Christmas trees set the tone for a festive holiday decor, but can pose a danger to curious cats and dogs.  Here’s what to watch for so you can protect your pets:

The Tree:

• Pine needles smell wonderful to us humans but, for some reason, are tasty to some cats and dogs.  Pine needles are not in themselves toxic to pets, but can be very irritating to the pet’s stomach, causing vomiting and a poor appetite.  Keep sweeping up those pine needles as they dry up and drop onto the floor over the next several weeks!

• Anchor your tree securely so that climbing cats and tail-wagging dogs will not knock it over.

What’s On The Tree:

• Pretty tinsel, ribbons and garlands make pretty decorations for our trees, but make convenient, yet possibly dangerous, toys for our pets – cats especially love to eat string-like objects, which unfortunately can get struck in one part of the intestinal tract, and cause an obstruction which could require surgery.

• Breakable glass ornaments should be hung well out of reach – cats find them fun to bat off the tree, and dogs love to eat them!  Be careful to pick up any pieces of broken glass if an ornament does break, but also be aware of the hangers and small metal fastenings that may become separated from the ornament itself – these can be swallowed or stepped on by your pet.

• Signs of ingestion of a foreign object can vary – they depend on the type of foreign object ingested and whether or not it gets stuck or can pass through the intestinal tract. The symptoms can range from lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

• Holiday lights are another dangerous temptation – pets may chew on them, causing injury from electrical shock.  Inspect your light for defects, such as loose or frayed wires, as well as signs of previous illicit indulgences by your pet, such as bite marks.  Be careful also about the wires’ proximity to the tree’s water supply.

• Electrical shock can cause burns, difficulty breathing, abnormal heart rhythm, loss of consciousness, and even death.

What’s Under The Tree:

• Any new source of water can be tempting, so your cat or dog may suddenly prefer to drink the water under your Christmas tree – this is not a problem unless you add chemicals to the water to keep your tree fresh.  Read the additive’s label to see if it is safe for pets.

• Pretty gifts are lovely under the tree, but make sure they are not decorated with the kinds of ribbons, decorative twine, bells or toys that might lure your pet to play, unravel or eat them. Be careful what’s inside the boxes, too – any type of food item can be detected by the sensitive nose of your pet – most things are OK for your pet to eat, but any type of food that is out of the ordinary for your pet can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.  One type of popular holiday gift is definitely NOT OK for your pet to eat is chocolate.

So, have a happy holiday season from everyone at the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center, and we hope this helps your pet have a safe, and therefore, happy, holiday season as well!

Feline acne usually presents as crusty, scabby sores with or without accompanying whiteheads or blackheads on your cat’s muzzle and chin.  Often the chin and muzzle can be swollen and quite painful to the touch.  While it is usually not contagious, more than one cat can be affected in the household.  The signs of feline acne can wax and wane, depending on the underlying cause.  Most of the time there is a bacterial infection but this is usually secondary.

Causes of this condition are many; fungal infections, parasitic infections like demodex mites, sensitivities to medications or supplements that you are currently giving, allergies, outward signs of an internal metabolic disease, a primary bacterial infection, or rarely, a form of skin cancer.  Your veterinarian will recommend a series of tests to try and determine the reason behind the flare-up.  Some of these tests can be done in the office, like a skin scraping, and other tests will be sent out, like blood work or a fungal culture.  Still other diagnostics may require sedation or anesthesia, like a tissue biopsy.

Once your veterinarian diagnoses the cause of the acne, treatment will be recommended.  Some therapies are non-invasive and are aimed at controlling the environment for allergens.  These include diet trials and transitioning to stainless steel or ceramic dishes.  Other disease specific therapy can include antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-fungals, and localized creams and washes for the area affected.   If the problem is determined to be allergic in nature, then allergy testing and treatment with spot-ons, vaccines, or medications directed at controlling the overly strong response will be started.

Some easy at-home therapies that can help many cats with feline acne are switching to dishes that do not contain plastic and cleaning the chin 2-3 times weekly with an astringent.  Choosing one that doesn’t have alcohol will make the procedure more enjoyable for your cat.

Most cases of feline acne can be resolved with strict management of the offending condition or allergen.  For further information or any questions, please contact the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center at 317-257-5334 or Dr. Birchfield can be reached directly at t.birchfield.dvm@bracpet.com.

What could more comforting and satisfying than home made bread or yeast rolls for your holiday dinner? Not many things – except maybe a healthy dog!

Many people don’t know that rising bread dough is a dangerous temptation for dogs. Most forms of bread dough contain yeast – a single-celled fungus that in warm environments causes sugars to turn into carbon dioxide (which causes the dough to rise) and alcohol (which gives flavor to the dough).  This chemical process is great when it happens in a warm kitchen within a pan, but not so great when it happens in a dog’s warm stomach. When the dough ”rises” in there and expands in size, it stretches out the stomach, which may be painful, and it releases carbon dioxide gas, which further distends the stomach.  The dough itself is difficult for the dog to digest, and can cause an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract. As the gas builds up, the stomach may become so stretched out that the blood supply to the stomach is impaired, and the stomach could even flip over.  In addition, the fermenting dough releases alcohol, and this causes many physiological disturbances in the dog’s body, including decreased blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms and difficulty breathing, as well as neurologic disturbances such as clumsiness, lethargy, seizures and even coma.

If your dog eats dough, call your veterinarian or a veterinary emergency hospital immediately. Offer cold water or ice chips if your dog can drink. When your dog arrives at the hospital, the veterinarian may induce vomiting if your dog is stable, but if not, will perform X-rays to see how much gas is present and then remove it with a tube. The fermentation process of the dough may be slowed by flushing the stomach with cold water. Blood tests will be done to determine what types of biochemical disturbances are present, and the treatment from that point depends on those results. If treated promptly, the prognosis for bread dough toxicosis is generally good, but recovery can take 12-24 hours or more.

So, as you knead the dough for your family’s Thanksgiving dinner rolls, remember that your dog definitely doesn’t “need” it at all – and put it well out of reach! Everyone at the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center is wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.

As humans we expect a lot from our dogs. We expect them to guard us against a burglar but not the mailman. We expect them to realize it is ok to jump up on Saturday afternoon when we are in garden clothes, but not ok Monday morning when we are in a suit. Many parents expect the dog to tolerate being jumped on, hit and/or poked with a toy without ever lifting a lip or growling to say leave me alone. While many dogs may be tolerant this kind of behavior from children, most will not and should not be expected to do so.

Lifting of the lip and growling are all early warning signs your dog is uncomfortable. These warnings may also be indications of impending aggression. If you see either of these behaviors, do not punish your dog. Take note of the situation and remove your dog to his room, crate or bed. Once everyone has relaxed, take the opportunity to teach the kids healthy ways to interact with the dog. Parents who encourage polite petting, fun games such as fetch, and training new skills like shake or roll over will begin to see less inappropriate behavior directed towards the dog and a better relationship formed.

Punishing the early warning signs will only teach your dog that A.) you will not advocate for him, and B.) he should not give advance warning. If he doesn’t warn you, he will simply respond with a snap and/or bite.

Do you ever notice your dog lift a rear leg off the ground as if they’ve just stepped on something painful or pulled a muscle, hop along on three legs for a few steps, and then just as suddenly return to a normal gait with all four legs on the ground?   If this is something that you see on a regular basis, your dog might have a luxating patella – or two! 

A luxating patella is a kneecap that slips out of place, typically to the inside of the knee joint (known as medial luxating patella).   This can happen for a variety of reasons, including trauma, but most often is a genetic problem that can affect one or both knees.   Toy breed dogs such as Yorkshire Terriers are at the highest risk for having this genetic problem, but any dog can be affected.

So, why does the kneecap slip out of place?   The patella is kept in a normal location by the patellar tendon (which lies directly over the top of the bone) and by two ridges in another bone directly underneath the patella.   These ridges create a trough that the patella should not be able to “escape” – but, for some dogs these ridges are too short, resulting in a very shallow trough out of which the patella can easily slip.   For other dogs, the patellar ligament may have been damaged or loosened, which allows the patella to move around more than it should, sometimes slipping out of place.

A luxating patella is graded on a scale of 1-4 by your veterinarian.  Grade 1 is the most mild form, which means that your veterinarian can move the patella out of place, but it pops right back when released.   Grade 2 indicates that when the patella is pushed out of place, it must also be manually pushed back to the correct location.   Grade 3 luxating patella is more severe, indicating that the patella spends most of its time out of joint, but can still be pushed by your veterinarian back to the correct location, at least momentarily.   Finally, Grade 4, the most severe form, means that the patella is out of place 100% of the time, and cannot be manipulated by your veterinarian into the correct spot.

The luxation of the patella is not painful, meaning that your dog’s patella can pop in and out of place with no apparent discomfort.   However, it is very important to realize that this abnormal movement of the patellar bone, over time, causes arthritic changes in the leg and joint that are most definitely painful!   Therefore, if your dog has a low grade (Grade 1 or Grade 2) luxating patella, it is extremely important to put him on a preventative joint supplement such as glucosamine.   A Grade 3 or Grade 4 luxating patella, and sometimes even a Grade 2 luxating patella (depending on how often it occurs) may need to be surgically repaired. To determine what options might be best for your pooch, please call the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center at 317-257-5334 or email Dr. Rudwell directly at s.rudwell.dvm@bracpet.com

Tooth resorption is a disease process that affects more than 50% of adult cats.  This condition is also referred to as neck lesions, resorptive lesions, or FORL’s (feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions).  Tooth resorption causes defects in the crown and roots of the tooth similar to cavities in a human.  However, while human cavities are caused by decay, tooth resorption is due to the cat’s body attacking the teeth.  

Tooth resorption usually begins on the lower premolars, but can ultimately affect all of the teeth in a cat’s mouth.  The lesions are often first seen as a small red spot on the crown of the tooth at the gumline.  The resorption is progressive, and will ultimately result in the crown of the tooth falling off and the roots being resorbed into the jawbone.  Unfortunately for the pet, nerve exposure of the tooth causes this process to be prolonged and painful.  Usually, cats won’t show any signs of pain until the process is quite advanced or affecting multiple teeth.
The exact cause of tooth resorption unfortunately is unknown.  Since the cause is unknown there is no good way to prevent the disease.  No amount of brushing or preventive oral care will slow or prevent tooth resorption.  Our best defense is complete physical exam every 6 months so that resorptive lesions can be seen as early as possible.  Though fillings are excellent treatment for cavities in humans, they don’t stop the destructive process in cats. Treatment includes complete dental cleaning and full mouth x-rays.  Any affected teeth are either extracted or have the crown amputated, depending on the severity.  The gum tissue is then sutured closed to seal any sensitive nerve exposure.

For more information, or to schedule your cat for a physical examination with Dr. Lee, please call the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center at 317-257-5334. If you have questions about your pet’s dental health, you can also email Dr. Lee at d.lee.dvm@bracpet.com.

There are many types of arthritis that can occur in people and in pets, but the type that most people are referring to when they use the word arthritis, is osteoarthritis.  This type of arthritis occurs over many months to years in response to some type of physical problem with that specific joint. In most cases, this physical problem is caused by acute trauma (think football ACL tear), prolonged repeated excessive strain on a joint, or some type of inherited joint malformation such as dog hip dysplasia.

If there is a trauma to the joint such as an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear or if an inherited disease can be corrected, surgery is always the best choice to prevent or minimize the arthritis from developing. Many times, we are left with managing the arthritis and the pain associated with it after it develops.  Thankfully, there are many different options to treat and in some cases reverse the effects of arthritis in dogs and cats.

The initial standard treatments include two nutritional treatments – glucosamine and fatty acids (fish oils).  As with all nutritional supplements, it is important that we use a high quality product from a reputable company.  In general, the veterinary products did very well in this category when tested and compared to some pharmacy generics.

If these nutritional treatments don’t work, or if the arthritis progresses and more help is needed, many times a pain killing anti-inflammatory is used.

Other alternative treatments can be tried at any point or time.  Some success can be achieved with acupuncture, herbal treatments, therapeutic laser treatments, massage, and maintaining a healthy weight with controlled regular low impact exercises.

A final alternative option is to use the dogs’ own stem cells harvested from the fat of the afflicted dog or cat.  This treatment is the only one of the above that can actually reverse some the arthritis that has already formed.

In general, there is no “one size fits all” treatment for arthritis, but in each individual there is a combination of many treatments that will allow that individual to maintain a comfortable life. If you have questions about your arthritic pet, please call us at 317-257-5334 or email Dr. Neumann directly at w.neumann.dvm@bracpet.com

Deficiency in what?

Our pets have thyroid glands in their neck that function just as ours do!  Interestingly, dogs are prone thyroid problems that cause a deficiency of thyroid hormone, while cats are much more likely to get a benign growth on the thyroids, causing an increase of the hormone.  Decreases in the hormone can be related to immune system malfunctions, problems in the part of the brain that stimulates the thyroid gland, other concurrent diseases that decrease the concentration of circulating hormone, tumors in the thyroid gland, or it can be related to an unknown cause.

But he’s gaining weight even on the diet food!

The signs that we most commonly see with hypothyroid dogs are weight gain, increased drinking and urination, hair loss along the back, sides, and tail that is usually not itchy, poor hair regrowth, oily skin and/or pustules/comedones, lethargy and mental dullness, and aggression.

How do we diagnose?

After we have identified appropriate clinical signs in your pet, we can take a blood sample in order to determine thyroid hormone levels.  This test must be sent out to a lab and is usually back in 1-2 business days.

Treatment

After we have identified a decreased level of hormones in the body, we treat by supplementing your pet with thyroid hormones.  These small tablets are easily given and should be given as directed.  After starting on the medication, we must recheck the thyroid hormone levels at least 2 weeks after starting supplementation.  This helps us regulate your dog’s medication.  It is important that the sample be taken 4-6 hours POST PILL.

If we aren’t seeing any change in physical signs or the hormone levels are too low, we may need to increase dose, keep your dog on the medication a bit longer (some pets can take up to 6 weeks to respond) or consider that there may be a subclinical illness that wasn’t previously identified that is causing the signs.

Signs of too much supplementation are rapid weight loss, hyperactivity, and tremoring.  If we see these signs and/or hormone levels that are too high, we will decrease the supplement dose accordingly.

Once we achieve the correct therapeutic levels for your dog, they will be on this medication lifelong.  We need to recheck hormone levels yearly to ensure that we are continually giving the right levels of supplementation, as problems with this will be evident in the bloodwork before clinical signs reappear. For more information, please call us the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center at 317-257-5334.

In veterinary school, I was told that roughly 70% of dogs that have ruptured one of their anterior cruciate ligaments (called a cranial cruciate ligament, or CCL, in a dog) will rupture the other one within a year.  Unfortunately, my dog, Staley fell right in line with that statistic.  While I was still studying to become a veterinarian, Staley tore his right CCL and had surgery to repair it.  Eight months later, we were repairing the left as well.  That personal experience with my own dog helped jumpstart my interest in CCL disease in dogs and orthopedic disease in general.

Common symptoms of a CCL injury are limping that worsens with exercise or over time, difficulty jumping or getting up, sitting with the injured leg out to the side, or stiffness in the injured leg.  If you suspect your dog has a CCL injury, your veterinarian will most likely look for swelling in the joint, pain or resistance on range of motion, positive tibial thrust or cranial drawer tests and possibly medial buttress.  Both the tibial thrust and cranial drawer tests demonstrate instability in the joint indicating that the CCL is not intact and holding the joint in place.  Medial buttress is scar tissue that forms on the inside of the knee in response to the instability as the body’s way of trying to hold the joint together.

Cranial cruciate ligament ruptures are one of the most common orthopedic injuries that we see in dogs.  Unlike humans, a CCL rupture in a dog is usually not a traumatic injury.  CCL ruptures are typically a degenerative process involving inflammation in the joint leading to weakening and then finally rupturing of the ligament.  Once the ligament has ruptured, the joint becomes unstable which leads to pain and further degenerative changes or arthritis in the knee.  While repairing the rupture does not completely “cure” the patient, it will greatly decrease pain as well as dramatically slow the progression of arthritis in the joint.

Currently, there are four common surgeries available to treat a ruptured CCL -

1. TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy)
2. TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement)
3. Lateral Fabellar Suture
4. Tightrope

The first two procedures involve cutting and changing the tibia; the latter two attempt to mimic the torn knee ligament by placing some sort of a suture material in the knee.  Prior to any of the four procedures, radiographs of the joint should be taken to assess the degree of degenerative changes due to the ruptured ligament, look for any other concurrent problems with the joint, as well as assess anatomical factors that would possibly dictate which surgery could be done to best repair the joint.  Because there are so many factors that play into a CCL tear in a dog, there is no “best” surgery overall, but your veterinarian can help you to decide which one may be best for you and your dog based on individual factors.

The Tightrope procedure uses an implant that is made of a very strong braided suture material with two small titanium anchors.  Small tunnels are drilled through the femur and the tibia in positions that closely mimic the anchors of the cruciate ligament itself.  The implant is passed through the bone tunnels and tied using the titanium anchors to hold it in place.  The implant stabilizes the joint and restores the function.

After surgery, a bandage is placed on the leg for the first 24 hours to minimize swelling.  Pain medication and anti-inflammatories are used to help with any discomfort. For the first 2 weeks, exercise is restricted to “potty breaks” only to allow the joint to heal.  After that, slow return to activity with simple rehabilitation exercises is started to try to minimize loss of muscle and encourage return of the function of the limb.   Uncontrolled exercise during the recovery period could cause problems with healing or possibly break the implant.  Other complications can include infection or loosening of the implant.

The Tightrope is less traumatic than the bone-cutting techniques.  It is a very strong repair  and can be performed on medium to large and giant breed dogs.  While there are certain limitations, it is a great addition to our battle against CCL disease. If you have any questions about the tightrope procedure or would like to have your dog evaluated by Dr. Heinz, please call the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic at 317-257-5334.

Does comforting your dog, giving him treats, or playing games with him when he is afraid reinforce his fear?  This may seem like an unusual question, but this is a hot topic in the field of dog behavior and training. The popular opinion has long been to ignore dogs when they act fearful. We have been told we will make our dogs more fearful by giving them attention or trying to comfort them.

Although this is an extremely complex question, the short answer is YOU CAN NOT REINFORCE FEAR. Fear is an emotion, not a behavior. When we talk about reinforcement, we are referring to increasing a particular behavior. Many owners become confused and feel as though they are either going to make their dogs more fearful or are reinforcing undesired behaviors such as barking, pacing, and panting. 

Let’s examine this a little closer…. If you sat down next to me on an airplane and mentioned you were afraid of flying would I increase your fear of flying by touching your shoulder and telling you it was going to be ok? If I carried on a conversation with you during our flight in an attempt to take your attention away from the noises and shakes of the plane, would I increase your fear of flying?  If you panicked and grabbed your armrest each time we hit turbulence, and the flight attendant looked at you and said “don’t worry, that is normal” would you be more fearful of flying? The answer is no.

Your fear of flying would likely remain the same, however, the soft tone of my voice, the gentle touch of my hand and the reassurance from someone who flies frequently may help you to relax. Over time, these experiences may also decrease your fear of flying.

The same philosophy can help us when we are working with our fearful dogs.  If your dog is barking at other dogs because he is fearful and wishes to increase space, you are not reinforcing the fear of other dogs by giving him pieces of chicken and redirecting his focus. You are likely to decease the dog’s fear and his barking behavior because you are taking steps to redirect his behavior and advocate for him. If he begins to pace each time he hears the low roll of thunder, you are not making him more fearful by telling him it is ok and engaging him in a game of tug-of-war. Playing with you will make him more relaxed and decrease his pacing behavior.

When working with fearful dogs, our goal is to change their emotional state. Rather than lowering their head, cowering or shaking, we want our dogs to become excited, tail-wagging, ears up in anticipation of food and games. The reward you use must be more powerful than the fear-evoking trigger.  If you find your dog will not eat or play games during these episodes, it means the emotion of fear is too intense. Try changing your reward to something more valuable.

The next time you see your dog is fearful, pet him, tell him it’s ok and try to have them focus on a new bone or a round of his favorite game.  For more information about fearful dogs, please call the Broad Ripple Animal Wellness Center at 317-726-2711 and ask to speak with Brad , or email him directly at b.phifer@bracpet.com