Welcoming a New Cat Home

As promised, some thoughts on various approaches to introducing a new cat or kitten to an established cat-bearing household.

All In
Frequently the preference of men and boys not entirely fond of cats but appreciative of a good scuffle, this method involves unceremoniously dropping the new comer into the midst of the established feline family. Trouble almost always ensues and fur often flies. All manner of bad manners are possible, including inappropriate urination, which I broadly define as anything outside the litter pan or designated equivalent. Additionally, the spread of parasites, like fleas and intestinal worms or communicable diseases ranging from upper respiratory infections to fatal leukemia or immunodeficiency viruses is possible without proper quarantine and testing. And, it's just  not a kind thing to do to a cat or kitten already stressed by a new environment, new food, new smells, new people....or to the established residents who thought they had it all figured out. Don't gamble this way.

Never the Twain Shall Meet
At the other extreme is complete isolation of the new cat from everyone else. Sometimes this is necessary for reasons of temperament or viral status but otherwise not required.

A Happy Medium
Aren't we all looking for the "just right" Goldilocks solution?
What I usually recommend to clients and actually tried myself with the recent addition of the best little grey tiger kitten ever, aka Scout, (her story's here), is the following:

1. Test for Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Viruses. A negative result is great but bear in mind that recently exposed cats and kittens may  not actually test positive for up to 12 weeks. There are two good options. The first is to test and re-test in 12 weeks. The second is to confine and quarantine the new addition for 12 weeks and then test once. This offers some assurance that the resident cats aren't exposed to a potentially deadly disease and you don't get your hopes up for a decades long relationship. (The management of a kitten or cat with a positive test for either virus can be controversial. Suffice to say for now that a single positive test in an otherwise healthy feline is not an immediate death sentence.)

2. Treat for parasites. Like puppies, kittens can acquire intestinal worms even before they're weaned. In the case of an adult cat with an unknown history, deworming and a stool check for intestinal worms is good sense. Any flea & tick infestations should be addressed so your new pet doesn't bring along pets of her own.

3. Update vaccines. Depending on the age and known history of the new feline, do the best you can to ensure good health and immunity. Consider boostering the upper respiratory complex and feline leukemia vaccines for any current residents, just in case.

4. Create a safe zone. This was key in making Scout's transition smooth. It was also facilitated by an "extra" bedroom thanks to a non-resident college sophomore. Scout moved into her own space, complete with food & water bowls, an exclusive litter pan, a pillow & comforter-laden bed, and two big windows featuring birdsntreesnsquirrels oh my! That first night home she circled the room twice, (counter-clockwise we noted for whatever reason but suspect may have something to do with our cats having a tendency to be left-pawed), then settled in for dinner and a nap. Three months later, Scout still naps on that bed after her mad morning romp. (The college sophomore is resigned to sharing her room. I console her by noting it's better than a dormitory.)

5. Gradual introductions. The sounds emanating from the bedroom , (primarily the crunching of kitten kibble and the occasional crash of a gravity check), not to mention the loathed existence of a closed door, riveted the attention of Minerva Jayne who appointed herself hallway sentinel extraordinaire. Similarly, they roused the suspicions of Holly who sulked behind a poofy tail which I attribute to her remembering the assault upon her sensibilities when Minerva arrived a few years ago. After a few days of auditory acclimation and the occasional glimpse, paws began reaching under the door from both sides.

6. Cat nip, treats and toys. Many kittens aren't fazed by cat nip but both of my older girls find it irresistible. The initial frenzy of rolling is soon followed by a mellow-cat kinda vibe, the perfect state of mind for an introduction. Pairing the new comer with some tuna water or special treats can create an aura of good feeling, or at least distract and lead to an intense grooming session.  (I did refrain from dousing Scout in tuna but the thought did occur to me...) New toys also attract some attention and enrich the environment.

7. Sufficient resources. Separate food and water dishes are a good idea. Everyone should be able to eat in peace, cats included. Enough litter pans, (i.e. the number of cats plus one is ideal), in enough places that there's always a "vacancy" if needed. Laps for napping and windows with sunlight are important too.


8. Accept the inevitable. It's not going to be entirely conflict-free. Someone will get too close and invoke a hiss. Someone else will say something worse, leading to some paw swipes and potential injury. If hostilities escalate or simply don't resolve with time, consider backing up to step 4 or consulting your veterinarian for some additional stress-reducing ideas. I'm a fan of Feliway, especially if there are any issues with proper litter pan use.

And that's the recipe that worked for me. Good luck on your own new additions, especially if there's something soft and meowy under your Christmas tree...

Speaking of which, I'm sure the resources here will happily find a kitten or cat to own you.

How's 'at? Veterinary Terms & Abbreviations I

Like other professions, veterinary medicine has its share of abbreviations and slang. Most are legitimate short hand for disease conditions, however many disguise a dire prognosis or allow veterinary team members to humorously communicate a less than flattering assessment.

Feed Me...or Not

Agroceryosis - Lack of groceries, i.e. owner hasn't been feeding the animal. Sadly this is too common in outdoor dogs in the winter.
Garbageitis-Dietary indiscretion, almost always applied to a dog eating something he shouldn't have, e.g. old socks, spoiled food, rocks, disposable razor blades, (all true.)   Cats know better.

(Courtesy of www.freeclipart.com)

CFT - Chronic food toxicity i.e. obese

Cat and a half-Similar to cft but, like under-tall, often used to gently suggest to the owner that perhaps they've been feeding more than a little too much.


History Matters

Veterinary patients can't actually tell us what's wrong or where it hurts and when a problem isn't obvious a good history from their owners is often crucial to making an accurate diagnosis. It makes our jobs so much easier when owners have been paying attention and know what's normal for their pet...

BDLDLDL- Big dog, little dog, little dog lost. Picture an 80 pound dog in a 15-20 pound body, that's a Jack Russell Terrorist. Now imagine the terrier charging into the air space of an actual 80 pound dog, say a disgruntled Rottenweiler. No contest. And yet, those little dogs that fling themselves into the jaws of destruction once seem to keep at it so it's not unusual to see this collection of letters multiple times in a chart.

ADR-Ain't Doin' Right. Sometimes an owner just can't quite articulate what the problem is and the appointment book says, "adr."  Or, conversely, the receptionist surrendered in self defense because the person making the appointment has presented a plethora of unrelated information,

"Well, he's coughing but only after eating grass and vomiting but I think that's because he has a rash from the new food but he hasn't really been eating all week since we sprayed the yard but my brother-in-law's dog was fine and they both had the same hair cut after they were boarded at a new kennel do you think he can get his vaccines today?"

This could be anything from a simple case of a picky eater with kennel cough, to a serious case of skin and gastrointestinal chemical poisoning. What I know for sure is that I would not want my flu or tetanus vaccine if I had a cold or had been poisoned and hadn't eaten all week...

Out Of A Limb

Unfortunately for one small tabby cat, that's not a typo in the title.

On a blustery morning the week before a Thanksgiving past we were still gathered at the front desk warming after the 20 foot walk from the parking lot. It was one of those deceptively sunny days with a finger-numbing wind chill. The first surgical appointment of the day was still checking in when a young woman rushed in the door holding her hands to her chest.
Reaching into her coat she produced a kitten while saying,
"I found him on the side of the road."
Holding up her other hand she finished,
"And here's his leg."

I already had the little dark grey tiger in my hands by the time I realized that everyone else in the room had sensibly taken a step back and now stood wide-eyed and motionless, especially the scheduled surgery's mom who was several shades paler than when she entered!

Tossing a quick, "We'll take care of him," over my shoulder I headed to the treatment area.

An inventory of the little stray's injuries revealed it was the distal 1/3 of his left rear leg that was severed with additonal leg and hip fractures, his right hip was dislocated, his tail was limp and fractured and he had multiple other laceratons. No more than 12 weeks old, cold and shocky from hypothermia and the pain of his injuries, he started to purr. I knew I had to give that kind of character a chance, even if his prognosis was guarded.

(As an aside, I should note that we disposed of the "leg" so optimistically supplied by our Good Samaritan. I'm pretty good in the operating room, but not that good. The nature and extent of his injuries suggested he'd been napping under the hood of a car and had gotten caught in the fan and/or belts when the engine was started.)



(Courtesy of Rulingcatsanddogs)

 On frosty mornings it never hurts to give the hood a few raps to rouse and remove any snoozing neighborhood critters.


(Courtesy of catsguru)

    










Intravenous fluids, antibiotics, pain medication and a warm meal did wonders. By morning I deemed him stable enough for anesthetic and surgery but not for too long. In order to keep the surgical time to a minimum I opted for a non-standard amputation of his left hind leg at the stifle or knee joint, amputated the tail beyond the injury, reduced the hip dislocation, sutured numerous lacerations and called it a day. The little guy's recovery was smooth but it was several days before he managed to balance himself and a few weeks before he learned to walk.

We initially toyed with calling him "Tripod" but Pirates of the Carribean was popular and his lop-sided gait and one swollen eye, not to mention abundance of personality, earned him the moniker "Captain Jack." CJ was adopted by a retired couple who supply regular updates on his progress. To their delight, and occasional consternation, he learned to fly through the house and navigate furniture like a pro. Now 6 years old, Captain Jack has become an especially handsome boy cat.

Bladder Stones, The Case of Princess and the Pee

Bladder stones, (also called urocystoliths), are an all too common affliction of our canine and feline companions. The how and why of their development varies by species and breed and even by individual.

(X-ray of bladder stones. Courtesy of enpevet.de)

Almost 50% of bladder stones in dogs involve a urinary tract infection. The microscopic bacteria in the urine do two things that promote urolith formation. First, they alter the pH of the urine, making it more alkaline and causing minerals to precipitate or solidify out of solution. Second, the bacteria themselves provide a nidus or starting point for crystal formation. The remainder of bladder stones form due to a combination of an individual's genetics, metabolism, and diet.




(Courtesy of caninehealthanswers.com)

Urinary crystals can grow into visible and sometimes huge stones causing trauma to the bladder, frequent and/or bloody urination, and occasionally life-threatening urethral blockage. For many years, treatment of bladder stones involved a combination of antibiotics, dietary management and surgery. However, thanks to voiding urohydropropulsion, a technique developed by Dr. Jody Lulich of the University of Minnesota Urolith Cnter, there's a non-surgical option to resolve small bladder stones. And that's where Princess comes in.

 


Princess is a 9 year old Rat Terrier owned by Mrs. Maria Wethington and our Case of the Month.


To say that Princess and her housemates Prince and Baby are doted upon or that Ms. Wethington is merely a concerned pet owner would be serious understatements. They travel on pillows, lots and lots of pillows. Originally from Germany, Mrs. Wethington has lived in the United States for 45 years. She retains a charming accent and, despite some serious health concerns of her own, the indomitable courage and sense of humor of a woman who's seen too much difficulty not to appreciate every sunrise.

Careful as she is with her canine babies, it's no surprise that when Princess began to act a little oddly Mrs. Wethington was quick to seek veterinary care. It was that early intervention that made voiding urohydropropulsion an option. Briefly, the technique involves placing a urinary catheter and instilling sterile saline into the bladder to gently distend it. A finger is placed over the urethra to prevent leakage while the dog is held upright, tipping the bladder stones down. The bladder is gently squeezed, the finger pressure is released and the stones are flushed to the outside. This technique works if the stones are relatively small, (which usually means of short duration), in relation to the dog.

And that's exactly how it worked in Princess's case. The initial flush produced almost two dozen tiny stones, and a subsequent flush 2 more. Following a post-procedure x-ray she was still a little sleepy but sitting up and back in her mom's arms in less than an hour.

As you can see Princess is relatively large for a Rat Terrier, but nonetheless loved by her mom. An analysis of her bladder stones is pending. With those results and careful monitoring for recurrence we hope to keep Princess healthy and out of surgery in the future.

Veterinary Requirements--The Ick Factor

A pair of scrubs, $30.00.
A stethoscope, $199.00.
Four years of veterinary tuition, $120,000.
That warm, wet feeling you get from a puppy...peeing directly into your shoe, priceless!

Well, not exactly priceless in a good way. But the above incident really happened to a co-worker, last month in fact, and it does illustrate an important truth about clinical veterinary medicine. Namely, you're going to get wet. And smelly. And quite possibly sick or injured at some point.


(Courtesy of funnyvet.com)

There are many options for someone with a veterinary degree: fundamental research, education, food safety and regulation, journalism, politics and organization, public health, bio-terrorism and epidemiology, sales and pharmaceuticals among them. The most common public perception of a veterinarian, clinical practice, is not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach.

Basic, routine, every day appointments include the blood and guts of abdominal surgery and rectal temperature taking. That's before you get to the putrid stench of a pyometra, (uterine infection), cat bite abscess, anal gland expression, foot rot, chronic ear infection, rotten tooth, parvovirus diarrhea puppy or absolutely anything, (including driving through without actually stopping), to do with a swine operation. Sadly, I know whereof I speak.



(Courtesy of www.funyvet.com)

Not that I'd necessarily do something else at this point. It is, after all, something of a point of pride among veterinarians that we hold dinner meetings and lunch and learn seminars with titles like, "Vomiting and Diarrhea, a case review" or "How I treat Foul-Smelling Ears." It's quite possible for us to enjoy meals which include bean dip and melted cheese or pools of gravy while gazing at power point presentations about aberrant bodily fluids.

Need someone to help with something disgusting on short notice? A veterinarian is probably up to the job.



(Courtesy of funnyvet.com)

I had a pathology instructor who claimed he pranked senior veterinary students by surreptitiously placing a dollop of yogurt in the floating abdominal contents of a cow opened for necropsy and asking them what they thought it could be. When they inevitably professed bafflement he would stick his finger in for a big taste, swallow, and to their stupefied horror pronounce his diagnosis, "Vanilla!"

His field of research included hematology and platelet function. Platelets are the blood components partially responsible for our ability to form a clot and thus not bleed to death on a daily basis. They have a tendency to rapidly clump, it's their job actually, but that also hindered his research. To get around the inevitable delay involved in requisitioning blood from the resident Basset Hound colony he drew his own...i.e from his own arm. We loved him.

Veterinary students are funny that way.

Special thanks to Dr. Dean Scott of funnyvet.com, for so accurately capturing the realities of veterinary school and practice and especially for making me smile out loud.

A Vote's a Vote For A' That

With apologies to Robert Burns' Is There For Honest Poverty , and a link to an analysis of the Scottish anthem that champions honesty and character over wealth and finery and ends with the verse below hoping that goodness and sense will lead us to mutual respect.

If you're a U.S. citizen, one way or another you're a participant in an amazing democracy. You consume and you contribute, you benefit and you assist, you vote or you vanish.

Please vote.
                                       
Here's Why
Vaccinate your pets against rabies or yourself against the flu?
Welcome to the public health system.

If you get up in the morning and turn on the lights or the water, you benefit from public utilities and government regulation. (Unless you live "off the grid" and dug your own well.)

Michigan voters have an opportunity to influence the future of our energy sources by casting educated votes on Proposal 3.  Proposal 3 Text here.

If at some point in your day you have a cup of coffee, get dressed or purchase gasoline you're a participant in international trade and the global economy. (Unless of course you harvest coffee beans in your back yard, knit your home-loomed clothing, fashion shoes from hand-tanned hide or rubber and have an independent oil well and refinery next to the java plants and rubber trees.)

Michigan voters have an opportunity to influence international trade by casting educated votes on Proposal 6. Reading the Proposal 6 Text may help.

Following a breakfast which may include FDA and USDA if not American Heart Association approved foods you may then leave home, drive on city streets, deliver children to a public school and maybe show up for a licensed doctor's appointment.

If you're among the U.S. work force, 92.2% of whom ARE EMPLOYED, you may then get to work a bit late, but you probably negotiated time off in some fashion and you do in fact have a job.


Do all these things, or simply breathe,  and you've benefited from public works projects and education efforts, government oversight and medical research. Additionally, via your tax dollars, you have directly contributed to Social Security, national defense, retiree and veteran's programs and medical care for low income seniors, children and those with disabilities. Know any retired disabled veterans with sick kids? Help them get to the polls!

Michigan voters may want to weigh in on the Proposal 1 referendum, or read some Emergency Manager Law Background and the Proposal 1 Text. Similarly, Proposal 2 issues are worth a look, as is the Proposal 2 Text.


Helping an elderly parent or disabled relative? See a discussion of Michigan's Proposal 4 and Proposal 4 Text.  The discussion posts after the article were especially interesting.

Interested in tax issues? Check out a discussion of Michigan's Proposal 5 and Proposal 5 Text.

Don't live in Michigan? You may still vote, (if you registered.) You don't even need photo i.d., is this a great country or what?

There's a troop, (troupe?), planning to run the country with or without your input. Take a lesson from your favorite pet and speak up about what matters; a warm bed, healthy meals, regular health care, education...


                                       "Then let us pray that come it may,
                                       (As come it will for a' that,)
                                       That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
                                       Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.
                                       For a' that, an' a' that,
                                       It's comin yet for a' that
                                       That man to man, the world o'er,
                                       Shall brithers be for a' that."

I'm Kerry E. McKinney DVM, and I approved this message!

Scout Out and About II

“But if you tame me, then we shall need each other.
To me, you will be unique in all the world.
To you, I shall be unique in all the world."

"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."   

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

It wasn't that my heart didn't melt a little when Scout snuggled in and looked up from my lap with what I like to think was adoration but could just as well have been a new vantage point from which to launch herself at my necklace. It was more the logistics of 6 cats and a life in flux that put me off wanting a kitten. I told myself, (and family and co-workers), for weeks that as long as she had a good home, (somewhere else!), everything would be right in the world. It took a milestone birthday and her getting lost on a busy thoroughfare to jar me to my senses. To paraphrase my very Scottish great grandmother, 'There're worse things in the world, Hen, than the good Lord puts a wee tabby cat on your door step.'

Lost!
After a long Labor Day weekend, I learned of Scout's escape and the subsequent search, complete with wanted posters, and was bereft. Although I hadn't taken her with me the previous Friday because of travel issues I had ruefully acknowledged the mutual fondness and fully intended to take her home. Except now she was gone in an unknown direction, just feet from a busy 5-lane street with constant traffic and otherwise surrounded by a dense residential area.

Peek-a-boo!

I spent hours walking the neighborhood peering up driveways, explaining my quest and calling for her in the hope she would recognize my voice. For the record, I felt only slightly foolish calling aloud and disturbing the peace. I knew she wouldn't come to anyone else and from her forays into the nooks and crannies of the clinic I knew she was an excellent and silent hider.

That week we had drenching rain storms and much cooler temperatures. The food and water we left out went untouched. The generous reward offered by her almost-human generated some interest and a possible sighting, but the weeks passed.

I kept my hopes up but opted not to further annoy the neighbors by calling for her multiple times during the day and evening. I watched for her while walking and stopped the car to talk to any area residents I saw. Although she had discovered the cat treat dish before her escape and had some extra weight, five and a half pounds of anything isn't much against city streets. And I really missed her company.

Nabbed?
We were well into the third week of September before the next sighting, again on my weekend off, by a neighborhood avowed "cat lady." She had managed to trap a kitten in the area matching Scout's physical as well as temperamental, (i.e. fiercely independent), description. It was Monday afternoon before I was able to drive the several blocks to her house for a viewing but the wait was rewarded by a happily purring feline in my lap within minutes.


Scout had managed to lose some weight and gain some fleas in her 17 AWOL days. She was in the sink for a bath later that afternoon to ditch the fleas. And on the way home with me later that week.




Having discovered the joy of milk rings, she's now well on her way to growing into a proper feline.

The resident cats, Minerva Jayne in particular, were on high alert for random kitten pouncing but the addition has been surprisingly stress-free.


With 6, (albeit 3 of them resolutely outdoor barn kitties), I'm wondering about egg roll...

Coming soon, some tips on introducing a new cat to the household.
Step One: Allow yourself to care...

Scout and About Part I

There's a new kitten in my life. And it's almost entirely not my doing. I already had five felines in the family, which is halfway to double-digits, which is better than half-way to certifiably crazy cat lady, a designation I'm hoping to stave off for a few more decades.

You might know the old saying, "Dogs have owners. Cat's have staff."

But before they have us catering to their every need they first have to choose us, and so it was that I was chosen almost three months ago. I wasn't the first to know, although I should have suspected.

Scout's story
I met the bedraggled grey tiger kitten at my veterinary hospital in July. She was reportedly brought to another veterinary clinic after she'd been rescued from a box at which some boys were throwing rocks. Understandably, she wasn't real keen on human contact. She appeared to be in the 12-14 week range, just getting her adult incisors. Thin and skittish, she was nonetheless curious and not at all fearfully aggressive as are some feral kittens. If not handled and socialized with positive human contact by 8-12 weeks of age, many cats remain uneasy around people their entire lives. In any case, her willingness to be handled, which I did to welcome her to a safe place and to prepare her for her permanent home, elsewhere, was reassuring.

I started calling her "Scout" after Harper Lee's brave narrator in To Kill A Mockingbird, who, despite terrible events, maintained her hope in humanity. It just seemed to fit, (especially this election season.)

                 "Atticus, you must be wrong...." 
                 "How's that?"
                 "Well, most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong...." 
                 "They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full
                 respect for their opinions," said Atticus, "but before I can live with other
                 folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by
                majority rule is a person's conscience."




It took a few days but she eventually began playing with and pouncing on my fingers.






She made herself at home around the clinic...

    

 Filing & Radiology








Lab work & Record review






Gift bag inspection &
Supervision






It was all fun and games until     someone ended up in a cone!



                                                                Exhausting!

 

 

 

She made a habit of dashing for my lap any time she was out and something like a vacuum cleaner or visiting dog startled her. She would loll comfortably belly up in my arms as I walked around but scramble away if I tried to show her to a prospective new owner.


So I know exactly how she flung herself in a panic away from the gentleman who attempted to adopt her the weekend I was off. Unfortunately there was a very small gap in the carrier's zipper when he walked out with her and away she went into the city streets.

Part II coming soon...

Chocolate & Onions & Grapes, Oh My!

Not the ingredients in the latest weird recipe but rather some common pet poisons.

The list of common foods that are toxic to our family pets may surprise you. I've been practicing veterinary medicine so long that I sometimes forget new generations of pet owners are starting over at the beginning.

Without further ado, some don'ts when it comes to sharing table foods:

Chocolate


PLEASE DON'T SHARE
(Courtesy of The behavior company)

Almost all pet owners are aware of cocoa and chocolate's toxicity. In general, the darker and more bitter the more dangerous. One chocolate chip cookie or a Hershey's kiss are unlikely to be a problem for a ninety pound labrador, but an ounce of baker's chocolate would very likely send a chihuahua to the nearest veterinary hospital.  The problem ingredient is theobromine which causes the usual array of gastrointestinal symptoms, vomiting and diarrhea being the common signs. Higher doses however can lead to hyperactivity, changes in heart rhythm, seizures and death.


Macadamia Nuts
I had a pup in just last week who had helped himself to a significant serving of these smooth round little morsels. He was intermittently vomiting primarily whole nuts but happily eating most of his meals. I was a little concerned that the unchewed nuts would be a good fit for his small intestine and a blockage was imminent. Fortunately his malaise was limited to a few days of belly aching. It could have been worse, symptoms of macadamia nut poisoning include weakness, vomiting, joint pain, fever and depression.

(Courtesy of dogsite.do.am)

Grapes & Raisins
Ingestion of grapes and raisins can lead to the sudden onset of kidney failure. The toxic dose seems variable by weight and individual. So far, there's no way to know which dogs will develop kidney failure from a few grapes or several. Symptoms include vomiting, increased thirst and excessive to reduced urination as the injury progresses. Quick veterinary care is necessary if affected animals are to survive.

Onions
Onions and related garlic and leeks cause the hemoglobin in canine and feline red blood cells to precipitate or "clump," rendering those cells unable to carry oxygen properly and marking them for destruction by the body's immune system. This quickly leads to anemia, evidenced by pale gums, increased heart and respiratory rates, weakness, poor appetite and vomiting. How much is toxic? A thirty pound dog eating 1/4 cup of yummy sauteed onions and garlic would be in trouble.

DOUGHN'T!
(Courtesy of petswebmd.com)

Raw bread dough
If a pet eats raw dough made with yeast his body heat causes the dough to rise and the fermentation also produces alcohol. Signs can include bloating, non-productive retching, lethargy, respiratory depression, weakness and collapse.



Xylitol
This alcohol sugar is a sweetening agent in many candies, gums, baked goods and human toothpaste. It can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar and liver damage, both of which can be life-threatening. Signs in dogs can include vomiting, weakness, difficulty walking and seizures.

If you really need to share a people snack with your pup or kitten, try raw carrots, green beans, apple or melon, which have the added advantage of being low calorie!

Of Llamas and Cats

Few newborns are more endearing than kittens and crias.



(Courtesy of wishlistz.blogspot.com) 

In the case of kittens, they're the perfect size for snuggling and endlessly entertaining when they reach the pounce and play stage. One kitten is great fun, two or more is a party of climbing, hide and seek and wrestling. Toes under blankets need beware when a kitten's on the prowl.




(Courtesy of animaladay.blogspot.com)

Crias, the young of alpacas and llamas, are also endearing. Gaining their legs within minutes of birth, their upright posture and the way they seem to march forward always reminds me of toy soldiers. How could you not want to cuddle something warm and woolly and curious that looks like a stuffed animal come to life?


AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM!

Well, part of it anyway. Kittens and crias are such adorable youngsters that when they happen to be orphaned human caretakers tend to step in to save them, and then some. It's the 'and then some' that gets us into trouble.

In the case of kittens, many rescuers bottle feed and raise them to adulthood, completely unaware of the potential for danger. I've lost count of the number of adult cats I've seen in the exam room who were screaming, spitting, hissing terrors whose owners, sporting well-scratched arms and legs, have said something like, "I don't understand it. I raised her from 3 days old..." And now the very pet they've nursed and loved attacks them at home without noticeable warning and looks at me with something akin to murderous intent.

Similarly, hand-reared llamas can become so aggressive to people that there's a term for it, "Berzerk Male Syndrome". Despite the name, bottle-fed females can also develop aggression toward humans but usually limit their acting out to spitting and being generally difficult to handle. Berzerk males on the other hand are out to kill.

What's going on with these rescue cases?

Current thought is that the young animals imprint on their human caretakers, never developing a respect for human boundaries. It's not so much because of the bottle-feeding as it is the cuddling and handling that often accompanies it and isolation from others of the same species.

Male llamas by nature are territorial and aggressive in their defense of space and resources. If they perceive humans as "equals" because they've been hand-raised, when puberty hits people become the competition. Humans lose every time.

Although I'm not aware of any formal studies regarding hand-raised orphan kittens I've seen the results often enough to suspect something similar occurs in their little feline brains. Many cats are significantly less than delighted to be to be interrupted in their napping, placed in a carrier and driven a few miles to a strange-smelling veterinary clinic. Some will hide, some grumble a bit and the occasional patient complains loudly at a temperature taking or other invasion of personal space. In most cases there's an obvious reason for the fearfulness or complaint and I'm accustomed to working quickly and quietly to make their visit as stress-free as possible. And then there are the special cases who don't need any provocation to attack at home or in the exam room. Often when I ask, they've been hand raised alone by a doting owner, never learning to interact with other cats or other people properly.

The Solution
Ideally we wouldn't have orphans to raise, but barring the impossible there are some steps to take.

Alpaca and llama breeders are, (or should be), aware of the risks involved and take steps to raise their orphans with other llamas and discourage any playful nibbling, bumping, rearing and in-your-face behavior which seems cute in a little one but could be a prelude to trouble.

Orphaned kittens can be a little more challenging to properly socialize but every attempt should be made to find another cat to "mother" the baby, even if it  means bottle-feeding but placing the kitten elsewhere for his own good. If another cat nursing kittens can't be found, neutered adult males often make great uncles, tolerating a kitten's playfulness while teaching him his manners. And you can always call your veterinarian for ideas, most of us have a soft spot for small bundles of fur...

So long, farewell

(Courtesy of buzzle.com)

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while,  leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same."

– Flavia Weedn 

 

 

I recently said a lot good-byes. After more than two decades in a mixed small animal and equine practice and with a milestone birthday rapidly approaching, it's time for something different. However, despite looking forward to something new, I'm also losing regular contact with some very dear co-workers, friends, clients, and critters.

The good news is that my clients and patients are in good hands, the practice seems to be running smoothly and I have every confidence this will continue.

As I said a few personal good-byes, I was struck by the tears and depth of emotion expressed. I'm so very grateful to have met and worked with the many wonderful people who trusted me with their furry family members.

Great memories and lessons learned.

From Cocoa's mom, a fiercely independent woman in her 80's who only recently gave up cross-country RV travel, and then only to appease her doctors and adult children: Don't give up despite adversity and keep good people close. Stubborn isn't a bad thing in the pursuit of health and happiness. From Cocoa herself: Devotion beyond words.

From Bella, Iz and Gracie's parents: You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression. And little things matter as much as big things. Considering the fact that Bella tops 100 pounds and Gracie is little more than a handful of dog this goes for the entire family. Izabo, the middle child, is just lovable in a slightly goofy Irish Setter sort of way and further illustrates that you have to treat the individual and not the lab work which might say everything's normal. I also really appreciate that each of them knows how to walk nicely on a leash and step onto the scale and wait without wrestling or yelling, proof that all sizes of canines can have manners. I'm going to miss this motley crew. Canine relative Morton Keith, a corgi of rare distinction, may be the most pampered 40 pound lap dog I've ever met. We should all be so lucky.

From Felix and Eight Ball and company: Sometimes the usual treatment works for an unusual ailment, for a little while. After that you need to look more closely because sometimes hoof beats mean zebras, not horses. Never underestimate how much time and expense a devoted owner is willing to invest in her beloved felines! And thank goodness for veterinary specialists whose advanced training, specialized diagnostic equipment and expertise improve the quality and quantity of life for so many of our animal family members.

 

From Brenna and her mom: Go for it!

From Two's humans: Some people will give the shirt off their backs...to a newborn foal in a cold barn.

 

From Shiloh and the subsequent crew, schnauzers are people too, even if they do have ear-splitting yelps as puppies.

Baron and his mom: You may be in exactly the right place at precisely the right time even when you've never been there before and you're an hour early. I was reminded of an interesting extension of the concept of Mitzvah, a random act of kindness, which is that being vulnerable enough to allow someone the opportunity to help you is itself an act of kindness. Being real matters, and it's all too rare in our rush to do...what?

 

There are many, many more individuals and families I've been fortunate to know. Some have been mentioned in previous blogs and others will appear in future posts. I'm immensely grateful to all of them for the experience gained, the humor shared, the kindnesses shown, and especially the trust given. It's no small thing to place the life of someone you love in another's hands, and I've been honored.

 

"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch" – Garrison Keillor.

A Tale of Two Shepherds

I recently had two appointments with German Shepherds in one afternoon. They could hardly have been more different experiences.

The first dog had an eye irritation which turned out to be a mild conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the delicate tissue lining the eyelid. He cowered behind his owner and strained at the leash as soon as he entered the building then quivered and trembled and fretted for the entire conversation involving his history. Once on the exam table, he repeatedly jerked away at the slightest attempt at a closer look. His body language was screaming, "fear-biter," which is a term veterinarians and others in the dog world use to describe those dogs so afraid of something new that they tend to bite first and ask questions later. Dogs like this aren't necessarily aggressive but they can be extremely dangerous to handle because they panic.


(Courtesy of petmd.com)

The classic fear-biting dog has a cowering stance, tucked tail, ears back and a growl or snarl on his face. He's most dangerous when cornered or confined and may bark uncontrollably if approached. Owners frequently offer various explanations:
"He was abused..." (Never by them but in some unknown past.)
"He doesn't like men/women/short people/lab coats..." (Air?)
"He's never done this before." (Unless you count every time someone new visits or he goes out in public.)

The second Shepherd that afternoon was an entirely different story. He trotted in on a leash, looked around with interest, came forward to greet me with a tail wag and waited fairly calmly for his exam, routine vaccinations, deworming and a discussion of his next visit.

The first fearful, bundle-of-nerves dog was an 80 pound 2-year-old adult. The second was a fifteen pound 10-week-old pup off to a good start. These individuals illustrate the importance of early socialization in helping our canine companions along the road to good citizenship. Early, gentle but no-nonsense handling and consistent obedience training are crucial to safe canine-human interactions.

Puppies enter a particularly critical stage at about 12 weeks of age when it's especially important to expose them to good experiences with the many different nouns, (people, places, and things), they are likely to encounter as adults. Older dogs with fearful tendencies aren't lost causes. A consistent routine and basic obedience training will often give them the confidence to count on their owners for guidance.

Many times the fear-biter is anxious because he doesn't know what to expect or how to behave in a given situation. I often recommend  an owner start the fearful dog rehab process by perfecting  a good sit, down, stay command in a non-stressful home setting. It also helps to avoid inadvertently reinforcing fearful behavior by reassuring an overly anxious pet in a nice voice, "It's o.k.," which essentially tells him his over-the-top behavior is appropriate. Rather than comforting, giving a calm, "No. Sit." followed by a pat and "Good," once he's sitting is often enough to quell the anxiety and allow the pet to relax and have a good experience in a new place. It can take some time and patience, but your veterinarian and visitors will thank you. (And if your pet ever needs hospitalization and treatment it will actually be possible to help him...)

Tick Talk & Timely Tips

'Tis the season for all manner of creepy crawly critters in and on our pets and sometimes on us. A quick line up of the usual suspects and some tips for keeping them at bay:

TICKS, FLEAS & MOSQUITOES
Technically members of the arachnid class, (like spiders), ticks have 8 legs and multiple life stages wishing for a blood meal on a passing mammal or bird. Their habit of feeding, maturing, feeding, molting, and feeding again makes them excellent disease vectors.

Adult tick activity is at a peak in fall and early winter. Coincidentally, adult ticks are most likely to transmit disease. Protect yourself and your pets while out and about in the woods this season.

Here's a good picture to help differentiate between deer ticks and dog ticks.
The pencil gives a good sense of scale and both deer ticks and dog ticks are in the same shot


Brown Dog Ticks               Deer Ticks                          
A. Engorged Female            D. Larvae
B. Female                             E. Nymphs
C. Male                                 F. Males
                                             G. Females
                                             H. Engorged Female



Fleas are another blood thirsty pest, many detailed technical resources exist. Suffice to say one female flea can produce approximately three gazillion baby fleas, all of them hungry and none too discriminating about who they feast on. Rodent fleas were a significant contributing factor in the spread of bubonic plague in 14th century Europe, killing an estimated 25 million people.

Mosquitoes, often referred to as the state bird of Michigan, are a plague unto themselves for people and pets.


In addition to a significant "ick" factor, ticks, fleas and mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting a variety of diseases and blood parasites to a variety of animals, humans included. A few examples are listed below.

Diseases Transmitted by Ticks
Babesiosis
Ehrlichiosis
Lyme Disease
Anaplasmosis
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Diseases Transmitted by Fleas
Tape worms
Mycoplasma
Bobcat fever, (Cytauxzoon felis)
Bubonic plague, (Yersinia pestis)

Diseases Transmitted by Mosquitoes
Heartworm
West Nile Virus
Eastern &Western Encephalitis

CUTEREBRA
This is an affliction of rabbits, squirrels, kittens and young cats with outdoor exposure. The Cuterebra fly eggs hatch into larvae which enter the body through the mouth, nose, or a wound then migrate under the skin. The larva creates a breathing hole in the skin and grows up to an inch in length and 1/2 inch in diameter before burrowing out to pupate into an adult fly.


LICE
Lice are species-specific, meaning animals don't share their lice with people and human lice do not live on pets. You can be sure your school age youngster did not catch lice from sleeping with the family pet but rather from close contact with another infested child.

CHEYLETIELLA, OTODECTES, DEMODEX & SARCOPTES MITES
Another arachnid group, these mites are the cause of "walking dandruff, ear mites and two types of mange. Close contact with another infested animal is necessary for transmission. Sarcoptic mange mites can infest people, causing a rash and intense itching.

INTESTINAL PARASITES
Cats and dogs are susceptible to a variety of intestinal worms. The common names, (hook, round, tape and whip), refer to the shape or physical characteristic of the offensive party. All are transmitted by ingesting contaminated feces or intermediate hosts like fleas, and some may be spread from dam to newborn via the placenta or milk. Additionally, hookworm larvae can penetrate human skin and migrate around the body. Intestinal parasites are a significant cause of diarrhea, anemia, weight loss and poor growth in our animal friends. An estimated 90% of equine colic cases are caused by intestinal worms.

Now that you're suspiciously itchy and just plain suspicious of your furry companions, some tips for preventing and treating your pet's "pets."


The good news is, disease from every one of the above parasites is preventable.

First, pay attention to your pet's skin, hair coat and general condition. If you know what's normal you'll be better able to recognize a problem. Regular grooming feels good to your pet and allows you to find fleas and ticks quickly before a full blown infestation or disease transmission can occur.

Second, regular veterinary exams, heartworm and intestinal parasite testing are an important part of wellness care which can extend both the quality and quantity of your pet's life. This is true for indoor only, indoor mostly, and indoor never pets.

Third, intelligent use of preventatives for fleas, ticks and heartworm disease can virtually eliminate these afflictions. Please consult your veterinarian for the safest and most effective products for use in your area. Many over-the-counter products for use on pets have insecticide concentrations 15 to 20 times those used in premise and kennel sprays. Some OTC flea and tick products have resulted in adverse reactions ranging from skin irritation to severe vomiting, diarrhea, coma, seizures and death.

Fourth, limit your pet's exposure to pests. For example, indoor cats don't get cuterebra larvae. Limiting exposure to wildlife areas or dog parks along with regular testing and treatment as needed can prevent most intestinal infestations.

If the thought of hugging your furry family member now gives you pause, maybe there's something you can do to fix it...

Dog Days Of August II

In my last post I wrote about a young beagle caught in a trap and what seemed to be a happy ending. Now for the rest of her story.

The excitement of her rescue faded in the ensuing weeks, and after a few retellings of her story, (including a cautionary note about traps), routine settled in again. As much routine as possible anyway when a late night call for a stray hit by a car didn't especially raise my eyebrows. The lady who called was neither an established client nor a pet owner but rather a Good Samaritan who found an injured dog in the dark on the expressway and wanted to bring her in for care. Remarkably, despite multiple pelvic fractures and some road rash she was fairly stable when I examined her. I administered supportive fluids, antibiotics and a good dose of pain medication. I gently cleaned her wounds, protectively bandaged what I could, and bedded the little beagle down for the few hours until morning.

(Courtesy of winnepeg.olx.ca)

 
It was actually my assistant who, looking askance at the stray beagle, said she looked familiar. (I must confess, after 20-odd years of practice, to a certain blurring of tri-colored beagles. If you've seen one...)

(Courtesy of diamondkennel09)

"No way," we decided.
It couldn't possibly be the one we'd rescued and placed in the care of an established doggie person. Still, she did have a certain air of familiarity and a bit of an indentation behind her ears and so we called our foster home and inquired about the beagle we'd placed.

Sounding a bit distressed, the gentleman said she was a diligent digger and after several foiled attempts had managed to escape his fenced yard several days after he took her home, in the vicinity of the expressway upon which our current inmate had been hit.  By this time, the lady who had rescued her had decided she'd like to adopt and nurse the broken little dog back to health and so she did. In the ensuing several years our twice-rescued stray healed, sailed through a couple of surgeries and despite an uneven gait and some issues with constipation has been quite healthy. Aptly or not, her name now is "Lucky."

(Courtesy of The Reticule)

Dog Days of August

(Courtesy of Tom Warner)

It was the kind of 100% humidity August afternoon in Michigan  that made you wish it would rain just so you'd have an excuse for being drenched.  A sweltering, heavy, breeze less day that made even the thought of being outdoors, much less any exertion, exhausting. I was thankful to be returning from lunch to the relative comfort of an air conditioned office when I heard the ear-splitting cry of an animal in distress.

The clinic is rural, with a big circular driveway in front and about a 30-50 foot swath of mowed lawn on the sides and back. Immediately beyond this bit of tended green is taller grass and brush and the occasional tree which abuts, on one side, a large vegetable garden in the summer. On this late summer day the garden was well on its way to harvest, and I suspect it was an attempt to protect the produce which led to one of the most horrific scenes I've ever happened upon.

Dropping my keys and purse on the porch I followed the screaming around the corner of the clinic and into the brush to find a beagle with her head down a groundhog hole. I thought perhaps she'd tangled with the occupant but found it odd that she was crying so but not trying to back pedal. It's for good reason beagles are known for their keenness of nose rather than mind, but even a beagle should have elected retreat at that point. Except she couldn't retreat, because rather than a groundhog on her snout, the steel jaws of an illegally placed Conibear trap had closed on her head.

By that time my receptionist was also back from lunch. Neither of us was familiar with the release mechanism, (see above link), but we had a plan to save the little tri-colored stray. I grabbed emergency supplies and anesthetic while she started phoning for help. She knew the neighbor with the garden and didn't spare his feelings telling him what had happened and that if he or his son had anything to do with it to get over immediately. (I should note here that she doesn't share my aversion to profanity-laced tirades.) Within minutes we had pain medications and a light sedative on board and her head free. Amazingly, the jaws had closed at such an angle on her skull that her airway and other vital structures were spared. The other big concerns were dehydration and hyperthermia. With her head down a hole in a sunny field on such a hot day she was unable to cool herself by panting and her panicked struggling had only added to her distress.

(Courtesy of VanEton Galleries)

Hoping for the best, I carried her into the clinic and began supportive treatment. I placed an intravenous catheter, started fluids and steroids and watched her...getting better by the minute.

      
Not only had she survived wandering off from wherever she came from, which very likely included a jaunt across a busy Michigan Highway, and a steel trap closing on her head, but an hour after finding her, she was lapping a small drink of water and wagging her tail. We suspected she was a refugee from a kennel with too many dogs and not enough food. With little discussion, we implemented the veterinary version of don't ask, don't tell and, with a healthy dollop of serendipity, had her placed in a foster home by 4:30.

Except she didn't stay there either...

(To be continued.)

Eeking Out a Living

"If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember, this whole thing started with a dream and a mouse."


(Courtesy of epiclol.com)

Or so Walt Disney said. And in many cases I have to agree with him, especially the mouse part...because in my case the mouse part's connected to the house part, and the house part's connected to, well, the stuff of nightmares.



This led to a couple of notable discoveries, the development of previously unknown skills, and, after almost two decades, a nicely remodeled house.

First the discoveries:

By some accounts the main portion of our house is approaching 140-150 years of age. Another way to look at it is that it's seen the turn of two centuries. Understandably, precious few things retain their original integrity after that many seasons, and, with the exception of the petrified oak beams in the basement which aren't going anywhere in the foreseeable century, the house is among them. My point is, at the time of purchase, the house was something significantly less than mouse-proof. We discovered this when cold weather set in and presumably chilly mousies began migrating in with alarming frequency. Which is to say any more often than never.

The house had been repeatedly remuddled over the years, a fact glaringly in evidence as we undertook our own updating, revitalising, and mouse-proofing projects. We learned pretty quickly that a seemingly simple project inevitably led to the discovery of four more that needed tending to before the original endeavor could be completed, and often not in the usual manner. "Level,"  "plumb,"  and "square" must have been relative terms back in the late 1800's, (as in distantly related and frequently disowned step-cousins.)

This is one reason I came home for lunch on a summer afternoon when the girls were young to find a hole in bathroom wall.
A wall-sized hole.
Looking into the backyard.
It had started  as a simple, smallish, pre-hung window replacement.

Similarly, there was the late October evening during a partial roof reshingle gone awry in the time-management sense when it started to snow. In the dining room.

In retrospect, given the regularity with which we breached the exterior of the house, it's little wonder the wee critters helped themselves indoors on occasion.

(This book by Jennifer Grant, Elizabeth and
Cathy Crown suggests my house-sharing
cats aren't alone.)

The other significant discovery was that my house cats were woefully deficient in the mouse-catching department. How bad were they? They were so inept that if, after significant effort, time, and a complete absence of collaboration, they did manage to nab a furry grey beastie, they subsequently lost it. I should note, they never "lost" them in easily accessible places. No, my non-lethal felines virtually invited them to reside in places like the lazy boy rocking chair. I know this because they were astonishingly more adept at mouse-watching than mouse-catching, sort of like pointers instead of retrievers.                                         


Which is what led to the perfection of a previously unsuspected skill set. Perhaps because I am acutely aware of the potential for disease and the designated animal professional in the family, (not to mention vermin-averse), I became the best mouser in the house. I do not especially relish the title but somebody's gotta do it. In my case, 'it' initially involved a towel placed over the furry interloper who was then transported across the street to a more rodent-suitable field. (Color me guilty of residential profiling if you must but I make no apology for the fact that they were all summarily relegated to the corn field entirely without due process.) By the time my youngest daughter woke me one morning with a shriek and the words, "Mom, I need your mouse-catching skills," and I walked out the door with the mouse less than 30 seconds later I had graduated to merely lifting them by the tail...saved on laundry!

Thankfully, it's been awhile and with a bit of luck my mouse-nabbing endeavors have ended.
Anyone interested in a nicely remodeled and mouse-proofed 3-bedroom ranch in the country??