February is National Pet Dental Health Month.  Bad breath can be a sign of serious health risk.  The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has produced the following informative video on pet dental health – enjoy!

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Time to Spring Ahead!  Daylight savings time is a great bi-annual reminder for a variety of safety checks including smoke detectors and your canine first aid kit.  You never now when you’ll need to use your canine first aid kit and having the right supplies could save your dog’s life.  Now is a great time to take an inventory, check all expiration dates, and restock as needed.  Your kit should include items such as:

Current emergency phone numbers

1. Veterinary clinic
2. Nearest emergency hospital
3. Poison control

Supplies

1. E-collar
2. Scissors
3. Tweezers
4. Styptic powder to stop bleeding
5. Various size gauze (both square and rolled)
6. First aid tape (be sure to check that the adhesive has not dried out)
7. Dog booties that will keep a foot wound dry (check out PAWZ disposable booties)
8. Q-tips and cotton balls
9. Flashlight
10. Disposable gloves
11. Nasal aspirator that can be used to flush a wound
12. Towel or blanket that can be used to transport your pet
13. First aid reference manual

Medications

1. Saline wash
2. Disinfectant
3. Benadryl (ask your veterinarian for the appropriate dosage and write it on the box)
4. Antibiotic ointment
5. Ear cleaning solution

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As I was reading the February 2011 Morris Animal Foundation newsletter, I came across an article summarizing a study from Michigan State University which ranked the most costly canine chronic diseases as follows (estimated annual cost of treatment):

1. Cancer ($2,447)
2. Obesity with ruptured ACL ($2,367)
3. Heart disease ($1,912)
4. Chronic kidney disease ($1,823)
5. Hypertension ($1,700)
6. Osteoarthritis ($1,656)
7. Pancreatitis ($1,422)
8. Diabetes ($1,108)

I think most of us are aware that a growing number of our dogs suffer from obesity (some studies estimate that approx. 25% of the U.S. canine population is obese).   Sadly when you review the above list several of the most costly chronic diseases can be attributed in some part to obesity.  The good news is that obesity is manageable with proper diet and exercise.   As a responsible dog owner, you are probably very aware of the need to keep your dog at a healthy weight.   If you need a few tips for yourself or to share with a friend, check out our Weight Management article by Christine Daigler, DVM and consult with your veterinarian.

Notes: Morris Animal Foundation improves the health and well-being of companion animals and wildlife by funding humane health studies and disseminating information about these studies.   Interesting fact – Betty White has been a Morris Animal Foundation trustee since 1971.

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When you move to a new place, how do you find a good vet? Ask other pet owners. That’s the best way. Ask them who NOT to go to as well, and ask “why?” since you may not agree with their attitude or philosophy.

 Also, call around with a set of 2-3 questions, such as:

• Where do you give immunizations? They should say in the leg – especially for cats. If they give it in the shoulder, they aren’t up on current practices.
• Do you have after hours care? If not, who do you use for after-hours care?
• What types of surgeries can you do at your facility?
• What does the vet specialize in? Just good to know. Might be dental, cancer, end-of-life care, general practice, trauma, surgeon – it’s all okay, but jump on anyone that has a specialty you need for your situation.
• What approach do you take for terminal conditions? It can vary from aggressive treatments to non-invasive care. Both are okay as long as it’s fits your attitude.

And visit the vet’s office before making an appointment. It’s good to see if they are taking care of the place – it’s okay if it’s old as long as it’s kept up. I went into a vet’s office once that smelled like dirty cat litter – yuck!

Most importantly, find someone you like. It’s important to go to someone who communicates in a style that works for you, and has a manner or demeanor you find comforting.

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In early December 2010, we noticed that Shiner was becoming more lethargic and withdrawn.  This wasn’t totally out of the ordinary as Shiner is 11 years old and a very independent Carolina Dog.  Plus he had suffered from back pain so we thought maybe it was time for another acupuncture session.

On Wednesday December 8^th, I came home from work and noticed that Shiner’s belly was extremely bloated.  We immediately took him to the vet only to discover that Shiner was bleeding internally.  Unfortunately, x-rays are not terribly informative when the abdominal cavity is full of blood but our veterinarian was fairly certain we were dealing with a ruptured spleen caused by a tumor.  Our veterinarian provided the statistics of surviving a splenectomy at his age (20%) with a 50% chance that the tumor would be benign.

After some discussion we decided to go for the surgery.  Shiner recovered from the surgery beautifully and returned home on Friday December 10^th.  After the surgery, he was more energetic and playful than he had been in months.  Likely, Shiner had been suffering from minor bleeds as the tumor was growing which was causing him to be lethargic.

Results from the biopsy came back the following week and we were devastated to hear that Shiner has Hemangiosarcoma.  Hemangiosarcoma is a rapidly growing, highly invasive blood born cancer.  Hermangiosarcoma attempts to build its own blood vessel network making blood blister like formations that disrupt normal organ function.

Needless to say, Shiner is only expected to be with us for another 2 to 4 months.  Chemotherapy was offered as a treatment option but it is expensive and not very effective in battling Hermangiosarcoma; however, our veterinarian prescribed a Chinese herb to help slow the growth called Yunnan Baiyao.  Yunnan Baiyao is a hemostatic powdered medicine famous for being carried by the Vietcong to stop bleeding during the Vietnam War.  It is used to normalize blood flow, enhance poor circulation and heal internal bleeding.

My first reaction was “yeah right, this is going to help, but what can we lose”.  So we were faithfully giving Shiner the capsules every morning and night until about two weeks ago when we ran out for 4 days waiting for a shipment from Amazon.com ($6 per box versus $10 per box at the vet).  By the 4^th day, Shiner’s condition had deteriorated from energetic to lethargic and unwilling to eat.  One evening I went to bed praying that he would still be with us in the morning.  The next day, the Yunnan Baiyao shipment arrived and I was busy enticing Shiner to eat a piece of peanut butter bread with Yunnan Baiyao.  Within 3-days, his appetite recovered and his energy started to return.  While I am certainly not an expert nor do I have scientific evidence, I think we will continue treating Shiner with Yunnan Baiyao and hope for the best outcome.

Shiner is a founding member of Online Dog Coach.  He is featured in the Buja Board lesson.  Shiner’s favorite thing about agility was the view from the A-Frame.

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