Do I have to go to the vet?

 

 

Amelia

 

 

Keeping your cat indoors does reduce the risk of trauma, contagious disease and parasites but there are still plenty of other potential problems.

We check for these potential problems during your cat's annual health examination. 

 

Our house cats Salem, Miss Mo and Amelia are examined at least once a year. Toasted Marshmallow, our old man, is examined about every other month and is weighed once a month to ensure he is doing well.

 

Miss Mo & Marshmellow

 

 

Every cat seen here at Sheehy Animal Hospital in Livonia receives a complete physical examination.

 

Kitten Pie waiting for her yearly examination

 

 

 This examination includes evaluation of the eyes and ears for redness, swelling or discharge. The mouth for inflammation, dental tartar, masses or damaged teeth. The lymph nodes for any swelling. The skin and hair for parasites, wounds, growths, inflammation or hair loss. The bones and joints for evidence of pain or lameness. The nerves for normal function. The heart and lungs for normal rate and rhythm. We are also checking for the presence of any abnormal sounds in the heart or lungs. The abdomen for the size, shape and the feel of the kidneys, liver, intestine, spleen and the bladder. We also measure the weight and asses a body condition score. If any problems are found then specific recommendations are made to further evaluate and treat those issues.

 

Sheldon, Smokie & Graham

 

 

 

Cats are experts at hiding illness. Even if every thing seems normal EVERY cat (even the ones that don't go outside) should be seen at least once a year for an annual health examination.

 

If you would like to schedule an annual health examination for your cat or if you have questions about your pet please give us a call at 248-615-7670.

Litter Box Woes

Cats instinctively use a litter box. You don't have to take them to it and praise them 4-6 times a day like you would when house breaking a puppy.  You set it down, show them where it is at and as long as they can make their way back to it they will use it starting at 4-6 weeks of age. 

 

But sometimes litter box usage can become an issue for older cats. A veterinarian needs to be a diagnostician (like House), a kitty psychologist and a behaviorist to determine the cause and rectify the situation.  We can tell you one reason that cats do not stop using their litter box and that is spite.  Cats don't see going on the bathroom rug as a punishment for their owners they only see it as a way to relieve themselves when the litter box, for some reason, isn't working out.

The first issue to consider is always adequacy of the facilities. Are there enough boxes - the recommendation is the number of cats there are plus one. So if there are 3 cats in the household you should have 4 litter boxes. Are the boxes big enough? Are they easily accessible? Walking down to the basement may have been a non-issue for 12 years but in older cats, as arthritis sets in, it may become too much of an effort to walk that far. Litter box cleanliness is critical as well.  Cats noses are hundreds of times more sensitive than ours so if it is more noticeable to us it may be downright overwhelming to them.  Daily scooping of the litter is a necessity.  Is the type of litter acceptable to the cat? Most cats prefer the soft sand-like clumping litters.  Excessive perfume in the litter can also be a turn off for some cats.  Most cats do not like covered litter boxes.  It can make them feel trapped and vulnerable if someone or something comes at them from the opening.

 

There are also medical reasons for litter box lapses.  Young healthy cats seldom develop bladder infections.  Their urine is so concentrated it sucks the moisture right out of any invading bacteria and kills them before they get a chance to set up and infection.  Young cats however can have other problems that resemble a bladder infection by causing urgency and blood in the urine.  Cats can develop bladder stones.  Bladder stones are rock like accumulations of minerals.  Usually the minerals stay dissolved in the urine and pass out as part of the liquid waste.  Some cats (and dogs and people) have a tendency for those minerals to start to stick together forming a sand-like grit all the way up to stones measuring a 1/2 inch in length.  The stones are quite rough and irritating causing the bladder to bleed and creating the feeling of having to go all the time.  Sometimes the pain of urinating will make the cat start to avoid the litter box.  They may think the box is causing the pain.  Sometimes they just feel like they have to go all the time and start squatting where ever they happen to be when the urge hits.  Treating the stones will usually make this type of litter box problem go away.

 

 Another cause of litter box troubles in young cats is a fairly recently described and often frustrating problem called sterile cystitis.  Sterile cystitis is diagnosed when there is blood in the urine but no other reason, such as infection, stones or tumor can be found.  Sterile cystitis seems to occur in cats that have high anxiety levels.  Anxiety and stress can actually cause bladder pain and bleeding in a small population of cats.  The signs can come and go so it can seem like antibiotics have helped even if no infection is present.  In these cats we try to find and eliminate the cause of stress.  If life in general causes stress sometimes anti anxiety medications are helpful.  A wide variety of treatments are used for this problem because some cats respond well to one type of treatment and other cats respond better to another.  Usually the symptoms can be controlled to decrease the frequency and severity of the episodes.

 

Older cats present a totally different medical profile when the litter box becomes a problem.  Cats over 7-10 years of age may have a health issue such as kidney disease or diabetes that greatly reduce the concentration of their urine so true bacterial infections can occur.  Sometimes the urine is so dilute it is necessary to do a urine culture to prove an infection is present.  Treating the infection and the underlying cause should resolve the litter box issues.  Cats with kidney failure may be more prone to recurrences of bladder infections because their urine concentration will always be low.

If you have concerns or questions about litter box issues please give us a call.  We would be happy to help you with any issues your cat may be having.



Safely Transporting your Exotic Pets

 

 

Birds should be transported inside a sturdy carrier.  Birds should not be brought into the hospital on your shoulder or inside clothing.  Even if your bird is normally very calm and well behaved.  Coming to the veterinary hospital can be stressful and may cause your bird to react in unexpected ways.  Frightened birds can very easily cause injury by biting or scratching or may fly off.  Flying off your shoulder in the parking lot may mean that your friend is gone forever.  Flying off inside the hospital could result in your feathered friend flying into a dog or cat that may injure your bird.

 

 

Small birds can be transported in their own cage, a smaller travel cage, a small cat carrier or a closed cardboard box with a few holes punched in it.  Be certain that the cage, carrier or box is securely closed so your bird cannot escape.  The cage or box should be secured in the vehicle so that it cannot be thrown off the seat if a sudden stop occurs.  In cold weather the cage or box should wrapped in a thick towel or blanket to prevent drafts from reaching your bird and your car should be preheated to ensure your bird is not chilled.

 

 

Larger birds need very sturdy carriers.  Cat carriers can be ok, but some very large parrots may quickly chew through the plastic so their behavior should be monitored to ensure they are not in danger of flying off when the car door is opened.  Covering the carrier and preheating the car is still important for large birds to prevent chilling.

 

 

Cat carriers work very well for transporting rabbits.

 

 

Cat carriers also work well for larger rodents including rats, guinea pigs and chinchillas.  Gerbils, hamsters and mice can be brought in a small pet carrier or cardboard box with a few small holes punched in it. Some rodents can quickly chew through a cardboard box so they should be monitored to ensure they do not escape.

 

Guinea pigs and chinchillas do not tolerate excessive heat.  On hot summer days running the air conditioning before bringing them into the car to help prevent heat stroke.

 

 

Most reptiles evolved in warm climates and do not tolerate rapid changes in temperature.  In cold weather a safer way to transport your reptile is to use 2 cardboard boxes, one nested inside of the other.  Your reptile is in the smalled box.  Between the inner, smaller box and the outer, larger box bottles of warm water can be placed to prevent a sudden change in temperature.

 

If you are bringing your favorite exotic friend to see us and are unsure the best way to transport them please give us a call or an e-mail. We would be very happy to give you some ideas on making the journey safe for your pet.



Importance of neutering your dog

The Value of Having Your Male Dog Neutered

Having your male dog neutered is an excellent way to help reduce pet overpopulation and avoid behavioral problems.  What many people are unaware of are the numerous health benefits it can provide in a dog's life.

Common behavior problems seen in un-neutered male dogs include marking their territory, running away and aggression. Typically dogs will start lifting their leg to mark (urinate) territory after 6 months of age.  If they only did it outdoors it probably wouldn't be much of a concern, but the house is part of their territory and even well housebroken dogs may forget themselves when stressed or excited. 

 Neutering before marking behavior starts is almost 100% effective in avoiding this behavior.  Once the marking behavior starts, and the longer it goes on, the less likely neutering is to completely control it.  This is because the behavior is learned as well as hormone influenced. 

 Because of their desire to wander looking for "girlfriends" un-neutered male dogs make up the largest percentage of animals seen by veterinarians for hit-by-cars.  Neutering reduces that concern and the expense of treating them.

 It is virtually impossible to have 2 un-neutered male dogs in the same household without fighting.  The dogs are always challenging each other for dominance.  Neutering both of the dogs will help them to get along.

The health benefits for older pets include reducing or eliminating the risk of certain cancers, eliminating prostatic infections and removing the risk of developing perineal hernias.  Two types of cancer are prevented by neutering, testicular cancer and perianal tumors.  Perianal tumors are not by themselves life threatening, but because they often become large and bleed easily they become a nuisance.  Sometimes they will go away if the dog is neutered but some need to be surgically removed.  In either situation the surgery will be more costly in an older animal that needs extensive blood work and more expensive surgical preparation than if it had been done when he was young.  Prostatic infections in un-neutered dogs are very common in dogs over 7 years of age.  Because the prostate is closely associated with the bladder secondary bladder infection  and urinary accidents may occur. 

Even if the bladder remains unaffected the dog may still leak infected prostatic fluid from the penis.  Prostatic infections are extremely difficult to cure without also neutering the dog.  Neutering shrinks the prostatic tissue reducing the site of the infection.  Perineal hernias are another serious health concern for older un-neutered male dogs.  The muscles on either side of the tail support the rectum.  As the dog ages and the prostate enlarges the muscles weaken allowing the rectal wall to support the rectum.  As the dog ages and the prostate enlarges the muscles weaken allowing the rectal wall to bulge outward.  Small bulges may be managed by increasing the amount of fiber in the diet.  Large protrusions can become life threatening if an abdominal organ slides back into the area and becomes trapped.  When this occurs emergency surgery is required to release the trapped organ and repair the hernia so it will not happen again.  The emergency surgery is at least 5 times more expensive and certainly more risky than a routine neuter on a young dog.

So save yourself money and frustration, have your male dog neutered at 4-6 months of age and never have to worry about these problems down the road. 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

The Great Tylenol Caper

Indie is what we like to call a "counter surfer". 

 She knows that sometimes she finds tasty treats up there.  Unfortunately this time she found a plastic bag full of packages of human medications.  One of the medications was a bottle of Extra Strength Tylenol. 

 Indie's owner had been gone for about 3 hours and when she came home she had found the bottle chewed up and pills scattered around the floor.  Indie's owner did the right thing and called us.  Dr. Sheehy recommended she bring her in immediately.  Tylenol at high doses can be extremely toxic to the liver, so getting it out of her system and getting the antidote was very important.  Our first goal was to get Indie to vomit to get any remaining pills out of her stomach.  The next step to treating her Tylenol overdose was to give her activated charcoal.  Activated charcoal does not taste very good but it absorbs the toxic molecules so they can not be absorbed into the blood stream. 

Activated charcoal is very messy but Indie was trooper and took it very well. 

 While two of our technicians administered the activated charcoal, our office manager tracked down the antidote.  After the antidote was given and Indie's blood work all checked out normal we were able to send her home with her family.  We had to see her again in 24 hours then again in 48 hours.

When Indie came in for her rechecks she continued to act normally and all her blood work was normal.  Thankfully she appears to have had no negative effects on her liver.  She will have to have one more recheck to evaluate her eyes because acetaminophen (Tylenol) can cause temporary or permanent loss of tear production.  Loss of tear production is painful and can lead to blindness if untreated.  If we find her tear production is normal then we can be pretty confident that Indie has suffered no long term negative effects from her counter surfing mischief.

In this case Indie got into the medication by accident, but we do want to remind everyone that human  medications should never be given to a pet without first checking with your veterinarian.  Some human medications are tolerated just fine, but if they are dosed incorrectly they can cause serious, even life threatening problems.  Some medications are never safe at any dose.



Heartworm Disease Testing and Prevention in Dogs

Heartworms are an actual worm- type parasite that lives inside the heart and blood vessels of the lungs of dogs. Heartworms cause inflammation and blockage of blood vessels in the lungs which causes coughing and difficulty breathing.

Heartworm disease is transmitted by infected mosquitoes.

Untreated heartworm disease can be fatal with severe damage occurring to the heart, lungs and other vital organs.

Preventing heartworm infection is easy with once a month preventative medications.

Treating a heartworm infection is difficult and costly! The process takes about 1 year and may cost over $1000!

Heartworms  are transmitted by mosquitoes. It takes 6 months from the time a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito until adult heartworms are present in the heart. The heartworm blood test detects adult heartworms in the heart.

Puppies less than 6 months of age cannot possibly have adult heartworms so they can be safely put on preventative without a heartworm test.   All puppies and dogs over 6 months of age must be tested at least once a year to ensure they do not have heartworms.  A monthly heartworm preventative must be started within 30 days of a negative heartworm test.

Rescued pets whose previous heartworm prevention and treatment may not be known should have a heartworm test immediately; then again in 6 months because it is possible they are incubating a new infection.

We recommend all dogs be on heartworm preventative medication year-round. Year-round preventative allows for protection even if winter weather is warmer than anticipated. Year-round preventative helps owners to stay in the habit of giving the medication. Most heartworm preventatives also treat or prevent intestinal parasite infections that are a risk year-round.

Heartworm preventative medications work by killing immature heartworms in the first 30 days after a bite has occurred from an infected mosquito. This is long before the immature heartworms are able to begin their migration to the heart.

If heartworm preventative is stopped in the winter the last dose must be given after all risk of mosquito activity has passed. If the weather is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit mosquitoes may still be active.

If heartworm preventative medication is stopped in the winter the dog must be retested to ensure no heartworms are present prior to restarting preventative medication. Giving heartworm preventative medication to a dog with adult heartworms can be fatal!

If you have any questions about heartworm disease or prevention please let us know.



Canine Influenza

Canine influenza is a respiratory disease that can cause coughing, runny nose, watery eyes, loss of energy, and/or loss of appetite.  The signs of infection are similar to those of other respiratory diseases in dogs, but the coughing caused by canine influenza can last for several weeks.  With proper care, most dogs generally recover.  However, canine influenza can lead to more severe or even life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia, and has been fatal in up to 8% of cases.

Because canine influenza is caused by a relaively new virus, dogs have no natural immunity to it.  And since it's highly contagious, visiting places where dogs congregate, such as kennels, doggie daycares, dog parks, or groomers, puts dogs at higher risk for catching this new virus.  Making things more difficult is the fact that dogs can spread the virus before the coughing and other signs of sickness appear.

The best way to protect your dog from canine influenza is through vaccination.  Fortunately, the USDA has issued the first conditional license for a vaccine that aids in the control of the disease caused by canine influenza.  A conditional license is issued to meet a special circumstance such as the emergence of a new virus for which there is no existing vaccine.

Like human flu vaccine, the canine influenza vaccine does not completely prevent infection, but it can dramatically reduce the severity of the disease.  The vaccine also significantly reduces the amount of virus that dogs shed, minimizing spread to other dogs - so it's the ideal way to protect our local canine community as well.

We recommend vaccinating dogs against canine influenza and have vaccine available. Please call us or e-mail us to discuss any questions you might have or to set up an appointment.  To give your dog the most complete protection, the inital vaccination requires two doses of vaccine give 3-4 weeks apart, followed by a single dose given annually.

If you would like to read more about canine influenza, www.doginfluenza.com offers a lot of good information.