Since February is pet dental month, I thought I’d take the opportunity to address the perception among many clients that dental issues really aren’t a big deal and are optional to treat. Each week this month, I’ll be debunking some common myths surrounding dental disease. 

Myth #1- My parents never had their dog’s teeth cleaned and he lived to a ripe old age. This whole thing has been blown out of proportion. 

In the veterinary profession, there is a joke that about 20 years ago we discovered that dogs have teeth, and about 10 years ago we discovered that cats also have teeth.  Decades ago, dental care wasn’t emphasized and the risks were not appreciated. Medical understanding evolves over time, and what we know now may not have been a generation ago. Vets who practiced 40 years ago weren’t taught much (if anything) about periodontal disease. I graduated from vet school 15 years ago, and I had one lab and maybe a couple of lectures on dental disorders. Over the last few decades our knowledge of disease processes in general has expanded, and this includes things in the mouth. Just because something wasn’t done in our parents’ generation doesn’t mean that there isn’t valid reason to do it today.

 Check back next week when I discuss another common pet dental myth. You can also find additional information about pet dental care on the Banfield website.

Question: I just got a 10 week old puppy that I bought from a breeder. She was vaccinated at 6 and 9 weeks, and de wormed at 6, 8, 10 weeks. Today I noticed a thin short worm in her stools. Does this mean the de worming didn’t work? Should she be de wormed again?

Answer: You may be describing a tapeworm segment, which is typically seen on the surface of the stool or dried in the hair around the anus, as opposed to the longer worms that tend to be within the stool. Tapeworms come from having fleas, and the common puppy de wormers don’t have action against them.

I would recommend you make an appointment with your veterinarian for a general health examination, a review of the vaccinations and de-worming she has received, and make sure you are doing everything you need to be in terms of preventive care (including flea control). The doctor can de worm your puppy for tapeworms either with an injection or an oral de wormer that has action against tapeworms. If what you are seeing is a tapeworm, understand this is only a section of the worm (the sections are shed as the worm grows). I hope this is helpful to you.

If you have a non-emergency question about your pet’s health, you can submit it on our website. You can also view our archive to read answers to questions asked by other pet owners.

This idea is especially important in veterinary medicine, and is one of the most common things we as vets talk to our clients about.  With our current technology we can prevent so many diseases that 30 years ago would cause serious illness or death.  Our pets are living longer, better lives because of great preventative care programs (and so are we!).  Even so, it’s not uncommon to have clients decline necessary preventative care, either knowingly or unintentionally putting their pets at risk for disease.  And the reason most often stated is related to finances.

Now, I completely understand that money is tight, especially in the current economy, and I sympathize with my clients.  I’ve felt the pinch in my own life!  But we have to look at the larger picture, and really analyze where the costs will be.  That’s when we go back to Ben’s wisdom, “an ounce of prevention…”  Let me give you a few examples.

Depending on where you seek veterinary care, a vaccine against canine distemper and parvo will cost around $30.  If your dog is infected with parvo, your bill will easily reach $600-1000, and your dog may still not survive.  Six months of heartworm prevention for a 40-pound dog costs around $30-50.  Treating that dog for heartworms can cost well over $800; this works out to the same cost of having bought prevention for at least 8 years!  Let’s look at a disease that’s not as serious: kennel cough (bordetella infection).  The vaccine runs around $20-25 and though the disease rarely turns fatal you can easily spend over $100 in office visits, antibiotics, and cough suppressants.  I could go on and on with numerous examples, but I think you get the idea.  There is never a disease or medical condition that is cheaper and easier to treat than it is to prevent.

Banfield is striving to be the best preventative care practice in the world, so we are very concerned this issue.  We realize that pets need vaccines, heartworm prevention, flea prevention, dental cleanings, and so on, but we also know how expensive these can be.  To help people afford this necessary care, we developed Optimum Wellness Plans that spread costs out at a discount and cover much of the needed preventative care without you having to dip into your wallet as frequently or as deeply.

It all boils down to prevention.  I know many people say that they can’t afford complete preventative care.  But looking at these numbers, can you really afford not to?  What is really going to be more expensive?  Remember Ben’s immortal words.

1. If you have a question about a condition (including surgery) your pet is recovering from, medications your pet is receiving or if you are unclear or unsure about something your vet has told you, call the vet. He/she knows you, your pet and has access to medical history and therefore is the appropriate person to be following up with.
2. If you are questioning a treatment or recommendation and are looking for a second opinion, you should schedule an appointment with another veterinarian and your pet and get a copy of the medical records. It is inappropriate and possibly dangerous for another veterinarian to comment on treatment your pet has received or is receiving without having reviewed the medical record and examined the pet.
3. If you think your pet is experiencing an emergency, take him/her to an emergency clinic and don’t wait for a reply from “Ask the Vet”. In a true emergency (often unknown until the pet is examined), waiting could be the difference between a good and tragic outcome. Also, please note that we aim to answer questions within 2 business days, which is too long to wait for emergency situations.
4. If you have concerns about something you think you or a family member may have gotten from a pet, consult your own physician. A veterinarian is not a human physician and cannot diagnose an illness or prescribe treatment for a person. The same can be said for a human physician making a diagnosis or treatment recommendations for your pet.
5. Puppies and kittens should have their first veterinary examination between 7 and 8 weeks of age or earlier if they are sick, lethargic or not eating. Having a relationship with a veterinarian and making sure your puppy or kitten gets everything they need to lead a healthy happy life is the best thing you can do for your pet and your family. Consider the cost of food, toys, grooming, flea and heartworm prevention and veterinary care when deciding to get a puppy or kitten. There are costs associated with having pets and keeping them healthy.
6. Make sure you have time to give your new pet plenty of love and attention as well as making sure he/she gets enough exercise. All puppies benefit from obedience classes and training. Pets who have good manners and follow basic commands are much more likely to be included in family outing and events. Having a pet and taking care of it is a privilege–he/she will depend on you for everything he/she needs, including how to be a good pet and family member. Be sure you are prepared to take on this responsibility not just in the present but for the life of the pet. Consider the needs of the pet as an adult, not just as a youngster. Too many people get puppies and get rid of them when they grow to their adult size.
7. Please don’t use “he’s just getting old” as an excuse not to seek care for geriatric pets. Pets should have a chance to live out their lives in the best health and comfort you and your veterinarian can provide.
8. Realize the tremendous benefit pets bring to our lives and society in terms of physical, emotional and mental health. Give them everything you can in return.

The carrier:

• If your cat is stressed by the sight of the carrier, try bringing him or her in several days before the visit.  Placing your cat on the floor and use a favored treat and/or toys to entice your cat to go into the carrier.
• Some cats might resist being put into a carrier so carriers with removable tops make getting cats into—and out of—the carrier easier. This eliminates the need to force the cat inside, which makes the cat—and you—more relaxed.
• Use items in the carrier that have a familiar scent i.e. cat bed/blanket or clothing.
• Always put your cat in a carrier when going places. Cats are often startled by loud noises and fast moving objects and may escape your grip and become injured.
• Once your feline friend has become acclimated to the carrier, you can start taking your cat on stress-free trial runs.

The car:

• While in the carrier, place your cat in the car and start it. Reassure your cat with praise and favored treats until your cat becomes more relaxed. (This may take a few sessions).
• As your cat becomes more comfortable with being in the car, you can start taking short rides, gradually increasing the distance until you and your cat reach the veterinary hospital.

The hospital visit:

• Call your vet’s office and scheduling time to just “drop by” for a mock appointment.
• Introduce your cat to the waiting area and veterinary medical team to get him/her used to the sounds and the smells of the hospital. This will get your cat to experience all of the steps of a routine visit without the physical exam.

It is important to remain calm and work at your cat’s pace, being aware of your cat’s responses.

Avoid the use of punishment either verbally or physically, because this can have negative consequences such as higher anxiety.

These steps may not cure all of your cat’s anxiety, but with continued exposure and positive reinforcement, you can help your cat to become more confident and less anxious before, during and after a visit to the vet.

Canine distemper, another disease preventable through vaccination, is also becoming exceedingly rare in this country. So much so in fact, veterinarians do not immediately think of distemper when a coughing puppy, possibly with some vomiting and diarrhea walks into their hospital. This is not the case in my home country, Mexico, where vaccination against distemper is not so commonplace and distemper is still seen far too frequently. Thus, the commitment to vaccination really has made all the difference for this disease.

The facts above show that people do understand the importance and ability to prevent disease in dogs and cats. However, though vaccination has been embraced wholeheartedly, the same cannot be said for other forms of prevention. Let’s take the case of heartworm disease. This, like rabies and distemper, is a preventable disease. All three carry the specter of death, with rabies being the most deadly. However, heartworm is no less deadly than distemper, and certainly in cats, where there is no treatment for heartworm disease and the pet will succumb once it has been infected. So why, therefore, is heartworm disease so much more common than either of the other two diseases, as evidenced by information reported by the American Heartworm Society?

I believe the first reason is lack of education. Heartworm disease is a “newer” disease than either rabies or distemper. Pet parents have thus not heard about the dangers of heartworm for as many years as rabies or distemper, so maybe this makes it easier for them to ignore the evidence. There is also a lack of education about how much heartworm there is in the country. People in the southern states, where heartworm is more commonplace, are much more inclined to ensure protection for their pets. The reality, though, is that heartworm disease has been found in all 50 states. Thus, though the disease is more common in the south, heartworm is rapidly spreading from that lower right hand side of the country across the rest of the nation. Is this spread because mosquitoes, the transmitters of the disease, are moving to other parts of the country? Or is it because the disease is growing in areas where people are less diligent about protecting their pets?  

Another reason might be the “ease” of protecting a pet. With rabies and distemper, a trip to the veterinarian gets pets up to date for one or more years. No need to worry about things until the next reminder shows up. However, heartworm protection involves more work from the pet parent. Up until recently the only protection available was a tablet that had to be given to the pet once a month. Thus, the pet parent had to remember to perform this duty once a month, maybe at the same time as flea control was being provided. Last year an injectable form of protection re-entered the marketplace. This makes is possible for the pet parent to share the responsibility with the veterinarian. This injection protects the pet against heartworm disease for a six month period. Make a trip to the vet and again, no need to worry until the next reminder shows up. This product though, is only available for dogs, and thus cat parents must still use the monthly tablet.

Cost might be a third barrier to protection for some. Vaccinations are generally cheaper than heartworm protection. However, even when a pet can be treated once infected, as is the case for dogs when the disease is caught early, the cost of treatment is much, much greater than lifelong protection. Not to mention the fact that the treatment itself is long and painful. A yummy monthly tablet or a twice yearly injection is much superior to the treatment, which furthermore isn’t 100% guaranteed. So cost really should be looked at carefully; prevention truly is superior to cure.

Maybe we think we already do enough. “Gosh, I already protect Fluffy from this and that, and the other too! Do I really have to protect him against something else?” Unfortunately, we have not managed to eradicate distemper or rabies, or countless other diseases. Thus, until we do, don’t we owe it to our furry companions to continue to be vigilant and protect them against as may diseases as we possibly can? Is their protection dance card all filled up? I don’t think so. I think if we accept the care that they have entrusted to us, we accept the responsibility to do all in our power to keep them from suffering. There will be things that we haven’t yet figured out, and thus cannot protect them from, but shouldn’t we do fulfill our part of the bargain on all those things that actually are preventable?

So if your veterinarian is not doing a good enough job of educating you not just about the diseases that have to be treated, but also about those that can be protected against, then challenge him, or her, to do so. Partner with your veterinarian to knock down whatever barriers still exist. Look into your pet’s eyes and think about this: years ago, pet parents probably didn’t think they could, or needed to, protect against distemper or rabies either.

This is the time of year when dogs who have spent more time inside than outside start to suffer, alongside their humans, from cabin fever. Personally, I can only take so much 60-pound dog chasing the cats down the hall, standing with front feet on the window sill waiting for “something to happen”, thinking it’s time to go every time I get up from the couch and going in and out repeatedly (I’m tired or wiping dirty dog feet). I hope the transition to warm weather comes abruptly and soon. With warmer weather comes the need to be careful about acclimatizing and exercising pets in warm weather.
Consider the following as warm weather approaches:

1. Pets need to get in shape before exercising at full capacity–the same philosophy as start slow and gradually increase time and distance.
2. Overweight pets or those who have gained weight over the winter may need more time to get in shape.
3. Overdoing it too soon can result in injury.
4. Pets don’t sweat and rely on panting to remove excess heat from their bodies. Pets who have stenotic nares (small nasal passages), short noses, long soft palates, are overweight, have a chronic disease condition or any type of respiratory disease are at increased risk for overheating.
5. On hot days, misting a pet with cool (not cold water) will increase evaporative cooling.
6. Pets should always have access to clean water during exercise in warm weather. Don’t let your pet drink excessive amounts of water all at once, but provide a reasonable amount at frequent intervals until consumption stabilizes to a normal level.
7. Pets may not eat well in very hot weather. Unless you are managing a disease like diabetes which requires regular meals in association with insulin administration, don’t worry too much about a decreased appetite for a few days unless accompanied by other signs of illness.
8. Pets should have access to a shady area to rest between periods of exercise (under a tree, a picnic table, etc.).
9. Some pets may be so focused on their task/obsession (retrieving) that they will not seek rest on their own. You will need to be aware and force the dog to rest before he/she endangers themselves.
10. In warm weather, the best times to exercise your pet are early in the morning and later in the evening (after sun sets).
11. Some days will be too warm to exercise your pet more than a slow walk around the block.
12. Swimming is a great exercise in warm weather. Just be sure the area your pet is swimming in is safe in terms of water quality, hazards, especially at the entry point (example: sharp sticks close to or sticking out of the surface) and currents, watercraft, etc.
13. NEVER LEAVE YOUR PET IN THE CAR ON A HOT DAY EVEN IF THE WINDOWS ARE DOWN AND THE CAR IS PARKED IN THE SHADE

Spring and summer are great times to get out and have fun with your pets. Reasonable caution will ensure enjoyment for all.

I didn’t become a pet owner until my mid-twenties, which makes me a late bloomer in pet ownership, especially at Banfield. While most of my peers grew up with pets, I did not. So I was left with a distinct disadvantage when I decided to adopt Gidget, but I feel like I would make up for it with research, which I spent most of my time in graduate school doing.

While I relied on friends and coworkers on how to care for Gidget, I did do a lot of online research, including research on cat breeds. I came to the conclusion that Gidget was a Ragdoll because of the way she would literally become a ragdoll in my arms, her temperament and the quality of her fur. Because I wanted to know more about her breed, I did do some research online on how to care for her – with varied results.

Through personal experience, I’ve learned that I can’t trust everything I read online. For example, I read on one site that I should bathe Ragdolls. I should have realized with Gidget’s already meticulous cleaning schedule that it wasn’t unnecessary. But, I followed the Web site and ended up with a traumatizing experience for the both of us. Gidget did not enjoy getting her fur completely wet, and I did not enjoy being covered in water while trying to towel dry her.

Another example of online advice includes people not allowing pets into the bedroom area if they are allergic to fur. I’ve always allowed Gidget to sleep on the bed, because that is where she is happiest and nothing beats waking up to a purring cat when you have a cold. Even if it makes my nose a bit stuffier than I would be if Gidget wasn’t sleeping on the bed.

I have received some online advice that I found helpful. This includes how to change her feeding habits. With her previous owners, Gidget was used to grazing all day and I had switched her to strict portions twice a day. At her first veterinary visit, she was considered obese at roughly 14 pounds and now she is at a normal weight of about 10 pounds. I also put golf balls in her bowl to slow down the speed in which she eats.

Much of what I do is to facilitate content that is helpful to pet owners, but I have realized myself how difficult it is to implement the advice that I find online. Each pet is different, and each owner is hoping for different results. However, the team here hopes that we provide relevant content and we hope that you find value in the advice we provide, both online and in the hospital.

If there is something you want to hear from us, please feel free to leave a comment on our blog.

The key to having a pet who lives a long and healthy life involves continual care, just as it does for us. Most of you have probably heard that, on average, a dog or cat ages seven years for every year we age. This means that if your pet sees your veterinarian every six months, it’s the equivalent of you seeing your doctor every three to four years. Certainly not something your primary physician would recommend. Therefore, this twice yearly visit that your vet recommends is really just the bare minimum.

So for an apparently healthy two-year-old, what is it that your veterinarian does during the visit, especially if vaccines aren’t due? First of all, there is a lot more to preventive care than just vaccines. The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends fecal exams once to twice a year to ensure that no active internal parasite infections are present. They also recommend year-round protection against both external (fleas, for example) and internal (roundworms and hookworms, for example) parasites. Also, routine blood work performed either once or twice a year, depending on your pet’s age, helps both establish your pet’s normal blood values as well as catch problems when they first occur. This prevents finding problems years later when there is little your veterinarian can do to get your pet healthy. Yearly testing and year-round prevention against heartworm disease is also recommended by the American Heartworm Society. This life-threatening disease has been seen in all 50 states, yet it is easily preventable.

Other important considerations that will be uncovered by a complete physical exam include nutritional issues, such as obesity and related health problems as well as proper dental care. Most dogs and cats will require a full dental prophylaxis by the time they are three years old, and certain breeds require it even sooner. Ask any dentist and they will tell you how many health problems can be prevented with proper attention to plaque buildup, this is true for our furry companions too.

At the end of the day, taking proper care of our pets and keeping them well is really not that much different than keeping ourselves healthy. Their lives are shorter than ours so neglecting issues for weeks or months is much more like us neglecting health issues in ourselves for months or years. The care your pet requires is dependent on many factors, including breed, lifestyle and locale. That means with every other recommendation, make sure you speak to your veterinarian to get the optimum wellness prescription. Six months go by really quickly and may seem inconvenient. However, following this formula will ensure your pal is healthier for much longer and potential problems are headed off long before they become unmanageable.