Newsletter

Dental care is vital to your pet's health! If you've already established a dental care program for your pet, you're off to a great start. But if your pet hasn't received a dental exam from your veterinarian, it's time to get started. February is National Pet Dental Health Month, the perfect time to schedule a dental exam for your pet and develop a home care regimen for your best friend.

Why is dental care so important for your pet? Periodontal disease is the number one diagnosed problem in pets - by the age of two, more than 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have periodontal disease in one form or another. The buildup of plaque and tartar on your pet's teeth leads to bacterial infections that can enter the bloodstream and infect other parts of your pet's body. Periodontal disease has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, osteoporosis and other problems.

The good news is that periodontal disease is easily prevented. Routine dental cleanings and a home dental care regimen can eliminate the plaque and tartar that lead to gum disease and oral infections. During a dental cleaning, your veterinarian also performs a complete oral examination of your pet. This includes screening for oral cancer, broken teeth and cavities. Spotting these problems early on makes them easier to treat and improves your pet's overall oral health.

Your pet's dental cleaning is more involved than the same process you go through at the dentist's office. Anesthesia is required to keep your pet still and comfortable during the procedure. Because of this, your pet undergoes a thorough physical examination before each dental cleaning. Laboratory blood tests, as well as other diagnostic procedures are also used to screen for potential problems and risks before anesthesia is administered. Using these results, we develop a safe anesthetic protocol specifically for your pet.

During a dental cleaning, tartar is removed from your pet's teeth with a hand scaler. Next, a periodontal probe is used to check for pockets under the gumline - where periodontal disease and bad breath start. An ultrasonic scaler is used to clean above the gumline and a curette is used to clean and smooth the teeth under the gumline and in the crevices. Finally, the teeth are polished and an anti-bacterial solution is used to help delay future tartar build-up.

Dental care doesn't end in your veterinarian's office. Brushing your pet's teeth at home is an added level of protection against gum disease. In order to be most effective, brushing must be done at least three times a week; however, daily brushing is ideal. Brushing your pet's teeth can be supplemented with antiseptic rinses. Some pet foods and treats are also effective in preventing plaque and tartar buildup. However, there is no substitute for regular brushing and professional dental cleanings.

Schedule a dental examination and cleaning for your pet today. Your best friend will thank you!

When your cat feels threatened, he may have a variety of responses. Generally he follows a pattern or displays one of three reactions: fight, flight or freeze. Each cat has a preferred way of dealing with a crisis. Knowing how your cat reacts to a perceived threat and what may cause your cat to consider a situation threatening helps you better understand your cat.

Common fearful reactions include hiding, freezing in place, loss of bladder and/or bowel control and aggression. Aggression can manifest in spitting, hissing, growling, swatting, biting, scratching and puffing up of fur. These are all normal behaviors if your cat feels scared or threatened. Your reaction to your cat's behavior is most important. Wanting to help and comfort your cat when he is frightened is natural; however, it isn't necessarily the best thing to do. Providing your cat with a safe and protected place (a box, space in the closet, under the bed) is often the best decision. Allowing your cat to deal with his fear is healthy as long as his aggression is not destructive and/or directed at you or other pets.

Many things can trigger fearful behavior in cats. The trigger could almost be anything, and until you learn what it is that initiates this behavior in your cat, you need to closely observe him when faced with new situations. Common triggers can be a particular person, a stranger in your home, another animal, a child, loud noises, household appliances and so on. It is important to note if your cat's behavior changes when faced with potentially frightening situations. In other words, the vacuum may draw an initial fearful response, but gradually change into acceptance. By noting your cat's ability to adapt to scary situations over time, you can learn quite a bit about his personality.

So what can you do to reduce your cat's anxiety or fear? To help him become more confident and secure, follow the steps described below.

• Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for a thorough physical exam to rule out any medical reasons for your cat's fearful behavior. Cats very often show symptoms of sickness in their behavior. Any sudden behavior change could mean that your cat is ill. Common symptoms that appear in sick cats include unusual aggressiveness, frequent hiding and eliminating outside the litter box.
• If your cat is healthy but hiding, leave him alone. He'll come out when he's ready. To force your cat out of his hiding spot will only encourage fearful behavior. Make sure he has access to food, water and a litter box from his hiding place, and avoid "checking in" on him. By giving him space, you will not be conceived as a threat, therefore giving him a sense of security.
• If you have identified a specific person or circumstance that stimulates fear in your cat, minimize contact with that particular person or situation.
• Keep your cats routine as regular as possible. Cats feel more confident if they know what to expect daily. Feeding, playing, cuddling, grooming and napping generally round out a cat's existence. Interfering with you cat's routine may cause him to behave as though threatened.

By Mike Herstik

For those of us who frequent parks, we are not unfamiliar with dogfights. The aggression that we witness can occur between two dogs that have never seen each other or between two dogs that have had prior contact.

The reasons why dogs become aggressive at parks are due to Dominance and Prey Aggression. Both types of aggressive behavior can easily get out of control. Correcting the aggressive dog (at the appropriate time) can prevent a disaster from occurring.

Dominance aggression is very common and is usually seen in non-neutered male dogs or dogs approaching puberty. Since dogs are pack animals and packs need leaders, it is not uncommon for a dog to assert himself. A hierarchy of individuals is formed as pack members challenge each other for positions of authority. Though this kind of aggression does occur among females, it is most prevalent among unaltered mature males or those approaching maturity.

One of the ways that a dog asserts its dominance is to assume a physically superior position over a subordinate. Mounting is the most obvious dominant position. Many owners mistake mounting for sexual behavior. Unless the animal being mounted is a female in heat, the mounting is probably a display of dominance. Some owners find this behavior humorous. By tolerating it, the behavior is encouraged. The dog views this as confirmation of its dominant status.

Dogs do commonly warn each other off with snaps or growls. These gestures are not intended as combat, especially when females react toward males. Although most of the time dogs usually work out hierarchy without resorting to actual physical combat, owners do need to recognize situations that can lead to disaster. Certain challenging postures (such as standing very erect, holding the head over another's back, direct staring eye contact, and mounting) need to be corrected immediately by the owner.

If these postures continue to persist, owners should keep an eye out to make sure that a fight is not ready to erupt. Make clear to your dog that this behavior is not desired. Remember that gentle crooning does not dissuade undesirable behavior, but rather encourages it. Keep in mind that once dogs learn to fight they may form a pattern that is sometimes difficult to unlearn.

Prey aggression takes a form that is often misunderstood by pet owners and even professional obedience trainers. Prey aggression is not actually dog fighting, but is rather the psychological drive inherent in some dogs to chase, capture, and seize prey. It generally occurs between medium and larger size dogs that show an exceptional fascination with smaller, weaker dogs.

The scenario often starts with the larger dog playing roughly with or chasing the smaller dog. If the smaller dog begins to exhibit fear, this may stimulate the prey drive in the larger dog, causing him to play even more roughly. At this point the larger dog should be controlled, otherwise the situation can get out of hand. The smaller dog or puppy may scream and it is not rare for a larger dog to become so stimulated that it will grasp the smaller dog in a "killing" prey grip.

The specific actions described here in both dominance and prey aggression can vary, though most aggressive situations that occur in a place like a dog park generally fall into one of the two categories.

If your dog does get into a fight, try to remain calm and use whatever measured force is necessary to break it up. Be careful: breaking up dogfights can be dangerous. Consider your own safety first. In most cases, injuries sustained by intervening owners are far worse than the dogs suffer. Avoid reacting hysterically and screaming at the dogs and the other people. This just serves to add fuel to the fire. Do not insert a hand or foot between the two rival dogs because their natural reaction may be to redirect the attack to you.

Most dogfights occur between dogs that are owned by nice people who don't intend for their dogs to get into a fight. But you should know that ultimately you are responsible for your dog's actions.

Dogs may be our best friends, but their thought process differs from ours. Understand your dog as a dog. It doesn't mean you have to love him any less.

Mike Herstik (International K-9), is a consultant to law enforcement, military and government agencies. A professional dog trainer for more than 20 years, Herstik is the dog trainer for the LAPD Bomb Squad.

Hip dysplasia is not just for dogs.

Until very recently, cats were not thought to be affected by hip dysplasia. Well known in many dog breeds as an inherited disorder, cats were thought to be free of the condition. New information and research has shown that this disease does indeed exist in the cat and is likely an inherited disorder.

Hip dysplasia is not caused by one single gene. It is a polygenitic, complex disease, caused by several genes. The disease is not congenital (meaning that an animal is not born with it), but rather develops over a period of time resulting from instability in the ball and socket portion of the hip joint. Abnormal hip joint laxity (looseness between the femoral head - the ball, and the acetabulum - and the socket) is the initiating factor that results in the condition known as hip dysplasia.

The looseness that occurs within the joint contributes to secondary changes. A major change is the deterioration of the articular cartilage (articular cartilage functions as a lubricating mechanism within the joint). The degenerative changes that occur within the joint cause the femoral head and acetabulum (the ball and socket) to rub together and with every step, causes the cat to experience pain. Eventually, as the condition progresses, the cat develops severe degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) of the hip.

Symptoms of feline hip dysplasia are somewhat similar to symptoms of canine hip dyspalsia. Severely affected cats have obvious symptoms and experience pain. These cats may appear to be stiff when they walk, walk with a pronounced limp, and may be reluctant to jump or climb. Cats that are moderately affected appear less lame or lame from time to time. In some cases, the symptoms only appear after some traumatic event, such as a fall. Other cats totally mask the symptoms of hip dysplasia and appear normal.

Hip dysplasia is a condition which is present in the general feline population (in the random-bred, general cat population as well as in purebred cats) and is seen in all types of body styles, from relatively small cats like the Siamese to the larger breeds like Persians and Maine Coon Cats.

Maine Coon Cat

In the case of purebred cats, the breeders determine which cats can breed. Current thinking suggests that the greatest impact on reducing feline hip dysplasia can be made by breeders who choose to breed only cats that have been evaluated for the presence of hip dysplasia.

Diagnosis of feline hip dysplasia is made by x-raying the affected cat's hips. There are two different methods for evaluating hips. The most widely used method is that of The Orthopedic Foundation For Animals (OFA). The other method is done in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania and is called the Penn Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP).

The OFA method is readily available as x-rays are taken by your local veterinarian and then forwarded to the OFA for evaluation. The PennHIP method for felines is currently available only via the University of Pennsylvania. While both utilize radiographs, the methods vary as do the opinions on which method is best.

Selective breeding is the key for reducing the incidence of feline hip dysplasia. Only cats that have sound hips, with no radiographic signs of hip dysplasia, should be used for breeding. Cats with radiographic signs of hip dysplasia should not be used for breeding and should be neutered at the appropriate age.

We are a nation that loves cats. More than 80 million share our homes and our lives. But, we often forget about an unseen population of cats that could be larger and has far fewer admirers. Feral cats live on the edge of our society, in alleyways and abandoned buildings. Often thought to have short and violent lives, these cats have become the center of controversies that pit animal lover against animal lover. Watch this video to learn how one group is looking to change the future for these forgotten felines.

Most people can believe that global warming affects sea levels and cause weird variations in weather patterns, but how many would believe that the warmer weather is contributing to a deadly disease of our pets? The rising temperatures across the globe may be helping mosquitoes to survive, which, in turn, are transmitting heartworms to our dogs. Despite this dire news, protection for our friends can be found in a simple monthly tablet. Watch this video to learn more.

Hepatic lipidosis, also known as fatty liver syndrome, is a common and very serious condition that occurs in fat cats who, for some reason or another, have stopped eating. The disease results from an accumulation of fat in the liver and, if not treated during the early stages, can be deadly. Hepatic lipidosis is treatable and cure rates are good if the cat is presented to a veterinarian during the early stages of the disease.

Why would a fat cat not be eating?

Here are some reasons:

• Bad teeth
• Intestinal blockage
• Stress - examples: Moving into a new home, introducing a new animal into the family, owner goes on vacation
• Hairball
• Illnesses

These are all good reasons why a cat would stop eating. The most common reason for a cat to stop eating is an upper respiratory infection.

Think about it - cats like their food because they enjoy it and are familiar with the smell. So if a cat can't smell its food, it's not going to eat.

The question is: "What would cause a cat to loose its ability to smell food?"

An upper respiratory infection could cause a cat to loose its sense of smell.

Cats get upper respiratory infections all the time - sneezing, runny nose, runny eyes.

So, you have a fat cat that gets the flu and can't smell. Since the cat cannot smell his food, he stops eating. The body is looking for ways to feed itself, and tries to do this by converting stored fat into energy. In order for the fat to be converted into fuel, it must pass through the cat's liver. The liver can't handle this fatty saturation and liver dysfunction ensues. This doesn't happen to thin cats. They don't have enough fat available to mobilize and create this problem.

Many owners do notice that their cat is not eating, but they think, "That's all right, Tiger needs to lose a few pounds." Then, after a week or two without an appetite, they start to worry and finally bring the animal to the veterinarian. If they don't bring their cat in soon enough, he (or she) is a prime candidate for hepatic lipidosis.

Symptoms associated with hepatic lipidosis include loss of appetite, vomiting, depression, weight loss and lethargy. Some cats develop a yellow coloration of the eyes, ears and mouth. This yellow coloration (particularly of the mucus membranes) is jaundice and usually indicates liver disease and/or red blood cell destruction.

The prognosis for cats with hepatic lipidosis is good if treatment is not delayed. The longer that treatment is delayed, the less likely for recovery. Cats that have underlying diseases (cancer, pancreatitis) are less likely to recover.

How would a veterinarian treat a cat with hepatic lipidosis? The veterinarian would probably hospitalize the cat, and among other treatments, feed it through a tube. After your cat has recovered from hepatic lipidosis, or, before your fat cat gets hepatic lipidosis, you should put your cat on a veterinarian-recommended low-calorie diet. Exercise is an important factor in weight loss, so it is important to encourage exercise via catnip or toys. Carefully monitoring your cat's food intake in times of stress (for example, the addition of a new pet) can be crucial in preventing mortality due to hepatic lipidosis.

Preventing obesity is the best way to prevent hepatic lipidosis. Regular meals should be given and free-choice feeding should be avoided. Obese cats should be placed on a special diet food. By slimming Tiger down, you could save him from hepatic lipidosis and other life-threatening diseases related to cat obesity.

For more information on disease prevention, contact a staff member at your veterinary hospital

When cats play, they incorporate a variety of behaviors into their play. Aggressive play behavior is particularly common in young cats and in cats that live in one-cat households. Play provides young cats with opportunities to practice skills they would normally need for survival, such as pouncing, stalking, biting, scratching, and clawing. If humans play with a young kitten using their hands and/or feet instead of toys, the kitten is liable to learn that practicing these skills while playing with people is okay. In most cases, it is possible to teach your kitten or young adult cat that rough play is not acceptable behavior.

Since young cats and kittens need a lot of playtime, it is important to set up three or four consistent times during the day to initiate play with your cat. This helps her understand that she is not the one responsible for initiating play. This also helps to avoid unwanted pouncing at inappropriate or inconvenient times.

One way kittens play is by grabbing each other with both front feet, biting each other and kicking with their back feet. This is also a way kittens try to play with hands and feet if being waved in front of them. It is very important to avoid using any part of your body, like fingers or toes. Redirect your cat's aggressive play behavior onto acceptable objects like toys. It may take some trial and error to find the toy that works best with your kitten so make sure you try a variety.

Often, discouraging unacceptable behavior is the only avenue that is available. You need to set the rules for your kitten's behavior and your family and friends should reinforce these rules. Your kitten can't be expected to learn to differentiate between people in terms of when it's okay for rough play and when it is not.

• Use aversion techniques to discourage your kitten from nipping or biting. You can either use a squirt bottle filled with water or a can of pressurized air to squirt your kitten when she becomes rough. To use this technique effectively, you always need to have the spray bottle or can handy. Remember that aversion techniques only works if you offer your kitten an acceptable alternative.
• Redirect the behavior. After you startle your kitten with the air or water, IMMEDIATELY offer her a toy to wrestle with or to chase. This will encourage her to direct her rough play onto a toy instead of a person. It is recommended that you keep a stash of toys hidden in each room specifically for this purpose.
• Withdraw attention when your kitten starts to play too rough. If the distraction and redirection techniques don't seem to be working, the most drastic thing you can do to discourage your cat from rough play is to withdraw all attention. Since she wants to play with you, she is going to figure out how far she can go; however, you keep this limit consistent. The best way to withdraw your attention is to walk into another room and close the door long enough for her to calm down. If you pick her up to put her in another room, you're rewarding her by touching her. You should be the one to leave the room.

PLEASE NOTE: None of these methods are very effective unless you also give your kitten acceptable outlets for her energy. You need to play with her regularly using appropriate toys.

Punishing your kitten for rough play by tapping, flicking or hitting are almost always guaranteed to backfire. Your kitten could become afraid of your hands or she could interpret those flicks as playful moves and play more aggressively. Picking up your kitten to put her into a "timeout" could possibly reinforce her behavior because she probably would enjoy the physical contact of being picked up. By the time you get her to the timeout room and close the door, she has probably already forgotten what she did to be put in that situation.

If you find that none of these suggestions work and your kitten's play increases in aggression or becomes unpredictable, it can be best to seek help from a behavior specialist. Kittens can bite or scratch through the skin, and abuse by your cat is not conducive to a caring and mutually beneficial relationship.