Better a day late, than never - Rabies

Did you see Old Yeller? If not, go watch it stat. I saw it when I was about eight, and I think it changed my life for three reasons. One, it is partially responsible for me becoming a veterinarian. Two, it solidified my love of Labradors. Three, it made me very afraid of Rabies. Why the movie reference? Well, I had grandiose plans of making a blog post in honor of World Rabies Day. However, World Rabies Day is September 28^th, so I missed my deadline by a day. My apologies, but we are still going to do an overview of the worst, most fatal viral disease, rabies.

Rabies is a viral disease (a Rhabdovirus to be exact – thanks Dr. Gyimah!) that is almost always fatal in animals and humans. It is secreted in salvia and typically transmitted from a bite by an infected animal. Rabies affects only mammals, mainly skunks, raccoons, bats foxes and coyotes. In household animals, cats are most commonly affected and have been since 1988. This is partly due to decreased compliance with rabies vaccines in cats (note: vaccinate your cat!). It also affects dogs, cattle, horses and other livestock.

Once an animal is infected with rabies, the virus travels along nerves from the wound site to the brain. It can take weeks or months for the virus to travel to the brain, depending on where the infection occurred. From there, the clinical signs begin. The signs are variable, but include your Hollywood perception of foamy mouth, aggression, staggering, etc. This is known as the furious form of rabies and is often referred to as “mad-dog syndrome.” There can also be fearfulness, seizures, difficulty swallowing (paralytic form), depression, light sensitivity or just acting in an unusual manner. Once clinical signs appear, the disease is nearly always fatal.

Diagnosis of rabies is an unpleasant topic. A definitive diagnosis is usually required if rabies is suspected. A rabies test involves humane euthanasia and decapitation. The head is then sent to a qualified laboratory for immunofluorescense microscopy.

Rabies control is the main mechanism of disease prevention. Annual vaccinations are a MUST for all dogs and cats. These days, many rabies vaccines are good for 3 years, with a new rabies tag being issued at each annual visit. As a bonus, rabies tag numbers can be used to help locate a pet’s home if they get lost. Also important is to limit your pet’s exposure risk. Keep your pet in a contained environment, such as inside or in a fenced yard. Avoid wild animals and never attempt to keep them as pets.

If another pet or a wild animal bites your dog, please give us (or any veterinarian) a call immediately. Even if the pet is current on vaccines, there are many risks associated with puncture wounds from animal bites. An observation period may be needed, depending on the situation. Unfortunately, if your pet is not current on vaccines and is exposed to a rabid animal, the only options are euthanasia or a strict isolation for 6 months. I cannot express enough how important it is to keep your pet current on their rabies vaccines.

How does this affect the pet owners? If an animal ever bites you, wash the wound immediately and see a doctor. If the animal is a pet, get information on the vaccination status and report the incident to the local health department. These cases are evaluated based on risk assessment, which may be too complicated to discuss in a brief blog post.

So, the moral of this story and the classic film Old Yeller? Vaccinate your pets EVERY YEAR! Questions? Let me know!

- H

Thunderstorms!

With the recent storms we have had in Middle Tennessee the last few weeks, I thought I would do a quick post about thunderstorm anxiety in dogs. This is a common fear in dogs (and rarely cats). It is very important to understand and manage your pet’s thunderstorm fear. All too often, pets can get frightened and panic and end up running away or hurting themselves or your home. Dogs can sense the barometric pressure changing before a storm rolls in and can develop anxiety before the storm can be heard.

The first thing to do with all pets, and especially pets prone to panicking and bolting away from their home, is ensure they have proper identification. ID tags on the collar AND a microchip are very important in case your pet gets lost. All too often people report found dogs that have lost their collar and therefore their only identification. With a microchip, most shelters and veterinary clinics have a scanner that can identify the ID number and then get the owner’s contact information associated with that number. This is an invaluable resource, and I strongly believe all dogs, whether inside or out, should be micro-chipped.

Ok, so your pet has proper identification. Now what? First off, provide your dog with a “safe place.” Inside, that is typically a kennel or a bed in a corner. For an outside dog, a doghouse or pen that is covered (to limit their visual stimulation from the lightening) is ideal. When storms are coming, make sure your dog knows where their safe place is and take them there. If possible, stay with your dog and try to distract them with petting, brushing or playing. Dogs can sense your anxiety or nervousness, so make sure you stay calm as well!

If your dog becomes destructive when anxious, then a crate is your best bet. That really limits the trouble your pup can get into while stressed during the storms. If you are not crating your dog, keep all doors closed and draw the curtains on all the windows. Turning on the TV or music can help distract your dog from the thunder. Unfortunately, some dogs may urinate (or defecate) when extremely anxious and nervous. This is a normal response to fear, and your dog should not be punished for this behavior.

If you have followed these guidelines and tried to modify the environment to help your dog, and they still have extreme anxiety during storms, you may need to take additional measures. I hear nothing but good things about “Thunder Shirts” and other similar items. The concept behind these is to put a mild amount of pressure around your dog. This gentle pressure helps to calm the dog during times of anxiety. See their website for more information (I am in no way being paid to promote this product, FYI, I just think it works most of the time). Another option is to see a behaviorist and work on reconditioning. This can be time consuming but can be very beneficial for the dog. Many pet owners have found great success with behavior modification.

A final option is medication to help with thunderstorm anxiety. The most common medication used in dogs is typically diazepam (Valium). This medication can help with your dog’s thunderstorm anxiety and typically has minimal side effects. Medications should only be used as a last resort for your pet. If you think your pet has severe thunderstorm anxiety, please give us a call, and we can discuss an appropriate plan for your pet.

Thanks and Happy Thursday!

- H

Getting Older - Senior Pet Care

In honor of September being Senior Pet Care Month, I have decided to briefly summarize the standard of care for all senior pets. So, what exactly is a senior pet? We consider most animals geriatric (or senior, if you will) at seven years old. This is, however, not an exact number. With some large and giant breed dogs, like a Great Dane for example, six is probably a more appropriate age to start calling your dog senior. However, many cats can live up to twenty years. These cats may not be considered geriatric until they are eight or ten years old. Also of note, the standard saying, “one dog year equals seven human years,” is not exactly accurate. Below you will see a chart of how different sized pets age at different rates.

So, now you know if your pet is senior. What to do next? Once your pet hits that magic age, it is time to go to the vet a bit more often. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) recommends all geriatric pets have semi-annual veterinary visits. That is, a vet should see all geriatric pets every six months. These exams will include a physical examination to pick up on changes your pet is going through, both physically and mentally. A good physical examination can pick up on many diseases earlier than an owner might notice them.  It is estimated that only 14% of geriatric animals undergo this recommend regular health screening.

And now a word (or two) about bloodwork.

At one visit a year, bloodwork should be run. The standard senior panel we have at CSAH includes a full chemistry panel, a complete blood count (CBC), a thyroid (T4) hormone check, a heartworm/tick panel (4DX test) and a complete urinalysis. This panel gives us (the vets) a good idea how everything is working on the inside. This can pick up on early signs of disease and help make treatment more successful. For example, a dog may have kidney values mildly elevated on screening bloodwork. Fluid therapy when kidney disease is caught early on is much more successful than when started once your pet is feeling ill from advanced kidney disease. This bloodwork also helps establish a baseline of values, so we know what is normal for your pet when they are healthy. That way, if you pet does get ill down the road, we know what was normal for him when he was healthy. I cannot emphasize enough how important bloodwork is for your senior pet.

So, what exactly are the major diseases affecting geriatric pets? That list is quite long, but I can briefly summarize. First off, 50% of all dogs over ten years old typically lose their life to cancer. This is a major part of geriatric care. Some neoplasia, like splenic masses and skin tumors, can be picked up with semi-annual physical examinations. Others become evident upon receiving bloodwork results. Unfortunately, sometimes cancer is not discovered until your pet is very sick. Just like in humans, cancer is a deadly problem affecting many geriatric pets.

Other diseases commonly found in older animals typically include osteoarthritis, especially in your larger breeds of dogs, and endocrine diseases (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, diabetes and Cushing’s disease). Heart failure, liver failure and kidney disease are also geriatric pet diseases typically found at semi-annual veterinary appointments. Cognitive dysfunction is also a problem in geriatric animals, with signs similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. This is a very broad summary of geriatric illnesses that you may encounter as your precious pet hits the senior years.

In summary, once your dog or cat reaches the age considered senior, it is time to start making appointments every six months for a physical exam and have bloodwork done once a year. Since September is Senior Pet Care Month, we have our senior panels discounted $10.00 to encourage clients to screen their older pets for many of the diseases we have covered. Please call us today and make an appointment!

- H

PS: Here is my mother’s senior pup – Gerry, 14 years old – and going strong!

CYTAUX

For our first informative post, I am writing about one of my LEAST favorite diseases ever. This nasty tick-borne disease affects cats and causes non-specific signs with a high mortality. This is Cytauxazoonosis.

Cytauxazoonosis is an infection of the organism Cytauzxoon felis in cats. It is transmitted by ticks in the southeastern states. It is found in several feline species as reservoir hosts, most notably in the bobcat. This is where it gets its nickname, “Bobcat Fever.”

Cats infected with Cytauxazoonosis typically become extremely ill, very suddenly. They can become icteric (jaundiced – yellow gums), lethargic, weak and anorexic. They typically have a very high fever. They also may have pale gums, depending on how severe their anemia has become.

Bloodwork on cats with Cytauxazoonosis typically shows an anemia (low red blood cell count) and a variable white blood cell count. The white blood cell count (WBC) can sometimes indicate the stage of the disease. Early on, cats may have an elevated WBC, but as their disease advances, the WBC may drop dramatically. A diagnosis is usually made by examining a blood smear and visualizing the “signet ring” shaped organisms in red blood cells. Cats can also be dehydrated or have elevated liver enzymes, depending on the severity and duration of their disease.

Treatment of Cytauxazoonosis is a little controversial. The older treatment regime has been two injections of Imidocarb (an anti-babesia drug) 14 days apart, along with an antibiotic (typically enrofloxacin or azithromycin). A newer protocol is an anti-malarial drug named Atoquovaone combined with an antibiotic (typically azithromycin). The problem with Atoquavaone is that it is a bit hard to come by and very expensive. There are some reports of 60% survival rate with this newer protocol.

Prognosis is grave and there is typically a poor response to treatment. Most cats die within two weeks of their initial visit to the vet. Unfortunately, this disease attacks red blood cells quickly and cats can have a severe infection before you even know your kitty is sick.

So, this is such a nasty disease that is prevalent in the Middle Tennessee area. How can you protect your feline friends? Using a monthly topical product to repel fleas and TICKS is very important. This is recommended in all cats with access to the outdoors (perhaps even in all cats, period). Topical ectoparasite medication is an easy, economical and effective way to ensure you never lose a cat to such a nasty disease like Cytauxazoonosis.

Flea and tick prevention recommended in cats includes Easy Spot and Frontline Plus. Remember, even indoor cats need protection from fleas and ticks. Mark your calendar and give ectoparasites control to your cats every month.

Please post any questions you have, and I will do my best to answer them!

- H