Getting pet health information from the Internet

When your pet develops a medical issue, chances are you’ll be inclined to do some Internet research. Hopefully you will talk with your vet about what you’ve learned.  Know that having this discussion with your vet is a perfectly reasonable expectation as long as you are careful to avoid using valuable office visit time discussing “whackadoodle” notions gleaned from cyberspace.  Here are some pointers to help you find instructive, accurate, worthwhile Internet information while avoiding “online junk food”. By the way, although I’m a veterinarian teaching people how to better care for their furry and feathered family members, please know that this information also applies to your own health care.

So, let’s begin.  How can you determine whether or not a website is dishing out information that is worthy of your time? Here are some general guidelines:

1.  Ask your veterinarian for website recommendations.  He or she might wish to refer you to a specific site that will supplement or reinforce the information she has provided.

2.  Veterinary college websites invariably provide reliable information.  Search for them by entering “veterinary college” or “veterinary school” after the name of the disease or symptom you are researching.

3.  Web addresses ending in “.org,” “.edu,” and “.gov,” represent nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agencies, respectively.  They will likely be sources of objective and accurate information.

4.  If your dog has a breed-specific disease, pay a visit to the site hosted by that specific breed’s national organization.

5.  Avoid business-sponsored websites that stand to make money when you believe and act on what they profess (especially if it involves purchasing something).

6.  Be wary of anecdotal information.  It’s perfectly okay to indulge yourself with remarkable tales (how Max’s skin disease was miraculously cured by a single session of aromatherapy), but view what you are reading as fiction rather than fact. 

Websites we use in the veterinary profession that you might also check out are those related to AAHA (the American Animal Hospital Association) or AVMA (the American
Veterinary Medical Association.

Do read up on medical issues. There is a ton of great information on the Internet. Just beware that all information is not necessarily good information!

http://www.healthypet.com/blog/post/Reasonable-Expectations-VI-The-Ability-to-Discuss-Your-Internet-Research-With-Your-Vet.aspx

Save A Life

There are so many reasons to adopt a pet.

I read an email the other day which some of you may have also read. The story was about a gentleman who was dealing with loss on many levels. His wife had passed away and he had to give up his home and live with his daughter. He was angry and took it out on everyone around him. His family was distraught, trying to help in any way they could. One day his daughter read something about pets helping the elderly deal with change or loss. She went to the local animal shelter and looked through all the cages. In the very last one, she found an old dog who looked so sad in his cage. The shelter told her that he had shown up a few days earlier and no one had claimed him. It was his last day on earth as he was scheduled for euthanasia the following day. She immediately adopted him and took him home for her dad. When she got home, he was not happy with her. He didn't want the dog. But somehow the dog endeared himself to the old man and they became friends. They spent all their time together, taking walks, visiting with neighbors, and the man was happy again.

Two lives were saved at the shelter that day. The dog found a new home and the gentleman found a new reason to live!

Sadly, between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the United States simply because too many people give up their pets and too few people adopt from shelters.

Our local shelters make sure the animals are examined and vaccinated when they arrive and also spay or neuter them before adopting them out.

Adopting a pet from an animal shelter is much less expensive than buying a pet at a pet store or from a breeder. Plus you won't inadvertently be supporting any puppy mills.

Pets have a way of putting a smile on your face and a spring in your step. They give you unconditional love and have been shown to be psychologically, emotionally, and physically beneficial as well.

Pets can help your physical health. Spending time with an animal can help lower a person's blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Dog walking, pet grooming, and even petting a cat or dog provide increased physical activity that can help strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, and slow the loss of bone tissue.

Simply put, pets aren't just good friends. They're also good medicine, improving a person's well-being in many ways. Consider adopting a pet into your family. The life you save could be your own!

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/adopt/tips/top_reasons_adopt.html

Brushing your pet's teeth

February is dental month so you will hear us talking about this health issue more than we normally do. And that is already a great deal! But, sometimes a message needs to be delivered many times in different ways in order for it to one day "click" and work.

As it is in the human healthcare field, oral health and hygiene is important for our pets too. Periodontal disease leads to tooth loss and affects most pets before they are 3 years old. Bacteria from periodontal disease can spread, affecting other organs and causing illness. This shortens the working lifespan of those organs. I haven't seen a dog or cat yet that can live with kidneys that do not function or a heart that has been traumatized so much that it refuses to heal. Oral disease leads to organ diseases and will shorten the life of your pet. However, it is so easy to prevent this from happening. In just a few short minutes a day (or even a few times a week if that is all you can do), you can help keep your pet's mouth healthy.

Ideally, brushing should begin at an early age. However, it is never too late to start. Before you start brushing your pet’s teeth, have them checked by your veterinarian. Make toothbrushing enjoyable for your pet by rewarding him or her immediately after each session. Be very patient when teaching your pet to accept toothbrushing. If your pet won’t tolerate toothbrushing, your veterinarian can recommend plaque-preventive products that will help. However, nothing is a effective as brushing and regular professional dental cleanings. 

To see a demonstration of how to brush your pet's teeth, watch our Home Dental Care video at:

http://www.newhartfordanimalhospital.com/videolibrary/

The dangers of sugarless chewing gum!

 Sugar substitutes are big business. Less sugar can mean weight loss, improved health, diabetic control, and even reduced tooth decay. The quest for products that can sweeten and cook like sugar is ongoing. Xylitol is a common sugar substitute, especially when it comes to sugarless gum. Not only does xylitol offer sweetness without calories, it also has antibacterial properties in the mouth so as to reduce periodontal disease and has been found to have far reaching health benefits in other areas of the body. Xylitol may help with osteoporosis, prevention of ear and throat infections, and may reduce risk of endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and even breast cancer.

Sounds wonderful and maybe it is – if you are a human. If you are a dog, xylitol is potentially lethal.

Hypoglycemia
In a dog, the pancreas confuses xylitol with real sugar and releases insulin to store the “sugar.” The problem is that xylitol does not offer the extra Calories of sugar and the rush of insulin only serves to remove the real sugar from the circulation. Blood sugar levels plummet resulting in weakness, disorientation, tremors, and potentially seizures.

It does not take many sticks of gum to poison a dog, especially a small dog. A 10lb dog could be poisoned with as little as 1.5 sticks of gum. Symptoms typically begin within 30 minutes and can last for more than 12 hours. Vomiting and diarrhea may also occur.

Hepatic Necrosis
The other reaction associated with xylitol in a dog is actual destruction of liver tissue. How this happens remains unknown but the doses of xylitol required to produce this effect are much higher than the hypoglycemic doses described above. Signs take longer to show up (typically 8-12 hours) and surprisingly not all dogs that experience hepatic necrosis, will have experienced hypoglycemia first. A lucky dog experiences only temporary illness but alternatively, a complete and acute liver failure can result with death following. Internal hemorrhage and inability of blood to clot is commonly involved.

Ideally, if the patient is seen quickly (within 30 minutes) and can be made to vomit the gum or candy, treatment can be initiated. However, keeping gum and candy away from you dog is always the best option!

Taken from: The Pet Health Library http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2875