iPawz

Glucosamine and Chondroitin Supplements

(pictured: Arthritis of the hip joint)

Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate supplements are fast becoming the most widely used supplements in dogs' diets. The reason is this: Arthritis in dogs is one of the most common health problems seen by veterinarians. And quite unfortunately dog owners and veterinarians rarely notice the early warning signs of arthritis in dogs because these animals have the character to ignore soreness and discomfort until the arthritic changes in the joints have progressed significantly. Recent widespread availability of nutraceuticals such as GLUCOSAMINE and CHONDROITIN SULFATE have proven to be significant contributors to easing the discomfort of arthritis in dogs. Plus these substances actually promote healing and tissue repair.

GLUCOSAMINE
Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound composed of a sugar and an amino acid and is involved with the body's production of joint lubricants and shock absorption necessary to maintain healthy cartilage and joint function. It is manufactured in the body in the joint cartilage and is one of the major components involved with the formation of the critical lubricants and shock absorbers necessary to maintain and restore healthy joint performance. Any degeneration or injury to joint cartilage can result in the failure of the joint to produce sufficient cartilage repair and maintenance substances. The net result with time is a wearing down of the joint cartilage to the point where pain and swelling can substantially reduce joint function. This is what is commonly called degenerative joint disease (DJD) and Osteoarthritis.

Glucosamine Sulfate plays a role in other body structures besides joints. It is involved in the formation of nails, tendons, skin, eyes, synovial fluid, bone, ligaments, heart valves and in mucous secretions of the digestive, respiratory and urinary tracts. It is created in the production of proteins associated with cellular growth and structure. Test tube and animal studies show glucosamine supplements help increase cartilage production and reduce inflammation. Absence of Glucosamine Sulfate in the diet can result in early aging of cells, loss of cellular function, susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infection, and cell death. Glucosamine Sulfate is one of the building blocks of the basic substance of articular cartilage. Glucosamine Sulfate may also aid in the rebuilding of damaged cartilage...

Hyperthyroid Disease in Cats

Hyperthyroid disease in cats is common and is usually discovered in older cats that lose weight but yet eat well, and seem otherwise healthy.  Take a look at Hyperthyroidism in cats as explained by an experienced veterinarian...

There are a number of options for feline patients that need treatment for Hyperthyroidism, including radiation therapy and oral medications.  Be sure to consult with your veterinarian regarding specific treatment and therapy for your cat if hyperthyroidism is a problem.

“Doctor, is there something wrong with my cat, Tigger? She's losing weight but she can’t be too sick because her appetite is terrific!”

I encourage this concerned pet owner to bring Tigger in for an examination. Further questioning revealed some important clues to solving her health problem. The owner told me that Tigger has seemed restless for several months, wandering around the house at night, yowling and making a terrible racket. The owner also told me that Tigger has had occasional diarrhea and vomiting, and these symptoms have become more frequent.

During the physical exam, several abnormal findings are noted. Tigger is very thin with a poor, dull haircoat. She is very Weight loss, rapid heart rate, good appetite, poor coat... could be Hyperthyroidism in this cat. anxious and restless on the exam table and her heart rate is very fast... more than 200 beats per minute! (average is 110 - 140 beats per minute.)  As I continue the examination, I think I can feel a lump in the neck area. At this point, I am pretty sure that I know what is causing Tigger to be ill, and I explain to the owner that some blood tests will help confirm the diagnosis. When the blood test is back, we discover that the Tigger’s thyroid hormone level is more than twice what it should be. We have our answer- feline hyperthyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism is one of the most common diseases of the middle-aged and older cats. It is a disorder that ultimately affects many of the body systems. It is caused by an increase in the amount of thyroid hormones produced by enlarged thyroid glands. First documented 30 years ago, the actual cause of the disease remains a mystery. In most cases, the enlargement in the thyroid gland is caused by a non-malignant tumor called an adenoma. In very rare cases, a malignant form of this disease is seen.

The thyroid glands are located in the front of the neck on each side of the trachea (windpipe). Normally, they are tiny, about ¼ inch long, and difficult to feel through the skin. If the glands begin to enlarge, the veterinarian may be able to feel them. Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed by checking levels of the thyroid hormone in the blood. Since these levels can fluctuate daily, sometimes repeat testing or special thyroid function testing may be necessary for diagnosis.

The most common symptoms of this disease include weight loss, increased appetite, increased thirst, restlessness, unkempt hair with excessive shedding and matting, vomiting and/or diarrhea (although these symptoms are often sporadic). Because of the effects of the thyroid hormone levels on the heart, these patients have a fast heart rate, and may have a heart murmur, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and other heart problems.  It is important to note that not all of these symptoms may be present in every cat.  Therefore, any middle-aged to older cat that presents with any of the above symptoms should be screened for hyperthyroidism.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

This virus, for which there is a very effective vaccine, is transmitted by cat-to-cat contact. It severely limits the cat’s immune systems ability to ward off all sorts of infections. Cats affected with FeLV may be carriers of the virus for long periods without displaying any ill effects. Occasionally, if stressed by surgery or being lost outside or injury, a cat that is harboring the virus–and seemed to be healthy–will develop clinical signs. Sick cats may have periods of time when they will seem healthy only to have relapses of illness. If not defeated by the animal’s immune system, It is commonly fatal over a period of time.

Diggin' Your Dog Recalls Strippin' Chicks Pet Treats Distributed in Colorado and Nevada

Full information here

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 7, 2013 - Diggin' Your Dog™ announced today that they are voluntarily withdrawing one lot of its Strippin' Chicks™ Pet Treats produced on 8-30-12 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The sample was obtained in Colorado and the company has accounted for its distribution in Colorado of this lot.

No other Diggin' Your Dog™ products, lots, or production dates are affected.

The lot being voluntarily withdrawn is: Strippin' Chicks™ Pet Treats 5 oz Bag. Lot Code 250322 Use By Date: 2-23-14.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Animals with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some animals will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy animals can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your animals have consumed the recalled product and have these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

When your pet has allergies - the RAST test

Well the calendar says it's Spring - between the heavy flooding in the west, the warm, wet, almost snowless east, and all kinds of climatological mayhem in the middle of the country, I'm sure we're all looking forward to some "normal" weather.

Photo by Gofflin, Flickr CC license

But what has this got to do with my pet you say? In a word - ALLERGIES!

Itching, scratching, chewing, sneezing dogs and cats everywhere. All this wet, warm weather has brought the plants out of their winter snooze weeks earlier than usual, and many of our allergic pets are starting to react.

It's that thump, thump at two in the morning as your dog frantically tears at his ears, or that annoying slurping sound as he chews the fur off his rump that has you calling your veterinarian for the first available appointment.

While there are many different ways an allergy may manifest in your dog and many different treatments, one of the tests your veterinarian may recommend is a RAST test - (Radioallergosorbent test). A small vial of blood is drawn and submitted to a laboratory for analysis. Two primary screens are usually performed. The first is a regional test which checks for any sensitivity your dog may have to the common grasses, trees, shrubs, molds and fungi found in your part of the country. The second is a food allergy screen to determine sensitivity to some of the common ingredients in your dog's diet.

Since the very best way of treating an allergy is to stay away from the causative agent altogether, your veterinarian will then be able to recommend certain diets free of ingredients to which your dog tested positive.

Heartworm disease in dogs (or Dirofilariasis)

Does your dog cough frequently? Has he lost some weight recently? Just doesn't want to go running after that tennis ball anymore? If so, he could have heartworm disease!

Dirofilariasis or heartworm is a serious and potentially fatal illness spread by mosquitoes and it is common especially in the eastern and southern parts of the USA. When a mosquito bites a dog to take a blood meal, it may inject a number of tiny larvae into the animal's skin. Over a period of months, these larvae migrate into the blood stream and gradually make their way to the heart and the adjacent arteries. Here they begin to grow and can often reach lengths of twelve to eighteen inches!

Sometimes dogs will have tens or even hundreds of worms, all more than a foot long, clogging up the chambers of the heart. At this stage, the blood cannot flow properly through the heart and the dog starts to show the typical signs of congestive heart failure. To make things worse, the female worms produce thousands of offspring, which can be found swimming in almost every drop of blood in the dog's body. When the next mosquito bites the unfortunate animal, it will suck up some of these juveniles and then fly off to find it's next victim...

Pet Health: Cancer in animals

What is Cancer?
Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells on or within the body. Cancer may be benign or malignant.  It may be localized or it may invade adjacent tissue and spread throughout the body.

How Common is Cancer?
Cancer is common in pet animals and the incidence increases with age. Cancer accounts for almost half of the deaths of pets over 10 years of age. Dogs get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans, while cats get fewer cancers.

How is it Diagnosed?
Strong circumstantial evidence of cancer can be attained from x-rays, blood tests, ultrasonography, the pet's physical examination and medical history. Most cancers, however, will require a biopsy (a removal of a piece of tissue) for confirmation that cancer exists and to grade the level of severity from benign to aggressively malignant.

Is Cancer Preventable?

Toxoplasmosis in cats

This disease of cats and other mammals is caused by a parasitic protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii. Protozoa are single-celled organisms but are not in the same classification as bacteria. They are among the simplest creatures in the animal kingdom. Cats that hunt and consume raw meat will have the greatest chance for contracting Toxoplasmosis. Ingestion of tissue cysts in infected prey or in other raw meat is probably the most common route by which cats are exposed to Toxoplasma.

Although infection with Toxoplasma is fairly common in cats, actual disease caused by the parasite is relatively rare. Cats are able to shed Toxoplasma in their feces for a few weeks after they are first infected with the parasite. And as in humans with the disease, cats rarely have symptoms when first infected. A cat can remain healthy appearing and yet have the organism within their bodies. There are no good tests available to determine if your cat is passing Toxoplasma in its feces.

Acutely infected cats might display lethargy, depression, poor appetite, lesions in the retinas of the eyes, weight loss and fever. Liver and lung abnormalities may occur. Any cat that displays a brain disorder such as incoordination, sensitivity to light, constricted pupils, circling, personality changes or other central nervous system abnormalities should be evaluated for Toxoplasmosis.

All about the dog neuter procedure

The dog neuter surgery, and spaying and neutering of dogs or cats in general does not "make a pet fat and lazy". In a healthy dog or cat, free of hypothyroidism or other medical disorders, overfeeding and insufficient exercise are the sole causes of a pet being overweight. Don't blame the dog or cat spay or neuter surgery if a pet becomes overweight.

Photo by Amber, Flickr CC license

The dog neuter surgical procedure is performed under general anesthesia and employs sterile instruments and a sterile surgical field. Medical emergencies can arise if a pet becomes infected during these procedures. No surgeon approaches a spay or neuter as if it were "routine" because each surgery is different from every other because each pet is different, and although neutering might be deemed a minor surgery, a spay certainly qualifies as a major procedure.

Castration of a male dog does not "break his spirit"... it is probably the most common routine surgery done in animal hospitals all across the country. IF neutering promoted undesirable physical or emotional impact on the dog, it surely would not e performed as often as it is. Plus every veterinary hospital would be required by law and ethics to have the dog owner sign a notice that they were informed of these possible bad side effects... but there are very few reasons not to neuter a male dog.

 

Could your dog or cat be at risk for kidney disease?

Photo by lindsey kone, Creative Commons license

Could Your Dog or Cat Be at Risk for Kidney Disease?
Catching an Illness at an Early Stage Is Your Best Strategy

Just like people, animals are susceptible to illness and stress. And, just like people, there is a lot you can do to keep them healthy.

Julie noticed her dog, Zac, was drinking more water. Not just once, but several days in a row. She knew that excess thirst can be a sign of illness, so she took Zac to her veterinarian for tests. Blood and urine tests showed that Zac was in the early stages of acute kidney disease. But Zac was lucky. Because his problem was caught early, Julie’s veterinarian was able to treat the disease successfully and Zac made a complete recovery.

What Is Kidney Disease?

Briefly, kidneys filter and remove waste material from the blood stream. They also regulate the volume and composition of your pet’s body fluids.

There are two types of kidney disease:

Acute – a sudden loss of kidney functioning which is sometimes reversible, and
Chronic – a loss of kidney function that occurs gradually over time.  Chronic kidney disease is often progressive, but, depending on the underlying cause and with careful management, animals often live comfortable lives for many years.

The causes of kidney disease can include inherited defects, infections, toxic substances and simply aging. Although the cause of kidney disease can be difficult to determine, with careful testing by your veterinarian, the disease can often be managed. Most treatments are aimed at decreasing the workload of the kidneys, reducing the severity of symptoms, and slowing the progression of the disease.

What Are Its Symptoms?