Please! Show some restraint!

Have you ever heard the term, "It was like herding cats?"

As we all know, cats don't willingly do anything they don't want to do, and rarely have we met a cat excited about getting a shot or having her claws trimmed.

So what happens when there's a cat in the clinic who needs various procedures done to him, and he just isn't feeling the love? Restraint. We show it and we practice it!

If you've ever tried to stuff Tigger into a carrier when he doesn't want to go, you'll know that cats have an amazing ability to resist any and everything thrown at them. They use all four paws to avoid getting into the carrier. The can twist their heads seemingly completely backwards to chomp on your knuckle. The lightening speed of their paws as they strike out at you is legendary. (It's all part of their charm.)

We need to outsmart them. (And it isn't easy, sometimes!) Here's what we do.

To pick up a cat: come at him from above instead of head-on. Cats may feel confrontational when face-to-face with you. Although many owners insist that Gigi isn't aggressive in the least, we generally will scruff a cat when picking it up, much as a mother cat carries her kittens. This doesn't hurt the cat, and it usually goes relatively limp. Use your free hand to support the cat's back end as you transport it to the examination table, or wherever you need to take it.

If the cat is frightened or aggressive, we toss a fluffy terry-cloth towel over the cat before we touch it at all. The cat usually feels more secure under the towel, and we're able to pick her up without her claws sinking into our arms.

Once the cat is on the table, it is fairly easy to keep it in lateral recumbency (lying on its side.) We do this by reaching over his body with his legs facing away from us, and grasping the legs with our hands. We use the forearm of the arm holding the legs nearest the cat's head to gently press down on the cat's head, keeping it securely lying on the table in a relaxed position. This is usually enough for the doctor to examine whatever needs examining.

However, there are (many!) cats who are still pretty sure they aren't into this whole being-held-down-at-the-doctor's-office thing, and will use their amazing feline superpowers to squirm out of the grasp of the restrainer. This is sometimes followed by an indignant hiss and possibly even a mad dash from the table and across the room into dog treatment, which is a whole different (and loud!) story. If the cat is fractious, we have a few more tricks up our sleeves.

A cat "muzzle" isn't really a muzzle, but more of a mask, which covers the cat's eyes and ears, thereby helping it relax slightly, since it can't see what's happening around it. This is sometimes enough to enable the doctor to complete her medical duties.
But we all know cats, right? And we all know that cats don't always give up that easily. They own the world and only tolerate us sharing it with them. We want to be able to restrain them, too? Imagine!

Our final step before chemical restraint (tranquilizing) is to use a cat bag, an unintentionally funny little canvas sack that we zip the cat into, leaving only the head exposed. Many varieties of cat back have zippers placed at the appropriate places so that we can unzip one and pull out a leg to work on. This usually does the trick. Whatever procedure is necessary is done, and we return the cat to her cage, where she usually hisses menacingly and then rubs her face against the bars, purring, "Love meeeee!"

Restraint is not just for the safety of the employees, but for the animal, as well. A loose cat or dog in the clinic is at risk for being attacked by other animals being led back to the treatment area. It could escape the building and get lost or worse.

Restraint is not a punishment, and is not malicious. So if you see one of us picking up a cat by the scruff of the neck, please don't think we're being rough. We're following standard procedure and doing the best thing for the cat and our fellow workers!

How not to die on the job.

1. Do not get bitten by a rabid animal.
2. Do not set self on fire.
3. Do not inject self with Beuthanasia-d.

The rest of the health hazards the staff of an animal hospital deal with on a daily basis are a bit more subtle. One of those things is radiation.

Not the sort of radiation that'd turn us into superheroes (although think of what we could do with superpowers!) but the kind we get exposed to from taking radiographs (x-rays) of Fluffy's hips.

Think of the radiation emitted by an x-ray machine as a bunch of tiny ping-pong balls being poured out of a bucket. They'll fall straight down initially, but when they hit the tabletop, they'll bounce in every direction there is, hitting whoever is helping to restrain the animal.

Really, though, what's the problem with a few stray beams of radiation smacking into you? Not much, if you do it once or twice, but if you do it several times a day over the course of a few years? Radiation can cause genetic abnormalities in tissues of the body--an in quickly-growing tissues, the harm can be irreparable. This is the reason that we employ as many safety precautions as we can during even the quickest, most routine radiographs.

These rules are SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for our clinic (and most other clinics we know of!):
1. Only employees who have been specifically trained and passed a test on radiation safety are allowed in the radiography suite.
2. Pregnant employees are not allowed in the radiography suite (remember--quickly-growing tissues, like those of a fetus, can be harmed by scatter radiation!)
3. All employees present in the suite at the time a radiograph is taken MUST be wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (or PPE) which consists of a lead apron, a lead thyroid shield, lead-lined gloves, and a personal dosimeter badge.

By the way, have you tried anytime lately to restrain a cat while wearing lead-lined gloves?

The lead and lead-lined equipment effectively shields our bodies from the radiation, and the dosimeter badge records how much radiation exposure we've had in a certain amount of time. Those of us who may have had more exposure than is considered wise will be pulled from the radiograph suite for a period of time. Fortunately, this hasn't happened to anybody.

I can't say we don't complain about the PPE; it can be oppressively uncomfortable, and as I mentioned before, doing just about ANYTHING while wearing lead-lined gloves is well nigh impossible. But we do it. Because we love these animals and want to be around for a long time to keep helping them be at their best.

Kidney diseases in captive lizards

Lots of people keeps lizards as pets--they can be quite entertaining to watch and have around your home. However, lack of knowledge of the proper husbandry of lizards often leads to kidney disease--one of the major causes of illness and death in captive lizards. When a lizard metabolizes its food, the by-products of metabolism are removed through the excretion of uric acid through the kidneys, so it becomes easier to see why kidney disease is so dangerous.

What causes these diseases?
Chronic, or long-term renal failure is often due to improper diet and enclosure conditions.
Acute, or sudden renal disease is often caused my infection or toxins. Proper keeping of lizards is imperative if they are to enjoy continuing good health.

Symptoms of acute renal disease usually starts with depression, lethargy, decreasing urine output and weakness, and there is usually something in the animal's history that indicates exposure to toxins or poisons, or even a medication that could have been toxic to the kidneys.

Symptoms of chronic renal disease are lack of appetite, poor weight gain or even weight loss, and sometimes increase drinking. They may be obviously dehydrated. In these cases, the culprit is usually a husbandry issue, such as low humidity, water deprivation, or inadequate nutrition, such as a high-protein diet.

Treatment of these diseases can take many forms, from medication to diet changes to the use of full spectrum lighting. Left untreated, gout may occur. Gout can be treated symptomatically (as symptoms appear), but by the time gout has appeared, the lizard is most likely in end-stage kidney disease, which carries a grave prognosis.

In general, the utmost care should be taken when deciding whether or not a reptile would be a good pet for you. They may appear to be low-maintenance animals, but in reality, they have very specific requirements to keep them safe and healthy.

Do your research for the species of lizard you are interested in keeping. What temperature is optimal? What humidity level is needed? Does this lizard need insect or animal protein, or is it herbivorous? Does it need any type of vitamin supplementation? What are its water requirements? How big of an enclosure should it live in? Does it respond well to humans? What should you look out for in terms of kidney or other types of diseases--what is "normal" for this animal?


A lizard needs more than an aquarium filled with sand and some iceberg lettuce with a cricket or two for dinner. As animal owners, we are responsible for the animals we share our homes with, and part of that responsibility is educating yourself about how to best provide that care.

Hey, Mom! This monkey followed me home! Can we keep him?

Wouldn't it be interesting to be the only kid in the neighborhood with a wolf for a pet? Maybe not.

Aside from it being against the law in many places, catching and keeping a wild animal as a pet isn't the best thing you can do for yourself or the animal. Wild animals are NOT like our domesticated dogs and cats, who have shelves upon shelves at the pet food store of diets formulated specifically for their nutritional needs, and any kind of toy you can think of for playtime.

Wild animals have dietary needs that we may not be aware of. It is a sad truth that many wild animals in captivity sicken and even die because of a lack of proper nutrition. We don't have Armadillo Chow, so it is probably best to let the animals take care of themselves.

Wild animal babies may be intensely cute, but what happens after they've been hand-raised by humans? Wild animals will always be wild--their instincts for self-preservation may kick in as they grown into adulthood, and what was once cute and cuddly might become angry and vicious. Releasing it into the wild might seem like a good idea, but that animal doesn't know how to care for itself, or even how to act like others of its own kind. It may not survive.

Being held in captivity, even by people who are loving and caring, can be very stressful to a wild animal. They are born thinking of us a predators. They are also stripped of their ability to roam freely, as they would had they not been captured. This is not fair to the animal.

Finally, and quite importantly, we need to remember that wild animals can carry many diseases the people can catch. In Texas, we have several species that are known to harbor Rabies and are taught to never come in contact with these animals in the wild (bats, foxes, coyotes, raccoons and skunks.) They can also carry diseases that our companion animals can get, such as distemper. You put yourself at risk by bringing a wild animal into your home.

The very best place to look for the pet that's right for you is the local shelter or rescue organization. These aren't dedicated solely to dogs and cats, either. Reptiles and rodents need homes, too, and there are plenty out there. So please leave wild critters where they can stay wild and open your home to an animal who has had thousands of years of domestication behind it. It's a win-win-win situation.

Why spay or neuter?

Plenty of reasons!

There is, of course, the obvious. A heartbreaking number of dogs and cats are euthanized every day in this country simply because they don't have anybody to look after them. Spaying and neutering helps amazingly well to curb pet overpopulation.

But what if you have no intention of letting Bailey out of the house without her being on a leash? What if you know for an absolute fact that Jake can't dig out of the backyard and go visit the cute little Shih Tzu down the street?

Behaviorally, spaying and neutering can solve many little problems: male cats are less likely to spray. Male dogs are less likely to roam. Female cats and dogs never go into heat and never attract every male within a five-mile radius.

More importantly, however, are the benefits to our pets' health that come from spaying and neutering.

Spaying a female dog or cat decreases the potential for developing:
-- Mammary glad tumors (breast cancer)
-- Pyometra (uterine infections that are often fatal)
-- Ovarian and uterine tumors (cancer)

Neutering a male dog or cat decreases the potential for developing:
-- Prostate disease (enlarged prostate, prostate abscess)
-- Perianal adenoma and adenocarcinomas (cancer around the anus)
-- Testicular cancer

Any time an animal comes to the hospital and is diagnosed with one of these diseases, chances are very good that it hasn't been spayed or neutered. You can imagine how the owner feels when he or she realizes that the disease could have been avoided.

In general, we recommend that all animals be spayed or neutered. If we really do feel that our pets are members of our family, we should treat them with the love and respect they deserve, which includes doing everything we can to ensure a long life of good health. Spaying and neutering will do just that.

And by the way? No, male dogs are NOT embarassed that their testicles are missing. That's a human thing.

Vaccinations

We get asked if vaccinations are really necessary on a fairly regular basis, and there is a rapidly growing segment of the pet-owning population that doesn't believe vaccinations are important. It is the opinion of FBAH that vaccinating your pets is absolutely imperative, for a single reason:

VACCINES PREVENT DISEASES THAT CAN KILL YOUR PET.

We think that's a pretty good reason!

Dogs and cats require a series of vaccines just like your children do, to keep them healthy. Although there aren't any universal vaccination protocols, most veterinary practices agree that the following vaccines should be given:

DOGS

There are four vaccines commonly given to puppies at their initial exam, all combined into a single shot commonly called DHPP, which protects against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus. First given at about 6 weeks of age, it is then boostered every 3 to 4 weeks until the puppy reaches 16 weeks of age. It is thereafter boostered every year.

Distemper is more commonly seen in puppies, who have not yet been vaccinated, and can cause symptoms as mild as a fever, loss of appetite and depression, to all of that plus discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing, vomiting, and diarrhea. If left untreated, it can progress into neurological symptoms such as seizures, circling and tics, as well as behavioral changes.

Hepatitis affects the liver, and is highly infectious. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, pain on eating, jaundice, seizures, and excessive drinking and urination. It can lead to liver and kidney damage or even failure. There is no solid treatment method available; the best hope is that the dog's immune system can fight it off. If this doesn't happen, the dog can die.

Parvovirus is another highly infectious and potentially deadly disease that is more severe in puppies. Symptoms include severe bloody diarrhea and projectile vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, and fever. If left untreated, death can occur in at few as two days after symptoms appear. Death results from dehydration from the vomiting and diarrhea, or from sepsis, when the virus escapes the gastrointestinal system and infects the rest of the body. Treatment usually consists of supportive care in a hospital environment with IV fluids. Parainfluenza is related to Bordetella (or kennel cough), and is also quite infectious. Symptoms include a dry, hacking cough, and could lead to an inflammation of the trachea, larynx or bronchial tubes, and can lead to pneumonia. Left untreated, pneumonia does have the capacity to kill.

The other important vaccine we give to dogs is the Rabies vaccine. This is usually given in a single shot between the ages of 12 to 16 weeks. It is then boostered a year later, and at our hospital, every three years after that. Check with your local clinic as to whether they use the 1-year or 3-year rabies vaccine.

Rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear. Symptoms may include: nervousness, anxiety, behavioral changes, restlessness, irritability, viciousness, salivation, labored breathing and dropped jaw. As muscles get weaker, the animal finally goes into respiratory arrest and dies. Rabies is transmissible to humans, and is incurable. Vaccination is the only line of defense.

There are several other vaccines we recommend for dogs in certain circumstances.

We offer the Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine for dogs who spend time in boarding facilities or in other circumstances where they come in contact with many other dogs.

Leptospirosis and Lyme disease and rattlesnake vaccines are available for dogs who spend significant amounts of time in wilderness areas where deer, ticks and snakes may live. They are not necessary for all dogs.

CATS

The vaccinations needs of cats are significantly different than those for dogs, which the exception of Rabies. Kittens are routinely vaccinated with what we call FVRCP, which protects against Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, and Chlamydia Psittaci. This vaccine is typically given starting around 9 weeks of age and boostering every 3 - 4 weeks until the kitten in 16 weeks old.

Feline Rhinotracheitis is a common and very contagious upper respiratory infection. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge (runny nose), conjunctivitis (swollen eyes), fever and loss of appetite. (This loss of appetite is very important to remedy. A cat generally won't eat when it can't smell. Cats have been known to become anorexic with stopped-up noses.) Antibiotics generally work well on this disease, but if it isn't caught until it is more advanced, in-hospital fluid and oxygen therapy may be warranted.

Calicivirus is another upper respiratory infection cats are prone to. While many of the symptoms are similar to those of Feline Rhinotracheitis, such as fever, conjunctivitis, nasal discharge and sneezing, it may also cause ulcerations of the mouth, and can lead to pneumonia, which can be life-threatening. There is one strain of Calicivirus--Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus-- that leads as well to lethargy, anorexia, edema (swelling) of the limbs and face, jaundice, multiple organ failure, and death.

Panleukopenia is related to the Parvovirus in dogs. It mainly stays in the gastrointestinal tract, where it can cause ulcerations, bloody diarrhea, dehydration, malnutrition, and even death. Panleukopenia causes rapidly growing cells, such as those in the GI tract and the bone marrow, to die, and the loss of red and white blood cells from the marrow often causes anemia. Because of this, treatment often includes blood transfusions as well as fluid therapy. Left untreated, it is almost always fatal.

Chlamydia Psittaci generally appears as conjunctivitis, and often occurs at the same time as an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms are swelling, redness, tearing and squinting of the eyes, as well as discharge from the eyes. Sneezing is also sometimes present. Highly contagious, Clamydia Psittaci can be treated, but often becomes chronic, reappearing repeatedly.

The other important vaccine we give to cats is the Rabies vaccine. This is usually given in a single shot between the ages of 14 to 16 weeks. It is then boostered a year later, and at our hospital, every three years after that. Check with your local clinic as to whether they use the 1-year or 3-year rabies vaccine.

Rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear. Symptoms may include: nervousness, anxiety, behavioral changes, restlessness, irritability, viciousness, salivation, labored breathing and dropped jaw. As muscles get weaker, the animal finally goes into respiratory arrest and dies. Rabies is transmissible to humans, and is incurable. Vaccination is the only line of defense.

Additionally, there are two vaccines we recommend for cats who spend time outside for any significant amount of time.

The FELV (Feline Leukemia) vaccine is available to cats spending time outdoors, as well as the FIP (Feline infectious Peritonitis) vaccine. Both of these diseases are highly contagious and can be caught from other free-roaming cats.

So let us consider the question again: are vaccines necessary? You be the judge!