We spill the tea on pet care lectures at this year’s VMX conference

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Caring for aging pets, recognizing pain and the perennial topic of feline house soiling: These were just a few of the hundreds of sessions presented at the Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX) last month in Orlando. Dr. Becker attended in person, and I attended virtually. We go to veterinary conferences to learn about advances in veterinary medicine and find news for future features. The sessions are aimed at veterinarians and veterinary technicians, but we’ve rounded up some takeaways for pet owners.

-- When cats start peeing or pooping outside of the litter box, you need to, well, think outside the box. You probably already know that cats prefer super-clean litter boxes. If you’re scooping daily and keeping the box clean, what else could be causing a cat’s dissatisfaction with toileting arrangements? One thing to consider is whether they need a haircut, says Terry Curtis, DVM, a behavior specialist at the University of Florida. Long hair surrounding the anal area may become matted, causing pain when the cat tries to eliminate. Long hair between the toes can affect the tactile sensation when the cat steps into the litter box. Work with a feline-friendly groomer or your veterinarian to trim these sensitive areas so you don’t accidentally cut the skin.

-- As pets age, their vision changes. The lens begins to harden, and by the time they’re 10 years old, cats and dogs can become more near-sighted. For instance, you may notice that your pet is more hesitant about going down stairs, says Mary Gardner, DVM, co-founder of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice. To help them feel more confident about navigating steps, she suggests illuminating stairs with flameless tea lights. (Bonus: It looks pretty!)

-- It’s also more important than ever to brush aging pets regularly. Brushing stimulates the production of natural oils by sebaceous glands. And senior pets are more susceptible to skin infections, which can, to put it plainly, cause them to stink. It’s not normal for your old pet to smell bad, so take them to the vet if you notice that they’re giving off an unpleasant odor.

-- Chinchillas should eat a high-fiber diet consisting of grass hays and commercial chinchilla pellets, advised Zoltan Szabo, DMV, a specialist in zoological medicine and care of exotic companion mammals and birds. In the notes for his lecture “Chinchilla Tips and Tricks,” he writes that they shouldn’t be given grains, dried apples, raisins, sunflower seeds or fresh food items like vegetables, greens or fruits. Instead, offer items for gnawing, such as nontoxic tree branches.

-- What does pain look like in your cat? The face tells all. In her lecture “Take-Home Medication, Pill Burdens, Compliance and the Human-Animal Bond,” Dr. Sheilah A. Robertson, medical director for Lap of Love, says cat owners can download the Feline Grimace Scale app to their smartphone or go to the website (felinegrimacescale.com) for quick reference as to how their cat is feeling. Scoring your cat at home for pain allows you to reliably alert your veterinarian to pain in your cat.

-- Why no canine grimace scale? Dogs are more of a challenge because their facial features vary much more than those of cats, says veterinarian Duncan Lascelles, professor of translational pain research at North Carolina State University, who spoke on the latest pain management and diagnosis guidelines from the American Animal Hospital Association. “There are dogs with short noses, dogs with long noses, dogs with noses in-between,” he says. Instead, your veterinarian may have you answer a questionnaire or go through a checklist to screen your dog for pain or gauge the level of pain.

-- Cold compression therapy decreases the signs of pain, swelling and lameness. It’s underutilized in pets, but after surgery, it’s very effective in decreasing inflammation and improving range of motion, Dr. Robertson says. It’s something that can easily be done at home to help pets recover from surgery or injuries.

Q&A

Bearded dragons

dine on salad, insects

Q: What should I feed my bearded dragon?

A: I’m taking advantage this week of the information provided by my reptile and amphibian specialist colleague Paul M. Gibbons, DVM, who spoke on this topic at the recent Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX).

In his lecture notes, he says these popular omnivorous reptiles should eat a chopped salad five to seven days a week and invertebrates such as crickets, mealworms, black soldier fly larvae and dubia roaches three days a week. Maybe not tasty to us, but healthy and delicious for a bearded dragon.

He recommends giving enough chopped salad that your bearded dragon leaves a small amount uneaten each day. Offer mixed greens with some orange, red and yellow vegetables.

Good greens and veggies to feed include kale, collards, turnip greens, bell peppers, bok choy, carrots, endive, mustard greens, red leaf lettuce and romaine. Because of their oxalate levels, give parsley, spinach, Swiss chard and chives only occasionally, in small amounts. You can also give Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, parsnip, radish, watercress, winter squash, summer squash and berries. If you don’t treat your lawn with herbicides or pesticides, you can offer such delicacies as dandelions, grape leaves and mulberry leaves and fruits, as well as edible flowers such as nasturtiums, pansies, marigolds and squash blossoms.

What else does your bearded dragon look for in a meal? “Many bearded dragons prefer to eat veggies that have dried out and become crispy,” Dr. Gibbons says in his notes. And, like most of us, they enjoy variety, so don’t feed the same old thing day after day. Vary the invertebrates, too.

Insects you feed to your dragon should be well hydrated and fed a species-specific “gut-loading” diet to help balance nutrient deficiencies. Dust the insects with powdered calcium and a multivitamin supplement to provide important micronutrients. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Giving cats meds

is challenging

-- You probably know from experience that it can be difficult to give medication to cats, but the statistics might shock you. The results of an online survey of owners’ experiences medicating their cats at home, published last year in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (bit.ly/3wlAafA), found that 35% of owners failed to complete their cats’ course of medication; 50.7% reported that they were “sometimes” or “never” given information or advice on how to administer medication by their veterinary team; and 51.6% said their relationship with their cat was negatively affected by having to give medication. Cats responded to medication attempts by spitting out tablets (78.7%), trying to bite or scratch the owner (77%), refusing medication in food (71.7%) and running away from the owner (52.7%). When pets don’t get meds, treatment is less effective.

Fortunately for cats and their people, longer-lasting medications are becoming available that can be administered by injection at the veterinary clinic or transdermally for slow-acting release. Tasty compounded medications may also be an option. If your cat is difficult to medicate, tell your veterinarian so they can plan the most effective protocol and give you tips on administering medication that may make it easier on you and your cat. This video provides tips: bit.ly/3WvSI7h.

-- A long-lived myth that just won’t die is that birds need grit in their diet to help their gizzards grind food. Not so! Grit has been shown to remove vitamins A, K and B from a bird’s digestive system, and an overabundance of grit can cause life-threatening impactions in pet parrots, especially smaller birds such as budgies or cockatiels. A couple of grains of grit every couple of months is OK to give finches and canaries, but skip it for parrots. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

You’ve adopted a senior pet. Should you spring for pet health insurance? Here’s what to consider

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When I bought Harper as a puppy 15 years ago, there were fewer pet health insurance options than there are today, and often coverage didn’t include common problems in cavalier King Charles spaniels, such as heart disease. I decided against purchasing it, reckoning that heart issues that cropped up wouldn’t be covered and that cancer wasn’t common in the breed.

That’s generally true, but cancer is common in older dogs of any breed, and Harper was diagnosed with it when she was about 13 years old. Veterinary treatment for cancer has improved significantly since the last time I had a dog with treatable cancer, in 1996, and costs have increased accordingly. Insurance would have saved me thousands of dollars for Harper’s care over the two years she lived following diagnosis.

I decided that my next dog would be covered, no matter what. Sparkles is 10 years old, however, so insurance for her was going to be expensive, even though she’s generally healthy. But it’s still a good idea. Here’s what to think about if you’re choosing insurance for a senior pet.

Which animals qualify as seniors? The American Animal Hospital Association has guidelines defining different life stages, from puppy or kitten to adult, senior and geriatric. Pet health insurance companies may use those guidelines to identify a pet’s life stage and the conditions that are common during each life stage.

Breed or size can play a role. For instance, giant breed dogs such as Great Danes or Irish wolfhounds may be considered seniors when they are 7 years old, while toy breed dogs such as Chihuahuas, which have a much longer lifespan, don’t reach that status until they are 10 to 12 years old. The American Association of Feline Practitioners considers cats seniors when they are 11 to 14 years old and geriatric at 15 to 25 years old.

Different companies have different age limits for coverage. For instance, Nationwide will insure pets any time before they turn 10 years old, while Embrace says that pets enrolled after their 15th birthday are eligible for the accident-only policy, which doesn’t cover illnesses.

Look at other benefits. Some companies offer veterinary helplines or tele-triage calls that may answer simple questions or help you determine whether your pet can wait for a regular veterinary appointment or needs to go to the emergency room.

Ask questions such as whether the deductible goes down each year that you don’t have an accident or illness claim reimbursement; whether curable preexisting conditions are covered if the pet is symptom- or treatment-free for one year or more; and whether the plan offers significant discounts for medications.

“Older pets are somewhat more prone to health conditions and having chronic diseases or cancer as they get older, so having access to affordable medications is one thing to keep in mind,” says Emily Tincher, DVM, senior director of veterinary relations for Nationwide.

Conditions you can expect to see in senior pets are hyperthyroidism and heart disease in cats and kidney disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, osteoarthritis and cancer in dogs and cats. Several of these are chronic conditions that are manageable but can add up to be fairly costly over time, Tincher says.

Use pet health insurance review websites such as petinsurancereview.com and pawlicy.com to compare policies. Plug in your pet’s species, age, breed and other requested information, and they’ll recommend several plans to consider.

Then dig deeper by visiting company websites or calling to see exactly what’s covered. There may be discounts for covering multiple pets, for instance. Companies such as Nationwide, which also offer home and auto insurance, may offer discounts if you’re already a policyholder. Your company may provide pet health insurance as a benefit. Compare deductible levels and benefit schedules. Your veterinarian may be able to advise you based on their knowledge of your pet’s health and lifestyle.

Q&A

Keep cat ears

clean, healthy

Q: How often should I clean my cat’s ears?

A: Checking the ears for dirt, discharge or signs of parasites should be part of your cat’s weekly grooming routine. A small amount of wax is normal and doesn’t need to be removed. Give the ears a good sniff. They shouldn’t smell stinky.

Healthy ears generally don’t need to be cleaned, but if they’re dirty and you don’t have a cleanser recommended by your veterinarian, warm some mineral or olive oil. (To make sure it’s not too hot, test it on your wrist like you would do with the milk in a baby’s bottle.) Place a few drops on a cotton ball, and wipe out the ear. Remember not to stick a cotton swab down into the ear canal. That just pushes the gunk further into the ear.

Clues that your cat is having ear issues are an unpleasant odor, head shaking, tilting the head to one side, scratching at the ears or a red, inflamed appearance. In the case of ear mite infestation, you may notice a brown, waxy discharge or even -- if you have great eyesight -- tiny mites moving in the discharge.

If your cat has any of these signs, it’s time for a trip to the veterinarian to check for infection, parasites, allergies or even polyps or other ear masses. Tell the veterinarian if your cat has had upper respiratory disease. A history of sneezing or nasal discharge can lead to a middle-ear infection that turns into an external ear problem.

Surprisingly, lack of appetite may also be related to an ear problem. If your cat experiences ear pain when she opens her jaw, she’s going to be reluctant to eat. So don’t hold back any information; you never know what may help your veterinarian diagnose the problem. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

How to check

groomer training

-- Looking for a dog groomer? Check credentials first. Not all states require groomers to meet educational standards. Groomers may be self-taught through online courses or videos. To find one with hands-on training, ask if they have certification through a national organization such as the National Dog Groomers Association of America, which requires certification testing and continuing education. The NDGAA offers workshops on basic pet grooming and styling. Afterward, participants must demonstrate their skills to a panel of experts and pass a written exam to gain certification. States requiring licensing have regulations regarding cleanliness, equipment use, maintenance and sanitation, how animals are handled and restrained and much more. Choose a groomer certified in pet first aid, and always visit facilities before booking an appointment to make sure it’s a place you’re comfortable leaving your dog.

-- How many chickens should you have? According to “Birds for Dummies,” three to six is a good flock size, especially if you live in the ‘burbs. The more space, the more chickens you can have, but you don’t want so many that caring for them becomes a chore and prevents you from having a fun relationship with them. Fewer chickens mean less mess, too; chickens stir up a lot of dust and produce a lot of poop. If you enjoy the wide variety of chicken “looks,” each one can be a different breed.

-- Early Egyptians worshipped particular animals for services they provided or for admirable qualities. Feline hunting prowess and corresponding vermin control most certainly made cats worthy of worship by these criteria. As Egyptian culture evolved, worship associated with cats took a prominent role and included the goddess Mafdet, who was portrayed as either a cat or a panther; the goddess Bastet, who took the form of a cat; and the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Does your cat have this common disease? Signs to watch for and advances in treatment

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Your cat is eating ravenously but losing weight, and she seems to be drinking a lot more water than normal -- and peeing it all out into the litter box. What’s wrong with her?

All of those signs may be pointing to a particular disease that’s not uncommon in cats: diabetes mellitus.

But if you’re not in the habit of monitoring how much your cat eats, the normal size of urine clumps in the litter box or her body condition score, you may not notice the changes until the disease is advanced.

“I’ve made some surprise diabetes diagnoses,” says Julie Liu, DVM, who practices in Austin, Texas. If people aren’t scooping the litter box daily or are leaving food out all the time, they may not notice how much their cat is eating or urinating, she says. And they might not notice that the cat is losing weight -- at least not at first.

The first “tell” may be that the cat is urinating outside the litter box. Because they’re drinking so much water, they have increased urgency to urinate, and they might not make it to the litter box in time. They are also much more prone to urinary tract infections, Dr. Liu says.

Any time you notice these signs, your cat needs to see the veterinarian right away for a physical exam and lab work to detect glucose in urine and blood.

Approximately 600,000 cats in the United States are diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime. The endocrine disorder occurs when islet cells in the pancreas don’t produce enough insulin, preventing body tissues from using glucose for energy. Instead, glucose builds up in blood and urine.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition with no cure. Left untreated, feline diabetes can result in weight loss, loss of appetite, vomiting, dehydration, severe depression, problems with motor function, coma and death.

The good news is that it is treatable in cats and can even go into remission when it’s well-managed.

Traditionally, diabetic cats have been managed with twice-daily insulin injections. If you’re afraid of needles, you may think it’s impossible that you would ever be able to give your cat insulin injections. But as the former owner of a cat who lived with diabetes for 10 years and as someone with a strong needle phobia, I’m here to tell you that the fear of giving injections can be overcome. The needles used for insulin injections are fine, and in my experience, the cat barely notices the jab. Our cat, Peter, was more interested in the meal he knew was coming immediately after the injection.

Diet is also an important part of managing care. Eating a high-protein, low-carb food -- nicknamed the “Catkins” diet -- can reduce or eliminate a cat’s need for insulin injections. Many cats have the disease controlled by diet alone.

And a new once-daily oral medication called Bexacat was approved last month by the Food and Drug Administration. The flavored chewable prescription medication works to improve glycemic control in cats with diabetes. The limiting factor? It can be used only in cats that have never been treated with insulin. Other considerations are the cat’s weight and overall health. Cats taking the drug must be monitored regularly with blood work and watched for signs such as appetite loss, lethargy, dehydration and weight loss.

Use of at-home blood glucose meters also help owners keep tabs on their cats’ conditions, without subjecting them to veterinary visits that could send glucose levels soaring from stress alone.

Maintaining a normal weight is the best way to prevent diabetes in your cat. If your veterinarian expresses concern about your cat’s weight, take it seriously. A weight-loss program can not only lower your cat’s risk of this disease, but it has the bonus of reducing stress on joints, a win-win for improving health and quality of life.

Q&A

Do I have to

wash pet beds?

Q: Is there a rule on pet laundry? Should I be washing their beds?

A: I wouldn’t say there’s a rule about the frequency of laundering pet bedding, but there are some things to consider. The most important may be the sensitivity of your nose. If you notice that your home is starting to smell too much like your pets -- and not in a good way -- part of the reason could be that pet bedding is starting to develop a stale odor.

You probably wash your sheets at least weekly to remove the accumulation of body oils, hair, perspiration, dead skin cells and bacteria that build up from sleeping on them. The same thing happens when your pets lie on their beds. And it builds up more rapidly because pets don’t wear PJs and they don’t shower daily -- although cats, of course, would argue that their tongue baths are much more cleansing than your own ablutions.

It’s not going to hurt your pets to sleep on bedding that hasn’t been washed in a while, but it’s fair to say that dirty bedding can be the source of bacteria, parasites and viruses from other pets who share it.

If you’re concerned that your home is garnering surreptitious sniffs of disapproval from visitors or your mother-in-law, you can clean up your act by washing pet bedding weekly and cleaning crates weekly with warm, soapy water. Read the label to find out how to care for it. Generally, covers can be removed and machine-washed. Unless the label advises otherwise, use hot water to kill any microbes and dry thoroughly to prevent development of mold or mildew. For beds that aren’t machine-washable, give them a good going-over with the vacuum cleaner when you have it out, or use antibacterial wipes to freshen it up. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Cold-weather care

for horses

-- Horses need protection from frigid temperatures just as much as dogs and cats. To help them ward off the chill, they need extra food and shelter from wind and snow. Horses can eat a bale of hay a day in winter. In blizzard conditions and below-zero temperatures, a blanket is a must for insulation from the cold. It’s also important to ensure that they keep moving unless they’re sheltering from severe weather. In addition, they need hoof care and protection and removal of snow and ice from paddocks. Work with your veterinarian to develop a winter care plan to keep your horse safe and healthy.

-- Don't let your older dog sit around. As he ages, he should continue regular, moderate exertion, but at lower intensity and duration than during his younger years. Think two shorter walks daily instead of one long one and "brain games" using food puzzles or nose work. Keeping him lean protects his joints, and throw rugs or yoga mats on slick floors can prevent the slipping and sliding that lead to orthopedic injuries.

-- Animal-related tech demonstrated earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas included FluentPet, an app-connected talking button system that allows dogs to signal that they’d like to go out or have a treat, among other things; Bird Buddy, a bird feeder that photographs the birds visiting it and then uses AI technology to identify more than 1,000 avian species; a canine fitness tracker in the form of a smart collar that monitors a dog’s activity level, sleep habits and heart health and can send the information to the veterinarian; and Dog-E, an app-controlled robot that allows the electronic dogs to develop “personalities” and movements and learn tricks based on interactions with owners. What will they think of next? -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.