Enjoy the Veterinary Perspective of a Cat Connoisseur

 

One of the greatest pleasures of veterinary medicine is being able to care for a variety of animals daily. Unlike our human counterparts, we are trained to diagnose, prescribe and treat multiple species, with cats and dogs being the most common. As such, we must learn about conditions and behaviors unique to the different animals that we see.

Personally, I find the feline species very intriguing, as not only are they very different from dogs, but also each cat is different from the next. And, unlike dogs that we can train and “mold” into canine good citizens, cats are independent creatures that “have staff.”

For veterinarians, even meeting and greeting cats requires a certain finesse to win the trust of these independent, highly intelligent animals. While most dogs will greet veterinarians with at least some exuberance and learn to trust their caregivers, cats assume the attitude of “what’s in this for me.”

With this knowledge, my first task when approaching feline patients is to identify their pleasure points. Will it be a full body pet from the top of the head to the tip of a curling tail as the cat walks away from me with inquisitive arrogance, or will it be a really good chin scratch as the cat hunkers down in the safety of the bottom of its travel crate?

Regardless of the cat’s acceptance (or lack thereof) of my intrigue and admiration, my brain has switched gears from the last species I treated to the feline in front of me. Now I get to think about all the unique health issues that cats might experience.

With every species, veterinarians are first trained to recognize the “normal” animal before learning about specific animal diseases. While there is some crossover between different species when it comes to disease, there are also a number of conditions unique to each species, including felines. Dirty Face Syndrome, Stud Tail and Painful Bladder Syndrome are a few conditions distinctive to cats.

Dirty Face Syndrome (Idiopathic Facial Dermatosis) appears just as the name implies. Kittens or cats, often of Persian or Himalayan breeding, will present with what appears as dirt accumulated in the coat around the lips, nose and eyes. This “dirtiness” is difficult to clean off and will recur very quickly if you are successful in doing so. The term “idiopathic” implies that there is no known cause, but since this condition occurs frequently in certain breeds, there is likely a genetic association. The “dirt” is excessive sebum or wax produced by oil glands on the face.

Feline Stud Tail is similar to Dirty Face Syndrome in that it is also associated with overactive oil glands, this time located on the tail base, usually of intact male cats. The excessive brown oil that accumulates collects dirt, which gives the tail base a greasy, black appearance that is again difficult to wash out. Neutering does seem to help eliminate or control this condition which may also be observed in neutered male or female cats.

Feline Painful Bladder Syndrome (Feline Idiopathic Cystitis or FIC) is a hemorrhagic inflammation of the lining of a cat’s urinary bladder and urethra. A similar condition is found in humans, primarily women, and is called Interstitial Cystitis. Cats — as well as people — will experience lower urinary pain, frequency, urgency and bleeding. There is no known cause for this uncomfortable ailment that appears to be exacerbated by stress.

Cats also differentiate themselves in the behavioral category with two different body languages that alert veterinarians to be on guard. The first is what I describe as “airplane ears.” Cats will lay their ears down flat on the sides of their heads, usually with their body somewhat crouched.

At the same time, the cat may begin a swishing tail motion, more pronounced at the tip of the tail. This action is a “tick-tock” motion that communicates the cat’s escalating discontent. When both airplane ears and the tick-tock tail are present, beware, as the next action will likely be a lashing out by an unhappy cat!

Not all cats are uneasy in the veterinary office. In fact, I would argue that almost every cat can be comforted during visits by all the right touches of a discerning veterinary eye. So, please do not hesitate to take your feline family member for routine veterinary exams. Your veterinarian is a trained connoisseur of cat behavior and diseases, and it our honor and privilege to care for them.

Author:  Dr. Bonnie Jones

A Pet Owner’s Nightmare: When Loving Pets Become Aggressive

I remember when my dogs took turns laying their heads on my pregnant belly. Even our cat would partake in this activity, which soon became a daily routine. My husband and I found great joy in this. Both animal lovers, we prayed that our unborn child would follow in our footsteps and enjoy God’s creations. However, I did notice a change in our pets’ behavior the larger my belly grew. They seemed to become more protective, never leaving my side, but never exhibiting aggression either.

Veterinarians deal with aggressive animals on a daily basis and the reasons for pet aggression can be numerous. Extensive research has been conducted leading to multiple theories about why animals misbehave. Yet, there is still so much to learn about pet aggression.  We cannot ask unruly pets “What is making you upset?”  We can only observe and study their actions and do our best to make sense of their inappropriate behaviors.

Many clients seek my advice about their pet’s aggression. My first task is to conduct a thorough examination to rule out physical causes for bad behavior such as diminished vision or hearing, or undiagnosed pain. Once I am convinced the pet is not experiencing any physical reasons for behavioral changes, I then counsel the pet owner about options to cope with their pet’s aggression. These might include changing the pet’s behavior through proper obedience training, an environmental or diet change, or medication.

Sadly, some pet owners have become afraid of their own animals, and many of them, like me, have children in their home. I have been asked by parents of small children on several occasions, “What would you do if you had an aggressive animal in your home?”  The question regarding aggressive animals in a household with children was always hard for me to answer, because until recently I did not have children.

It is hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes if you have no experience with their challenges. Of course, I have always been straight forward and honest with my clients. I have and always will offer them every option available to help them seek the choice that they are most comfortable with.

Veterinarians are charged with helping and protecting all animals. However, our higher responsibility is to protect the welfare of people, as well as pets. My personal goal is and always will be to do what is best for the animal AND its family. I am never judgmental, as I constantly realize every human-animal bond is different.

I can now say that as a first time mother with pets, answering questions on aggressive animal behavior in regards to children is easier. My husband and I recently found ourselves in the moccasins of my clients who own aggressive pets. This experience was truly eye-opening when it was in my own household.

A parent’s instinct is always to put the child first and protect them no matter what. However, this may be easier said than done, as most, like me, consider pets as family members. Needless to say, any decision about a pet’s well-being should always be made with the deepest consideration and utmost concern for the pet as well as its family.

Speaking from experience and the heart, I know bad pet behavior should never be shrugged off nor taken lightly.  Many are the avenues for coping with pet aggression. If you are dealing with an aggressive animal in your home, with or without the presence of children, please seek the advice of your veterinarian.

Author: Dr. Tracy Strauer

Conventions, Coffee and Diabetic Cats

The Midwest Veterinary Conference took place this past weekend in Columbus. The MVC is a continuing education convention where members of the veterinary profession gather to learn more about what’s new in our field and refresh and expand our understanding of what we’ve already been taught. It’s basically one of my favorite weekends of the year. I get to sit in lectures learning from some of the top people in my profession, listening about topics that interest me and that will make me a better veterinarian. And best of all there is no homework! Instead of writing papers and taking tests, I get to walk around a great big room full of like-minded individuals picking up pens and candy from vendors and sales reps and members of different veterinary associations. It is a wonderful weekend in my year.

The biggest downside to the convention is that it’s never long enough. And usually, I don’t get to go for the entire four-day course as someone has to “hold down the fort” at the clinic. So, for the days that I’m blessed to attend, I always feel rushed to fill every minute of my days with as much information-gathering as I can. This includes late nights of networking functions and meeting up with old friends and vet school classmates. This, in turn, means a lot of caffeine to stay awake and function during those amazing classes with world-renowned lecturers during the daytime. It’s that classic “burning the candle at both ends” scenario. For one weekend of learning and fun, I think I can still handle it.

Early one morning of the convention, as I settled into my seat with my two cups of complimentary coffee with my standard amount of copious sugar and creamer (I don’t do black coffee) I realized that I was setting myself up for a bit of medical irony. I was getting ready to listen to an internal medicine specialist elaborate on the topic of current diagnostics and therapies for feline diabetes. I probably had enough sugar in those two cups of coffee to induce diabetes in a cat.

As in people, the most typical form of diabetes in cats occurs when the pancreas can not produce enough insulin or the body doesn’t properly use the insulin that is made. In cats, most diabetic patients require regular (daily, twice daily or three times daily) injections of insulin given by the owner. Many cats respond fairly well to insulin injection therapy. The process of figuring out the best insulin dosing schedule can be a tedious one. It is often fraught with repeat trips to your veterinarian and routine blood and urine glucose checks. That’s how I got to meet and know my friend Max. Max is a big, fat, laid-back guy who loves to cuddle and lets me kiss and squeeze him. I don’t even mind that I’m allergic to him. Our friendship continues to grow as I work with his owners to manage his diabetes.

Max is a great example of a classic diabetic cat. He was a bit on the hefty side. To put it bluntly, he was a fat cat. He is well loved and, therefore, as in many family pet situations that means he was well fed. He presented for evaluation because he was losing weight and started urinating outside of the litter pan. Diabetic patients often drink more and therefore urinate more which usually means urinary accidents.

In addition to starting an insulin therapy regimen, Max’s owners started meal feeding (instead of free-feeding) Max. Cats who are free-fed have inconsistent blood sugar and insulin spikes throughout the day as they snack and graze. Free-fed cats also do not have restraint — they don’t know when to say enough is enough. Oftentimes free-fed cats are the fattest cats. In contrast, owners of meal-fed cats have more control over the calories that they are giving. Exercise and controlling calories are the best tools that we have to promote weight loss in humans and felines. Increasing activity (i.e. toys, perches, environmental enrichment) with the family housecat can reduce the likelihood of diabetes by producing a slimmer feline.

I had a wonderful weekend of learning. Even though it may take me a few days to return to a regular sleep pattern and to detox from all of the caffeine that I ingested — it was worth it so that I could continue to increase my understanding of the vast information that comprises Veterinary Medicine. I am proud to be a veterinarian who gets to help pets like Max, the diabetic cat, to live happier, healthier lives with their owners.

Author: Dr. Marisa Tong

Valentine’s Day Hangovers: When Red is Not a Good Color

                                           

                  

                
      

                         I love the month of February, possibly because the color red always has been and will continue to be my favorite color.  As a chocolate and flower connoisseur, I love everything about Valentine’s Day. And, I think the innovator of National Wear Red Day to support the fight against heart disease is a genius who has brought light to an often over-looked and important health issue for women.

                        What does all this have to do with veterinary medicine? Unfortunately, in all types of medicine, there are times when the color red is not a welcome sight. From head to toes for pets, the appearance of redness can be quite concerning. So, when is red not a good color?

                        Veterinarians are trained to recognize “red eyes” as problematic. If your pet’s white of its eye, called the “sclera,” is reddened, the causes may be many, including but not limited to conjunctivitis, dry eye (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca or KCS), glaucoma, and bleeding disorders.  

            With a thorough eye exam, your veterinarian can determine the reason for your pet’s red eye and initiate treatment expediently.  A red eye should always be considered a potential pet emergency. If your pet cannot be seen imminently by a veterinarian, you may use an over-the-counter eye irrigating solution to attempt to sooth and cleanse the eye. You should, however, plan to see your veterinarian as quickly as possible.

           Another area that red is not a pretty color to see is in pet’s ears, especially if the redness is accompanied by odor or build-up. Please consult your veterinarian promptly as the longer an ear problem exists, the more difficult it becomes to resolve.  Recurrent or chronic ear issues can be a manifestation of underlying conditions such as low thyroid function, food hypersensitivity, or inhalant allergies. Your veterinarian will solve the mystery for you.

                        Kisses and hugs are the universal signs of love, but if your pet’s breath makes you turn away instead, lift your pet’s lips and look inside.  Reddening of the gums or “gingivitis” associated with dental disease may be the reason for the end of the Valentine season in your home.  Dental disease is prevalent in more than half of pets as early as age four. Please don’t forget to follow your veterinarian’s advice about providing proper dental health for your pet.

                        If you would rather “rub noses like Eskimos” with your pet to show affection, be mindful of any red discharges from the nose, especially in cats that sneeze frequently or dogs that have had access to rodent poisons.  Nasal hemorrhages can be a sign of feline upper respiratory diseases, rodenticide poisoning, tumors of the nose, and immune mediated bleeding disorders. Again, a trip to your veterinarian is in order if the color red exits your pet’s nose.

                        A “hot spot” or Acute Moist Dermatitis is an alarming and uncomfortable reddening of the skin of pets that can occur with rapid onset anywhere on the body.  Pet owners will report that these skin lesions literally appeared out of nowhere, and they are not lying.  Hot spots begin with some irritant on the skin that initiates a cycle of persistent licking or scratching by the pet.  The skin becomes bright red, then ulcerated and bloody.  Infection sets in quickly and the spot becomes odorous and moist. This is when the color red is then replaced by the color green as the skin begins to look like a rug burn gone bad.

                        Your pet will be more than grateful if you expediently seek the assistance of your veterinarian to diagnose and begin systemic as well as topical treatment of hot spots. Some hot spots can be extremely large and will require sedation to be treated appropriately.  Fleas are often the underlying cause of hot spots so don’t forget to consult your veterinarian about an effective, safe, and, most importantly, guaranteed flea control product.

                        Other places that red is not a good color include in pets’ urine or stool. The likely culprit in these locations is blood that should not be there. Call your veterinarian about this finding.  You will likely be directed to schedule an examination that will include bringing a fresh sample of urine or feces for analysis to determine the underlying cause. 

                        These are just some examples of when this Ohio State University graduate veterinarian does not like to see the color scarlet, with or without gray.  Red will always continue to be my favorite color, just not when worn by pets. Go Bucks!

Author: Dr. Bonnie Jones

                

Tip the Scale in Favor of Your Pet

As I sit at my kitchen table enjoying dinner, I look down and see a pair of big, puppy dog eyes staring back at me. Our eyes lock and his tail begins to wag at an immeasurable speed. I look away quickly, thinking he will forget I am eating. Not a chance! Next comes a paw scratching at my leg as more persistent pleading begins.

Sound familiar? Do not be embarrassed if you have found yourself in a similar situation. Many people, myself included, have fed their pets from the table. Why do we do this if we know it is bad for them? 

Of course we want our pets to live long, healthy lives. We must therefore show them tough love and focus on feeding them appropriately.

What does “feeding appropriately” mean? It is more than not feeding them human food from the table. You can over feed your pet with its own food, too. In fact, this is how my husband and I found ourselves entering one of our own dogs in the Delphos Animal Hospital’s “Biggest Loser” competition. Both of us were filling his bowl inappropriately and, after a short amount of time, our poor dog fattened up. Our hearts sank when we finally weighed him.

Our plan of attack was to gradually wean him on to a “light” or “reduced calorie” dog food.  Each meal is now carefully measured as well. I am happy to say that in just a few weeks we have seen progress and are certain that our dog has a chance at winning the Biggest Loser competition.

Please don’t make the same mistake we did. Take action now and be smart when it comes to feeding your pet. Eliminate human food, limit treats, and increase your pet’s exercise.

Also, read the feeding guideline on your pet’s food bag if you are unsure how much to feed. Keep in mind these guidelines are designed for what pets should weigh. For example, if your dog weighs 100 pounds, but should weigh 80 pounds, be certain to use the 80 pound dog feeding guideline.

If you are not sure what your pet's ideal body weight is you can use some visual clues to help you determine if it is over (or under) weight.

 1) Is it difficult to feel/see the ribs and/or spine?

 2) Can you see a waistline? 

 3) Does your pet have a sagging belly?

 Veterinarians also use a weight grading system called a Body Condition Score (BCS) to determine a pet’s healthy weight on a numerical scale of 1-5.  Your veterinarian will weigh your pet at each visit to help you adjust its diet and lifestyle to achieve an optimal BCS.

Where does your pet fall on the BCS scale? An easy way to tell is by feeling and looking at the rib cage.

1 (emaciated) = ribs are visible from a distance

2 (thin) = ribs are easily felt and may be visible

3 (moderate) = ribs are palpable without excess fat covering them

4 (stout) = can feel the ribs, but have to push hard

5 (obese) = large fat deposits cover the ribs

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about your pet’s health or weight, seek the advice of your veterinarian.  Tip the scale in favor of your pet living a longer, healthier life by making it a Biggest Loser, too.

 Author: Dr. Tracy Lee Strauer