Hairballs

A problem that we frequently encounter in cats is hairballs.  You may find these where you least expect them, like in your shoe, on your couch, or anywhere else your cat decides to deposit them.  When you come across them, it isn't pleasant! 

A hairball, or trichobezoar, is a compacted mass of hair in the digestive tract.  When a cat cleans itself, it usually ingests the loose hair.  Hair is not digestible, so it passes unchanged through the digestive tract and comes out in the faeces.  However, in some cats, the hair collects in the stomach or small intestine, causing irritation of the stomach lining.  Sometimes, the hair can even cause an intestinal blockage.  Hairballs can occur in both long and short-haired cats.

 When your cat is trying to vomit up a hairball, it will make an awful hacking noise similar to a cough.  The hairball may or may not come up with the vomit. Your cat may do this regularly until the hairball is expelled.  If your cat is coughing and does not bring anything up, it may have another problem, such as feline asthma. That calls for a visit to your vet, as does hairball expulsion that occurs more than once or twice a month.

You can help your cat reduce the amount of hair it ingests with daily brushing.  It is important to use the correct type of brush.  Many brushes will just glide over the surface of the coat and do not remove the loose, dead hair.  A good brush to use is a Furminator, which removes a lot of the undercoat.  A fine-toothed comb or rubber glove are also good for grooming.  Some cats will also eat plants and grasses to make themselves vomit up a hairball.

You will be glad to know that you can treat your cat for hairballs by either increasing the fiber in the diet, or feeding your cat a lubricant.  Nowadays, there are many commercial diets that contain 'hairball control,' which is powdered cellulose or beet pulp to increase the fiber content.  When the fiber content is higher, the transit through the stomach and intestines is improved, causing the hair to be passed out in the faeces.  If you put your cat on a hairball diet, do it gradually, over 5 to 7 days, so as not to upset the stomach further.

Lubricants such as petroleum jelly and mineral oil can also help your cat eliminate hairballs.  Petroleum jelly is not absorbed by the intestine and passes through unchanged.   To use it, smear a glob of it onto the paws so that your cat will lick it off.  Do this daily for 1 to 2 weeks, then decrease to once or twice a week for maintenance.  You can also get hairball treats or paste.  These contain mineral oil, which acts like petroleum jelly.  But it also has a laxative effect, so don't go overboard with the treats!

Hydration also helps to keep hairballs to a minimum.  Make sure that your cat always has access to fresh water.  You can get a pet water fountain that not only filters the water, but also recirculates it.  Encouraging your cat to drink water will help to prevent urinary tract problems.

If you follow the simple steps as outlined above, you and your cat will benefit!

Is My Pet Senile?

Senility is a condition that affects people and animals alike.  Known as cognitive dysfunction syndrome in cats and dogs, it affects over 50 percent of dogs 10 years and older, and over 28 percent of cats 11 years and older.  Quite often, owners don't realize that there is a problem.  My beloved old dog, Bijoux, who is 14, has been showing signs of this disease for the past 4 months, so I thought that it would be helpful to share them with you.

Symptoms of cognitive dysfunction are similar to those of people with Alzheimer's disease:

• Change in sleep patterns - pacing and inability to sleep at night
• Confusion or disorientation - your dog may get trapped in corners, behind furniture, get lost in your own back yard, or stare into space.
• Urinating or defecating inappropriately in the house - even if your dog has just been outside, or your cat has an indoor litter tray
• Decreased activity levels
• Increased irritability
• Anxiety and apathy
• Increased vocalization
• Inability to respond to commands or do tricks

As you can see, the symptoms are vague, so it is important to keep a record of any abnormal behaviors that your pet is exhibiting.  Many other conditions can cause the symptoms listed above:  a urinary tract infection can cause inappropriate urination in the house; arthritis can lead to decreased activity levels and irritability; and deafness can make a pet unable to respond to commands.  To diagnose canine cognitive dysfunction, other diseases have to be ruled out through physical exam, urinalysis, blood work, and x-ray. 

Unfortunately we can't reverse the aging process, but medications can help to slow down the progression of cognitive dysfunction.  These medications are not licensed in cats, but have been used with some success.  There are also prescription diets available for both cats and dogs to help treat cognitive dysfunction.

Traveling With Your Pet

The Road Safety Authority's new campaign on road safety neglects one issue -- traveling safely with animals in the car.  It is important that you and your passengers buckle up, whether your passenger has 2 legs or 4 legs!  The proper safety measures can save both your life and your pet's.

When going on a car journey, regardless of how short it is, you must keep animals restrained.  This will prevent them from jumping onto the dashboard or out the window, or even sitting or standing in your lap while you are driving.  If you have a cat or small dog, the easiest mode of transport is a travel cage.  You can attach the cage to the seat belt for extra security.  For larger dogs, use a dog seat belt.  This is a harness that you can connect to the seat belt.  You can also use the harness for walking when you take you dog out of the car.  If your car is large enough, you can fit a large cage or divider to create a separate area for your dog.  We have had clients that have either been in car accidents or received a ticket for having an animal loose in the car.

Once your dog is safely in the car, lock the doors and turn on the child locks.  The same goes for automatic windows.  Dogs are curious creatures and may stand on the window button or on the door handle, thus opening the window or door.  As a vet, I have seen a number of dogs that have either jumped out an open window of a moving car, or been injured by flying debris after sticking its head out the window.  These are avoidable accidents.

Whenever you travel with your pet, no matter how short the journey, always make sure that you have a collar and ID tag on your pet.  Your should also get your pet microchipped, as this is a permanent form of identification implanted under the skin by a simple injection.  When a stray animal is brought to a vet, animal shelter, or dog pound, a scanner reads the microchip number.  This number is put into a database and your contact details can be retrieved to reunite you with your pet.  If your pet is already microchipped, please make sure that your contact details are correct.

Always travel with extra leads, collars, blankets, and water.  You never know when these can come in handy.  Also keep a supply of plastic bags, poop bags, and paper towels to clean up any messes inside and outside your car!  If going on a long journey, bring water with you.  There are non-spill water dishes available that are great for car trips.

Most importantly, NEVER leave your pet in the car.  Your pet can get hypothermia in cold temperatures and hyperthermia in average to hot temperatures.  Your car can become an icebox or an oven, even if the windows are open.

From Animals First Pet Safety Authority!

In an Emergency - Heimlich Maneuver and CPR

The other morning, I received a phone call from a very upset owner that her dog was choking on a piece of meat.  By the time she called me, the dog's tongue had started to turn blue.  I explained how to do the Heimlich maneuver on her dog, and within seconds the piece of meat came out.  Thankfully, the dog survived.

It is important to know basic first aid for pets as well as people.  Here is a description of how to do the Heimlich maneuver and CPR.  These may save your dog's life!  Print this out and e-mail it to friends so they too can become familiar with these procedures.

HEIMLICH MANEUVER

First make sure that your dog or cat is choking and not having breathing difficulties.  Both choking and breathing difficulties will cause the tongue to change color to a purple or bluish hue.  When an animal is choking, it tries to cough and paws at its face, and its eyes may bulge.  Remember a distressed animal can bite, so be very careful.  If the animal is trying to bite, wrap it in a blanket to protect yourself.  Have someone contact the vet immediately.  This is an emergency!

      1)  If you are able to, carefully open your dog's mouth by grasping the upper jaw, behind the canines, with one hand.  With your other hand, grasp the lower jaw to open the mouth.  Make sure to leave your forefinger free so that you can reach the obstruction.  When you open your dog's mouth, look into it first because you may be able to see the obstruction and pull it out with your finger.  Do not try to grab something that you can't see because dogs have small bones in their throats, and you can do damage trying to pull at their anatomy.

      2)  Gravity - Try lifting the hindquarters of the animal, which may be enough to dislodge the object.

      3)   Back blows - With the palm of your hand, give the animal 4 to 5 sharp blows between the shoulder blades.  Try having the hindquarters raised at the same time.  Gravity is a great friend!

      4)  If you have a small dog or cat, hold it to your chest with the legs facing away from you.   Lean forward so the the head is lower than the hindquarters.   Make a fist with one hand and and place your other hand over it.  Place your hands on the upper abdomen, directly below the rib cage.  Press in and up, using 3 to 5 thrusts.  Repeat this 2 to 3 times.  For larger dogs, try placing the hind legs on a step or a chair for this procedure.

      5)  Once the object is dislodged, remove it immediately so that your dog doesn't eat it again.

      6)  If you dog is not breathing, you will have to do CPR.

CPR

Like the Heimlich manuever, CPR is another lifesaving procedure that everyone should know.  If your pet is collapsed and not breathing, start CPR immediately and have someone contact your vet to tel them that you are on the way over with an emergency.  Time is of the essence.  If you know the ABCs of CPR, you may save your pet's life!

Your pet will probably be unconscious, so make sure that you lie your pet on its right side.

A is for airway - Establish on open airway by extending the head and pulling out the tongue.  Look into the mouth to make sure there are no foreign objects or debris in the mouth.  If there is anything there, clear it away immediately.

B is for breathing - Look, listen, and feel for breath.  Look at the chest to see if it is moving.  Feel for breath by placing your hand over the nose.  You can also pull some of your pet's hair and hold it over the nose.  If your pet is breathing, you will see the hair move.  Listen for breaths by putting your ear next to the animal's mouth.  If your dog is not breathing, start rescue breaths immediately.  Hold the mouth closed,  inhale and place your mouth over the nose, and exhale watching the animal's chest rise.  Allow the lungs to deflate before giving the next breath.  Give 5 breaths.

C is for circulation -  Check for a heartbeat or pulse before you begin chest compressions.  To check for a heartbeat, bend the animal's leg towards the body.  The point where the elbow meets the chest is where you can feel the heartbeat.  To feel for the pulse, place your three fingers in the middle of the thigh and slide them to the inside of the leg toward the groin.  There will be an indentation between the muscles.  This is where the femoral artery lies.  It can be difficult to find, so make sure that you are familiar with the location of this vein on your pet before there is an emergency.

If you do not feel a heart beat or pulse, begin chest compressions.  Bring the animal's elbow up to the chest to locate the position of the heart.  With your palm flat, place it over the area.  Place your other hand on top and interlock your fingers.  Straighten your arms and give 15 rapid compressions downward.  For small dogs and cats, you only want the compressions to go down about and inch or less.  For large dogs, the compressions should go down 2-3 inches.

After 15 compressions, give 1 rescue breath. Repeat this pattern until you see or feel signs of life.  You must check the animal every minute or every 4 cycles of compressions for a heartbeat or pulse.  You can do CPR for up to 20 minutes.

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Cold Weather Tips

In the cold winter months, there are a few things that we can do for our pets to keep them safe.

• Adequate Housing - If your pets have to stay outside, provide an insulated house that is elevated off the ground.  There should be a flap over the entrance to retain the heat within the house and keep out drafts.  You should line the house with straw, hay, or extra blankets for warmth.  Make sure the entrance of the house is sheltered to avoid cold winds.  Most importantly, do not get an oversized house.  Your pet's body heat warms the inside of the house, so if the house is too big, it can't be warmed efficiently.

• Diet - Pets that spend most of their time outside use more calories to stay warm.  It is important to increase the amount that you feed them to compensate for this.  But do the opposite for pets that live indoors.  Decrease the amount of food they get because they probably don't exercise as much in the winter months.

• Water bowls - Animals must have access to fresh water at all times.  Bowls left outside are likely to freeze.  Avoid using metal bowls outside because your pet's tongue can actually get stuck to the metal, which can be painful.  Use plastic or ceramic bowls.  In extreme temperatures, certain plastics and ceramic can crack, so monitor them closely.

• Frostbite -  It is important to bring outdoor dogs and cats inside when the temperature dips below -7 degrees Centigrade.  At these low temperatures, animals left outside can get frostbite on their ears, feet, and noses.  Very young and elderly animals should be treated with extra care because they are even more susceptible to the effects of low temperatures.

• Paw Care - Wipe or wash your pet's feet after a walk to remove any irritating salt and ice-melting chemicals.  A thorough cleaning will also prevent your pet from licking the salt or chemicals off their feet, which can cause an upset stomach.  If there is snow or ice between the pads, place the paws in lukewarm water to melt it.  Do not pull the snow or ice off the coat because it will be painful to your pet.

• Identification - As always, make sure that your dog or cat or cat has a collar with identification on it.  It is also good to get your pet microchipped because this is a permanent form of identification implanted under the skin.  If you pet is microchipped, check to make sure that your contact details are correct.

• Antifreeze - Antifreeze is sweet tasting and deadly to dogs and cats.  If you use antifreeze, be very careful to clean up any spills immediately.  Do not allow your pets to lick driveways or roadways in case there is antifreeze on them.  If your pet has ingested antifreeze, contact your veterinary surgeon immediately because this is a true emergency.

• Cars - Vehicles can be dangerous in two different ways:

1. Cats - Frequently, cats like to crawl under the bonnet (or hood) of the car to get warm from the heat of the engine.  Before you start your car, beep your horn or make of lot of noise to scare cats out.  Cats can get severely injured and your car can get damaged if they don't exit before you start your car.
2. Hypothermia - Pets left in cars in the winter can suffer from hypothermia. Take them indoors with you.

• Fireplaces and stoves - Put protective screens around fireplaces and stoves to prevent your pet from getting burned.

My Dog's New Year's Resolutions

I will sleep on the couch when my owners are not around.

I will stop rolling in dead things.

I will not eat the other dog's vomit.

I will not eat poop of any description.

I will stop jumping onto the counter to steal food.

I will stop crawling into the dishwasher to lick the plates.

I will stop tormenting the cat.

I will not eat the cat's food.

I will not eat the other dogs' food.

I will stop ripping the green fluff off tennis balls.

I will start coming when I am called.

I won't take a drink and then rest my wet beard on my owner's lap.

I will not bite the vet or the postman.

I will stop pressing my nose against windows and leaving smudge marks.

I will start to pee outside and not on the walls.

I will stop humping my teddy bears and other dogs.

I will stop eating tissues and pooping them out whole.

I will try not to look sad when my owners eat steak and I don't get any.

I will not swim in my water dish or the fish pond.

I will wipe my muddy feet before I come into the house.

I won't fart and act like it was someone else.

I will still love my owners unconditionally even when they dress me up for Halloween and Christmas or in silly little jumpers that match their clothes.

I will start chewing on my toys and not my owners' arms.

I will look cute...  hey, I always look cute!