Karen Gadke, Ph.D. (Health Science) is a retired clinical study specialist, medical writer, and lecturer. She has been training and racing sled dogs, many of them rescued huskies, for 30 years. She owns both Siberians and Alaskans. Karen is an internationally published author on animal issues, awareness and education and a welcome addition to AFSBC.

 Have a question for Karen? Contact her at:

info@animalfriendsbc.org

Aug. - Sept.

2013

The purpose of this page is to help you keep your pets healthy and safe.  It is not meant to replace your veterinarian when needed.

Please do not forget that emergency numbers may be found in the April 2012 Corner, archived.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog and that it can help you keep your pets healthy.  Their lives are so short.  Enjoy them while they are still here.  And please give your old dogs a little extra love.

 e prepared for emergencies.  Post emergency vet numbers where you will have immediate access to them.  You can find them in the April 2012 Corner, archived.  The website may not come up fast enough in an emergency, so please copy them now.

In recent times, the old belief that animals don’t feel pain, has been revised and proven wrong. 

Gandhi knew that a long time ago.  His words:  There is little that separates humans from other sentient beings – we all feel pain, we all feel joy, we all deeply crave to be alive and live freely, and we all share this planet together.

Jane Goodall said:  What separates us from the animals is that we have a bigger brain! 

But our bigger brain also comes with more responsibility  It should direct us to protect those who can not speak for themselves.  Why, then, are animals so often mistreated?  And why are people still supporting pet shops who sell pets supplied by the houses of torture called puppy mills? 

On the benefits of the human-animal bond, Allen M. Schoen, DVM, MS, in his book Kindred Spirits, talks about how much therapy dogs do to lift or heal the human spirit when they visit hospitals, nursing homes and hospices, as well as schools and libraries. Following the disasters and terrorist acts of the recent years, therapy dogs have become increasingly valued in comforting those affected, as well as the severely stressed rescuers.    

       I have worked with therapy dogs since 2004, visiting nursing homes, schools and libraries.   These dogs know they are contributing a valuable service.  My husky knows what her regular school visit days are, and she does her best to get on my Husband's and my nerves up to the time we leave.  That’s how enthusiastic she is about her “work” helping children improve their reading skills.  Why don’t you give your dog such a sense of purpose, and yourself, for that matter?  It’s not all that difficult. Please e-mail me, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know to get started. 

       Oh, by the way, I just read about therapy cats.  And why not, and why not sooner?  Cats can be such great cuddlers, and maybe a lonely patient at a hospitals or nursing home misses his or her own pet cat, and would love to cuddle with a cat instead of a dog.  To each his own.  I do both, every day.  I would not want to live without the joy my dogs and cats give me.

       Back to the subject of animal cruelty. There have recently been protests against Petland and Furry Babies at Cherryvale Shopping Center.  Protests and law suits for unethical practices by these chains are being held in other locations nation-wide.  The discouraging thing is this.  In my own archives I found an article published in 2009, reporting about law suits against Petland stores for unethical business practices.  Some of their victims were people who purchased pets with health and temperament issues, often leading to euthanasia after draining their finances.  And here we are, four years later, years of untold suffering of puppy mill puppies sold to a gullible public, and this same gullible public  keeps “going back for more” and still gets hurt. 

       So it’s time our protests get stronger and the public wakes up.  Now, if you still want to take a chance on a potentially sickly pet rather than go to a respectable breeder or better yet, adopt a homeless pet, I can’t help you.  And please don’t buy the “poor sickly little thing” just because you feel sorry for it.  If you do, you’ll only support the continuation of the cruelty, and thousands more “poor little things” will be born, suffer and die.

       Since we are already on the subject of compassion, please help us reduce the feral cat population.  Of all the cruelties committed to these unfortunate creatures I just heard a new one.  An acquaintance told me she overheard a man tell another man that he uses cats for target practice.  This is so outrageous I’m hoping it’s not true.  Please have some compassion.   Ask your neighbors not to let their cats breed, because it is the failure of homeowners to have their cats spayed that has produced all those feral cats.  If you want to help a feral cat, please check this website to explore what you can do. If you help only one cat not to have that litter, you will have made a valuable contribution to a better world.  Baby steps toward solving a problem are better than doing nothing.

TICK SEASON IS UPON US – TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TICK-BORNE DISEASES, AND THEIR PREVENTION.

       Since ticks are at their highest levels in late summer and fall, I chose ehrlichiosis, one of the tick-transmitted diseases, as this month’s mini-feature.  Ehrlichiosis is a potentially deadly disease that can affect humans, dogs, cats and other mammals.  Dogs are most frequently affected, while cats contract the disease less frequently.

         Some people think a tick is a tick.  Not so.  There are different kinds, and in northern Illinois and Wisconsin we are especially concerned about two types.  I have discussed Lyme disease caused by the deer tick previously. 

       Ehrlichiosis is caused by several species of the organism Ehrlichia carried by the brown tick, also called dog tick.  This little eight-legged monster is not to be confused with the tiny deer tick.  Ehrlichiosis tends to occur in 3 phases  –  the subclinical phase, which lasts up to 20 days after attachment of the tick, the acute phase, lasting one to three weeks, and the chronic phase.  

            Some species of Ehrlichia affect white blood cells, others do their destructive work on platelets, the cells that control blood clotting.  This may cause nose bleeds or bruising.  The more common symptoms of the disease include fever, anorexia (decreased appetite), vomiting, pale mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, inflammation of the eyes, sometimes with a discharge. Joint problems may also occur.  These symptoms are manifested during the acute phase. 

            During the the subclinical phase preceding the acute phase, there are usually no symptoms, but blood tests may show abnormal platelet and white cell values, as well as mild anemia.  This may only be manifested if blood tests are done for a different issue, or if an owner is exceptionally observant and may sense something is not quite right and will follow his or her instinct and have the pet checked.

            If the infection does not clear up, the chronic phase will follow, with bleeding issues, nervous system problems, weakness, difficulty breathing, weight loss, and even death.  To establish a diagnosis, tests are done to check for antibodies produced by the pet’s body to fight off the disease.  Antibodies may appear in the blood 7 days after the tick bite, but may be delayed till day 28.  Thus, if clinical symptoms appear yet blood tests are negative, the tests should be repeated in 2-3 weeks. Abdominal X-rays may or may not show an enlarged spleen or liver.

            The standard antibiotic for Ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease is doxycycline, and this is administered for many weeks.  Fortunately it is not one of the more expensive drugs, unfortunately shortages of the drug have been reported.  There are shortages of other drugs too, and it is rather scary.  We have all grown complacent in believing that there is a pill for everything, never thinking of the possibility that even if treatment for a certain condition exists, it may not be available. Most cases of Ehrlichiosis clear up after lengthy treatment, some may require blood transfusions. 

          It’s always better to prevent disease than needing treatment.  Protect your pet. Use one of the tick preventives, preferably the one your veterinarian recommends.  And do check for ticks in addition, just in case, especially around the ears and in the armpits, any place without a lot of hair.  Cats groom out most of the ticks, so you rarely find one on a cat.

Tick removal:

          If you find a tick, grasp the tick’s body with a pair of tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull it straight out, hopefully the head will come out.  If not, you may see a bump or a tiny inflamed spot, which will go away with time.  But do keep an eye on it.  Do not crush the tick, because you could become infected yourself.  Place it in a bottle with alcohol. It will die quickly.  Flush the dead tick down the toilet.  Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap, and clean the place of attachment of the tick on your pet with rubbing alcohol or peroxide.  Check later to make sure there is no infection.

        I found another approach in my files.  This method is especially suitable for tick removal from a difficult place where tweezers may be harder to apply.  Cover the tick with a cotton ball soaked with a glob of liquid soap and swab it for 15 to 20 seconds.  The tick will come out on its own, stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away from its place of attachment.  This method was offered by a pediatrician.   

If your dog is scooting:

        This can be caused by intestinal parasites, but another likely cause is an inflammation of anal sacs or glands.  If you see your dog dragging his rear end across the ground, he may be trying to ease this “pain in the butt.”  The purpose of the anal glands is lubrication of the stools for easy passing.  But they are believed to have a second purpose, namely, scent marking and identification.  Since each dog has his own unique scent, it tells the next dog “who’s been here.” 

        Regardless of the purpose, these glands can become impacted and infected and need medical attention.  It may be a one-time situation, or it may be a recurring issue.  Your veterinarian will express the glands and treat infection if necessary.  He or she will show you how to express them yourself if this becomes a recurring problem, that is, if you wish.  It’s not pleasant.  There is much more to be said on this subject, because more can go wrong with anal glands, including abscesses and/or cancer.  I will reserve more discussion on this subject for a future “Corner.”

 Flea fact: 

      24 hours after a flea starts feeding, it starts breeding.   Under favorable conditions, an adult flea can lay 25-50 eggs per day.  Adults emerge in 14 days.  In fact, one flea can multiply into a thousand or more fleas in 30 days.  If that doesn’t scare you into controlling them, I don’t know what will.  And don’t say my pets never go anywhere but in my yard.  They could pick one flea up from the lawn where some other critter has just passed through.  Or, you could pick one up somewhere and bring it home on your clothes.  Fleas can be anywhere.  So please protect your pets.  You don’t want them to scratch themselves bloody or develop a flea allergy needing veterinary care, all for something you can prevent.

Another oldtime belief shattered.  No, cats do NOT always land on their feet.

       Cats often sit on windowsills of tall buildings, and some cats fall to the ground.  If they survive, they usually suffer severe injuries, often head trauma.  But that’s not the only cause of blunt or penetrating head trauma often seen by veterinarians.  Kittens get in the way and are kicked accidentally, or a heavy object may fall off a shelf and hit a cat in the head. Many outside cats get hit by cars.  If a cat shows altered mental function, such as failure to respond to stimuli, this raises concern about brain injury.  If the cat recovers from the initial injury, temporary or permanent brain damage may be present, i.e., she may be disoriented and not find the litter box. Please be patient. It’s not her fault.    

            If you come upon a cat that has been hit by a car or has fallen off a building, veterinarians recommend you should quickly wrap her in a blanket and take her to the nearest clinic.  Wrapping the cat is important for your protection, because an animal in pain may bite, or the cat may have a seizure, and if your finger gets close enough to her mouth, you may lose it.  Do this quickly, and never give anything to the cat, definitely no medications, because you will do more harm than good.

Miscellaneous:

        I’m a vegetarian, but my dogs and cats are not.  Man thrives on anything and everything, but dogs are carnivores.  Their systems have been conditioned over millennia to thrive on diets of animal origin, with only a small amount of green foods for the vitamins they contain.  Commercial pet foods use whatever can be disguised to look and smell like meat, and some pets seem to thrive on grain and all the artificial ingredients manufacturers put in.  And the cheaper the food, the more undesirable stuff is in it. Don’t be fooled, eventually the unnatural ingredients may catch up in the form of illness, i.e., skin issues and food allergies.  Look for meat from a specific animal (beef, chicken, lamb) as the first ingredient on the label, not by-products or “meal,” and stay away from anything that lists grain as the first ingredient.  By the way, the excessive human meat consumption is keeping the pet food industry going.  Where else could they use all the scraps and other parts of the animals considered not fit for human consumption?

       One more myth busted:  No, not all dogs can swim.  A dog will dog paddle if he goes in the water or falls in.  But this paddling is often not accompanied by working the hind legs, which means that the dog is in the water almost vertically.  Paddling only with the front will soon have him exhausted.  Many dogs drown every year.  If you intend to let your dog swim, “teach him” first, by supporting his rear end until he learns to move his hind legs in unison with the front.  Even if you have taught him well, put a properly fitting life jacket on him in addition.  If your dog is overweight, he’ll tire more quickly, so watch your chubby friend closely.  If your dog had a near-drowning moment, take him to the vet to check for the possibility of aspiration pneumonia.  Also, since lake and river water is loaded with bacteria, a serious infection of the lungs will likely develop.  It will help the veterinarian in establishing a diagnosis if you tell him or her what happened.

       Is your cat crazy for catnip?  Two out of my three cats are.  According to statistics, one out of two cats craves this fragrant herb from the mint family.  The plant contains nepetalacone, an essential oil that evokes such strange antics as cheek and chin rubbing, rolling and leaping up in the air.  I love watching my cats enjoying themselves, but I limit this ecstasy to once per day, and give them only a pinch.  This pinch is enough to provide a few minutes of stimulation and enrichment for a bored house cat.  My cats are so happy with this little pinch, they never ask for more.  They seem to know that all good things should be enjoyed in moderation.