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Dog owners are well aware of the threat of heartworm disease, but many pet owners would be shocked to know that their cats are in danger as well. Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes and are capable of infecting cats in addition to dogs. Unfortunately, our cats rarely show physical signs of this infection and are more likely to die due to their body’s reaction to the parasite. The good news is that your veterinarian can help you prevent this deadly feline disease.

Cats are abnormal hosts to heartworms and these heartworms will live shortened lives. You might think that this is a good thing but, heartworms actually can cause more serious and severe disease in cats than they do in dogs. It is not unusual for a dog to live for years with 50 worms in their heart. But a cat with a single heartworm can die suddenly, often with no apparent clinical signs whatsoever. In addition, your “inside only” kitty is just as susceptible as the outdoor tomcat. Watch this video to learn more.

Pets and their people love being outside in the summertime - and so do mosquitoes. Because mosquitoes are the most common carriers of heartworm disease, keeping pets up to date on preventive heartworm treatments during mosquito season is especially important.

Heartworms are exactly that—large worms that live in the hearts of cats and dogs. Known as Dirofilaria Immitis, heartworms are long, spaghetti-like worms that range in size from 6 to 10 inches. Heartworms are almost always transmitted by mosquitoes. A mosquito bites an infected dog or cat; that mosquito picks up microfilariae, a microscopic version of the heartworm. When that mosquito bites your dog or cat, the heartworm microfilariae are transmitted to him / her. Within 70 to 90 days, the microfilariae make it to your pet's heart and, once mature, begin reproducing. The cycle then begins again.

Heartworm disease cycle.

Signs of heartworm disease in pets vary based on the age and species of the pet and the number of worms present. Because the worms are usually located on the right side of the heart and lung, coughing and shortness of breath are common signs in both dogs and cats. Dogs that have just acquired the disease may have no signs, while dogs with a moderate occurrence of the disease may cough and show an inability to exercise. In extreme cases, dogs may experience fainting, weight loss, fever, abdominal swelling and death. In cats, the symptoms of heartworm disease are similar to those of feline asthma, including coughing and shortness of breath. Some cats may exhibit no signs of the disease, while others may suddenly die.

When it comes to preventing heartworm disease, pet owners have a number of options. Before beginning preventive medication, pet owners should have their pets tested for the presence of heartworms. If heartworms are present, a treatment plan should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Most heartworm prevention is done by administering your pet a once-a-month heartworm preventive medication. Many of these monthly products are administered as a chewable treat. Some are combined with other preventive medications. Your veterinarian will recommend the product that is best suited for your pet.

If you would like to have your pet tested for heartworm or you would like additional information about the disease, please call the hospital.

Rawhide chews have been the treat of choice for dogs and their owners for more than fifty years. They were introduced as a healthy alternative to chewing on shoes or furniture, and as a way to keep the dogs’ teeth and gums healthy.

Many veterinarians recommend rawhide chews to benefit dental health, with some exceptions and cautions. However, some vets are very much opposed to the practice of giving these treats to dogs, citing cases where the pieces became lodged in the throat or intestines. Here are two very different opinions found on the internet:

One opinion, from a veterinary website:

Dog treats come and go, but rawhide treats have withstood the test of time - for all the right reasons. Introduced in the late 1950s, these natural chew treats can benefit your dog's dental health and satisfy his need to gnaw. However, the advantages are greater than clean teeth and unchewed furniture. Poor dental health fosters the growth of dangerous bacteria. If unchecked, infections, gingivitis, tooth loss, and kidney or heart disease can result. As tough rawhide is chewed and moistened by your dog's saliva, it softens and wraps around teeth to help scrape away food debris from teeth. Therefore, rawhide is a great way to help your dog safely chew his way to better overall health.

Another opinion, from a second veterinary website:

Try Some Safer Treats: Rawhide is absolutely one of the most dangerous treats that you can give to your dog. Unfortunately, a lot of manufacturers and pet stores still do very well at selling the product. But because there are a lot of uninformed consumers, the sale of rawhide products will likely continue. However, because you are informed of the dangers of rawhide chews, it is best to never allow your pet to eat or chew them. The bottom line is this: rawhide is not safe for your dog. There is no regulation over ingredients used in them, they contain many harmful chemicals and they present a serious choking hazard for your dog.

How Do You Decide? Ask Your Veterinarian

It’s safe to say there are negatives and positives to the practice of giving these treats to your dog. The best advice will come from your veterinarian, who knows the size, age and breed of your dog. Here are some pros and cons, and some steps you can take to make sure your dogs are safe if you and your vet decide to allow them to chew rawhide.

Rawhide Chews: Pros

• Satisfies the urge to chew
• Helps keep teeth clean
• Enjoyable for the dog

Rawhide Chews: Cons

• Can break into small pieces that are a choking hazard
• Can get soft and mushy, and stuck in the throat because they mold to the shape of the throat
• Are sometimes made of old newspaper, especially those from China
• Can cause intestinal blockage
• Some are treated with chemicals such as formaldehyde and bleach, and some have been found to contain lead and mercury
• Not regulated by FDA because they are not classified as food

Alternatives

If the vet indicates that rawhide chews are unsafe for your particular dog, there are many alternatives on the market today. Some alternatives are made of rubber, nylon or beef. You can buy beef shank or marrow soup bones at the grocery store, cook them, and give these to the dogs to chew on. Some of the other great alternative products you may want to consider include:

• Nylabones
• Healthy Edibles Natural Dog Chews
• Dental Chews
• Dogzilla
• Booda Bones
• Pigs’ ears
• Deer antlers

Decrease Risks by Following These Guidelines

There are risks involved whenever a dog chews on items that can break into small pieces or become lodged in the throat or intestines. Taking some simple precautions will help keep your pet safe.

Always supervise when allowing your dog to chew on a rawhide dog chew or rawhide dog bone, and remove the treat when it becomes small enough for the dog to swallow. If you decide to purchase rawhide chews, be sure to get top quality rawhide dog chews and rawhide dog bones produced within your country to reduce the possibility of contamination.

Offer rawhide chews that are appropriate for the individual dog's size and weight. If a dog shows evidence of skin or gastrointestinal problems after chewing on rawhide chews or rawhide bones, discontinue the rawhide product and if symptoms don’t clear up, be sure to consult with your veterinarian.

The loss of a beloved pet is difficult for anyone. However, the effect on an elderly pet owner can be particularly devastating. For many seniors, a dog or a cat fills a void left by the loss of a spouse, friend, or even younger family members. Loving and caring for a pet fosters a very real, very significant relationship for both pet owner and pet.

If you are or if you know someone who is struggling with the death of a beloved pet, please take the time read and review the following information. Understanding the depth of one’s grief can help make the difference between sliding into depression and moving forward with peace.

Pet Perks

Pets provide a much needed comfort to many elderly people. With their unconditional love and adoration, dogs and cats make their owners feel valuable and needed. In fact, cherished companions benefit an elderly person by enabling him/her to:

• feel productive, useful, needed
  
• participate more actively in life
  
• exercise by taking the pet for walks
  
• feel secure, protected, not alone
  
• provides incentive to keep going and to care for oneself
  
• feel unconditional love

Understanding the significant role that a pet plays in an elderly person’s life helps one understand the magnitude of grief when the pet passes away. For some, the pet may be the only family the adult has left. Suddenly, the house will seem very empty, very lonely, very quiet. If the pet had been a gift from a loved one, the loss of it may represent another symbolic loss of the deceased loved one. The pet’s death can trigger despair and a deep grief that may not be easily assuaged.

Helpful Tips

If you know an elderly person who is suffering the loss of a beloved pet, there are ways in which you can alleviate some of their pain. First, remember to be a caring listener. Oftentimes, just providing an outlet for their grief is a much-needed gift. Second, be patient with him/her. Because the loss may signify yet another change in their daily routine and lifestyle, it will take time to grieve and move forward. Don’t try and suggest a substitute pet right away. Their friendship with their beloved pet was a real relationship that, like any relationship, deserves time and healing.

Refocus and Renew

Sometimes a pet’s death can trigger feelings of despair in an elderly pet owner and instill fear about their own impending end of life experience. Grief can also cause them to feel fatigued and distracted. It becomes important then to ensure the pet owner receives enough rest and nutrition. As their concentration may also be impaired, s/he may make simple errors or have accidents. Extra caution and care is advisable.

To help someone through this difficult time, the best medicine may well be to redirect their focus. Try and shift the grieving pet owner’s attention away from the pet’s death toward support groups that can provide healthy coping strategies. Both the University of Florida and Tufts University offer a Grief Support Hotline. An additional strategy may be to create a special memorial room in one’s home- a place where the grieving owner can go and remember a pet. While the memories will be difficult at first, eventually this room can become a place of healing and cherished memories.

Moving Forward

It is good to acknowledge that an empty house does not need to be filled right away. Although your children may ask for a replacement pet or even if you feel a tug at your own heartstrings, it is best to wait at least one month before bringing home a new pet. And of course, if you’re not predisposed to purchasing a full bred pet, consider adopting from a local rescue shelter.

When you feel attracted to a new animal, don’t worry this signifies a betrayal of your previous pet. Your ability to give a good home to a new pet is really a compliment to your previous relationship and an example of selflessness.

When you bring your pet to the veterinarian, you expect service you can trust. You count on your vet having the proper medical training, experience, and understanding of how to provide the best care for your animal. And there is no reason why these expectations should not be met. However, this is not always the case. Even with laws in place to serve as protection to you and your pet, many unlawful and potentially harmful practices are slipping between the cracks. In an unfavorable economy, there is increasing concern that unlicensed and unsupervised non-veterinarians may want to work on your pet to make an extra buck, and you may be tempted to succumb to their services. However, these practices are not only illegal, but also harmful or even deadly to your pet. In order to avoid this, it is important to be aware of potential scams.

Veterinary News Network recently reported on an advertisement that read, “Ear trims – Any dog, any breed -- $25.” The price seemed too good to be true. On the day of the surgery, the owners were told to transfer ownership to the person performing the ear trim. Since pets are technically considered as property, the owner is permitted to “treat and care for” their pets in any manner that does not amount to animal cruelty. It was only after transferring ownership that they found out the person operating on their dog was not a veterinarian.

This story, among countless others, have many pet owners, animal advocates, authorities and veterinarians concerned.

Here are a few potential signs that you – and your pet – are being scammed:

• Abnormally low prices: although you may be enticed by low prices, you often get what you pay for. This is not to say that a veterinarian will not offer a low price or discount on some services, but rather that you may want to take notice of any abnormally low rates. If it seems too good to be true – it often is.
• Look for word tricks: why is the person called a “lay animal dentist” or an “animal care specialist”? Why aren’t they called a veterinarian or doctor of veterinary medicine? Furthermore, instead of referring to veterinary services by what they are – veterinary services – people are listing different medical and surgical procedures by other terms, such as “animal husbandry.” Would you want to see a “lay doctor” or “human care person” when you’re sick? Your pet probably doesn’t want to either.
• Notice any abnormal doctor behavior: why doesn’t this person have the same vocabulary you’re used to hearing from a veterinarian? Why are they forcing you to transfer ownership without reason?

Even in hard economic times, using a true licensed veterinarian will only prove beneficial. Not only will you help avoid the risks and costs associated with unnecessary procedural complications, but you may also help thwart unlawful, unregulated, and harmful practices from penetrating the market. Without proper regulation, you will have no recourse on the non-veterinarian in case of mistakes or even the death of your pet. Furthermore, in a survey conducted on licensed veterinarians performing horse dentistry, the Veterinary News Network found the cost to be the same or less than the services being offered by unsupervised or improperly trained non-veterinarians.

Ultimately, the benefits of using a trained, supervised, and licensed veterinarian far outweigh the disadvantages of a “lay animal doctor.” Any potential fee reduction is also outweighed by the possible harms, risks, and liability you and your pet may incur by using an unlicensed “animal husbandry” provider. Now you know – don’t let those tricks fool you.

Every pet owner has been shocked to come home and see the damage their pet has done to the house. But our pets can be in greater danger from our medications, other chemicals, and even holiday decorations. Are there ways to help keep your pet safe inside the home? Watch this video to learn more.

A new app called PiP promises to locate missing pets using facial recognition technology. PiP, which stands for Positive Identification of Pet, uses the same technology for identifying human faces. Pet owners can upload a picture and register their pet with the app. If the pet goes missing, an alert is sent out to other PiP users in the area, as well as shelters and veterinary clinics. If another user finds the pet, he or she can upload their own image to indicate a match.

The app's creator, Philip Rooyakkers, says he created the app after losing his own pet in 2011. "It really bugged me that technology hadn't kept up to this problem," he said. "You're at home trying to get the information out, but at the same time, you need to be out looking." The app launched in January, and Rooyakkers says it has already helped reunite pets with their owners. "The more we can reunite families with their pets," he said, "the better it is all around."

Many of us experience those stressful moments in the day when all we want is to be surrounded by the unconditional love of our dog. We don’t even have to say anything – they just know. They sense our tension or fear, and come to our side. This is exactly what Rosie does, except it’s not at your doorstep or in the yard. It’s in court.

Rosie is the first judicially approved courtroom dog in New York, and specializes in providing comfort to witnesses under stress. Rosie recently provided comfort to a 15-year-old girl testifying to a jury about being raped by her father. When Rosie sensed especially bad moments, she would lean in to comfort the teenager. According to a psychologist who worked with the teen, she “kept hugging Rosie” throughout the trial. The trial ended in June with a conviction, and the defense now plans to appeal the case – with the golden retriever at the center of the legal debate.

This new practice raises legal questions as to fairness and validity. The public defender’s office raised a number of objections to the use of Rosie in court, who they believe “infected the trial with unfairness,” and thereby led to a violation of their client’s constitution rights. As cute as Rosie was, the defense argued that the dog may lead the jury to draw certain conclusions, including that the therapy dog helps the victims expose the truth while under distress. The Prosecutor in the case argued that dogs do not affect the case, and merely help to ease the witness’s trauma on the stand.

With many new cases popping up around the country, the high courts of New York are likely to examine the case in great detail.

What do you think? Should Rosie be allowed in Court?

Lyme Disease: Seven Myths You Should Know

April is Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month.

It is important to understand the risks your pet faces when it comes to ticks. Common misconceptions can lead pet owners to avoid the right preventative measures needed to protect beloved pets from Lyme disease. Here are a few persistent myths dispelled:

Myth 1: I don't live in a wooded area, so my pet can't get ticks.

Even if your pet doesn’t play in wooded areas and places with high grass or brush where ticks are commonly found, ticks are actually able to live their entire life cycle within your home. Woodpiles near or inside your home provide the perfect environment for ticks to survive. Small rodents such as mice can also transport the ticks indoors. Even if ticks don't make their way into your home, they can still live in low grass and trees—such as the back yards of most suburban homes.

Myth 2: I haven't seen any ticks on my pets, so they aren't at risk.

Often ticks are only easily visible on your pets once they're engorged. However, the tick's life cycle includes the larva and nymph stages where they're not as easily noticed. Even when adult ticks have been removed, they may have already laid eggs on your pets, continuing the tick infestation.

Myth 3: I've only found a few ticks on my pet, so I'm sure he's fine.

You can be diligent about checking for and removing ticks, but it still only takes one tick bite for a pet to contract Lyme disease. When you find ticks on your pet, there's a good chance the pet has had other ticks that you have missed.

Myth 4: I apply a flea and tick preventive to my pet monthly, so I don't need to worry about Lyme disease.

No prevention medication is 100 percent effective. Talk to us about your pet's habits and environment, and we can discuss whether you need to take additional steps to prevent Lyme disease.

Myth 5: During the colder seasons, I don't need to worry about applying flea and tick prevention.

Because most insect populations decrease once cold weather sets in, you might assume ticks will follow suit. In reality, ticks are much hardier—and their population can increase during the fall season. Ticks can also survive through the entire winter even when frozen in the ground. For the best protection, continuously apply preventives throughout the year, including the colder months.

Myth 6: My pet was treated for Lyme disease, so now she's cured.

Once your pet is diagnosed with Lyme disease, an antibiotic is usually prescribed. Do not assume that once the antibiotic course is finished, the Lyme disease is cured and your pet is no longer at risk of experiencing Lyme disease symptoms. It can take multiple courses of an antibiotic to successfully treat Lyme disease. Any pet diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease should be routinely screened for tick-borne diseases every year.

Myth 7: My pet has already contracted Lyme disease, so he can't receive a Lyme disease vaccination.

Pets that have been treated for Lyme disease run the risk of reinfection, so it's important to continue applying preventives and check pets for ticks. Another preventive measure is to have your dog vaccinated against Lyme disease. Although there are more benefits to giving the vaccine before exposure occurs, the vaccination will help prevent reinfection.