Embrace Pet Insurance Blog

Guest Post: Why are my dog’s eyes turning gray?

Today we have a guest post from Dr Jennifer Coate, an associate of Dr Rex Riggs who has regularly guest posted on the Embrace blog.

Dr Coate talks about what causes a dog's eyes to turn gray and if it is something to be concerned about or not.
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Many times our clients notice their older pet’s eyes are starting to have a bluish-gray haze and they assume that their old dog is going blind. But what is really happening in the eye?

The pupil of the eye is normally black. What you are seeing in the pupil is the lens, which lies just behind the pupil. Just like in a camera or eye glasses, the lens is a clear structure used to focus images as they pass into the eye to your pet’s retina.

Today, I am only discussing diseases that cause the lens to look gray, hazy, or even white. If the surface or any of the front chamber of the eye looks cloudy, or if the eye is red, having discharge, or bothering the dog you should have it checked by a veterinarian immediately.

There are 2 main things that will cause your pet’s lens to look cloudy - cataracts and lenticular nuclear sclerosis.

Despite its long name, lenticular nuclear sclerosis (often referred to as lenticular sclerosis or nuclear sclerosis) is simply a normal aging change of the lens. The lens is made up of fibers that get denser as the animal ages. Nuclear sclerosis occurs when the fibers in the center of the lens become so dense that it appears cloudy. This happens in every aging pet - - as early as 6 years of age in the dogs and 9 years of age in the cat. This change rarely affects the vision of the pet beyond a mild decrease in their ability to focus on close up items, especially in dim lighting. The vision change is almost never noticed by the pet owner and there is no need to treat lenticular sclerosis.

A cataract on the other hand is any opacity of the lens that prevents light from passing through the lens to the retina. Cataracts can involve a small portion of the lens causing the pet to have a blind spot, or be more severe involving the entire lens causing the eye to be blind. There are many causes linked to cataracts. The most common cause of cataracts in dogs is a genetic predisposition - they were born with a tendency to develop cataracts at some point in life. Hereditary cataracts occur in many dog breeds including miniature poodles, cocker spaniels, miniature schnauzers, golden retrievers, Boston terriers, and Siberian huskies. Hereditary cataracts have also been reported in Persian, Himalayan, and Birman cats, although in cats they are usually born with the cataract.

Other causes of cataracts include age related formation, congenital (born with it), inflammation of the eye, diets, toxins, trauma, and diabetes. Most diabetic dogs, although not diabetic cats, will develop cataracts. In fact, I have diagnosed diabetes in several patients after the astute owners noticed that their dog’s eyes suddenly looked hazy.

Besides causing blindness, cataracts can cause other problems with the eye. A lens with cataracts can fall out of place causing pain, inflammation, and even glaucoma, an increase in the pressure of the eye that can be very painful and can permanently damage the eye. A cataract can also become so severe the lens will leak which can then cause severe inflammation within the eye (uveitis) and glaucoma.

If you notice any changes in your pet’s eyes or vision, you should have them evaluated by a veterinarian. Your veterinarian can look to see if it is truly the lens verses other portions of the eye that are affected. They can usually differentiate between lenticular sclerosis and cataracts during a physical exam using an ophthalmoscope. In some cases, they may need to dilate the pupil to better visualize the lens or do other tests. This may include checking eye pressure to check for uveitis or glaucoma or doing blood work to look for disease such as diabetes.

If your pet is found to have cataracts, your veterinarian can discuss with you the best treatment options. If an underlying cause is found, such as diabetes, initially treatment will be geared towards correcting that. Many dogs can live happily with the decreased vision form cataracts, even blindness and will need no treatment. If the cataract is causing problems, or if you wish to preserve vision, your pet can be referred to an ophthalmologist to have surgery to replace the lens with a prosthetic lens.

Related Posts:
July is Eye Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Why are my dog’s eyes turning gray?
Claim Example: cataract surgery in a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Other posts by Dr Riggs & his associates

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Dr. Jennifer Coate grew up in Celina, Ohio and received her DVM from Ohio State University. She has performed research at the James Cancer Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, and the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine in areas ranging from cancer gene expression to creating a molecular model for the FIV virus. Dr. Coate has been the surgeon for the non-profit animal shelter, Citizens for Humane Action, spaying and neutering rescued animals for adoption. She joined the Best Friends staff in the summer of 2008.

Dr. Coate lives with her husband, Matt, in Hilliard. They have a very energetic Jack Russel-Beagle Mix named Mitchell and two cats, Dusty & George. Dr. Coate spends most of her free time renovating her house. She also enjoys long walks with Mitchell.

Veterinary Inflation Observations

Have you been wondering recently why your veterinary care feels like it costs so much more than it used to? You are not alone.

I was digging into the inflation numbers over at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and I was fascinated by the difference between veterinary inflation (yes, they do track such a thing!) and the consumer price inflation.

For example (see graph below), if I look at January 2007 to March 2011 (just about as long as we've been selling pet insurance policies), while my wages went up 10% over that time (yay!), my vet bills went up 25% in the same period (ouch!). Vet bills are definitely taking up more of a bite out of my free cash than they used to. 

 
You can clearly see the impact of the Great Recession in the second half of 2008 in the CPI, with the year's inflation being practically zero (-0.1%); however, veterinary inflation chugged along at 7% that year and didn't slow down until 2009.

Another point to note, the Consumer Price Index is defined as the change in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services and Veterinary Services are just a subset of those goods and services. The representative basket of goods is based on typical family spending in 2007/2008 so changes in the types of veterinary services (such as more TPLO surgeries or MRIs) are not reflected.

So chances are, as veterinary medicine has grown in the last 3 years, and more complex and more costly procedures are more common, your veterinary spending increases are even more than those shown above.

It's amazing we can afford our cats and dogs at all, don't you think?

If you are wondering what impact veterinary inflation has on pet insurance premiums, check out my blog post on how inflation and other factors affect pet insurance premiums using Trupanion as a case study.

Just for fun, here's another graph for 2001 - 2011. It really shows the bite into your household income over the last 10 years.

 
For the data hounds out there, you can find the data on the BLS website:

• CPI - All Items US City Average Seasonally Adjusted
• Veterinary Inflation - Veterinary Services US City Average Seasonally Adjusted

Guest Post: Allergies in Pets

Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs on the topic of allergies. Ironically, Dr. Riggs is allergic to cats! But he does talk about how allergies happen and what can be done about them. Dr. Rex Riggs is the owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.
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Allergies. I hate allergies. I have tree pollen allergies in the spring. I have grass allergies in the summer and house dust mite allergies all winter long. To cap it all off, I have cat allergies all year long! Oh well, it is what it is.

And What Exactly Are Allergies?

Allergies are bad for everyone including our pets. 

First we need to define just what an allergy is. There are some misunderstandings about what the immune system is actually doing. Our immune system is there to protect against evil enemies. Sometimes it goes too far. Allergies are abnormal immune system reactions, to things that are usually harmless.

Most people think that allergies happen when are immune system is suppressed. Quite the opposite.

Allergies are an exaggerated immune response or hypersensitivity, to specific things, called allergens. The allergens can be to pollen, dander, molds, dust mites etc. It often takes years for people and pets to “develop” allergies. Each time we are exposed to an allergen our bodies develop T-helper cells, a type of white blood cell. These T-helper cells will recognize a particular allergen and next time it sees that same allergen it attacks.

After multiple exposures to the same allergen, it can trigger an exaggerated response and we have signs of allergies. So, it is not the pollen that is “causing” the problem, it is our own immune system that is overachieving.

How Do Allergies in Pets Compare to Allergies in People?

In people, the cells coming into fight the allergen causes mainly a release of histamines. The histamines will cause swelling and congestion in our respiratory system or causes us to itch. So what do we do? We take Benadryl, Allegra or Claritin which are all anti-histamines which will counter act the histamines.

This is one of the major differences between human and pets.

Dogs and cats only release a fraction of the histamines we do. Probably only 10 to 20% of the amount. Hence that is why antihistamines only work in about 20% of our pets. Not to say antihistamine are not useful in veterinary medicine, but we need to combine them with other medications, such as fatty acids and steroids.

The other major difference is that allergies in people are most often manifested by respiratory signs with itching and gastrointestinal signs less prevalent. In our pets, their primary signs deal with their skin, with the gastrointestinal tract being affected less often.

Treating Allergies

Often when the word steroids come up, people get concerned. Steroids are not bad, if use in moderation and not given long term.

The steroids we use in animals is not the same ones the body builders and athletes abuse. Those are called anabolic steroids. They build up things such as muscle. The corticosteroids we use are catabolic steroids which will decrease reactions and with long term use actually tear down tissues. That is why using them 1 to 2 times a year is ok but if needed more often, we look for other treatments.

Which Pets Get Allergies?

Certain breeds of dogs are affected more often with allergies. Purebred dogs are much more likely to be affected, due to recessive genes being expressed by closer breedings. The more popular a breed, the more likely we are to see allergies. The top four allergic breeds in our practice are Golden Reteivers, Bichons, Labrador Retrievers and West Highland Terriers.

Can Allergies Be Cured?

Everyone wants a cure for allergies, but it is not possible. You will always have the T-helper cells primed to attack. So we just try to decrease the response, and we are very successful in most cases with treatment tailored to each individual animal.

So don’t be discouraged. The vet might need to try a number of different treatments before they find what works for your pet, but they will find the “cure” for your pet.

Related Posts:
May is Allergy Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Allergies in Pets
Can dogs be allergic to bee and yellow jacket stings?
Claim Example: allergies in a dog
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, OH with his wife Nancy, their dogs Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

Do you just love Embrace? Be an Embrace Pet Insurance Ambassador!

This is not the time to be modest so here goes.

We often find our Embraced pet parents telling us how they rave about Embrace with their friends and family.

It warms the cockles of my heart, it surely does.

Some even expound our virtues to their veterinarians and bug them about not having any Embrace brochures in their clinics.

*gasp* It does happen!

So, we thought we would help. Wouldn't it be fun if you had something to take along to your veterinarian just in the case you become a little tongue tied in his or her presence? Voila! The Embrace Ambassador program.

All you have to do is go to the Be An Embrace Ambassador page on our website, download and print the handy sheet (sample below), and take it to your friendly vet staff. That's it! If you wish to expound further, feel free!

Isn't that a lot of fun? 

Oh please do tell us what they thought of your ambassadorship. I can't wait to hear!

Guest Post: the importance of considering hereditary conditions when choosing a dog

Today, Dr. Rex Riggs talks about hereditary conditions in dogs. Dr. Rex Riggs is the owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.
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When we talk about pure bred dogs and cats we need to realize that along with the individually beautiful traits, specific to a breed, hidden harmful genetic traits can often be lurking.

Mixed breed animals often get the best traits of each breed they are mixed with, called hybrid vigor. They are often healthier then their pedigreed counterparts. Mixed breeds are not immune to genetic defects though, but the conditions occur much less frequently.

Purebred dogs are dogs whose parents have been bred to another of the same breed. When you breed within a specific breed group, you decrease the gene pool, thus allowing genes that are normally recessive to be expressed.

Some of these hidden genes can be good; some can be bad. Hair color, disposition and size are some of the desirable traits that breeders try to emphasize. The more popular a breed becomes, the more of the unfortunate genes become expressed. Multiple hereditary diseases are seen in specific breeds. Some of these diseases which have a genetic component include hip dysplasia (many large breeds), cataracts (huskies), kidney disease (Shih-Tzu), liver disease (poodles and yorkies) and breed specific cancers, just to name a few.

One such disease with a breed predilection is malignant histocytic diseases in Bernese Mountain dogs. This is a rare but nasty disease in most breeds but unfortunately is becoming more commonly seen in Bernese Mountain dogs.

Malignant histiocytosis is a cancer syndrome which can present in many different ways. It can present as a solitary nodule in the lungs or the dog can present with neurologic signs such as paralysis or seizures. It can also attack the bone marrow causing all sorts of problems with white and red blood cells. In addition, abdominal organs such as the spleen and liver are often affected and the pet presents with vague and nonspecific signs.

Diagnosis involves biopsies of the affected organs and blood, and can be difficult to make. There have been cases in which the dogs responded to chemotherapy but the vast number of dogs affected will not respond to treatment. It is such a heartbreaking disease. I know many of the Bernese Mountain dog breeders are well aware of this problem and are working hard to eliminate this disease from the breed.

So why am I depressing you with this story?

I want you to please do your research on the breed you want to get. You need to know what they are predisposed to. You need to know what questions to ask the breeder. Even though this is a common problem seen in Bernese Mountain dogs, I am sure many owners have never heard of it. I know this is true of other breed owners and the conditions their pets are genetically prone to. So don’t be afraid to ask questions of your breeder. Good ones will be happy to answer you.

It takes diligence and ethical breeding policies to eliminate hereditary and genetic problems. The United States have a much higher incidence of genetic conditions when compared to the rest of the world. We have much more lax laws concerning breeding of dogs and cats which allows puppy mills and unethical breeders to flourish in some states (unfortunately, my home state of Ohio, is one of the worse) making a lot of money at the expense of the animals and their heartbroken owners.

Finally…… don’t buy pets online or from pet stores. They invariably come from puppy mills, which do not concern themselves with the health issues of a particular breed or dog.

Related Posts:
March is Genetic Condition Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: the importance of consider hereditary conditions when choosing a dog
Claim Example: portosystemic shunt surgery
Cardiomyopathy in Cats 

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, OH with his wife Nancy, their dogs Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

Guest Post: top five ways to know if your dog needs a dental

Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs, talking about how to tell if your dog needs a dental cleaning or more. Dr. Rex Riggs is the owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.
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It has been estimated that 85% of all animals seen at a vet’s office have dental disease.  I would go further and say 40% of dogs have bad dental disease.  It always surprises me at the shock in people’s faces when I pull up their pet’s lip and…voila….a mass of dental mayhem.   So I have decided to list the top five ways to know if your dog needs a dental.

5) Your Pet might need a dental if……. it’s breath smell like a sewer. 

It is amazing to me the smell that can come from a cat’s or dog’s mouth.  I am also shocked at the amount of stench people can become accustomed to.  The bacteria and plaque that form on the teeth cause gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and the breakdown of the bacteria and debris causes the intense smell.  Just let your dog give you a smooch and you will know what I mean.

4) Your Pet Might Need a Dental if……You notice blood on their chew toys.

Dogs and cats can deal with dental pain. Problems that would send us screaming to our dentist, pet take in stride.  Now don’t think for a minute that they are not in pain.  They have the same nerves and pain receptors that we have.  They just react to pain in different ways.  This is probably the second most common reasons owners seek dental treatment.  This can be from gingivitis and infection of the mouth, called stomatitis, or from abscessed teeth. 

3) Your Pet Might Need a Dental If……..They don’t want to eat dry food, but will eat soft food.  

Anyone who has had a root canal knows how bad a root access can hurt.  The thought of biting down one something hard makes your skin crawl.  Same goes for your pet.  So if your dog or cat is eating gingerly on one side of the mouth or other, time to get it checked out. 

2)  Your Pet Might Need a Dental If………….. You look under the lip and see tarter and gingivitis.  

I always recommend my clients to get in the habit of routinely looking at their pet’s teeth and gums.  Better yet, when they are brushing their pet’s teeth, they can gauge how effective their brushing technique is. 

1)  And finally…..Your Pet Might Need a Dental If……… your vet tells you so!  

Each time you take your pet to the vet (which I am sure you do at least yearly) your vet should exam the teeth and mouth.  Dogs and cats are such good hiders of diseases, so it is very important to have them looked at by your vet, not only for dental disease, but all the other preventable or treatable conditions.

Related Posts:
February is Dental Health Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: top five ways to know if your dog needs a dental 
Breed Focus: Italian Greyhound
How to brush your dog's teeth - an Embraced pet parent shows how she does it
Claim Example: dental cleaning and extractions
Guest Post: Preventing Pet Periodontal Disease

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, OH with his wife Nancy, their dogs Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

Guest Post: Your Pet Has Diabetes - Now What?

Today, we have a guest post from Andrea Mykrantz CVT, Practice Manager for Dr Rex Riggs, owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. Andrea writes about a topic dear to her heart, caring for a dog or cat with diabetes.
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Your pet has diabetes, now what?

The diagnosis of diabetes in a pet can be a very overwhelming and even scary time for any pet owner.  Diabetes in animals can be fairly easy to control but even with simple, un-complicated regulation, the disease still requires a good chunk of your personal time and a financial commitment. 

On the other hand, gaining good diabetic control can sometimes be problematic and require several visits to your veterinarian for additional tests.  The goal of this article is to help you understand what is happening to your pet with the diagnosis and the regulation process.  

What is diabetes?

The most common form of diabetes in pets is diabetes mellitus; also know as Type II diabetes.  It is generally diagnosed in dogs five years of age or older.  Some breeds are more likely to develop diabetes, such as the Miniature Schnauzer, Miniature Poodle, Dachshund, Miniature Pinscher, and the Beagle.  Just like in people, obesity plays a big role in the onset of diabetes. 

Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the pancreas, a small organ located near the stomach.  The pancreas produces two types of cells.  The first type of cells creates enzymes for the digestion of food and the second type are called beta-cells, necessary for the production of the hormone insulin. 

Diabetes occurs when the beta-cells fail to produce enough insulin to regulate the blood sugar.  In the absence of insulin the body cannot get the glucose from the blood stream into its cells and the cells starve.  Think of insulin as the key that unlocks the door separating our cells from the food (glucose) that they need to survive.  Symptoms associated with diabetes include

• increased thirst,
• increased urinations,
• weight loss and eventually
• lethargy,
• vomiting,
• stopping eating altogether and
• if left untreated, death

How is diabetes diagnosed?

When your vet sees your pet and suspects diabetes as a possibility, he or she will often recommend a full blood workup, urinalysis, and sometimes a urine culture. Frequently, we see that your pet has experienced some amount of weight loss and the actual diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is made when the blood test indicates a high level of glucose in the blood stream as well as glucose in the urine. 

On occasion, when the disease has progressed a bit farther, we will also note the presence of ketones in the urine.  Because the body has not been able to use glucose as its energy source, instead it will begin to use its fat.  When the body burns fat for energy, a by-product known as ketones are created and unfortunately they are toxic.  Once ketones are present the animal will continue to decline rapidly unless treatment begins. 

Beginning Treatment

The level of treatment that your pet will require is based on how advanced the diabetes has become.  If your pet is still feeling good and eating, generally you will be taught to give insulin injections to your pet and start them on a special diet.  Some cats can even be maintained on a special diet alone. 

However, if your pet has stopped eating, has been vomiting, and is generally not doing well; chances are we will admit your pet into the hospital to begin treatment.  We often place the pet on IV fluids to help re-hydrate him and we will begin insulin injections every few hours.  Often multiple blood glucose samples are taken throughout the day to determine when to switch your pet from the faster acting insulin to the type you will be using at home.  This process is different in each animal but generally requires a hospital stay of two to three days. Your pet will likely be going home with a special diet in addition to insulin and you will receive instructions on how to feed this new diet.

Regulating your pet

Normally, after the first week of home administration of insulin injections you will be asked to bring your pet back to the hospital for one day to have a blood glucose curve performed.  .  During the day, blood glucose samples are drawn throughout the day in order to get a glucose curve.  Each animal is different, but a first time curve is usually complete after two to four samples are drawn. 

Once we have the results of the blood glucose curve, the doctor will recommend what steps should be taken next.  Sometimes all that is needed is an increase in insulin with a plan for another blood glucose curve.  Other times the doctor may recommend additional testing to rule out other metabolic diseases that make diabetes more difficult to control

Diabetic Home Monitoring

Another option for regulating your pet is to purchase a blood glucose monitoring kit and perform your blood glucose curves at home.  Typically, we prefer to do the initial blood glucose curve and if things appear to be going smoothly with your pet’s regulation we can discuss home monitoring.  

There are several advantages to doing your blood glucose monitoring at home, the most popular being saving some money in the long run.  Many pet owners who are dealing with diabetes for the first time worry constantly about their pet’s glucose level getting too low.  However, with the ability to check your pet’s blood sugar at home you will be able to confidently determine if your pet needs immediate emergency intervention.  Of course we still recommend seeking veterinary help if your pet isn’t acting right and his blood sugar is within normal limits. Ask you vet if this would be an option for you.

In Summary

Diabetes is dogs and cats is a treatable disease.  Your pet should likely go on living a happy, healthy life.  While it is true that treating a pet for diabetes can potentially be an expensive endeavor, it is well worth it for many pet owners. 
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Related Posts:
November is Diabetes Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Your Pet Has Diabetes - Now What?
Breed Focus: Alaskan Malamutes
Claim Example: diabetes in a 7 year old mixed breed female cat
Support for carergivers for diabetic cats and dogs

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

 

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