Asthma in Cats
Asthma: As Our Dr. Phil (the Official Vet of Dog Talk) (and also the world's leading authority on feline asthma) was saying on the show, there are much better ways to manage a cat's asthma than a steroid shot. For more information about inhaled medications and finding a vet who is knowledgeable about them, go to www.FritzTheBrave.com.
Veterinary Chiropractors
Chiropractor: Want to find a chiropractor for your pet? If your dog or cat is having any sort of lameness problem, a visit to a veterinary chiropractor may straighten it right out (literally!) There are many other physical issues that a spinal adjustment can often help - hot spots and lick granulomas on the feet, incontinence, even digestive. A yearly adjustment by a chiropractor trained for animals can be a preventive and curative experience. To find referrals and more information, call the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) at 918-784-2231or www.animalchiropractic.org.
Dental
Check www.AVDC.org, American Veterinary Dental College to find a dental specialist in your area.
Medical Information
DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that the advice I give on the air or in emails – or those you see posted here – are not intended to take the place of a veterinarian's advice or expertise. I say this to protect myself from being misunderstood or from your over-reliance on my advice in situations where your pet may be seriously ill and you would mistakenly delay seeking medical intervention. While I am confident in the research-based facts and common-sense advice I can offer, it is never meant to be used at the exclusion of trained, accredited and board certified professionals. But I also have this disclaimer to protect your dog – because what you learn from me is not intended to take the place of medical care or professional evaluation – on the contrary, my desire is to equip you with information that will allow you to enjoy your pets to the fullest, and also to encourage you to seek professional medical attention whenever there are physical symptoms or an overall change in your pet's attitude.
Cancer Diet Advice
There have been some changes in the recommendations about the best diet for dogs with cancer. It used to be that the only advice available was to encourage these dogs to eat as much as possible because it was known that dogs with cancer lost weight even though eating normally. Until recently, this phenomenon was not understood, but research has shown that cancer cells thrive on carbohydrates as an energy source, rather than on fats or proteins. The chemical reaction of the breakdown of those carbohydrates causes dogs with cancer to burn calories at a faster pace, so that they lose weight even while eating the same amount they always did. This means that the newest recommendation is for dogs with cancer to have diets low in carbohydrates, high in protein and high in fat. Dogs with cancer who were fed in this way lost less weight and even may have lived longer as a result.
On a low carbohydrate diet, cancer cells will next turn to protein as an energy source. If the cancer is a fast-growing kind, it can use up all the protein in the dog’s diet and then turn to the dog’s own muscle protein. In order to minimize this risk, the dog’s diet needs a high protein level. The dietary fat should be especially high since the body can use it as an energy source but cancer cells cannot. In fact, cancer diets should include additional Omega-3 fatty acids which actually seem to inhibit tumor growth.
If you can spare the time, you will be doing your dog a great favor to prepare him a special diet while he is fighting the cancer. This formula is not suggested for long term use on a healthy animal, but will help sustain a dog who is suffering from cancer. A simple rule of thumb for the cancer diet is to have one half poultry or fish and one half mixed vegetables, either fresh or frozen. These can be cooked together, frozen in portions and served with some olive, safflower or cod fish oil and a high quality vitamin/mineral supplement. Calcium is also beneficial and can come from dry milk powder, cottage or ricotta cheese, yogurt or whole milk.
CANCER DIET ADVICE - PDF FILE (34 KB)
Diseases Passed From Dogs to People
The risk of disease transmission from one species to another is quite low but it is still a possibility. For people with compromised immune systems – cancer or dialysis patients or those with HIV or an organ transplant – the possibility of contracting an illness from a dog is real threat. For a person with a poor immune system, a simple lick from a dog with oral disease can lead to a human infection or a dog with Bordatella can cause human pneumonia.
Because of the intimate physical way in which many of us relate to our dogs, even the healthiest people should take precautions. At the very least, be sure to wash your hands after touching your own or other dogs, especially if you are going to eat. The ease with which humans can become infested with roundworms is a creepy example: a dog with roundworm will shed eggs in his feces but also on his coat. A person who pats that dog and then eats a sandwich without washing his hands thoroughly, will ingest those roundworm eggs which migrate to human organs or eyes, where they can cause blindness.
The following list shows the diseases on the left and the method of transmittal the right. In every case, the way to protect yourself is by thorough hand-washing (except in the case of rabies where vaccination is a necessary reaction and scabies in which the mites have to be eradicated.)
DISEASE FROM/BY
Bordatella feces
Diarrhea (bacterial) feces
Giardia feces (parasite)
Leptospirosis urine
Rabies saliva
Ringworm skin (fungus)
Scabies skin (mites)
DISEASES PASSED - PDF FILE (36KB)
Eye Problems
CATARACTS are a cloudiness in the normally clear lens of the eye. This is different than the hazy appearance that all dogs get after 8 years of age, a normal change called sclerosis. This is simply the lens of the eye getting more dense and does not affect vision. But cataracts are different: a dog can be born with them or can develop them as a puppy or adult as a result of genetics, poor nutrition or as a side effect of diabetes. In some dogs cataracts develop rapidly, while in others the process is slow. Unlike in humans where cataract surgery is done routinely, it is more difficult in dogs and only recommended with severely compromised vision or full blindness in both eyes.
CHERRY EYE appears as a bright red lump in the corner of the eye. It is the exposed gland of the third eyelid that all dogs have at the corner of their eyes to keep them moist and clean. Cherry Eye is an infected tear gland it is as painful as it is unsightly. It can potentially be irritating enough to cause blindness and may require surgery. The condition is usually seen in young, small breed dogs.
CONJUNCTIVITIS is a common problem in which the membrane of the eye gets irritated and it produces mucus to soothe the cornea and fight the baceteria.
DRY EYE is a disease mainly of older dogs that is caused by inadequate tear production. Treatment is directed at increasing tear production. Unless it is treated in early stages, it can lead to serious infection and corneal ulcers.
GLAUCOMA is the same in dogs as in humans, a disease in which pressure builds up inside the eye, which can lead to blindness. The eye may appear cloudy and red, due to the fluid normally circulating in the eye which does not drain properly. It is usually seen in middle-aged dogs, especially Cocker Spaniels and terriers. It can be painful and you may be aware that your dog squints in bright light. Another symptom is that the eye may bulge and if the glaucoma becomes advanced the eyelid may not even be able to cover it. If the glaucoma goes untreated to this emergency stage it can cause blindness in a matter of hours.
TEAR STAINS (also called “Poodle eye”) is a condition is peculiar to certain toy breeds like Poodles, Maltese, Pekingese and Pomeranians. The cause is usually unknown but creates streaks down the face from the corners of the eyes. Vets will often give a broad spectrum antibiotic for about three weeks or in a low dose to put in the food for long-term control. The antibiotic is secreted in the tears and stops them from staining. Like with all medical issues, you obviously need to speak to your own vet about the advisability of this treatment.
EYE PROBLEMS - PDF FILE (39KB)
Giardia
Giardia is an intestinal parasite that can be passed to people and giardiasis (GEE-are-DYE-uh-sis) is a diarrheal illness caused by this microscopic parasite. Once an animal or person has been infected, the parasite lives in the intestine and is passed in the stool, where it can survive outside the body for a long time. The organisms come from the environment and live in moist or wet areas. Giardia is one of the most common causes of waterborne disease (from drinking water and recreational water) in humans in the United States, where it occurs in every region.
Read more in the PDF File: giardia.pdf (62KB)
Urinary Stones
Since nearly losing my Weimeraner Scooby Doo to bladder stones I discovered that it is not uncommon for dogs (and cats) to suffer from painful and often life-threatening stones in their urinary systems. There are two different kind of stones which form in either the kidneys or the bladder: “struvite” stones are the most common and most-easily managed with diet, while “urate” stones are more difficult. As luck would have it, the latter were the kind of stones poor Scooby got, which in his case were undetected by x-ray because they had imbedded in the bladder wall. A third of his bladder had been destroyed by the time emergency surgery was performed. Ordinarily it is Dalmatians (especially males) who are known to develop urate stones, so the dietary advice that follows should be of especially great benefit to Dalmatian breeders and owners.
Increasing the amount of liquid the dog drinks is the first advice to managing either kind of stone. You want to keep the urine diluted and flowing frequently, so that crystals are less likely to form, which means lots of fluid intake. In my case this presents a real problem since Scooby is some sort of canine camel: he never seems to get thirsty and rarely takes a drink. The other dogs slurp and gulp throughout the day, while Scooby often takes no more than one tentative sip. The suggestion was made to make his food or water salty to promote thirst but this just sounded all wrong to me and in fact adding salt to a dog’s diet creates health risks, including formations of stones!).
The first thing you can do to increase water intake is to make water more accessible and appealing by putting water bowls in various locations and changing the water frequently (I always change the water in the bowls a couple of times a day anyway, which I was “trained” to do by Lulu, my first rescued Weimeraner, a fussy female, who would not drink from any water bowl that the “boys” had already drunk from) (yes, I admit, I am a pathetic slave to my dogs’ pleasure and comfort!). Some other tips to increase water intake are to flavor the water with sodium-free chicken bouillon and to offer ice cubes as treats.
Something your vet will want to check periodically is whether the dog has a urinary tract infection (UTI) – which is treated aggressively with antibiotics because even a mild unchecked infection can also lead to stone formation.
I began to research dietary ways to prevent urinary stones. My own vet was diligent in combing the medical texts but unfortunately not much has been written about the role of food in managing the condition. This was not a big surprise, given the lack of general nutritional study in veterinary (or, for that matter, human) medical training. Much of the information about beneficial food for stone-sufferers is not readily found, so you may want to share what you learn here with your vet and her staff.
A fundamental fact about dogs who form either kind of urinary stone is that you need to stay away from dry food: kibble cannot be the basis of the dog’s diet (nor should it be for any dog, but you’d have to read that section of THE DOG BIBLE to learn why). Feed home-cooked meals that are low in purines (see below) and or canned foods rather than dry food, which absorbs water in the dog’s system which can result in concentrated (stone-prone) urine.
A great source of dietary information is www.dogfoodproject.com. Mordanna, whose site it is, has steeped herself in the nutrition field; she also has a kitty who had surgery for (struvite) stones so she has paid special attention to this issue. Some of what she’s learned about stone formation seems to contradict the commonly held belief that to guard against stones a dog should get the lowest possible amount of animal protein. Her research showed her that avoiding foods high in purines is what makes a difference.
One thing I can say is that the U/D (urinary diet) food made by Hill’s Science Diet and sold exclusively by veterinarians was NOT the solution to my pet’s long-term health or even his short-term wellness. Anyone out there who is prescribed this food by their vet should give it a good, long look before jumping in as I did. But don’t take my word for it: just look at the bag and see for yourself what’s in there. I am embarrassed to say that I never actually looked at the ingredients on the U/D bag, embracing it unquestioningly as “medicinal” dietary protection. After Scooby’s brush with death I thought I was lucky to get U/D, blindly accepting that it would be his salvation.
I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t read the bag until I’d been feeding this food for a full month – during which time Scooby Doo was always hungry yet at the same time gained unsightly weight that packed on in ripples of cellulite-like fat. He began shedding and his coat lost its luster. Only when I began to suspect the U/D food did I discover, to my horror, that there were basically two main ingredients in that food: pork fat and brewer’s rice, hardly ingredients I would choose to fortify my dog. I already knew from my research that “brewer’s rice” has no nutritional value except as filler – it is the leftover material discarded after rice is used to make liquor. And pork fat as a main source of nutrition??
After tossing out the U/D I experimented with a series of diets to manipulate the kind and amount of protein in Scooby’s diet. For two months I fed a commercially made soy-protein based food that seemed to neither satisfy his hunger nor alleviate the extra pounds he was packing – and then I learned that soy is apparently a poor food source for dogs, who cannot metabolize well it because of its amino-acid make-up. With continued seeking and experimentation I believe I have now come to a nice balanced solution – it is individual to my dog, his body type and exercise habits. I recommend that anyone whose dog has had urinary stones should experiment with different food combinations from the chart that follows, after discussing it with your vet. You’ll know you’ve found the right mix when your dog’s coat is looking good and his weight is within acceptable limits –and it will probably satisfy your dog’s hunger as well.
The dietary suggestions that follow are ONLY for dogs already forming stones and should be undertaken only in partnership with your vet. Please note that the advice for the two kinds of stones is markedly different so be sure you understand clearly what kind of stones your dog has a tendency to form so that you are helping the condition, not aggravating it.
STRUVITE STONE DIETARY ADVICE: You need the dog’s urine to be acidic so you need to include an “acidifier” like vitamin C or cranberry. You can put liquid vitamin C or open capsules into the food; see if he’ll drink cranberry juice or eat dried sweetened cranberries as a treat.
Reduce carbohydrates generally, beginning by reducing or eliminating dry food completely (it is dehydrating when what you want is to increase the fluid balance in the dog’s body). You want to give lots of protein of every and any kind. Along with high quality protein, you can offer raw or cooked vegetables. One way to do this is to boil up a big batch - chopped or shredded carrots, leafy green vegetables, peas, string beans, any greenery – adding some rice and/or potatoes and/or sweet potatoes. You can then freeze it in containers or bags. And always add as much water to the food as your dog will tolerate.
URATE STONE DIETARY ADVICE: You want to lower the concentration of uric acid in the urine by lowering purines, which occur primarily in meat proteins. Despite what was once believed about protein, you want to avoid proteins (and other foods) with high purine content (see below) but give the dog proteins that are good for him.
GOOD PROTEINS: eggs (raw or cooked), any cheese (cottage cheese or ricotta are easy to use), milk, yogurt and poultry (chicken, turkey etc.).
PROTEINS TO AVOID: all fish and shellfish, red meats (even meat broth) and especially organ meats like liver, heart or kidneys.
OTHER PURINE-RICH FOODS TO AVOID: oatmeal, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, lentils, peas, beans, cauliflower all have a lower purine content than the proteins but still should be avoided as possible.
USE LOW PURINE FOODS: nuts (including peanut butter), butter and other fats, bread, fruits and juices, all vegetables (except those above).
To reduce the chance of urate stones in dogs who tend to form them is to keep their urine diluted and with a high urinary pH of about 7.0 - but no higher than that. (In Scooby’s case, his urinary pH was so low on the scale that I tried to acidify it with a spoonful of cranberries in his food – and he began to consistently measure between 6.0 and 7.0. Your goal is to maintain a consistently non-acidic environment in the urinary tract. You’ll need to use pH strips periodically to test whether your dog’s urine stays in that range. I had trouble finding a pH test kit (my pharmacist sold me strips that test urinary ketones for diabetics!) but Mordanna hooked me up with a company in Florida called Vaxa International (800-248-8292) (or on the internet at www.vaxa.com) that has a handy little kit, which works like testing the chlorine and Ph balance in a swimming pool. You hold a test strip under the dog’s stream of urine and compare the color to a chart on the test kit. Do not freak out (as I admit to doing!) when your dog’s urine tests at one extreme or the other. To get an accurate picture of what’s going on you should preferably check the urine several times a day. There’s a chance you will see wide variations, as I did, with either very low or high acidity, but some of the time his urine will be in the desirable neutral zone.
Please please please do not just go off and do this on your own: you have to manage your dog’s condition in partnership with your vet. She needs to support your independent efforts to manage the stone formation with diet – and if she won’t, you need to find a doctor who will. Your dog’s health and even his life depend on your being actively involved.
Then, when you’ve done all of the above, you can resort to keeping your fingers crossed: there is some just plain luck in whether dogs with stones keep forming them!
URINARY STONES - PDF File (62KB)
