Embrace Pet Insurance Blog

Guest Post: why are there hereditary problems in purebred dogs?

Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs, owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance. Dr. Riggs writes about hereditary issues from a small animal practioner's perspective.
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Hereditary problems, and their consequences, are something we deal with everyday in our practice. We see a number of purebred animals, each with its own great traits.

Labrador Retrievers are happy go lucky souls. Golden Retrievers are the owner’s loyal best friends. Then, there are the adorable King Charles Spaniels with their doll like faces. Who could resist the wrinkled faces of the Shar Pei? When you talk about majestic animals, who could deny the beautiful German shepherd?

Each breed has been bred to accentuate specific desirable traits. This is done by carefully breeding a male to a female with the same characteristics, so hopefully we get a litter of puppies that are similar to the parents. When done by conscientious breeders, this can be a very successful and everyone is happy. All too common though, we see the unwanted consequences of these breedings. Along with the good genes, often times the bad, often recessive genes, are expressed. This becomes more and more common the closer related the animals.

When a particular breed becomes popular, the more likely the two dogs are related, due to the intensive breeding. The five breeds were mentioned above, not only because they are fantastic dog breeds, but also because they are the breeds we see with the most genetic problems.

• The retrievers often have hip dysplasia, eye problems, allergies and seizures.
• The King Charles Spaniels have a high incidence of heart valve problems and neurologic defects, and
• the Shar Pei and German Shepards have enough hereditary problems to fill this page.

The reason; they are just too popular for their own good.

When a breed becomes popular, greed becomes involved and people often see a way a profit can be made. The pet stores and nontraditional breeders start mating dogs.

Then there are the puppy mills.

We have a real problem in this country with puppy mills. They use the dogs as money making machines by breeding them over and over until they can’t breed anymore. Often times this results in dogs that have lost any resemblance to the original breed.

Unfortunately, the state where I live, Ohio, is one of the worst in the nation, in the number of these businesses. All too often I see an excited family bringing in their new puppy, only to have me tell them that the dogs has a life threatening problem. The owners are devastated. It is a sad part of my job.

We can and need to do a better job. The animals and the families who adopt them deserve it. Contact you legislator and get involved.

And please read the article in this blog about the 8 tips to bring home a healthy dog free of genetic conditions to help you in choosing a new puppy.
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Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center with his wife Nancy, their two dogs Boo and Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

Ask Laura: infected ingrown toe nail on cat

It seems to be the month of the toe! Here is another toe issue regarding infection in a cat's extra toe.

Question:

My cat has an extra toe and had an ingrown toenail that wrapped around and split the skin between her big toe and the first toe and may have got infected. The vet gave her an antibiotic shot, cut nails, and wrapped it almost two weeks ago. Last Saturday it was still not healed all the way so he wrapped it again and sent antibiotics home with me to give twice daily. He said if it don't work by this Saturday he recommended amputating her toe. I really do not want to do this. Is there something else I can do to prevent this?

Answer from Dr Riggs, Best Friends Vet Hospital:

It sounds like the cat is polydactyl, which just means he has extra toes. All of Ernest Hemingway’s' cats in Key West had extra toes and if you visit his house down there they still have a number of his cat's descendents, all with the extra toes. Often times they do not cause problems, but when the grow in between the toes they can become ingrown and infected. Cats are hard to keep the nails clipped often enough, so removing that extra digit often solves the problem. The cat is more comfortable and actually will walk better. Ask your vet and the vet can tell you if that would solve the problem.

While following your vet’s instructions on keeping the toe as clean as possible and administering any medication is the best you can do to prevent amputation, removing the toe is not as bad as it sounds and would prevent future issues as well.

Related Posts:
Toe Amputations for Cats and Dogs
Ask Laura: the impact of toe amputation surgery
Ask Laura: dog weight bearing toe amputation appropriate or not?  
Ask Laura: infected ingrown toe nail on cat  
Ask Laura: to amputate or not to amputate the cat's toe, that is the question
Corns on a greyhound's toe: Dr Riggs discusses 

Perineal Urethrostomy, incontinence and bladder atony

Wendy posted the following question as a comment on my blog post about  perineal urethrostomy, which I thought was worthy of a blog post all of its own.

 

Has anyone else had issues with incontinence after the surgery? My cat Henry had the procedure done almost one year ago. Everything was going great until this last month...No matter where he sits or lies, he leaks urine. I love my cat and I am heartbroken that this is happening to him. I have heard that in rare cases there can be permanent nerve damage during the procedure, but why would it have just started??? Any advice????

 

I passed Wendy's question on to Dr. Riggs, one of our consulting veterinarians and this is what he had to say in response.

You can see incontinence in this situation occasionally but it probably is not nerve damage from the surgery; more likely a result of bladder atony.  The sphincter of the urethra is at the base of the bladder, not at the end of the urethra.  When cats get "blocked" he is not able to urinate and the bladder gets distended.  The muscles in the bladder wall that are responsible for constricting the bladder are stretched and are not able to work as well.  This is called bladder atony.  When the bladder becomes full enough, the pressure within the bladder overcomes the urethra and he dribbles. 

Have Wendy ask her vet about  two drugs that can help in some cases, phenoxybenzamine and bethanechol.  The phenoxybenzamine will help decrease the urethral tone and the  bethanechol helps the bladder muscle contract.  I would also look to see if there are no strictures in the urethra. 

 

Lastly, bladder infections are common after PU surgeries since the urethra is wider and bacteria can get in the bladder easier. This is the same reason bladder infection is more common is female cats as compared to males. So I would  check a urinalysis and do a culture of the urine. 

  

I hope all goes well with Henry.

 

Have you had this issue before and were you able to resolve it?

 

UPDATE 3/8/10:
Sadly, I received this message from Wendy today:

Unfortunately I had to put Henry down yesterday.  X-rays revealed he had developed eight more stones in his bladder and although he had the surgery to help him with this issue, he was unable to pass them on his own. 

Henry had several more infections after the original surgery, he was facing another surgery, and there were no guarantees that this would be his last.  It was a very hard decision, but in the end I did what was best for Henry.  He filled my life with unconditional love and companionship and I did not want him to continue suffering. 

I want to thank you for your kindness and your concern.

Sincerely,

Wendy

RIP Henry

 

Related Posts:
Pet health story: Tallulah, a grey tabby cat
Perineal Urethrostomy: description and costs
Perineal Urethrostomy, incontinence and bladder atony
Ask Laura: what are the chances of success for Perineal Urethrostomy surgery?

More discussion about anesthesia-free teeth cleaning

Dr Riggs started off a conversation last week about why a veterinarian should clean your dog's teeth (Guest Post: Why Have Your Dog's Teeth Cleaned By A Vet Anyway?) and there were some interesting comments about other alternatives. Dr. Riggs asked me to post his response to these comments:

Wow...who would have thought we could stir up this much controversy with a little dental blog!

In response to the comment about Vet Economics:
Veterinary medicine is a business. We do need to make a living through the services we perform. I can assure you the vast majority of vets do not recommend services(or "pad the bill"), such as dentals ,when they are not needed. We need to offer the best medicine and let the owners decide. One of the mottos we follow is, "Always offer what is indicated, nothing that is not". 

In response to the comments about anasthesia-free teeth cleaning:
What people don't realize is that you cannot do a thorough sub gingival curetting without anesthesia. The dogs will not let you. Anesthesia in animals, using the right equipment and agents, is safe. Our veterinary technicians are extensively trained and we use pulse oximeters, blood pressure machines and warming devises (bair huggers) to ensure the patients safely.

Can you do a little scraping under the gums without anesthesia? Sure, but not a true cleaning. The difference with human dentistry and veterinary dentistry is that animals will not open their mouth for you to clean under and around the teeth and gums on all four sides. You must clean all sides of the teeth to clean properly. When you scrap the enamel, you must then polish the teeth to help eliminate the microscopic grooves left in the enamel. This is done with a low speed polishing drill. If not, these grooves act as a scaffolding for tarter to grab hold. This is another step not done by the groomers.

The dentals we do also include dental radiographs. You can not tell tooth root abscesses without radiographs. It is the same reason dentist use dental radiographs on us. These require anesthesia in animals. (some pictures below) 

Finally, one misinterpretation from the article I think, was that you need to do a prophylactic dental each year. You normally do not. If the people brush the dogs teeth regularly often you can wait 3 to 4 years between dental. Owners have a lot of power in determining their pets dental health. We evaluate each animal yearly on their normal vaccine exams.

Rex C. Riggs D.V.M. Best Friends Veterinary Hospital Powell, Ohio. BFVH.org

First picture: The black on the xray is where bone has eroded away. So you can see the roots on the middle tooth is just barely on the bone. If more then 50% of the root is exposed then that tooth need to come out. We removed this tooth.

Second picture: The bottom tooth has total destruction of the roots and now has an infection of the jaw bone. On this xray you cannot rule out even a tumor. we tooth this tooth out and biopsied the jaw. This came back osteomyelitis.

Third picture: This is a good example of a root abscess on two teeth . The big 2nd tooth has the black halo area under the bifurcation. Then the third tooth has the classic halo around the first root. Both of these teeth needed removed.

What do you think?

Guest Post: Why have your dog's teeth cleaned by a vet anyway?

Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs, owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance. Dr. Riggs and one of his vet techs, Ellen Winkler RVT, writes about dental health and teeth cleaning. _________________________________

If you are ever curious as to what happens if teeth go for years without brushing (or you want to show your children what will become of their teeth if they fail to brush regularly), you have only to look at your pet’s teeth and smell your pet’s breath.

The leading sign of periodontal disease is bad breath. Periodontal disease is a problem that affects 85% of pets by three years of age. Daily tooth brushing and regular dental cleanings are crucial to the health of your pet.

There is little difference between the dog or cat’s tooth and the human tooth. We all have a set of baby teeth that come in and fall out to make way for adult teeth. We all have nerves and blood vessels in our teeth surrounded by dentin, which is surrounded by a hard coat of enamel. The enamel is bathed in saliva and quickly covered by plaque which is bacteria mixed with saliva. If we do not regularly disinfect our pet’s mouths and brush away the plaque, the plaque will mineralize into tartar (also called calculus– the gritty material the dental hygienist scrapes away). The bacteria that accumulate can cause damage by infecting the bone and ligament that holds the tooth in.

Eventually the tooth is lost and, if the bone damage is severe enough, the jaw can actually break. Gingivitis is reversible. Bone loss, once it starts, is not reversible. Worse still, bacteria of the mouth can invade other areas of the body leading to infection in the heart, liver, kidney, or virtually anywhere the blood stream carries them.

It should not be surprising that dental health requires regular professional cleaning. Home care of the teeth, while great, does not replace the need for professional cleaning. The cleaning done performed at your veterinarian is done while under anesthesia and includes many steps.

Here is a brief overview of what is involved in a routine dental cleaning for your pet:

• Gross (visible) tartar is removed with hand scalers.
• More delicate tartar deposits are removed from the gum line with ultrasonic scalers.
• Periodontal pockets are probed and measured to assess periodontal disease.
• The roots are planed, (meaning tartar is scraped from below the gum line) until the roots are smooth.
• The enamel is polished to remove any unevenness left by tartar removal.
• The mouth is disinfected and treated with a fluoride sealer.
• Professional notes are taken on a dental chart, noting abnormalities on each of the dog’s 42 teeth, or the cat’s 30 teeth.
• X-rays are taken of any abnormal teeth.

Below are pictures of a before and after of a typical dental cleaning. An abcess shows up as a black halo around the tooth root in an x-ray, which just goes to show the importance of dental x-rays because we could not see this on a normal dental exam.

It is important to note that a non-anesthetic teeth cleaning, what groomers sometimes offer, is not comparable to the above service. It is impossible to perform a total cleaning on a pet without general anesthesia. Cosmetic cleanings do not address periodontal disease where it occurs; under the gum line.

Related Posts: other posts by Dr Riggs ___________________________________________

Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center with his wife Nancy, their two dogs Boo and Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

Guest Post: early detection and preventive measures

Today, we have another excellent guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs, owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.

Dr. Riggs writes about the benefits of early detection of disease and wellness care. Some great advice on what you can do to help your pet's quality of life and even help he or she live longer.

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This year I hit a milestone. The dreaded 50 year mark. I do have to say, it is better then the alternative! Well I guess it is a mile stone in the medical profession also because when I had my annual physical this year, boy did they do a lot more tests and “procedures” on me. I will spare you the details but it got me thinking about the importance of wellness programs for our pets.

As we and our pets age, extra care needs to be taken to ensure that we all remain healthy. Since our pets cannot speak to us and tell us how they are feeling, they often do not show any signs of illness until the illness is advanced and serious.

Remember, the same rule that applies to people applies to your pets: early detection is the key. With wellness testing and exams, many diseases can be identified before they are a serious problem. Early detection and preventive measures is also much less expensive then treating the diseases. We recommend blood work, urinalysis, blood pressure and glaucoma check yearly for animals over 7 years of age (approximately 45-50 “human” years) and for any animals under 7 years where the owner requests. We have to remember that each year in our pets lives equates to approximately 5 to 6 years in our lives. A lot can change in that time.

We can find many early signs of disease on our annual wellness program. The 5 most common abnormalities are diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid disease, hypertension, and glaucoma.

Diabetes
Just like in humans, diabetes is a growing problem in our pets. It is seen much more prevalent in our overweight animals. Diabetes is due to a lack of insulin produced by our body. Insulin is needed to move the sugar from our blood into the cells so they can use it as food. If there is too much sugar in the blood it can cause a number of problems such as cataracts, liver and kidney disease. It is imperative to catch diabetes early to prevent some irreversible injury to these organs. The treatment of diabetes has advanced greatly in animals and can be managed with special insulin and in some cases with cats, with diet.

Chronic kidney disease
This is probably the most common disease we seen in our middle aged to older pets. As the word implies it is a slow chronic illness that can be hard for the owners to detect. The kidneys filter our blood of toxins, so when they don’t work properly, the toxins back up in the blood and can cause damage to a number of organs. If we catch kidney disease early we have a very good chance of delaying the disease processes. The treatment begins with a special diet and we can add medications are needed.

Hypothyroid Disease
Dogs can have hypothyroid disease just like people. Hypothyroidism means too low of thyroid hormone being made by our body. Just like in humans it is normally a disease in middle age to older age. Thyroid hormone helps maintain our metabolism. When the levels are low, dogs tend to gain weight, have a poor hair coat and also be more lethargic. We detect it by a simple blood test and the treatment involves giving a pill of replacement hormone daily. Normally within 2 weeks the animal is back to normal. The treatment is life long but the medication is reasonably priced.

Hyperthyroidism
Cats on the other hand do not get hypothyroidism but hyperthyroidism. They can have a benign mass on their thyroid gland that produces an excess of thyroid hormone. The hyperthyroid cat is a thin, hyperactive cat with a ravenous appetite. The treatment involves either administering medication, surgery or radiation therapy. This is a very rewarding condition to treat because they often return to normal.

Hypertension
This is a condition that the veterinary profession is really starting to take notice. Just like in people hypertension can be a silent disease. It is caused by a number of conditions. The two most common diseases that are associated with increased blood pressure are kidney disease and hyperthyroidism. Taking the blood pressure of our cats and dogs in more difficult then in humans and does require some expertise and special equipment. Treatment of hypertension involves first treating the underlying cause and then using some of the same medication we take for increased blood pressure. This is a condition that requires ongoing monitoring.

Glaucoma
The final condition is glaucoma. Glaucoma is the elevation of pressure in the eye. Often times this is a hereditary problem with certain breeds more affected. Such breeds are the American & English Cocker Spaniel, Basset Hound, Cairn Terrier, Chow Chow, Samoyed, and Siberian Husky. Glaucoma, as well as most diseases of the eye, needs immediate attention once the pressures get in the danger area. Dogs can lose sight in the eye within hours. Treatment involves applying drugs to the eye multiple times daily.

In summary, prevention is much cheaper then treatment and one that's sure to make you both happier in the longrun. Wellness testing is a crucial part in monitoring your pet’s health. Detecting and correcting medical problems as early as possible can prolong the life of your pet and give you many more years of happiness with your best friend.

Related Posts: other posts by Dr Riggs

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Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center with his wife Nancy, their two dogs Boo and Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

Guest Post: Three Surprising, and Even Excruciating, Dog Accidents

Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs, owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance. Dr. Riggs writes about orthopedic issues from a small animal practioner's perspective.

Dr. Riggs writes about three dog accidents he's seen in his clinic - from the unexpected to the excruciating. Don't worry though - all the dogs survive thanks to their excellent veterinary care.

Beware! These stories are not for the faint of heart. And whatever you do, do not look at the pictures at the bottom too closely if you are squeamish (really!) Don't say I didn't warn you.
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Dogs will do crazy things. They are unpredictable and just when you are sure they can’t hurt themselves, they will surely surprise you. I have included three such surprising events.

1. Surprise! Puppies really can eat - just not what you'd expect...

A lady with her small four year old daughter came in with their rambunctious 16 week old Golden Retriever puppy. The puppy seemed happy to be at the vet as he was running around inspecting all the corners of the exam room.

The little girl though had a concerned look on her face. I asked her why she brought her little puppy in to see me. She said that her puppy, Sadie, had just eaten one of her daddy’s golf balls. Being an avid golfer, I just happened to have a golf ball in my office (you have to practice your putting!). I showed the ball to the little girl and explained that Sadie was unable to swallow a ball that size. She insisted that she saw her do it. So to prove to her that her dog would be fine I decided to take an X-ray.

I was right. Sadie had not swallowed a golf ball… she had swallowed three golf balls! Just imagine swallowing one ball and thinking it was such a great idea that you would swallow 2 more! I showed the X-ray to Mom and $1800 later, I presented her with her husband’s three PINK golf balls.

2. A Family Dog Fight Turns Into Major Plastic Surgery for a Little Pug

Madison is an adorable little pug that has been visiting our practice for years. She is gentle little soul that would not hurt a fly. Unfortunately for her, her mom’s boyfriend’s Husky was not as congenial. Madison was attacked and had several bite wounds on her body.

Madison presented to us bloody and in shock. We admitted her and aggressively treated her shocky condition and she was hospitalized with us for a number of days. She was sent home on antibiotics and some good pain medication.

On the recheck exam though, I saw that Madison’s skin was so damaged that it was dying and sloughing off. She had lost about 50 % of her skin on her right leg and neck. Since she did not have enough skin to suture together the conventional way, we had to do a plastic surgical procedure called a rotating pedicle flap. This involved moving the skin from her belly, including the mammary glands, and rotating that skin around, while maintaining a good blood supply, and suturing it in to place.

This is a delicate long surgery but it was successful and Madison looks great today after the $3700 treatment. The only difference now is that she has two nipples on her knee!

[if you are interested, I have posted pictures of the procedure down below - don't look though if you faint at the sight of blood]

3. What Can Happen Throwing a Stick for Fun - Nothing Fun At All For Dolly the Lab Mix

Probably the strangest and most unusual accident happened with Dolly, a lab mix. Dolly is a happy fun loving dog who lives to chase balls and sticks. She would do this for hours upon hours with her owner, Sally.

On this particular day, Sally was throwing a 3 foot long stick. Dolly eagerly would run after the stick and retrieve and wait to chase it again. Sally launched the stick and Dolly happily took chase. Dolly put her head down to get the stick and froze. Sally called her and Dolly would not move.

Sally ran up to her but the stick was nowhere to be found. She tried to lift Dolly’s head when she noticed the tip of the stick in her mouth. The stick had landed on end and Dolly had impaled the stick down her throat.

Sally rushed her in to see us and when they arrived, Dolly was very calm, wagging her tail for me. We sedated her and realized that the stick had traveled down her esophagus, exited at the level of the shoulder traveled under the shoulder blade and ended outside of the ribs.

It was a dicey surgery but we were able to removed the stick with remarkably little trauma to the esophagus. A couple of weeks after the $2500 surgery, Dolly was again out running after…..a ball. Never again a stick.

Related Posts: other posts by Dr Riggs
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Perhaps a few lessons learned from these? I think so!

Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center with his wife Nancy, their two dogs Boo and Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

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Guest Post: Four Most Common Orthopedic Problems in Dogs

Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs, owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance. Dr. Riggs writes about orthopedic issues from a small animal practioner's perspective.
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Orthopedic problems in dogs are commonly seen in a busy small animal veterinary practice. We are becoming a more active society and often include our dog friends in our athletic pursuits. Running, chasing a ball or catching a Frisbee are all great exercise for dogs but can also result in injuries. We are also seeing more purebred dogs with all their great attributes but we also see the less desirable traits that come with that breeding. Many breeds are genetically predisposed to muscular skeletal problems.

The four most common orthopedic problems seen in dogs are hip dysplasia, torn cruciate ligaments, patellar luxations, and disc problems.

1. Hip dysplasia:
   A genetic disease, hip dysplasia is influenced by a number of factors. It is a much more common in large breed dogs such as German Shepherd Dogs, Labrador and Golden Retrievers. Treatment often involves lifetime anti-inflammatory medications which can run $2 to $3 dollars a day. If the hips develop extensive arthritis, often titanium joint replacements need to be used costing between $2,000 to $3,000 per hip. Preventative measures are the key and weight plays a huge role in the expression of hip dysplasia. It has been shown keeping your dog lean can decrease dysplasia by up to 30%. Weight reduction is the number one pain reliever in dogs and people.
2. Cruciate Ligament Tears:
   How many times do you read in the paper about your favorite football player out for the season with an ACL tear? ACL stands for anterior cranial cruciate and it is the ligament that keeps the knee in working order. Well, instead of a big linebacker taking out your dog’s knee it is more likely a squirrel or rabbit that your dog took chase (which he never catches!). The squirrel zigs, the dog zags and there goes the knee! Torn cruciate ligaments, just like in people need to be surgically repaired to prevent crippling arthritis. There are many different types of surgical procedures and the type used depends on the size of the dog, and can range from $1,500 to $2,500.
3. Luxating Patellas:
   Knee cap problems are also commonly seen in many breeds of dogs. The kneecap, or patella, rests in a groove. Smaller dog’s patella’s tend to slip out of the groove to the inside or medially, and is known as medial patellar luxation. Medial patellar luxation in small dogs can often be repaired for $1,000 to $1,200. Larger dogs patellas, generally slips to the outside or laterally. These dogs often have other more involved problems with the bones of the leg as well and thus repair can be more complicated, costing as much as $3,500.
4. Disc Disease:
   Just as with many of us, our dogs also can have disc problems in their neck and backs. Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Dachshunds and Lhasa Apsos are all breeds that can suffer from neck disc issues, whereas large breed dogs often have chronic lower back issues. Most of these cases can be treated conservatively with the same medications used to treat hip dysplasia. When discs become ruptured, they become surgical emergencies. The disc material can slip into the spinal canal or nerves causing intense pain or even paralysis. These surgeries need to be done often within hours in order to get good results. These emergency back surgeries can reach $3,000 to $5,000.

Related Posts: other posts by Dr Riggs

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Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center with his wife Nancy, their two dogs Boo and Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

Guest post: A General Discussion of Orthopedic Issues in Dogs

In the Embrace Pet Insurance policy terms and conditions, and orthopedic condition is defined as: 
"related to the musculosketal system, which is made up of the body’s bones (the skeleton), muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints, and other connective tissue (the tissue that supports and binds tissues and organs together)."

So, with that rather unwieldy definition at the top of our mind, let's talk turkey about ortho conditions.

Today we have a guest post from Dr Susan Wright, Electric Dog Fence DIY's staff veterinarian, on the different types of orthopedic conditions.
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Orthopedic issues are a very common reason for dogs to visit their veterinarian. They relate to problems with the bones, muscles, joints and ligaments of his body. These problems can be as simple as a strained ligament, or as complicated as a fracture of the pelvis.

There are several causes of orthopedic problems in our dogs. Firstly, they may be congenital, where your dog is actually born with the condition. One example is patellar luxation, where his kneecap freely moves out of its groove in his thigh bone. If not treated appropriately, it leads to lameness and arthritis in your dog's knee joint.

Orthopedic conditions can also be developmental, where the condition develops more slowly, and is influenced by other factors as your dog matures. The best example is hip dysplasia. Whether or not your dog becomes affected by hip dysplasia depends not only on genetics, but also on his nutrition as he grows, and how much exercise he gets when he's young.

Lastly, they can be acquired, when your dog injures his musculoskeletal system while playing, or in an accident. Fractures associated with motor vehicle accidents, or cruciate ligament ruptures while playing ball are both examples of acquired orthopedic conditions.

When you take your dog to your vet with an orthopedic problem, there are times when it's easy to obtain a diagnosis. She will usually be able to feel a fractured bone in his leg, or recognize the abnormal movement of his knee joint when a ligament is torn. In every case of an orthopedic condition, x rays will be taken to firstly confirm the diagnosis, and secondly to assess if there is any further damage to surrounding tissues. In the case of a bone fracture, an x ray will also help your vet decide on the best technique for repairing the break.

When it comes to treatment, there are several options for your dog. There are many conditions that your regular vet is very qualified to manage, such as straightforward limb fractures; however, she may recommend that you take your dog to a board certified orthopedist for further treatment. These specialists have undergone specific training in orthopedics, and can perform difficult procedures such as total hip replacements.

In some cases, surgery is the best way of managing your dog's orthopedic problem; however other modes of treatment may also offer some relief. Anti-inflammatory pain relieving medication can be used in acute injuries, as well as for more chronic conditions such as arthritis. Those who are interested in alternative therapies are often very interested in trying acupuncture to treat their dogs. Many vets are recommending physical therapy and hydrotherapy in conjunction with more conventional treatments. Many times, our dogs must endure a period of restricted exercise while they recover.

We are very fortunate in that most orthopedic conditions in our dogs can be treated, bringing them pain relief and allowing them to return to normal mobility and function.
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This guest post is brought to you by Electric Dog Fence DIY's staff veterinarian Dr. Susan Wright. Dog Fence DIY takes you through all the steps of using an electric fence for dogs including installation, training, and how to find the best system for you and your pet. Electric Dog Fence offers a wide variety of different pet containment systems at the best available price to you.

Guest Post: Should Your Dog Get the New Canine Flu Vaccine?

Tis the season of hurricanes, tornadoes and the flu and I'm delighted to welcome Dr. Susan Wright to guest blog on the topic of canine flu. No need to panic; she's got all the facts in hand. Read on...

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The media has been full of information and advice about influenza lately. First equine flu, then swine flu, and now canine flu. It's not hard to understand why people become alarmed about diseases such as influenza, when they spread so rapidly and may be fatal. In the last few days, Canine Flu cases have been confirmed in Virginia, New York, Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. So what should you do?

In June 2009, The United States Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine against canine influenza; however, if you spend some time researching the disease, you'll discover that canine flu may not be as big an issue as you may think.

Vets first identified canine flu in 2004 in Florida, but it is thought that it was prevalent in racing greyhounds from 1999. The virus seems to have evolved from the similar equine influenza virus.

Canine flu is quite a new disease, so most dogs won't have any immunity to the virus. Approximately 80% of dogs exposed to the virus will fall ill. The remaining 20% of dogs, although showing no symptoms, are infected and may still spread disease.

Dogs pick up the virus from the sneezes or saliva of dogs who are carrying the infection. It may take 5 to 7 days after infection before a dog shows any sign of being ill. Having said that, the period before the symptoms show is when an infected dog is most likely to spread the virus. A dog that looks to be perfectly healthy may well be spreading lots of virus in his environment.

There are two types of canine flu - one is a fairly mild form, and the other is a severe, possibly fatal form. The majority of infected dogs develop the mild form of canine flu.

In the mild cases, dogs may cough and have a runny nose. These symptoms can last a month or more. They don't eat, they have a high temperature, and are depressed and lethargic. It's not uncommon for people to think their dog just has the familiar kennel cough instead of canine influenza; the symptoms are very similar.

If a dogs condition worsens, they can develop pneumonia, and have difficulty breathing. Up to ten percent of dogs affected with the severe type of the disease will die. Dogs are much more likely to succumb to the more severe type of canine flu if they are already ill, such as those with cancer, or chronic disease.

To confirm a diagnosis of canine flu, an unwell dog will need to have a blood test, which will detect the presence of antibodies to the virus. A dog that recovers from canine flu infection seems to be immune to repeat infection for several years.

Whether you should vaccinate your dog depends on your circumstances, your dog's general health, and whether or not he will be at increased risk of severe canine flu.

The disease is likely to spread in environments where dogs are allowed to get close to each other. If your dog often stays in a boarding kennel, or you go to shows or training classes, you may want to consider vaccinating your dog. Similarly, if you take your dog to dog parks, or if he accompanies you as you help out in a shelter, your vet may recommend a vaccine for him.

You may also want to consider vaccination if your dog does have an underlying medical condition. These dogs are more at risk of developing severe canine flu. If your dog prefers to be a homebody, and doesn't venture out much apart from an occasional stroll in the neighborhood, many vets would suggest vaccination isn't really necessary.

The virus itself only lasts a week or so in the environment, and it is easily killed by regular household bleach. So, hygiene is very important in preventing the spread of the disease. Make sure you wipe down any show benches you use, and don't let your dog drink from public drinking bowls. The other thing to keep in mind is that the vaccine doesn't prevent infection, it just lessens the severity of any symptoms and reduces the spread of the virus.

If you need more information, speak to your vet about whether or not he or she recommends vaccination for your dog. And finally, there is no evidence that canine flu spreads to humans.

Dr. Susan Wright is veteran veterinarian who blogs for DogFenceDIY.com, a site that shows dog lovers how to safely contain their dog with an underground fence.