The Skinny on Pet Obesity

We’ve all heard the phrase “kill ‘em with kindness”, in reference to treating others with respect even though they may have been not so nice themselves.  But this phrase finds new meaning, and a literal meaning, when applied to our pets; more specifically, pet obesity.

We all love to treat our pets well with special apparel and toys, trips to the groomer, and of course great healthcare!  But the thing a lot of our pets love most is a delectable treat.  Whether it’s a frosty paw, milk bone, or pig’s ear, the choices of “junk food” to treat your pet with are innumerable.  It is these very tasty treats though, that can lead to your pet’s demise.

Pet obesity is growing at an epidemic rate comparable to the human obesity problem in the United States.  A whopping 53% of dogs and 58% of cats in American households are overweight or obese.  Wow, that’s a lot of pets packing on the pounds!  I can honestly say that in everyday practice, those numbers are real, if not an underestimate.

So what’s the problem with a few extra pounds on Fluffy or Fido?  Contemplate this:  a weight gain of just 2 pounds in your Siamese cat equates to a human gaining 25 pounds!  Or a 6 pound gain in your Boston Terrier is like you gaining 40 pounds!  40 pounds…that’s not just a little “extra winter padding” like I hear a lot of pet owners tell me.  That is a major weight gain, and a major health hazard.  Those extra pounds lead to big consequences, like arthritis, back problems, diabetes, heart disease, and poor quality and quantity of life.

What can you do to decrease your pet’s likelihood of becoming obese?  Start by cutting out any table scraps, or human food.  Also, measuring the amount of food your pet is eating daily is a very important step in weight management.  Use the feeding guide on your food bag, and feed for your pet’s goal weight, starting on the lower end of the suggested food range.  Also be cautious with treats – those extra calories can really add up.  Divide treats in half so your pet still feels like he’s getting a reward.

Make an appointment today with your veterinarian to discuss your pet’s health, obtain an accurate current and goal weight, and make a plan towards a healthy lifestyle.

Holiday Hazards

     With the holiday season just around the corner I wanted to take this time to bring awareness to a few very common pet hazards that are see commonly around the holidays.  These are a few that I get calls about regularly, especially around the holidays and all of them should be preventable if we keep a close eye on our furry family members. 

     Chocolate or coco contains theobromine and caffeine which can be toxic to dogs.  The higher the percent of coco the more toxic it can be,  so bakers or gourmet chocolate is especially dangerous.  Milk chocolate, which contains a lot less coco, is not as toxic but still can cause stomach upset and diarrhea if eaten in large quantities. Especially with the wrappers!

     Rat and mouse poisons are some of the most dangerous and most common household toxins I get calls about.  I see 2-3 cases of accidental pet death due to rat poisons a year.  There are several kinds of rat bate, the most common being anticoagulant, which prevents the blood from clotting, leading to internal bleeding and death over several days.  Anticoagulant rat poison does have a treatment and if caught early can have a good outcome.  A less common but significantly more dangerous poison, called bromethalin, has recently come onto the market which works on the nervous system causing tremors and seizures leading to death.  There is no specific treatment for bromethalin poisoning.  It is extremely important to save any packaging from the product you think your pet may have gotten into and give to the veterinarian so an appropriate treatment plan can be made.  With cold weather coming up and rodents moving indoors, I urge people to use caution with rat poisons, making sure to put it out of reach of pets, and use bait stations that can't be broken into or use traps instead. 

     Leftovers from Thanksgiving or Christmas may sound like a special treat for pets, but can cause some severe consequences.  Bones of any kind, especially poultry, can cause obstruction or perforation of the stomach or intestines because they splinter easily.  High fat foods like pork or skin from the holiday bird can lead to pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas causing severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.  Throwing leftovers in the trash may tempt some pets to go garbage diving and eating anything with food on it, so make sure to secure the bags and prevent serious illness in your pet. 

     Electric cords, light bulbs, and batteries seem to be more prominent during the holiday season.  I have seen some severe mouth burns from chewed electric cords or battery acid that could have been prevented.  Keep track of all those extra Christmas lights and fuses that come with trees, and clean up broken bulbs right away.  Monitor pets, especially puppies, around Christmas trees and cords. 

     New chew toys for Christmas may seem like a special treat for your pet but be cautious.  I have had to take out many a new toy from the intestines of an overzealous chewer.  Make sure the toy is bigger then the pet's head from the nose to the back of the head.  Once the toy is damaged in anyway it should be discarded.  Squeakers, stuffing, bells, and ribbon should be examined daily to make sure it is in no danger of coming off. 

Myth:  Poinsettias are poisonous to dogs and cats

Fact:  This common Christmas house plant has a very low instance of toxicity and rarely causes any problems for pets if ingested. 

Significantly more toxic holiday plants include lilies of any kind (which can cause kidney failure in cats), holly berry, mistletoe and chrysanthemums or mums, which can cause drooling, ataxia, vomiting and diarrhea in relatively small amounts. 

Stay vigilant this holiday season to make sure that you and your pets have a worry free holiday.  If you suspect your pet may have ingested something toxic, call your veterinarian right away and have important information ready, like how much the pet weighs, how much they ate & how long ago, and the package if possible.  Holidays are stressful enough without having to deal with a sick pet, so stay vigilant and have a happy holiday.

Dr. Andrea Schroeder

Jack Frost isn't the only one biting in the Winter!

It’s that time of year again – the days are getting longer, the weather is warming up, and it’s time to start thinking about heartworm disease.

Heartworm disease is a serious condition which is very prevalent in Knox County and the surrounding areas (see map of distribution below).  Here at Vincennes Veterinary Clinic, we have seen 5 positives already this year!  Your pet should be tested negative for heartworms, then put on a preventative medication to prevent infestation.

Heartworm disease is a common, devastating, and PREVENTABLE disease of dogs and rarely cats.  Spread by mosquito bites, this parasite enters the bloodstream and travels to the right side of the heart and pulmonary artery where the worms set up shop to cause some serious damage to your pet’s heart.  Heartworm disease can be diagnosed by a simple blood test, but is far from simple to treat.  Treatment includes costly and painful injections and risks of serious side effects.

With all this talk about nasty worms and expensive treatment, there is one good thing about heartworm disease – it’s completely preventable!  Heartworm prevention is available ONLY through your veterinarian.  We offer heartworm + flea prevention in monthly doses – topical or oral medication, or a long-acting heartworm preventative injection which lasts 6 months.

Year-round prevention is highly recommended to prevent infection.  With Indiana’s unpredictable winters, it is not uncommon to see mosquitoes in January.  Also, indoor pets are not immune to infection.  If your pet goes outside to potty, he/she needs to be on heartworm prevention.  Keep in mind, even if your pet is strictly indoors, that does not prevent mosquitoes from getting inside your house. It only takes 1 mosquito bite, and it’s not worth the risk!

• Get your pet heartworm tested
• Start your pet on prevention
• Keep your pet on year-round prevention
• Call our clinic at 812-882-6677 to ask questions or make an appointment, or visit heartwormsociety.org for more information

Product	Heartworm Prevention	Flea Prevention	Intestinal Parasites	Tapeworms
Advantage Multi	X	X	X
Trifexis	X	X	X
Heartgard Plus	X		X
Iverhart Max	X		X	X
ProHeart 6	X		X*

*ProHeart 6 is a 6-month injectable heartworm preventative.  This product is labeled to control intestinal parasites for the first month following injection only.

~Dr. Amy Tiek, DVM

Dental Health Month!

Yeah! February is National Pet Dental Health Month!  Teeth are one of my favorite things to talk about (second only to heartworms:).  I think the reason is that there is instant gratification there.  Your pet comes in to the clinic in the morning with some nasty looking choppers and they leave that afternoon with much cleaner and healthier teeth and fresher breath!  I have to admit that I don’t like waiting on medication to take effect and I get impatient for results, so teeth are my Mecca.  Now everyone knows that tartar buildup on your dog or cats teeth can cause some seriously bad breath.  But I bet you didn’t know that the caked on brown stuff on the teeth is actually a bacteria forest!   There are billions of bacteria on one tooth, and that bacteria can erode away at the enamel and the gum where it is touching and cause serious health problems.  Bacteria from the mouth can actually go into the bloodstream and then get stuck on the valves of the heart causing heart disease!  FYI:  that is why I always listen to a pet’s heart when they come in for a check up on their teeth.   Dental chews and hard food can help prevent buildup from occurring, but if tartar is already adhered to the surface of the tooth the only way to remove it is an ultrasonic scaler.  An ultrasonic scaler is used while the pet is under anesthesia to remove tartar on the surface of the tooth and under the gum line without damaging the enamel.  Once the tartar is removed dental chews can be uses to slow down the buildup of plaque and tartar in the future. 

More Information and Exciting Blogs to come! Check back soon!

~Dr. Andrea Schroeder DVM