Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs - A Guest Blog!

Our new technician, Tiffany, has adapted a report she did in school to educate everyone on tick-borne diseases that affected our canine companions. Thanks to Tiff and congrats on her graduation this weekend! We can't wait to get her working full time!

Tick Borne Diseases

What Is a Tick Borne Disease?

• This is a disease that is carried by infected ticks, which transmits the disease to dogs through biting them.

What are the most common tick borne diseases in our area?

1.     Lyme Disease

2.     Ehrlichiosis

3.     Anaplasmosis

4.     Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

What is Lyme’s Disease?

• Is caused by a bacteria known as Borrelia bourgdorferi. This disease is transmitted by the black-legged tick.                                                     

What is Ehrlichiosis?

• Is caused by a rickettsial bacteria that infects the white blood cells. There are two forms of Ehrlichia that can be found in your dog.

1.     Ehrlichia canis

2.     Ehrlichia ewingii

• Ehrlichia canis is transmitted by the brown dog tick. This disease mostly affects the dog's bone marrow.

• Ehrlichia ewingii is transmitted by the lone star tick. This disease leads to joint pain and lameness.                                                   

What is Anaplasmosis?

• Caused by an infectious bacterium known as Anaplasma. There are also two forms of this disease as well that your dog can contractt.

1.     Anaplasma phagocytophilum

2.     Anaplasma platys

• Anaplasma phagocytophilum is transmitted by the deer tick. This tick causes an infection in  the white blood cells.                                                

• Anaplasma platys is transmitted by the brown dog tick. This tick causes an infection of the blood platelets that can lead to bleeding disorders.                                                  

What is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?

• This disease is caused by a rickettsial bacteria that reproduces only inside living cells. This disease is transmitted by the American dog tick.

Symptoms tick borne diseases cause in your dog are : muscle aches, fatigue, decrease in appetite and energy, and fever.  These symptoms can also be indicators of other clinical problems. Therefore, if you suspect your pet may have been exposed to one of the diseases, a simple blood test can tell us if the dog has in fact been exposed to the disease. Based on these results, treatment plan can be designed to match your animal's needs.

The best way to protect your dog from getting these tick borne diseases is by using preventatives on your pet that kills all the life cycles of the tick.  Products like Ovitral, Parastar Plus, K9 Advantix, and Fronline plus work very well when used every month. We recommend using parasite prevention year-round in the Middle Tennessee area. 

- Tiffany

Puking Pup? - Motion Sickness in Pets

Bridget Riding Shotgun. Carsick Free!

As it heats up around the south and school lets out, chances are you will be headed outside and on the road with your pet! However, if your pet gets car sick, that can seriously put a damper on summer vacations. Motion sickness is also one of the reasons some pets don’t make it to the vet as often as they should. Simply put, owners just do not want to clean that up. So, here is a bit of information to help reduce the stress and actual vomiting involved in your pet’s carsickness.

Motion sickness is usually noticed in pets once they actually vomit in the car. Naturally, that will bring about a response from most owners. Often, the early signs of carsickness can be missed. They are similar to signs of nausea for any reason and include drooling, panting, licking of the lips and even yawning. If you notice you pet with any of these signs after a short car ride, chances are these symptoms could progress and lead to vomiting on a longer road trip.

Many pets often have anxiety associated with car rides. This can lead to nausea and vomiting as well. With cats, the anxiety is usually triggered as soon as the carrier comes out. Getting your cat used to the carrier is very helpful when it comes to car rides. We recommend leaving the carrier out in a well-used room, like the living room or kitchen, so your cat can explore it without any risk of being locked in and taken to the scary vet’s office. You can make your cat even more comfortable by occasionally putting a treat or two in the carrier as a surprise reward.

If your pet has some anxiety associated with a car ride, there are a few things you can do to make it easier on them. Start off with simply bringing your pet near and/or in the car without going anywhere. They can then get used to the smell and presence of the vehicle. Next up, progress to short car rides either around the block or down the street to the pick up the kids from school. Once you return, reward your pet for surviving with a treat or two.  After you master the car ride, make sure your pet is comfortable during the car ride. Remember, if you are hot while driving your car, your furry friend definitely is!

The above suggestions can make major strides in correcting motion sickness in pets. Sometimes, however, they are just not enough. There are several different medications that can be used for motion sickness. Cerenia is an antiemetic that is used often to treat and prevent motion sickness. If your pet’s carsickness is more anxiety driven, anti-anxiety medications should be considered. There are a multitude of options that are readily available. Please let us know next time you are in the office with your pet, and we can discuss which medication is most appropriate for your situation.

Now after educating yourself, I hope you can take that lake or beach trip this summer with Fido in tow, and no messes to clean up. If you have any questions, please comment below or give our office a call! 

Seriously Scary - GDV

First off, GDV stands for gastric dilation and volvulus. This is a serious, life-threatening condition that can occur in any dog breed, but most commonly in deep-chested dog breeds like Great Danes, Labradors, Weimaraners, Standard Poodles and Saint Bernards. The direct cause of GDV is not known but there are many factors that contribute to the development of the condition. These factors include rapidly consuming food, exercise immediately before or after eating, stressful conditions, increased age or inherent motility disorders of the stomach. There is a gas accumulation in the stomach that then leads to distention and a rotation or twist of the entire stomach.

So, how do you recognize this condition? The most common signs are abdominal distension, vomiting or retching (unproductive vomiting), restlessness or signs of pain. Occasionally, the dog may even collapse. These signs usually progress as the condition worsens. This condition can become very serious very quickly. As the stomach twists, the blood supply is cut off. This is a life-threatening situation that can lead to necrosis of the stomach. If your pet is showing any of these signs, they should already be in the car and on the way to a vet!

Diagnosing GDV is usually fairly straightforward. Abdominal radiographs show a dilated stomach that is full of gas and some food materials. Often times, a stomach tube cannot be passed due to the rotated stomach. Treatment of a GDV is multi-faceted. IV fluids must be administered for cardiovascular support. The patient is typically placed under anesthesia and decompression of the stomach is attempted. Usually, surgery is required to reposition the stomach. The stomach is then sutured to the abdominal wall in a procedure called a gastropexy. This prevents the stomach from twisting again in the future, as this condition often repeats itself. If the condition is severe enough, sometimes the stomach or the spleen may need to be resected due to necrosis. These conditions unfortunately increase the mortality rate of this condition. Recovery from the condition takes several days, as food is slowly re-introduced post-operatively.

This radiograph of a canine abdomen shows a severely distended stomach full of gas. 

There are many things you can do to try to prevent this condition from occurring in your pet. Changes to feeding habits can decrease the incidence rate. Feed multiple, smaller meals throughout the day and have a significant time gap in between feeding and exercise. Some dogs, like my mother’s dog Milly, often inhale their food within seconds. Placing a rock or large ball in the bowl to slow down eating is often helpful. None of these methods, however, are 100% effective. A prophylactic gastropexy may prevent this condition from occurring in your pet. This procedure tacks the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent twisting from occurring. This procedure does involve an abdominal laparotomy; it is often done when spaying female dogs that are pre-disposed to this condition.

Hopefully, this gives you a bit of insight on a serious and life-threatening condition many dogs face. Most famously, Marley from the film “Marley and Me” suffered from a GDV at some point in the film. 

Marley from the classic canine film "Marley and Me". Just had to throw a cute lab puppy picture in for a smile. 

2013: Your Pet Can Have Resolutions Too!

This year, why not make a 2013 resolution for your pet?

Pet obesity is a huge problem with companion animals, both dogs and cats. It has been reported that over 50% of household dogs and cats are considered either overweight or obese. Another study has shown that around 25% of America’s pets are considered obese. This is a serious problem with serious health implications for your pets.

So, how do you tell if your pet is overweight, or even obese? Weight is not a helpful number in dogs and cats, as there are so many breed variations. The body condition system (BCS) is an accurate way to assess dogs and cats based on body fat percentages. Below are the ideal findings on a dog or cat as well as the findings on a pet that is overweight.

• Ideal Dog/Cat: Cannot see ribs, but you can easily feel them. Pet has a waist behind rib cage when viewed from above. Viewed from side, the stomach tucks behind the rib cage.

• Overweight Dog/Cat: Cannot feel ribs, or can feel them only with significant pressure. Fat deposits at base of tail. Belly is rounded when viewed from the side.

Obesity affects various systems in the dog and cat, including the musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, endocrine system and liver function. Numerous studies have been conducted on the relationship between body condition scores (BCS) and osteoarthritis. Just as in humans, the less stress (from excess weight) placed on joints over time will limit the development of arthritis in your pets. Diabetes is another disease humans may be familiar with. This disease is heavily influenced by a pet’s BCS. In cats especially, a healthy diet and appropriate weight can lead to discontinuing insulin therapy in some cases! Overall, dogs and cats with a normal BCS are likely to be healthier longer and live extended lives.

There are several keys to weight loss in your pet. As in humans, caloric restriction combined with exercise is the key to success. Dogs should go on regular, long walks to help with weight loss. Exercising cats can be more of a challenge. Laser lights on the wall or pulling a toy across a room can get most cats to play. This should be done for a 15 to 30 minute time period daily to see weight loss results. Equally important to weight loss is a diet. There are a lot of products out there that claim to be “weight management” foods. It is very important to read the label and know how many calories are in a serving. Some excellent weight loss diets can be found at most pet stores. Sometimes, however, a more severe calorie cut is needed. Companies like Royal Canin, Hill’s and Purina have developed prescription veterinary diets to make weight loss manageable. If you have any questions about these diets, please do not hesitate to ask us! Finally, never forget the power of treats when helping your pet lose weight. Most commercial dog and cat treats are full of unnecessary calories for your pet. Consider healthy alternatives for treats outside the typical treats. Green beans or other vegetables are low calorie, healthy treats. Also, Trader Joe's has a treat called "Charlee Bears" that are 3 calories each! There are many lower calorie options for rewarding your pet. 

Have a look at these BCS charts for dogs and cats. How does your pet score? If your pet is up in the 7 to 9 range, please give us a call or shoot us an email at techs.csah@gmail.com to discuss a weight loss plan for your pet! And always, we encourage you to swing by the office whenever you are out around town with your pet to check their weight and monitor your progress.

Need more information? Purina has a Project Pet Slimdown to help get your pet on track to a healthy weight in 2013.