Car Engines and Cats

Having been in the veterinary industry for going on 25 years now, I have always heard about how you need to check your car’s engine compartment before leaving in case a furry creature (cat, in this case) crawls up in there for warmth. But I had never had a firsthand experience with this until last winter.

My parents live in Mayetta, KS, just north of Topeka; it’s about a 100 mile drive one way. One very cold day they came to KC for a visit. Dad is a little hard of hearing, so he thought he heard something funny in the engine compartment on the way down, but didn’t really think much about it.

After driving the 100 miles to get to my house, he pulled into my driveway. I was inside the house with all of the windows closed, and yet I could hear the most awful sound coming from his car. I really had absolutely no idea what could be making that sound…it was almost primeval. I went outside to greet my parents and found Dad at the front of his car scratching his head thoughtfully. I asked him, rather loudly to be heard over the screeching, what was making that terrible sound. He looked at me with a shrug and proceeded to pop the hood open. We both peered carefully into the engine compartment and saw a furry tail twitching just as fast it could next to the radiator. The noise stopped, and a small kitten’s head looked up at us.

As it happens, Dad’s barn cat had given birth to a few kittens just about 12 weeks prior to this trip. 
Apparently one brave (?) kitten had wandered out into the garage and had found a nice, warm spot to take a nap. When the car started up, he was either too scared or dumb (I say that with kindness) to crawl out. So, 100 miles later, there we were, literally pulling the kitten out of the engine compartment. He was scorched in a few places, but otherwise unharmed physically. We were absolutely amazed that he had survived the muck and grime of the dirt roads, not even mentioning the heat from the engine and all of the moving belts and fans. (I know very little about engines, but I do know there are belts and fans!)

Dad instantly dubbed that kitten “Lucky” and provided him with an inside seat on the way home!

So now, both Dad and I always give the hood of our cars a good whack before we start it up. Travelers belong inside the car, safe and sound.

Kerry 

 Practice Manager

Diabetes

There are two forms of diabetes in pets: diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipidus is a very rare disorder that results in failure to regulate body water content. Due to its rarity, this article shall discuss the more common kind: Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes Mellitus is a fairly common disorder. It is a disease of the pancreas. This is a small but vital organ that is located near the stomach. It has two significant populations of cells. One group of cells produces the enzymes necessary for proper digestion. The other group, called beta-cells, produces the hormone called insulin. Simply put, diabetes mellitus a failure of the pancreas to regulate blood sugar.

Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes Mellitus is characterized by high blood sugar, which occurs when there is insufficient insulin to meet the pet's requirements. This handout is provided to help you learn more about Diabetes Mellitus, a disease which may respond to pet foods that contain moderate to high levels of fiber.

A pet with Diabetes Mellitus will exhibit some or all of the following signs:

• Weakness
• Rapid weight loss
• Increased thirst
• Depression
• Frequent urination
• Abdominal pain
• Lack of appetite or increased appetite are also signs. In some pets, sudden blindness due to cataracts and/or detached retinas may indicate diabetes.

Causes

Diabetes Mellitus in dogs and cats is caused by damage to the pancreas. Predisposing factors for this disease include:

• Obesity
• Gender (in dogs, females are affected twice as often as males, and in cats, diabetes is more prevalent in males)
• Genetic predisposition
• Poor diet
• Stress
• Hormonal abnormalities
• Drugs

Home Care Management for Diabetes Mellitus

There is no cure for Diabetes Mellitus, but as with humans it can be controlled with insulin injections, exercise and proper nutrition. Your veterinarian may recommend a pet food that contains moderate levels of fiber for one or all of the following reasons:

• Studies show that foods containing moderate to high levels of fiber lower insulin requirements and blood glucose levels;
• Experts believe that fiber may cause the body to be more responsive to insulin;
• Fiber slows the absorption of glucose from the intestinal tract and decreases hyperglycemia (high blood sugar);
• Foods with fixed nutrient profiles are consistent both in ingredient content and nutrient source; many commercial foods can vary from batch to batch depending on ingredient cost and availability.

If your pet is overweight and diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus or other fiber-responsive disease, your veterinarian may recommend a food with high levels of fiber. Remember to follow these steps, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask your veterinarian or healthcare team member.

Step 1: Make sure your pet eats a meal before you give the insulin injection.

Step 2: Feed the recommended food in the correct quantity at a regular time each day in conjunction with the insulin.

Step 3: As a general rule, the diabetic pet should be fed more than once a day to help maintain a constant blood sugar level.

Step 4: Do not feed table scraps or any food not recommended by your veterinarian.

If you have any questions concerning this disease or the care your pet needs, please call our office at 913-649-0440 or 913-649-0446. We will be happy to assist you.

Cherokee Animal Clinic
Cherokee Cat Clinic

Pumpkin Ice Bites for Dogs

Want your dog to have a delicious and safe holiday treat? Here's a simple recipe you can make at home:

Blend 1 cup of canned pumpkin with 1 cup of plain non-fat yogurt and freeze in an ice tray. Dogs can be given these one cube at a time (outside, because they can be a little messy for carpet!). 

This mixture can also be stuffed into a Kong or rubber stuffable toy and frozen. That will allow hours of dog entertainment!

Be sure to ask us for more safe and healthy treats you can make at home for your pets! 

Pet Adoption Shelters Servicing this Area

Great Plains SPCA
Pet Adoption Center is located at 9800 W. 67th (just west of the train tracks) in Merriam, KS.
913-831-7722

Purrfect Pets 
Cat Adoption center servicing the KC Metro area.
913-652-6677

Wayside Waifs 
Pet Adoption Center located in KCMO.
816-761-8151

Humane Society of Greater Kansas City
Pet Adoption Center located in Kansas City, KS
913-596-1000

Excerpts from “From fat and feeble to lean and lively”

by Dr. Ernie Ward

Our pets are getting fatter. The latest data from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) reveals over half the nation's dogs and cats are overweight or obese.* With increasing weight comes increased weight-related disorders, especially osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes. It's up to the veterinarian/owner team to reverse this trend and save our pets from suffering needlessly. While this task may be daunting, the veterinarian/owner team can succeed. Here are tips on how we, as a team, get our pets from fat and feeble to lean and lively.

1) Recognition The first step in combating obesity is recognition. This is best accomplished by comparing the pet's historical weight trends with its current weight. If you observe that a pet gained 3 pounds during the previous two years, something has changed (remember to calculate the weight gain as a percentage of your pet’s total body weight, not just a number!)l Often it's a combination of changes in diet, treats, and lifestyle. Because weight gain is insidious, most pet owners fail to appreciate a few extra pounds over a year or two. "But, doc, it's only 2 pounds since last year." We, as owners, need to understand that weight gained slowly is just as deadly as weight gained rapidly. Recognizing and addressing weight gain in its early “pounds” is so much easier and healthier than addressing it once your pet has reached the “obese” stage.

Another important aspect in evaluating overweight pets is recognizing underlying health conditions. We recommend every obese patient undergo complete blood tests, urinalysis, and blood pressure evaluation. Many times an emerging problem such as early kidney disease, elevated blood glucose concentrations, or hypertension is discovered by these tests. If an overweight pet has not displaying outward signs of illness, these abnormal results may be the only way that we know that change is needed. Further, if a pet has hypothyroidism, a weight loss program is unlikely to be effective. Once the reason for the weight gain is diagnosed, whether it be overeating or an underlying medical issue, we now have the necessary information to proceed with a weight control/loss plan.

2) Recommendation The best approach to weight loss is one that promotes fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass. As pets lose weight and gain muscle, owners often report an increase in activity levels, enthusiasm, and greeting behaviors and playfulness. The veterinarian is the best person to recommend the proper diet for your pet’s specific weight loss plan.

Weight loss isn't about starvation or deprivation; it's about safe and sustainable lifestyle changes. We're not simply chasing a number on a scale; we're improving overall quality of life. Whatever your weight loss approach, keep in mind the goal is to improve health and prolong life, not just to get skinny. Choose diets that support optimal health and enhance overall wellness while helping lose weight safely. With today's scientifically formulated weight loss diets, we can have it all.

3) Rejuvenation Obesity steals the joy of living. Weight-loss done correctly changes lives. Owners often forget how rewarding life with a dog or cat can be because the excess weight has slowly sapped the pet's vigor and mobility. Nothing pleases us more than hearing owners exclaim, "He's like a puppy!" or "My cat now jumps on the bed and wants to play!" Not only is the owner happy but the pet is rejuvenated.

4) Re-examination Weight loss isn't a single battle; it's a lifelong war. Follow-up care is essential for success. We typically have patients weighed once a month for the first three months and then every one to three months based on their progress and condition. For clients who don't accept weight loss recommendations for their pet this year, we will review it again next year — and the year after that, for as long as we are their veterinarian. We feel it is our professional and ethical obligation to inform clients whenever we see illness, neglect, or ways to improve health, well-being, and comfort. Addressing obesity certainly qualifies as an obligation in our book, and we feel compelled to discuss it whenever appropriate. Many owners simply aren't aware of the problem; they believe their pets are just "big." It's our duty as a profession to speak for our patients that cannot speak for themselves. By making nutrition and weight loss a central part of each appointment, our patients have a chance to change from fat and feeble to lean and lively.


*see www.petobesityprevention.com

Protecting our Pets from Products that we use every day

We, as humans, sometimes forget that some foods that we eat are actually hazardous to our four-legged friends. While we would NEVER think about eating our pet’s food, our pets don’t know the distinction between their food and ours. It is our responsibility, as their owners, to protect them from these situations.
In that vein, I would like to spotlight some of these items throughout the next few months. As with all medical issues, prevention is always better, and cheaper, than treatment!!

Foods are listed in order of severity of reaction

Moderate to Severe reactions

Caffeine: Caffeine affects dogs and cats much more aggressively than people. It is easy for a pet to overdose on caffeine due to its toxicity and the pet’s smaller body size. Examples of common forms of caffeine that our pets enjoy are:

Baker’s chocolate, cocoa mulch, diet pills,
no-sleep aids, coffee, energy drinks and cocoa powder.

Play Dough – Homemade: This child’s craft toy, when homemade, usually contains high amounts of food coloring and salt. Ingestion of this tasty toy can result in salt poisoning (see next category).

Salt: **PLEASE NOTE: the old method of using table salt to induce vomiting in our pets is NO LONGER recommended**. Salt poisoning is very dangerous to our pets, and, since it is used to make things taste better, is very attractive to our cats and dogs. Common forms of salt ingested are: Table salt, de-icers (rock salt), paint balls, sea water, and enemas containing sodium phosphate.

Mild to Severe reactions

(greatly depends on amount ingested in relation to size of pet)

Alcohol: Alcohol poisoning is a very real threat to our pets, especially due to their size. Common forms of alcohol ingested are rumsoaked fruitcake, unbaked bread dough, and alcohol in all forms, such as beer and hard liquor. Please don’t share happy hour with your pets!

Bread Dough: unbaked bread dough and unbaked pizza dough are extremely dangerous for our pet to ingest. Always keep them away from prying noses when rising or preparing for the oven. Both of these products contain yeast, which, if ingested in sufficient quantities, will result in alcohol poisoning and other life-threatening problems.

Chocolate: see Caffeine

Currants: Even in small doses, currants, grapes, raisins and grapeseed extract can cause renal failure in both cats and dogs.

Mushrooms: Luckily, there are only 3 species of mushrooms that are toxic to cats and dogs: Amanita, Galerina, and Lepiota.

Star Fruit: Plants that contain soluble calcium oxylate, such as the Star Fruit, Rhubarb and Shamrock Plant, can be harmful to our pets.

Xylitol: This is a natural, sugar-free sweetener found in many sugar-free foods. It is, unfortunately, harmful to our pets if ingested. Common foods that contain Xylitol are sugar-free chewing gums, mints, oral rinses, toothpaste, chewable vitamins, and sugar-free desserts, such as puddings and gelatin snacks.

Mild to Moderate Reactions

Apricots: the seeds, leaves and stems of the apricot tree contain cyanide, a dangerous substance for our pets.

Cherry: Cherry trees and shrubs – all parts other than the ripe pulp around the seeds – also contain cyanide.

Garlic: Onions, garlic, chives and leeks are all dangerous to our pets if ingested in high enough doses. Please note that garlic is five times more toxic than onions.

Onions: see Garlic

Macadamia Nuts: toxic to our pets if eaten in a big enough dose.

Moldy foods: Since dogs and cats are typically “trash hounds,” moldy foods found in the garbage or compost piles put our pets at risk for toxicity due to mycotoxins, found in the mold. Always keep your garbage in a container that is pet-proof and your compost bin properly protected from wandering mouths.

Protecting our Pets from Products that we use every day

We, as humans, sometimes forget that medications that our doctors have prescribed for us are actually hazardous to our four-legged friends.  While we would NEVER think about taking our pet’s medications, our pets don’t know the distinction between their medications and ours.  It is our responsibility, as their owners, to protect them from these situations.

 In that vein, I would like to spotlight some of these items throughout the next few months.  As with all medical issues, prevention is always better, and cheaper, than treatment!!

**Please, always consult a veterinarian before administering ANY medication to your pet**

Medications are listed in order of severity of reaction to drug

Severe Reaction

Calcipotriene: these drugs are a source of Vitamin D, commonly found in human medications for psoriasis.  Ingestion of these medications can be deadly to dogs and cats due to the life-threateningly high calcium levels that they cause.  Common name brands include Taclonex and Dovonex.

Imidazoline: found in nasal sprays and eye drops.  This medication is extremely poisonous when ingested orally, such as when a dog or cat chews the bottle.

Isoniazid: this is the main ingredients in a common Tuberculosis medication.  It is extremely toxic to pets.

Opiods & Opiates: these are found in drugs designed to provide pain relief in both humans and pets. The illegal form of this drug called Heroin. The most common incident of overdose of these drugs is when a pet ingests an oral tablet or chews up a patch of this medication.  Common name brands include Lortab, Demerol, Oxycontin, Percocet and Percodan.

Moderate to Severe Reactions

NSAIDS:  There are several variations of NSAIDs on the market. They are safe for pet use in very CONTROLLED doses.  Common names include Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Carprofen (Rimadyl), Deroxicob (Deramaxx), Etogesic (Etodolac), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), Firocoxib (Previcox), Meloxicam (Metacam), and Naproxen (Alever, Midol). Overdoses of these drugs should be taken very seriously and immediate veterinary care should be considered.

Amphetamines: these are typically found in medications used for ADD & ADHD, as well as ecstasy and crystal meth.  They are very dangerous to our pets.

Antidepressants: One of the top accidental poisonings reported to the Pet Poison Hotline.  Veterinary doses are available for some of these medications, but they should NEVER be used without consulting a veterinarian.  Common name brands include Prozac, Cymbalta, Paxil and Zoloft.

Aspirin: this can cause severe poisoning if not used in strictly controlled doses.  Most common poisonings occur involving aspirin in accidental ingestion of BenGay, HEET, Icy Hot, Pepto Bismal, or oil of wintergreen.

Asthma Inhalers: the poisonous exposure to this drug involves chewing the medication canister and the exposure to massive amounts of the drug when the canister is punctured.  Always keep this medication, and all medication, stored away from curious pets.

Baclofen: used as a muscle relaxant; can be deadly to our pets when overdosed. Common brand names include Kemstro, Lioresal and Gablofen.

Beta Blockers: these are common heart medications used in both human and veterinary medicine for the treatment of heart disease and/or the regulation of blood pressure.   There is a very NARROW margin of safety for these drugs in veterinary medicine. 

Calcium Channel Blockers: another common heart medication used in both human and veterinary medicine for the treatment of heart disease and/or the regulation of blood pressure. Accidental overdosing can result in severe, life-threatening poisoning of our pets due to their narrow margin of safety. 

Decongestants: these medications can be deadly if ingested in toxic amounts by our pets.  Cold medicines and Cough medicines and Diet Pills are the most common forms found in the pharmacy.

Nicotine: the ingestion of nicotine in all of its forms can cause moderate to severe reactions in our pets.  These forms include cigarettes, cigars, nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and cigarette butts found on the ground!!  Be diligent when walking your dog to make sure s/he does not eat these discarded remnants.

Mild to Severe

(based on amount ingested in relation to size of pet)

Antihistamines: commonly used in veterinary medicine.  The only harm is in overdosing.  Common form is Benadryl (diphenhydramine).

Benzodiazepines: contained in medications used for sedatives and anti-anxiety.   They can be lethal in high doses, but are very safe in prescribed dosing.  Common brand names include Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Versed.

Flea and Tick Medications/Treatments: these products and the drugs they contain are most commonly toxic to cats that have been exposed/ingested medications prescribed for dogs.   Dog toxicity may occur, but it is uncommon if the package directions are followed correctly.

Ivermectin: while a safe drug for dogs in prescribed doses, dogs that eat feces of a horse that has just been dewormed with Ivermectin or eat the horse dose of Ivermectin are at a high risk of toxicity.

Mild to Moderate

Ace Inhibitors: these are common cardiac medications used in both human and veterinary medicine.  In proper doses, these drugs are very safe.  When ingested in poisonous amounts, negative, but treatable, medical conditions may occur.

Diuretics: excessive use of these medications can cause dehydration or high blood pressure.  IV fluid therapy can usually reverse these conditions.

Sleep Aids: human sleep aids typically cause the exact opposite effect in our pets. Common name brands include Ambien and Lunestra.

**Please, always consult a veterinarian before administering ANY medication to your pet**