LONG BACKS, SHORT LEGS AND SLIPPED DISKS: IS YOUR DOG AT RISK?

By Dr. Patti Khuly

I'm not sure exactly how it happens, but veterinarians tend to take on "special needs" pets. Of course, I'm no exception.

My French bulldog's chronic spinal problems and ensuing disability make him a perfect poster child for veterinarian-owned pets everywhere. It also makes him the ideal subject of a discussion on intervertebral disk disease, arguably the most common spinal malady among dogs.

Intervertebral disk disease, like my dog Vincent's, is referred to as "IVDD" by veterinarians, but is better known to the general public as "slipped disks." It's a condition caused by the untimely degeneration of one or more of the disk-shaped structures that serve as cushions between the bony vertebrae of the spine. When these disks go bad, the material contained within them is extruded, thereby compressing the most sensitive nearby structure: the spinal cord.

Like my temperamental Vincent (his spine isn't the only source of his "specialness"), the spinal cord doesn't take insults lying down. It lets everyone know when it's unhappy. In most cases, pain is the body's most obvious response to an affronted spinal cord. Afflicted dogs may stand in a hunched position, cry out when picked up, refuse to jump or decline to eat, among other possible symptoms.

But some dogs aren't especially demonstrative when it comes to letting you know they're hurting. In fact, plenty will never whine, cry or otherwise display their discomfort –– ever. For some, that's because their disease is mild. For others, it's because it's simply their nature to conceal any pain.

In more advanced cases, however, the evidence of IVDD may ultimately appear in how they move. An odd hitch in her stride, a peculiar dragging of a hind foot, a funny crossing-over of his hind limbs -- they're all possibilities. In these patients, what you're observing is the end result of a serious spinal offense: evidence of nerve damage.

When the spinal cord is damaged –– whether permanently or temporarily –– the communication between the brain and the body is disrupted. And for most IVDD patients, the hind limbs are the first to go. That's why the unluckiest patients will forever walk oddly, if they walk at all.

In Vincent's case, it has taken three surgeries to get him back on all four paws. Nonetheless, these separate IVDD events have claimed most of his hind limb function. The next time, his neurosurgeons tell me, he won't be so lucky. Which is why he's already being trained to use his K-9 cart, aka a "doggie wheelchair."

To be sure, it's a depressing disease. More so for dogs who don't have the luxury of a veterinarian owner and a bunch of board-certified neurosurgeons to lavish them with their professional services.

But fortunately, few dogs are as seriously diseased as Vincent. Trouble is, for every wheelchair-bound patient, hundreds more suffer painful IVDD symptoms that aren't detected or treated.

It makes sense, then, that research dollars might be dedicated to exploring the basis for this disease. Because it's especially common in dachshunds, among other short-legged long-backed breeds (bassets, shih tzus, Welsh corgis, etc.), a recent veterinary study at The Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom undertook to understand this connection, ultimately establishing a relationship between long backs, short legs and IVDD.

Although all dog owners should be on the lookout for pain and dysfunction, those who count stubby-legged, long-backed dogs among their family are effectively put on notice: Spinal troubles may be headed your way. So at your next veterinary visit, why not ask your pet's doctor to check for telltale signs you might be missing? The earlier the diagnosis, the more treatment options there are, and the better chance your dog has of living without the chronic pain IVDD can cause.

Guest columnist Dr. Patty Khuly (drpattykhuly.com) is a Miami-based veterinarian and popular author, as well as a top veterinary blogger and the creator of "The Fat Dog Diet," a smartphone app designed to help pet owners reduce their dogs' weight.

Q&A

Alternatives to pills

for treating sick birds

Q: How do you give medication to a pet bird? "Pilling" doesn't seem like an option. -- via Facebook

A: Veterinarians who work with birds can show you several techniques for medicating them. Which one will be recommended for home nursing care will depend on the owner's comfort and skill, and on the bird himself. Here's a rundown of the options:

-- Putting medication in water. Points for "easy," but this technique has its drawbacks. You have little control over dosage because you can't count on your bird to drink any set amount of water. Some species drink little water at all, and other birds may not feel up to drinking when they're ill.

-- Offering medicated feeds. Same pros and cons as medicated water. It's easy to offer medicated feed, but you have no way of making sure that any of it gets inside your bird. And some medicated feeds apparently taste awful, so even if your bird feels like eating, he may not touch the stuff with medicine in it.

-- Using a syringe or eyedropper. Accuracy of dosage is a benefit of giving your bird medication orally, assuming you get the stuff in him, instead of dribbling it everywhere but down his throat. You can get the appropriate amount in an eyedropper or a syringe with the needle removed, and then slide the tip into the side of your bird's mouth. Your bird isn't likely to sit still for this procedure, so you'll have to restrain him by wrapping him in a towel. Once he's restrained, a bird who has been hand-fed as a baby will usually go along.

-- Giving an injection. High marks for accuracy, and once you're used to injecting your bird, high marks for ease as well. As with oral medications, though, you'll likely need to restrain your bird with a towel to inject his medication. Some people get really good at injecting their birds, even after initial reluctance.

Some final points: Don't stop giving meds because your bird seems to feel better. It's always important to give the medications for as long as they've been prescribed. And if you have any problems or questions, call your veterinarian. -- Dr. Marty Becker

THE BUZZ

AAHA ruling against

no-anesthesia dentistry

-- So-called "anesthesia-free dental cleanings," criticized by veterinary experts as insufficient when it comes to diagnosing and treating dental disease in pets, will no longer be part of the American Animal Hospital Association's certified veterinary practices. In making the announcement, the AAHA said that "anesthesia with intubation is necessary to remove plaque and tartar from the entire tooth, at least 60 percent of which is under the gum line."

-- The sickening and deaths of a small number of healthy dogs from what appears to be a virulent new virus has veterinarians on edge in Ohio and beyond. The Ohio Department of Agriculture told the Akron Beacon-Journal that it's received calls from pet owners and veterinarians concerned about deaths in the Akron-Canton area as well as in Cincinnati, and especially about symptoms severe enough to kill about half of the infected dogs within 48 hours. A sample from one of the dogs killed was confirmed as a new and emerging disease by pathologists at the University of California, Davis, who are investigating whether the "circo virus" also killed a California dog last spring.

-- A pharmacist in Washington state was disciplined by the state regulatory agency after he modified a dose on a veterinary prescription without consulting the veterinarian. VIN News (news.vin.com) reported that a state investigator confirmed that the veterinarian's prescription was correct and noted that differences in metabolism may mean that dosages for dogs (or other animals) will be different than dosages for people of comparable size. As more pet owners take veterinary prescriptions to traditional pharmacies, looking to save money, similar errors by pharmacists non-versed in veterinary medicine have become more common. -- Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

THE WELCOME MAT STAYS OUT FOR CLEAN, QUIET CANINE TRAVELERS

Summer is prime time for vacationing with children, but if your family's "little ones" have four legs and bark, the better time to hit the road is now.

The weather's cooler and the hot travel spots are, too. And that means you'll find favorite destinations a little less crowded and possibly a lot more friendly to people traveling with their canine companions. Maria Goodavage, an author who's an expert in traveling with pets, offered her rules for traveling with a dog in our book "The Ultimate Dog Lover." They include:

-- Bring only a well-behaved, friendly, clean, flea-free, healthy, house-trained dog on your travels. Dogs who are dirty and ill-mannered can close doors for future canine travel companions.

-- Beware of leaving your dog in the car. Even if it seems cool out, the sun's heat passing through your windows can kill a dog in a matter of minutes.

-- Make sure your dog always has access to cool, clean water. Dogs on the road may drink even more than they do at home.

-- Take regular breaks. There's nothing more miserable than being stuck in a car when you can't find a rest stop and really need one. Imagine how a dog feels when the urge strikes and he can't tell you the problem. How frequently you stop depends on your dog's bladder and disposition.

-- Play it safe by making sure your dog is wearing his license, ID and rabies tags. Make sure your dog's ID tag shows your cellphone number, since that's how you're reachable while on the road.

The biggest mistake people traveling with dogs make is not following proper "petiquette." This means:

-- Never leave your dog alone in your room. Leaving a dog alone in a strange place invites serious trouble. If you just can't bring your dog along to an outing, some hotels offer pet-sitting, or can provide you with contact information for local sitters and kennels.

-- Don't let your dog bark when you're at a lodging or a restaurant.

-- Always scoop the poop on your walks. You know it's there. Don't ignore it.

-- Don't use your room's ice bucket as a food or water bowl. Gross!

-- Yes, your dog needs to be clean. No, don't bathe him in your hotel's tub.

Pack a "doggy bag" that includes your dog's food, bowls (including a non-spill bowl for car rides), bedding, a brush, leash, towels if you'll be in mud or water, a first-aid kit, poop bags, prescription drugs, proof of vaccination, treats, toys and your favorite dog travel guide. (Water you can get on the road.) For dogs who insist on sleeping on the bed with you, bring a sheet to protect the hotel bedding.

Bookmark websites that help you find pet-friendly lodgings or veterinarian practices, or download apps that find hotels and emergency care for you. Plan ahead, stay safe and be considerate, and you and your dog will always be welcomed back.

Q&A

Weight-loss, hydration

help prevent FLUTD

Q: We've just had a very expensive lesson in the feline urological system. How can we avoid another one? -- via Facebook

A: The No. 1 reason cats are taken to a veterinarian outside of preventive care is for feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), a serious disorder that affects the urinary system of cats.

FLUTD often causes cats to urinate outside the litter box, a classic warning sign of illness that you can see -- and smell. Other symptoms include straining to urinate, crying out in the box or going more frequently.

Sadly, these signs are often misinterpreted as behavioral problems that end up getting the cat sent to a cage in a shelter instead of to a veterinarian for the medical treatment he needs.

While FLUTD may strike any age or gender of cat, it is more frequently seen in middle-aged, male cats who are overweight or obese. Factors that increase the risk include lack of exercise, stress and chronic dehydration.

Tips for avoiding FLUTD include:

-- Hydration. Some cats will drink more if the water seems fresh, such as with fountains that keep the water filtered and circulating.

-- Breaking up meals. Feed your cat several small meals during the day instead of one or two larger meals.

-- Chill your cat out. Decrease stress in the environment by providing your cat with scratching posts, window perches or kitty condos, and by playing active games with him.

-- Keep home a sweet home. Be more aware of changes in your cat when there are changes in your life such as new pets, a home remodel, a move, etc.

-- Feed for health. Ask your veterinarian if new therapeutic diets for urinary tract health are appropriate for your cat. Some veterinarians recommend that canned food be fed exclusively, since its higher water content increases hydration.

-- Dr. Marty Becker

THE BUZZ

World Rabies Day

promotes prevention

-- While rabies seems to be a disease more historical than feared in the United States, that's not the case elsewhere. More than 55,000 people die every year of the disease, which is transmitted by contact with a rabid animal, often a feral dog. Thanks to aggressive vaccination campaigns that go back for decades, dogs aren't the biggest risk for rabies in developed countries, where wild animals such as skunks and bats give public-health experts the chills. World Rabies Day is Sept. 28, and in the U.S. many veterinarians are working with local animal control and public health agencies to keep dogs and cats out of harm's way -- and, by extension, people as well. Some locales will offer free rabies vaccines for dogs and cats, along with bonuses such as free microchips and licenses. Visit RabiesAlliance.org or check with your local animal control agency for information.

-- Cats have 32 muscles that give them the ability to control the direction of their ears, including rotating them in opposite directions.

-- City officials in Broken Arrow, Okla., reluctantly allowed a woman to keep her "therapy kangaroo" as long as she purchased a $50,000 liability insurance policy for the animal, whose name is Irwin. But by the time Broken Arrow acted, Irwin's owner, Christie Carr, had already moved with her kangaroo onto the grounds of a sanctuary for exotic animals across the state in Wynnewood. -- Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

SHEDDING IN THE FALL CAN BE JUST AS BAD AS IN THE SPRING

As the days grow shorter and the nights grow cooler, you may be observing something that seems rather odd for a body preparing for winter: Your dog is shedding more than usual.

Be reassured: It's perfectly normal.

Dogs typically lose their winter coat in the spring, when it is replaced by a shorter, lighter one for summer. In the fall, this cycle is reversed, as the summer coat is shed to make room for heavy protective fur for winter. The change is most obvious in "double-coated" breeds, such as collies, shelties and keeshonden. Those breeds carry not only a harsh, protective, long overcoat, but also a soft, insulating undercoat -- and they lose masses of fur from both in spring and fall.

The amount of shedding varies widely from breed to breed. German shepherds, for example, are prolific year-round shedders, while poodles seem to lose little fur at all. Many shorthaired dogs actually may shed more than the longhairs, but since the hair they shed is easily overlooked, it may seem as if they are shedding less.

All shedders -- even the heaviest -- can be tamed by a regular and frequent schedule of bathing, combing and brushing. After all, the fur you grab while grooming your pet won't end up on rugs or furniture.

If you have a purebred dog, or one that has the characteristics of a purebred, ask a breeder for grooming advice, especially in regard to the proper kind of grooming equipment. The slicker brush that works fine on a poodle won't make much headway in the thick mane of a full-coated collie at the height of a seasonal shed. For a shorthaired dog, a curry comb or hound glove will do the job well, catching the short fur before it lands elsewhere.

No matter what the breed, shedding -- and heavy seasonal shedding -- is normal, but some heavy shedding can be a sign of health problems. Skin allergies, hormonal abnormalities and skin parasites may trigger shedding, and poor nutrition can also be a cause of coat problems.

Become familiar with your pet's normal pattern of shedding, and ask your veterinarian for advice if the coat's condition seems to dull or if you notice excessive overall hair loss or areas of complete hair loss.

Other fall pet-care tips:

-- Cold-weather cautions. Assess your pet's condition, age, level of exercise and weight, and make adjustments for the cold. In general, pets who live mostly indoors need less food (to offset a decrease in activity), and pets who spend more time outdoors need more (keeping warm requires energy, and food is the fuel). Don't forget shelter, and make sure your pet always has access to water that isn't frozen. Outside or in, heated beds are a good idea, too, and there are many models to choose from at pet-supply outlets.

-- Special care for older animals. Cold weather is especially tough on older pets. For elderly animals, it's not ridiculous to help out by putting a sweater on them when they go outside. Pet-supply outlets have a wide selection, or fashion your own from thrift-store children's wear.

Q&A

Cat 'bib' may stop

a pet from hunting

Q: One of our cats has become proficient at catching small birds and rodents, and brings them alive or barely alive into the house. We really don't like this and would appreciate some tips on how to change both cats back to indoor-only pets, if possible. Also, do bells on collars really work, since maybe that would at least hinder her ability to catch birds? They both wear collars, but not bells. -- via Facebook

A: If your only concern is about the hunter cat turning your home into the "nature channel," the easiest thing to try is a cat bib. While it may not be the best feline fashion statement, this device hangs down the front of a cat and keeps her from getting the jump on her prey. As for bells on cat collars, they do sometimes work to scare birds away. But some cats learn how to stalk without ringing their bells. Who says cats aren't smart?

The better route to take is to convince your outdoor adventure lovers to accept an indoor-only life.

Feline frustration can turn into an orchestra of cat complaints. Some cats complain vocally (nonstop), others make the 50-yard dash to the door their sport (nonstop), while still others play Tarzan indoors from curtains to couches. Cranky cats may pick on each other. Just a few escapes can drag out this feline focus and fury on gaining freedom. If you decide to make them indoor cats, go cold turkey. Once they're in, they're in forever.

When you take away the great outdoors, replace it with a new indoor cat jungle. Purchase a few floor-to-ceiling cat trees for climbing and perching. Place new things to explore in the room every day. Boxes and bags make great cat caves to investigate. Place catnip mice in new places. Buy a variety of scratching surfaces, both vertical and horizontal. Add a few containers of cat grass. Buy cat toys that look like real prey and begin daily indoor hunts.

The better you are at creating a new nature environment indoors, the less fuss and stress for you and the cats when changing from outdoor to indoor scenery.

Mentally and physically tired indoor cats will be more contented ones. They may never completely give up trying to escape, but over time, their efforts will wane. -- Gina Spadafori

THE BUZZ

Beauty of black cats

more than skin deep

-- If you have a black cat with yellow eyes, you have a pet who's not only striking in appearance, but fairly remarkable genetically. These cats display a condition known as melanism, which is more or less the opposite of the better-known albinism. Their genetic code is what makes them appear completely black with "Halloween eyes" to match. According to National Geographic's News Watch feature, "Melanism (is) seen in 11 of the 36 wild felid species, (and) produces yellow irises as a result of high levels of melanin in the pigment." While superstitions say that black cats are bad luck in the United States, the exact opposite is true in the United Kingdom.

-- After the horrific deaths of nearly 50 large cats, wolves and bears following their release from a Zanesville, Ohio, compound in 2011, laws were changed that turned the state from one of the easiest places to keep dangerous exotic animals into one of the most difficult. Ohio officials have offered owners amnesty to turn in their animals under the state's new Dangerous Wild Animals and Restricted Snakes Act, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that some are just being turned loose.

-- A transfusion using blood donated by a dog saved the life of a poisoned cat. With no time to lose and the cat's life slipping from her grasp, New Zealand veterinarian Dr. Kate Heller took a chance that the unorthodox move would work -- and it did. One hour after the transfusion, the cat was on the way to recovery. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.