The emergency occurs when gas can not escape the stomach, and it becomes overly distended. The normal contractions in the stomach wall cease, and the entire organ rotates in the abdomen. Since each end of the stomach is stationary, the blood supply is cut off by the twisting or torsing effect. The tissue quickly loses viability as it is starved for oxygen. As the stomach enlarges, it puts pressure on the diaphragm causing respiratory distress. Cardiac output may also be reduced by restriction of the abdominal arteries. Shock quickly ensues, followed by death if not immediately managed.

Factors that may contribute to the onset of GDV include over-eating or ravenous eating, once a day feeding, and exuberant activity after a meal. Older males are more likely to develop GDV than other dogs.

Dogs with GDV will have a distended painful abdomen and may be retching, hyper-salivating, gasping for breath, or comatose. An x-ray can help to visualize the gas that is trapped in the stomach, but symptoms and predilection are usually diagnostic. Shock should be treated with rapid IV fluid replacement and oxygen supplementation. Comatose dogs will be intubated to provide artificial respirations if necessary. A stomach tube will be passed in an attempt to deflate the stomach and restore blood circulation. Medical treatment of heart rhythm abnormalities, electrolyte imbalance, and sepsis is performed as required. Surgical repair of damaged stomach tissue and gastropexy, tacking the stomach to the abdominal wall, is performed as soon as the patient is stable enough for anesthesia.

Complications after surgery include relapse of all symptoms, cardiac arrhythmias, necrosis (death of tissue) and perforation of damaged organs, and peritonitis (sepsis of the abdominal cavity). The prognosis of any GDV patient depends on how soon the animal receives treatment and the extent of damage to the tissues involved. Follow up therapy will include antibiotics to prevent infection, IV fluids until the dog can eat normally, and pain control.

GDV is a serious emergency that requires immediate medical attention. If you suspect your dog is experiencing gastric bloat, it is always better to err on the side of caution and seek veterinary advice.

When you take your cat in for a wellness exam, the veterinarian will want to know about any changes you’ve noticed in your cat’s behavior. Changes in water consumption, grooming, activity, frequency of vomiting, loose stools, amount of urine production, and appetite are all very important to discuss with the doctor.

Anyone who has owned a cat for its lifetime is familiar with the appearance of the “skinny old cat”. It is not normal for an older cat to lose interest in food and drop in body weight. In fact, by the time weight loss is observed, significant changes are already occurring. Usually, other symptoms preceded the weight loss. In some cases, the cat is still eating normally, or even ravenously, but they continue to lose weight. When a ten pound cat sheds two pounds, or twenty percent of its normal weight, that is the equivalent of a 200 pound man losing 40 pounds!

Some of the ailments and organ dysfunctions seen in older cats that can be treated, delayed, or prevented are listed here along with the symptoms associated with them. The symptoms alone are not a diagnosis of disease. Examinations, blood-work, and radiology are used in conjunction with history to confirm a disease.

Other indicators of a poor quality of life include incontinence and immobility. Pets may be in so much pain that they urinate or defecate where they lie. This causes shame and worry to a potty trained animal as it would any person. It is unhealthy and unfair to the pet, and the burden that it causes on the household must be considered. Stress on the family is also felt by the animal, and it is not unreasonable to factor this into the assessment of quality of life.

When it is time, euthanasia should be absolutely humane and painless. Discuss euthanasia with your veterinarian until you fully understand and are comfortable with the procedure. Ask if there are any other treatment options available for your pet’s condition. Admit your concerns; the doctor is there to address them. Veterinarians schedule extra appointment time for these difficult times. There are slight variances in the specific procedure and drugs used for euthanasia, but the goal is to avoid any pain and suffering. Anesthetic agents will be given to ensure that the animal is completely unconscious. Then a drug is given intravenously to stop heart and brain function. The entire procedure is very rapid and completely painless.

During this emotional time, you can take comfort in the fact that you have provided your pet with a happy and healthy lifetime. We’ve always known that one day we would have to say good-bye, but our pets provide many cherished memories that remain with us long after they have left our sides.

Arthritis is very common in older dogs as an aging process. It can be very painful, cause limping and lameness, and lead to muscle atrophy (wasting) from reduced exercise. This condition is called degenerative joint disease and is a consequence of wear and tear on the cartilage that pads the bones from rubbing together. Inflammatory joint disease is an arthritic process that is not related to aging. Instead, infection or immune-mediated disease is the cause of joint stiffness and pain. Tick-borne diseases such as Lyme and Ehrlichia are common causes of this painful joint condition. Treatment for pain is indicated, but the underlying illness must be treated as well.

Hip dysplasia is a common cause of limping in dogs. It is not a disease, but a mal-formation or a poor confirmation of the hip joint. The femur bone in the rear leg is topped with a ball that fits into the acetabulum (socket) of the pelvis. In this heritable condition, the ball can slip around or completely out of the socket causing discomfort. Over time, arthritic changes occur as abnormal wear occurs. An x-ray can confirm hip dysplasia, but it may not predict the severity of symptoms that may arise as a result. Hip replacement and a “salvage” surgery called a femoral head ostectomy are recommended when pain is not controlled with joint health supplements and medications.

It is important to have any persistent limping checked by the veterinarian to determine the cause and provide pain relief.

Vaccines protect your pet from contagious disease. Around six weeks old, puppies and kittens lose their maternal antibodies that had kept them safe since birth. Vaccinations are started at this age and boostered every three weeks until 12 to 15 weeks old. The immune system is not fully developed until then, so complete protection may not be achieved with the initial vaccines. During adulthood, vaccinations are boostered every one to three years depending on the specific disease risk in your area and the efficacy of the vaccine.

Proper nutrition is very important in all stages of life. A balanced diet that is AAFCO approved (Association of American Feed Control Officials) will provide all the daily requirements of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that your pet needs to stay fit and healthy. Table scraps are not balanced and tend to be high in fat and salt. They only contribute to an overweight, picky eater. Your veterinarian will make recommendations as to the type of food that is best for your dog and cat.

Early detection of illness starts with regular wellness examinations performed by the veterinarian. Your vet may recommend tests that can discover early organ dysfunction or metabolic disorders like Diabetes, Thyroid disease, or Cushing’s disease. Older pets will have their blood pressure checked and may have an ECG performed or an x-ray taken if a heart murmur is detected. Catching a problem before there are any obvious symptoms greatly improves the prognosis and may even be reversible. Symptoms mean there is damage already being done to the body. Be sure to discuss any changes in water consumption, appetite, eliminations, and activity levels with the doctor.

Prophylactic dental care is proven to greatly reduce referred infection from the oral cavity into the heart and major organ systems. As well as teeth brushing, your dog and cat should have a professional dental cleaning before periodontal disease becomes established. Ultrasonic scaling and high-speed polishing of the teeth removes bacteria harboring tartar that leads to infection, pain, and tooth loss.

Continued parasite prevention is important to avoid diseases that are transmitted by fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. Adult pets can carry intestinal parasites without showing any outward symptoms. Mosquitoes transmit heartworms, ticks carry infectious organisms that cause Lyme disease and Ehrlichia, and fleas are thought to be vectors of hemobartonella, a blood parasite that causes anemia in cats. Some of these illnesses are zoonotic or contagious to people. Your veterinarian will prescribe safe, easy to use, monthly preventive medications to keep your pet free of these harmful parasites and protect your family from serious zoonoses.

Keep in mind that a pet ages at a must faster rate than a person. A trip to the vet once a year is the equivalent of a person seeing a doctor about once a decade. Many changes can occur in between wellness exams. Veterinarians are recommending twice a year check ups for dogs and cats. Early detection of disease will greatly reduce the progression of damage being done and improve the outcome of treatment.

Bites from non-venomous snakes should be treated the same as puncture wounds. Bacteria from the dog’s skin and the snakes’ mouth are delivered beneath the skin by sharp, needle-like teeth. Because the teeth are so sharp, the skin may seal quickly over the puncture. The bacteria may then reproduce and cause an abscess. It may rupture and drain several days later. A large amount of tissue may slough off that was damaged by the infection. Oral antibiotics are usually prescribed prophylactically for non-venomous snake bites.

Venomous snake bites are a different story. It is important to get treatment for the dog as soon as possible. Try to keep the dog calm, and keep the bite wound below the level of the heart. Do not attempt to remove the venom yourself by any means. Venom from different snakes act differently on the body, so identification of the snake makes it easier to determine the appropriate treatment protocol. Initial treatment is symptomatic. Shock is controlled with rapid IV fluid therapy and steroid injections. Antivenin is a serum that neutralizes venom, but it comes with its own set of risks, so it must be known whether the antivenin will benefit the dog. This will depend upon which type of snake caused the bite. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and pain medications are all indicated. Some venoms cause intravascular coagulation, some cause localized tissue destruction, and some cause neurological effects. The dose of venom determines the severity of illness, therefore, small dogs are more at risk than larger ones because they will receive a higher dose of venom per pound of body weight. In any case, a venomous snake bite is a life-threatening emergency, and veterinary care should be sought immediately.

There is a vaccine available for venomous snake bites. It may be useful for hunting and working dogs. It causes the body to produce antibodies to the venom making the dog somewhat immune. The vaccine appears to be safe, but its efficacy and duration is limited. Even a vaccinated dog should seek medical attention immediately after a bite from a venomous snake.

It seems obvious to control pain after surgery, an injury, or during a painful illness like pancreatitis. But in fact, the practice of pain management has not always been widespread in veterinary medicine. The acknowledgement that our pets do indeed experience emotions like pain was not always a popular belief. Even in human medicine, pain is often under-treated. It is proven that untreated pain suppresses the immune system, delays healing, and prolongs recovery from surgery. It is our greatest responsibility as the caretakers of our pets to alleviate suffering, and there are fortunately many options available to ensure that we are successful.

Pain can be articulated by people. However in pets, it must be observed and measured. There are several pain scales that veterinarians can use to anticipate and measure pain. Dogs and cats exhibit pain differently than people except in the case of acute, excruciating pain where vocalizing occurs. Being pack animals, dogs tend to keep a low profile, staying away from others including human family members. They may refuse food and be defensive, cowering and growling or snapping in anticipation of discomfort. Cats will also hide and guard their wounds, and both dogs and cats may over-groom a tender area. Pain is also measured by empirical methods, assuming that an animal would feel the equivalent of a human after experiencing surgery, trauma, or an illness. Increased blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate may also be used as indicators of pain.

Treatment for pain depends completely on the source and severity of discomfort. Medications, physical therapy, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, and other palliative measures can all be used alone or in combination. Multi-modal approaches to pain control tend to be the most effective.

For minor pain, heat and compression can give relief. Cold increases the perception of pain. Range of motion exercises can keep an arthritic animal limber and strong. There are specialists in physical therapy that utilize tools like water treadmills to increase flexibility and avoid muscle wasting caused by chronic pain.

Medications that alleviate pain are called analgesics. There are different categories of analgesics which have different mechanisms of action. Drugs are used for moderate to severe forms of pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are useful for conditions like arthritis where pain relief is best achieved when inflammation in the joints is controlled. Opiates are reserved for severe pain, like after major surgery. They are usually not given long term because of the potential for side effects on the GI tract like constipation. Opiate drugs come in oral, injectable, and transdermal forms. Local anesthetics can be injected into the tissues around a surgical incision to completely numb the site. Just as in humans, epidurals can be given by injecting an opiate directly into the spinal canal, completely blocking the nerve pathways for entire regions of the body.

Pain should be assumed, predicted, and preemptively controlled in our pets. Because we can not tell an animal “this is going to hurt a bit”, even minor pain can affect their health and wellbeing significantly.

When an animal (or human) consumes any type of food, it is broken down into simple sugars in the digestive tract. These simple sugars are readily available to provide instant energy to cells and organs including the heart and the brain. Extra energy (glucose) that is not needed by the body is converted by the liver into fat to be utilized when food is scarce. The problem in house pets is that food is never scarce. No one likes to see their beloved pet go hungry. Fat is continually accumulated which begins to cause problems elsewhere in the body.

The body was designed to carry a certain amount of fat to provide energy between meals. Canines in the wild, like wolves and coyotes, go long stretches between meals. Therefore storing some fat is a healthy and necessary function. Feral cats on the other hand, eat small meals of protein throughout the day and do not store much fat at all. In fact, this characteristic of felines makes them susceptible to a specific liver problem if they are allowed to become obese and for some reason stop eating. Cats were not designed to burn fat stores efficiently, and instead the liver becomes clogged with fat leading to failure (hepatic lipidosis).

Some connections between obesity and disease are easy to realize. Joints can be over-burdened by carrying too much weight and develop arthritis, an inflammatory reaction that causes pain. Furthermore, the dog or cat can rupture a cruciate ligament in the knee from being overloaded. Overweight pets are more likely to develop a herniated disc in the spine which can cause a great deal of pain or even paralysis.

Other obesity related problems are less obvious, but equally as devastating. Excess body fat can contribute to becoming diabetic. Diabetes is a serious disease that causes blood sugar levels to soar uncontrollably leading to all sorts of ill effects. Overweight pets are more susceptible to heat stroke because dogs and cats do not sweat to cool themselves, and the fat acts as an insulating blanket over the body. Respiratory problems and heart disease are caused by and complicated by obesity. Overweight pets are also at increased risk during anesthetic and surgical procedures.

Overall, obesity reduces quality of life and shortens lifespan. One Purina study showed that dogs with ideal body conditions live on average 15% longer than obese pets.

Feeding regimens are the first place to start when addressing obesity. Two or three small meals a day, rather than free-choice feeding (keeping a full bowl), allows the body to utilize calories more efficiently and store less fat. Feeding a balanced, nutritious diet formulated for a dog or a cat of a specific age and activity level is equally important. The amount to feed depends on the metabolism of the individual. Table scraps tend to be high in fats and salt. They are often given in addition to the pet’s regular diet that already contains an adequate number of calories for energy.

The other way to prevent obesity is to increase a pet’s activity levels. This can be difficult with an already obese dog or cat because their stamina may be decreased. They may already suffer from the side effects of being overweight. Consult a veterinarian about how much activity is appropriate for your pet. As weight comes off, you will see a considerable change in the dog or cat’s attitude and energy levels. What was once thought of as an old lazy pet can regain the pep of a young healthy animal.

It is important to not cause weight loss too quickly. Starvation is not the answer to obesity. Cats cannot metabolize fat rapidly without serious ill-effects. Check with a veterinarian to establish an ideal weight and timeline for weight loss.

Our pets will thank us for helping them maintain an ideal body weight. They will live longer and happier lives as a result.

The first commercially produced NSAID was aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid. It is a non-selective COX inhibitor. Isolated from tree bark (a folk remedy for headaches) in 1829, Aspirin was a miracle drug in treating minor pain without the risk of addiction to morphine. The side effects of aspirin include possible gastric ulceration and reduced platelet function. Because of the higher doses needed to achieve analgesia in animals, these side effects are even more pronounced in pets than in people. Aspirin was once the most commonly used NSAID in veterinary medicine, but alternative drugs have been developed that are safer for prolonged use.

A large group of NSAIDS called profens include selective and non-selective COX enzyme inhibitors. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) is non-selective and carries the same risk of gastric damage as aspirin. It can be toxic to the liver; so, it is generally avoided as an analgesic for pets. Selective COX inhibiting profens include carprofen (Rimadyl), which is FDA labeled for use in dogs to treat pain. Carprofen can cause liver inflammation in some patients, and baseline liver values are measured before starting this and all NSAIDS. It should not be used in patients that have preexisting liver problems. Gastric ulceration is rare and is usually associated with over-dosage.

Other classes of COX-selective NSAIDS include the oxicams, arylalkanoic acids, and the coxib drugs. These drugs are less likely to cause stomach ulceration and bleeding than non-selective COX inhibitors in theory, however, the most common side effect seen with all of them is gastric irritation. Side effects are usually dose related. Meloxicam (Metacam), etodolac (Etogesic), deracoxib (Deramaxx), and firocoxib (Previcox) are all examples of these newer generation selective COX inhibitors.
NSAIDS are considered safe and effective for the treatment of pain when used according to directions. All of the drugs listed here, with the exception of aspirin and ibuprofen, are FDA approved for use in dogs. Cats do not tolerate most NSAIDS. There is only one drug approved for use in cats, and that is Metacam injectable. It is labeled for one time use only in cats. Other NSAIDS or the misuse of Metacam can be extremely toxic to cats. Never give a cat any pain medication that has not been prescribed by a veterinarian.
NSAIDS should never be combined with aspirin, corticosteroids, or other NSAIDS, as the risk of side effects will be greatly multiplied. Never give an extra dose or increase the dose without consulting a veterinarian. NSAIDS should not be given on an empty stomach.
All NSAIDS that are FDA labeled for use in dogs must display the following statement on their labels; “All dogs should undergo a thorough history and physical examination before initiation of NSAID therapy. Appropriate laboratory tests to establish baseline blood values prior to, and periodically during, the use of any NSAID are strongly recommended.”