‘Twas the Week Before Christmas

 ‘Twas the week  before Christmas,

When all through the clinic,

The staff  were a-flutter,

Planning their Christmas picnic.

With salads and appetizers and goodies galore,

They ate and they drank until they said “Please, no more”.

While  felines, Phoebe and Carter observed from closeby,

And Myrtle & Shelley  watched, with turtle-y eyes,

Diane and Chantelle, Lori, Karen & Karin,

Looked after  Fluffy with kindness in their eyes.

With surgical packs to prepare and laundry piled high,

With all sorts of pets needing comfort and food,

Lori & Joanne toiled all the day through

And were at last able to breathe a very hearty sigh.

As Dr.’s Wendy and Helen and Brigitte and Vanessa

Met to discuss the patients that day,

They determined that everyone was good to go home

And shouted a joyful “Hooray”!

Feverishly fielding calls at the front desk,

Were Patty, Vicki, Lori, Lori & Laurie,

Greeting folks with a smile, multi-tasking all the while,

They greeted each pet with its own computer  file.

Kennel students Sabrina and Meredith  and Claudia and Hunter,

Worked hard to keep the place neat,

With nary a snarl or a “Bah, Humbug”,

They mopped and polished and cleaned.

Last but not least, was our manager Sandra,

Overseeing all with her practiced eye,

She missed not a thing, nor declined to sing

Whenever an audience was nearby.

As we all gathered ‘round

And shared a few tales, about all of the pets that we knew,

We realized our bounty, just how lucky we were,

To work with such a dedicated and compassionate crew.

Merry Christmas everyone, our very Best Wishes for a Happy & Healthy New Year

WHERE IS CARTER’S WAISTLINE?

Where indeed!

Strange, isn’t it, how so many waistlines fade away with age?  Whether it is because of inactivity, over-eating, over-indulging or a combination of all three, waistlines just seem to gradually disappear until they are only a vague memory of days gone by.

Many of you have met our clinic cat Carter, a superb specimen of feline handsomeness.  Carter is a domestic short hair (DSH in veterinary jargon), orange & white tabby who graces our counter on a daily basis casting his condescension on all those who do not  meet with his approval (especially large dogs).

Carter, to put it mildly, loves to eat and snack.  He has even broken into bags of food set aside for clients to pick up for their hungry pets.  He’s not terribly picky about which bags he breaks into – after all, food always tastes better when it is obtained on the sly. 

Unfortunately, with all this snacking when no one is looking, treats  lovingly given by staff members and his regular meals, not to mention hours and hours spent sleeping, Carter has gone from slender to chunky.  We can no longer pass him off as fluffy, husky, big-boned or short for his weight.

With his weight teetering on the wrong side of 6.5 kilograms, we must take steps to ensure that Carter returns to his usual svelte self.  We want to be sure that Carter’s joints are not dealing with unnecessary weight, that he does not become diabetic and that his heart does not have to work harder than it is already working. 

How are we doing this?  Firstly, Carter & Phoebe (see the blog titled Phoebe’s Tale) are now fed in their kennels so that there is no clearing out of one another’s dishes.

Secondly, treats are strictly rationed to 4 per day.  That doesn’t mean 4 treats in reception, 4 treats in the manager’s office and 4 treats in the treatment room.  Oh no, 4 treats per day – that’s it.  Thirdly, he is fed a carefully measured combination of dry food  (18.5 grams Royal Canin Satiety) as well as canned  food (1/2can Royal Canin Calorie Control) given to him twice daily that will ensure that he feels full after eating, but which at the same time, supplies him with all the nutrition, calories and energy that he needs to get through the day (and night) while at the same time losing those stubborn grams.

Carter currently weighs in at 6.6 kilograms, that’s down from 6.8kg.  His target weight is in the 5.8kg. to 6kg. range.   Stay tuned to see our progress in returning Carter to a lean, mean purring machine. 

The “Wild Side” of Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Barred Owl - Actual Patient 

For as long as I can remember the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic has provided the community service of helping injured and orphaned wildlife at no cost. I started working at this clinic over 30 years ago and the wildlife assistance we provided was minimal. Over the years this service has expanded greatly and for the last several years we have seen approximately 250 cases a year! The work we provide is at no charge to the person who finds the wild life; we do however accept donations for their care.

In 1997 the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Natural Resources, issued the Wildlife Custodian Act. This act was implemented to protect and regulate the care of injured and orphaned wildlife. The clinic felt we should continue providing this service and have continued to apply yearly for our Wildlife Custodian Authorization. Our authorization is limited to birds and small mammals; we are not permitted to accept rabies vectors such as raccoons, skunks, bats or foxes.

Every animal that is brought to us is documented in three ways

1. Wildlife admit sheet which requires the person’s name that brought the animal in as well as any pertinent information. This information also includes the address where the animal is found so that releasable animals can be released in the vicinity they were found.

2. A case sheet that outlines each individual’s specific care and recommended diagnostics, feeding and medications. Animals that stay at the clinic for any period of time are examined by the attending veterinarian, weighed daily, medicated as needed, fed the diet specific to their needs-we have had to go shopping many times for smelt or fresh fish etc. depending on the creature we have at the clinic. Each carrier is cleaned daily or many times daily if necessary. Most of the wildlife we see also requires day long heat lamps to keep them warm and to encourage eating.

3. A log book provided by the Ministry to document every animal that is admitted and the end result of their care i.e. released, transferred to long term care facility or euthanasia. All wildlife brought to us is examined by a veterinarian. The veterinarian will determine the next step for each individual whether that is re-release, x-rays, pain management etc. Unfortunately in many cases the animal is so severely injured or compromised that the veterinarian determines humane euthanasia as that animal’s outcome. The wildlife act clearly states that –“the wildlife custodian shall only provide rehabilitation or care to a specimen of authorized wildlife that has a reasonable chance of surviving in the wild following its rehabilitation or care.” This does cause some concern from the public as many “Good Samaritans” bond very quickly with the wildlife they find and are upset if they must be euthanized.

In the “old days” we did the best we could with staff volunteers taking the orphaned creature’s home or euthanizing the ones that unfortunately could not be released. At one point not that long ago we had 19 orphaned squirrels in our care. Fun, but a lot of work. Work, that became too much for the staff to do on top of our other demanding veterinary duties. We are fortunate to have in this area several great long term rehabilitation facilities. We now work most closely with Shapes of Hope in Pefferlaw and Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in the Napanee area. If the veterinarian determines that the animal is ready to go to a long term center we make arrangements for transport. For this we rely on “angels” or volunteer drivers. There is also an excellent website – www.ontariowildliferescue.ca that can help direct people for specific species.

At the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic we are very proud to provide wildlife rehabilitation services; we are one of the only veterinary clinics in this region to do so. It is a very interesting part of what we do day to day. Yes it costs a lot in time and expenses but it is something we feel is essential for the “wild” creatures that come through our doors.

Diane, Registered Veterinary Technician 

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Human Food... To Feed or Not to Feed

Let's face it. We all know that ideally dogs and cats should stick to their nutritionally-balanced diets. However, when your little (or not-so-little) furry friend starts batting its eyes at you, its tempting to sneak them a treat from time to time. But do you know what human foods are safe and not-so-safe for your pet?

There are many reasons that human foods can be dangerous to your pet. Some can cause intestinal blockages. Some are toxic to cats or dogs. Certain others can cause extreme gastro-intestinal upset. Its important to know what foods to avoid when picking out a snack for your furry family member.

UNSAFE FOODS FOR DOGS AND CATS:

• Grapes or raisins
• Garlic, chinese chive or anything from the garlic family
• Macadamia nuts
• Chewing gum with Xylitol
• Onions
• Bones of any type
• Raw bread dough of any type
• Peaches with the pit or any stone fruit
• Chocolate
• Avocados
• Moldy cheese or nuts
• Alcohol
• Coffee
• Tea
• Corn cobs

But there are several types of human foods that can be a fun addition to your pet's diet, if kept in moderation. Remember, treats should not make up more than 10% of your pet's daily intake. The treats listed below are safe, low-calorie treat options for your pet.

SAFE FOODS:

• Carrots
• Rice cake
• Apple slices
• Dry toast
• Cucumber slices
• Peanut butter (small amount)

What it Means to be a Cat Friendly Practice

We love all animals from big to small but did you know that Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic is a certified "Cat Friendly Practice"?

I think we all recognize that many cats can find car rides and veterinary visits somewhat stressful and difficult. But the good news is that Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic has been certified through the American Association of Feline Practitioners to be a Cat Friendly Practice. Check out the AAFP website to see what this means to your cat and you! What the AAFP has done is help certified practices to reduce the stress associated with the veterinary visit, along with increasing the quality of care provided to your cat.

When designated as "Cat Friendly", selected veterinary practices have proven they have taken specific extra steps to assure they understand a cat's unique needs, and have implemented feline friendly standards. The Cat Friendly Practice certificate on our wall was earned. We had to meet a comprehensive check list of performance criteria to verify that staff members are especially qualified and dedicated to making every visit as pleasant as possible for you and your cat.

One of the goals of the program is to create a more calming environment. At Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic, we have instigated a "Cat Room" where your cat can relax. This room has a special diffuser in it that allows a "Happy Hormone" for cats to spread through the room. This hormone is produced by mother cats when nursing their kittens, and has been scientifically proven to have a calming, happy effect on nervous cats as well. We have noticed quite a difference in our feline patients since we started with this diffuser. Many of the nervous cats that come into the Cat Room, are soon rolling around and wanting to play with the toys we offer to them, and are much more relaxed about being examined.

Our staff members have also been trained in how to approach and handle cats in a gentle, empathetic and caring manner. At Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic, when you see the Cat Friendly Practice certificate on our wall, you can be confident that your cat will be given exceptional care and attention through all phases of the visit including examinations, procedures and hospitalization. Furthermore, the Cat Friendly Practice distinction shows that we have demonstrated a high level of commitment to excellence in feline medicine. Something which we know our feline friends deserve!

Wendy Korver, DVM
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Puppy Socialization

What is Socialization and Why is it Important?

Puppies (and many young creatures) have a special period in their life where they are open to new experiences. This allows them to become used to new things in their environment - things that they will be living with for the rest of their lives. It allows puppy to be part of society - and for puppies, this means being comfortable around the many elements of human life.

A puppy's development is broken into many periods. The first period, canine socialization, allows a puppy to learn normal dog behaviour from its mother and litter mates, including normal canine play, communication and bite inhibition. This period takes place from 3-7 weeks of age.

The second period is human socialization. During this period a puppy's learning is most rapid. It is open to new things and very receptive to teaching. Experiences during this phase will greatly shape how a puppy acts for the rest of its life. This period occurs at 7-12 weeks of age. However, this period also overlaps with a puppy's fear period, where fearful situations have a great (and lasting) impact. Therefore it is important that a puppy's experiences stay happy and positive, to prevent a fearful exposure.

After, the puppy goes through a senior classification period, where it will be tempted to push the limits of its previous training. It may not want to come when called, and it may "forget" what it has already learned. The puppy is challenging you (the pack leader) as a way of resolving the question of leadership - who is in control here?

Thus, the key socialization period for puppies is before 12 weeks of age. But it is important to remember those fear periods. Thus:

socialization = new stimuli + POSITIVE experience

Studies have shown that dogs socialized early and frequently are more attracted to humans and show less fearful behaviours. The most common cause of fear and aggression is lack of socialization - a puppy does not have to be mistreated to become afraid of people or new experiences. Furthermore, young dogs with behavioural problems are more likely to be surrendered to shelters or euthanized than their well-adjusted counterparts.

How Does Socialization Occur?

As when introducing anything new, start slowly. Create a list of things you'd like to socialize your dog to (the internet can be a handy source for such lists). Your list could include:

• other animals (cats, dogs, horses, birds)
• new people (men, women, children)
• scary sounds (thunder, fireworks, vacuum cleaners, sirens)
• objects (wheelchairs, baby strollers, cars)
• environments (city street, suburban neighbourhood, parking lots)
• objects (brooms, balloons, garbage cans)

It is important to remember that dogs perceive things differently than we do - a man with a beard looks very different than one without, and a person wearing a helmet might not be perceived to be a human at all! Also remember that exposure to the same dog fifty times is very different than exposure to fifty dogs once.

Start exposing your dog to new things one at a time, and if possible, in a controlled environment. Gauge your puppy's response - is it fearful, freezing, barking, struggling to get away, or is it calm and relaxed, exploring the object? Treats can be an excellent way of associating a scary thing with a positive experience, but ideally a puppy should be comfortable around a stimuli without the help of food. If your puppy responds fearfully to an object, it will have to be re-exposed (likely with more treats). Keep working on exposure, and remember that it is ok to loose the fight if it means winning the war. For example, if you are trimming nails, its ok to stop after three if it means that the next time you trim nails things will be easier, and the puppy will be more comfortable with the experience.

Further Resources

Because puppy socialization is recognized to be so important, there are many resources available to help puppy owners.

Dr. Sophia Yin (drsophiayin.com): an excellent webpage on all things behaviour-related, created by a well-renowned veterinary behaviouralist. It even has a downloadable socialization check-list. Also check out the poster depicting fearful canine body-language - a good guide when gauging your dog's response to new stimuli.

http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/free-downloads-from-drsophiayin

Puppy Happy Hour: Many places offer puppy socialization classes - a great opportunity to expose your puppy to new thing in a safe environment. At Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic we offer a complimentary socialization session to our patients. The purpose of these sessions are to expose puppies to new dogs, new stimuli in a safe (and fun) environment. For more information or to register for one of these sessions, visit our webpage: http://bowmanvilleveterinaryclinic.com/newpage101.pml.

Heat stroke in Pets

Now that the warm weather is finally up on us after a long hard winter, we here at the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic are seeing many people enjoying the outdoors with their dogs.  Outdoor cats, and even some rabbits and pocket pets are also enjoying the sunshine and spending increased time outside.  However with this warmer weather there are hazards that we as pet owners and veterinarians need to be aware of. 

 One of the dangers that comes with this hot weather is heat stroke.  Heat stroke is the elevation in body temperature due to environmental conditions.  A dog’s normal body temperature ranges from 37.5-39.0 C.  Temperatures greater than 41 C eventually lead to organ failure and ultimately death. The most common cause of heat stroke is being left in a car in warm weather, but it can also result from being left outside in the heat with no access to shade and water, or when exercised in hot and humid conditions. It can take less than 5 minutes in a car in the heat of summer to result in heat stroke.  Even on a cooler day the inside of the car can heat up considerably compared to outside temperatures and no animal should be left in the car.

If you have birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas or other small mammals and you place them outside in their enclosure please ensure they have access to shade and water at all time.  It does not take long for these animals to get overheated.

There are some factors that can predispose an animal to heat stroke.  Some of these include age and respiratory conditions.  Brachycephalic breeds (short nosed dogs) such as Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston terriers are more susceptible to heat stroke due to their anatomy . 

Heat stroke also called hyperthermia requires immediate treatment otherwise it will lead to death. It is important to recognize the signs.  Initially your pet will pant, become restless and then appear distressed.  Often animals are wobbly or disoriented and start to drool excessively.  Eventually the animal’s gum color will change to dark red or purple due to lack of oxygen.

A pet suffering from hyperthermia needs to be removed from the environment immediately and veterinary care needs to be sought.  Move your pet to a cool area and if a fan is available direct this at the animal.  Try to get a rectal temperature and record it.  Place cool wet towels on the animal for evaporative cooling.  Areas that will lead to maximum cooling include the groin, armpits, and the back of the neck.  This can be done while moving the animal to a veterinary facility.

It is extremely important NOT to use ice or cold water to cool the animal.  Cool tap water is recommended.   Do not try to force your pet to take any water, however if your pet is

alert enough to have drink on his/her own that is fine

Severe hyperthermia can lead to multi organ failure and it is important to get your pet to a veterinary facility to be assessed.  Often animals will need intravenous fluids for shock, oxygen therapy and more intensive care depending on the severity of the heat stroke.

Heat stroke is preventable.  Please do not leave your animals in the car even for a few minutes, ensure they have access to shade when outside and on those really hot/humid days plan your walks very early in the morning or late in the evening.  Enjoy the warm weather with your pet, especially after this cold winter we have had, but please be safe.

Brigitte Rudolf, DVM

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Pet Food Nutrition: Food Allergies & Food Intolerances

Itch, itch, scratch, scratch. Does your dog lick at his paws, rub his belly on the floor or have chronic

ear infections? Many people assume that dogs and cats with itchy skin have an allergy to ingredients in their food – but actually food allergies in pets are less common than environmental allergies to pollens, molds or dust mites. It can be tricky to differentiate environmental allergies (termed atopic dermatitis) from food allergies, but sometimes atopic dermatitis can present as skin conditions that occur seasonally, while food-allergies are more typically year-round (although not all animals follow these patterns).

Some cats and dogs present with diarrhea that resolves with a change in diet. In these cases, it is more likely that the animal is responding to differences in fat, fibre and digestibility of the food, rather than to a specific ingredient. In fact, “adverse food reactions” can be divided into two categories: food allergies and food intolerance.

• Food allergy involves an immune-response to specific proteins in the food. Signs can include gastrointestinal signs (vomiting, diarrhea) or – more commonly – skin problems (itching, redness, infections). 
• Food intolerances do not involve the immune system, and can contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms or – less commonly – skin issues. An example of food-intolerance includes lactose-intolerances, which rarely occurs in dogs and cats, but is common in humans.

How can we diagnose food allergies? 

A strict elimination diet is a good way to reliably diagnose a food allergy or intolerance. The new diet needs to be fed exclusively for 6-10 weeks (with no additional treats, table scraps, rawhides or dental chews), then the animal can be re-challenged with the original diet.

Choosing an elimination diet can be difficult. Exotic ingredients such as lamb, duck and venison are not always good, especially if a dog has been exposed to these ingredients in the past. Unfortunately many pet foods are introducing new and exciting ingredients that sound healthy, which actually complicate matters when trying to rule-out food allergies. 

Finding novel ingredients requires a thorough diet history – including all pet foods, treats, table-scraps, etc. It is important to find novel meat and carbohydrate sources, as carbohydrates can contain allergens as well. A proper elimination diet should contain one protein and one carbohydrate source, plus all the vitamins and minerals required to make the diet complete and balanced.

An alternative option to novel ingredient diets is a hydrolized diet. These diets contain proteins that have been chemically or enzymatically hydrolyzed to reduce them to a smaller size that is less likely to trigger an allergic reaction.

Many over-the-counter pet foods boast the benefits of their novel protein diets meant for food allergies. However, in many cases these diets still contain more than one protein and carbohydrate source, either intentionally or through unintentional contamination from other food lines made in the same manufacturing plant. A true hypoallergenic diet should be created in a facility with strict cleaning protocols, and should always be the first diet manufactured to decrease the risk of contamination. Furthermore, hydrolized diets are not available in over-the-counter recipes. It is possible to use over-the-counter diets as a management diet once a food-allergy is diagnosed, but should not be used during the strict elimination diet period to diagnose a food allergy.

What about grain-free or gluten-free diets?

While there has been a lot of marketing talk lately regarding a movement to grain-free options for dogs and cats, in reality grains are less common causes of allergies than animal products. The most commonly reported food allergies in dogs are beef, dairy, wheat, chicken and egg; in cats beef, dairy and fish are more common culprits. See our next blog in the nutrition series for more about grain-free diets.

In humans there are medical conditions (e.g. celiac disease) that cause people to be sensitive to gluten, a protein portion of some plants. It is currently a popular trend towards pet-foods labelled as gluten-free. However, gluten-sensitivity has only been reported in a small, related family of Irish Setters, and never in cats. There is no evidence to support that gluten-free diets have any health benefit in the majority of dogs and cats.

While food allergies do occur in dogs and cats, environmental allergies and food intolerances are more commonly the causes of skin and gastrointestinal problems. If you are concerned about the possibility of food allergies for your pet, you need to consider a proper food-allergy diet trial done under the supervision of your veterinarian.

Vanessa Tonn, DVM

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Pet Food Nutrition: Feeding Large Breed Puppies

So you’ve brought home a new puppy. With this comes so much fun: settling your puppy into the house, picking a name and starting training. But don’t forget your food! Puppies have very specific growth requirements, especially large or giant breed puppies.

Large breed dogs are predisposed to orthopaedic problems, including hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis. While we can’t alter a puppy’s genetics that make it more prone to orthopaedic conditions, we can provide appropriate nutrition to reduce their severity.

Containing Calories:

Puppies fed excess calories will convert calories into faster growth before fat. This rapid-growth can be unsafe for puppies. Research shows that restricting calories in puppies is very important to reduce the risk of hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis. If the diet is nutritionally balanced, the puppy’s adult size will not be affected.

Keep in mind that recommended feeding instructions on pet food labels are guidelines only – your puppy needs to be fed just enough to keep him or her at an ideal puppy body condition. Puppies also go through growth spurts, so the amount your feed your puppy needs to be constantly adjusted to account for these. It is recommended that puppies be fed 2-3 times per day, and the amount of food should be measured at each meal. Treats should make up less than 10% of a puppy’s total caloric intake.

Containing Calcium:

While calcium is important for proper bone development, excessive calcium can also lead to abnormal bone and joint growth. Puppies cannot regulate their calcium absorption, so whatever is in the food is readily absorbed by the puppy’s gastrointestinal system. Good-quality diets need to be regulated in their calcium levels – to prevent both deficiency and excessive values.

Balancing the Diets:

Some diets are formulated for intermittent or supplemental feeding only – they do not contain balanced nutritional levels or have not been subjected to growth trials to determine if they are appropriate for growing puppies. Unfortunately home-cooked and raw-food diets also fall into this category. Unless formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist or PhD animal nutritionist, nearly all home-cooked diets are deficient in essential nutrients (especially ones for growth). Even supplementing these diets with balancers or supplements are often not enough as these supplements are based on adult dog needs, and are not specific for growing puppies. Pet owners should wait until their puppy has reached at least a year of age (small to large breed dogs) to 18 months (giant breeds) before considering an alternative diet.

Even if your puppy is not a large breed, it is still important to keep your puppy lean to avoid future health concerns. Once your puppy has reached skeletal maturity (12-18 months of age, depending on breed), continue to monitor weight closely. Keeping your dog slim has proven health benefits, including increased longevity, reduced pain from arthritis and reduced risk for serious health problems. 

Vanessa Tonn, DVM
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

My How Things Have Changed!

Many, many, years ago, dogs and cats were important members of the family (just as they are today), but not many owners gave much thought to their diet and health beyond the basics, like rabies vaccines.  Visits to the veterinarian were few and far between.

When I was growing up we had a spaniel cross named Butch (back then you could call dogs Butch and nobody blinked an eye), who loved playing hide-and-seek in the tall grass and going for long walks with my brothers.  As was common back then, Butch was un-neutered (or intact as veterinarians like to say).  This was no big deal, until our family moved from a lot on the edge of town to a subdivision in another town.  Butch liked to go “looking for the ladies”, and, as a result, was picked up quite often by the dog-catcher.  So often in fact, that said dog-catcher finally stopped putting Butch in the back with the other dogs and let him ride up front with him AND delivered him home to my mother.  No doubt he felt some sympathy for my mother who, at home with four kids and a husband often away on business, had other things to do besides making frequent trips to the pound to pick up our dog.

We know so much more these days about the benefits of neutering/spaying.  In addition  to the decreased risk of testicular cancer, uterine infections (pyometra) and mammary cancer, neutering/spaying helps to prevent roaming, aggression and unwanted pregnancies.

Butch also had the odd ear infection.  Back then, Butch would come home from the veterinary clinic with a cardboard box on his head.  Thank goodness we now have new and improved methods of preventing self-injury with plastic collars designed like cones.  They work AND they are inexpensive.

We are discovering more about the connection between food allergies and ear infections, and ear medications have come a long way from 50 years ago.

Pet diets have improved greatly over the years. It used to be that your pet’s food was purchased at the grocery store – a kind of “one size fits all”.   We now have specially formulated diets for urinary, liver, and kidney issues as well as diets to help with dental health, obesity, cognitive function and even diets for pets with no issues at all but who need a high quality, maintenance diet.

Fleas!  My, how things have changed!  Do you remember flea powder?  Ugh! I clearly remember petting family pets who had been liberally dosed with the vile stuff.  If I was repulsed by the smell and powdery texture, you should have seen the expressions on their faces. With oral and topical flea/heartworm medications, our pets are so much happier and healthier these days.  No fleas or flea infestations in the house, fewer intestinal parasites and protection from heartworm – all in one convenient medication.

Back in the day, our dogs frequently received bones from the butcher at the grocery store.  We didn’t worry about fractured teeth or intestinal blockages.  They were dogs after all.

Our dog, Mukluk, (brought home as a husky puppy by my father who was working in the Arctic at the time) was perturbed one day because my mother had neglected to “bring home the bones”.  No worries – Mukluk simply walked up the road to the grocery store, right through the doors and followed her nose to the meat counter, sat down and waited.

Eventually, the butcher gave her one, and with bone firmly clasped in her jaws, Mukluk trotted out of the store and back down the road to home.

These days, we know more about the benefits of healthy teeth and gums (like how a healthy mouth can extend the life of your pet) and an intestinal system free of foreign bodies and obstructions.

So, you can see how things have changed. What hasn’t changed, however, is the significant role our pets play in our lives. They live forever in our hearts and in the family stories we like to tell over, and over, and over. 

Patty, Receptionist 

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic 

Pet Food Nutrition: Raw Food Diets

Do you feed your dog or cat a raw meat diet? Have you heard talk at the dog park about the numerous health benefits of such a diet? Are you curious about it but not really sure if it’s right for your pet?

If you have questions regarding this type of diet, you are not alone. Pet nutrition is one of the most hotly debated topics out there, and wading through the information can be exhausting.

Raw meat diets come in all shapes and forms: it can be homemade, or can even be found on the pet-store shelves. Commercial diets are typically frozen or freeze-dried, but sometimes they can look like regular food. Kibble diets can sometimes come with a raw-meat coating.

There are many supposed benefits and reasons behind feeding a raw meat diet. These include:

•          a natural diet, similar to what our pets would eat in the wild
•          cooking destroys the enzymes required for digestion
•          a grain-free or “filler”-free diet
•          avoidance of harmful by-products
•          a safer diet, free of chemicals and potential food recalls
•          a human-grade meat source

However, the real truth is that there are no scientific studies that have proven the benefit of raw-food diets. What scientific studies have shown is that raw food diets have a high tendency to be nutritionally imbalanced, increase the risk of many health issues, and have a high risk for bacterial contamination.

Nutritional Inadequacies: This is a concern with both homemade and commercial diets. Often recipes for homemade diets give vague preparation instructions or feeding guidelines. Even diets from books written by veterinarians can result in imbalanced foods, and commercial diets do not fare much better. Most typically the imbalances involve vitamins and minerals. Quiet often calcium is insufficient in these diets, which is especially significant in young and growing animals. Sometimes there are toxicity issues with over-supplementation of nutrients, especially vitamin A and D. Even if these diets meet the minimum and maximum nutritional requirements, they are rarely providing optimal nutrients.

Health Risks: The link between health risks and raw-food diets is still being explored, but some of the links that are currently being made include the possibility of gastroenteritis (inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract), fractured teeth from diets that include bone, and also intestinal injury from bone fragments. It is important to note that both raw and cooked bones can block or tear the esophagus, stomach or intestines. A new link is being explored that suggests dogs fed raw-food diets can develop hyperthyroidism.

Contamination: Nearly all raw-food diets are contaminated by bacteria. Not all those bacteria are harmful, but some can have serious health concerns for pets and the other animals and people around them. Dogs and cats can become infected with Salmonella, Clostridium and Camplyobacter (and other bacteria found in raw-food diets), and they can become sick from this. Even animals that show no signs of illness can shed bacteria in their feces, increasing the risk of infection for other animals and people, especially young, old, pregnant or immunosuppressed individuals.

Raw food is becoming a very popular diet, but is it important for pet owners to be able to sort through the facts and fictions surrounding this diet, and be aware of the potential risk factors in feeding diets containing bones or imbalanced ingredients. Selecting proper nutrition for your pet requires taking an active role, asking questions to help understand what is in your pet’s food. There are many things to consider when selecting diets, either home-made or commercial, and your veterinary health team can help you pick the diet that is perfect for your pet.

For more information regarding raw food diets, see this article from the US Food and Drug Administration regarding raw foods and ways you can protect your pets and your family.

Dr. Vanessa Tonn

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Pet Food Nutrition: By-products

Let’s talk about that nasty “B” word when it comes to pet nutrition: “By-products”.

Unfortunately by-products have become the dirty word in pet food manufacture, and part of the problem is that many people do not understand what is included in by-products. Legally, by-products can only include internal organs. They do not include hooves, feces or roadkill, as is commonly assumed by consumers and pet owners.

AAFCO, the Association of Food Control Officials, defines meat by-products as “the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hooves.”

For people in North America, some of these ingredients may seem strange, as we are generally more accustomed to eating the muscle portion of the animal only. However, there are many regions and cultures who appreciate these different parts as delicacies.

• Sweetbreads – thymus
• Rocky Mountain oysters – testicles
• Haggis – Sheep heart, liver, lungs and stomach
• Steak and kidney pie

Besides many of these products being higher in essential nutrients than muscle meat, feeding by-products can help the environment and reduce waste, as it allows the entire rendered animal to be put to good use, rather than discarding by-products that would otherwise be unused in most human circumstances.

• Brain – provides DHA, an anti-inflammatory fatty acid important in neurological development
• Blood – provides iron, and essential mineral, and protein, which contributes to daily requirements of protein
• Bones – source of essential minerals that support strong bones and teeth
• Connective Tissues – source of chondroitin, which supports joint health
• Heart – provides taurine and L-carnitine, both which support heart health (taurine is essential for cats)
• Liver – provides iron, B Vitamins and Vitamin A, which supports multiple systems including nervous system, growth, vision, etc.

Also, did you know that many dog treats are actually by-products? Lung, liver, tendons and pig-ears are very popular dog treats. Bully sticks, fed by 26% of consumers who said that they avoided feeding their dogs by-products, are actually bull penises.

Providing that a pet food is made from a reputable manufacturer who adheres to stringent quality control and employs full-time, qualified nutritionists, feeding a diet that contains by-products can be a safe and nutritional choice. 

Dr. Vanessa Tonn

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Pet Food Nutrition: Interpreting Pet Food Ingredient Lists

Lamb, brewer’s rice, smoked salmon, mango juice, cassava root, grapefruit extract, sea urchin…

Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a pet food label? If you have, you may have been blown away by the sheer number of possible ingredients out there, and the large differences between one type of food and the next. Manufacturers will use ingredient lists to tempt pet owners to buy their food, but it is very important to be able to read pet food ingredient labels with an educated eye.

AAFCO is the Association of American Feed Control Officials. It sets the nutritional standards for pet food in the United States, and these standards are recognized in Canada. According to AAFCO, ingredients must be listed on the label according to weight. Thus, foods high in water (like meats and vegetables) are typically listed first on the ingredient list, even though a lot of their weight is actually just water. Chicken, for example, is 70% moisture, while chicken meal is less than 10% moisture. In portions providing the exact same amount of chicken protein, whole chicken will always list higher on the ingredient list because of its water-weight.

AAFCO also provides regulations and guidelines on the definitions that can be used in pet food labels. “Meat by-product” is allowed to include organs and bones, but no intestinal contents, hair, horns, teeth or hooves. For more information on by-products, stay tuned for our next blog in the nutrition series.

Many pet foods will advertise their ingredients as “human-grade”. The term “human-grade” has no legal definition, and is actually used for marketing purposes only. Foods are labelled as either “edible” or “inedible, not for human consumption”. The only way for a pet food ingredient to be labelled as “edible” is for the meat to never leave a human food chain, to have it manufactured in a human food facility and transport it using human food trucks.

Recently a new trend is to include lots of new and exotic ingredients, including blueberries, eggs, honey, kelp and tomatoes. These ingredients sound healthy, but they may have unproven health benefits, or may be present in such small amounts that their value is minimal.

Sometimes adding new and exotic ingredients can be harmful to the environment. Initially novel protein sources, like fish, venison, rabbit and bison, were used only in hypoallergenic diets. The new trend towards including these ingredients in every-day diet not only increases the challenge of managing animals with true food-allergies, but it also increases the strain on wild populations of these alternative protein sources. In 2010, five populations of Atlantic salmon were declared endangered, one threatened, one extinct, and four others of special concern. 

With more ingredients, the degree of quality control should be increased, ensuring that each ingredient is free from contamination and that the final product adheres to the desired nutrient formulation. However, this is often not the case with many pet food companies. When choosing a pet food company, some important questions to ask include:

1)      Do they employ at least one full-time qualified nutritionist?

2)      Do they have their own manufacturing plant?

3)      Do they conduct and publish nutritional research so that continued improvements are made to their diets? (This can be tricky information to ferret out, as some companies will “publish” results internally that are not available to the general public)

4)      Do they use strict internal quality control testing and standards?

Checking out ingredients is a great way to educate yourself on what you are feeding you pet. However, try not to be swayed by marketing tactics and consider carefully what each ingredient means for your pet. Pets need nutrients, not ingredients, and it can be difficult to separate the two. Educate yourself, and be sure to ask questions.

Dr. Vanessa Tonn
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

DON'T LET THE CUTENESS FOOL YOU...Continued

MacTavish recuperating after his first surgery to correct elbow dysplasia. 

Does this photo not tug at your heart strings? How can this little boy be nasty? When I warn people about him the reply is usually something like "oh but all dogs love me" as they approach him, not heeding my warning, and then when they are inches from his face and he lunges at them - teeth bared with every intention of biting - they seem surprised.   

Loving an aggressive dog as you can imagine comes with a plethora of problems; you have to be on your toes every second, have eyes in the back of your head, and be prepared for anything!! 

Our family lives on a court bustling with young children, who MacTavish loves to sit, watch and bark at. On one occasion he was sitting in his usual spot "keeping watch" and he saw one of the kids on our front lawn. He jumped up on the screen door with such force and determination and because the door wasn't latched properly it flew open. MacTavish bolted after the child and I bolted after him and screamed "STOP". Well the child certainly listened and came to a complete halt; luckily his father was right there to pick him up into his arms. That moment changed things for me; I realized that MacTavish truly was a very dangerous dog and if I wanted to keep him I had to make some drastic decisions and changes.  

I started to investigate some options and decided to try a "tens collar".  The collar sends a controlled impulse when a dog exhibits behaviour that is not acceptable. There are different levels on the collar and I have tested the levels on myself so I know what is uncomfortable. The idea is when he displays the negative behaviour and becomes so focused and immersed in his aggression that he is not aware of anything else going on around him, sending the electric impulse acts the same as someone tapping you on the shoulder to get your attention: "snap out of it" and then the behaviour stops. Some may say it's drastic, even cruel,  and I would have agreed with them before trying it but if I wanted to keep my dog alive and the community safe this is what I had to do. I did not make the decision lightly but once I had and spoke to others who knew MacTavish they were all in agreement that this was the most effective and quickest way to stop him from injuring someone. The problem with other methods for MacTavish is they would have taken a long time to get the desired behaviour from him (if at all) and time was not on our side. We needed him to change immediately. It is not the same as training your dog to sit, stay, walk calmly on a leash; those training behaviours can be taught over time if needed but with severe aggression every minute is too long. I am happy to say MacTavish has responded very well to the collar and we have gotten to a point now that just having the collar on is good enough.

I hope by sharing my story and the informed decision I made it will help others and give them options perhaps they have not explored.

So if you see MacTavish walking on the street I would still encourage you not to approach him...just admire him from a distance!

Sandra McBride, Practice Manager
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic 

I Found a Baby Bird ...How Can I Help?

What kind of bird have I found?

Baby birds fall into two general categories based on how developed they are when they hatch.  These two categories are altricial and precocial.  To determine how to help the baby, the first step is to determine which of these groups it belongs to. 

Altricial  -  Altricial birds are naked or have only sparse down when they hatch.  Even once their feathers have grown in, babies often have patches of skin visible.  Many altricial babies open their mouths for food, and they can’t move around well until they are feathered.  All songbirds are altricial.  Hawks, owls, doves, crows, woodpeckers and herons are also examples of altricial birds. 

Altricial birds stay in the nest for 1-3 weeks.  When they are strong enough to jump around, they leave the nest, often before they can fly!  Their parents feed them both in the nest and for a period of time after they have left. 

Precocial – Precocial birds hatch fully covered with soft down and are walking or running within hours of hatching (usually within a day or two) and then follow their parents around on foot or in the water for a number of weeks. 

Examples of some common precocial birds are geese, swans, ducks and killdeer.  Precocial baby birds can eat on their own and do not depend on their parents to feed them.  However they do need their parents to keep them warm at night, to act as role models, and to protect them from predators.

How to help precocial baby birds – Precocial birds remain in the care of their parents at all times until they have adult feathers.  It would not be normal to find, for example, a downy duckling or gosling waddling around by itself.  A parent should be very close by at all times, protecting its baby from predators.  If you have found a precocial baby bird and no parent is in sight (or none that seems to be watching out for the baby), place the baby in a box in a warm, dark, quiet place and contact a wildlife rehabilitator.  It is very important to get the baby to a rehabilitator quickly and not to play with it in the meantime, as even a small amount of direct exposure to people can be harmful to precocial babies and impair their ability to survive in the wild.

How to help altricial baby birds - There are many altricial species, but songbird babies are the ones more commonly found by people. Babies of all of these species are no bigger than a tennis ball (and some much smaller), and usually gape their mouths open for food when approached.  Call a wildlife rehabilitator for further advice if you have found an altricial baby bird that has:  a) a body that is bigger than a tennis ball, or b) a body completely covered in fine yellow or white hairs, or c) a sharply hooked beak, or a beak longer than its head

If you find a warm, unfeathered or sparsely feathered baby bird on the ground that does not appear to be sick or injured but cannot hop around on its own, it is probably a NESTLING.  If you definitely know which nest the baby originated from and you can do so safely, replace the baby in its nest.  The nest will probably be directly overhead or very nearby, and should have identical siblings in it.  If the nest has been destroyed, but you know where it was, make a new one!  Use a large clean margarine tub with a few holes poked in the bottom, or a berry basket, with dry grass packed tightly inside it to form a cup shape.  Tuck the babies into the nest so they are sitting upright.  Place the new nest out of direct sunlight, in the same location as the original nest.  This will allow the parent birds to locate their babies.  Thread some wire through the holes on the bottom of the container and twist it around the tree branch or other surface to hold it in place.  Parents WILL accept babies that have been handled by humans, but try to minimize handling anyway.  Do not feed the baby anything, or give it water.  Watch from a distance to make sure a parent comes to feed the baby within 1-2 hours.

Not all birds nest in trees!

European Starlings, for example, build their nests in crevices, such as inside a roof or exhaust vent of a building, or even a hydro box or a lamp pole.  One of the most distinctive traits of baby starlings is that the insides of their mouths and sides of their beaks are bright yellow.

If you find a nest of starlings that as fallen or been removed from its original location, you can build a false nest using a clean 4-litre jug with a 9cm x 9cm square cut out of the front (leave the top side of the square attached and bend the cut flap outward to form an awning under which the parent can perch).  Poke small holes in the bottom and the sides of the container, then tuck the nesting material and babies snugly inside.  Hang the bottle in a shaded area over top of the original nest entry point and watch from a distance to make sure an adult bird is returning to feed the babies.  

They go around on the ground:  Babies that have already left the nest are called FLEDGLINGS.  Fledglings are fully feathered but will have a short stubby tail (relative to the adults of the species), and sometimes have little tufts of down sticking through their feathers.  They also often have yellow or white skin along the side of their beaks and will open their mouths for food.  You may see them on the ground hopping around or fluttering their wings.  Fledglings often leave the nest before they are able to fly.  The parents feed then frequently and care for them on the ground and in areas surrounding the nest.  They are vulnerable at this time, but this is an important stage in their development, and they need to stay where they can receive their parents’ care.  You can help them to survive by keeping cats indoors and dogs on a leash.

Are the parents caring for their baby? If you have found a fledgling bird and you are concerned that it may be orphaned, a good way to test if its parents have been caring for it is to see if it is pooping normally.  Parent birds feed their babies frequently and as a result, a healthy baby bird will poop often.  If the bird poops within one hour of when you find it and the feces has both white and dark colours in it, then it has been fed recently by its parents and should be left where it was found, unless the area is so dangerous that the parents cannot return to feed the baby (such as the middle of a highway).  You should not feed a baby bird without talking to a wildlife rehabilitator, and if you have fed the baby, this will not be a reliable test.  If you have fed it, return the baby to where it was found and watch from a good distance away for one hour to see if the parents return to feed the baby.  Be sure to watch constantly as parents can feed the baby and fly away quickly.  If no parents return, or the baby is not pooping or its poop is all white, contact a wildlife rehabilitator for further advice.

WARNING SIGNS:  How to tell is a bird needs help – If the baby appears to be sick or injured, do not try to reunite it with its parents.  Watch out in particular for these signs:

a)      the baby has been picked up, played with or attacked by a cat (you should assume the bird is injured even if it looks fine).

b)      It is fully covered in feathers but cannot stand up or is falling over

c)       It is keeping its eyes closed most of the time

d)    It is sitting in an exposed area (like the middle of a sidewalk) for long periods of time, not avoiding people or not trying to hide

If the baby does need help….  If you think a baby bird is injured, sick, or orphaned, put it in a box.  Put the box in a warm, quiet, dark place.  Do not give the bird anything to eat.  Altricial baby birds depend on their parents to give them the right food so babies will usually eat whatever is put in their mouths, even if it is the wrong food for them.  The wrong foods or improper feeding techniques can cause a lot of harm.

Never put water or other liquid in a baby bird’s gaping mouth, as babies easily inhale liquid, which can cause serious illness.

Call a wildlife rehabilitator immediately for further instructions.  Baby birds need professional care, proper socialization, and frequent feedings of appropriate food.  Trying to raise baby birds without proper training can be very harmful to the baby, and is against provincial and federal laws.

Other ways to help…

a) Spread the word.  Let your neighbours know about nestlings and fledglings.

b) Avoid using pesticides, especially in the spring and summer.

c) Try to avoid trimming trees and bushes between April and September, as this can  disturb nests.  It is against the law to disturb nesting birds.

d) Keep your cat indoors.  Cats are the #1 cause of injury to altricial baby birds.

e) Donate to or volunteer for a wildlife rehabilitator to help care for sick, injured and orphaned birds. 

I Own A Husky-Why Pee Scares Me!!!

As mentioned in my previous blog, Kenzie and I spend a great deal of time outdoors walking in the beautiful fields and woods north of Bowmanville. This area is also home to an abundance of wildlife.

The owner of an active out-doorsy type of dog does have to consider more vaccines to protect their animal in comparison to those dogs that rarely go outside. These are called life style vaccines.

Although I know the importance of all vaccines through my work as a Technician at Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic, one disease in particular worries me... Even as a very young puppy I wanted to start Kenzie's protection against Leptospirosis ASAP. This vaccine can be given in combination with your dogs Distemper virus/Parvovirus/Adenovirus vaccine. It is administered twice in the puppy series and yearly thereafter.

Leptospirosis sp. are bacteria that are most commonly spread through the urine of wildlife or unvaccinated dogs. This is why pee or urine scares me. The transmission of this disease is as simple as a squirrel urinating near a puddle of water, Kenzie walking in it and then licking her feet when she gets home. This past winter with the amount of snow we had I was able to see very clearly how many times dogs or other wildlife urinated along the paths I walked. Recently I thought I would count urine for the heck of it and saw 150 different spots over a 3 KM path at the local conservation area. Winter is not the time of year when Lepto is usually transmitted but it reiterates how much urine is out there, and not being able to see these areas in the summer and fall when Leptospirosis is more prevalent makes protection even more important.

At Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic we see several cases of Leptospirosis each year. The dogs that come in are usually very sick. Signs and symptoms can resemble many other diseases. For us this is of importance because the other reason pee scares me is that this disease can be transmitted to humans. The medical term for this is zoonosis. There have been many cases of death in humans from Leptospirosis. The one incident that sticks in my mind was of a 16 year old kennel student in the United States who contracted and then died from Leptospirosis after spraying down a run that had housed a Leptospirosis-infected dog.

The number of cases of Leptospirosis is on the rise in Southern Ontario. At Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic we recommend protecting your dog against this potentially life threatening disease if they go outside at all.

There is a wealth of information regarding Leptospirosis but I have included a really great website for you to learn more about this serious disease: Boehringer's Canine Leptospirosis Page: http://www.leptoinfo.ca/

Diane McGill  RVT
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Introducing a New Pet to the Household

Ideally, you want to introduce a new pet slowly.  We had great plans for introducing Joy, our new kitten, to Gus and George, our older pets.  In my case we wanted to confine our new kitten, Joy, to a room in the house with litter and water and a bed to sleep in, spending lots of time with Joy, and with the older pets, individually.  Once Joy became comfortable, we would allow her access to the rest of the house while confining other pets.  In my defense, I did try to keep them separate, but Joy was more interested in investigating her new home and kept escaping into the rest of the apartment!  Introducing Joy to the dogs should have been done through a gate in the doorway, blocking the dogs from entering while allowing the new kitten the security of her safe place.  Each would have been fed treats so they associate their introduction with yummy treats.  We were planning on letting our new kitten set the pace.  If she hid, we would have let her, allowing her introduction to take a little longer.  Taking things slowly could help avoid a bad first impression.

The best laid plans!  Joy escaped my daughter’s room, where her bed, food, toys and litter were kept.  We were not ready for her introduction and neither were any of the other animals in the house!  Gus, one of our Shih Tzu's, saw Joy run and immediately his prey drive kicked in.   He went tearing after her at full speed, scaring her into action too.  It is a small apartment so she just ran in the opposite direction from Gus and found herself in a dead end, the bathroom.  We all followed, intending to rescue our new kitten from the big bad Shih Tzu.  The bathroom appeared empty except for Gus, who was sniffing around in search of what he thought would be his new favorite toy.  No sign of Joy in the bathroom, so we assumed she had doubled back without our noticing.  As we were leaving the bathroom I took one last look behind the door and there she was, in typical Sylvester style, claws locked into the wall balancing precariously on the top of the wainscoting, the hair on her back and tail straight up, and a look of sheer terror in her eyes.

That was their first introduction.  I worried that it would set the scene for the rest of their existence.  Luckily for us, Joy is a sparky girl with a huge attitude and a very forgiving personality.  She has indeed become Gus’ favorite toy but the feeling is totally mutual.  They often chase each other through the apartment and are later found curled up next to each other, the best of friends.

Laurie Hancock, Receptionist 

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic