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As many of us know, summer can be the best time of year for our pets: lazy afternoons outside, swimming, and lots of sun. But all of the splendors of summer come at a cost. Our pets must endure the heat, bugs and allergies that come with the months that encompass May through August of each year.
Since the heat of the summer is upon us, there are some things that will help make your companion more comfortable. Some of these things are simply common knowledge, but it's easy to forget that pets have a different physiology than we do and often have a more difficult time in the heat than humans would.
First and foremost, don't leave your dog in a locked car for any period of time. When it is hot it only takes minutes to reach dangerous temperatures inside the car. Dogs can't sweat the same way as humans can. They thermo-regulate mostly by panting and can sweat minimally through the bottom of their feet.
Since the heat of the summer is upon us, there are some things that will help make your companion more comfortable.
Heat stroke is a very serious life-threatening disease that can afflict dogs quite rapidly. dark-colored dogs are particularly prone to heat stroke due to the fact that their dark coat absorbs heat. Other medical factors that predispose your dog to heat stroke are obesity, laryngeal paralysis and heart disease. Some common early signs of heat stroke include panting, excessive salivation, hyper-excitement and increased rectal temperature. Heat stroke can affect every organ in the body; if you suspect that this is taking place, seek immediate veterinary attention for your pet.
Never leave your dog tied in a place where it can't find shade or access to water. This seems very commonsense, but sometimes dogs left on chains or leads may wind themselves around a tree and cut off their access to water.
We all know that summer means bugs, and bugs are pests for humans and canines alike. Fleas are a common pest that thrive in moist, humid climates. Fleas live off the blood from their hosts and can cause itching from the bite itself or simply from crawling around under your pet's coat. Flea bites can also cause an allergic reaction, called flea-bite dermatitis, in certain animals resulting in severe reactions such as intense itching, crusty skin and hair loss. Fleas can also be carriers for other parasites, such as tapeworms. Dogs that itch will groom themselves and ingest fleas, providing a direct route for tapeworms to develop in the intestines of your pet.
Mosquitoes, another pest of the summer, can carry larvae called Dirofilaria immitus, or heartworms, that can lodge in your dog's pulmonary artery and cause serious health problems. Preventatives for fleas and heartworms are available in many different varieties and can be purchased from your veterinarian. Heartworm pills and flea preventative are relatively inexpensive and far outweigh the nuisance and health hazards triggered by a flea or heartworm infestation.
Many people clip or shave their dogs in the summer time with the logic that less hair will allow for a cooler canine. However, Dr. Karen Campbell, a veterinary dermatologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, Ill., explains that clipping your dog may be counterproductive. The canine coat is designed to hold heat near the body in the winter, but also to insulate against the heat from the sun in the summer. Leaving your dog's hair coat intact will actually provide a cool microenvironment for your pet. Your pet's fur also helps act as a sunscreen to protect its skin from ultraviolet radiation. Yes, dogs can get sunburn as well.
Dr. Campbell does concede that a dark-colored dog will get a lot hotter in the summer due to his color (dark colors absorb more heat energy from the sun). If you do own a dark-colored dog it may be beneficial to clip it despite the loss of the insulating properties of their hair coat.
One thing is for certain, dogs that are outside in the summer heat should be properly groomed. Dr. Campbell reminds us that a matted coat will trap moisture on the skin providing an excellent environment for skin infections or even worse problems.
Allergies are a problem for humans and dogs alike. Allergic reactions may develop on your dog to various causes. One type of these reactions is called "hot spots." They look like red, round spots that tend to have a slightly slimy appearance. While hot spots are an issue that certainly require a veterinarian's care, Dr. Campbell recommends the temporary use of tea bags applied directly to these hot spots until a veterinary appointment can be made. "The tanic acid in the tea bags may help to relieve some of the irritation," she says.
While the heat of summer can be oppressive to dogs there are some simple things like water, shade, flea and heartworm prevention, grooming and allergy care that can help make it more bearable. After all, our pets want to enjoy the summer as much as we do.
Osteosarcoma and lymphoma: two words you hope to never hear coming from your veterinarian. Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) and lymphoma (a disorder of white blood cells) are the most common types of cancer in dogs. But thanks to the efforts of two veterinary oncologists at the University of Illinois, Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, these evil enemies of our four legged family members have a tough battle ahead.
As cancer cells are rapidly attacking, Dr. Timothy Fan, an assistant professor, and Dr. Laura Garrett, a clinical assistant professor, are working hard at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine to investigate novel treatment options and stay one step ahead of our pet's arch rivals. "The positive aspect of this situation is that these common cancers, especially lymphoma, are very responsive to systemic chemotherapy treatment, but as time progresses surviving cancer cells inevitably become resistant to our traditional therapies, and we hit a brick wall," says Dr. Fan.
Dr. Garrett is leading a clinical research trial with canine lymphoma. She is currently working with Dr. Paul Hergenrother in the University of Illinois Department of Chemistry to test the safety and effectiveness of a revolutionary small molecule that possesses the capacity to preferentially cause tumor cells to die. Dr. Fan's research focuses on the treatment of osteosarcoma. He is collaborating with Dr. Jianjun Cheng, a researcher from the Department of Material Sciences and Engineering to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a very small bead (using nanotechnology) that holds chemotherapy drugs that specifically target the bone microenvironment in which cancer cells grow.
Despite the best efforts of researchers across the country, treatment of cancer in animals has still not caught up with humans.
According to Dr. Fan, osteosarcoma is usually seen in dogs older than seven, and the disease has a higher incidence in certain breeds, such as rottweilers. "It is important to treat the disease as soon as you observe it to help maintain a reasonable quality of life," says Dr. Fan. The typical symptoms of a dog with bone cancer are sudden onset of lameness that becomes extremely painful. Radiographs, or x-rays, are performed to support a diagnosis, but the only way to confirm ostesarcoma is with a biopsy, or aspirate of the tumor.
There are two general treatment plans for bone cancer: pain management, or the best the veterinary profession can offer at this point -- amputation and chemotherapy. According to Dr. Fan, pain management alone will not stop the growth of the tumor, nor prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body. But it will give your pet approximately another 4-6 months of quality life.
The other option, amputation of the affected limb, followed by systemic chemotherapy, buys you a bit more time. "Fifty percent of dogs who undergo this treatment will live a year, and twenty percent live two years," says Dr. Fan.
It is important to note that although this therapy will not be inexpensive, animals tolerate chemotherapy much better than humans because the dose given is significantly less. Only a minority of animals experience adverse side effects, mentions Dr. Fan.
Despite the best efforts of researchers across the country, treatment of cancer in animals has still not caught up with humans. The biggest impediment is finances because most families opt not to carry health insurance for their pets.
Secondly, there are a very limited number of clinics in the country with the infrastructure to treat dogs aggressively. Because of researchers like Drs. Fan and Garrett, there is hope that the thousands of dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma or lymphoma may live a longer and better life.
For more information about cancer in pets, contact your local veterinarian.
The colors and patterns of cats are fascinating. How they are achieved, and what makes them that way, can be confusing. Simply, it's genetics. But the intricacies of genetics can be very confusing. Our latest feature is answers to your questions about common genetics issues that will help you to unravel and understand the complexities of genetics.
Hilary Helmrich, former President of the Winn Feline Foundation and CFA Allbreed judge, will answer your questions on basic genetics issues.
Question: What do you mean, white is not a color?
Answer: In cat genetics, white is a "masking agent". Iif you have a cat with white, then the white part is "masking" the colors underneath. If your cat is all white, sometimes white kittens will have a spot of another color on the top of their head, which indicates which color the cat is "masking". The colored spot often goes away as the cat matures.
There are also white spotting factors in some of our breeds which can be restricted to the feet, as in the Birman, or can be random, as in the Bicolor Persian. Some breeds do not allow white spots, for example the AByssinian; others do allow them, like the Cornish Rex and Manx.
To submit your genetics question, please email CFA. Ms. Helmrich is unable to answer questions privately, however selected questions and their answers will appear here on a regular basis.
Diseases and disorders of the mouth can afflict any animal from your couch potato dog to the lion at the zoo. Proper dental hygiene should be a part of every pet owner's routine in order to ensure that your precious pet does not fall victim to dental disease.
According to Dr. Carol Akers, a veterinarian and dentistry resident at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, it is important to understand that bad breath in a pet is not normal. Unless Fido has a bad habit of sneaking snacks from your cat's litter box, his foul breath is a sure sign that something is wrong in his mouth.
Proper dental hygiene should be a part of every pet owner's routine.
The most common problem that veterinarians see in pets is periodontal disease. This is characterized by the loss of the supporting structure of the tooth. Without a proper dental hygiene regimen in place your pet's teeth will quickly become covered in plaque, a sticky biofilm of bacteria and bacterial by-products. Brushing your pet's teeth daily will remove this film; however if left on the surface of the teeth the plaque will mineralize and harden to form tartar.
The dangerous part of periodontal disease comes not from the tartar itself but from the bacteria that is attracted to it. When tartar pushes up above the gum line, the bacteria moves with it and is able to eat away at the surface of the tooth, the gum surrounding the tooth, and the bone holding the tooth in place. The infection and tissue damage that results from the bacteria is what brings about the foul breath that many owners are plagued with.
As always, prevention is the best medicine when it comes to dental disease. The best way to keep your pet's mouth free and clear of infection is to brush its teeth daily, just as you would your own.
"Imagine what your teeth would look and feel like if they were only brushed once or twice a month, or even never brushed at all," says Dr. Akers. "Daily brushing is the absolute best way to prevent periodontitis and other dental diseases."
According to Dr. Akers, the key of tooth brushing is to mechanically remove the plaque and food particles that build up on the surface of the teeth throughout the day. A wide range of tooth brushes and tooth paste flavors are available for pet owners looking to keep their pets' smiles sparkling. When brushing your pet's teeth it is important to use toothpaste that is made specifically for pets since the fluoride and other chemicals in human toothpastes are toxic to animals.
Of course if your pet absolutely will not allow you to brush its teeth then the next step would be providing safe chew toys that will help to remove plaque build-up on the surface of the teeth. When picking out a chew toy for your pet it is important to pick one that will clean the teeth without damaging them. If the item is too hard the animal can actually chip or break a tooth.
"My rule for chew toys is that if you can pound a nail with it, the toy is too hard for your dog's teeth, which means bones, be they real, plastic, or nylon should never be given to a pet," explains Dr. Akers.
Besides tooth brushing and chew toys there are a variety of antiseptic mouth washes and specially-designed treats and foods that you can use to help care for your pet's teeth. Owners should begin using these preventative measures as soon as they bring their new pet home. In the case of puppies and kittens it is also important to monitor how the animal's adult teeth are coming in and whether the deciduous (baby) teeth are falling out normally.
"If you notice that your pet has retained any baby teeth it is important to have those teeth removed immediately," says Dr. Akers. "If those teeth are allowed to stay in they will permanently alter the position of the adult teeth, which can be an extremely painful condition for the pet to live with."
Even with the best preventative care it is still likely that your pet will need to have some dental work done in its lifetime. In order to recognize when it is time for your pet to visit the vet it is important to watch for signs such as bad breath, excessive drooling, loss of interest in chewing or playing, and swelling on the face or around the eyes. These are all signs and symptoms of various painful dental diseases that require immediate veterinary attention.
For more information about dental health for your pet, contact your local veterinarian.
News writer: Sarah Dowling
Source: Dr. Carol Akers
