Monday, September 30, 2013

Leptospirosis Vaccine: Protecting Pets and People
 
Leptospirosis, a disease that damages the liver and kidneys, can affect you and your pets. It has reemerged in North America, say professionals at the Center for Disease Control, who describe the disease as a notable source of mortality.
    As the number of cases climbs, some veterinarians are suggesting Leptospirosis vaccines to protect pets and their families. To learn more about the disease and whether the vaccine is right for your pets, talk to your veterinary team

“You’ve got to be really careful because Leptospirosis can spread to people as well, so it’s urgent to protect pets as well as ourselves.”
- Anne Pierce, DVM, of AAHA-accredited North Academy Veterinary in Colorado
  
The disease, which is transmitted through contact with water, food, or soil that contains urine from infected animals,
affects many animals (including people) but cats are rarely affected. Symptoms in pets, which can be similar to the flu, should be reported to veterinary professionals as soon as possible. Early treatment can prevent serious health problems.
    In addition to exposure from eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with urine from sick animals, pets can get Leptospirosis by sniffing the ground or rolling in grass where a sick animal has urinated. Pets with scrapes or scratches on their skin are particularly susceptible.
    Leptospirosis has been diagnosed in pets worldwide but it is most common in places where temperatures are mild. It is also seasonal. Veterinarians report most cases in late summer to fall, especially in places with notable rainy seasons.
    Linda Ross, DVM, MS, recommends the vaccine in places where Leptospirosis is common. However, cases have also been reported in areas that were once considered safe.
    Although some doctors say the disease is rare in dry, arid areas of the country, the number of Leptospirosis cases in Colorado – and other arid climates – has increased, in the last few years.
    The vaccine requires yearly boosters and provides pets with some protection, but nothing is foolproof since so many wild animals carry Leptospirosis, said Ross, who works at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Massachusetts.
    “I tell my clients, you can limit the area in which your dog walks, but you can’t prevent other animals from walking in that area, [or] even in your own yard,” Ross said.
    Anne Pierce, DVM, of AAHA-accredited North Academy Veterinary in Colorado recommends the Leptospirosis vaccine because she has seen a rise in cases, which she attributes to wet summers.
    “The vaccine is worth doing despite the potential for adverse reactions,” she said. Because Leptospirosis comes in several different serovars (species), no vaccine can protect against all of them.
    “Even so, partial protection is better than no protection,” Pierce argued. “It’s important to catch Leptospirosis before your pets are ill…. In really bad cases, [pets] were fine one day, and the next morning they can’t get up. You’ve got to be really careful because Leptospirosis can spread to people as well, so it’s urgent to protect pets as well as ourselves,” she emphasized.
    Vaccines require yearly boosters, but they do not always guarantee immunity for a complete year, say veterinary professionals. That is why it is important to watch pets closely even if they get the vaccine and annual boosters.
    “Citing an alarming increase in Leptospirosis cases, bacteriologists at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine's Diagnostic Laboratory in New York, are urging dog owners to watch for symptoms of the disease until improved vaccines are available,” wrote Roger Segelken in a Cornell study.
    Michael A. New, DVM, MRCVS, does not recommend routine Leptospirosis vaccines because he has not seen the disease where he practices in southeast Alaska. “Since dropping Leptospirosis from our vaccination protocol two years ago, we have had almost no vaccine reactions,” he added.
    When clients move, New suggests that they contact AAHA hospitals for vaccine recommendations. “In areas of the country where Leptospirosis occurs, it is crucial to identify the serotype responsible for local outbreaks and to vaccinate annually against that particular serotype as there does not appear to be any cross-protection with vaccination against the eight known strains,” New cautioned.
    Peter Rodgers, DVM, of Holistic Veterinary House Calls in Colorado, does not typically recommend Leptospirosis vaccines, partially because of the adverse reactions associated with them, which may include skin irritations, diarrhea, vomiting, and personality changes. The new vaccines may produce less of a reaction, he added.
    “Sometimes the reactions to vaccines are very subtle, and things just aren’t quite right [afterward]. Any time a vaccine is given, there’s potential for some kind of reaction. When you use a vaccine, what’s the risk of the illness you’re trying to protect against? You weigh that risk against the risk of the vaccine. When Leptospirosis occurs, it’s really serious, but is that enough to warrant mass vaccination? Individual clients must weigh this and be educated about potential adverse reactions,” advised Rodgers.
    Ask your veterinary professional if the Leptospirosis vaccine is right for your dog.
Symptoms
Some dogs do not show signs of illness but common symptoms include:
  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Refusal to eat
  • Severe weakness
  • Depression
  • Stiffness
  • Severe muscle pain
  • Bloody urine
  • Jaundice
  • Increased thirst and urination
  • Shock or collapse
Tests
Leptospirosis can be identified with blood and urine tests as well as clinical observation
Treatments
Fluid therapies, anti-nausea medication, antibiotics, and, in extreme cases, dialysis and other therapies

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Consult Veterinary Professionals to Ensure Worry-free Kennel Care
 
A stressful part of travel is leaving pets in the care of others. Careful planning, however, can help ease anxiety for both pets and their owners. The first step is to talk with your veterinary professional to get recommendations on pet sitters and boarding facilities.

What to look for in kennels:
  • Cleanliness, including regular changes in bedding
  • Centrally monitored fire alarms
  • Access to your veterinarian if medical care is needed
  • Regular walks on a leash
  • 24-hour supervision
  • Medications given regularly
  • Fenced area in the event an evacuation of the building is required
  • Staff that asks for contact information and verification of vaccinations
What to look for in pet sitters:
  • Good references, personal recommendations
  • Sitter who can recognize signs of illness
  • Sitter who can transport your pet to your veterinarian if necessary
  • Sitter who is comfortable handling and walking your pet
  • Sitter who can monitor food and water intake
  • Sitter who is insured/bonded
  
 "When selecting a kennel/boarding facility, consider the facility’s cleanliness and housekeeping, [which are] essential to the prevention of contagious diseases such as kennel cough or other illness," said David Crawford Carroll, DVM, of AAHA-accredited Eastlake Animal Clinic in Watsonville, California.
    Cleanliness should be obvious. “Smell tells a lot,” Carroll explained. “If it smells like urine or feces, leave. A facility should be open 24 hours, and they should allow you to take a tour.”
    Carroll also advises pet owners to think twice about requesting dogs to be housed in the same cage even if they are normally at home together. “I think it’s a real negative,” he said. “There’s no way to keep track of whether each animal is eating and going to the bathroom regularly, getting adequate drinking water, or otherwise thriving.”
     If your area does not have a kennel or veterinary boarding facility, look into hiring a pet sitter who will come to your home.
    Nancy Peterson, DVM, of AAHA-accredited Bryan Animal Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, said that pet sitters – in some cases – are the best solution to pet care.
    “For some animals that are easily stressed, home care can be the better choice,” Peterson said. However, she continued, “Be certain to get references and personal recommendations documenting the sitter’s experience.”
     Professional experience is important when hiring a sitter, said Carroll. “The neighbor’s child or someone down the block is generally not the best choice. Get someone who is paid on a regular basis, knows animals and what to look for, and asks you who your regular veterinarian is in case there’s any problem.”
    Peterson also suggests having the sitter and pet meet before the trip, but warns that if a pet is typically very nervous, he/she may not eat while an owner is away.
    In addition to providing a familiar environment, another reason to consider in-home care is the prevalence of canine influenza, which is spread when pets are in close proximity.
    A highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus, canine influenza spreads quickly from dog to dog.
    Ask your veterinary professional for more information about this disease and how you can protect your pets from it. You can also ask your vet for kennel/boarding recommendations or to refer you to a reliable pet sitter.
    In general, be sure your pets are properly vaccinated. Ask kennels to provide proof that all guests have the following vaccinations: Parvo, distemper, rabies, canine infectious hepatitis (adenovirus), and Bordetella. Lyme disease and Leptospirosis are advised in areas where the diseases are common.
    For sick pets, boarding with veterinarians or at facilities with around-the-clock care may be the wisest choice.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Make Time for Play and Prevent Behavior Problems in Cats
 
It may be hard to imagine that cats lounging around the house feel stressed, but medical studies prove that they do and that it can lead to aggressive play. 
    “We put cats in abnormal situations when we keep them inside and confine them with multiple cats,” said Valarie Tynes, DVM, diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB). “Yet cat lovers know it’s hard to get just one.”
    To keep cats happy, veterinary behavior specialists suggest that owners play for at least five minutes each day with cats individually or in a group. To determine whether you should separate cats for play, watch to see if they sleep side by side and groom each other, Tynes said. That behavior indicates good interaction and gives a green light to group play, she said. 
    “Playtime provides mental stimulation and exercise,” Tynes said. “If you don’t engage your cats you have all these potential problems with aggression as well as obesity. The goal is to get these animals up and off the sofa. They need [owner] involvement.”
    Step one is to teach cats what is appropriate play. 
    Cats that attack moving feet or jump on owners without warning may not have learned the basics, Tynes explained. “Kittens learn if they hurt other kittens or cats [then] play ends,” she said. “Unfortunately people don’t understand how to set these rules.” 
    To establish positive playtime use toys — not hands or feet — to start games that involve chasing and pouncing. Kitty fishing lines, balls, and furry mice held a few feet away from the body are good tools to use.       
    Overall, play aggression normally occurs when cats misinterpret owner actions as games, say behavior experts. For example: One cat regularly jumped on two young boys as they raced down a hallway after bath time. 
    “The kids were screaming and chasing each other and the cat thought it was funny to land on the kids’ butts,” said Sharon Crowell-Davis, DVM, PhD, ACVB diplomate. “He thought there was a really good game going on.”
    She suggested that the owners shut the door to the cat’s room during bath time so he couldn’t see the boys run down the hallway. The “attacks” stopped. 
    Owners can also try distracting a cat during instances of play aggression. By throwing something a toy across a cat’s line of vision, he/she will chase it instead of going after your feet. 
    In addition to establishing positive playtime, owners need to recognize and respect a cat’s limits. Some cats are finicky about what types of toys they like and are specific about the type of attention they want.
    “Most cats do not like to be held upside down or scratched on the belly,” Crowell-Davis said. Since they groom each other on the head and neck those are safe areas but signs — like twitching tails and low growling noises — indicate that they have had enough.