How to Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

Happy Holidays from Companion Animal Hospital! 

With the holidays fast approaching, we know what a busy time of year this can be.  By taking a few precautions, you can make sure that everyone in your family (including your furry friends) enjoys the holidays! Below are some ideas to help avoid timely and expensive emergency visits to the vet.

1. Keep your holiday plants away from your pets. While there are many beautiful plants we associate with the holiday season, some of these can be quite toxic to our pets. Holly and mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and even abnormalities with the heart. Ingesting only a small amount of certain types of lilies can cause kidney failure. If you suspect your pet has consumed a toxic plant, seek veterinary attention immediately.
2. Be very careful about feeding table scraps. While it is never a good idea to feed your pets table scraps, some of the foods we associate with the holidays can be especially dangerous. For example, turkey bones can pose as choking hazards or obstruct the gastrointestinal tract. Fruit cake may contain grapes or raisins, which can cause kidney failure. Chocolate can cause an array of symptoms ranging from vomit and diarrhea to death. Also, we see a spike of “pancreatitis” (inflammation of the pancreas) around the holidays because of pets often getting fatty scraps; this disease is quite uncomfortable for your pet!
3. No alcohol! In addition to avoiding table scraps, be careful your pet doesn’t get into the alcohol. Alcohol can cause dangerously low drops in blood pressure, blood glucose, and body temperature.  Even some desserts made with alcohol (rum cake for example) can cause these signs, along with GI upset from ingesting the dessert!
4. Firmly anchor the tree. A nosey pet can potentially knock a Christmas tree down if not firmly anchored, which can injure your pet. Also for those of you with live trees: be sure that your pet is not able to assess any water you may have in the base, as this may contain fertilizers that can be toxic to your pet.
5. Consider skipping the tinsel on the tree. What cat doesn’t love something shiny and stringy to play with?? Unfortunately, your cat may decide that the tinsel is a fun toy. If your pet ingests the tinsel, there is little risk of toxicity but a big risk that it can block up their intestines and result in an expensive surgery to remove it!
6. Have fun! The holidays are a wonderful time to enjoy time with your pet. Consider getting them a stocking and fill it with appropriate treats (talk to your veterinarian if you need recommendations on what to fill it with!). Maybe take your pet for pictures with Santa. Play in the snow. Do whatever makes you and your pets holiday season merry and bright and SAFE!

 References:

1. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/holiday-safety-tips
2. http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/seasons/winter-holiday-pet-poison-tips/

article written by:

Erin Walsh, DVM

Companion Animal Hospital Mount Prospect

Choosing the right dog leash

The weather is finally warming up and we hope you are getting outside with your pets.  Becareful when choosing your dog leash as there are many dangers in using a retractable leash.

1.  They are too long! Some of these leashes can extend over 25 feet.  This allows dogs to get far enough away from their humans that a situation can quickly turn dangerous. A dog on a retractable leash could run into oncoming traffic or make contact with other dogs or people.

2.  What if the dog they approach is aggressive.  You are more than 25 feet away which means they will surely be injured by the time you get there.  It is much easier to protect a dog on a standard 6 ft leash.

3.  The thin cord of a retractable leash can break – especially when a powerful dog is on the other end of it. If a strong, good-sized dog takes off at full speed, the cord can snap. Not only can that put the dog and whatever he may be chasing in danger, but also the cord can snap back and injure the human at the other end.

4.  If a dog walker gets tangled up in the cord of a retractable leash, or grabs it in an attempt to reel in their dog, it can result in burns, cuts, and even amputation. In addition, many people have been pulled right off their feet by a dog that reaches the end of the leash and keeps going. This can result in bruises, "road rash," broken bones, and worse.

5.  Dogs have also received terrible injuries as a result of the sudden jerk on their neck that occurs when they run out the leash, including neck wounds, lacerated tracheas, and injuries to the spine.

6.  Retractable leashes allow dogs more freedom to pull at the end of them, which can look like aggression to another dog who may decide to "fight back."

7.  The handles of retractable leashes are bulky and can be easily pulled out of human hands, resulting in a runaway dog.

8.  Along those same lines, many dogs – especially fearful ones – are terrorized by the sound of a dropped retractable leash handle and may take off running, which is dangerous enough. To make matters worse, the object of the poor dog's fear is then "chasing" her, and if the leash is retracting as she runs, the handle is gaining ground on her – she can't escape it. Even if this scenario ultimately ends without physical harm to the dog (or anyone else), it can create lingering fear in the dog not only of leashes, but also of being walked.

9.  Retractable leashes, like most retractable devices, have a tendency to malfunction over time, either refusing to extend, refusing to retract, or unspooling at will.

10.  Retractable leashes are an especially bad idea for dogs that haven't been trained to walk politely on a regular leash. By their very nature, retractables train dogs to pull while on leash, because they learn that pulling extends the lead.

If your dog is well trained, gentle mannered and smart enough to master a regular leash and a retractable leash without being confused, you could be one of the rare guardians that can walk your pooch on any kind of leash without increasing risks to either one of you.

article written by:

Lorene Rockwell, DVM

Formerly of Wolf Merrick Animal Hospital, Kenosha, WI

10 Ways to Help an Arthritic Dog

When your dog is in pain, you want to help him feel better — fast. Luckily, there are quite a few things you can do to relieve the aches that are an everyday occurrence for dogs with arthritis:

1. Take your dog in for regular checkups so that your veterinarian can monitor your pet’s arthritis and make necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.
2. Getting or keeping your dog slim can help by decreasing the load on his joints. Your best bet: feeding your dog the right amount of high-quality food – we are always happy to help determine what your dog should weigh.
3. Controlled exercise is a must, but make sure you carefully monitor your dog while she plays, walks, or runs. Short amounts of more frequent exercise are better than long periods of exercise.  Low impact exercise such as walking or swimming is better too.
4. As much as possible, keep your dog warm and dry, since cold and damp conditions can aggravate arthritis. Consider investing in a padded dog bed and apply warm compresses to painful joints.
5. Ask us about rehab vets in the area – they can help alleviate pain using cold laser therapy and teach you muscle building exercises you can do at home with your dog.
6. Pain medication, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (commonly called NSAIDs), may help relieve pain. Talk to your veterinarian before giving your dog any medication.
7. The are many supplements that can be used to help improve joint mobility and support better joint functioning for dogs with arthritis. (Dasuquin, Adequan and Fish Oil to name a few)
8. Acupuncture isn’t just for people. This painless technique has shown some success in animals suffering from arthritis ask us for a recommendation for an acupuncturist in the area.
9. If your dog’s arthritis is advanced, surgery may be an option. Ask your veterinarian about the pros and cons of surgery and what you can expect.
10. Be sure to take steps to adjust your dogs environment at home. Some things that can help an arthritic dog include: providing soft supportive bedding for his achy joints, using ramps to help a dog get in and out of a car or up to a bed, and putting down carpeting and secure rugs to help him get traction as he walks.

article written by:

Dr. Lorene Rockwell
previously of Wolf Merrick Animal Hospital

Does my dog have arthritis?

With the changing weather, you may soon start to notice that your older dog seems a little “stiff” in the joints.  Arthritis is a progressive degeneration of the joints often seen in older dogs. It may start with subtle signs, such as your dog is no longer willing to jump up on the furniture or into the car, or maybe they are hesitant to use the stairs. You may also notice your pet seems very stiff when they first wake up, but then seems to loosen up as the day progresses. Cold or wet weather can make these changes more apparent.

If any of the above sounds like your pet, a veterinarian can help you determine if it is arthritis that’s bothering your pet. While we can’t undo your pet’s arthritis, the great news is that there are a number of things we can do to slow it down and keep your pup comfortable! The following is just some of the ways we can work to keep your pet comfortable in the face of arthritis:

1.  The biggest thing is weight loss! Excess weight puts excess strain on your pet’s joints. Ask your veterinarian about your pet’s ideal weight and how many calories per day your pet should be consuming to help reach that weight.
2. Dietary supplements, such as fish oil and glucosamine/chondroitin, can help with decreasing inflammation in joints. These can be obtained through your veterinarian (remember that human over the counter products were designed for people, not cats and dogs, so dose adjustment is needed!). You may also find these ingredients in some senior diets.
3. Anti-inflammatories, such a as Rimadyl or Deramaxx, are great methods of controlling arthritis. These medications help to lessen the inflammatory processes associated with arthritis. These medications can be used short or long term. With long term use, your veterinarian will likely recommend periodic blood work to check internal organ function.
4. Injections such as Pentosan or polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAGs) can be given to your pet weekly initially and then every month or so as determined by your veterinarian. These injections have anti-inflammatory properties and also help to stimulate production of hyaluronic acid (which helps to lubricate your pet’s joints).
5. Pain medication may also be incorporated into treatment protocols for pets who are not responding well enough to the above.

If you are concerned your pet is suffering from arthritis, reach out to your veterinarian. We want your pets to be happy and comfortable as they age!

article written by:

Dr. Erin Walsh

Companion Animal Hospital, Mount Prospect, IL

Ultrasound

Ultrasonography is an important medical imaging technique used in humans and pets alike.  Companion Animal Hospital is happy to provide this imaging option as it plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of many medical conditions.  Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves and their echoes. The technique is similar to the echolocation used by bats, whales and dolphins, as well as SONAR used by submarines. 

An ultrasound exam is a way of looking inside your pet’s body (liver, kidneys, and intestines) without having to perform surgery.  The ultrasound machine transmits high-frequency (1 to 5 megahertz) sound pulses into your pet’s body using a probe.  As these sound waves travel through the body, they hit a boundaries between tissues (for example boundaries between fluid and soft tissue, soft tissue and bone).  When hitting these boundaries, some sound waves are immediately reflected back to the probe, while others travel on further until they reach another boundary and get reflected.  These reflected waves are sensed by the probe and this information is sent to the machine.  The machine calculates the distance from the probe to the tissue or organ (boundaries) using the speed of sound in tissue and the time of the each echo’s return.  The machine’s screen uses this information to form a two dimensional picture your veterinarian has been trained to interpret.   

                

Ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool in veterinary practice.  It does a great job of evaluating tissue architecture.  Loss of normal tissue architecture is seen in many diseases, most notably cancer.  Other examples of when ultrasound is used in veterinary medicine include:

• Early diagnosis of pregnancy
• Diagnosis of bladder or kidney stones- even those that can’t be seen on radiographs (x-rays)
• Measuring thickness of organs such as intestines and the bladder
• Echocardiography is ultrasound of the heart and is extremely important in the diagnosis of heart disease.  Recommendations for treatment are heavily based on the ultrasound findings.
• Color Doppler can be used to look at blood flow to different organs in the body.

Ultrasonography is an important part of the diagnosis of many conditions we see in pets.  Please let us know if you have any questions about this imaging modality.  We would be happy to discuss its benefits and whether it may be right for your pet!

article written by:

Derek Williamson, DVM

Companion Animal Hospital Vernon Hills and Crawford Animal Hospital