March 10th, 2013
The United States has become a wee bit of a safer place for our pets. This past December, the Consumer Specialty Products Association and Humane Society Legislative Fund announced that antifreeze manufacturers throughout the United States have finally agreed to add a bitter flavoring agent to their normally sweet tasting products, rendering them less enticing to pets (and children).
This voluntary measure will include all antifreeze and engine coolant products manufactured for sale in the consumer market within all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
A Tragic Toxicity
Antifreeze toxicity is a horrible thing to witness. Ingestion of even a small amount of ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in antifreeze, causes acute kidney failure in dogs and cats along with severe neurological disease. Symptoms often include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance, weakness, and ultimately coma and/or seizures. Unfortunately, even with aggressive and expensive therapy, most patients suffering from antifreeze toxicity don’t survive. The Humane Society Legislative Fund estimates that at least 10,000 animals are victims of this toxicity every year.
Dogs are attracted to the sweet taste of antifreeze and will readily drink from a puddle that has leaked from a car’s undercarriage or has spilled from a container. Kitties are usually more discriminating when it comes to taste, but one who has stepped in antifreeze is likely to ingest some during the course of grooming. As little as a single teaspoon of the substance is enough to kill a cat.
Vigilance Still Required
The bittering agent most commonly added to antifreeze is denatonium benzoate, a nontoxic substance that is also used as a treatment to help prevent people from biting their nails. It is imperative to remember that bittering the taste of antifreeze does not render it safe for pets. Because antifreeze toxicity is somewhat dose dependent, the hope is that animals will drink far less of the bitter product resulting in fewer illnesses and fatalities.
Prior to December antifreeze manufacturers within 17 states were already required to add a bittering agent to their products. Oregon was the first state to mandate this change in 1991. California followed suit in 2002. Multiple attempts to make this a federal requirement have been unsuccessful. Thank goodness, antifreeze manufacturers have now voluntarily stepped up to the plate to do the right thing. It’s about time!
Do you regularly check under your car for leaking antifreeze? If you keep antifreeze at home are the containers inaccessible to your pets?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: antifreeze, antifreeze toxicity cats, antifreeze toxicity dogs, bittering agent, Consumer Specialty Products Association, denatonium benzoate, Dr. Nancy Kay, Humane Society Legislative Fund, kidney failure, Nancy Kay DVM, neurological disease
Posted in Canine family members, Poisoning, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Emergency, Your Dog's Best Health | 2 Comments »
March 3rd, 2013
To date, I’ve blogged about a variety of veterinary specialists. My hope is that you have a better sense of what they do and when your pet should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist, dermatologist, neurologist, oncologist, surgeon, cardiologist, and/or an internist.
Believe it or not, I’ve not yet exhausted the list in terms of types of veterinary specialists! Based on the variety of specialties, the veterinary profession is definitely keeping up with its human counterpart. Here are capsule summaries to bring you up to speed.
Nutrition
Veterinarians who specialize in nutrition spend years learning all about what constitutes an ideal diet for animals who are young, middle aged, or geriatric. They also know how diets should be altered for pets who are performance athletes, pregnant, nursing, underweight, overweight, or coping with a particular disease process (e.g. arthritis, kidney failure, liver disease, gastrointestinal disease, food allergies). I strongly encourage consultation with a veterinary nutritionist if you and your vet are uncertain if the diet you wish to feed is nutritionally balanced/complete for your pet. Consultation with a nutritionist is also important if your four-legged family members are eating your home. Simply combining meats and veggies does not constitute a balanced canine or feline diet. Ask your vet to recommend a nutrition expert and/or check out the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. By the way, nutrition consultations are often handled “remotely” so if you like, you can work with a nutritionist clear across the country.
Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
This is one of the newest specialties established within the veterinary profession. I believe it is a wonderful and exciting addition! Think about a visit with such a specialist if your pet is in need of rehabilitation (physical therapy) following an injury or joint surgery (think cruciate ligament disease). Thinking of having your dog participate in an exertional sport such as flyball or agility? Talk with a sports medicine/rehab doc to learn what you can do proactively to protect your athlete’s musculoskeletal health (no anabolic steroid talk here!). Visit the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation to learn more about this specialty.
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs
Acupuncture and Chinese herb therapy are two of the oldest and most worthy treatment modalities for a variety of maladies. Veterinarians can achieve “certification” status in one or both via the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and the Chi Institute. Consider acupuncture and/or Chinese herb therapy for your pet as an adjunct to conventional (western) therapy. If you prefer a more holistic or integrative approach to health care, you might want to work with someone who specializes in these eastern modalities right from the get-go.
Anesthesia
Does your pet need to be anesthetized for a procedure, but you and even your veterinarian are nervous about doing so? Perhaps your ancient kitty requires removal of a horribly infected tooth, or your dog with heart disease requires surgical repair of a broken leg. Board certified veterinary anesthesiologists are the most qualified individuals to be at the helm of the anesthesia machine. They are adept at choosing the most suitable drug protocols and will have access to the latest and greatest bells and whistles for monitoring anesthesia. Veterinary anesthesiologists are reliably found at veterinary teaching hospitals which means this is where your pet’s procedure will need to be performed. Well worth the hassle if it means your pet is more likely to survive anesthesia. To learn more about this specialty, pay a visit to the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists.
Behavior
Is your kitty hell-bent on urinating in the middle of your bed? Does your dog suffer from extreme separation anxiety? Consider consultation with a board certified veterinary behaviorist who will have a number of tried and true tricks to put your pet’s behavior back on track and restore your sanity. Additionally, if behavior modification medications are part of the solution, he or she will be able to prescribe them. To find a behavior specialist in your neck of the woods visit the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
Dentistry
Root canals, crowns, and orthodonture for pets? You betcha! Under the care of a dental specialist, the same procedures used to restore and properly align our teeth can be applied to our pets. The American Veterinary Dental College website will help you find a board certified veterinary dentist in your community.
Now that you know more, would you consider using the services of a veterinary specialist, should the need arise?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists, American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, American College of Veterinary Nutrition, American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine, American Veterinary Dental College Dr. Nancy Kay, Chi Institute, International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, Nancy Kay DVM, Speaking for Spot, veterinary acupuncture, veterinary anesthesiologist, veterinary behaviorist, veterinary Chinese herbs, veterinary dentist, veterinary nutritionist, veterinary rehabilitation, veterinary specialists, veterinary sports medicine, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 6 Comments »
February 24th, 2013
At long last, it’s time to discuss the area of veterinary specialization most near and dear to my heart! As an internal medicine specialist I am clear that those of us who choose this career path are fascinated by the innermost workings of the body. From the lungs to the liver, the pancreas to the pituitary gland, internists become well versed in the nuances of every identifiable organ and gland within the body.
Internists tend to be superstars at performing a variety of nonsurgical diagnostic procedures. Endoscopy is a favorite and involves passing a long telescope device into a body orifice (bowel, nasal passageways, lungs, urinary tract) to have a look around and collect diagnostic samples. Those of you who have had your recommended colonoscopy procedure when you hit the half century mark know exactly what I’m talkin’ about!
When should your pet be evaluated by a board certified veterinary internist? I strongly encourage you to consider this when:
- In spite of diagnostic testing, the cause of your pet’s symptom(s)- vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, increased thirst, weight loss, abnormal urination, to name a few- cannot be determined.
- Your pet has been diagnosed with a disease with which your family veterinarian has limited experience. Far better that treatment be administered by someone who has done so hundreds if not thousands of times rather than only a few times (or never before).
- Your pet has swallowed something (a bone, a pair of underwear, your engagement ring) that is now lodged in his or her stomach. It’s possible that surgery can be avoided and the object retrieved via the internist’s endoscope.
- Your pet has a medical issue that isn’t getting any better or is getting worse in spite of therapy prescribed by your family vet.
- You simply want to be more certain about the advice you’ve received from your family veterinarian.
- The breed you fancy is predisposed to a particular medical malady. For example, many Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers develop gastrointestinal and/or kidney disease resulting in protein loss from the body. Dalmatians are prone to developing bladder stones. A visit early on with an internist will help determine your dog’s likely susceptibility and allow you to learn about preventive measures you can take at home.
- It has been recommended that your pet be evaluated by a neurologist, oncologist, or cardiologist but doing so would be geographically challenging- compared to internists, these specialists are considerably fewer and farther between. Chances are the local internist has become adept at providing the services normally offered by these “missing” specialists.
To find a board certified veterinary internist within your community or learn more about this specialty, visit the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Have you and your pet ever visited a veterinary internist? What was the reason and what was the outcome?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, board certified specialist, colonoscopy, Dalmatian, Dr. Nancy Kay, Nancy Kay DVM, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Speaking for Spot, specialist in veterinary internal medicine, veterinary endoscopy, veterinary internal medicine, veterinary internist, veterinary ultrasound, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 1 Comment »
February 17th, 2013
To the veterinary cardiologist, no organ is as important or revered as the ever-beating heart. My oh my how they adore those valves, those chambers, the great vessels, and the steady “lub dub” rhythm of the body’s all important pump.
During residency training, those wanting to become cardiac specialists practically live with stethoscopes in their ears. They run hundreds of electrocardiograms (EKG’s), interpret thousands of chest X-rays, perform gazillions of echocardiograms (cardiac ultrasound examinations), and become adept at implanting pacemakers, repairing cardiac birth defects, and treating patients with heart disease.
When should your pet be evaluated by a board certified veterinary cardiologist? I strongly encourage you to consider this when:
- Your pet is suspected of having a birth defect within the heart.
- Your family vet hears a heart murmur when ausculting your pet (listening to the chest with a stethoscope). The cardiologist will be able to determine the cause of the murmur as well as whether or not it is likely to impact your pet’s health.
- Your pet has a heart issue that your family vet has not been able to clearly diagnose.
- Your pet has been diagnosed with a type of heart disease with which your family veterinarian has limited experience. Far better that treatment be administered by someone who has done so hundreds if not thousands of times rather than only a few times (or never before).
- Your pet has a heart health issue that isn’t getting any better or is getting worse in spite of therapy prescribed by your family vet.
- You simply want to be more certain about the advice you’ve received from your family vet.
- The breed you fancy is predisposed to heart disease. For example, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels develop degenerative changes with the heart’s mitral valve (this valve separates the left ventricle from the left atrium). Maine Coon cats are prone to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease in which the heart muscle thickens and impairs normal function. Early screening of the heart (before symptoms arise) will establish a baseline for future comparison and help predict the likely clinical course.
To find a board certified veterinary cardiologist within your community or learn more about this specialty, visit the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and look for the subspecialty of cardiology. Veterinary cardiologists are a somewhat rare breed. If you cannot find one relatively close by, consultation with a specialist in internal medicine will be your next best bet.
Have you and your pet ever visited a veterinary cardiologist? What was the reason and what was the outcome?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, board certified specialist, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, colonoscopy, degenerative mitral valve disease, Dr. Nancy Kay, echocardiogram, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Maine Coon Cat, Nancy Kay DVM, Speaking for Spot, specialist in veterinary cardiology, veterinary cardiologist, veterinary cardiology, veterinary endoscopy, veterinary ultrasound, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 5 Comments »
February 10th, 2013
The chance to cut is the chance to cure. This is a classic line out of the mouths of veterinary surgeons who relish their time spent in the operating room, donned in surgical garb and cutting to the beat of their favorite music. Welcome to part five in a series of blog posts about veterinary specialists.
During their residency training programs, surgical specialists learn about surgery on every conceivable body part. They must feel comfortable whether fixing a broken bone, removing a lung lobe, or repairing a torn loop of intestine. Following residency training some surgeons go on to subspecialize (orthopedics, soft tissue, cancer surgery, joint replacements, organ transplantation), but most are willing and able to cut whatever comes their way. Surgeons tend to be the “go to docs” for difficult to diagnose lameness issues or gait abnormalities, whether or not surgery is needed to fix the problem.
When should your dog or cat be evaluated by a board certified veterinary surgeon? Here are some suggestions:
- A surgical procedure has been recommended for your pet and you would like a second opinion.
- Your pet is in need of a complicated or major surgical procedure. Consider working with a doc who performs this particular surgery multiple times a year rather than only once every few years. Additionally, when working with a surgical specialist, your pet will more likely have access to state of the art anesthetic monitoring along with post-operative round-the-clock attention and pain management.
- Your family vet has recommended surgical removal of a tumor. Surgical specialists tend to be far more aggressive when it comes to removing cancerous growths and this is exactly what you should want for your pet. Far better to remove the tumor in its entirety the first time around rather than subjecting your dog or cat to a second surgery when the biopsy report reveals “dirty margins”.
- Your pet has a lameness issue or gait abnormality that isn’t getting better or is getting worse despite multiple visits with your family vet.
- The breed you fancy is prone to orthopedic issues. For example, most large breed dogs are predisposed to hip dysplasia. A visit with a veterinary surgeon will allow you to preemptively learn more about this problem as well as any preventive measures you can take at home.
To find a board certified veterinary surgeon where you live or to learn more about this specialty, visit the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Has your pet ever been evaluated by a surgical specialist? What was the reason and what was the outcome?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: American College of Veterinary Surgeons, board certified specialist, cancer surgery, Dr. Nancy Kay, hip dysplasia, joint replacement, lameness in dogs, Nancy Kay DVM, second opinion, Speaking for Spot, specialist in veterinary surgery, veterinary surgeon, veterinary surgery, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 5 Comments »
February 3rd, 2013
Welcome back to the world of veterinary specialists. With this series of blog posts my ongoing primary goal is to help you determine when your pet might benefit from a visit with a specialist. Thusfar we’ve covered ophthalmology, dermatology, and neurology. Now up to bat is oncology with surgery on deck.
The job of the veterinary oncologist entails diagnosing, staging, grading, and treating cancer. Staging and grading occur once the diagnosis has been made and involve testing to determine just how advanced/aggressive the cancer is. This is based on the microscopic appearance of the tumor as well as documentation of all the places within the body that the cancer has already managed to set up housekeeping. Perhaps the most important part of an oncologist’s job description is counseling their clients to help them make good choices on behalf of their four-legged family members.
When should your pet be evaluated by a board certified veterinary oncologist? Here are my recommendations:
- Your pet has a mass/growth that your family veterinarian believes may be cancerous. It may have been discovered during a physical examination (palpated externally or internally) or with an imaging study such as an X-ray or ultrasound.
- Your pet has a mass/growth that has been determined to be cancerous. In this situation I encourage you to view a consultation with an oncologist to be an information gathering endeavor- part of due diligence as your pet’s medical advocate. In no way will such a consultation obligate you to proceed forward with therapy.
- A mass/growth that your family vet treated in some fashion has recurred.
- The biopsy report (microscopic description) for a mass/growth that your family vet surgically removed indicates that some cancer cells were inadvertently left behind.
- You simply want a second opinion so as to be more certain about advice you’ve received from your family veterinarian.
To find a board certified veterinary oncologist in your neck of the woods or learn more about this specialty, visit the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Oncology is a subspecialty within this organization. If there is not a board certified oncologist practicing within your community, the next best choice will be a specialist in internal medicine. Because there are relatively few oncologists to go around, by default, most internists have vast experience diagnosing and treating cancer.
Have you and your pet ever visited a veterinary oncologist? What was the reason and what was the outcome?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, board certified specialist, cancer in pets, Dr. Nancy Kay, Nancy Kay DVM, second opinion, Speaking for Spot, specialist in veterinary oncology, staging cancer, veterinary oncologist, veterinary oncology, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 5 Comments »
January 27th, 2013
Welcome to part three in a series of articles intended to help you determine when your pet might benefit from a visit with a veterinary specialist. Last week we covered veterinary dermatology. This week’s focus is on the specialty of neurology.
Just as is true with other specialists, veterinary neurologists spend a minimum of three years completing internship and residency training following veterinary school. During this time they master the nuances of a plethora of neurological diseases, from brain tumors and epilepsy to meningitis and intervertebral disk disease (slipped disk). Not only are they adept at treating their patients medically, they are also gifted surgeons performing the most delicate sorts of surgeries required when working in and around the brain and spinal cord.
The physical exam performed by a neurologist is quite different than what you are likely used to seeing. You will observe gentle probing of the nostrils, ears, eyes, and throat. There will be flexion and extension of every joint, tapping of the knees and elbows with a reflex hammer, stretching of the neck into a variety of yoga-like poses, two legged hopping exercises, and inspection of the patient when rolled upside down. All of these observations help the neurologist “localize the lesion” (figure out which part of the nervous system is malfunctioning).
When should your pet be evaluated by a board certified veterinary neurologist? Here are some suggestions:
- Your pet has a neurological disorder that is not getting better or is getting worse despite multiple visits with your family veterinarian.
- Your pet has a gait abnormality the cause of which cannot be clearly determined.
- Your pet has partial or complete disuse of one or more legs.
- Your pet has seizures that are not well controlled with medication.
- Your pet has an unexplained change in behavior.
- Your pet is experiencing pain the source of of which cannot be identified.
- Your pet has been diagnosed with a neurological disorder, particularly one with which your family veterinarian has limited experience.
- You simply want to be more certain about the advice you’ve received from your family veterinarian.
- The breed you fancy is prone to neurological disease. For example, Great Danes and Doberman Pinchers are predisposed to cervical spondylomyelopathy (abnormal alignment of bones within the neck that can result in pinching of the spinal cord) and Dachshunds are notorious for developing intervertebral disk disease (slipped disk). A visit with a veterinary neurologist will allow you to preemptively learn more about the disorder as well as any preventative measures you might be able to take at home.
To find a board certified veterinary neurologist in your community or learn more about this specialty, visit the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Neurology is a subspecialty within this organization. Be forewarned, there simply aren’t enough veterinary neurologists to go around. If there are none practicing in your neck of the woods, I encourage you to seek help from an internal medicine specialist for neurological issues that can be treated medically. For neurological issues requiring surgical management, the best substitute for a neurologist is a veterinarian who specializes in surgery.
Have you and your pet ever visited a veterinary neurologist? What was the reason and what was the outcome?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, board certified specialist, brain tumor, cervical spondylomyelopathy, Dachshund, Doberman Pinscher, Dr. Nancy Kay, epilepsy, Great Dane, intervertebral disk disease, meningitis, Nancy Kay DVM, neurological examination, physical exam, Speaking for Spot, specialist in veterinary neurology, veterinary neurologist, veterinary neurology, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 8 Comments »
January 20th, 2013
This is the second in a series of blog posts intended to help you determine when your four-legged family member might benefit from a visit with a veterinary specialist. Last week we visited the world of veterinary ophthalmology. This week, the focus is dermatology.
Veterinarians who specialize in dermatology devote their professional lives to diseases of the skin and ears. Itchy, scaly, bald, and greasy are just a few of their favorite adjectives. When should your pet be evaluated by a board certified veterinary dermatologist? I strongly encourage you to consider this when:
- Your pet’s skin disease is not getting better or is getting worse despite multiple visits with your family veterinarian.
- Your pet has chronic or recurrent ear infections. The external ear canals are simply an extension of the skin. So it makes sense that veterinarians who specialize in skin disease are also experts at diagnosing and treating ear disease.
- You want to determine what your pet is allergic to with hopes of desensitization therapy and/or elimination of the offending environmental allergens (dust mites, pollens, molds, etc.). The most accurate way to do this is via skin testing, a technique performed by veterinary dermatologists. While simpler to perform, blood testing to detect allergen sensitivities produces far less reliable results. During the skin testing process, very small amounts of allergens are injected within the superficial layers of the skin to determine which ones induce a significant reaction. This procedure is pain-free, but sedation may be needed for patients who are wiggly or impatient.
- Your pet has been diagnosed with an unusual type of skin disease, particularly one with which your family veterinarian has limited experience. By the way, it’s perfectly okay to ask your family vet how many cases he or she has treated in the past.
- Your pet has a chronic condition such as allergic dermatitis or pyoderma (skin infection). The specialist will be aware of cutting edge therapies for such diseases.
- You simply want to be more certain about the advice you’ve received from your family veterinarian.
- You are unhappy with the side effects of medication prescribed for your dog’s skin disease. For example, cortisone (prednisone) is often used to treat itchy skin. Common side effects of this medication in dogs include muscle weakness and increased thirst, urination, appetite, and panting.
To find a board certified veterinary dermatologist in your community or learn more about this specialty, visit the American College of Veterinary Dermatology.
Have you and your pet ever visited a veterinary dermatologist? What was the reason and what was the outcome?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: allergic dermatitis, allergic skin disease, American College of Veterinary Dermatology, board certified specialist, cortisone, Dr. Nancy Kay, ear disease, Nancy Kay DVM, Prednisone, pyoderma, skin testing, Speaking for Spot, specialist in veterinary dermatology, veterinary dermatologist, veterinary dermatology, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 7 Comments »
January 13th, 2013
Photo credit: Kathie Meier
This is the first in a series of blog posts that I hope will help you determine when your four-legged family member might benefit from a visit with a veterinary specialist. Be reminded, veterinarians cannot refer to themselves as a “specialist” without some major credentials under their belts.
Let’s begin with ophthalmology. Veterinarians who specialize in ophthalmology have truly paid their dues in terms of time spent learning about animal eyeballs! All that effort is certainly rewarded. Every workday they get to use super cool equipment and perform highly technical surgical procedures. Animals needing cataract surgery or treatment for glaucoma or retinal detachments are no problem for these specialists!
When should your pet be evaluated by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist? I strongly encourage you to consider this when:
- Eye surgery has been recommended for your pet. Why not get a second opinion from someone who performs no surgery other than eye surgery, and has probably performed what has been recommended for your pet gazillions of times?
- Your pet has an eye issue that isn’t getting any better or is getting worse in spite of therapy prescribed by your family veterinarian.
- You simply want to be more certain about the advice you’ve received from your family veterinarian.
- Your pet has sustained a significant eye injury.
- Your pet is losing vision or has abruptly become blind.
- Your pet has a chronic condition such as glaucoma (increased pressure within the eye) or dry eye (decreased tear production). The specialist will be aware of cutting edge technologies for treatment of such diseases.
- Your pet has diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes). Dogs and cats with diabetes are prone to cataract formation (the normally translucent lenses within the eyes become opaque). Additionally, diabetic animals can develop uveitis (inflammation within the eye) that is difficult to detect without specialized equipment. The ophthalmologist can determine if your pet has uveitis and will outline an appropriate treatment plan. Additionally, the specialist can help determine if cataract surgery makes sense for your pet.
- Your pet’s breed is prone to a particular type of eye disease. For example, Bassett Hounds are predisposed to glaucoma. Consider a visit to the ophthalmologist to establish a baseline examination and determine how frequently your precious poopsie should be evaluated in the future.
- You are a breeder and the breed you fancy happens to be predisposed to an inherited form of eye disease. Be sure that every eyeball of every potential dam and sire is screened by a veterinary ophthalmologist prior to breeding.
To find a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist in your community or learn more about this specialty, visit the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Have you ever visited a veterinary ophthalmologist with your pet? What was the reason and what was the outcome?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, board certified specialist, cataracts, detached retinal, diabetes mellitus, Dr. Nancy Kay, dry eye, glaucoma, Nancy Kay DVM, second opinion, Speaking for Spot, specialist in veterinary ophthalmologist, uveitis, veterinary ophthalmologist, veterinary ophthalmology, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Specialists | 7 Comments »
January 6th, 2013
Fannie (in foreground) and Easy
My dear friend Juli is a seasoned veterinary technician. So when her own 16-year-old Cattle Dog named Easy developed bleeding into his belly because of a cancerous growth, Juli had a clear sense about the prognosis. Surgical removal of the tumor would likely buy some good quality time, three to six months on average before the cancer recurred. Post-surgical chemotherapy might expand that time frame just a little bit.
After some serious soul searching and “conversation” with her beloved dog, Juli opted for surgery without chemotherapy. Easy experienced a smooth, uncomplicated recovery. Within just a couple of weeks of surgery he was back to his normal routine of gentle walks, relaxing with Fannie (his little sister), good food, and enjoyment of an excellent quality of life. Every few months thereafter, Juli asked me to ultrasound Easy’s abdomen in order to detect recurrence of his cancer. Over and over again we were pleasantly surprised to nothing out of the ordinary. At the very generous age of 19, Easy succumbed to issues completely unrelated to the malignancy that had been diagnosed three years prior.
How is it possible that Easy’s cancer never recurred when statistics tell us that surgery should not have been curative? The answer is simple- not every patient reads the textbook! For every possible disease, there will always be “outliers”- those patients who fare far better (or far worse) than research statistics predict. Such “surprises” are part and parcel with the treatment of disease, whether treating dogs, cats, humans, or any other species.
Is there a way to predict who these outliers will be? Don’t I wish! With such a crystal ball I could alleviate so much angst for my clients as they wrestle to make good decisions for the animals they love so dearly. For a small percentage of my clients, medical decision making is relatively easy. They may be “numbers people” who base their decision solely on statistical predictions. They deem the outlier population to be too too small to be statistically significant. And then there are those clients whose decisions are made easier because they have absolute faith that their best buddy will be that outlier. No question, but they will opt to carry on.
Most of my clients struggle a great deal when there is uncertainty about the outcome. They know the prognosis is bleak, but not hopeless. Maybe their pet will be the one who defies the odds. When counseling these clients, in addition to engaging in some serious nose-to-nose “discussion” with their four-legged family member, I recommend that they play out all options to both their best and worst possible outcomes. I advise them to then consider which option provides the outcomes that will likely provide them with the greatest long term peace of mind. Juli did exactly this with Easy. She knew that attempting surgery, no matter the outcome, would provide her with the greatest peace of mind.
No one ever said this role of medical advocate was going to be easy!
Have you been in the position of making a difficult medical decision for your pet? Have you ever cared for a patient who didn’t read the textbook?
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
Tags: chemotherapy, defying the odds, Dr. Nancy Kay, hemangiosarcoma, mass removal, medical decision making, Nancy Kay DVM, outliers, patients who don’t read the textbook, prognosis, Speaking for Spot, Your Dog's Best Health
Posted in Canine Diseases, Canine family members, Client expectations, Medicine Decision Making, Speaking for Spot, Veterinary Diagnostic Procedures, Veterinary Specialists, Your Dog's Best Health | 10 Comments »
