Happy New Year!

Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital would like to wish everyone and their pets a safe and Happy New Year!

We're sure you and your pets had a great holiday, but keep them protected from dangers. When the leaves of a Poinsettia plant are chewed on, they can cause localized irritation of the mouth. If dogs or cats drink the water from your Christmas tree, it can cause digestive upset. Be aware of the extra hazards around the holidays, especially when taking down your decorations.

Happy Holidays!

Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital would like to wish everyone and their pets a safe and Happy Holiday!

Tis the season to be safe!

Tis the season to be safe! It’s easy for pets to get into trouble during the holidays. Look at all the fun stuff we provide for their curiosity. Gifts, decorations and holiday foods pose dangers for all pets. Be aware of the extra hazards around the holidays. Cats love to play with ribbons and tinsel! If ingested they can sometimes act as foreign bodies causing intestinal blockages. Make sure that your pets are protected from all the festivities this holiday season.

Winter dangers for your pet

Homemade Dog Biscuits Recipe

Did you know that 56% of dog owners plan to give their canine companion a gift this holiday season? Are you part of that 56%? If you are stressing about the perfect gift for your furry friend, try this Homemade Dog Biscuit recipe by Martha Stewart.

 
Ingredients
Makes about 5 dozen
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup brewer's yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup low-sodium canned chicken stock, plus more for brushing

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, yeast, and salt; set aside
2. Place oil in a large bowl. Add stock and flour mixture in three alternating batches, beginning and ending with stock. Mix well.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to about 3/8-inch thick. Shape biscuits using a dog-bone-shaped cookie cutter or by cutting around a store-bought dog bone with a butter knife.(Make biscuits that are appropriate for your dog's size.)
4. If desired, you can spell out your dog's name or a holiday message in the dough with a toothpick (wet the toothpick first so it won't stick).
5. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. Bake biscuits 10 minutes. Brush with stock; rotate baking sheets, and bake 10 minutes more. Turn off oven, leaving door closed. Let dog biscuits stand in oven to dry completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Wrap as a gift, or store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Traveling with your pets this holiday season??

The holidays are approaching and many people are traveling to visit their families. Do you have any interesting holiday pet travel tips or stories to share? Leave a comment telling us your pet travel tips.

Looking for the perfect gift for the dog lover in your life?

Looking for the perfect gift for the dog lover in your life? Check out Tim Flach’s stunning book of photography titled “Dogs”. This coffee table book is an eye-catching display of photographs and a must-have holiday gift for any dog lover.

Click here to visit Amazon.com and learn more about this up and coming bestseller.

Decorating Dangers

The holidays are a great time for everyone, including your pet, but take precautions this decorating season. Glass ornaments and tinsel can be harmful if swallowed. Extension cords, if chewed, can electrocute your pet. Keep pets safe while decorating for the holiday season.

Employee of the Month

Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital would like to honor Dr. Jamie Posthumus as our Featured Employee of the Month! Dr. Posthumus is a graduate of the school of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. She completed her undergraduate at the University of California Davis and spent time doing research befo...re attending veterinary school. She is highly interested in diagnostic imaging, including ultrasound and digital radiographs. We appreciate all of the contributions that Dr. Jamie Posthumus has made at our facility and we are proud to have her as a part of our team!

Christmas Pet Safety

The holidays are quickly approaching!

This is a special time for everyone, including your furry family members. When preparing for the festivities, it is always important to consider your pets because we often don't realize that they can get sick from the things we take for granted...like the plants that we bring in for the holidays! Mistletoe, Poinsettias and Holly are a few that can be dangerous if consumed. Protect your pet as you start to decorate for the holiday season.

 

 

Missing a turkey wing?

Missing a turkey wing? To make sure your dinner doesn't fly away, we want to remind you to have plenty of food and treats for your four-legged friend on Thanksgiving. Remind your guests to please “do not” feed the pets. Those tasty turkey bones can splinter and perforate the stomach and other major organs. Ingesting a ...bone is a common holiday hazard. Cooked poultry bones may seem like the perfect gift for your pet, but do him a favor and save them for the soup. Even large cooked bones are prone to splintering, which can pierce through the animal’s intestines. Keep pets safe this Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips

Celebrating the holidays at your house this year?

We want to remind you to keep an eye on the foods your pet eats during this time. Some foods like chocolate or onions can be toxic to your pet, while other fatty foods such as meats and cheeses can cause pancreatitis, a painful GI condition that often requires hospitalization.  To keep your pet safe and healthy, keep hard to resist items out of reach and feed only foods and treats made specifically for him or her. Just a fall reminder from the staff at Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital.

Bring your pet for picture day with Santa!

Don't forget to bring you pet in for picture day with Santa on Friday November 26th from 1pm to 6pm.

Pet Boarder of the Month

Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital would like to honor OSCAR as Pet Boarder of the Month! Oscar is a little guy who won over the hearts of the staff by giving kisses to all who visted him! He is a true sweetheart and we enjoyed having him with us!

Going out of town this holiday season and can't take your pets???

Going out of town this holiday season and can’t take your pets? Don’t fret! At Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital, pets receive the utmost care and attention while their owners are away. Our caring staff will be happy to provide the love and attention your pet needs while you are away. Space tends to book fast around the holidays, so be sure to make reservations as soon as possible.

He loves helping out around the house!

November Seasonal Tip from Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital

While people love the sights and smells of the Thanksgiving season, this can be a dangerous time for your pet. Their sense of smell is hundreds of times better than ours…and can get them into trouble! Be sure to keep rich foods and gifts of food out of reach of your pet. For a special holiday treat, pour sodium-free broth over your pet’s regular food.

 

 

November Employee of the Month

Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital would like to honor Valerie Martinez, better known as Valie, as Employee of the Month for November.

Valerie Martinez (Valie) joined Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital in 2006 and began her veterinary career as a kennel technician. Valie chose to work in the veterinary profession as a result of her lifelong love of animals. In 2007 Valie was appointed our Kennel Manager and has revolutionized the kennel department. She takes great pride in her work and her goal is always to make every pet feel like this is their home away from home.
When Valie is not working she enjoys baseball, music, traveling and taking care of her own 4 legged babies, Madison, Morgan and Stripe.

We thank her for all her contributions to the practice as part of our Management Team!

Happy Halloween!

Dog Park Safety Tips

Dog parks are wonderful places for dogs – and dog lovers. But experts warn that owners should be aware that dog parks are not without dangers.

“Dog parks are fun places to exercise and socialize your dog,” says Dean Henricks, D.V.M., California Veterinary Medical Association president. “However, they can also harbor health risks, and they’re not for all dogs.”
Henricks says there are some important points owners should keep in mind before visiting a dog park. Read on for his advice.


Before your visit

•Keep your dog’s vaccinations current. Other dogs may not be up-to-date on vaccinations, and your dog could be exposed to diseases.

•Socialize your dog – to other dogs and people – before going to any dog park.

•Make sure your dog knows basic commands like Sit, Stay, Come and Leave it.

•Remember, you are personally and legally responsible for your dog.

At the dog park

•Observe the dogs inside the park before entering. Are the dogs playing nicely? Are their owners watching the dogs and picking up after them promptly?

•Keep an eye on your dog at all times.

•Small dogs should go to dog parks that have separate areas for smaller breeds. Untrained larger dogs may perceive small dogs as prey or engage in rough play.

•Take water for your dog to drink. Water stations at the park have been used by other dogs and wildlife and may be a source of disease.

•Follow the dog park rules. They generally include licensing requirements, leash laws and a minimum-age requirement for children.

After your visit

•Clean your dog’s paws when you leave the park to minimize the risk of parasites or diseases from the soil.

•Watch your dog for any sign of injury.

•Have your veterinarian check your dog regularly for parasites.

•Talk to your veterinarian about any precautions you should take with your dog due to his age, size, temperament or health.

An interesting tail...I mean tale.

Hello pet people. Today I thought I might impart to you a tale about a tail. This is a story of an older pet whom we all had reservations about doing a surgical procedure because of the pet’s age. The question is always is any procedure worth the risk. The answers are not easy. We as Veterinarians work under the creed “Do No Harm” and pet owners don’t want to lose a close friend. Let’s see what happened with Corky.

Corky is a poodle that was born about the time Noah was a lad. His medical history was one of the occasional diarrheas, itchy skin conditions and in his latter years some arthritis that was treated with various remedies that worked just fine for him. Earlier this year, a mass became noticeable on the top of his tail about one inch from the base. It was quite large the first time I saw it making surgery a poor option because if we were to remove it, it would be difficult to close the skin. We evaluated the mass and found it to be a sebaceous cyst, not painful and certainly not life threatening to Corky. Our management plan was to observe and deal with it if it ever caused any problem. Well, six months later it opened up, became infected and became a problem. We discussed surgery again and decided on a more conservative route and attempted a medicated bandage and antibiotics. This was to no avail. No other option existed and the tail was going to have to be amputated in front of the mass. Normal preanesthetic blood work and evaluations were done and everything was within normal limits. Surgery was done with our normal anesthetic drugs and standard monitoring. Corky did very well throughout the surgery, post operatively and everything healed beautifully. In fact, Corky has found new life and his owners report he is a “new dog”.

This scenario happens quite frequently with older pets that are suffering from severe dental disease. They present with terrible periodontal disease with abscessed teeth and gums. They get a dental cleaning with diseased teeth extracted and the periodontal disease addressed. The pet goes home finds new life and feels great.

The risk of anesthesia and surgery on older pets is probably overrated. Many pets are out there coping with a condition that could be alleviated. Corky reminded me how rewarding it is to break through some of those barriers and how we can help our older friends with their quality of life. Talk to your Veterinarian about your older pet. Discuss the risks, but concentrate on the benefits. Look at the positive side of treating an unhealthy condition and your pet will thank you many times.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.

Vaccination Guidelines

Good Morning Folks. Today we need to discuss the new trends in vaccination guidelines for your pets. Over the last decade, much research has gone into looking at the duration of immunity and protection that vaccines actually produce in a pet’s body. This data suggests that the old recommendation of annual or yearly vaccinations may not be necessary.

Let’s do a quick course in immunology. Vaccines are made up of viruses and bacteria and other infectious agents that have been modified somehow so they do not cause disease, but will stimulate antibodies to be produced in the animal’s body. These antibodies then circulate around or go hang out in parts of the body. They get activated if the body gets exposed to the infectious virus or bacteria or whatever and they go help clear it out of the body. For many years then, we always thought that the antibodies for our pets didn’t last very long. We didn’t think animals had the “memory cells” that could protect a pet for long periods of time like humans. The new research suggests that may not be the case and pets do develop longterm immunity to some diseases.

Before I say another word and if you get anything out of this column today, get this. The diseases that we commonly vaccinate for are still out in the environment and still a major threat to your pets. Distemper and Parvo viruses for dogs, while much less prevalent than they were twenty years ago, are still affecting young dogs. Feline distemper and Feline Leukemia have also not gone away and can be devastating to young cats. Vaccinate all young puppies and kittens and make sure they get a complete series of vaccinations. Keep your young pet from coming into contact with a lot of other animals until this series of vaccinations has be completed. This holds true for pets that you may think may never come into contact with other animals.

The American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents compiled research that was done across the country and came up with some new guidelines for vaccinations. Their recommendation is to vaccinate adult pets against life threatening diseases every three years. The guidelines for puppies and kittens have not changed. This is not carved in stone and individual circumstances will dictate exactly what vaccinations and how frequently they will need to be given. Your veterinarian is the person to help you decide what is best for your pet in this regard.

Here’s what I think: vaccinate everything, just not as often. Then remember the most important preventative measure you can do for your pet is to have a complete physical examination done by your Veterinarian every year, maybe every six months for older pets. Other diseases besides infectious ones are the major threat for older pets.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.

Keeping your pets hydrated!

Hello pet people. Rained cats and dogs again the other day at my house. Where that expression came from is unknown, but the most likely source I found is that old sailors thought cats had influence over storms and that dogs were symbols of storms. So in a particularly violent storm it was believed that cats bringing the rain and dogs bringing the wind caused it. It could also just be one of those nonsensical expressions.

I thought it would be appropriate then to discuss the most important nutrient for our pets and that is water. An animal can lose almost all of its storage fat and one half its protein, but a 10% loss of total body water can cause serious illness and 15% loss can cause death.

There are two sources of water, ingested water and metabolic water. Metabolic water is water that is formed during digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. There is quite a bit of water actually produced per calorie of food digested. Obviously it is no where near the body requirement, but is a source and may explain why some animals don’t need to drink as much water as others.

Ingested water is that water acquired by drinking or eating. Pet foods vary as to how much water or moisture is in the diet. Canned food is usually about 75% water. Dry food contains about 12% moisture. Therefore, water intake by drinking will be less in a pet fed a canned ration.

The amount of water that a pet needs can be roughly calculated by taking the weight of the pet, add a zero and multiply by 3. This is the maintenance requirement in milliliters needed in per day. This may become significant if your pet is seemingly always thirsty as you can actually measure the amount it is drinking and determine if that is excessive. As we have discussed, there are many disease process that affect water intake. Bottom line; supply clean fresh water at all times unless directed by your veterinarian to do otherwise. We sometimes want to limit water if excessive vomiting is occurring.

Quality of water is important and it amazes me what pets will drink even if given a fresh clean source. Swimming pool water is my pet’s favorite and the chlorine levels in swimming pools are so diluted that it should not cause a problem. In reality, there is probably as much chlorine in tap water as in swimming pools. Tap water is certainly suitable for pets.

Hard water contains more minerals such as calcium and magnesium. It has been suggested that bladder stones may be caused by drinking hard water, but in reality much more of these minerals are consumed in the diet in comparison to the amount ingested by drinking hard water.

There are many fancy water fountains available for pets these days. The Internet and pet stores are full of them. The outdoor faucet valves that open when the pet licks on them are great for outdoor dogs. Give your pet’s bottled water if you are so inclined. The quality of some bottled water is a debate I will reserve for you and your water purification system salesman.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.

Do pets have seizures?

Good morning. I received an excellent question regarding seizures in pets. These events are usually quite alarming to pet owners because of the sudden onset and unpredictability. As veterinarians, we usually examine a clinically normal pet that has had a seizure episode, so it is important for pet owners to know about seizures so together we can establish more closely what is going on and what we can do about them.

First let’s clear up some terminology. A seizure is the clinical manifestation of abnormal nerve hyperactivity involving the cerebral cortex neurons of the brain. In other words, things go wacko in the brain for a short time. Epilepsy is the term to describe recurrent seizures that occur without some disease process identifiable in the body, either in the brain or other body system. Status epilepticus (I’m going to teach you some Latin) is the term to describe a continuous seizure episode that lasts over 30 minutes or a cluster of seizures where there is no normal recovery between seizures. Status epilepticus is a true emergency. Get your pet to a veterinarian if this is occurring,

The signs of a seizure are variable and close observation of what is occurring will help your veterinarian with the diagnosis. Generalized seizures are the most common with the pet on their side, legs stiff or paddling, chomping of the jaws, drooling, loosing bowel or bladder control or any combination of the above. Seizures last for a few moments or longer. The recovery period can last from a few moments to hours and behavioral changes often are noticed such as disorientation, weakness, blindness, abnormal urination or defecation habits, increased thirst or appetite. These changes are often the only signs that are observed by a pet owner and suggest that a seizure has occurred.

Partial seizures, while rare, can affect a localized area of the nervous system and can be seen as twitches, compulsive chewing or licking or biting at “flies”.

The causes of seizures are varied and can be primary to lesions in the brain or secondary to metabolic disturbances or toxins in the bloodstream affecting the brain. Your veterinarian will run tests such as blood chemistry tests; electrocardiograms to evaluate the heart or more advanced imaging tests like cat scans if a lesion in the brain is suspected. True epilepsy is where no underlying cause can be identified. Genetic predisposition certainly occurs and Beagles, Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, Border Collies and dachshunds and many others are breeds known to have seizures.

If you witness a seizure, keep calm and prevent the pet from injuring itself on nearby objects, falling into a swimming pool, etc. Don’t put your hands near the mouth.

Treatment involves handling any underlying cause found or antiepileptic drugs if warranted. The decision to begin treatment will be based on frequency and severity of the seizures. My rule of thumb is if the seizures are more frequent than one per month or real severe or if the pet was in status epilepticus, then treatment is advised.

Seizures are not life threatening unless the pet is in status epilepticus. The medications are not expensive, but must be given daily. Phenobarbital and Potassium Bromide are the drugs of choice for seizures and it may take a period of days to weeks to get the seizures under control. Unfortunately, epileptic seizures cannot be cured but can be managed quite successfully.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.

Pet Toxins

Hello Pet People. Today I would like to talk to you about two common toxins that your pet may be exposed. These are the dreaded “rat poison” and “snail baits” The toxins in these products are mixed with feed materials such as rice, oats, soybeans and apples so they have an appeal to our pets tastes as well as the pests we are trying to eliminate.

Rat poison or Rodenticides are poisons that affect the blood clotting ability of the animal that eats the poison. The animal then dies of hemorrhage or bleeding into body cavities or the intestinal tract. Signs of this type of toxicity in pets are bruising on the underside of the body, bruising on the gums, pale gums and other mucous membranes, lethargy and depression. The breathing may become more rapid as the anemia or lack of blood becomes more pronounced.

The antidote for rodenticide toxicity is Vitamin K1. This is a special form of Vitamin K. The treatment may need to be carried out for many weeks depending on the type of anticoagulant used in the product. Emergency treatment such as blood transfusions may be needed if the anemia is severe. If you suspect your pet has ingested any type of rodenticide, seek veterinary care immediately and bring the product box with you. Inducing vomiting will be helpful in reducing absorption and then Vitamin K therapy will be recommended. I prefer the “slap traps” for rodents as they are more humane and not nearly as risky to our pets. Call a professional exterminator if you have a real serious rodent infestation. The risk of toxicity of a pet eating a rodent that has died from these products is low.

“Snail Baits” are another common toxin that pets are exposed. The toxic ingredient is called metaldehyde. It affects the nervous system of the snail and causes death usually by respiratory failure. Pets show nervous system symptoms such as hyper excitability, tremors, in coordination, muscle tremors and convulsions. The body temperature may be increased due to muscle activity. Depression and coma and respiratory failure may occur in the later stages. Some pets may succumb to liver failure also.

There is no antidote for metaldehyde toxicity. Treatment is aimed at reducing further absorption by inducing vomiting and controlling convulsions. Do not induce vomiting in an animal that is convulsing. Prognosis depends on the amount ingested and time interval before supportive care can be administered. There are some new snail baits available that are not toxic to pets. “Sluggo” is a brand name of one such product.

Be careful when you put these products out into your environment. Know if your neighbors use these products also. It is a real drag to treat these cases as often times the history is unclear if the pet ingested any toxin and the toxemia and clinical signs are advanced when the pet is presented.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.

Kidney Disease

Today we are going to discuss a major problem for pets. Kidney disease.

Kidney disease can occur suddenly or slowly develop over time. The sudden onset can be due to toxins such as antifreeze poisoning. Most frequently kidney disease is a slowly developing condition where the functional kidneys loose their ability to rid the body of the nitrogen waste products of protein metabolism. A pet may appear to be doing fine and then suddenly succumb to the ill effects of the metabolic toxins that have slowly built up over time. We term this condition uremia and it tells us that about 75% of the functional kidneys are shot. The causes of this type of deterioration are numerous. Long standing bacterial bombardment of the little filters of the kidneys from bacteria gaining access to the bloodstream from the teeth and gums is very likely to contribute to kidney failure.

The clinical signs of kidney disease in the early stages are increased water intake and increased urinations. Later on, pets will become lethargic and loose weight. They quit eating and many vomit as the toxins cause ulcers in the stomach.

Diagnosis of kidney disease is done with a blood chemistry analysis where the toxins are found to be elevated in the bloodstream. We term these toxins BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine, which are both byproducts of protein metabolism. Phosphorus is the other waste product that is elevated when a pet is in kidney failure and uremic. A urinalysis is also helpful to determine the kidneys ability to concentrate the urine and show any other abnormalities.

Kidney disease is bad news for dogs as often the disease is quite advanced when they start showing symptoms and their digestive system gets hit pretty hard with the stomach ulcers. Cats seem to do better with long standing kidney disease and treatment and long term management is much more successful. Treatment is best initiated early and I can’t stress enough the importance of senior pet screening tests to discover kidney damage early.

Treatment consists of fluid therapy to correct dehydration. This may be done intravenously to begin with and with cats we often teach pet owners to give fluids under the skin at home as needed. Fluids have the effects of diluting out the toxins and may have some effect on flushing out the system. Once the kidneys ability to excrete these waste products is lost it is usually nonreversible, therefore dietary management plays a key role.

Nutrition is very important in kidney failure management. Initially we may have to syringe feed or stomach tube feed a pet to maintain their nutritional needs, as many are not eating. As the uremia gets corrected, we offer low protein diets. This keeps the byproducts of protein metabolism to a minimum and therefore the uremic toxins are bearable for the pet’s body.

Kidney failure carries a poor prognosis, but with early detection can be very successfully managed and the quality of life of your pet maintained.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.

Something is stuck in my throat

Hello Pet People. We have been discussing a lot of dog issues lately, so today I though it time to focus on some kitty cat topics. And rather than put off the most disgusting of these cat topics we will just address it head on. You probably guessed it, hairballs or “Why does my cat puke?

Hairballs or tricobeazoars for you purists are accumulations of hair in the stomach of cats that the cat has swallowed while grooming. The hair then gets organized into a ball due to stomach motility. The hairball can get to a size that can partially block the exit tract or pylorus of the stomach. This itself may cause a vomiting reflex to occur and the cat will vomit often times expelling the hairball. If not vomited, the hairball is passed down the intestinal tract and is excreted in the feces. Occasionally, these hairballs will cause problems down the digestive tract such as constipation, but that another topic.

Most often the hairballs cause enough obstruction to cause stomach acids to be regurgitated into the esophagus. The esophagus lacks the mucus barrier that the stomach has to protect it from the harsh hydrochloric acid of the stomach. The esophagus then becomes inflamed. Pet people know this condition as heartburn. When food gets to the lower part of the esophagus in cats there is a normal delay as the muscle of the esophagus changes. So, if the esophagus is inflamed due to the reflux of acids it is very sensitive to having food sitting there and bingo, here starts the vomiting reflex and the retching that cat lovers know too well. The classic product of this is a nice tubular package of undigested or partially digested food, often times discovered by a bare foot.

Treatment for this condition is directed at removing the hair from the stomach before it has a chance to organized into a hairball. Of course, brushing your cat will help remove hair that may otherwise be ingested. Numerous supplements made with flavored petroleum jelly such as Laxatone are very effective in hairball control. Tuna and malt flavors are available. There are now specially marketed higher fiber diets that may help remove the hair from the stomach and digestive tract. There are also fiber supplements for cats that don’t like the petroleum jelly supplements that can be added to the food ration.

The esophageal problems with the stomach acids are treated with medications to decrease stomach acid production and to increase stomach emptying muscle contractions and decrease the vomiting reflex. These are used initially for a period of time and then hairball maintenance is usually required for the life of the cat.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.

Pet Obesity

Happy weekend all you pet people. I hope everyone has a chance to get out and enjoy the weekend with his or her pets. That’s right, off the couch and get out there. If fact, today let’s talk about weight control for our pets.

Obesity is a major problem for pets and as many as 40% of our pets are overweight. The potential health threatening complications of obesity can affect every body system. Unfortunately, life span is shortened and quality of life diminished because of obesity. Weight control for pets is not difficult but it does take some commitment. Begging and those pleading eyes are tough to resist, but believe me; the willpower needed to establish a weigh loss program and change your pet’s condition is much easier than our own.

First, get an objective evaluation on your pet’s body condition. Obese pets are metabolically different. Your veterinarian can help by assessing your pet’s current health with a complete physical examination and laboratory tests to detect any underlying metabolic conditions. Then an optimum body weight can be established for your pet.

Next we must change our behavior toward our pets. A full bowl is no way to love your pet. Feed measured meals often split into multiple feedings. Multiple pets and different body conditions may need to feed separately. We must control the treats we give our pets. Most commercial treats and table scraps are loaded with excess calories.

Next comes exercise. Dogs need regular walks; ball chasing or some activity rather than just a daily run to the door or window to bark at a delivery person. Cats may need interactive toys such as a feather on the end of a fishing pole or a laser pointer or flashlight. Some cats can be trained to take walks on a harness if started while they are young.

Diet is extremely important in our weight loss program. Restricting calories is not the only answer. By just cutting back on the amount we feed, we may over time establish a malnutrition problem with such nutrients as vitamins and minerals. Today we have diets specifically formulated for weight loss that address the unique metabolic state of an obese pet. These are prescription diets that are not available at pet stores and grocery stores. I specifically like Eukanuba’s Restricted Calorie for weight loss in that while it is lower in calories, it promotes less fat storage and maintains lean muscle mass. The higher fiber weight loss diets seem to keep the pet hungry and the stool volume can be substantial. Once we meet our optimal weight and body condition, then we can get our pet on a number of good maintenance diets to keep the weight under control.

Obesity is a vicious cycle in that overweight, less active pets continue to be overweight and less active. We are in a position to turn this trend around. A healthier, happier pet will be the result. It may even inspire some of us to improve our body condition, present company included.

Dr. James Speas is the owner and Executive Director of Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital located in La Crescenta, California. He has developed a personal philosophy in the area of veterinary medicine – to always work in the direction of preventing problems before occur. Dr. Speas and his staff are proud to serve the pet communities of La Crescenta, La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga California. Call us at 818-248-3963.