Author: Ann Staub, Vet Tech & Pet Blogger, Pawsitively Pets!
Diabetes mellitus is a common medical condition that can affect cats. Some cats just have the right genes for it. Others may be at risk due to their weight and diet. But were you aware that cats can actually come down with diabetes after receiving steroid treatments? There are many cats out there who are plagued with itchy skin due to allergies. Many vets today are more cautious with their use of steroids in feline patients, but sometimes they may feel that steroids are necessary. In a cat with horribly itchy skin, a steroid injection could be recommended for relief. One method of treatment is an injection called Depo medrol which is a steroid injection with effects that last a few weeks. If your cat is already at risk for diabetes, a steroid treatment like this could give them that push over the edge and some become diabetic after the injection. Repeated long-term use of steroids in cats also puts them at more risk of becoming diabetic. Steroids also have a number of side effects on cats. Increased urination, thirst, and hunger are a few. Steroids raise a cat's blood glucose levels. These are some of the side effects of diabetes mellitus as well. Diabetes is not caused by the steroids alone, but is more like a "side effect" of the drug. Fortunately, steroid induced diabetes in cats can go away in time with treatment, but this is not always the case. After the cat has been weaned slowly off of the steroids, given an insulin regimen, and started to eat a proper diet, it is possible for the diabetes to go away all together. The patient will need to return to his or her veterinarian for regular check ups and blood tests to regulate how their treatment is going. Of course, a cat who is diagnosed with diabetes should not receive steroids. Taking steroids will make it difficult, if not impossible, to treat diabetes in cats. Cats with allergies should seek different treatment options to help their itchy skin. Always keep a cat with severe skin allergies on a flea prevention. Even one bite from a flea can cause a severe reaction in cats with allergies. Try a hypo-allergenic diet with a novel protein and less grains. This may also help with your cat's diabetes. I don't think that it is wrong to have your cat treated with steroids when it is needed, but you should keep in mind that steroids can have unwanted side effects. I treated my own cat with steroid injections and pills for asthma and oral ulcers on several occasions. It may be easy to tell the vet that you just want to get a shot and stop your cat's itching, but it might not be in their best interest over time. A quick and easy fix is not always the best answer. I am inspired to write this by one of my favorite cat patients. He had steroid induced diabetes and severe skin allergies. Unfortunately, his steroid induced diabetes did not go away with time and treatment. His family eventually decided to let him cross over the rainbow bridge due to his poor quality of life. I don't typically become very attached to patients, but this cat was one that I will never forget and his story has always stuck with me.
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Top 5 Common Pet Owner Mistakes, Written by: Jessica Vogelsang, DVM PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 19, 201212/1/2022 Pets Aren't Always Fun and Games By Jessica Vogelsang, DVM Pets can present a variety of challenges, even to the best prepared of owners. Here are our picks for the 5 common pet owner mistakes that may be making your life challenging. Let us know if anything sounds familiar? 1. 'He’s Not Fat, He’s Big Boned'Actually, he probably is overweight or obese, along with more than half of pets in American households. Because the majority of dogs and cats are packing on extra pounds these days, our minds are fooled into thinking this is normal. Your veterinarian can assess your pet with an objective tool such as the Healthy Weight Protocol to give you an accurate idea of what your pet’s weight should be, as well as a specific diet plan to get you to that healthy goal. 2. 'I Only Go to the Vet When My Pet is Sick'Animals are tremendous masters of disguise; they don’t want to inconvenience us by letting us know they feel poorly. Usually by the time owners notice signs of illness, a pet has been sick for quite some time. Annual preventive care exams at the veterinarian allow you to catch diseases like arthritis and renal disease much earlier in the process, saving you money, and your pet pain and stress. 3. 'The Store Employee Told Me to Change Pet Food'Choosing a pet food can be confusing. Meanwhile, the person at the pet food store, convincing as they may be, doesn’t know your pet’s medical history the way your vet does. If your veterinarian recommends a specific diet for your pet, there’s usually an excellent reason. Diet plays a key role in your pet’s health, so make sure to include their number one health advocate in that decision. 4. 'Don't Be Scared; Give Him a Cookie'When a pet is exhibiting a fearful behavior, such as growling or snapping, it can be tempting to try and calm them down with attention. But rewarding a fearful pet with hugs and consolation can actually worsen the behavior by reinforcing it. If this behavior worsens over time, a pet might actually wind up in a shelter, and aggressive pets have lower chances of being adopted. If your pet shows any signs of fear or aggression, talk to a certified trainer, your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist ASAP! 5. 'My Dog Doesn’t Need a Leash, He's Trained'It’s important to be a good dog ambassador by obeying local dog ordinances about leashes and cleaning up after your pup. If you live in an area where leashes are required by law, you should obey that law without fail. Many people — and even some dogs — are frightened of other dogs, and they can be very distressed by being approached by any canine. Many cities and towns have designated areas where dogs can run off leash, so if your dog is feeling the call of the wild, find a dog park and let loose. This subject is dear to my heart and of great concern to me since I am in the pet care industry. People tell me that "...their dog can hold their pee all day!" or "...oh he's used to it." BUT WHY?! We must know that it causes them just as much discomfort as we get when we have to wait for an empty stall to open up, or the next gas station, etc. Why are we doing this to our dogs? We don't do it to our cats, we give them a litter box.
I have discussed this issue with multiple veterinarians and my editorial is the consensus from my interviews. There are potential health risks associated with forcing your dog to hold its pee for too long. Although he physically might be able to do so, extended periods of holding it in can lead to urinary tract infections or urinary crystals and stones. The inability to urine can also lead to behavioral issues. Frustrated dogs can bark, chew, and become extremely anxious, which can lead to a frustrated owner. To avoid frustration and all it entails, understand the importance of your dog’s needs and why it matters. Adult and large dogs have larger bladders than younger, smaller dogs. These dogs should have at least 4 opportunities to relieve themselves per day. Most veterinarians recommend allowing your dog to go outside every 3-5 hours. Some dogs don’t always fully relieve themselves the first time they go outside, meaning they’re still holding a substantial amount in throughout the day. Make sure you delegate a sufficient amount of time for your dog to “let it all go” before they come back inside. Smaller and younger dogs should have at least 5-6 opportunities to relieve themselves per day, as their bladders are smaller than larger dogs. Senior dogs and dogs with health issues have different requirements when it comes to holding it in. Dogs with illnesses, such as diabetes or kidney disease, typically need more trips outside per day. Demanding them to hold it in for more than 2-3 hours may be an impossible task. Visiting your veterinarian will allow you to better understand your dog’s needs and requirements. Escaping There are plenty of situations when dog's desire to escape and run away from wherever she is can cause dangerous consequences. This problem will usually be caused because your pet is looking for a mate, was scared by something, needs socialization, dislikes the environment, wants to roam and explore, and for many other reasons. The bad thing about it is evident: when outside of your supervision and not in a safe environment, a dog can get herself in all kinds of danger very quickly. How to fix it:
Why does my cat need vaccinations if she spends 100% of her time indoors? It is a myth that cats who live indoors do not need to be vaccinated against infectious diseases. While living an indoor lifestyle is certainly safer overall than living outdoors, and indoor living contributes to a longer life expectancy, important infectious diseases can find indoor cats. Feline rhinotracheitis virus, feline calici virus, and feline panleukopenia virus make up the feline distemper complex. Vaccination against the feline distemper complex is important because these diseases can be deadly. These are hardy viruses that can be brought into the home on inanimate objects like clothes or shoes. Because transmission does not require direct contact with another cat, indoor-only cats can be exposed and become ill if they are not appropriately vaccinated. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), World Small Animal Association (WSAVA), and Cat Healthy (Canada) have published vaccination guidelines that reflect the current standard of vaccine science. Your veterinarian will help you understand the most appropriate distemper vaccination schedule for your cat. If feline leukemia virus (FeLV) requires direct cat-to-cat contact why does my indoor cat need to be vaccinated? The current vaccine recommendations for cats from the AAHA and the AAFP include vaccinating all kittens against FeLV following a negative blood test. Cats are most susceptible to this virus in the first few years of life and their personalities are still developing – you never know if your adorable new kitten is going to decide that he needs to dart out the door whenever they spot it opening. "When deciding about FeLV vaccination, it is important to consider all the cats in the household. "This vaccine should be boosted at the one year anniversary, at which time you can discuss your cat's lifestyle with your veterinarian, who may recommend skipping this vaccine. Keep in mind that if you have more than one cat and one of them spends some time outdoors, this cat can potentially become a carrier, transporting FeLV indoors and exposing the cat who lives strictly inside. When deciding about FeLV vaccination, it is important to consider all the cats in the household. Why does my indoor cat need rabies vaccination? Rabies is a human health concern, not just an animal health issue. Because rabies can be transmitted to humans and is nearly universally fatal, many communities have laws mandating rabies vaccination of pets. Rabies is most commonly transmitted by a bite from an infected animal. Bats, skunks, and raccoons are the most common sources of exposure to rabies by companion animals. "Rabies is a human health concern, not just an animal health issue."Regardless of legal requirements, maintaining regular rabies vaccination makes good medical sense. Even a strictly indoor cat may find a way to sneak out of the house and be exposed to rabies by a wild animal in the neighborhood. A rabid bat could find its way inside, presenting an attractive hunting target for an indoor cat. It is simply not worth the risk to the cat or your human family members to decline vaccination against rabies. Your veterinarian is your best source of the most current recommendations for vaccinating your cat in order to protect her from preventable infectious diseases - even if yours lives strictly indoors. The current guidelines for cat vaccinations involve a rotating vaccine schedule - it is no longer considered appropriate to vaccinate against every disease every single year. Instead, an individual risk assessment is performed to determine the most appropriate disease protection and prevention plan for your cat. Your veterinarian has your cat's best interests in mind. Contributors: Krista Williams, BSc, DVM; Robin Downing, DVM, CVPP, CCRP, DAAPM Sept. 29, 2022 -- Dogs can detect when we are stressed, say the researchers behind a new study.
Dogs are known to be able to sniff out disease, such as cancer, malaria, and Parkinson’s disease. “Man’s best friend” is also able to detect the warning signs that a person is going to have an epileptic seizure, or a narcoleptic episode, or that their blood sugar is low, or that they are about to have a migraine. In a new study, published in PLOS ONE, researchers have found that dogs can detect changes in human breath and sweat associated with stress. And what’s more, the dogs can detect these changes with over 90% accuracy. The authors explained that "odors emitted by the body constitute chemical signals that have evolved for communication, primarily within species.” Given dogs' role in supporting human psychological conditions such as anxiety, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the researchers wondered whether dogs could be sensing chemical signals to respond to their owners' psychological states. Trained and Tested For their study, researchers from Queen's University Belfast collected samples of breath and sweat before and after a fast-paced arithmetic task from non-smokers who had not recently eaten or drank. The self-reported stress levels and physiological measures, like heart rate and blood pressure, of the participants were also recorded. Pet dogs from the Belfast community were recruited, and from 20 dogs, four reached the testing phase. These four dogs were aged from 11 months to 2.25 years and were of different breeds and breed-mixes – cocker spaniel, cockapoo, and two undetermined breeds (lurcher-type and terrier-type). Using a clicker along with kibble, they were trained to match smells in a discrimination task. The authors said that performance at above 80% correct (chance level) was needed in the training stages before the testing stages started in order to be sure that if a dog's performance during the testing phase dropped to chance at the testing phase, this was because the stress and baseline samples were indistinguishable to the dog, and not because the dog "didn’t know how to do the task.” During the testing phase, the samples of 36 participants who reported an increase in stress because of the task, and who experienced an increase in heart rate and blood pressure during the task, were presented to trained dogs within 3 hours of being collected. Dogs were asked to find the participant's stress sample - taken at the end of the task. Also in the sample choices for the dogs were the same person's relaxed sample, which had been taken minutes prior to the task starting. Future Application The researchers found that dogs could detect and perform their alert behavior on the sample taken during stress in 675 of 720 trials, which equated to 93.75% of the time. "The first time they were exposed to a participant’s stressed and relaxed samples, the dogs correctly alerted to the stress sample 94.44% of the time," the authors said. Individual dogs ranged in performance from 90% to 96.88% accuracy. "This study demonstrates that dogs can discriminate between the breath and sweat taken from humans before and after a stress-inducing task," said the authors. An "acute, negative, psychological stress response" alters the odor profile of our breath and sweat, and dogs are able to detect this change in odor, they said. They explained that their findings provide even more information about the "human-dog relationship,” and that the findings could be applied to the training of anxiety and PTSD service dogs that are currently trained to respond mainly to visual cues. A Pro Groomer's Top TIps on How to Properly Bathe a Dog. |
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