Recently the news outlets have been covering the story of Meow, the two-year-old cat that weighs 39 pounds, a whopping 27 more than he should. He's the equivalent of a 600-pound human. Although the news outlets have made light of the situation, obesity in our pets is no laughing matter.

Pet obesity is a huge problem that keeps getting bigger, no pun intended. According to a 2010 Pet Obesity Study performed by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 55.6 percent of dogs and 54 percent of cats in the United States are overweight or obese. That's an estimated 43 million dogs and 50 million cats.

Continue Reading "The Serious Promblems of Pudgy Pets" »

Since March is National Nutrition Month, people around the country are taking a step back and looking at their eating habits, food choices, treats and chow.

Just like their owners, pets need to have a balanced, complete diet to insure they are receiving all the vitamins and nutrients they need to be strong, healthy and happy for many years. Differing amounts of essential ingredients are in pet foods to accommodate various life stages, body conditions and activity levels.

Continue Reading "A Little (Pet) Food for Thought" »

While people battle stuffy noses and watery eyes at the peak of this allergy season, we are not the only one’s suffering from the sniffles and sneezes. Our pets are also experiencing the irritation of allergies, too.

The respiratory system is the primary target of allergies for humans, but for our pets, the skin is the major target, so severe itching and scratching, which may lead to raw and irritated areas on the skin, are the main symptoms to look for. The most common pet allergy is the fleabite allergy, however, fleas may not be the only reason behind your pet’s discomfort.

Continue Reading "The Sniffles, the Sneezes and Our Pets" »

From floral arrangements to fall feast, the dangers posed to pets around Thanksgiving are as bountiful as the bread stuffing. Even though it is a time for giving thanks for family, friends and four-legged companions, there are a few things every pet owners needs to be aware of, look out for and avoid – no matter how much the pets purr or paw.

In general, pets’ stomachs are not accustomed to handle the heavy seasoning we use to cook and prepare our foods. Raw or undercooked turkey may contain salmonella bacteria and fat trimmings or very fatty foods can trigger pancreatitis in dogs and cats. Even if it is just a scrap from the table, it may be enough to cause an upset stomach in our pets, resulting in vomiting or diarrhea.

Some of the foods commonly found on the Thanksgiving menu are toxic to pets and may result in pet owners giving thanks to a veterinarian rather than for passing the cranberries.

Continue Reading "Thanksgiving Safety for You and Your Pets" »

There is no question that people are still trying to save a few dollars where they can, but there are some things you shouldn’t risk even if the price is right. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a consumer alert to pet owners, warning them about the potentially deadly dangers associated with purchasing drugs for your pet online.

Continue Reading "Buyer Beware - The Dangers of Online Pet Pharmacies" »

February is National Pet Dental Health Month. With that in mind, I wanted to share a very important and unfortunately common issue facing pet owners, veterinarians and most of all our pets.

The harmful practice of anesthesia-free dental cleanings originated in grooming facilities as a source supplemental service income. Anesthesia-free dentistry is a way for pets and pet owners to avoid general anesthesia during a dental cleaning. Regardless of how great the post-procedure care is, almost all pets who receive this type of dental cleaning often develop periodontal disease below the gum line.

“Anesthesia free dentistry gives a false sense of security to owners even if they do good home care,” says Dr. Bert Dodd, Clinical Associate Professor of Small Animal Dentistry at Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. “The problem causing periodontal disease is below the gum line – an area that can only be cleaned with the patient under anesthesia.”

This type of dental cleaning can be extremely dangerous. Wearing down the enamel of the pet’s teeth with scaling instruments creates a rough surface for plaque and tartar to accumulate more quickly and in a much higher quantity. Polishing the enamel after scaling leaves smooth surface that delays the accumulation of calculus on the tooth. For pets, polishing can only be performed properly under anesthesia. Furthermore, cleaning only the exposed surface area of the teeth neglects the one place where periodontal disease is most profound – below the gum line.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common problems in pets. If left untreated, it will lead to infection and disease which may spread to other organ systems in the body. Liver, kidney, and heart valve infections are commonly caused by periodontal disease.

Preventive dental exams and regular cleanings are key to avoiding this easily preventable disease. But, in between dental cleanings, taking care of your pet’s teeth at home will help to prevent and delay the onset of problems with the teeth and gums. Use dental home care products – never use human toothpaste! – designed to remove plaque buildup, like a soft-bristled toothbrush and a special pet dentifrice product.

Nobody enjoys going to the dentist and your pet is no exception. However, the agony that comes with poor dental health is no comparison to the few minutes it takes to take care of your pets’ teeth. Think about it this way, you brush your teeth every day but still need regular professional dental cleanings. Shouldn’t your pet receive the same level of dental care? As my mother used to tell me when I asked if I had to brush my teeth – “No, just the ones you want to keep!”

-- Dr. Craig --

We did a post earlier this week on a great new book entitled Good Old Dog. One of the topics covered in this book is nutrition for older pets. I was thinking this subject merits a post all its own.

There is no single best diet for an older dog. You'll need to take several things into consideration to come up with the best diet for your own older dog.

For instance, just how old is your dog and what kind of dog is he? We've mentioned this before, but dogs of different breeds and sizes age at different rates. An seven year old Shetland Sheepdog is really more of a middle aged dog. A seven year old Great Dane is a senior citizen.

That's the title of a new book by some staff members at the Veterinary College at Tufts. I heard about it from a Face Book friend and decided to check it out. One of the authors was interviewed on Fresh Air, the great NPR program hosted by Terry Gross.

I listened to the interview and read the information on the Fresh Air web site and I definitely recommend that you check it out. I'm putting the book on my Christmas list.

That's something to celebrate, don't you think? I'm encouraged to see this article in the Daytona Beach News-Journal about pets living longer these days. I actually saw it on the PurinaCare Facebook page.

The best part of the article is the message that our beloved pets can be around more than the 10-12 years we of baby boomer years were used to, as children. Our dogs, back then, didn't last much beyond 10 years. Although, I will say my dog before the beloved Carmie lived to be 15 (Missy - our family pet), and with Carmie living to 16, only succumbing to bloat (to my horror and dismay), my family has been lucky. We've kept our dogs healthy and happy. Which makes us happy.

I did a post on Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs a few weeks back that focused mainly on the causes of the condition and how to recognize the changes associated with cognitive decline in dogs. One of the  key points of that post was that owners of dogs with CD should not give up assuming this is an inevitable component of aging for some dogs. In fact, if a diagnosis is made early there are several things you can do that may help.

A change in diet is key. The main energy source for brain cells is glucose, however in dogs with CD the ability to use glucose as an energy source is impaired. Medium chain triglycerides (MCT'S) provide ketones which can serve as an alternate energy source for dogs with CD. Purina Veterinary Diet EN is formulated with additional sources of MCT's for just this reason.