Pet foods contain fat for energy. Any fat that is not utilized through activity will be stored by the body as reserves. Growth formulas and diets created for working breeds of dogs will contain high levels of fat that would not be appropriate for sedentary or already overweight animals. Animals that are prone to inflammation of the pancreas, the organ that produces digestive enzymes, should avoid diets rich in fat.

Carbohydrates are simple and complex sugars that provide immediate and residual fuel for cells. All carbohydrates are eventually broken down into glucose, the basic unit of energy for all tissues in the body. Sources of carbohydrates include starches such as rice, corn, and potatoes. A portion of these ingredients that can not be digested is called insoluble fiber. Fiber is important in digestion in that it provides consistency to the stools, preventing constipation. Fiber also slows absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which may help to regulate glucose levels in diabetic patients. Diabetics are usually fed a high fiber, moderate carbohydrate diet. Fiber also helps provide a sense of fullness after eating even though it contains no usable calories. Weight loss formulas are typically high in fiber.

Other important ingredients found in balanced diets include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and omega fatty acids. High quality pet food has the advantage of decades of feeding research to ensure that adequate levels of these ingredients are included. Good nutrition is essential to the health of your pet during all stages of life and during recovery from illness.

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.

One way to ensure your pet’s safety is to evaluate a blood chemistry profile before the surgery. This can detect compromised organ function, anemia, electrolyte imbalance, and bleeding disorders. Although it is impossible to screen for every possible disease process with one blood sample, the most likely problems that would preclude or complicate surgery can be ruled out.

Monitoring equipment used during surgery has greatly improved the safety and outcome of general anesthesia. In the past, the level of anesthesia could only be measured subjectively. Heart rate and respirations were observed to indicate the depth of anesthesia. Modern monitoring of blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation (pulse oximetry), and electrocardiogram (EKG) are much more accurate at assessing the patient’s wellbeing. The depth of anesthesia can be “fine tuned” using these parameters to improve safety and speed recovery.

The drugs used to induce and maintain anesthesia have become far safer as well. Induction agents and gas anesthetics are minimally metabolized by the body and are eliminated very quickly compared to older protocols. A rapid recovery reduces the chance of anesthetic injury to the kidneys and other organs. The pet is able to return to eating and drinking shortly after the procedure which prevents dehydration and boosts the immune system during healing.

A side effect of general anesthesia is lowered blood pressure. Intravenous fluids can be administered to normalize blood pressure and ensure adequate tissue oxygen perfusion. Life-saving drugs can be administered through an IV catheter in the case of an emergency.

Analgesia (pain control) is better achieved through the drug choices that veterinarians can utilize. It is a proven fact that pain suppresses the immune response, slows healing, and increases recovery times. Your pet will receive pre- and post-operative pain medications that will ensure their comfort and improve the outcome of surgery.

The veterinary staff will give you specific instructions to follow before and after surgery. The pet will need to fast for a period of time to reduce nausea during anesthesia. Vomiting while unconscious is very dangerous, and an empty stomach will avoid this problem. Be sure that you understand the fasting instructions. Withholding water for too long before surgery can lead to dehydration which may cause problems with recovery.

After surgery, you will be given aftercare instructions. Restricted activity, physical therapy, antibiotics, pain medications, rechecks, and scheduling suture removal are common follow up procedures to a surgery. You will want to monitor your pet’s appetite and attitude afterward and call the vet if there are any problems. An Elizabethan collar may be sent home to prevent the animal from chewing and scratching at the incision.

You should understand what will be done during surgery and the expected results. Discuss the procedure with the veterinarian and the nursing staff so that you are comfortable with your part in the follow up care of your pet.

Implanting the chip can be performed without anesthesia. The procedure is relatively painless. A modified syringe and large bore needle are used to place the glass tube beneath the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. Scar tissue forms around small barbs on the microchip to keep it from migrating out of place. Some pet owners will opt to have this procedure done at the time of spaying and neutering.

There are several brands of identification chips that are FDA approved for implantation in dogs and cats. Some brands can be read by other company’s scanners, and some cannot. Pet owner’s should consult their veterinarian about which brand of microchip is most universally readable in their area.

Microchipping is the most effective method of positively identifying your pet. Each year, thousands of dogs and cats are reunited with their owners thanks to this technology.

Cats have retractable claws. Their “fingers” have three bones and joints just like ours. The individual bones are called phalanges. Human fingers can only be flexed toward the palm and relaxed into a straight, pointing position. The last or third phalanx of a cat can be extended upward as well as flexed downward. At rest, the third phalanx and toenail are retracted upward off of the ground. This means the cat does not bear weight on the last bone while standing. For this reason, the last bone can be amputated without affecting the cat’s ability to stand. This is not as true for the rear feet, because most cats bear partial weight on the rear third phalanges. And, when propelling themselves forward, the rear toes flex downward in order to gain traction. Most veterinarians agree that cats’ rear feet should not be declawed. Most complications occur from declawing the rear feet.

Declawing is a surgical procedure performed under a general anesthetic. Pre-operative blood work is done to rule out subclinical infection, anemia, and clotting deficiency. There are several techniques employed to declaw a cat. It is up to the veterinarian to choose the technique with which they are most comfortable and familiar. The doctor may use a scalpel, a guillotine blade, or a laser to perform the amputation of the third phalanx. The incision may either be sutured or closed with tissue adhesive. The feet are then wrapped with a light compression bandage and the cat is confined to cage rest for 12 to 24 hours after surgery.

The pain management protocol that is used during a declaw greatly influences the outcome, both short-term and long-term, after surgery. The specific drugs and techniques are again up to the veterinarian. Opiates such as Fentanyl, morphine, and buprenorphine are given before surgery to block pain and provide a comfortable recovery. Injections may be repeated after the declaw, and they are sometimes combined with an NSAID injection to utilize a multi-modal approach to pain control. Carpal ring blocks and digital blocks provide analgesia by injecting long-acting local anesthetics like bupivacaine around the regional nerves associated with the feet. This can last for as long as 8 hours after surgery. A Fentanyl trans-dermal patch or oral opiates are sent home with the cat to provide extended pain control. Symptoms of pain include hiding and refusing food. Be sure to let your veterinarian know if you suspect your cat is in pain.

Complications from declawing can be bleeding, infection, limping, and re-growth of the toenail when the nail bed was not adequately excised.

Normal gestation periods for dogs and cats are 63 to 65 days. If the date of conception is known, an abdominal x-ray one week before whelping (giving birth) should be performed to predict the need for a C-Section. An x-ray will reveal the size of the litter and the size of the babies’ heads.

If a Cesarean Section is planned or becomes necessary, a general anesthetic will be administered. A complete blood count, chemistry panel, and electrolyte panel will be run before anesthesia to discover any underlying illness that may complicate recovery. An intravenous catheter is placed and supportive fluids are given to help prevent dangerous dips in blood pressure that can lead to post-operative organ failure. Blood pressure, EKG, and blood oxygen saturation (pulse oximetry) are monitored carefully during the entire procedure.

Inhalant gas anesthesia is used during c-sections because they are minimally metabolized in the blood stream, and they are quickly “blown off”. Anesthetics can cross the placental barrier, so the unborn babies are susceptible to depressed heart and respiratory rates. After delivery, the newborns will sometimes require stimulants to get them breathing and thriving.

The litter is delivered with the placental sacs and amniotic fluid intact. The surgeon and nursing staff will quickly remove the sac and aspirate the fluid from the babies’ mouths. As soon as the mother recovers from surgery, the litter will begin to nurse. Oral glucose may be given to the newborns in the case that they can not begin nursing immediately.

The incision made in the abdomen to perform a Cesarean Section will be considerably larger than that of a routine spay. Healing time may be delayed because of the stress of pregnancy and nursing. It is also possible to spay the female dog after performing a C-Section, but it is important that she can begin nursing the litter as soon as possible.