The skinny on dog and cat care: What veterinarians are talking about at conferences

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Caring for old cats, allergies and ear infections, how to communicate with stressed pets, dueling dogs, hair loss in dogs and cats, responding to disasters: Those were just a few of the hundreds of sessions presented at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) last month in Orlando, Florida, and the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) earlier this month in Las Vegas. We attend veterinary conferences to learn about advances in veterinary medicine and find news for future features. Here are some takeaways for pet owners.

-- Chronic kidney disease is common in aging cats, affecting 28 to 31 percent of them. Weight loss is one of the clues that it’s advancing. Cats start to lose weight two or more years prior to death from kidney disease, says veterinary nutritionist Dottie Laflamme, who spoke at NAVC. She says even small body weight changes can be significant. Maintaining body weight and condition may help to deter disease and death in cats.

Cats’ energy requirements start increasing when they are 10 to 12 years old, in part because of reduced digestive function. They need more calories than younger adult cats, so a highly palatable diet is important.

“We don’t want cats to be fat, but we don’t want them to lose weight just because we’re not giving them enough calories,” Dr. Laflamme says. “That can be a difficult balance in cats with chronic kidney disease.”

Equally important, be aware that cats can have kidney disease without showing any signs. That was one of the takeaways from a talk on aging cats presented by Susan Little, DVM, at WVC. Again, keep an eye on weight. Dr. Little says 57 percent of cats have lost weight by the time owners notice and bring them to the veterinarian.

-- Bald is beautiful? Not so much in dogs and cats with hair loss. Alopecia, as hair loss conditions are known, has inflammatory and non-inflammatory causes, according to Darren Berger, DVM, a dermatology specialist from Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, who spoke at NAVC. While some types of alopecia are caused by genetic defects, one has an easily preventable cause. Post-clipping alopecia is when hair doesn’t regrow after being trimmed close to the skin; it is usually seen in Nordic breeds such as Alaskan malamutes, Samoyeds and Siberian huskies. It’s thought to occur when the coat is clipped while the hair is in a prolonged resting, or telogen, phase. It can take as long as a year for hair to regrow, but prevention is easy, Dr. Berger says: Don’t shave these breeds unless it’s absolutely necessary.

-- A minority of pet owners purchase pet health insurance, although it’s one of the most rapidly growing industries in the pet health field. At the end of 2016, just under 2 million pets were insured. If your pet is one of them, know what’s covered and make sure your veterinarian has your policy information on file. It’s not unusual for pet owners to forget that they have coverage, says Kerry O’Hara, Ph.D., who presented veterinary pricing statistics at WVC.

-- In her talk “Fear Free: Learning to Listen to Our Patients,” licensed veterinary technician Debbie Martin, who specializes in behavior, spoke on how veterinarians and staff can ease pets' fear, anxiety and stress by understanding their sensory perceptions and how they differ from human perception. To provide pets with a comfortable experience, she says, avoid direct eye contact, speak slowly and softly, wait for the pet to approach, avoid unpleasant odors, and create pleasant associations with people, areas and equipment. Pet owners can use the same techniques at home to create a pleasant environment for pets.

Q&A

Park the bark?

Next-door dog noise

Q: I live in a townhouse, and my neighbor’s poodle is a barking machine. Can a dog be trained not to bark? -- via email

A: Barking is a natural dog behavior. Dogs bark to communicate -- “Hey, someone’s walking up to the door” -- out of frustration or excitement, or out of boredom. The good news is that dogs can learn when it’s appropriate to bark and when to put a lid on it. More difficult, sometimes, is educating owners about how to deal with their dogs’ unwanted behaviors.

The first thing to do is document the frequency of the dog’s barking. Note the days and times the dog barks and the length of time the barking continues. Record the barking so your neighbor can have an idea of how much noise is coming into your unit.

Then knock on her door and politely ask if you can have a chat about the dog’s barking. Explain the specific problem, whether it’s being unable to sleep, unable to hear your television or unable to concentrate on work.

If your neighbor is not home during the day, she may not realize what a nuisance it is. She may be able to set up a “dog cam” to determine what’s setting the dog off. It might be people, other dogs, squirrels or birds that he sees through the window. If that’s the case, she may be able to put a stop to the barking by closing the blinds or restricting the dog’s access to rooms with windows. To offset boredom, the dog may need a midday walk with a pet sitter or some interactive toys to occupy his brain.

If she’s unable or unwilling to deal with the dog’s barking, it may be necessary to approach the homeowners association or animal control. -- Mikkel Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

9 salmonella infections

linked to guinea pigs

-- Wash your hands -- and make sure children do as well -- after handling pet guinea pigs. The furry pocket pets have been linked to an outbreak of salmonella infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is investigating nine cases in eight states. The illnesses occurred over a two-year period -- from July 2015 to December 2017 -- so the outbreak is not widespread. Pet rodents such as guinea pigs can carry salmonella even if they look clean and healthy, so take normal sanitary precautions after handling them or cleaning cages or other habitats.

-- Were you born in the Year of the Dog? The dog is one of 12 zodiac animals associated with China’s 12-year calendar cycle. Dog years include 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 and, of course, 2018. People born in the Year of the Dog are said to be loyal, kind and honest. Celebrate by sending your snail mail with a Year of the Dog stamp, which features artwork depicting bamboo -- considered to be lucky -- and a piece of red paper bearing the Chinese character fu, meaning good fortune.

-- The one thing that most of us know about Saturn is that it is orbited by rings made of ice particles. But did you know that Saturn’s thin, outer “F” ring contains small clumps and moonlets nicknamed “kittens”? In an interview with LiveScience.com, Cassini spacecraft scientist Larry Esposito said the particles are constantly colliding, breaking apart and sticking together, forming either smaller kittens or piles of kittens. “These are like cats, because they have nine lives,” he said. Mittens, Garfield, Fluffy, Socks and Whiskers are among the nicknames NASA scientists have given some of the larger kittens. They were among the discoveries made by Cassini, using an instrument called an Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

A Samoyed experienced “the mother of all emergencies.” How her owner’s rapid recognition and response saved her life

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

A french fry -- and quick veterinary intervention -- saved the life of Clu Carradine’s 10-year-old Samoyed, Poppy.

Carradine and Poppy were driving from home in Lompoc, California, to Ohio for a series of dog shows. After a stop at a fast food drive-thru for a burger and fries, Carradine pulled back onto the freeway, reached into the bag and handed a french fry to Poppy, who was riding in her crate in the back seat.

Poppy didn’t take it. Carradine offered it again. Still Poppy refused it.

Carradine was alarmed. It was unheard of for Poppy to refuse food, let alone a french fry. She pulled over to see if Poppy needed to relieve herself, and what she saw when she let the dog out of the crate made her blood run cold. Poppy had a huge, swollen belly, and her sides felt tight and solid.

“I knew immediately what this was and that it was deadly,” Carradine says.

Poppy had gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV), more commonly known as bloat. The stomach swells (dilatation) and twists (volvulus). It’s a real emergency that can cause death within a few hours without rapid stabilization and surgical intervention.

Carradine and Poppy were more than four hours away from home, in a desert town where they knew no one. Carradine Googled the nearest veterinary hospital and found one about a mile away. As they arrived, Poppy retched, brown fluid spewing. Carradine raced in with her, shouting, “My dog is bloating! I need a vet right now.”

An X-ray showed that the stomach had clearly bloated, but the veterinarian did not have the facilities to treat such an emergency. The technician called a nearby emergency clinic, got Poppy and the crate cleaned up, and sent Carradine on her way with the X-rays and blood work information.

At Animal Medical Center in Hesperia, California, Poppy was immediately prepped for surgery. The veterinarian, Meredith Kennedy, DVM, was cautious but optimistic, given Poppy’s good physical condition. It helped that Poppy had vomited early on and that Carradine recognized the danger and could get Poppy treated so quickly. When Carradine commented that a french fry had probably saved Poppy’s life, Dr. Kennedy said, “Yes, but the fact that you knew her so well and acted so fast has everything to do with it.”

The procedure to reorient the stomach was successful. Once that was done, Dr. Kennedy also “tacked” the stomach to the abdominal wall, a procedure called gastropexy, to prevent any future episodes.

Afterward, Poppy needed IV fluids, antibiotics, heavy pain medication and 24-hour monitoring. Currently, she’s still hospitalized but is able to walk and ask for belly rubs, and she has regained her appetite.

Bloat is seen most often in large and giant breeds with deep chests, such as Great Danes, Weimaraners, Saint Bernards, Gordon setters, Irish setters and standard poodles, but it can also occur in small-breed dogs and in cats. In high-risk dogs, it can be a good idea to have a gastropexy performed at the same time as spay and neuter surgery.

Older dogs like Poppy are at greater risk. Other risk factors include eating too quickly, eating from a raised bowl, having only one large meal a day and eating dry food only. There may be an inherited tendency toward GDV as well. And sometimes it just happens.

“Know your dog, and know the signs of bloat,” Carradine says. “They can be very subtle, like not taking a french fry when the dog is a french fry fiend. You can’t do anything but get to the vet immediately, take surgical action and do the gastropexy so it doesn’t happen again.”

Q&A

What do we know

about pet vision?

Q: Can dogs and cats see color? I always see conflicting answers to this question. What else is different about their vision?

A: Part of the reason for conflicting answers is that vision varies, as can the way it’s evaluated. Here’s what we know.

Cone cells in the eye determine visual acuity and color discrimination. Dogs have two populations of cones, says veterinary ophthalmology specialist Ron Ofri, DVM, who spoke earlier this month at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. One cone population absorbs light in the blue-violet spectrum, the other in the red spectrum. That means dogs can see colors, but they are unable to distinguish between green shades.

A dog’s color vision is similar to that of a human who is color blind. Unlike people with normal vision -- three cone populations in blue, green and red wavelengths -- those people are missing either the red or the green cone population.

Cats have three cone populations, but several studies have determined that they do not have rich color vision. What they do have is highly sensitive night vision. Cats have unusually large corneas and pupils, allowing more light to pass through them and reach the retina. In the proceedings for his talk, Dr. Ofri notes that the amount of light that falls on a cat’s retina is 6 times the amount of light that reaches a human retina. In addition, cats benefit from a structure called the tapetum lucidum, which gives cats higher vision sensitivity at night, but not during the day.

Which animals have the best color vision? That prize goes to certain species of birds and fish, with four cone populations, the fourth absorbing light in the ultraviolet area of the spectrum. When it comes to richness of color vision, they beat out cats, dogs and humans. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Oriental shorthair

is long on charm

-- If you’ve been looking for a feline companion who’s the ideal conversationalist, breed expert Marva Marrow recommends the talkative Oriental shorthair, which she describes as “the ultimate lap or shoulder cat.” Created through crosses between Siamese and other breeds, the curious and intelligent cats are good at opening doors, learning tricks and playing fetch, and they love sleeping under the covers. Oriental shorthairs have a short coat that sheds little and comes in many different colors and patterns -- so many that they are nicknamed Ornamentals. The unusual cats with the large, batlike ears also come in a longhaired variety, so there’s one to suit any cat lover.

-- Like humans, dogs and cats can develop diabetes, usually later in life, although it can occur at any age. Most cats diagnosed with the disease are 6 years or older; dogs are typically diagnosed when they are 7 to 10 years old. Obesity is a common predisposing factor in cats, but not so much in dogs. Signs of the disease in both dogs and cats are increased water intake and urine output as well as weight loss despite increased appetite. Diabetes in pets can be treated with insulin injections given at home, and in cats a change in diet can sometimes send the disease into remission.

-- The pet industry continues to grow at a rapid pace, with animal lovers in the U.S. spending nearly $70 billion on their pets last year. They spent $29 to $30 billion just on pet food, with the retail pet food segment growing more than 3 times as fast as packaged foods for humans. Other segments included veterinary care at an estimated $16.62 billion and supplies and over-the-counter medications at $14.93 billion. People spent just over $2 billion on purchases of animals. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Sago palms pose serious risks. Here’s what to know about these popular landscape and houseplants

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

The couple knew the sago palm (Cycas revoluta) in their Tucson, Arizona, backyard was toxic to pets. They were careful to keep leaves and other parts of the plant picked up and away from their 2-year-old German shepherd, but one day he managed to ingest a small amount of the ornamental plant's feathery leaves.

The reaction was rapid: severe liver failure. Depending on the individual protein, normal liver enzyme levels range from 5 to 150. This dog’s alanine transaminase level spiked to 8,777. A rapid rise in that enzyme is a distinguishing characteristic of sago palm poisoning.

Sago palms, also known as cycads, cardboard palms, fern palms and coontie plants, hail from tropical and subtropical areas but have become popular ornamental plants in the United States in the past 10 to 20 years. Once strictly outdoor plants, they are now available in small varieties suitable as houseplants.

In 2015, the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center reported a spike of more than 200 percent in sago palm toxicity cases nationwide. All parts of the plant contain a neurotoxin called cycasin, which can be deadly -- even in tiny amounts -- to dogs and cats. The seeds, or nuts, are the most toxic part of the plants. As few as one or two can be fatal.

Because sago palms are relatively new additions to yards and homes, many people, including some veterinarians, don’t know that they are toxic.

Fortunately, the German shepherd's owners were aware of the danger to their dog and took him to a veterinary hospital right away. The first veterinarian they saw wasn’t familiar with sago palm toxicity, but a second had encountered the plants at a previous practice in California and recognized the dog’s signs.

Ingestion of sago palm leaves, seeds or other plant parts causes liver failure, usually signaled by drooling, vomiting, diarrhea or a tarry black stool, depression, appetite loss, abdominal pain, lethargy and jaundice. Signs can begin to occur as little as 15 minutes after ingestion, and pets can die within 24 to 48 hours.

Any suspected exposure to a sago palm should be considered an emergency situation. Don’t “wait and see,” and don’t waste time trying to get the pet to vomit.

This particular dog received IV fluids, dextrose given intravenously to maintain blood sugar levels, vitamin K to help support the blood’s clotting ability, and a drug to help protect the liver. He was lucky to survive. According to the Pet Poison Helpline website (petpoisonhelpline.com), the survival rate is approximately 50 percent, even with aggressive treatment. Although he survived, the dog lost a lot of weight, and recovery was slow.

The experience highlights the importance of knowing exactly what plants are in your yard and home, their scientific names and common names, and whether they’re known to be toxic. Plants' common names can vary by region, but the scientific names remain the same and can be essential to determining whether a plant is toxic. And be aware that not all regional plants appear on lists of toxic plants. It’s a good idea to check with a veterinary toxicologist or other botanical expert who’s familiar with the properties of plants in your area.

If you have any doubts, take your pet to the veterinarian right away, along with a clipping or photo of the plant. Proper identification is important to the treatment plan because in some cases, even if the animal looks and acts normal, he could develop liver or kidney failure within hours or days.

So is the sago palm still in the owners’ yard?

No. They removed it the same day their dog was hospitalized.

Q&A

Feline heart disease

strikes suddenly

Q: I found my 18-month-old cat dead. I had been playing with him just a few minutes earlier, and as far as I knew he was in good health. My veterinarian said he probably died from a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. What can you tell me about this disease, and how can I avoid it in a future cat?

A: I’m so sorry for your loss.

Unfortunately, HCM is the most common form of heart disease in cats, and there are few obvious signs. Some cats with HCM have a heart murmur, but that isn’t always a definite sign. Cats with HCM can go into congestive heart failure, develop an arterial thrombus -- a clot lodged in an artery -- or die suddenly.

Any cat, pedigreed or random-bred, can develop HCM. We don’t know what causes the disease, but Maine coon and ragdoll cats have a genetic mutation for it. A genetic test can identify cats in those breeds who carry the disease mutation. It is also seen in Cornish and Devon rexes, Norwegian forest cats, Persians, and sphynxes. Most commonly, cats with HCM are middle-aged males, but females can be affected, too, as can young cats.

Cats with HCM may not show signs of disease, especially in the early stages. Some become weak or collapse suddenly. Cats diagnosed with a heart murmur --an abnormal “whooshing” sound -- abnormal lung sounds, or an irregular heart rhythm should be seen by a veterinary cardiologist for further screening with an echocardiogram.

Any time a cat seems unusually lethargic or has rapid or labored breathing, take him to the veterinarian immediately. He may have left-sided congestive heart failure associated with HCM. Cats with CHF can benefit from medications to slow the heart rate, help relax the heart’s pumping chambers and prevent fluid from building up in the lungs. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Heroic German shepherd

recovers from wounds

-- Hero dog Rex is recovering well after taking three bullets during a home invasion last month to protect his owner, 16-year-old Javier Mercado. The German shepherd was shot once in the neck and once in each hind leg. Jennifer Weh, DVM, a veterinary surgical specialist at BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Hospital in Renton, Washington, repaired the fractured left hind leg by inserting a surgical pin and screw. Rex was expected to go home to his family to continue recovery. The family was able to pay the $2,000 needed to stabilize the dog, and public contributions covered the $8,000 cost of the surgery.

-- In North Sacramento, California, a shelter for people who are homeless has begun to accept their pets as well. It houses more than 100 dogs and eight cats who are permitted to sleep next to their humans, reports Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee. Dogs and cats living in the dormlike shelter receive veterinary services from the city’s Front Street Animal Shelter, and shelter residents must feed, walk and clean up after their pets, as well as prevent squabbles between pets or injuries to humans. Three bite incidents at the shelter account for a small percentage of all dog bites investigated by Sacramento’s animal control agency, says chief animal control officer Jace Huggins.

-- The 2018 Winter Olympics may be over, but some communities are hosting Dog Olympic Games in the coming months. Is your dog ready for the Ball Lottery (dogs retrieve numbered balls; the dog with the highest total wins), Clean Plate Club (self-explanatory); and a dog trick showdown, to name just a few of the events? Look for competitions in Dunwoody, Georgia, on March 17; St. Paul, Minnesota, at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on April 15; or check your local shelter to see if events are planned. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.