Dana Niguel Veterinary Hospital » Healthy Pets

Top Ten Toxins in the Kitchen for you Dog and Cat

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:58:19 +0000

1. Chocolate

2. Grapes, raisins and currants

3. Xylitol/ sugar free gum or candy

4. Fatty table scraps

5. Onions and garlic

6. Compost

7. Human medication

8. Macademia nuts

9. Household cleaners

10. Unbaked bread dough/alcohol

if you are unsure call the Pet Poison Helpline at 800 213-6680

Top 10 Most Common Expensive Conditions for Pets

admin — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:49:09 +0000

abdominal surgery with the laproscope

Cats and Dog Owners turned in more

$1000 plus insurance claims to VPI

for the following conditions:

6831 claims for torn knee ligament/cartilage

1005 claims for intestinal foreign object

954 claims for stomach foreign object

879 claims for intervert3ebral disc disease

372 claims for stomach torsion/ bloat

126 claims for laryngeal paralysisrup

124 claims for tumor of the throat

104 claims for ear canal surgery:ablation

102 claims for ruptured bile duct

How to Keep an Old Dog Fit and Healthy

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:30:29 +0000

Noah turns 14 !

A few weeks ago we celebrated Noah’s birthday. Most people don’t recognize Noah as a lab since he is a bit of a freak of nature, he is thin. So what is the secret of a long and happy life?

1. Good Oral health- Noah is a tartar hound. If I didn’t brush his teeth every night his breath would be atrocious but more importantly his kidney and heart would get showered with bacteria every time he ate. It is never too late to start brushing your dog’s teeth. Oravet gel will help keep the plaque down too.

2. Keep their weight on the thin side- Yes he may look “skinny” but that means his poor old joints are not having to work as hard. Think about jumping off the roof with an extra 20-50 pounds strapped to your back- what would that do to your knees?

3. Nutrition- At Dana Niguel Veterinary Hospital we are firm believers in a high quality and not quantity diet. If that means you are cooking for your dog or feeding them a raw diet, check with a veterinarian or a boarded nutritionist to make sure the diet is balanced. We routinely add fish oil to Noah’s diet, Wellpride makes a great supplement for horses that can be poured on. Duralactin is a great milk byproduct supplement that has shown improvement with arthritis. These supplements don’t have the side effects that some pain relievers have. That is not to say that prescription pain killers are a bad thing, they can really add to the quality of life, they just have to be used judiciously.

4. What else can you do? Also from the horse side is a joint supplement call “Adequan” that is injected under the skin and helps keep the joints lubed. And the last secret to keeping Noah playing like a puppy- Stem Cells! Noah’s own fat was harvested in a simple procedure. Vet-Stem is the laboratory that processes the fat, extracts the stem and other regenerative cells and ships doses of Noah’s own stem cells right to Dana Niguel Veterinary Hospital for treatment. The cells can then be injected right into his vein or into the joint that is most bothering him or both. We have used stem cells about once a year to get back his “yippy skippy” moves and joy of play.

Top 10 Pet Medical Conditions of 2010

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:17:39 +0000

Do you have an itchy dog? At Dana Niguel Veterinary Hospital we see alot of itchy, smelly dogs. Often allergies can manifast as an ear infection or chewing on their feet. If your dog or cat has allergies you are not alone. According to new data, skin ailments are among the most common in American pets. Here’s a look at the top 10 conditions in dogs, cats, and exotic pets, according to Veterinary Pet Insurance’s database of more than 485,000 insured pets:

Dogs
1. Ear infection
2. Skin allergy
3. Skin infection/hot spots
4. Gastritis/vomiting
5. Enteritis/diarrhea
6. Arthritis
7. Bladder infection
8. Soft tissue trauma
9. Non-cancerous tumor
10. Hypothyroidism

Cats
1. Lower urinary tract disease
2. Gastritis
3. Chronic renal failure
4. Hyperthyroidism
5. Diabetes
6. Enteritis/diarrhea
7. Skin allergy
8. Periodontitis/dental disease
9. Ear infection
10. Upper respiratory infection

Pets need pearly whites, too

admin — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:07:47 +0000

Here are some helpful hints from Laurie Williams on how to brush your pet’s teeth

By LAURIE WILLIAMS | For the Stafford County Sun
Published: March 02, 2011

From a very young age we’re taught the importance of dental care. Brushing and flossing daily to prevent bacteria buildup and ward off periodontal disease and gingivitis is part of most of our normal routines. However, when it comes to our pets, this routine isn’t pushed nearly as much as it should be, and that’s unfortunate. Just like humans, studies have linked poor dental care to heart, liver, kidney disease and other long-term health issues for our pets. When care isn’t taken, harmful microorganisms can enter our pets’ bloodstream and lead to all sorts of health problems.

The American Veterinary Dental Society reports that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three. To maintain good oral health at home, the American Animal Hospital Association recommends brushing your pet’s teeth daily, and by implementing some effective pet dental care techniques, acclimating your pet to the procedure can be easier than you think.

1. Introduce your pet to brushing as early as possible. It’s always easier the younger the pet is.

2. First get the pet used to you putting your fingers in his mouth. A great technique for this is to dip your finger in something the pet finds especially yummy like chicken or beef bouillon or tuna water and then gently rub along the pet’s gums and teeth.

3. As your pet grows more accepting of this procedure, you can start substituting your finger for gauze or a soft bristled toothbrush.

4. Next you can add the toothpaste. Be sure to select a toothpaste made especially for dogs and cats, usually meat or fish flavored. Human toothpaste, especially fluorinated, and baking soda is unsuitable and could cause stomach upset and/or illness.

5. Always work in a slow, gentle manner, and make it a positive experience by lavishing praise for your dog or cat’s compliance. Since the toothpaste has a pleasing taste, your pet should view it as a treat and be all too willing to cooperate.

6. Work on one side of your pet’s mouth first, then proceed to the other side, ensuring you brush every area of the teeth and gums.

7. Always wash your pet’s toothbrush thoroughly after use. This will prevent it from hardening and possibly hurting your pet’s gums. Ensure that the toothbrushes are rinsed off properly post all uses as toothpastes have a tendency of hardening on the brushes when not taken off.

8. If your dog or cat seems overly stressed, try wrapping him or her in a large bath towel during the session.

9. Take your pet to the veterinarian for regular dental exams. This will help your veterinarian keep tabs on your pet’s dental health and make recommendations for extra care and cleanings.

10. Although it shouldn’t take the place of daily brushing, adding specially made dental products such as chews and toys have proven effective in the removal of plaque. Search for products that are veterinarian recommended.

Stafford business owner Laurie Williams is a nationally-recognized dog trainer and multimedia personality. Reach her at onesmartpooch@aol.com.

Questions: Do Pets need their Teeth Brushed?

admin — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:13:24 +0000

Most pet owners do not realize that “doggy breath” is caused by bacteria and tartar. Every time your dog or cats takes a bite of food, a microscopic amount of bacterial breaks off. The two main areas where you see the damage from this bacteria is on the heart valve and the kidneys. So if you want to do one thing that will help your pet live longer, pick out the appropriate sized toothbrush and use only pet toothpaste. The best way to get started is to bring your dog or cat into Dana Niguel for a thorough teeth cleaning- start with a clean slate. Have the staff show you how to get started brushing the teeth you want to keep!

Over the next few blogs I will illustrate how you can get started on keeping your pet’s pearly whites.

Dipping into the Chocolate Fountain

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:35:51 +0000

This is Graham, my wonderful (most of the time) Jack Russell Terrier. We brought out the chocolate fountain for our hospital Christmas party and you can see who was most helpful at the post party cleanup. As you may know, Jacks are very quick and this can get them into trouble. Since this is a common event around the holidays, I thought that I would use the occasion to discuss chocolate toxicity in dogs. Graham, by the way, is fine.
The signs of chocolate toxicity depend upon both the size of the dog and the amount (and type) of chocolate ingested. A small amount of milk chocolate may have no effect at all, while an ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate can be fatal to a 10 pound dog. Clinical signs usually occur within 6 to 12 hours after feasting. Initial signs include increase thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, and restlessness. Signs progress to hyperactivity, increase urinations, weakness, tremors, and seizures. Other effects include rapid heart rate, heart arrhythmias, rapid respirations, cyanosis, hypertension, hyperthermia, and coma. Because of the high fat content of many chocolate products, pancreatitis is a potential secondary problem 24 to 72 hours after eating. Death is generally due to cardiac arrhythmias or respiratory failure.
White chocolate has very low amounts of theobromine, the offending ingredient in chocolate, so while not an ideal nutrient for dogs, it is not toxic.

Compound                                           Theobromine (mg/oz)                          Caffeine (mg/oz)
White chocolate                                  0.25                                                          0.85
Milk chocolate                                     58                                                             6
Dark, sweet chocolate                        130                                                           20
Semi-sweet chocolate chips              138                                                           22
Baker/s (unsweetened) chocolate   393                                                           47
Dry cocoa powder                               737                                                           70
Instant cocoa power                           136                                                           15
Cocoa beans                                         600                                                          NA

Based on ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) experience, mild signs occur in animals ingesting 10 mg/lb of theobromine and caffeine, severe signs are seen at 20-25 mg/lb, and seizures occur at 30 mg/lb. Accordingly, less than 1 oz of milk chocolate/lb is potentially lethal to dogs; for baking (unsweetened) chocolate, less than 0.1 oz/lb is potentially lethal.

Does my cat have the “Swine Flu”?

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:29:30 +0000

The situation for cats to develop swine flu appears to be somewhat worse than it is for dogs. Unfortunately we had one of the few diagnosed cases of H1N1, “swine flu”, in a feline patient, which did cause death. The patient arrived in the morning and worsened rapidly throughout the day. He was transferred to a critical care facility that night but passed away despite very aggressive treatment. The owners were not showing clinical signs of influenza but one of the owners was a nurse in a human hospital and the suspected source of infection for our feline patient. We still expect, and hope, that there will not be many cases of swine flu in our feline companions, but because of the possibility of human to feline transfer, I would recommend using the same precautions that are used to prevent human to human transfer, with our companion animals, if a family member is suffering with the H1N1 virus, to prevent the unlikely transfer to our feline family members.

Moist Cough and Runny nose- does my dog have the “Swine Flu”?

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:28:13 +0000

Moist Cough and Runny nose- does my dog have the “Swine Flu”? Not likely. There have not been any recognized cases of swine flu, H1N1, in dogs in the United States, only 2 cases in dogs in China as of December, 2009. There have been many cases of the Canine influenza virus, H3N8, in dogs since it was first recognized in 2004. In the mild form, the most common clinical sign is a cough that persists for 10 to 21 days despite treatment with antibiotics and cough suppressants. Most dogs have a soft, moist cough, whereas others have a dry cough that is similar to that induced by a kennel cough like infection. Many dogs have a purulent nasal discharge and a low-grade fever. The nasal discharge is usually caused by secondary bacterial infections. Some dogs are more severely affected with clinical signs of pneumonia, such as a high-grade fever (104°F to 106°F) and increased respiratory rate and effort. The death rate has ranged from 0% to 5%. Higher case fatality rates have been reported in small groups of racing greyhounds that developed hemorrhagic pneumonia during outbreaks.

In May 2009, the USDA approved the licensure of the first influenza vaccine for dogs developed by Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health Corporation. The canine influenza vaccine contains inactivated whole virus of H3N8. We are not currently recommending use of the vaccine at DNVH but would change that recommendation if changing conditions warranted. In the four years since the virus was first recognized, we have not diagnosed any cases of canine influenza at DNVH, nor have any other local hospitals.

inks to more information about canine influenza
Control of Canine Influenza in Dogs: Questions, Answers and Interim Guidelines (AVMA)
Canine Influenza: Podcast by Dr. Cynda Crawford (AVMA)
Key Facts about Canine Influenza (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Canine Influenza: Frequently Asked Questions by Dog Owners (University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine)
Canine Influenza Fact Sheet (Iowa State University)
Canine Influenza (University of California-Davis Shelter Medicine Program)
Canine Influenza Virus: Detection, Sampling and Statistics (Cornell University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory)

Influenza: Canine, Feline and Human H1N1 Part I

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:32:55 +0000

Have you heard about the recent Swine Flu case in cats and dogs? The Influenza A Virus subtype H1N1, aka “swine flu”, has infected over 450,000 people in the United States, causing 10,000 deaths as of late December, 2009. The H1N1 virus has crossed species and apparently infected both dogs (in China) and cats (in the States). There have even been a few deaths in felines in this country (see the following blog).

I expect that few veterinarians will see, or recognize, dogs and cats with the H1N1 virus. Far more common nationally in dogs, although so far uncommon in Southern California, is the canine influenza virus, H3N8. It was first recognized in Florida greyhounds in 2004. It is suspected that the canine influenza virus was a mutation of the equine influenza virus, and is extremely contagious in dogs.