Artificial limbs and other assistive devices can make a difference in pet mobility and quality of life

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

One of the patients who sticks in Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little’s memory is a golden retriever who was able to hike 6 miles a day after being fitted with a prosthetic device. His owner was an athletic trainer, skilled in wrapping and taping athletes. That came in handy during his dog’s adaptation to the new limb.

“He improved on the process, improved on the device in that dog,” says Dr. Marcellin-Little, a veterinary surgical specialist and professor at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Prosthetics are more than artificial limbs. They also include orthotics -- custom braces for knees, hips and ankles -- and wraps and other supportive devices. They can return mobility to pets who have suffered paralyzing injuries and improve gait for animals facing amputation or an orthopedic problem that inhibits movement, such as cranial cruciate injury.

Pet prostheses have been available for more than 15 years, but they are still challenging to create and fit. The latest advances include greater availability of 3-D printing and improvements in software for scanning and modeling. But just because you have a 3-D printer at home doesn’t mean you can simply print out a new limb for your pet who had a leg amputated after being hit by a car.

Not every animal is a good candidate for a prosthetic device, and not every veterinarian is knowledgeable about the mechanical, logistical and biological considerations involved in fitting pets for one. If your pet needs help getting around or is facing amputation because of an injury or cancer, and you are interested in a prosthetic device for him, here’s what you should know before moving ahead.

-- Plan ahead. Ideally, an animal will need two articulating joints remaining for a prosthetic therapy to be successful. There’s nothing for the device to attach to if a pet has had a full amputation.

“Talk to your orthopedic surgeon to determine if it is an option,” says Jim Nelson, co-founder of Tripawds, an online community for people with three-legged pets.

-- Medical factors. Considerations include whether the pet has pain, the kind of pain, the health of the tissue, whether there’s scar tissue, and whether skin is thin, loose or infected, to name just a few.

-- Coordination is key. A partial amputation with the goal of fitting a prosthetic device is a complicated procedure and involves a number of people: owner, general practitioner, surgeon, device manufacturer and rehab practitioner. The process typically involves an initial consultation, patient assessment, measurements, design and manufacture, the surgery itself and physical rehab for six weeks or more. Surgery must be coordinated with the maker of the device. Devices may need to be sent back and forth by mail until the fit is perfect. It helps to have a knowledgeable person keeping track of all the steps.

-- Go the distance. Because pet prosthetics are still in the early stages of development, little is taught about them in veterinary school. You may need to travel to find a veterinarian who is experienced in placing them.

-- Understand the full commitment. Fitting a pet with a prosthetic device takes time, money and a good rehab team.

“We’ve seen some dogs who are not getting the therapy they need, and they’re just kind of swinging a prosthetic around,” says Tripawds co-founder Rene Agredano. “Odds are, that device is going to end up sitting in a closet eventually, because the animal just doesn’t adapt.”

When everything goes right, a prosthesis can make a visible difference in a pet’s mobility and quality of life.

“Their joints are better, their backs are better, their muscles are better,” Agredano says.

Q&A

What shots do

outdoor cats need?

Q: I live on a ranch and have been acquired by a pair of outdoor cats. I know that they were vaccinated a year ago. I’ve never had cats before, and I want to know if they need a yearly booster. One cat is 14 years old and the other is 2 years old, and they don’t like being handled or in a carrier. I want them to feel safe here, so I’m reluctant to stress them by taking them for a long car ride to the veterinarian for shots if it isn’t necessary.

A: Vaccinations are important for good health, but in most instances, annual vaccinations are a thing of the past. When it comes to frequency of vaccination, factors to consider in consultation with your veterinarian are lifestyle and environment, the cats’ age and health, and the prevalence of infectious disease in your area.

Because your cats live outdoors and may come in contact with wild animals that carry the rabies virus, such as skunks or bats, rabies is a concern. A rabies vaccination is good for three years and protects your cats in the event of exposure to a rabid animal.

Other diseases include panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus-1. The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends vaccinating for these diseases every three years. The AAFP recommends the feline leukemia vaccine for cats who go outdoors and are thus at risk of encountering infected cats.

You are correct that a car ride for cats who aren’t used to it can be overly stressful. If possible, try to find a Fear Free-certified veterinarian who makes house (or ranch) calls to come and examine your cats and give rabies or feline leukemia vaccines if their records don’t indicate protection from these diseases. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Airlift saves at-risk

kittens, Chihuahua

-- More than 100 kittens -- and one Chihuahua -- were airlifted to Portland, Oregon, to help make room in crowded Los Angeles-area and Palm Springs shelters. A combination of cats taken in from a hoarding situation and animals displaced by wildfires had the Southern California shelters filled to capacity, but Oregon Humane Society, Wings of Rescue and TV's “cat daddy” Jackson Galaxy teamed up to take the animals, helping to relieve the California crowding and give the animals a better chance at finding homes.

-- Veterinarians in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, are seeing large numbers of dogs with an unknown disease that resembles whooping cough. The cause hasn’t yet been determined, and area veterinarians are advising against taking dogs to parks, boarding facilities and other areas where dogs congregate to help prevent further spread of what appears to be a highly contagious disease. The cough lasts up to three weeks. Other symptoms include sneezing, low-grade fevers and lethargy. Dogs who show these signs should be seen by a veterinarian. Advise veterinarians of these signs before bringing a dog into the clinic so they can take steps to protect other animals.

-- If you’re looking for a smart, alert, bold, sturdy dog who’s not too big, not too small, the Norwegian buhund is one to consider. The furry spitz dogs are good at many different dog sports, including rally, obedience, herding and barnhunt, and will sound the alarm if intruders venture onto your property. The all-weather dogs have a double coat that stands up to rain and snow and can be light-colored, black or gray. The buhund is 17 to 18 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs 26 to 40 pounds. Cheerful and active, they need plenty of exercise and do best with athletic owners who will enjoy doing things with them. -- 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.

The incidence of the spaghettilike parasites is up by more than 20 percent since 2013

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Climate change, failure to give preventive, and the beginnings of resistance to preventive products are among the reasons why veterinarians are seeing more cases of heartworm disease in dogs -- and cats. When the American Heartworm Society performed its triennial incidence survey last year, it found that while the highest incidence remains in the southern United States, no state is free of the harmful internal parasites, spread by the bite of an infected mosquito or, in the case of states such as Alaska, arriving by way of already-infected dogs brought from out of state.

Dogs are natural hosts for heartworms. Once an infected mosquito injects microfilaria -- microscopic baby heartworms -- into a dog’s bloodstream, the worms begin to mature and reproduce. As they get larger -- heartworms can achieve a length of 1 foot during their 5-to-7-year lifespan -- and increase in numbers, they clog the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels, causing heart failure, lung disease and other organ damage.

Cats are more resistant to the parasites, but they can acquire them. Clinical signs include weight loss, exercise intolerance, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, gagging, difficulty breathing and wheezing. Even indoor cats are at risk. Approximately 25 percent of indoor cats are heartworm positive, according to the American Heartworm Society.

Heartworm disease is easy to prevent with a monthly pill or topical treatment, and it's comparatively less expensive than treating a pet with heartworms. But people forget to give preventive, or they don’t give it year-round, giving infective mosquitoes a shot at spreading the parasites. Cool or dry weather slows transmission, but it doesn’t eliminate it.

“Most people think they don’t need to give it in the winter,” says Craig Prior, DVM, owner of Murphy Road Animal Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. For instance, he says, dogs should stay on preventive for two months after the last exposure to mosquitoes and go on it one month before mosquitoes become active again. With climate change, some species are staying active longer throughout the year and venturing into new areas.

For those reasons, parasitologists recommend treating pets with parasite preventives year-round.

An associated concern is the beginning of resistance to preventive products. Some populations of heartworms, primarily in the Mississippi Delta area so far, are becoming resistant. “By keeping pets on year-round preventive, we decrease the risk of developing more resistant populations and increase the effectiveness of the preventives,” says Leni K. Kaplan, DVM, community practice service lecturer at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

Adding a dog-safe mosquito repellent (avoid anything containing DEET) to your dog’s arsenal against mosquitoes can beef up his protection. Research published in 2016 found that the combination of heartworm preventive with the mosquito repellent in the study, Vectra 3D, was 100 percent effective in blocking transmission of immature heartworms from dogs to mosquitoes -- one of the stages of the heartworm lifecycle -- and more than 95 percent effective in repelling and killing mosquitoes for 28 days after treatment.

“The addition of a topical product that prevents mosquito feeding adds a second element of protection to the pet,” says Byron Blagburn, Ph.D., a parasitologist at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. “So not only do you prevent heartworm infection if the pet is on prevention, but you prevent the likelihood that the pet will see a mosquito.”

While Vectra 3D isn’t safe for cats, the good news is that if the repellent is used on a dog in the same household, the cat will share in protection because fewer mosquitoes will be present.

Q&A

How to introduce

pocket pet and dog

Q: My child wants a pet chinchilla. Do you have any advice on introducing him to the family golden retriever and making sure he stays safe?

A: You can’t take new pets to couples counseling to ensure happy cohabitation, but you can take steps to keep tensions to a minimum. They may or may not become best friends, but they can live together safely.

Start slow. Ritual, structure and scent are important to animals. With your chinchilla securely caged, let your dog get used to the smell of his new roomie (this works with other pets, too). Interact with the chinchilla (still caged) so your dog knows you are aware of the new animal’s presence. After a day or two, let your dog check out the cage up close so he can combine sight and smell of your home’s new occupant. Most small pets will feel secure in their cage, more calm than your dog in many cases. They may even sniff back at your dog -- odor is important to them, too.

Praise and reward your dog for behaving calmly in the chinchilla’s presence. Friendly sniffs are a good sign; staring or snapping signal that it’s best to keep them safely apart. Many goldens are laid-back, and yours may not show much interest in the new chinchilla once he’s had a few sniffs.

When you’re not home to supervise interactions, keep your chinchilla in his cage in a separate room with a closed door. Never leave his cage on the floor or some other area where your dog could investigate unsupervised. Make sure the cage is securely latched to prevent chinchilla escape attempts.

Can your dog and chinchilla snuggle and play? It happens, but I think there’s too much risk of a dog accidentally injuring the smaller animal, so I don’t recommend it. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Have pet care plan

in case of disaster

-- Got a disaster plan in the event of a wildfire, hurricane or other natural disaster? Work out a buddy system with friends, neighbors, relatives or your pet sitter. Set up a plan to collect and care for each other’s pets in the event that one of you is traveling or at work and can’t get home to rescue pets. Exchange house keys, and make sure you have contact information to facilitate a reunion. If you’re home and must evacuate, always bring pets with you. Never assume that you’ll be able to go back in and get them.

-- With the help of a $2.8 million grant from Maddie’s Fund, researchers from the University of Tennessee’s colleges of veterinary medicine, social work, business and the department of public health are working together to develop a health care system that will improve access to veterinary care for families with limited financial resources. Ensuring that all pets have good health care not only benefits the animals and their families, but also improves public health. Called “AlignCare,” the one-health model will promote interprofessional collaboration that takes into account the influence of pets on family health and well-being and help to keep pets in homes while providing needed care.

-- Does your cat love playing in water? Whether they dabble their paws beneath a running faucet, splash in their water dish, swim in your pool or join you in the shower, more cats than you might think are true water babies. Among the breeds known to play on the wet side are Turkish vans (nicknamed “swimming cats” in their homeland of Turkey), Turkish Angoras, Savannahs, American bobtails, Bengals, Japanese bobtails and Manx (both island cats), Abyssinian (which originated in Indian Ocean coastal areas), Norwegian forest cats (descended from viking cats) and Maine coons. -- 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.

7 things your veterinarian wants you to know before your pet has surgery

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

If your pet is having surgery, whether it’s a spay/neuter procedure or an orthopedic repair, you may be wondering whether that blood work is necessary, why your pet can’t eat or drink beforehand, and how soon he’ll recover from the experience. The following information can help ensure that your pet has a good experience and rapid recovery.

Pre-test protocol. The lab work your veterinarian recommends before surgery is to make sure your pet doesn’t have any liver or kidney problems that could interfere with the ability to metabolize the anesthetic and to ensure that your pet isn’t anemic, which could be an issue in case of blood loss.

Comfort begins at home. Your veterinarian may prescribe gabapentin or trazodone for you to give at home before bringing your pet in. High levels of stress spark chemical changes in the body that can weaken the immune system. Stress can also exacerbate the sensation of pain.

“If we have those drugs onboard before there are any pain impulses, they're much more effective,” says Tamara Grubb, DVM, assistant clinical professor of anesthesia and analgesia at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Medicating pets beforehand can help ensure that they arrive at the clinic calm.

Other pre-surgical stress busters include playing soothing music specially composed for dogs and cats and spraying feline and canine pheromones, artificial chemical messengers that create a sense of security.

Cats are special. New anesthesia guidelines by the American Association of Feline Practitioners recognize that cats have special needs when it comes to sedation and anesthesia. The guidelines address ways to prevent common cat complications related to anesthesia. Your veterinarian can provide you with a handout that explains the anesthesia process.

Nail nausea. Nausea and vomiting from carsickness before surgery or as a result of anesthesia can affect how well a pet does during and after anesthesia. Veterinary analgesia and anesthesia specialist Jordyn Marie Boesch at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine encourages veterinarians to give maropitant, an anti-nausea medication, to cats and dogs orally the night before anesthesia or to send it home with owners to give it with the pet’s dinner the night before surgery.

“A single dose will prevent vomiting for 24 hours,” she says. “We have found this to be extremely effective at preventing vomiting due to pre-medication for general anesthesia.”

Tell your veterinarian about supplements and medications your pet takes. Some herbal supplements can increase bleeding during surgery or interfere with the drugs being used, says veterinarian Sheilah Robertson, a specialist in anesthesia and pain management. Don’t leave anything out, even if it’s something as innocuous as fish oil pills or a baby aspirin. Even low doses of aspirin can increase the risk of excessive bleeding during surgery.

Your pet accidentally got breakfast the day of surgery. Now what? Be honest. “It’s not a problem as long as we know,” Dr. Robertson says. And it’s OK to give oral medications pre-operatively. Your veterinarian isn’t referring to those when she says nothing by mouth beforehand.

Post-surgical care. Icing the incision (ask your vet how to do it and how often); providing deep, soft bedding if your pet has a fracture or bruising; and feeding canned food after tooth extractions are some simple things you can do at home to help your pet recover more quickly and less painfully. Give pain medication as directed, and call your veterinarian if your pet appears to be in pain.

“Owners know the patient best, and if an owner tells me they believe their pet’s pain is not well controlled, I take that very seriously,” Dr. Boesch says.

Q&A

Field guide

to cat fur

Q: I love my cat’s fur. What can you tell me about caring for it?

A: Whether you have a domestic shorthair; a cat with a long, flowing coat; or a hairless, wirehaired or curly-coated cat, you know how wonderful it feels to run your hands over that glorious fur. Whatever their type, cat coats are soft and beautiful, but they also serve as an environmental buffer, protecting the skin beneath it from heat, cold and invading aliens -- er, bacteria. Even more fascinating, the coat is an integral part of a cat’s sense of touch, alerting her to potential dangers such as sharp objects.

A cat’s coat is made up of three types of hairs: intermediate-length awn hairs that make up most of the coat; the downy undercoat; and coarse, thick, straight guard hairs of the outer coat, which insulate and protect. Cats shed as old hairs fall out and new ones come in. If your cat stays indoors all the time, she’ll shed consistently year-round, but cats exposed to natural light shed on a more seasonal basis, with coats that are thicker in winter, thinner in summer.

Although cats do a great job of grooming themselves with their spiked tongues that moisten fur and remove dead hair, brushing and combing on a regular basis helps them out and reduces the incidence of hairballs because cats don’t swallow as much fur as they lick themselves clean. Shorthaired cats usually do well with a weekly brushing, but longhaired cats -- depending on their coat type -- may need brushing two or three times a week or even daily.

Caring for a cat’s coat is more than just brushing or combing to remove dirt and distribute skin oils to make it shine. Feeding a high-quality food with plenty of meat protein is also a must for thick, gleaming fur. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Pet DNA tests for

fun, not diagnostics

-- Pet DNA tests are for fun, not for making serious decisions about your dog’s health (the majority of pet DNA tests are for dogs). While much is known about the relationship between gene mutations and disease in the human genome, less is known about the canine genome. Just because a DNA test says your dog may be at risk for a certain type of cancer, degenerative disease or other illness doesn’t mean it will happen. The science isn’t that good yet, and mistakes could cause owners to seek invasive treatments that aren’t necessary or even to euthanize dogs who might never become ill in the first place. Pet DNA tests have a lot of potential, but they’re not ready for diagnostic prime time.

-- Hedgehogs are the most popular pocket pets in Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota and Oregon, while ferrets rule in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. A survey by Trusted Housesitters tracked social media mentions of pets in each state to rank their popularity. In Maryland, hamsters are more popular than bulldogs and Labrador retrievers. Lizards outnumber beagles and terriers in Nevada.

-- Meet the toyger. This domestic cat has a uniquely striped coat resembling that of a tiger. Breeder Judy Sugden created the toyger to help inspire conservation of tigers in the wild. The cats have no wild blood, but were developed from approximately 40 domestic cats from various countries. Toygers have circular facial markings, a body with dark markings on a bright orange background and a scatter of gold “glitter,” and a white belly. The International Cat Association recognized the breed in 2007. The medium-size cats weigh 7 to 15 pounds and are friendly, smart and affectionate. Many love to play fetch and walk on a leash. -- 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.