| A recently published study has looked at a natural proprietary plant blend product, in which the dose of cortisone needed to control allergy symptoms was significantly decreased in a significant number of animals. This natural product called Phytopica can supposedly help allergic dogs by “maintaining a healthy immune system” and is simply added to the diet. In this one study, some dogs did not like the flavor, and definitely more work and research is needed. However, this preliminary report is certainly exciting, given the frustrations many animal guardians and veterinarians across the country in trying to manage chronic allergic skin patients. |
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While not yet available, both veterinarians and animal guardians can learn more about this potential new product on the horizon at the website www.phytopharm.com
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One of the more common skin problems seen in the feline veterinary clinic is when cats pull out their hair. This can manifest as excessive grooming anywhere on the body, but especially the lower back or abdomen and can often lead to extensive areas of hair loss. Sometimes secondary sores and infections can develop, increasing the incidence of vomiting of hairballs. Any cat that has such a problem should have a full skin workup at a vet, including an exam of the hair shafts to see if the hair loss is from self grooming. In addition, the cat should also have a thorough evaluation and skin scrape for external parasites. |
Many times this problem is due to a seasonal allergy in cats that come in contact with dander, mold, house dust, grass, etc. While in other cases this can be a manifestation of a food allergy in a cat. In addition to making sure the cat is on a total preventative flea program, I will also instruct clients to try an antihistamine trial. My favorite for cats is Chlorpheniramine which is often dosed at 2 mg twice daily. It also will sometimes help to add a fatty acid to the diet such as Be Well or Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil, which can sometimes help allergic animals when used long term.
I have also found the supplements Vetri-DMG Liquid and Proanthozone helpful in some cats as well. If the problem is year round, than a dietary trial with a natural novel protein diet, preferably one like the Instincts diet, which closely resembles what a cat evolved naturally to eat in the wild. If none of these suggestions work and/or the condition worsens, then sometimes a cortisone shot is the only treatment that I find works in some of these felines. On occasion we will find what are called psychogenic hair pullers, which is a nervous habit that some cats develop, just like people who twirl their hair or bite their nails. In those cases and once allergies have been ruled out, it’s possible for medications such as Amitriptyline are prescribed by a veterinarian to help.
| One of the latest developments in veterinary medicine is the recent availability of a new test and protein marker in the blood of dogs. This test can help diagnose and differentiate primary heart disease from chronic respiratory disease, which can present in a very similar way to both animal guardian and veterinarian. This blood protein is known as NT-proBNP. |
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This is a highly accurate and sensitive test recently available to veterinarians. In the past, the only way of definitely diagnosing heart disease in pets was with the gold standard echocardiogram. This new test is important because dogs with signs of chronic coughing and exercise intolerance may have primary heart and/or respiratory disease. Now with the recent availability of this new test, veterinarians can quickly differentiate between these very similarly presenting but differently treated group of diseases.
| A very common skin condition often affecting the chin of cats is known as chin acne. The presentation of this condition can vary widely from the appearance of blackheads on the chin which occasionally slough off and leave a black crust on the surface or along the chin, to larger boils that can discharge pus and/or blood. Most of the time cats do not seem to be bothered by this common condition, which in many cases bothers the guardian more than the pet. |
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The exact pathology of these eruptions is usually due to clogged hair follicles which become inflamed. I have found that on occasion using plastic dishes can aggravate this condition, so plastic dishes should be avoided. Many cats don’t need to be treated if they are not bothered by the chin eruptions, while others sometimes will need topical antibacterial therapies such as topical benzoyl peroxide preparations and/or antibacterials like Bactoderm or Mupirocin. Occasionally systemic oral antibiotics are needed, but since we don’t know the cause of this condition in most cases, the condition can recur in the future.
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One of the most common orthopedic issues found in young, particularly large breed dogs, is the development of limping. Limping can have many causes from trauma/soft tissue injury to infectious agents like Lyme disease. However, it’s important to not forget about many of the developmental bone disorders seen in young rapidly growing dogs such as Panosteitis or Hypertrophic osteodystrophy. Disorders like these are usually due to defects in elongation of the long bones of these dogs (the exact causes are often not known) and can lead to varying degrees of pain and limping in dogs from as young as 3-4 months of age most commonly up to 16 to 24 months of age. |
The limping can appear in one limb and then resolve, while only later to appear in another limb a short time later. Some dogs can develop fevers and stop eating in severe cases. It is important for animal guardians and veterinarians to work these dogs up appropriately so as to properly diagnose the cause of the lameness, as well as the treatment and prognosis. Most pet’s symptoms will resolve with rest and anti-inflammatory therapy including prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Rimadyl, Previcox, or other pain medications like Tramadol.
I have found natural supplements like Proanthozone as well as Yucca Intensive to be helpful in some dogs. While the exact causes are not known for most of these conditions, many veterinarians feel that over supplementation and/or excessive protein intake may be involved.
| Pet owners are often looking for various chew toys or bones for their dogs to not only help exercise their teeth and gums, but to also help keep them happily occupied and not bored. There are many possible products out there. Various biscuits like milk bones or gourmet biscuits can be tried, but feeding too many of these can lead weight gain because of the excessive amount of carbohydrates and calories in these products. Many animal guardians will go to local pet supply stores and buy various versions of pigs ears, raw hides, or beef jerky for dogs, but these products I find can be hazardous to many dogs, not only in their ability to sometimes cause obstructions when broken into little pieces, but also due to the toxic flavor-enhancing chemicals and preservatives used on many of these products. |
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Bully sticks are a natural alternative and most dogs tolerate them fine. I have also found Greenie Dental Chews useful for many dogs, which can help clean the teeth. And finally, in my experience and opinion many dogs do wonderfully on giving raw meaty bones to their pets. Not only does this provide calcium and nutrients, but guardians can often observe the tartar literally wash right off the teeth. Beef backs, chicken backs, and raw marrow bones are amongst the options I have found most useful in my practice. I haven’t seen problems clinically with salmonella or E. coli poisoning when dogs are given fresh raw meaty bones. It is the use of cooked bones that is the big risk to dogs, as cooked bones can splinter leading to sharp foreign bodies and other risks, etc.
There is classic book called Give your Dog a Bone by veterinarian Ian Billinghurst, which outlines the benefits of feeding raw meaty bones to dogs. Another option is feeding a fresh raw diet such as the wonderful Nature’s Variety Instincts, which not only provides balanced fresh nutrients, but also calcium sources in the form of small bones that are wonderful for the health of the teeth and gums of our dogs.
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Another common scenario seen in the veterinary clinic and which veterinarians often see on an emergency basis is the alarming symptom where one or more of the toenails split down to the base of the nail leading to bleeding, acute lameness, and pain for the pet. While trauma can play a role in these situations, many dogs have brittle nails which will often spontaneously split on their own without any known cause or trauma. The panic comes when the dog cries out in pain or the nail bleeds for several minutes. |
The best advice I can give clients is to remain calm and simply apply pressure to the affected nail for 5-7 minutes. In the vast majority of cases, simple direct pressure and patience is all that is needed to stop the bleeding. Certainly a soft wrap or bandage can be placed on the foot at home, which can remain in place for 24 hours. If the nail breaks at an angle and/or remains split, it is best to cut the nail right at the point of splitting which while painful to the pet, it is only brief, but is necessary for proper healing and future regrowth of the affected nail.
Many pet stores sell over the counter pet supplies to facilitate healing and lessen bleeding time. If in doubt, certainly your veterinarian can clip the nail at the point of splitting and apply a soft wrap, but this is a condition that many animal guardians can be taught to handle at home, in order to avoid the expenses of a veterinary visit. If a pet continuously breaks off or splits their nails on a more frequent basis, then a full medical workup at the veterinarian is needed to rule out underlying medical, hormonal, or autoimmune conditions that could be underlying causes.
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One of the more common questions we get from dog owners involves an odd breathing spasm that many dogs will exhibit at some point in their life, where their mouth remains closed and the dog goes through a series of inward snorts, which sounds like the pet is having a throat spasm. These spasms can last for up to a few minutes and can be triggered by various stressors including emotional stress/excitement and environmental allergens. In some cases they can occur during sleep or these spasms will occur spontaneously on their own.
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The term for this common condition seen in any breed is known as “reverse sneeze” syndrome of dogs. While we don’t know the cause of this disturbing, yet harmless syndrome, most of the time no treatment is needed, animal guardians can simply rub their pet’s throats to help them come out of this spasm sooner. Other times I have found natural calming agents like Rescue Remedy or Be Serene to be helpful in shortening the episodes. On occasion, for those pets who do it frequently throughout the day, I will sometimes prescribe antihistamines to help if there is any allergic component to what is best described as a dog’s version of post nasal drip.
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One of the more recent developments that have frustrated both veterinarians and animal guardians alike is the removal of the non-flavored Heartgard tablet. While in the vast majority of cases this is not an issue, as most pets love the Heartgard chewable tablet, some pets may have a chronic skin issue and need to eliminate common flavors and meats from the diet, like beef (the flavoring used in the Heartgard chewable tab). As a result, this forces animal guardians to use a topical means of heartworm prevention like Revolution. Hopefully with enough marketing pressure by vets and animal guardians alike, the non-chewable form will be back soon. |
Another common question I get from guardians is what to do if they miss a dose of Heartgard. Generally speaking, it is okay to start up the preventative right away if a dose is missed. In fact, in most circumstances, Heartgard lasts for at least 45 days in preventing heartworms, so there is usually no need to worry or retest before redosing. Simply resume the normal once monthly schedule.
Another hot topic in recent years is whether Heartgard can be used to treat heartworms rather than the expensive series of injections given at the vet office to heartworm-positive dogs. While it is usually preferable in most cases to treat a heartworm positive dog with the approved injectable medication Immiticide at the local vet, another alternative in pets that are at risk for treatment reactions or for those clients who can’t afford the Immiticide treatment protocols, I recommend using Heartgard monthly for at least 1-2 years.
Because many heartworm positive dogs are also positive for another parasite called Wolbachia, a 3-4 week course of Doxycycline is often used at the same time. I have seen many cases eventually turn heartworm-negative when Heartgard is used this way continuously year round. Obviously if a pet has advanced signs of heartworm disease, such as heart failure, abdominal fluid retention, etc., it is best to use the approved Immiticide for treatment in most cases.
Lastly, I’m also frequently asked about side effects or risks associated with Heartgard. While the drug company claims the amount of Ivermectin is too small to cause a reaction in sensitive breeds, like Collies and related breeds, I will usually prefer to use monthly Interceptor. Although rare digestive or neurological reactions can occur with any heartworm preventative medication, I haven’t found Heartgard to be more of a risk to give certain breeds that suffer from seizure disorders or to dogs that are on phenobarbitol
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| Some of the more common recent questions I’ve received in the clinic regarding f and its use for flea and tick prevention in pets. A big concern I often receive is the quality of Frontline Plus being carried by online pharmacies like 1800petmeds and whether it is the same as those used and sold by veterinary offices. The truth of the matter is that Frontline Plus is a prepackaged product by Merial, and is the exact same one carried by 1-800-PetMeds as your local veterinarian. |
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Another common question is, “Why does my pet still have fleas after applying Frontline?” (after a few consecutive months. The most common reasons for flea treatments failing is typically because of improper application, or more commonly failure to treat the environment of the pet, including the home and yard; where 80% of the flea life cycle occurs. Along the same line, some products, however will work better on some pets than others. So, if there are still fleas even after properly treating the home and using Frontline Plus for several months, I would suggest having your house professionally treated by an exterminator and/or change to a different product such as Advantage.
If a pet still has fleas, many veterinarians will use the product more frequently than once monthly, sometimes as often as once every 2-3 weeks. However, this process is often considered to be “off label use,” and I would not use the product this way unless first speaking with your pet’s veterinarian. If a client is currently using a different topical such as Revolution or Advantage, it is safe to change to Frontline Plus after 3-4 weeks from the date of last application of the other product. While Frontline Plus is labeled as waterproof, I usually advise clients to wait at least 24 to 48 hours before bathing their pet. Side effects to Frontline Plus are rare but may include hair loss/skin irritation at site of application, (rarely) digestive upset, (and even rarer) immunological reactions of the blood or neurological reactions like seizures. Again, these are very rare, as most pets tolerate this product quite well.
