http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/rss en http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/how-to-make-a-dog-vomit  

Dogs are scavengers and have the maddening tendency to find and eat the things in their environments that are destined to make them the most sick. Human medications, pet medications, insecticides, cleaning products, fertilizer, weed killer, poisonous plants, pesticides, potentially toxic human foods (e.g., chocolate, grapes/raisings, xylitol) … you name it and a dog has probably eaten it.

In some cases, the first line of treatment is to get the offending substance out of the dog before it can cause too much damage. I say “some cases” because there are other times when inducing emesis is useless or potentially catastrophic. For example, dogs are typically only able bring up an offending substance within two hours or so of ingestion, and when a dog is not fully alert or when it has ingested a caustic or petroleum-based substance, vomiting will make the situation worse rather than better.

Therefore, owners should never attempt to make their dogs vomit without first consulting with a veterinarian. If a local veterinarian is not immediately available, call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) or the Pet Poison Helpline (855-213-6680). Both hotlines are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are available to owners at a small charge.
 
Supplies Needed
 

Telephone

Phone number for veterinarian, ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435), or the Pet Poison Helpline (855-213-6680)

3% Hydrogen Peroxide, available at any drug store or supermarket

A large syringe (no needle) or turkey baster

Measuring teaspoon

Latex or rubber gloves, paper towels, water, cleaning solution, and plastic bags

 
Steps to Follow
 

Call your veterinarian or pet poison control center/hotline. Have as much of the following information ready as possible: your dog’s approximate weight, any health problems the dog suffers from, what he may have eaten, when he may have eaten it, and the amount potentially involved. If you are instructed to induce emesis at home, proceed. Otherwise follow the directions given to you by the veterinarian you have spoken with.

If the dog has not eaten within the last two hours, offer him a small meal. This makes it more likely that the dog will vomit but is not essential if the dog is uninterested in food.

Measure 1 milliliter (ml) of 3% hydrogen peroxide per pound of dog weight, using either the syringe or teaspoon. One teaspoon is approximately five ml. The maximum amount of hydrogen peroxide to be given at any one time is 45 ml, even if a dog weighs over 45 pounds.

Squirt the hydrogen peroxide into the back of the dog’s mouth using the syringe or turkey baster.

If vomiting has not occurred within 15 minutes or so, give one more dose of hydrogen peroxide measured out as described above. If vomiting still does not occur, call your veterinarian or the pet poison control center/hotline back for instructions.

Once vomiting has occurred, collect a sample in a leak-proof container to bring to your veterinarian’s office for identification if you are unsure of exactly what your dog may have eaten.

Thoroughly clean up the vomit. Wear latex or rubber gloves while handling vomit, particularly if it potentially contains a material that is hazardous to human health.

Unless instructed otherwise by your veterinarian or the pet poison control center/hotline, take the dog to a veterinary clinic immediately for evaluation and continued treatment.

 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/how-to-make-a-dog-vomit#comments FullyVetted Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30304 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/cats-need-the-right-environment-and-interaction
So says the Feline Environmental Needs Guidelines recently published by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and International Society of Feline Medicine. I whole-heartedly agree. Evidence continues to reveal that inappropriate environmental conditions play a huge role in the development of stress, illness, and unwanted behaviors in cats.
 

The Guidelines are structured around five pillars of a healthy feline environment. To quote:
 

Provide a safe place

While cats can comfortably live alone or in social groups, they hunt alone. The risk of injury represents a serious survival risk. As a result, cats tend to “avoid and evade” rather than confront perceived threats. A safe place enables the cat to withdraw from conditions it considers threatening or unfamiliar. All of the cat’s senses are mobilized to detect threatening conditions, which are signaled by strange smells, loud or strange noises, unfamiliar objects, and the presence of unknown or disliked animals. The degree of sensitivity to perceived threats varies according to individual cats. By having the option to withdraw, a cat is able to exert some control over its environment, which it finds satisfying in itself.

Provide multiple and separated key environmental resources: food, water, toileting areas, scratching areas, play areas, and resting or sleeping areas

Since cats are solitary survivors, they need to have free access to key environmental resources without being challenged by other cats or other potential threats. In addition to avoiding competition for access, separation of resources reduces the risk of stress and stress-associated diseases, and satisfies the cat’s natural need for exploration and exercise.

Provide opportunity for play and predatory behavior

The cat has a strong instinct to display a predatory behavioral sequence consisting of locating, capturing (stalking, chasing, pouncing), killing, preparing and eating its prey. Predatory behavior occurs even in well-fed cats. For cats that are able to hunt, predation consumes a significant proportion of their daily activities, requiring considerable physical activity and mental engagement. Inhibiting or failing to provide cats with opportunities for predatory-type behaviors can result in obesity or boredom and frustration that can express itself as overgrooming, stress associated disease or misdirected aggressive behavior.

Provide positive, consistent and predictable human–cat social interaction

Cats are companion animals that benefit from regular, friendly, and predictable social interaction with humans. Consistent and positive handling of the cat from a young age leads to positive behaviors such as reduced fear and stress and a strong human–cat bond. Social preferences among cats vary widely and are influenced by factors such as genetics, early rearing conditions, and life experiences. Many cats prefer a high frequency, low intensity level of social contact with humans, a scenario that gives them a good deal of control. In this setting, cats are able to initiate, moderate and end their interaction with humans.

Provide an environment that respects the importance of the cat’s sense of smell

Unlike humans, cats use olfactory and chemical information to evaluate their surroundings and maximize their sense of security and comfort. Cats use olfactory and pheromonal signals through the use of scent marking by facial and body rubbing. This establishes the boundaries of their core living area in which they feel secure and safe. Wherever possible, humans should be careful not to interfere with a cat’s olfactory and chemical signals and scent profile.

 
I encourage all you cat owners out there to take a look at the entire Guidelines, which was published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. It is written with an audience of veterinarians in mind but contains so much good advice that it’ll be worth your while to wade through the veterinary-specific bits.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Source

AAFP and ISFM feline environmental needs guidelines. Ellis SL, Rodan I, Carney HC, Heath S, Rochlitz I, Shearburn LD, Sundahl E, Westropp JL. J Feline Med Surg. 2013 Mar;15(3):219-30.]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/cats-need-the-right-environment-and-interaction#comments FullyVetted Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30303 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/thanks-to-dogs-from-our-hearts-to-our-feet
Apologies to Winston Churchill and all the horses and horse lovers out there for messing with a treasured quote, but the benefits of dog ownership are having their day in the sun right now.
 

In a scientific statement published on May 9, the American Heart Association (AHA) said what many owners are happy to hear: “Pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, may have some causal role in reducing CVD [cardiovascular disease] risk.”

The report involved a detailed look at 36 studies investigating the effects of pet ownership on factors associated with cardiovascular disease, including:
 

systemic hypertension

hyperlipidemia (abnormally high fat levels in the blood)

physical activity

obesity

stress

survival

 
The statement is available in its entirety online (and has received a lot of attention in the media) so I won’t go into all the details, but I do want to touch on one aspect that I found to be especially interesting — the fact that most of the health benefits of pet ownership were laid at the feet of dogs. Granted, the majority of the studies looked at dog ownership, but some did involve cats and other pets.

It looks like the reason for this is simple — exercise. As anyone who has owned a dog that lives for its daily (or more frequent) walks can tell you, it is very hard to say “no” to those pleading eyes. They have gotten me out the door during all sorts of bad weather, when I’ve not been feeling well, when I’m busy or just plain lazy, and while residing in some sketchy neighborhoods.

This last point brings me to the fact that having a dog by your side can make a person feel a lot safer heading out the door, which is not a small impedance to exercise in many parts of the country. I once was walking my giant schnauzer named Boomer down the side of a rural road when a carload of young men pulled up beside me. I was greatly outnumbered, and there wasn’t another soul or house in sight. One of the men leered out the window and asked, “That dog bite?” To which I lied, “He sure does,” with more bravada than I actually felt. They roared off, and Boomer and I continued on our walk.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There are certainly benefits to pet ownership that have nothing to do with exercise. For example, a number of studies used in developing the AHA statement showed that dog and cat owners recovered from stress better than did people without pets. It simply looks like exercise is involved in reaping the maximal benefit of pet ownership.

So get out there with your dogs. Why waste the perfect opportunity to do your heart some good?
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Source

Pet Ownership and Cardiovascular Risk: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Levine GN, Allen K, Braun LT, Christian HE, Friedmann E, Taubert KA, Thomas SA, Wells DL, Lange RA; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. Circulation. 2013 May 9. [Epub ahead of print]
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/thanks-to-dogs-from-our-hearts-to-our-feet#comments FullyVetted Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30302 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/dogs-cats-get-bipartisan-support-in-colorado  

Dogs are everywhere. In fact, a friend once remarked that upon crossing the state line for the first time, new residents surely must be handed the keys to a Subaru with a dog in the back. Yes, the sight is that ubiquitous.

Pet owners in Colorado have more reason to celebrate this month. Our state legislative session just ended after passing two animal-friendly new bills, which were signed into law by our governor, John Hickenlooper, on Monday, May 13.

The Dog Protection Act was drafted in response to several well-publicized occurrences wherein law enforcement officers shot and killed family dogs. The officers claimed they discharged their weapons because the dogs were behaving aggressively, but in one case, the dog had been tasered and was already restrained at the end of a catch pole. That officer was later charged with animal cruelty.

The Dog Protection Act mandates sheriffs' offices and police departments to offer three hours of online training on recognizing dog behaviors and employing nonlethal control methods. The goal, as Governor Hickenlooper said is to “keep officers and animals safe." The bill was supported by law enforcement agencies and passed unanimously.

The second pet bill (SB 13-201)that was signed into law on Monday designated dogs and cats that are adopted from Colorado animal shelters and rescues as the state pets of Colorado. This was not as widely embraced as was the Dog Protection Act. As was reported in the Denver Post:
 
The battle to make dogs and cats adopted from shelter and rescue centers the official state pet pitted schoolkids against professional lobbyists representing purebred dog clubs, retailers, groomers and dog-show organizers.

The bill ultimately passed, 6-3, but there were moments when the students from Peakview School in Walsenburg thought their project, designed to help them learn about the legislative process, could go either way.

So many people arrived to testify that stragglers were left to find seats in the overflow room. Dog leashes stretched across the packed hallway, obstacles for the unwary, and piercing barks interrupted testimony. Griffin Kerr, the 3-year-old son of the bill's sponsor, Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, cavorted around the room dressed as a spotted dog because his preschool had just celebrated Dalmatian Day.
 
SB 13-201 passed both the state House and Senate and Governor Hickenlooper signed both bills into law in a ceremony held at the Denver Animal Shelter. Makes me proud to be a Coloradoan.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Source

Kids fight for abandoned dogs and cats to become Colorado state pets. Colleen O’Conner. The Denver Post. 3/22/2013
 
 
Image: Nick Chase 68 / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/dogs-cats-get-bipartisan-support-in-colorado#comments FullyVetted Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30298 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/veterinarians-owners-need-to-listen-to-each-other
 


Getting an appointment with the "right" partner — the one who admits I can possibly have a greater knowledge about the "uncommon" breed I have owned since before he entered vet school.

I wish vets would flag records for experienced people so that we didn't have to re-establish ourselves with each new vet coming in!

I hate going to the vet and being treated like one of their less knowledgeable clients. I know it must be hard to have a range from compete idiots to the extremely experienced, but getting my vet to realize I'm not a moron is hard.

Being treated as a partner in my pet's care.


 
There were more comments along the same lines, but you get the idea.

Owners are such an important source of knowledge about their animals. This doesn’t just apply to individual idiosyncrasies, but also to breed predispositions and species that veterinarians may not have a lot of experience with. It is simply impossible for one veterinarian to stay on top of every bit of information that could be relevant to all the animals we might treat over time. I’ll take any help that’s available when it comes to preventing disease in, diagnosing, and treating my patients.

Respect must go both ways, however. Yes, veterinarians need to honor their clients’ expertise, but owners should also recognize veterinarians as an expert when it comes to the medical and surgical care of animals. I’m not saying that clients should blindly follow their veterinarian’s recommendations. There are some bad seeds out there after all, and even the best doctors make mistakes, but on more than one occasion I’ve met clients who seem to distrust every word that comes out of my mouth. They’ve made up their minds regarding what their pets need, and nothing I say is going to change their minds.

And keep in mind that veterinarians hear some really whacky things from pet owners. Just a few days ago I talked to an owner who thought ear cleaners were a waste of money. He was planning on using rubbing alcohol to treat his dog’s horribly infected ear. I think I convinced him that this would be excruciatingly painful for the dog (and for him if the dog were to bite in retaliation) and could very well lead to deafness if the dog’s eardrum was ruptured, but I’m not willing to put money on it. I hope I put that conversation behind me and listened with an open mind to my next client, but conversations like these do take their toll.

Veterinary medicine is all about communication … true communication, where both sides are open to new information and keep an open mind.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Joyce Vincent / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/veterinarians-owners-need-to-listen-to-each-other#comments FullyVetted Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30281 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/intrigue-of-kittens-names-for-groups-of-animals  

As most of us do these days, I turned to the Internet for an answer and found a fascinating site (if you’re a “wordie” like me). Dave Fellows of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center has put together a list of group names for animals. Here are a few of my favorites:
 
A shrewdness of apes

A sleuth of bears

An obstinacy of buffalo

A clowder or pounce of cats (No, I didn’t use either of these in my article, but I was tempted!)

An intrigue of kittens

A business of ferrets

A tower of giraffes

A bloat of hippopotamuses

A cackle of hyenas

A leap of leopards

A richness of martens

labor of moles

A romp of otters

A prickle of porcupines

A crash of rhinoceroses

A scurry of squirrels

A streak of tigers

wake of buzzards

A convocation of eagles

A charm of finches

A stand of flamingos

A scold of jays

An exaltation of larks

A parliament of owls

An ostentation of peacocks

A shiver of sharks (I’m going to have to find some way to use this one in conversation!)

An intrusion of cockroaches
 
Check out the entire list at the USGS website. Anybody have some they can add?
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Cherry-Merry / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/intrigue-of-kittens-names-for-groups-of-animals#comments FullyVetted Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30280 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/dogs-and-pickup-trucks-staying-safe  

Some of the worst injuries I’ve ever treated have occurred when dogs have jumped out of or been thrown from the beds of trucks. I honestly don’t know what these owners were thinking. It is incomprehensible to me that they didn’t recognize the danger involved. Even if you believe your dog is so perfectly trained that he wouldn’t jump out to chase a deer or cat, and you are so confident in your driving abilities that your are positive you’d never be the cause of an accident, anyone who has been driving long enough knows that there are some really poor drivers out there. Do you really want to put your dog’s well-being in their hands?

Two tragic cases come to mind. The first dog jumped out of the truck while it was idling at a stop light and ran across a couple of lanes of traffic before being hit by an oncoming vehicle. The dog was essentially normal from the waist forward but the force of the impact had broken her spine and severed her spinal cord. Her hind end was completely paralyzed, including her ability to urinate and defecate on her own, and there was no hope for improvement. I euthanized her on the X-ray table with her guilt stricken owner sobbing at her head.

My second patient jumped from the bed of a truck that was moving at around 45 miles per hour. It was truly miraculous that he lived through the impact and made it to the veterinary hospital. The left side of his body looked fine, but he was missing most of the skin and a lot of underlying tissue from his right front leg and was covered in road rash over the majority of that side of his body. We spent countless hours over the next few weeks picking hair, pieces of asphalt, and other debris out of his wounds. The injury to his right front leg took months to heal, and involved several surgeries, including skin grafts. Though he survived, he will forever limp and bear the scars of his owner’s carelessness.

There is no good reason for a dog to be put at risk in this way. If he can’t ride in the cab or be left at home, purchase a pet crate and affix it securely in the bed of the truck. Collars, harness, and leashes are not a substitute for a solidly built crate as dogs can be hanged or dragged if they fall or jump from the truck.

Come on, people, let’s use a little common sense.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: cjc4454 / via Flickr
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/dogs-and-pickup-trucks-staying-safe#comments FullyVetted Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30278 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/preventing-dog-bites  

Being put in the same category as delivery people got me to thinking. I use much the same method of avoiding bites as does the gentleman who drops off packages at my home. When my 82 pound dog greets him at the door, he approaches with non-threatening body language, speaks to him in a calm tone of voice, and bribes him with a treat. This last approach has worked so well that my dog now drools and bounces up and down whenever and wherever he sees a big, brown truck.

Despite efforts at prevention, dog bites unfortunately still come with the territory for some professionals, but my heart really goes out to the kids who are bitten. According to the CDC, every year:
 
800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites; half of these are children. Of those injured, 386,000 require treatment in an emergency department and about 16 die. The rate of dog bite-related injuries is highest for children ages 5 to 9 years, and the rate decreases as children age. Almost two thirds of injuries among children ages four years and younger are to the head or neck region. Injury rates in children are significantly higher for boys than for girls.
 
The elderly come in second to children as the group most likely to suffer from dog bites. One report states, “People more than 70 years old comprise 10% of those bitten and 20% of those killed.”

Obviously dog owners bear special responsibility for preventing dog bites. It is important to remember that most bites occur because a dog is afraid and not because he is being overly assertive. The best (only?) way to improve a behavior that is based in fear is to deal with the fear itself. Therefore, punishment of any kind is not an appropriate response. Yelling, hitting, jerking hard on a leash, etc., only confirms the dog’s feeling that he needs to defend himself.

The first step in alleviating fear-based behavior is to avoid the situations that cause the dog to become fearful. Instead, put the dog in an environment where he or she is confident and relaxed, get the dog to focus on his handler, and reward (with praise and a treat) that frame of mind. Then gradually the dog can be exposed to watered-down versions of the stimulus that invokes fear and be rewarded for remaining calm.

Dog bites are potentially too catastrophic of a problem for me to put forward a one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with them here. If you’re worried about the possibility of your dog biting, please do us all a favor and talk to a veterinarian or behaviorist about his state of mind.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Vladescu Bogdan / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/preventing-dog-bites#comments FullyVetted Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30276 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/why-do-large-dogs-die-younger-then-small-dogs
Fully Vetted reader 3Dogs1Cat (great handle!) asked for more information when the research was published in the April 2013 issue of American Naturalist. Here it is.
 

 
A 70 kg Great Dane has an average lifespan of about 7 years, whereas a 4 kg Toy Poodle can expect to enjoy a lifespan of about 14 years. This well-known pattern poses a conundrum for evolutionary biologists. Across species, large mammals live longer than their small counterparts. In marked contrast, within species, fast growth and/or large size seem to carry costs in terms of an individual’s life span. This phenomenon has been documented not only in dogs, but also in mice, rats, and horses, and some have argued that lifespan even tends to be longer in humans with shorter stature.

Researchers have yet to determine why the patterns that we observe within species are opposite to those observed across species. In no species is the negative relationship between size and lifespan more evident than in the domestic dog. Artificial selection has led to breeds that range in body size from the 2 kg Chihuahua to the 80 kg Mastiff. Large breeds die at a median age of 5-8 years, whereas small breeds are expected to live on average about 10-14 years, i.e. twice as long. But why do large dogs die young?

To answer this question from a demographic perspective, Cornelia Kraus, Samuel Pavard and Daniel Promislow compared age-specific mortality in 74 breeds using data from more than 50,000 dogs, including their ages and causes of death, stored in the Veterinary Medical DataBase (VMDB). The authors hypothesize that larger breeds might have higher mortality rates due to the costs of increased, and suboptimal, growth rates. The question, though, is when those costs are paid. Do larger dogs live shorter lives because they have higher juvenile mortality, because their minimum or “baseline” mortality as young adults is increased, because they start aging earlier, or because the rate at which they age is faster?

The analyses show that the size-lifespan trade-off in dogs is mainly driven by a size-related speeding up of the mortality hazard. In fact, size affects many aspects of the mortality curve, but the strongest effect is on the rate of aging, which is positively correlated with breed size. Large dogs age at an accelerated pace, as though their adult lives are running at a faster pace than small dogs’. Hence, a first answer to the question of why large dogs die young is that they age quickly.

Future studies will need to determine the mechanisms behind these differences in mortality curves, and in particular, how the shape of mortality curves is determined by differences in underlying diseases that cause death. Dogs are a highly promising model to unravel the detailed evolutionary, genetic and physiological links between growth and mortality.
 
The complete article is available for download for $19.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Source:

The size-lifespan trade-off decomposed: Why large dogs die young, American Naturalist, April 2013
 
 
Image: Jana Behr / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/why-do-large-dogs-die-younger-then-small-dogs#comments FullyVetted Thu, 09 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30264 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/new-fish-in-the-family-bernie-the-betta  

My daughter got me Bernie as a birthday present. She was following perfect six-year-old logic, telling my husband, “Mommy loves animals. We need to get her one for her birthday.” I do not usually promote giving animals as gifts, but in this case, my husband was thankfully able to guide her toward an option that fit both her and my criteria for being an appropriate present.

Bernie was attractive when he first arrived, but now he is downright glorious. He is thriving in his little tank on our kitchen counter. At the store, he received only basic care. With us, he is now getting the best of the best. We added live plants to his aquarium to improve water quality and opportunities for shelter. When we noticed his water temperature was consistently below what was ideal, we bought him a heater. He’s eating a top-notch food and benefits from regular water changes that involve the use of a water conditioner.

After a couple of weeks with us, Bernie has blossomed. His colors (red and blue) are iridescent. His fins are seemingly larger and more “billowy” for lack of a better word than they were before. He is much more active than he was when he first arrived, and his personality has blossomed. Whenever one of us stops by for a peak into his world, he moves close and puts on his best display. Sure, he’s either protecting his territory or begging for food, but it’s an improvement from his earlier lackluster (with hindsight) behavior.

Bernie has added a lot of joy to our lives. I wanted to talk about him to raise two important points.

First of all, the benefits of pet ownership are not limited to the animals that we usually talk about here. Yes, dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, iguanas, et al., do make wonderful companions, but they require a big investment of time, energy, and money. Fish, rodents, some small reptiles, and other relatively low-maintenance and low-cost pets have a lot to offer.

Secondly, these animals still require a dedicated owner. I didn’t know a lot about Bettas when Bernie first arrived. I had to research his ideal environmental conditions and how best to take care of him and then go out and buy a few things that were lacking from his initial set-up. If I hadn’t taken the time or been willing to foot the bill to learn about and fulfill his needs, he would not be thriving and I wouldn’t be enjoying him as much as I am.

So, if you think you’re ready for the responsibilities of pet ownership (or adding additional animals to your current “herd”) but are concerned about the financial and/or time burdens, think small. You could do worse than a Betta, that’s for sure.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: (Not Bernie) Dvortygirl / via Flickr
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/new-fish-in-the-family-bernie-the-betta#comments FullyVetted Wed, 08 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30260 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/preventing-heartworm-disease-all-year-long  

I’m not bringing up the oddities of our climate to gain sympathy but to demonstrate why most veterinarians now recommend year-round heartworm prevention. Snow in May can lull owners into thinking that heartworms should be the least of their concerns (the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, after all), but all the precipitation we’ve been getting lately and the warm temperatures that are forecast are the ideal conditions for mosquito populations to flourish.

I’ve written many times about heartworm disease. I thought I’d try a different approach today to appeal to you visual-spatial thinkers out there. The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has produced an excellent infographic that reviews the basics of heartworm disease.
 

 
For the most part, I agree with AHS’s assertion that dogs benefit from year round heartworm prevention. In many parts of the country, heartworm disease is transmitted all year long. Even if you don’t live in one of these areas, determining exactly when to safely start and stop giving preventive medications can be difficult, as the weather we’re experiencing here in Colorado shows. Traveling with pets complicates the situation even more, and most of these medications prevent diseases caused by other parasites as well. So, for most busy and slightly distracted owners (I put myself in that category), I do think the safest option is to give heartworm prevention every month, all year long.

That said, medical recommendations should never be one-size-fits-all. If you do live in a cold and dry part of the country with a defined and relatively short heartworm season AND you are exceptionally “on the ball,” taking a few months off in the winter (so long as your pets aren’t travelling) is not all that risky.

It is important to remember that heartworm preventives don’t actually prevent infection; they prevent the progression of disease by killing immature worms that have infected a dog or cat within the last month or so. Make sure not to focus on a recent cold snap while forgetting about the balmy temperatures that preceded it. Despite today’s snow, I’ll be giving my dog Apollo his heartworm prevention this month to cover those 82 degree days that now seem like a distant memory.

Talk to a local veterinarian to determine the best heartworm prevention strategy for your pet.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Ksenia Raykova / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/preventing-heartworm-disease-all-year-long#comments FullyVetted Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30256 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/updates-on-u.s.-animal-laws
First, horse slaughter. It looks like a facility in New Mexico will soon be open again. USDA inspectors have recently reinspected the plant, and in an interview with ABC news, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said "It will open unless Congress restores the ban on horse slaughter that they had in place. If that doesn't happen, then we are duty-bound to do what needs to be done to allow that plant to begin processing."
 

I won’t rehash the arguments for and against the slaughter of horses for meat (take a look at this post if you need some background). The federal budget that President Obama has proposed eliminates funding for the inspection of horse slaughter facilities, which would once again prevent the practice, but who knows whether that item will survive the negotiations process.

Next up, the legal definition of pets as property. About a year ago, we talked about a potentially ground-breaking case decided by the Texas Second District Court of Appeals that allowed owners to sue for their dog’s sentimental value. The case then went before the Texas Supreme Court. The justices delivered their opinion on April 5. Here’s an excerpt from the decision:
 
Texans love their dogs. Throughout the Lone Star State, canine companions are treated—and treasured—not as mere personal property but as beloved friends and confidants, even family members. Given the richness that companion animals add to our everyday lives, losing “man’s best friend” is undoubtedly sorrowful. Even the gruffest among us tears up (every time) at the end of Old Yeller.2

This case concerns the types of damages available for the loss of a family pet. If a cherished dog is negligently killed, can a dollar value be placed on a heartsick owner’s heartfelt affection? More pointedly, may a bereaved dog owner recover emotion-based damages for the loss? In 1891, we effectively said no, announcing a “true rule” that categorized dogs as personal property, 3 thus disallowing non-economic damages. In 2011, however, a court of appeals said yes, 4 effectively creating a novel—and expansive—tort claim: loss of companionship for the wrongful death of a pet.

In today’s case, involving a family dog that was accidentally euthanized, we must decide whether to adhere to our restrictive, 122-year-old precedent classifying pets as property for tort-law purposes, or to instead recognize a new common-law loss-of-companionship claim that allows noneconomic damages rooted solely in emotional attachment, a remedy the common law has denied those who suffer the wrongful death of a spouse, parent, or child, 5 and is available in Texas only by statute. 6

We acknowledge the grief of those whose companions are negligently killed. Relational attachment is unquestionable. But it is also uncompensable. We reaffirm our long-settled rule, which tracks the overwhelming weight of authority nationally, plus the bulk of amicus curiae briefs from several pet-welfare organizations (who understand the deep emotional bonds between people and their animals): Pets are property in the eyes of the law, and we decline to permit non-economic damages rooted solely in an owner’s subjective feelings. True, a beloved companion dog is not a fungible, inanimate object like, say, a toaster. The term “property” is not a pejorative but a legal descriptor, and its use should not be misconstrued as discounting the emotional attachment that pet owners undeniably feel. Nevertheless, under established legal doctrine, recovery in pet-death cases is, barring legislative reclassification, limited to loss of value, not loss of relationship. We reverse the court of appeals’ judgment and render judgment in favor of the Petitioner.

_________________

2. OLD YELLER (Walt Disney 1957).
3. Heiligmann v. Rose, 16 S.W. 931, 932 (Tex. 1891).
4. 353 S.W.3d 576, 581.
5. See Russell v. Ingersoll-Rand Co., 841 S.W.2d 343, 345 (Tex. 1992) (“common law rule” was that “no cause of action [could] be brought for the death of another person”).
6. TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 71.002.

 
What do you think of these developments?
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Inger Anne Hulbækdal / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/updates-on-u.s.-animal-laws#comments FullyVetted Mon, 06 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30252 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/old-dogs-with-heart-murmurs  

The mitral valve is located between the heart’s left atrium and left ventricle. Small breed dogs have a genetic tendency to develop pathological changes to their mitral valves. The condition is sometimes called endocardiosis or myxomatous valvular degeneration. We don’t know exactly why or how it happens, but the valve leaflets that are normally thin and fit together precisely become irregularly thickened and “clunky,” for lack of a better word. These changes prevent the leaflets from working as they should, and the valve begins to leak, which causes turbulent blood flow around the valve. The sound of this turbulence is called a heart murmur. In the case of DMVD, the murmur occurs between the normal “lub” and “dub” heart sounds (i.e., a systolic murmur) and can be heard most clearly around a particular point on the left side of the dog’s chest.

The condition is so common (I’ve had two dogs with it myself) that when I’m presented with an older, small breed dog with a characteristic murmur, I assume that it’s caused by DMVD until proven otherwise. Practically, the diagnosis can be confirmed when an X-ray reveals an enlarged left atrium and no other potential causes for the murmur, but an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) is sometimes necessary to reach a definitive diagnosis.

A cough is usually the first sign that owners notice in dogs with DMVD. The left atrium enlarges as a result of being overfilled with blood that is “backwashing” out of the left ventricle through the leaky valve. The abnormally big left atrium presses up on the dog’s trachea and bronchi leading to airway compression, irritation, and coughing. DMVD is a progressive disease. The mitral valve becomes increasingly distorted and unable to perform its job, which causes a worsening cough and sometimes a progression to congestive heart failure (CHF).

Providing information about treatment and prognosis after a dog has been diagnosed with DMVD can be a little dicey. If the patient already suffers from CHF, standard treatment (e.g., enalapril, furosemide, and pimobendan) for that condition should be started immediately. With a little luck, these dogs can often maintain a good quality of life for a year or so.

The best way to respond to a diagnosis of DMVD without CHF is to monitor the patient closely. Studies haven’t shown a clear benefit to starting any form of treatment before congestive heart failure is present. We want to catch CHF as soon as possible, of course, so I like to recheck these patients at least two or three times a year and at the first sign of an increase in coughing.

Some dogs with DVMV rapidly progress to CHF; others never do. It’s a crapshoot, but a recent study may help veterinarians predict which dogs are at the greatest risk for CHF and schedule more frequent rechecks for those individuals. Most veterinary clinics can measure two parameters that in the majority of cases accurately predicted progression of DVMV to CHF: a chest X-ray that reveals a vertebral heart size greater than 12 and a simple blood test measuring a NT-proBNP level over 1500 pmol/L.

Another study looked at the predictive value of changes in NT-proBNP levels after treatment. A decline to below 965 pmol/L on a follow-up exam was correlated with a greater chance that the dog would survive for more than one year after diagnosis.

These findings should help veterinarians determine which patients need the closest monitoring and improve the care of dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Sources:

Reynolds CA, Brown DC, Rush JE, Fox PR, Nguyenba TP, Lehmkuhl LB, Gordon SG, Kellihan HB, Stepien RL, Lefbom BK, Meier CK, Oyama MA. Prediction of first onset of congestive heart failure in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease: the PREDICT cohort study. J Vet Cardiol. 2012 Mar;14(1):193-202.

Wolf J, Gerlach N, Weber K, Klima A, Wess G. Lowered N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels in response to treatment predict survival in dogs with symptomatic mitral valve disease. J Vet Cardiol. 2012 Sep;14(3):399-408.
 
 
Image: Eric Isselee / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/old-dogs-with-heart-murmurs#comments FullyVetted Thu, 02 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30235 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/breaking-the-law-in-veterinary-medicine  

The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) is the federal law that regulates the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of drugs and chemicals with a potential for abuse or dependency. As the CSA is currently written, it is illegal for a veterinarian to take a controlled substance off of the site that is registered with the Drug Enforcement Agency. In most cases, this is the veterinarian’s clinic or home/office for mobile practitioners.

What are we supposed to do when we need to treat a patient outside of the clinic with a controlled substance like morphine for pain or pentobarbital for euthanasia? House-call veterinarians, large animal practitioners, and doctors who deal with wildlife or help out in emergencies are all in a real bind. In essence, we are forced to choose between providing legal but substandard care or treating our patients to the best of our abilities and breaking the law.

When this issue first arose I didn’t take it too seriously. I wrongfully assumed that since this aspect of the CSA was without merit, the DEA would just turn a blind eye to it. Turns out it’s not that easy. They are mandated to enforce the law as it is written, even if they don’t agree with it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not dodging DEA agents on every house call I make, but the agency has notified some veterinarians in California and Washington State that they are in violation of the CSA. I read about an equine vet (in California, I think) who responded to this information by deciding to euthanize horses via gunshot rather than risk an encounter with the DEA over carrying euthanasia solution in his vehicle.

The only way to rectify the situation is for Congress to pass an amendment to the CSA. H.R.1528, the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act of 2013, is currently in committee and will hopefully be put to a vote during this congressional session. It changes the CSA by adding the following statement:
 
a registrant who is a veterinarian shall not be required to have a separate registration in order to transport and dispense controlled substances in the usual course of veterinary practice at a site other than the registrant's registered principal place of business or professional practice, so long as the site of dispensing is located in a State where the veterinarian is licensed to practice veterinary medicine.
 
Help your veterinarian by visiting the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Legislative Action Center and sending an e-mail to your congressperson. The site asks for your zip code and will automatically address and forward your email to the correct office. The boilerplate that pops up is written from the viewpoint of a veterinary professional but can be easily changed. Comments from animal owners might even be more influential than letters from veterinarians.

Thanks in advance.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image:Composite image from Anteromite and toranosuke / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/may/breaking-the-law-in-veterinary-medicine#comments FullyVetted Wed, 01 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30219 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/why-do-dogs-yawn
Scientifically speaking, the jury is still out on why any of us yawn. The trait is widespread throughout the animal kingdom (even fish yawn) and can even be observed in fetuses still in the womb. Researchers have looked into its role in respiration, arousal, thermoregulation, and communication, but nothing definitive has yet been found. Since science hasn’t been able to answer the question, I’m going to look at the situation from a practical standpoint.
 

First, I think it’s obvious that all of us (dogs included) yawn when tired, even if we don’t yet know the reason why. If your dog has had a long day or just awoke, is drowsy or fatigued, and yawns, you don’t have to look much further for an explanation.

But here’s a different scenario where being tired isn’t to blame. Dogs will also yawn when they are stressed. Usually, these yawns are associated with other signs of stress like lowered ears, squinting eyes, and tense muscles. Yawning is one of the signs that I look for when dogs interact. Stress is much more common than sleepiness under these conditions, so if a dog yawns around an unfamiliar or assertive individual, it’s time to put some distance between them.

Yawning as a form of communication between individuals is also supported by the phenomenon of contagious yawning. Dogs can even “catch” human yawns, and studies have linked these incidents with empathy. One even found that dogs were more likely to yawn when exposed to the sound of a familiar person yawning (the person was not actually present) in comparison to the sound of an unfamiliar person yawning.

My guess is that yawning serves several functions. It probably started as a physiological process, perhaps to more fully expand our lungs when we are tired and taking more shallow breaths than we do when we are alert and active. Then it began to take on a role in communication, very much the way that urination and defecation are primarily physiological process for dogs but are also used as communication tools via scent marking.

I still have a question though. Why have I been yawning my fool head off as I’ve been writing this post (there goes another one). Sure, I’m not being active and am a little tired, but I wasn’t yawning nearly as much when I was writing on another topic just a few minutes ago. Yawning while reading “yawn” is a well-recognized experience, and now I can attest that writing the word has the same effect.

How many times did you yawn while reading this post? Did your dog yawn too?
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Tim Lucas / via Flickr
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/why-do-dogs-yawn#comments FullyVetted Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30190 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/how-to-take-care-of-your-pets-minor-wounds  

We are talking about the equivalent of a scraped knee or shallow cut here. Even minor wounds should be dealt with promptly, before infection sets in. If the skin around the wound is inflamed or pus is visible, more aggressive treatment than what you can provide at home is probably needed.

If you have any doubts as to the severity of your pet’s injury, play it safe and make an appointment with your veterinarian. Only attempt wound care if you are confident that a pet will not react aggressively to the procedure. If need be, recruit an assistant to help with restraint, and use a muzzle.
 
Supplies Needed
 

Water-based lubricant (e.g., KY jelly – not Vaseline)

Electric clippers, scissors, or razor

Warm water

Clean towels (paper or cloth)

Antiseptic solution

Antimicrobial ointment

 
Steps to Follow
 

Place a small dog or on a table or counter in front of you or get down on the ground with a large dog. Have a second person gently restrain the pet if necessary.

Cover the wound and surrounding area with a water-based lubricant. This makes removing shaved hair from the wound much easier and decreases contamination.

Use electric clippers to shave the hair from around the wound. Scissors or a disposable razor can be used with extreme caution to avoid cutting the skin.

Wipe the water-based lubricant and hair away with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel.

Wash the area with warm water until all visible debris is gone, then pat dry.

Apply a non-stinging antiseptic solution to the area. Chlorhexidine is cheap, extremely effective, and readily available. I prefer a 2% solution to limit tissue irritation but 4% solutions are also widely used. Chlorhexidine is ideal because it kills the types of bacteria and yeast that are most commonly associated with skin infections in dogs and cats.

Apply an antimicrobial ointment to the wound. Traumatic injuries are best treated with a broad spectrum topical antibiotic like those containing bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin B. If yeast is of primary concern, for example in dogs with allergies that develop moist dermatitis, miconazole ointment is a good choice.

Prevent the pet from grooming the ointment off its skin for at least ten minutes; longer is even better. Take a dog for a walk or sit with a cat in your lap but do not apply a bandage over the area.

Two to three times a day, clean away debris (if necessary) and apply the antiseptic and ointment until the skin is healed.

If the wound worsens at any time or fails to resolve within a week, consult a veterinarian.

 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Chris Christou / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/how-to-take-care-of-your-pets-minor-wounds#comments FullyVetted Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30187 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/service-animals-benefit-from-free-annual-exams
More than 250 board certified veterinary ophthalmologists throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico will be donating their time and resources to provide free, sight-saving eye exams to thousands of eligible service animals during the month of May.
 

Since the program launched in 2008, nearly 16,000 service animals have been examined including those from:
 

The Transportation Security Agency (TSA)

Military working dogs from Lackland Air Force Base in Texas

Puppies Behind Bars, an organization providing psychiatric service dogs to soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan

Local fire, rescue and police agencies

Individual service animal owners and handlers who rely on these amazing animals daily

 
Here are a couple of examples of animals and people who have benefited from this program.
 
Ben

 
Ben is a black American Field Labrador who can climb a three story ladder, unassisted. Ben’s eyesight is vital to his job. He is a search and rescue dog from Ventura, CA that can be called upon at any time to rescue someone during a disaster. Ben’s handler, Eric Darling, has brought Ben to participate in the ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam Event for two years in a row.

“Catching something early is huge!” says Eric. “This event ensures that we have the opportunity to get this exam done, with no excuses.”
 
Quincy
 
 
Quincy, an 8-year-old Golden Retriever, is a mobility service dog. Quincy assists Sandra Ball of Beltsville, MD by helping her up and down the stairs, opening doors, taking off shoes, pushing buttons, and fetching the telephone. Sandra has brought Quincy to the ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam Event since 2009. During an eye exam, it was discovered that Quincy had uveitis, a serious condition that can result in vision loss. Signs of the disease are not always obvious to the owner, so it can often progress to an advanced stage before affected animals are presented to a veterinary ophthalmologist.

“If it were not for this program, I wouldn’t have taken Quincy to an eye exam to begin with,” says Sandra. “This exam meant possibly saving Quincy’s sight!”

*

To qualify for the event, animals must be “active working animals” that are certified by a formal training program or organization or are currently enrolled in a formal training program. The certifying organization can be national, regional or local in nature. Owners/agents for the animal(s) must first register the animal via an online registration form. Registration ends April 30th.

Once registered online, the owner/agent will receive a registration number and will allow access to a list of participating ophthalmologists in their area. Then they may contact a specialist to schedule an appointment. Appointments will take place during the month of May. Times may vary depending on the facility and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Jana Behr / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/service-animals-benefit-from-free-annual-exams#comments FullyVetted Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30142 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/studying-old-age-in-rottweilers-to-understand-aging  

So far the catalog includes the lifetime health and medical histories of almost 250 canine "centenarians" — Rottweilers that have lived at least 13 years, which is more than 30 percent longer than breed average and equivalent to humans reaching 100.

In support of this work, David J. Waters, DVM, Director of the Center for Exceptional Longevity Studies, has just completed The Old Grey Muzzle Tour 2013, a cross-country scientific expedition to study 12 of the oldest-living Rottweilers in their homes.

"A notable aspect of highly successful aging is the delay or avoidance of diseases such as cancer," Waters said. "The exceptionally long-lived Rottweilers we are studying have figured out how to side-step cancer, hold it in check. Our autopsy studies have shown that, although few of these dogs die of cancer, more than 90 percent of them are harboring one or more types of cancer at the time of death." Through the detailed examination of tissues and careful identification of markers circulating in the blood, Waters and his team hope to discover how they do it, so pets and people can walk around with cancer as a nuisance instead of a lethal killer.

During each dog visit on the tour, Waters performed detailed physical and neurological exams, collected DNA samples, and recorded body measurements. He also conducted extensive interviews with owners, explored the living environment, and learned the things that owners have done to promote their pets’ exceptional health. After the home visit, urine and blood are collected regularly by the dog's veterinarian and sent to the Center for Exceptional Longevity Studies for analysis and specimen banking. The researchers also follow up regularly with owners regarding the dogs’ activity level, pain, and mental acuity.

If you’d like to help in this research, fill out the initial information sheet so the investigators can determine if your dog qualifies. Subsequently, data regarding your dog’s diet, physical activity, body weight, and medical conditions will be collected and his or her life followed closely. All the information you provide is kept confidential.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Degtyaryov Andrey / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/studying-old-age-in-rottweilers-to-understand-aging#comments FullyVetted Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30137 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/do-synthetic-feline-facial-pheromones-work-part-2  

I can’t say that I find the evidence in support of their use very compelling. It seems to work in some cases but not in others, and the quality of the studies leaves something to be desired.

One blessing, however, is that I’ve never seen any indication that FFPs are harmful. As long as we are treating a cat’s condition appropriately in all other respects, I don’t think there is any harm in trying one, as long as the client is aware that it might be a waste of money. I make my recommendation that an FFP might (emphasis on the “might”) be useful and leave the final decision to the owner.

My clients who have tried FFPs seem divided on whether or not they are effective as well. Some report improvement in their cats’ behavior, while others have seen no effect at all. In some of these cases, pheromones were used alone. In others, they were tried in conjunction with medications, behavioral modification, and/or environmental enrichment which makes drawing meaningful conclusions difficult. Therefore, my experience as a veterinarian with these products hasn’t really helped me determine whether or not I should be recommending them in the first place.

I recently had an opportunity to try a FFP on my own cat, Victoria. She has developed what appear to be anxiety-related vocalizations. They occur mostly at night when she finds herself in a part of the house with no human companionship. The situation was not bad enough for me to resort to drug therapy (Vicky hates nothing more than being chased around the house in an effort to medicate her), but I thought an FFP diffuser near the couch where she likes to sleep was worth a try.

It’s been plugged in for a few weeks now, and I do think it is helping. Vicky still occasionally cries out in distress when alone but the frequency of her vocalizations seems to be significantly reduced. I wish I had thought to keep a before-and-after log, but I’m confident enough in my observations that I’m ordering more refills for the diffuser and they’re not cheap.

So there you have it. I now have had a positive personal experience with a FFP product and feel a little more confident recommending them to clients despite a lack of definitive research and results from the veterinary clinic that support their use. Situations like these occur more frequently than any of us would like. Sometimes making a lukewarm suggestion is as good as we can do and doesn’t pose a huge dilemma as long as everyone involved in the case is aware of the somewhat “experimental” nature of the treatment and is dedicated to following up with other options should they become necessary.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Image: Galushko Sergey / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/do-synthetic-feline-facial-pheromones-work-part-2#comments FullyVetted Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30124 at http://www.petmd.com http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/synthetic-feline-facial-pheromones  

Unfortunately, important decisions often have to be made in the absence of definitive research or in the presence of conflicting results. This is where the “art” of medicine comes in. Veterinarians look at what science is available, rely on their training and experience in practice, and even draw on what they’ve learned as pet owners to make the best recommendations possible.

Let me give you an example — the use of synthetic feline facial pheromones (FFP). A pheromone is “a substance secreted by an individual that can be sensed by another animal and affect their behavior.”1 Cats produce a certain type of pheromone when they feel comfortable in their surroundings and release it via facial rubbing. Think of it as a way that cats say to each other, “Chill. Everything is just fine.” This is a handy way to prevent unnecessary drama in a group setting.

Companies have made use of feline facial pheromones by manufacturing and selling a synthetic version that can be added to a nervous cat’s environment via sprays, diffusers, collars, etc. Anxiety plays a role in many undesirable feline behaviors, including urine spraying and aggression. Therefore, as long as the synthetic pheromones are safe and effective, they would be a welcome addition to the other treatment options we have available to us, such as anti-anxiety medications, behavioral modification techniques, and environmental enrichment.

Unfortunately, science doesn’t come down definitively in support of the use of synthetic feline facial pheromone. Here’s a quick review of the papers that I have used to determine whether or not to recommend these products to clients:
 

In one study “significant increases in grooming and interest in food were found in cats exposed to FFP compared with vehicle.”2

Another study determined that FFP can help reduce aggression when a new cat is introduced to resident cats.3

Research indicated that FFP may “assist in managing urine spraying beyond a placebo based intervention.”4

On the other hand, a systemic review of the use of pheromones in the treatment of undesirable behavior in cats “provided insufficient evidence of the effectiveness of feline facial pheromone for management of idiopathic cystitis or calming cats during catheterization and lack of support for reducing stress in hospitalized cats.”5

 
Tomorrow: The role of anecdotal evidence when research fails to provide a definitive answer.
 
 

Dr. Jennifer Coates
 
 
Sources:

1. Coates J. Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian. Alpine Publications. 2007.

2. Griffith CA, Steigerwald ES, Buffington CA. Effects of a synthetic facial pheromone on behavior of cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000 Oct 15;217(8):1154-6

3. Pageat P, Tessier Y. Usefulness of the F4 synthetic pheromone for preventing intra-specific aggression in poorly socialized cats, in Proceedings. 1st Int Conf Vet Behav Med 1997;64–72.

4. Mills DS, Redgate SE, Landsberg GM. A meta-analysis of studies of treatment for feline urine spraying. PLoS One. 2011 Apr 15;6(4):e18448.

5. Frank D, Beauchamp G, Palestrini C. Systematic review of the use of pheromones for treatment of undesirable behavior in cats and dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010 Jun 15;236(12):1308-16.
 
 
Image: Nailia Schwarz / via Shutterstock
 ]]> http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2013/april/synthetic-feline-facial-pheromones#comments FullyVetted Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000 30115 at http://www.petmd.com