dogs&cats&more

Ringworm is a fungal infection that can affect the hair, nails and/or skin of cats, dogs, and humans. In humans, ringworm usually looks like a ring-like lesion, but this is not always the case in pets.

 In most animals, ringworm is fairly self-limiting, meaning it will heal itself in time. However, in animals with compromised immune systems, particularly cats under 1 year of age, outbreaks can become severe. Spores from infected animals can be shed into the environment and live for over a year and a half!

Typical ringworm symptoms to look for would be small roundish lesions with no hair, sometimes itchy and irritated looking, other times not. It may have a small scabby center. Ringworm is most commonly found at the head, ears and tail, but can be spread to anywhere on the body.

The most reliable way for your vet to diagnose ringworm is with a culture. When it is suspected, topical treatment can begin while waiting for culture results, as most vets are fairly certain as to the diagnosis when they see this. Limiting your ringworm-positive pet to a confined area which you clean well with diluted bleach will save you a lot of trouble in the long run in keeping the infection contained. Wearing loves to help prevent infection to yourself and contamination to other areas of the household is also strongly recommended.

Christine, LVT

Making the decision to work with animals may seem like an easy thing, but it really isn’t. First, the pay in most animal related fields is zilch; second, it’s a difficult field to get into when experience is lacking, and it can be difficult to obtain that experience when no one wants a newbie hired!

It was especially difficult for me to get into this field. I already had a well paid business job (which I hated). I knew what animal jobs were out there but I lacked the formal education in it to get something that would pay my bills. So I did something that changed my life forever: I started volunteering at my local animal shelter.

I did this for a few years before it really sunk in that I had a knack for aiding their health and well being, both medically and emotionally. I enrolled part time at the closest veterinary technology program, which was an hour away and offering classes right smack in the middle of the day to inconvenience everyone. Once I had that under my belt, I was able to switch jobs to an entry veterinary assistant, making peanuts and barely keeping my head above water. But I loved it. I stayed with the shelter as well.

My bachelor’s in veterinary technology took me quite some time to finish despite already having had a college degree, since I had to go part time, couldn’t work enough hours or for enough pay to help me pay it, and even being homeless here and there while doing this. It was the biggest undertaking of my life, and I’m not convinced  could go through it again. But I’m so glad I got through, got my professional license, and worked hard enough and made enough connections to be at the level of medicine I am at now; I’m hoping that where I am now is where I finish off my career, and the changes in the respect and pay in the field has finally been on the upward trend. I can pay my bills now

Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than talking about this field with people and explaining the pros and cons, and why it may not be for everyone. There is always something out there you can do with animals, medicine is just one small part of it. If you’re thinking of going off to college for this, want to start out in an animal shelter, wondering what variety exists in this field, or have other questions about doing what I’ve done, don’t hesitate to comment me, I will (eventually) get back to you on it. The field of veterinary medicine can always use more animal lovers!

Christine, LVT

Who the Heck Are All These People?

Working in a large hospital that boasts emergency, specialty and general practices, it may seem easy to get overwhelmed upon entering for your first visit. Even the most organized large facility is going to be fairly packed with a large number of staff members. These organized hospitals, however, will do there best to try to point out to you who’s who, and I’d like to try and explain the differences in the basic positions so you may know where to go if and when you enter one of these places. I can only speak for the practices I’ve worked in, of course.

For starters, you have your receptionist/ front office staff. They are almost always the first people you see, especially if you have an appointment, or walk in on a not-as-critical emergency. These people do not only schedule your appointments, welcome you,, attend to your bill and pull your chart- they are also a critical player in keeping the flow of the hospital going. They are trained to be able to answer your questions- or at least know who to get so that you can have your answers. They often deal with the most abuse or stress from clients- not necessarily on purpose- but the biggest problems encountered on a daily basis are people upset with their bills, people upset their pet isn’t doing well and unsure why when they walk in, and people who feel they can talk down to the front office staff even when they won’t to the licensed personnel. Contrary to most people’s conceptions, these staff members are one of our most important, deserving the most respect: they give you your first impression of our hospital, and their ‘attitude’ is what can make or break us. A good front office staff member deals with the daily stress and is still able to put a smile on and help you and the next client. There is always a manager or head of the office you can speak to when needed.

The assistants are the ones you may see running by to quickly clean up a puppy pee in the front, or carry up your large bag of food despite weighing only 110 lbs themselves, or putting all they have into calming and holding onto your aggressive 140 lb Dane or aggressive feral cat who needs his head still for an eye pressure check by the doctor. The get the most ‘beat up‘- they often get paid the least- and they are there to set up all our procedures, hold our patients, help you to your car with your supplies, and in the process, still doing their best to learn medicine. A good assistant is irreplaceable- and they do it for their love of animals. Many of ours are in tech or vet school- and deal with daily bruises and minimum recognition because they love what they do- I couldn’t speak enough about how appreciated they truly are to the doctors and techs.

Technicians in the best facilities and in states requiring such are licensed. I myself have my bachelor’s in Veterinary technology and pre-vet medicine with countless continuing education hours. We are not usually trying to be vets- some start this way- but most know they’d rather do the hands-on work than the theory behind it. With the education, we understand disease processes, surgeries and injuries, and utilize that knowledge to be responsible for all diagnostic testing, monitoring of patient care and status, and education to the client. We are the ones who admit your animals and then bring them back to you when picked up, who explain your medications to you, who are put on the phone when you aren’t sure you’re dealing with an emergency, who run out to get your pet when a life threatening problem is occurring, and who do cpr, anesthesia, intubation, medicating, injecting and so forth to save your pet. We go by your permission to save and the doctor’s orders to use certain things, and we go… sometimes it’s like being in a bubble with the amount going on at once- but a large hospital that has techs who work well together and with the doctor is an unbelievable feeling. It’s quite a rush at times. And we still then care for the lesser emergent cases with the same care and love for the patient. A day filled with just about anything: from making sure they live through their anesthesia during their liver shunt surgery, to helping them take their first steps after an amputation, to watching their progress and medicating every hour to give them a chance at life through their heart failure or bleeding disorder, to teaching them its ok for us to touch your paws for your first puppy or kitten nail trim! We go to work never knowing what we’ll see for the day- but its always a wide mixture.

The vets, of course, speak to you in the appointments, physically examine the animal and decide what treatment or diagnostics are needed, utilize their education and expertise to determine what needs to be ruled out and what is most likely going on, and take a chance with each and every patient that they are correct in what they choose. It’s a lot of pressure, but with the support of the entire staff working together, things can be made easier for the doctor to concentrate on their job only so that you get your pet back as healthy and happy as possible.

Christine, LVT

Euthanasia is obviously a touchy, emotional topic. Some people don’t believe in it. Others just can’t bring themselves to make that decision. And yet others just need that helping hand to get them through it.

As a vet tech, obviously I am exposed to it much more often than the average pet owner. I not only deal with it in my own pets when it is time, but working in an extremely large hospital, am faced with it in others’ pets quite often. Because it is seen often, and because I truly believe euthanasia is a humane, loving way to end our pets’ suffering, I indeed do not suffer the same shock as some owners do. Yet, that doesn’t ever make it ‘easy’ for me or any other staff member.

Each one hurts us, too. In fact, veterinarians and technicians alike tend to suffer more burn out in this field than in most jobs. It’s an emotional field to work in. It is not exactly professional for us to break down crying for each pet, and we try to keep in our minds that this is the right thing, but we see the owner’s suffering, we see the bond- whether it’s your first and last visit in one, whether this was something unexpected when you pulled in, or whether you made this appointment last week. We can see it in your face, hear it in your voice- we know how it feels because we love our pets so dearly and know how strong your bond is with your loved pet- each and every single euthanasia is a heartbreak for us, and we feel your pains.

I rarely have the right words. “I’m sorry” is all I can usually come out with, but I always hope that animal’s owner knows that they are not alone and that we understand. When you tell us it is the right thing to do, it IS the right thing to do. You know your pet better than anyone. And for that, we respect your decisions and feel for you and your pet.

When we send out sympathy cards, I again often say the same thing. I will remark on one aspect of that animal that touched me and made an impact in my life, as every single patient has, and will say that “I hope your sadness soon turns to happy memories spent with your loved one”. And even though I write it to each one,  truly mean it. To me, that is when suffering ends, we can enjoy the fact we loved that pet and made their life special, and we can smile thinking of something loving, funny, or enjoyable we did with them. I deeply hope that time comes from each pet loss as soon as possible.

Euthanasia isn’t easy on anyone involved. Don’t ever think we aren’t there for you…. we are.

Christine, LVT

AVERAGE VITAL SIGNS:

DOG (adult):

Heart rate: 70 - 160 (dependent on breed, smaller dogs usually higher end, larger- lower end)

Resting respiratory rate: 16-40

Body temperature: 99.5 - 102.5

CAT:

Heart rate: 130-200

Resting respiratory rate: 20-40

Body temperature: 100.0 - 102.5

FERRET:

Heart rate: 200-350

Resting respiratory rate: 30-40

Body temperature: 100.0 - 103.5

HORSE:

Heart rate: 25-45

Resting respiratory rate: 8-16

Body temperature: 99.5- 101.4

HAMSTER:

Heart rate: 310-480

Resting respiratory rate: 40-110

Body temperature: about 102

RABBIT:

Heart rate: 150-300

Resting respiratory rate: 30-60

Body temperature: 101-103

RAT:

Heart rate: 300-500

Resting respiratory rate: 70-140

Body temperature: 99.5-101.5

GUINEA PIG:

Heart rate: 240-310

Resting respiratory rate: 50-130

Body temperature: about 103

SUGAR GLIDER:

Heart rate: 200-300

Resting respiratory rate: 16-40

Body temperature: 96.5-98.0

The clear outer capsule of the front of the eye is termed the cornea. Instead of having blood vessels, it sits in a nourishing protective fluid of tears.

The cornea is subject to scratches, abrasions and ulcerations. The most common cause of ulcerations is a lack of protective tears, but can also be caused by bacterial and fungal infections. Older dogs, persian cats, and adult cats that have the herpes virus are all prone to corneal ulcers. Left untreated, serious complications can occur which destroy vision.

Ulcers can be shallow or deep. Once the cornea has been torn, it becomes irritated and painful, causing tearing and squinting. They also itch. In response, animals will try to rub their eye, worsening the condition. Once a lot of the cornea has eroded away, a bulge will form (called a descemetocele). Once this bulge bursts, the anterior portion of the eye will collapse, contents spill out and the eye is destroyed.

Superficial ulcers can heal in a few days with proper treatment, while deep ones may take weeks of fairly intense treatments. They may also leave a scar. When there are underlying issues for the ulcer, some refuse to heal or come right back after healing.

Your vet can stain the eye to detect the depth of an ulcer. There is also a tear test that should be done to determine if an adequate amount of tears are in the eye, as a lack of tear flow is a cause of ulcers. You’ll probably notice this condition is much more frequent in pets with genetically bulging eyes, like boston terriers, boxers, pugs, lhasas, chihuahuas, persians, himalayans, etc. These breeds and others as well can also have misplaced eyelashes due to the bulge, thus scratching at the cornea continually, causing this issue.

Any time there is a problem with the eye it is recommended to see a vet quickly. Problems with the cornea can heal quicker and cause less pain, and complications with scarring and vision can thus be avoided.

Christine, LVT

Kidney problems are a major finding in older pets, and in some younger pets, too, especially since the increase in tick borne illnesses. 

There are 2 main readings we look at with bloodwork that tell us about kidney functioning. They are: BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and Creatinine.

Urea should be excreted by the kidneys. In an aged kidney where cells are starting to die or shrivel, the kidney may not excrete all of this urea as it should but some may remain for a short time longer than necessary in the blood stream. Thus, on bloodwork, the blood levels of urea (BUN) can be slightly (and only slightly) increased. Not a big deal. Also, urea is made by the liver (thus low BUN in liver disease) but in an animal who eats a high protein diet (like your dog on his raw diet), more urea than typical is made by the liver, and the kidney, in order to not overwork itself and put undo pressure on itself, will still excrete the same amount or only slightly higher levels of urea at a time, thus BUN can be increased for this reason as well. Especially if your vet does not tell you to fast your dog from eating for 8-12 hours before bloodwork, this number, unless extremely elevated, is not a significant finding alone (unless accompanied by a high creatinine).

Creatinine is a much better stand alone test to evaluate kidney functioning. That is because a high creatinine level points to a kidney issue, and a kidney issue only. Creatinine is excreted by the kidney is a normal healthy kidney and should not be in excess in the blood. If it is, especially as it continues to rise in levels, it will cause internal toxicity and neurological symptoms. The kidneys try to fight this problem by flushing themselves (making a dog very thirsty and urinating extreme amounts) when this occurs.  This is often the first symptom noticed: the excessive urination and thirst!

A kidney on ultrasound in an older dog can look slightly smaller, and this is normal. Kidney cells can die off after time, but do know it takes about 75% of kidney cells to diet before kidney failure symptoms are seen. And luckily, dogs can live just fine after treatment even in these cases. When kidney symptoms do appear, of course, a low protein/ low phosphorus diet is highly recommended.

Christine, LVT

So, your pet has been seen by a vet recently but needs a refill on the prescription, or maybe is just having a recurring issue which was treated well in the past with a certain medication. Do you really need a vet visit and all of its associated costs? Not necessarily. 

Being a prescription item, it is only legal to get the prescription as well as refills from the veterinarian who has examined and diagnosed your pet. However, what you can do is use online pharmacies, of which there are several. What you need to do is just call your vet instead of making the appointment and let them know you need a prescription for the refill either faxed directly to the company or to you to have it sent from where you order, or speak to your vet directly and tell them the problem at hand if you’ve been seen recently, and they can let you know if an exam is necessary again.

Online pharmacies are quite convenient for many people who do not want to travel to get their meds, and can many times (though not always) be cheaper.

Here are just a sampling of online pet pharmacies:

http://www.petcarerx.com/PCRX/Default.aspx?upi=0&company=Overture+Free+Shipping&id=1448

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Shop.cfm?ref=4180&subref=AA&s_kwcid=TC-2758-22783724521-S-3408456021&c=9547

http://www.nationalpetpharmacy.com/store/default.asp?AffiliateCode=PFNPP01&mscssid=G6NKFXLSQU7V8GCMEH6WP1PN7BH3D1S0

http://www.1800petmeds.com/

Christine, LVT

A common problem amongst ferrets is hair loss. When seen in conjunction with weight loss, the problem can be even more serious that you may think. When you see signs of this, you will want to get to a ferret friendly vet soon. The most common reason for hair loss with weight loss in a ferret is adrenal disease (Cushing’s disease). Usually this is caused by one adrenal gland which can be removed (surgery) and the problem cured. Sometimes you’ll even noticed an enlarged vulva with this disease, because this part of the adrenal gland that becomes affected is responsible for releasing the sex hormones.

If the skin is dry or scabby, and weight loss is not severe, chances are a bit higher that the cause were parasite related (mange, ringworm or other fungus, or fleas).

If all checks out with blood work from the vet, things to consider at home are diet and lighting, which also affect a ferret’s coat and shedding patterns. However, these would not cause itching, and weight loss because of diet is associated with malnutrition which I’m sure you’d be aware of yourself, so best bet is to get to a vet, have the bloodwork done, and discuss options for treating adrenal disease if this is indeed the cause.

Christine, LVT

 To correctly put a pressure bandage on, the most important thing to remember is that the tightness of the bandage remains at the bottom (toes) part of the bandage, and gets just a bit looser and looser as you wrap up the foot.

The perfect bandage would go like this:

A small telfa pad (non-stick pad) just to cover the cut or bleeding area, so when the bandage comes off, it doesn’t rip at the wound.

After the telfa is placed (you have to hold it there), a piece of (non-waterproof) tape goes down the length of the leg and beyond it by about 3 inches for a large dog, 1 1/2to 2 inches for smaller dogs and cats. Let this excess length off the feet hang there for now. This is your “stir-up”.

Take soft rolled bandage material and start wrapping from the very bottom of the feet; it’ll look awkward at first to cover the toes. Make it very snug at the very bottom. You want to be able to see (uncovered) the 2 ‘middle’ toes. As it rolls up even just a bit, it gets looser. The problem with bandages is when people make it looser at the bottom and then tight further up. This is what causes edema/swelling and fluid build up in the feet.

Roll this all the way up to just below the elbow part of the leg. Then, used rolled gauze/ cling wrap, starting at the very bottom once again, and roll around and up, same way as with the softer bandaging.

Once that is done, take that excess piece of tape hanging (and covered on the leg part by bandage) and fold it up and tape it onto the bandage. This keeps the bandage from slipping. You can now use vet wrap, or ace bandage or whatever else you have to cover this bandage and make it look “nicer”. If it is something clingy, remember same system as above. Remember with each layer you want to keep seeing those 2 toe ends and nails.

Bandages shouldn’t last more than a couple of days. The toes should be checked several times throughout the day, and if they look ‘separated’ or nails look ‘out of place’ this is a sign your bandage is too tight and needs to be taken off or redone.

Christine, LVT

Some people don’t notice right away that their pet has a white, hazy membrane that sometimes comes out and covers part or all of the eye. This is called the nictating membrane, also known as the 3rd eyelid. It is normal to appear from time to time, usually when your pet is tired or resting.

If you start to notice it more often that usual, it could be due to illness; just about anything making an animal lethargic or not quite right can make their 3rd eyelid appear. If the eyes look fine otherwise, it likely has nothing to do with an eye problem, and could be that your pet is just feeling a bit under the weather. Your best bet at that time would be to try and keep a better eye on him or her if at all possible, and look for other symptoms of what could be bothering them: sneezing, coughing, not eating as well, discharges or resting more. Without other symptoms and if it goes away quickly, I wouldn’t worry about it, unless these membranes continue to come out and cover the eyes more and more- which could be a prolapse of the membranes, requiring a veterinary ophthalmologist for best treatment.

Christine, LVT

Any open wound which is deep, bothers the animal, or doesn’t start healing immediately should be checked by a vet, as oral antibiotics may be necessary for proper healing.

That said, at home, you definitely want to keep any open wounds disinfected and clean while healing. The worst thing would be for a wound to close up on itself prematurely while healing and causing an abscess (which is a pus filled ‘lump‘).

I would suggest getting some chlorhexidine or betadine (iodine) solution from any pharmacy and making a 1 part solution to 10 parts warm water mix. Gently but thoroughly clean out an open wound, 2-3 times daily, using the solution on a clean cotton ball, washcloth or gauze for very superficial scratches, and squirting the solution mix into wounds with a syringe for those wounds which run a little deeper or wider.

After gently patting dry, you can apply a thin strip of Neosporin or other human antibiotic ointment to very topical, superficial wounds. Just a thin strip will do, enough to absorb into the wound but not too much as to coat the area and not let air in at it to help heal. For slightly deeper wounds, do not apply any ointments, which only cover it and impede the air getting at it to help it heal. Do try to keep all open wounds clean as best as possible.

If any wound starts to bother your pet, you may need an e-collar to prevent scratching or licking at it and causing further harm.

Christine, LVT

We in the veterinary community are often presented with the question of why a pet’s ear flap suddenly swelled up like a balloon about to burst.

When the ear flap gets swollen like this, it is from an aural hematoma. This is when the blood vessels within the ear flap burst due to excessive shaking of the head, scratching of the ears, or rubbing them on carpet/furniture/etc. Once the vessels burst, the blood and fluid pools into this pocket you are seeing.

The reason behind its cause is almost always an ear infection. Cats often have ear mites, dogs and cats often get bacterial or yeast infections, sometimes further down into the “L” shaped canal making it harder for you to see it and realize this is a problem.

If having this problem, I would definitely clean the ears by using an ear cleaner specifically made for cats or dogs, available from any pet supply store or online catalog or vet. My personal preferences are Oti-Clens, Derma-Pet and Pan-Otic. Make sure the canal is filled, then massage the base of the ear well, then allow your cat or dog to shake the excess debris out. Wipe the exterior gunk off. Wash the ears daily, but gently until the discharge is resolved.

You are eventually going to need an antibiotic or anti-fungal or ear mite treatment from the vet, depending on what the culprit is causing this. We’ll put a sample under the microscope to determine this. The day of your pet’s vet exam, don’t clean the ears that morning, so some debris will be built up for a good sample.

Until then, continue cleaning daily and do your best to discourage scratching and further irritating the ears.

For the hematoma itself, on occasion they can heal up themselves if the shaking/scratching stops and the infection clears up quick. However, most often it needs to be lanced and drained by your vet, with a drain placed in order to keep the bacteria coming out, not being trapped under the skin.

These hematomas without treatment can sometimes burst, making a big mess, and requiring disinfecting (I like to use betadine 1 part solution to 10 parts warm water to clean 2-3 times daily). The can also sometimes cause some permanent damage to the ear itself. It is always in the best interest of the animal to have it fixed by a vet to prevent permanent damage and for easiest access to the underlying infection.

Christine, LVT

 Administering eye medications, both drops and ointments, are done fairly close to the same way.

It is best to start by holding your pet, whether it be your dog, cat, rabbit or ferret, sitting in front of you (between your legs or just in front of if kneeling) or even on your lap facing away from you for smaller pets. I will write this for medications done on the right eye, but it can certainly be done the opposite way when medicating the left eye. Hold out your left arm to place across the left side of the pet’s body with the hand resting on the animals chin or cheek depending on size of animal), sing the thumb on that left hand to gently pull the skin downward to help “open” the eye a bit better than normal and avoid squinting.

The right hand will hold the eye drops or ointment, while the wrist and whole right arm in small animals can be used to help stabilize the animal’s position, keeping them from turning away in either direction now. The left hand where the fingers rest on the side of the chin helps lift the animal’s head up slightly and the medication is brought down and near but never touching the eye. The bottle is squeezed and either the drop will drop into the center or corner of the eye nearest your hand, or the ointment can be squeezed out, about 1/4″ strip of it, into that corner of the eye. When the animal blinks, the medication spread throughout the eye. The right eye has now been medicated!

Christine, LVT