Holiday Toxins

Holiday Toxins

By Dr. Erica Pailer

 

During the Holiday season there are a lot of changes in most households that provide great enjoyment for people, but pose potential health risks to our pets.  Here are some of the most common problems veterinarians encounter with pets over the holidays.

Dangerous foods:

- Chocolates: Chocolate contains caffeine and methylxanthines, which are toxic for pets. When ingested by pets, these products can cause vomiting and diarrhea, hyperactivity, and in large quantities can even cause high heart rate, seizures or death. Semi-sweet or baking chocolates contain the highest levels of methylxanthines and pose the greatest risk when ingested. Dark chocolates also contain large amounts of the toxin and can be serious when only small amounts are ingested. Milk chocolate contains less methylxanthine, but can still cause problems if large enough quantities are ingeseted. If your pet ingests chocolate, call your veterinarian for advice. It is helpful if you know the type and quantity of chocolate ingested so that we can determine how toxic the pet's dose of methylxanthine is expected to be.

- Alcohol: When pets ingest alcohol it can have the same adverse effects as when people ingest too much alcohol. Ingestion of alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, tremors, coma, and even death. Unfortunately when our pets get into something tasty that contains alcohol, they don't have the inhibitions to stop before they ingest serious and potentially fatal amounts.

-Xylitol: Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including sugar-free gum and candy. It can cause decreased blood glucose levels and at very high doses can lead to liver failure. Initial signs of toxic ingestion include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbancy (laying on the side and not moving), seizures, and can lead to death.

-Moldy Foods: Some molds produce toxins called tremorgenic mycotoxins, which can cause serious or even life-threatening problems if ingested. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to determine whether a particular mold is producing tremorgenic mycotoxins, so the safest course of action is to avoid feeding dogs moldy food and to keep trash or moldy debris out of reach of our pets. The signs of tremorgenic mycotoxin poisoning generally begin as muscle tremors that progress to convulsions that can lead to death in severe cases. If your pet begins to have muscle tremors, especially after getting into the garbage, you should contact your veterinarian for advice immediately.

Moldy bread (or other items) may be in your garbage, available for your pet to find.

-Left overs: Scraps of meat and other fatty foods can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even potentially life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas. It is best not to offer your pets table scraps and to make sure the garbage is promptly removed to prevent pets from scavenging the left overs for themselves.

 Holiday Decorations:

-Snow globes: The liquid in these decorations can contain poisonous chemicals such as ethylene glycol (the active ingredient in antifreeze), which can be fatal if ingested.

Tinsel may look pretty, but is very dangerous for your cat!

-Tinsel: Many cats like to play with tinsel. Unfortunately, if ingested, tinsel can cause an obstruction and severe damage to the intestinal tract.  Treatment frequently requires surgery.

-Plants: While widely thought to be toxic, poinsettia plants only cause mild oral irritation and rarely GI upset. Plants we see around the holidays that are of much more concern include lilies, mistletoe and holly. Lilies are of the highest concern because when ingested, they can be fatal and cause kidney failure in cats. Mistletoe and holly berries can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even heart arrhythmias. 

To help enjoy a safe and fun holiday season, we encourage everyone to be consientious about keeping potential harmful foods and decorations out of reach of your pets. If you are unable to keep a close eye on your pets while cooking or entertaining guests, putting your pet in it's kennel, crate, or a pet-proofed room can prevent potentially devestating and costly veterinary emergencies.

Check out the video here to learn more about dangers to your pet around the holidays!

If your pet does happen to ingest something she shouldn't have, Noah's Central Animal Hospital and 24 Hour Emergency Center is available to help you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!  If you are in in the Indianapolis area and need help with your pet, call us at 317-253-1327!

 

--Sources: www.petpoisonhelpline.com, www.aspca.org/pet-car/animal-poison-control

DOGS AND CATS CAN DEVELOP BREAST CANCER TOO! by Dr. Kerri Suhr, D.V.M.

DOGS AND CATS CAN DEVELOP BREAST CANCER TOO! 

By Dr. Kerri Suhr, D.V.M.

 

    

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Did you know pets can develop this cancer, as well?

   

     In women, one in eight or nine will develop breast, or mammary, cancer.  In dogs that have not been spayed, that number jumps to one in four.   In intact female cats, mammary cancer is the 3rd most common cancer.  Most dogs and cats that develop breast cancer are intact females (have never been spayed), or females spayed after the age of 2-3 years, and are around 10 years of age at diagnosis.  In cats, Siamese cats are more prone to have tumors show up at a younger age than other breeds.  Male dogs and cats can also develop breast cancer, but it is not very common. 

     This sounds scary, but there is some good news!  In dogs, if a female is spayed before her first heat cycle ( which usually occurs between 8 months to a year of age) there is almost no chance of her developing breast cancer.  With one heat cycle, the percentage increases a little - to about 7%.  With multiple heat cycles, the incidence rises to one in four females developing cancer.      

Small mammary tumor in a dog.

     If female cats are spayed before they are 6 months old, they have a 91% lower incidence of mammary cancer.  They have an 86% lower rate of cancer if spayed before 1 year of age.  Studies also show that there is an 11% reduction of breast cancer if spayed before the age of 2 years.  Spaying after the age of 2 does not seem to lower the risk of mammary cancer in cats.  Having kittens does not seem to affect these numbers one way or the other. 

     Spaying your pet early is the best way to help prevent the development of mammary cancer later in life!

     Even though spaying later in life or after tumors have been detected does not seem to decrease the risks of developing mammary cancer, most of these cancers are at least early in the disease responsive to hormones.   It is thought by some to be advantageous to still spay them, as this may help them have a longer survival time after surgery.   

     If your pet happens to develop a mammary tumor, there are some important facts that you need to know:    

     50% of mammary tumors found in dogs are malignant, which means they are invasive forms of cancer with the potential to spread.  About 50% of malignant tumors of mammary glands have already spread ("metastasized") by the time they are detected. 

     The other half of mammary tumors in dogs are benign (noninvasive). In these cases, removing the tumor surgically will cure the problem. 

     Unfortunately, in cats, about 90% of mammary tumors are malignant.  These tumors in cats have a very aggressive nature, and spread quickly to lymph nodes and other surrounding mammary glands.  They can spread to the lungs and other tissues as well.     

      What should you do if you suspect a mammary tumor in your pet? 

     If you feel a hard lump in the skin on the underside of your dog or cat, call your veterinary office to schedule an appointment for further diagnostics.  Your pet will need to be examined.  Tests are usually run to determine whether cancer has spread to the lungs and lymph nodes, and to determine the overall health of the animal.  This usually includes x-rays, cytology (looking at the cells under a microscope) and bloodwork.  Fine needle aspirates that show cells under the microscope can help to determine if the mass is indeed arising from breast tissue, but this test is not great at determining a prognosis or continued treatment plan for mammary cancer.  In most cases, a surgical removal ("biopsy") with histopathology is necessary to determine what type of cells are present and if it is malignant or benign.  This means the mass is removed and is sent to a laboratory to be evaluated by a veterinary pathologist.   

Mammary tumor cells under a microscope.

     The biopsy will provide a lot of valuable information.  The pathologist will determine the type of tumor and whether it is benign or malignant.  This gives an idea of prognosis and the best type of treatment.  The biopsy also will determine if the margins of the skin  and tissues around the tumor are clean. (No signs of cancerous cells extending out to the edge of the removed mass.) This will determine whether a second surgery is necessary to remove remnants of abnormal cells.   

     Treatment recommendations depend largely upon the type of mammary cancer, the size of the mass, whether it has metastasized, and the overall health of the animal.  Removal of the mass with clear margins is often curative for benign masses.  For more aggressive tumors and tumors removed without clean margins, further surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are adjunct therapies available after the initial surgery in dogs.  In cats, aggressive surgical removal of the mammary chain can lead to patients being cancer-free for up to a year in 50% of cases. 

     Every pet with mammary cancer is different, and no two cases are alike!  Your veterinarian is your best resource to help guide your decisions for your pet's care.  If you are concerned about a lump you have found in your pet, call your favorite Noah's veterinarian to schedule an appointment. 

references:

Chemotherapy for Malignant Mammary Carcinoma  ACVIM 2013; Antony S. Moore, BVSc, MVSc, DACVIM(oncology)

VeterinaryPartner.com  The Pet Health Care Library, Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, DipABVP

      

Friendly Ferrets

Friendly Ferrets

Ferrets are the third most popular pet species in the United States (after dogs and cats).  They remain playful throughout their entire life, even when they are seniors.  The average lifespan of a ferret is 5-8 years.  So, relatively speaking, a ferret’s life is about half that of a typical cat or dog life.  To gain perspective on a ferret’s lifespan, each year a ferret ages is approximately equal to 10-13 years in a human life.  This means that ferrets become seniors when they are about 5 years old. 

Diet

Ferrets require a very high protein diet.  It is important that they are fed a high quality ferret diet.  They should never be fed dog or cat food.  A high quality kitten food can be fed for short periods of time, but ferrets will do their best when fed a food specifically designed for ferrets.  Acceptable food brands include Marshall, Totally Ferret, or Evo.

Marshall Ferret Diet

Vaccines

Ferrets should be vaccinated annually for Rabies and Canine Distemper.  Both of these diseases are fatal to a ferret if contracted.  Ferrets are, however prone to having reactions to vaccinations.  It is best to schedule your appointment on a day when you are able to wait at the vet office for at least 30 minutes after your appointment time.  This will allow your veterinarian to observe your ferret for an immediate vaccine reaction.  It is also important that you are able to observe the ferret at home for 2-3 hours after the vaccines.  This will allow you to pick up on a delayed reaction if it were to occur.

Dental care

Ferrets have teeth too!  Even though they have a relatively short lifespan, ferrets are prone to dental disease.  Regular brushing at home with a veterinary toothpaste and small, soft-bristled toothbrush is recommended.  Professional dental cleanings may also be recommended by your veterinarian, as well as possible extractions for infected or broken teeth.

Ferret with significant tartar and gingivitis. A professional dental cleaning is necessary.

Young Ferrets

Along with the never ending playfulness, come medical concerns that start early in life.  Young ferrets are extremely curious and mischievous.  If not closely supervised when not in their cage, a ferret can get into many predicaments.  Because of their sleek build, a ferret can fit into any space that he can squeeze his head into.  This includes spaces behind appliances, underneath cabinets, and inside furniture (a big problem with reclining furniture).  Take care to “ferret proof” your home before letting a ferret roam free in the house.  Young ferrets are also notorious for ingesting foreign objects, especially rubbery things.  Two out of the 5 ferrets that I had when they were young kits required surgery to remove foreign objects that they had eaten.

Keep your ferret safe in a comfortable ferret cage.

Older Ferrets

As ferrets age, which occurs quickly, they are prone to diseases that come with age, just as any other animal.  It is important to have regular vet exams and annual blood work to help screen for diseases such as kidney disease, liver disease, cancer, etc.  Ferrets are also prone to 3 diseases that are more “ferret specific."

1.        Insuinoma:  This is a condition in which the insulin-producing cells located in the pancreas overgrow (typically non-cancerous tumor growth of these cells).  When these cells overgrow, they also overproduce insulin.  This, in turn, causes the ferret’s blood sugar to drop to a dangerously low level (the opposite of diabetes).  This low blood sugar can lead to weakness and ultimately can lead to seizures and death. 

2.       Adrenal disease:  Ferrets are prone to tumors of the adrenal glands.  These are most commonly benign (non-cancerous), but can become cancerous in some ferrets.  These tumors secrete excessive amounts of sex hormones which lead to hair loss, vulvar swelling in females and prostate enlargement in males.  Adrenal disease is typically not life-threatening in females unless it is cancerous.  However, in males, we can see urinary obstruction due to prostate enlargement.

A ferret with hair loss due to adrenal disease.

3.       Lymphoma:  This is a cancer of the lymph tissue.  It can affect the lymph nodes and virtually any other organ system, including liver, kidney, intestinal tract, etc.  We can see lymphoma occur at virtually any age, young or old.  I lost a 6 month old ferret to lymphoma several years ago.

Take time to observe your ferret for changes in behavior, sleeping habits, or eating habits.  Here are some of the signs to watch for:

·         vomiting

                  ·         diarrhea
                  ·         hairloss (often starts at the base of the tail)
                  ·         weakness
                  ·         difficulty walking on rear legs
                  ·         excessive sleepiness
                  ·         becoming tired more easily (shorter play times)
                  ·         grinding teeth/pawing at mouth/drooling
                  ·         straining to urinate (this may be an emergency)
                  ·         decreased appetite
                  ·         increased drinking or urination

Summary

Ferrets are a joy to have as pets.  They are fun and playful and full of life.  If you are considering a ferret as a pet, please think it through carefully.  They are such a joy, but do require special housing and ferret-proofing.  They require regular wellness veterinary care and are prone to medical problems that require additional veterinary care.  Many of the diseases they get are treatable, so early detection is the key.