They Suffer Silently

Last week, a veterinary colleague of mine shared a case with me that he came across running clinical trials for a pharmaceutical company.  In the research and development phase of new medications, pharmacies often rely on private practitioners to conduct trials of new medicines, with all expenses paid by the pharmaceutical company.  In order to draw cases, pharmaceuticals will often engage in local advertising to drive cases to the veterinarian, sometimes attracting pet owners that otherwise would not have brought their pet to the vet due to financial constraints.

This particular mew drug was for the treatment of urinary leakage (incontinence) in female dogs.  In order for the dogs to qualify for the trial, simple testing was first performed to rule out urinary or kidney disease so that it can be concluded that incontinence is primary issue, not caused as the result of some other primary disease.  In the case my colleague shared with me, the dog was a 12 year old collie who had been leaking urine since the age of one year.   The owner never took the dog to the vet for the issue, as it only happened at a few nights a week and she did not mind changing her bedding when it occurred, and since she seemed normal in every other way, the owner assumed that she was just a “bed wetter”, end of story.

However, since it would be free to have her dog looked at by a vet, the collie’s owner decided that it would not hurt to see if the urinary leakage could be treated.  However, the dog ultimately did not qualify for the drug trial, as a urinalysis quickly revealed that the dog had a raging urinary tract infection.  What’s more, after 2 weeks of antibiotics to treat the infection, the urine leakage stopped altogether.

My colleague was absolutely floored by this revelation, as this poor dog was not any sort of “bed wetter” or even a legitimate urinary incontinence case.  This dog had suffered with a urinary tract infection for 11 years, nearly her entire life expectancy!  If you have ever spoken to a person who has suffered from a urinary tract infection and understood the degree of pain such infections can cause, you would clearly understand how truly disturbing it is for a dog to suffer with one for this long.

This brings me back to the point that I continuously stress to pet owners time and again, and will continue to do until my last dying breath: pets hide pain to the best of their ability as other animals do, so as not to exhibit weakness and attract other animals to take advantage of them (steal their food, drive them from their territory, etc.).  Time and again, as I show owners the horrific condition of their pet’s teeth and gums, tell them that recessed gums, gum infection, and tooth root exposure are not only unhealthy states, but they also cause severe pain, I get the answer: “Well, he doesn’t seem to be in any pain.”  Those of us who have suffered from dental disease know far differently.

In small dogs that are born with angular limb deformities that cause the knee caps to continually pop in and out of place (luxating patella, a common inherited orthopedic disease in small and toy breed dogs), I get the same answer when I tell the owners that the condition causes pain (pop your knee cap out of place sometime and see how it feels).

When I am successful in getting owners to address these issues and allow me to correct them, the feedback I commonly get post treatment is one of the pet having a new lease on life, more energetic and playful, happier, etc.  The reason for this is clear: we have finally resolved a source of severe, chronic pain.

Take heed and do not let your pets suffer silently.  Bring them to your veterinarian for regular well visits so that they can be examined to be certain that there are no potential sources of pain.  If dentistry is recommended, do not hesitate to have the teeth addressed.   If your veterinarian points out a condition that is known to cause pain, believe him.  While pets by their nature suffer silently with pain, we are trained to discover and treat their pain.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

Preventing kidney failure in dogs and cats

Preventing Kidney Failure in Dogs and Cats

Kidney failure is the most common cause of death in cats, and the second most common cause of death in dogs.  While there is often a genetic predilection to kidney failure that leads to its occurrence in certain individual canines and felines, there are some lifestyle tips that you can follow to decrease its incidence.

Good dental care

Bacterial colonization of the outer surface of the teeth and subsequent gum infection, conditions known as periodontal disease and gingivitis, respectively, have a direct link in contributing to kidney failure in dogs and cats.  It is believed that the chronic inflammation and subsequent metabolic stress it causes leads to degenerative changes in the kidneys.  Studies indicate that dogs and cats with mid-level to severe periodontal disease and gingivitis have a 49% higher incidence of kidney failure than pets that have well maintained dental health.  So the next time your veterinarian recommends a dental cleaning, be certain to take it seriously and have it done.

Do not over feed protein to dogs

Despite it being a trendy fad to feed a pure protein diet or a diet heavily laden with protein, this practice is actually very tough on canine kidneys (and liver for that matter).  While protein is a very important dietary nutrient, it must be broken down into smaller chains to be absorbed in digestion and generates a toxic metabolic waste byproduct in the process, ammonia. The liver converts this toxic byproduct into a less toxic form called urea, to then be excreted by the kidneys in the urine as the primary component of urine.

Unlike predominantly carnivorous cats, omnivorous dogs are not as well equipped physiologically to handle disproportionately high levels of protein in the diet, due to the metabolic waste product that over taxes the kidneys over time.

Thus avoid feeding diets to normal dogs that have crude protein content of great than 24%, or greater than 27% for high performance dogs.

Clean up antifreeze spills or leaks immediately

Antifreeze has a sweet flavor that dogs and even many cats cannot resist lapping up.  There is a toxic component in antifreeze called ethylene glycol that is toxic to canine and feline kidneys, leading to acute kidney failure.

Vaccinate dogs and keep cats indoors to prevent leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a disease that any mammal (people included) can contract.  It is excreted in the urine of infected rodents and has strong ability to survive in bodies of fresh standing water, such as puddles, lakes, ponds, and marshes.  Among other devastating consequences, the bacterium infiltrates the kidneys leading to kidney failure.  Mortality rates can be as high as 50% once clinic signs set in.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

Autoimmune Disease in Dogs and Cats Explained

Autoimmune Disease in Dogs and Cats

A normal immune system functions to remove foreign or invading substances such as bacteria or viruses, by targeting them for destruction and systematically removing them.  The immune system is comprised of a complex network of tissues specialized to create and mobilize white blood cells and other complex immune cells in concert with regulatory proteins and biochemical mediators to carry out the immune system’s search and destroy mission to rid the body of foreign invaders.  Autoimmune disease refers to a class of diseases whose cause stems from the immune system functioning abnormally to mediate the attack of its own tissues.

Autoimmune disease can be present in just about any organ system of the body, where an abnormally functioning immune system can destroy certain integral cell lines of the body , as in the case of immune mediated hemolytic anemia, or attack its own tissues, as in the case of chronic active hepatitis.  Other autoimmune diseases target the gut, as in the case of inflammatory bowel disease, while still others target the central nervous system.

What causes autoimmune disease?

Autoimmune disease is by in large genetic, where inherited abnormal genes are responsible for creating a dysfunctional immune system capable of mistaking its own tissues for and invading or foreign substance.  Exceptions to this rule are circumstances where disease intervenes to create abnormal tissue morphology that facilitates the immune system targeting the tissue for attack.  Certain cancers can be responsible for this, as can certain infectious diseases, such as tick born bacterial infections.  That stated, most cases of autoimmune disease are genetic in origin.

Do vaccines cause autoimmune disease?

No.  It has become a popular topic among internet chat forum people, some breeders, groomers, and other non-medically people that work in the pet industry that pet vaccines are a major cause for autoimmune disease in dogs and cats.  The reality, however, is that the link to vaccines causing autoimmune disease is at best thin.  While it is true that vaccines can trigger or exacerbate autoimmune disease in a patient already genetically predisposed to it, they are not the cause.  As such, attempts to prevent autoimmune disease by not having pets immunized are both misguided and dangerous, leaving pets susceptible to deadly infectious disease when the main determination of whether or not a pet will develop autoimmune disease lies in its genetic code.

That stated, in a patient with known autoimmune disease vaccines whose protective properties stem from their ability to stimulate the immune system into creating protective antibodies against a given infectious disease, vaccines could aggravate existing disease.  Therefore, in patients with known existing autoimmune disease, it is best to administer vaccines minimally, focusing more on reducing risk through lifestyle adjustment and trying to gauge the necessity for vaccine administration on protective antibody titers.  While protective antibody titers are far from a fool proof measurement of disease preventability, they still offer some value for patients that have diseases that can be exacerbated by vaccines.  (Click here for more on vaccine titers)

Does feeding grains cause autoimmune disease?

No.  While some grains, such as wheat have the potential to cause food allergy, which technically is a form of the immune system over-reacting or acting inappropriately, allergy and autoimmune disease are very different.  With an allergy the immune system responds to a false alarm created by a harmless substance it has mistaken as a threat.  In the case of autoimmune disease, the immune system’s recognition apparatus breaks down, and the body begins to manufacture T cells and antibodies directed against its own cells and tissues.

Can I prevent autoimmune disease in my pet?

In most cases with genes driving most predilections to autoimmune disease, the answer is in most cases, no.  However, decreasing the risk of infectious diseases known to trigger autoimmune disease can help to minimize some risk.  Keeping your pet healthy through good nutrition, good preventive well care, husbandry, and overall minimizing their potential to contract infectious disease that are known to trigger autoimmune disease is therefore a good idea.

Keeping cats indoors and decreaseing potential exposure to the blood parasite hemobartonella, for example, an infection known to trigger immune mediate destruction of red blood cells leading to life threatening anemia, would help to decrease their potential for autoimmune disease.  With flea bites suspected to be a major vector for the transmission of bartonella felis, a bacteria linked to autoimmune stomatitis, a disease that leads to painful infections and ulcerations of the gums and other mucus membranes of the mouth of cats, monthly flea prevention could go a long way toward preventing the disease.

In dogs, certain tick born bacterial diseases are linked to autoimmune disease, making limited exposure to ticks and/or comprehensive tick prevention an important way to reduce risk of autoimmune disease being triggered by infection.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

Dogs Are Omnivores and Should be Fed as Such

Somehow the notion that dogs are pure carnivores has permeated through internet chat forums, among some non-medically trained people working in the pet industry (groomers, trainers, etc.), and those that take their information seriously.  This notion is based by in large on the multiply erroneous notion that dogs are essentially wolves, and since wolves are pure carnivores, then dogs necessarily should be fed as wolves would eat.

I stated multiply erroneous notion because the true fact is that EVEN WOLVES ARE NOT PURE CARNIVORES!  While it is true that wolves generally require and eat a high level of protein in comparison to dogs, they also consume a significant amount of vegetable matters instinctively, as doing so is necessary for optimal physiological balance and gastrointestinal health in the species.  Wolves consume vegetation from routine grazing on grasses and by tearing open the stomachs of their herbivorous prey and eating the contents.

The other true fact is that dogs are not wolves, but differ from the wolf in DNA structure by about 0.8 %.  That may not seem like much, but only a 1.2% difference in DNA separates us from the chimpanzee.  Few would suggest that we should model our diet around that of a chimpanzee.

Thousands of generations and selective breeding that made domestic dogs more adaptable to life with humans was responsible for the evolution that today differentiates dogs from their ancient ancestor.  Among the most prevalent difference between dogs and wolves that resulted is gastrointestinal physiology and how it impacts overall gastrointestinal and other organ health.  In the process of canine domestication, humans essentially their early more wolf-like canine companions what they ate, and over successive generations, the species adapted to a more omnivorous diet.

Dog owners jumping on board with feeding their dogs nothing but meat, essentially a pure protein diet, is fraught with potentially serious health consequences.  All one has to do is understand protein metabolism to see the problem.

Before protein can be absorbed into body’s cells and tissues for metabolic and physiological purposes, it must first be broken down into small chains of proteins called peptides, and in some cases broken down to the individual molecular protein building blocks, amino acids.  Once absorbed by the gut, amino acids and peptides are then repackaged and utilized by the body.

It all sounds lovely, but protein metabolism does not come without a price, as it generates a toxic waste product called ammonia.  In fact, many common meat protein sources are as low as 78% utilized by the body with the rest represented as waste.  Luckily, like us, canines have a liver that converts ammonia into a less harmful molecule called urea, which is then excreted by the kidneys in urine.

However, the liver and kidneys over time become overwhelmed with a diet heavily laden with protein, because these organs are constantly burdened with detoxification.  Over time, if excessively taxed in this manner through diet, these organs become compromised, leading to degenerative disease, chronic renal failure in the case of the kidneys, and cirrhosis in the case of the liver.

Physiologically, dietary protein for the average adult canine should not exceed 25% of the total daily nutrient intake.  In high performance dogs, such as those that participate in in field or agility competition, that requirement may be increased to 27%.  Beyond this level of  protein the dog suffers deficiencies in other key nutrients, such as soluble and insoluble fiber and anti-oxidants to name a few, while unnecessarily taxing his liver and kidneys with excessive protein metabolic waste.

Canine owners that feed raw are the biggest offenders with regard to overloading their dogs with protein, many feeding nothing but a raw meat diet.  For these pet owners that are committed to raw feeding, if they are feeding their dogs nothing but meat, I would urge them to integrate fresh or cooked vegetables to represent at least 50% of total dietary intake.  Green beans, carrots, broccoli, celery, and spinach are all healthy vegetable sources for dogs.  It is also a good idea to integrate complex carbohydrate sources, such as brown rice and sweet potato, as well as some canine safe fruits like cantaloupe, apples, and pears.

What is most troublesome to me is that some commercial pet food companies are taking advantage of the canine pure carnivore hype and creating diets that are heavily laden with protein, even going further to validate this false notion in their promotional tactics.  I was actually inspired to write this post after having seen a TV commercial two nights ago from a large, well known pet food company touting its newest diet as having one of the highest protein percentages in the industry.

I caution all canine owners to not buy into the hype, not listen to non-medically trained people that recommend a dietary regimen without understanding that over time it does damage to the liver and kidneys while denying the canine other essential nutrients; and reject pet food companies touting false claims, who clearly value sales far more than the well-being of their canine consumers.   If in doubt, talk to your veterinarian to help you sift through what is best to feed your dog.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

Random Act of Kindness

I had a very busy Friday today, packed with interesting surgeries and medicine cases…one of those days that it is exhilarating to be a veterinarian.  But among all of those exciting cases, it was a routine post-surgical re-check that stood out most in my mind.

The owner of the dog I was re-checking is a young mother of two children and owner of three dogs who I have been seeing for years.  She is a personable, intelligent young lady, her children who she home schools always well behaved and so engaged in the veterinary visits, constantly asking me questions.  Her husband, who I only see occasionally because he is often working, also seems like a nice, mild mannered man.  Long story short, it is always a pleasure when I have visits with pets from this family.  It was even more of a pleasure today.  I always protect the identities of people I write about when blogging about my experiences, so for the sake of this article, let us call this lady Cheryl.

While I was tending to this Cheryl’s dog, another senior age lady was having her dog seen by the other veterinarian in my practice, who had to order a rather extensive – and expensive – work-up for her dog.  She left her dog for testing right about when Cheryl’s dog was being discharged, when Cheryl overheard her in the parking lot talking to someone on the telephone about the measures she had to take in order to pay for the work-up (Cheryl never did share the details of what was said).

Upon hearing her, Cheryl came back into the hospital and asked my receptionist to pay $300 on the lady’s account, about half the cost of her dog’s work-up.  Cheryl also asked that her identity not be revealed to the lady, opting instead to remain an anonymous Good Samaritan to this who clearly could use the help to pay for her dog’s health care.

Cheryl as it turns out, is not only the lovely mom, wife, and pet owner I have enjoyed working with for years, she is also the best kind of charitable person…the kind that gives for the sake of giving, wanting no recognition for her good deed, just doing what she feels is the right thing to do.

I was so moved by Cheryl’s selfless deed today, that on a day where nothing was routine, where every case challenged every bit of medical and surgical skill that I have, looking back on the day, all I can think about is what Cheryl did for that lady who she does not even know.

In a world where we seem to be increasingly prone to viewing the financial misfortune of others as being the result of some fault of their own, or increasingly protective or own bottom line out of the fear that the aftermath of troubling economic times has left us with; random acts of kindness seem to have become less abundant than in times past.  Cheryl reminded me today of the goodness that still resides in the human spirit despite the world’s best attempts to squash it.

I hope in reading this post, you are inspired to engage in some random act of kindness, to do your own little part to make the world a little bit better by helping someone in need.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

Gus, Iconic Central Park Zoo Polar Bear, Dies at 27

One of New York City’s renowned icons, Gus the Central Park Zoo polar bear, died this week at the age of 27.  Apparently, Gus was exhibiting odd feeding behavior having difficulty eating and swallowing his food.  Zoo veterinarians later discovered that Gus suffered from an inoperable thyroid tumor and made the decision to have him humanely euthanized.

According to Jim Breheny, executive vice president of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates the zoo, “Gus was an icon at the Central Park Zoo and a great source of joy for our visitors and staff.  He was an important ambassador for his species, bringing attention to the problems these bears face in the wild due to a changing environment.”

By in large, Gus had a very successful life having lived significantly beyond the life expectancy of the average polar bear in captivity (typically an average lifespan of 20.7 years).  Gus was born at the Toledo Zoo in 1985, then was transferred to the Big Apple three years later where he became an immediate sensation, a chief attraction at the Central Park Zoo.  He was most famous for his obsessive swim routine; delighting 20 million visitors in the course of his life time…including an 14 year old boy from Northeast New Jersey named Roger Welton.

I am sure I am not unique in my experience in seeing Gus as a child, being moved by the grace and beauty of the magnificent creature, as well as his child-like and innocent playfulness he displayed for all who came to see him.  For me, it was an impressionable moment in my childhood that built on other pivotal experiences that built my love and respect for animals, their importance in understanding the world we live in, ourselves, and one another.

Experiences like seeing an animal like Gus up close and personally also gave me a sense of responsibility to his and other species we share this world with, to conserve and protect our environment so that our actions do not lead to their demise.  While Gus may not have realized it, he served to showcase the beauty and majesty of his species on the world’s biggest stage.

May you rest in peace big boy.  The world was a better place for having had you in it.

Sources: NBC Today.com

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

 

Don’t Ignore ADR

In veterinary medicine, with patients that cannot articulate how they may be feeling, we do not always get a clear and concise history from the owner, as the owner is often uncertain where the specific problem may be coming from.  It is one thing if there are definitive observations that the owner of the sick pet conveys to us – limping, coughing, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea, seizure, etc. – but another matter altogether when the pet is just not acting itself but the owner cannot put his or her finger on exactly where the issue may be emanating from.  These are the cases we refer to as “ain’t doing right,” or ADR.

As rudimentary and poor diction as ADR may seem, this is a term we are not only taught in medicine course work in veterinary school, but also a term we readily used in rounds while rotating through the teaching hospital on our way to become doctors.  Interns, residents, and clinicians all commonly use the ADR medical history description, so it logically follows that as practitioners we use the same terminology.

Whatever one may think of ADR, it is a common history that we get from the owners who are so in tune with their pets’ every nuance, that even though there may not be a specific clinical sign to report, they just know in their hearts that something is just amiss with their pets.  And in the vast majority of cases, they are proven most correct.  In addition, when owners go against their instinct that something may be wrong but dismiss it as their own tendency to be neurotic about their pet getting the best of them and subsequently do not have the pet seen, serious or deadly consequences can result.

Last week, a lady brought her boxer in because she just was not herself; she was eating, defecating, and urinating normally, just generally dull and less perky.  This boxer’s very nice owner was being self-deprecating, telling me that he was likely just being an over-protective, neurotic mom.  It was a classic ADR case, where she had nothing to tell me other than her dog was just not herself.

On examination, I noted distension in the abdomen that concerned me.  2 x-rays and an ultrasound later, we discovered that the dog had a large tumor on her spleen.  The next morning, we performed surgery to remove the spleen and the dog recovered without incident.  The mass turned out to be a blood vessel based tumor that is very aggressive and very prone to bursting and hemorrhaging, a circumstance that could lead to death within minutes.  Having brought her dog in on her ADR hunch saved her dog’s life.

As animals, our furry children’s innate instinct is to hide signs of pain and illness to keep from showing weakness.  In the wild, weakness displayed gives other animals the opening to try to steal food or encroach on territory.  Taken in combination with the inability to articulate in words how they are feeling, sometimes as pet owners, all we have to go on is that there is something off about our pet.  If in doubt, have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as taking action based on ADR can often be the difference between life or death for our patients.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

5 Household Items That Must be Kept Out of Reach of Cats

As a follow up to my article on household items that are dangerous for dogs, this article will deal with household items that pose a threat to our feline friends.

1.) Yarns or other “linear” objects. Most cats cannot resist delighting in the tangling and untangling of string, yarn, ribbon, Christmas tree tinsel, fishing line, or any other such linear items they can get their paws on. When swallowed, these items pose the most dangerous type of gastrointestinal foreign body known to veterinary medicine: the linear foreign body.

These types of foreign bodies are especially dangerous because, as the smooth muscle of the intestinal tract contracts to move the object along (a function known as peristalsis), rather than move forward, linear objects instead get pulled taught. The intestines end up getting bunched up along the linear object, and once enough force is applied across it, it can lacerate or cut the bowel , leaking intestinal contents into the abdomen and causing devastating, life threatening results.

2.) Lilies. While we simply like to gaze at these pretty flowers, many cats find them quite tasty. If ingested, lilies contain a toxin that causes kidney failure in cats.

3.) Sago Palms. Like Lilies, these plants are often a tempting treat for our feline friends, but the consequences of a feline ingesting enough of this plant is liver failure.

4.) Foam flooring, foam flip-flops, foam ear plugs…basically, foam anything! Some cats love to bite into rubbery foamy textured materials. Unfortunately in the process of knawing on these types of materials, they can ingest some and pose a significant GI obstruction hazard.

I actually have personal experience with this. One of my cats, Forrest, found it particularly attractive to chew on the interlocking foam flooring my wife and I had put down for our children’s play room. We tried hot sauce, bitter apple spray, chew guard, but nothing would deter our kitty from chewing on the flooring . We eventually ended up removing it, but…

Forrest later got a hold of a foamy textured flip flop of mine, a piece of which got stuck in his gut and I had to perform emergency surgery to remove it.

5.) Antifreeze. Like dogs, many cats cannot resist the sweet taste of ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in antifreeze that, despite its delightful taste, will cause kidney failure if enough is ingested by a cat. The most common areas where these will be licked up by felines is areas where they pool when leaked from a car, such as the garage or driveway. So if you see that characteristic bright green liquid pooling from your car, clean it and fix that leak ASAP…a feline’s life may depend on it.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

10 Household Items That Must be Kept Out of Reach of Dogs

Dogs tend to throw caution to the wind, engage in all too often risky curiosity, and chew and eat less than savory items.  While these tendencies are part of their goofy nature that makes them so endearing to us, they can deal them a harsh blow to their health or even kill them.  For many of these things I called less than savory items that can be so dangerous if ingested by a dog, it may surprise you, as many would not stop to think of some of the items on my list as dangerous.  Here are 10 such items you must keep out of reach of dogs, or if possible keep out of your home altogether.

1.)    Baby Diapers – Many dogs – my own included – find baby diapers with their yummy baby excrement inside them, simply irresistible.  They will chew them up, consume them, and in the process, create a potential obstruction hazard.  You see, baby diapers are made to be absorbable, a feat accomplished by the absorbent foam polymer that leaches away moisture, while engorging and enlarging as it does so.  With the stomach and small intestine constantly secreting water to aid in the digestion process, that foam is poised to engorge and enlarge ever more, increasing its potential to obstruct the gut and land your dog into a foreign body removal surgery.  Now we know we cannot live without baby diapers, so banning from the home is not an option…therefore, simply be as vigilant as possible about disposing of those diapers as soon as they are changed out.

2.)    Tampons – Dogs also cannot resist the temptation of chewing on used tampons.  Like the baby diapers, these are also designed to absorb, creating the same type of hazard as the diapers.  Like the diapers, ladies cannot live without these items, so be certain to dispose of them in an out of doggy reach area.

3.)    Chewing gum or candy with artificial sweetener – Xylitol, a common artificial sweetener put in a lot of chewing gums and candy bars, while supposedly safe for ingestion by humans, in dogs can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar called hypoglycemia, which can lead to severe depression, seizure and death.  Liver failure has also been reported from accidental xylitol laden gums and candies.

4.)    Anti-freeze – The active ingredient in anti-freeze is ethylene glycol, a sweet tasting compound that most dogs cannot resist lapping up.  As sweet as it tastes, however, it physiological effect on dogs if ingested is possible kidney failure.  The most common source of anti-freeze toxicity is accumulated puddles of it from a car leaking it.  When leaked, it is easy to spot by its bright green appearance, so if you see this, get it cleaned up ASAP and fix the leak!  Not only is your dog at risk from this, other dogs walking by may lap it up as well.

5.)    Chocolate – Chocolate has a component known as thiobromine, which humans metabolize quickly and innocuously….not so for dogs.  Dogs metabolize this compound slowly, which leads it to accumulate to toxic levels in the body, acting as a cardiac and central nervous system stimulant.  These effects can lead to muscle twitching, seizures, dangerously fast heart rate, and death.  Not all types of chocolate are equal in their thiobromine content.  Bakers and semisweet chocolate are the highest in thiobromine thus making them the most dangerous when ingested (all it takes is a small amount), with milk chocolate and dark chocolate coming in at a more distant second and third.

6.)    Pest Control Products – Pests are a pest, and we naturally do not want them around ruining our gardens, lawns, and spreading parasites and fleas to our pets.  However, in the process of getting rid of them through the use of pest control products, we could also be putting our pets in grave danger.  Pest control items used to kill rats, mice, and gophers pose particularly grave danger, able to serve up a particularly gruesome death to your dog (by hemorrhage, brain swelling, or destruction of the intestines).  What’s more, what makes these products attractive to lure the pests into ingesting them also makes them attractive for dogs to eat them.

7.)     Grapes and raisins – While healthy for us to consume, these fruits are known to cause kidney failure in dogs.  While the mechanism by which this occurs is not fully understood, its effects are well documented and seen in general veterinary practice every day.

8.)    Sago Palms – A beautiful plant, but when ingested by dogs, the palms are severely liver toxic, with the potential to throw the dog into full out liver failure.  Since many dogs find the palms particularly tasty, no dog home should have these.

9.)    Foxtails – This is a naturally growing weed mostly found on the western half of the US, whose seeds can cause disease of any organ to which they migrate following contact.  The seeds easily migrate through skin, when in haled, or ingested.  Toxicity is variable, depending on the organs involved.

10.) Marijuana – With the increasing use of medical marijuana, as well as its legalization in a couple of states with more likely to follow suit, we are seeing an increasing availability of edible marijuana products being offered on the free market.  Even in places where it is not legal, some patrons of pot find an attractive way to consume their vice is by baking it into brownies or cookies…I have treated enough cases of marijuana toxicity to know.  There are also dogs who will even find the taste of the raw product attractive and eat it bag and all.  So if you are a marijuana enthusiast and have a dog, understand the danger it presents to your dog, keep your stash out of reach, and especially keep edible marijuana items out of reach.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.

Veterinary Therapy Laser – High Tech Holistic Care

Alternative medicine does not necessarily have to fall into the popular notions of being “all natural,” ancient treatment practice, or completely devoid of modern technology.  MLS therapy laser, also known as low level laser or cold laser, is an alternative modality used for treatment of chronic inflammation, pain, and as an aid in tissue regeneration in cases of damaged or compromised tissues.  This treatment has actually been available in human medicine for many years with plenty of data and anecdotal evidence supporting its efficacy.  The feedback I have gotten from friends in the human medical field – including doctors and physical therapists – as to why it has not reached mainstream status, is because insurance companies refuse to pay for it.

Recently introduced into veterinary medicine and quickly gaining momentum as a major alternative treatment modality, MLS laser is a therapy utilized for treating pain, inflammation, swelling, and for repairing injured tissues.  With regard to pain reduction, the therapy laser stimulates the synthesis of pain reducing biochemicals in the body, specifically endorphins and encephalin.  All cells and tissues are bathed in fluid that is constantly drained and renewed by the lymphatic system. Since the laser stimulates lymphatic drainage from a site, it also considerably reduces swelling and inflammation, which in and of itself has a pain reduction effect.  Finally, the therapy laser stimulates muscle and trigger point providing direct musculoskeletal pain relief.

Accelerated healing is another benefit of the therapy laser, as photons of emitted light penetrate deeply into tissues to stimulate rapid cellular reproduction and growth.  These photons also increase the amount of energy available to cells so that they can absorb nutrients while eliminating waste products faster.  As a result of all of this, tissues such as tendons, ligaments, muscle and skin are repaired more quickly.

Another phenomenon that stimulates faster healing is the opening or dilation of small blood vessels in an area.  More blood supply brings in healing cells faster, accelerating the healing process while reducing the formation of scar tissue.

Like most other alternative treatment options, therapy laser essentially aids the body in doing what it does best, which is to heal itself.  Most importantly, the MLS laser provides all of this benefit with zero negative side effects.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President of Maybeck Animal Hospital and CEO/Chief Editor of the veterinary information and blog online community, Web-DVM.