Most veterinarians, myself included, spend most of our days taking care of animals that have owners. I’ve spent some time at shelters and have, in the past, taken care of some of the animals that were housed at our local shelter when they were either sick or injured. As such, I have a little understanding of how shelter medicine differs from the type of practice where I am employed.

I admit I’ve never worked solely as a “shelter veterinarian” though although I admire those that do. The challenges that these veterinarians face on a day to day basis are much different than those I face in my practice. To understand exactly how different the discipline of shelter medicine is, I suggest you hop over to Edie Jarolim’s blog Will My Dog Hate Me and read Shelter Medicine: Veterinary Challenges and Solutions.

Edie’s post explains very nicely the difference between shelter medicine and private practice. She points out that shelter medicine involves dealing with animals that have no history on record. Often, we don’t even know for certain how old these animals are. She also points out that practicing shelter medicine is similar in many respects to practicing medicine from a herd health point of view, which is very true. In addition, there’s the impact that the shelter environment can have on both the physical and mental well-being of the animals housed there. Edie talks about the importance of improving environmental conditions. And I absolutely agree with her that the Open Paw Shelter Program is a asset to any shelter that chooses to implement it.

I urge you to visit Edie’s post and read more about shelter medicine and the challenges that are faced trying to keep shelter animals happy and healthy. I think it will give you a new perspective, especially if you’ve spent little time in a shelter environment.

Photo Courtesy of jeffreyw/Flickr.com

Today, we welcome Concepcion Monico Garcia (better known as Connie M) as a guest blogger on Pet Health Care Gazette. Connie has graciously provided us with some great information about luxating patellas in dogs.

Patellar Luxation in Dogs

by Concepcion Monico Garcia

Does your dog ever hop on one leg, then shake it and continue on with his business? If he does, he may have patellar luxation. Patellar luxation (also known as a luxating patella) is when the knee cap moves out of its original place. The majority of the time it is a congenital condition; meaning that the dog is born with the defect.

Common Symptoms Seen in Dogs with Patellar Luxation

As mentioned before, most dogs limp one moment then, before you know it, they are walking just fine. When your dog is limping it is most likely because the knee cap is dislocated, causing pain and discomfort. Some dogs learn to shake it back in place and continue on with their activity. Besides limping, dogs may also show signs of lameness and pain in the surrounding area.

Causes of Patellar Luxation

Dogs are usually born with patellar luxation but it is possible for a dog to develop the condition. If born with the issue, dogs will usually begin to show symptoms at four to six months of age. Trauma that occurs near the femur or in areas around the knee cap can consequently cause patellar luxation.

Diagnosis

There are four different stages used to classify the severity of patellar luxation. Palpation is one form of checking for a luxating patella. Radiographs can also be useful in diagnosing the condition and grading it.

• Stage I – At this stage there are few, if any, symptoms present. Palpation can help diagnose the condition early on; the knee cap can be luxated during palpation and will return to its normal position on its own.
• Stage II – The patella will luxate on its own and also when triggered during palpation. It returns to normal position when the dog extends his leg or when the knee cap is manually moved in place.
• Stage III – Luxation is more frequent and is triggered when flexion or extension of the stifle occurs. In this stage the knee cap can still be moved in place by manually adjusting it.
• Stage IV – In this stage the patella remains luxated and cannot be moved back in place. Dogs experience chronic pain and are unable to use the leg affected.

Treatment Options for Dogs with Patellar Luxation

Dogs that are diagnosed in the early stages can undergo physical therapy and take NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to improve the condition. Maintaining your dog at an ideal weight is an essential part of the healing process. Extra weight adds unnecessary pressure to the patella and causes further damage. Special exercise routines and physical therapy such as hydrotherapy (swimming therapy) are other forms of treating patellar luxation.

Stages II, III, and IV of patellar luxation often need to be treated surgically. Your veterinarian will decide if surgical correction is necessary depending on various factors. One important factor that is considered is the ability of your dog to walk. In cases where the dog becomes physically disabled, surgery can be helpful in improving the dog’s quality of life.

Although most cases are not severe and require little treatment, it is very important to get an accurate diagnosis. Obtaining a proper diagnosis of patellar luxation will help prevent further damage and also rule out other more dangerous health conditions.

About the author:

Concepcion Monico Garcia (aka Connie M.) is a licensed Veterinary Technician with over 6 years of experience working in the veterinary field. Writing is one of her passions, especially if it relates to her profession. She believes that writing is an excellent way of communicating with people everywhere and teaching them about the proper way to care for their pets. Connie M blogs at The K9 Shower. She enjoys blogging as a means of sharing her personal experiences as well as providing helpful information.

Photo Courtesy of Mononc’Paul/Flickr.com

Whether you’re training your pet dog to have manners so that he’ll make a good companion or training your canine athlete for some kind of sporting event (i.e. agility, treibball, surfing, etc.), one of the key components to training is to make it fun for both you and your dog.

Training doesn’t need to be painful or uncomfortable for your dog. Whether your dog is a puppy or an adult, he’ll learn just as quickly and more humanely without the fear of punishment. Making training fun, so that it’s almost like a game for your dog, coupled with some rewards when he performs in an acceptable fashion, can be just as effective as using devices that cause pain for your dog. In fact, probably moreso.

As you may (or may not) already know, we’re nearing the end of National Train Your Dog Month now. If you haven’t already already checked out the resources on this site, I recommend that you do so now. They have some great webinars available.

In honor of National Train Your Dog Month, Animal Cafe’s Kelly Gorman Dunbar speaks with Dr. Ian Dunbar about a variety of training subjects, among other things. It’s a delightful interview you won’t want to miss. For those of you who don’t know him, Dr. Dunbar is a veterinary behaviorist, author, founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and inventor of modern-day puppy classes, along with many other accomplishments in the world of dog training and behavior.

Photo Courtesy of Hotfield/Flickr.com

Does your dog need to be vaccinated against canine influenza? It depends. There may be circumstances in which your dog should be vaccinated. However, the canine influenza vaccine is not a vaccination that all dogs need to receive.

Recent Reports About Canine Influenza

VIN News Service recently published this article about canine influenza. Among the allegations published in the article is the insinuation that the risk posed by canine influenza has been greatly overstated and that the introduction of a vaccination against canine influenza may have played a part in that overstatement.

“A rash of news reports late last year about outbreaks of canine influenza left the impression that dogs in various parts of the United States were at imminent risk of catching the flu during the winter holidays.

A look at dog-flu diagnoses documented by major veterinary laboratories suggests that the reality was less dramatic and more nuanced. Some veterinarians believe aggressive marketing of dog-flu vaccines was behind the hype.”

While I find it more than a bit disturbing that the marketing of a pet product might deliberately mislead the public into believing that the product is more crucial than it may actually be, I’m not going to try to figure out whether that has happened here. I’ll let you reach own conclusions on that based on the VIN News article. What I would like to do is give you a better idea about whether your dog needs to be vaccinated against canine influenza or not.

Does Your Dog Need To Be Vaccinated Against Canine Influenza?

The answer to this will depend on whether your dog is at risk of contacting canine influenza. The vaccine against canine influenza is considered a non-core vaccine, a vaccine that is not needed by all dogs and which should administered based on an assessment of the risks versus the benefits of the vaccine.

There are several things to take into consideration when deciding whether vaccination against canine influenza is right for your dog.

• Is canine influenza being diagnosed in your community? If not, it may not be necessary to vaccinate your dog. Of course, it’s impossible to tell when or if the disease will move into your area.
• Do you board your dog or frequent places where your dog comes into contact with many other dogs? If so, vaccination against canine influenza may be worth considering. Some boarding kennels may even require vaccination against canine influenza for admittance.
• How serious is the risk of canine influenza? For the majority of dogs infected with canine influenza, the infection will be mild and self-limiting with full recovery. However, the potential for complications does exist and it is impossible to determine whether your dog will be in the minority of infected dogs that suffers more serious symptoms with canine influenza.
• Vaccination against canine influenza may not necessarily prevent infection. Here’s what Merck Animal Health has to say about their vaccine: “The vaccine has been shown to protect dogs against CIV infection by significantly decreasing clinical signs, reducing viral shedding, and reducing CIV-induced lung consolidation.”

The decision to give your dog the canine influenza vaccine should be an educated one, based on the information we have available to us currently. It should be a decision made by your and your veterinarian based on your dog’s risk, and should not be based on panic or fear. Hopefully, you now have the information necessary to make an informed choice.

Photo Courtesy of annethelibrarian/Flickr.com

Cataracts are a common problem in dogs and occur in the lens of your dog’s eye. In the normal canine eye, the lens aids in focusing the eye and should normally be clear without any opacities. Essentially, a cataract occurs when an opaque area forms within the lens of the eye, making it impossible for light to penetrate the affected area.

Causes of Cataracts in Dogs

There are numerous causes of cataracts in dogs, including:

• aging changes (cataracts are common in older dogs)
• congenital defects (dogs may be born with cataracts)
• genetic predisposition (some dogs are genetically disposed to developing cataracts)
• trauma
• dietary deficiencies
• toxins
• electrical shocks
• diabetes mellitus

Consequences of Canine Cataracts

A cataract results in an area of the lens which your dog is unable to see through. If both eyes are affected and the cataracts cover both lenses completely, your dog may become completely blind.

In addition, a lens afflicted with a cataract may luxate and move from its normal position within your dog’s eye. By doing so, the lens may block the normal flow of fluid through the structures of the eye, causing glaucoma as a result of an increase in the intraocular fluid levels.

Alternatively, a lens with a cataract may also absorb fluid and swell abnormally, again resulting in glaucoma when the swelling blocks the outflow of fluid from the eye causing an increase in intraocular pressure.

Cataracts can also begin to dissolve when they become mature and this dissolution may result in inflammation within the eye, known as uveitis. Uveitis is painful for your dog and can also lead to the development of glaucoma.

Diagnosis of Cataracts in Dogs

Cataracts can be mistaken for a number of different eye diseases and an ophthalmic examination is necessary to determine whether cataracts are present.

Cataracts must be differentiated from nuclear sclerosis, a normal increase in the compactness of the fibers of the lens that occurs as a dog ages. Though the resulting changes in the sclerotic lens can physically resemble a cataract, the dog is able to see normally through the lens. Blindness and/or changes in vision do not occur with nuclear sclerosis.

A thorough ophthalmic examination by an experienced veterinarian can determine whether changes in the eye are a result of cataracts, nuclear sclerosis or other canine eye problems.

Cataract Surgery in Dogs

When treatment for a canine cataract is necessary, surgery is usually the only treatment option. Surgery for a cataract in a dog involves either:

• physically cutting into the eye and removing the lens with the cataract
• breaking up and removing the diseased lens using a procedure known as phacoemulsification

In phacoemulsification, sound waves are used to physically break apart the diseased lens. During phacoemulsification, the dog is under an anesthetic and medicated to induce paralysis to prevent the dog from blinking or otherwise moving the eye. Once broken into small pieces, the lens is then removed by suction through a small tube. Phacoemulsification is the most commonly employed method of cataract removal and is preferred, where possible, over cutting into the eye to remove the lens.

After the diseased lens is removed from a dog with a cataract, an implant is placed in the eye to replace the lens.

Before surgery for a cataract is performed, your veterinarian may recommend an electroretinogram to ascertain whether the retina is functional. An ultrasound of the eye may also be needed to rule out the possibility of retinal detachment. If the retina is not functional, the eye will be functionally blind even with the cataract removed and cataract surgery may not provide any benefit for your dog.

Cataracts are common in senior dogs but can occur for various reasons in dogs of any age. Cataracts may involve both eyes and may cover the entire lens, resulting in blindness for your dog. Surgical options exist which can restore the canine eyesight if the retina is functional and the eye is otherwise healthy.

Have you ever wondered why the people that support breed bans and other breed specific legislation (BSL) feel so strongly about the subject? Or why those of us that oppose them, myself included, are immovable in our opposition? Our friends at StubbyDog provided this interesting perspective on the psychology of breed bans and BSL.

If you have ever spoken to someone who strongly supports or opposes BSL, you probably already understand that quite often the feeling behind the stance is firmly entrenched and it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to change anyone’s mind on the subject. I include myself in this generalization as well. I firmly and strongly oppose breed bans and breed specific legislation of any type and it’s very unlikely that anyone is going to be able to say anything that will change my mind or present information that would make me rethink my position. I freely admit that and I also freely admit that I feel that way because I believe that I am right. However, at the same time, I realize that those who disagree with me feel exactly the same way.

Though the StubbyDog post was published in March of 2011, it presents some fascinating insights into the way our minds work and is still relevant today. Here is part of what the post has to say:

“New research in psychology and sociology are helping us to understand how people form opinions in the first place, and how difficult it can be to replace opinion with fact.

Psychological researchers like the University of Michigan’s Brendan Nyhan suggest that people interpret new information with a filter that reinforces their preexisting views. Nyhan found in his study, When Corrections Fail, that when people are confronted with facts that do not support their deeply held beliefs, they may be more likely to stick to their guns – a phenomenon he calls “backfiring.”

This might be because we hate to admit when we’re wrong. Author and marketing specialist Seth Godin says in his book, All Marketers Are Liars Tell Stories, that once a person has “bought someone else’s story and believes that lie, persuading the consumer to switch [ideas] is the same as persuading him to admit he was wrong. And people hate to admit they’re wrong.” (pg. 151) Not only that, but our ability to change our minds and believe newly presented facts also has to do with how ideas become rooted and processed through different areas of our brain.”

The post goes on to say that, in order to help someone change their mind, raising their self-esteem, being blunt and direct with them in person, and showing them that there is a bigger and more dangerous problem can be helpful. I’m not sure I agree entirely with that synopsis. I think it may be a more complicated process. But I still think there may be a lesson to be learned here.

For instance, I followed the link in the article to the Best Friends Animal Society fiscal calculator and calculated the cost for the city of Denver, Colorado. The total amount was over $803,000. Now, that’s a lot of money, especially when the funds are being spent on something which has not been effective. (According to the StubbyDog post, despite the BSL, Denver has the highest rate of hospitalizations for dog bites in Colorado. Not a very convincing statistic for the efficacy of BSL.)

The StubbyDog post calls for legislation directed at holding irresponsible pet owners responsible for their dog’s actions and for helping people that want to be responsible pet owners. It suggests using some of these psychology lessons to convince lawmakers and politicians to consider legislation that is not specific to breed. Take a look at the post for more information. There’s much more there, including a video that is worth your time to watch.

What do you think? Can psychology make a difference? Can presenting a bigger picture of escalating costs for enforcing ineffective legislation be effective? Do you have other ideas? Please share.

Photo courtesy of Beverly & Pack/Flickr.com

It happens to all of us. Whether the medication is an over-the-counter medication or a prescription that we simply don’t need any more, we all end up with medications that we need to get rid of from time to time. The medications may be for you, for your spouse, for you children, or for your pets. Either way, there’s a proper way to dispose of unused medications. And, unfortunately, if medicines are not disposed of properly, they can pose a threat for members of our community, for our pets and even for the wildlife in our area.

How do you dispose of medications properly? The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has an entire page dedicated to safely disposing of unwanted medicine. Among the suggestions offered are these:

• Never flush unused medications down a sink or toilet.
• Take advantage of take-back programs in your community.
• If no take-back program is available, place the medication in a sealable container mixed with cat litter or coffee grounds and dispose of them in the trash.

Please see the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant link for more information.

For veterinarians, the AVMA provides more information about the proper disposal of unwanted medication also.

Is breeding really a bad thing? Some of you will likely disagree with me and I truly do understand the reasons why. However, I do not believe that breeding your pet is a bad thing if (and here’s the catch!)…if the breeding is carefully planned and the two animals are carefully chosen to complement one another. In my opinion, a good breeding starts with two top-quality individuals that are chosen to produce puppies (or kittens) with traits that improve on what their parents offer.

What Should a Good Breeder Accomplish?

Breeding should not be done merely to produce puppies or kittens to sell. Your pet should never, ever be bred just so that your kids can experience the “miracle of life”. In a perfect world, there would be no such thing as an accidental breeding. In other words, breeding has one primary purpose, to maintain a breed. Good breeders breed animals that improve their respective breed. Breeding is not about quantity, it’s about quality.

Finding a Good Breeder

There are good breeders out there, breeders who work hard to produce top quality puppies or kittens. But how do we find these breeders and tell them apart from the puppy mills and “backyard breeders” that produce not-so-top-quality puppies or kittens? We do that by educating ourselves! We educate ourselves before we go out and impulsively buy a new puppy or kitten. Here’s what Dr. V over at Pawcurious has to say in her post, Bostons, Breeders and the surreptitious obtaining of important phone numbers:

“Putting puppy mills and backyard breeders out of business won’t happen until we do a better job of convincing people that it’s worth the effort and research to find a good breeder and pick the right dog. They are out there, but it takes more effort than some of the other options. It’s work. Getting a dog should be work, because having a dog is work. That is not an unreasonable prerequisite.”

And she’s right. It’s heartbreaking to see a young dog (or cat) that is already experiencing health issues resulting from a genetic disease inherited from his mother and/or father. It’s even more heartbreaking for the fact that it shouldn’t be happening. And it wouldn’t be happening if the majority of pet owners took the time to do their homework first and then made educated choices.

Advice About Breeding and Breeders

In this Animal Cafe interview, experienced breeder Jacque Redford talks about breeding and best breeding practices.

The previous podcast is the second part of an interview with Jacque. To hear more about how she screens her breeding animals and the process she goes through in planning a breeding, have a listen to the first part of the interview.

These podcasts cover a few of the considerations that a responsible and ethical breeder takes into account when planning and implementing a breeding program. What other things do you think are important? What do you look for in a breeder? If you’re a breeder, what genetic screening are you doing? How do you go about researching and planning a potential breeding? How do you care for your breeding animals?

Photo Courtesy of basykes/Flickr.com

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) has designated January as National Train Your Dog Month. In celebration of the event, the organization is presenting a series of webinars and Facebook chats designed to help you in your dog (and cat!) training.

The schedule of events for National Train Your Dog Month includes topics such as:

• what to teach your kids about dogs and safety
• housetraining basics
• introducing a dog and a cat to the same household
• how to become a dog trainer
• litter boxes and scratching behaviors in cats
• seperation anxiety
• rabbit behavior
• a chat about parrots
• and much more.

The webinars are pre-recorded and available now. Please see the link for a schedule of dates and times for the Facebook chats.

And now I’m off to watch some webinars!

Photo Courtesy of waterboard/Flickr.com

Just recently, I received the following comment in response to a post about pit bulls as “nanny dogs”:

“Pit bulls have not been and will never be suitable “Nanny dogs”. First of all, they have only been popular household pets for the last 20 years. Breeding pits for the aggressive trait of fighting other dogs have created a breed with an unstable temprament (sic) and an unhealthy genetic linage. This is why you find so many pit breeds in shelters.”

In response to this comment, I’d like to offer this link to a collection of photographs of children pictured with various pit bull breeds.

I realize from the tone of the comment that it’s not likely that this person will be dissuaded easily, if at all. That saddens me because I find this attitude to be misguided, not to mention that what this person apparently thinks of as facts are just plain wrong. I’ve stated my opinion loudly and often on this blog and there’s no sense in repeating what I just said yesterday in Pit Bulls, Breed Bans and Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL).

I will pose the following question though: When pit bull breeds are banned completely and no longer exist anywhere in the world, what will be the next breed targeted? I can remember a time when people said that German Shepherd Dogs were aggressive by nature and too dangerous to be owned. Then it was Dobermans. The current “flavor” is pit bulls. These folks that villianize pit bulls don’t even bother to target a single breed. They include a whole group of breeds that look similar to one another and lump them under the term “pit bull”.

So, again I ask, when the pit bulls are gone, what breed will be next? Will we then start banning Dalmations, retrievers, labradors? Or maybe we’ll return to German Shepherds and Dobermans. What breed of dog do you love? Could your breed be next?

Photo Courtesy of stephskardal/Flickr.com