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Newsletter: Articles, upcoming events & Specials
Feature Articles:
Articles:
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Why Veterinary dentistry? How
will your Pet benefit?
85% of all pets over one year of age have
some degree of periodontal disease, while only 3% get treated.
Dogs and Cats
are diagnosed with dental disease more than any other infection. Dental
disease cause a painful inflammatory condition in which bacteria attacks
the gums, periodontal ligament and bone tissue that surround and support
the teeth. Typically the inflammation of dental disease can cause
chronic pain that most pets will not demonstrate. BUT RED MEANS PAIN!
It can lead to a decrease in appetite, sinus infections, loss of teeth,
etc.
The American
medical Association has recently published the link between chronic
dental infections and heart disease. Chances are, your Veterinarian has
been telling you this for the past 30 years! The organs that are the
most susceptible to infection are the organs with the highest blood
flow. LUNGS can get bacteria influx which can cause bronchial or other
respiratory disease; HEART gets showered by bacteria that can set up
house on the valves of the heart; LIVER, though normally involved with
detoxification of the blood, can be overwhelmed by the constant barrage
of chronic infections like that of dental disease; KIDNEY damage occurs
with the chronic blast of immune complex that results from the
continuous inflammation; even the BRAIN can be affected.
Besides
regular brushing, pet owners should have their pets' teeth examined by
their Veterinarian on a routine basis. Preventative care and
checkups will help you pets' bad breath, soreness, destruction of gums,
and loose or missing teeth, and may also help prevent harmful bacteria
from entering the blood stream and causing serious problems to your
pets' vital organs. Correcting dental disease can not only add to your
pet's life, it can make him/ her feel younger and happier.
Call us for a
free dental examination and ask about our dental promotion
in February. Remember to say that you saw it here. RED MEANS PAIN!
303-469-PETS Schedule
your appointment today!
Dr. Eugene
Pei
Pet Food Recall
Which diet is safe for our pets? The last
several months has shaken our confidence in what diet we can safely feed
our pets. As a veterinarian I have seen many of the major pet food
companies caught off guard in knowing that their diet is safe. It was
thought to be wheat gluten or rice protein concentrate but more recently
the contaminated pet food ingredient has been identified as wheat flour
from China. The toxin in the wheat flour has been identified as
melamine and is normally found in plastics and fertilizer. Many of the
pet food companies were not aware the ingredients had been substituted
with “contaminated substitutes”. It appears melamine was used to spike
wheat flour to raise the nitrogen level to increase the total protein
content which is what pet food companies look for in their ingredients.
The toxin affects the kidneys with cats being more sensitive than dogs.
The FDA has received unconfirmed reports of 4,150 cat and dog deaths
since March 16. Also, more than 5,800 pet food products have been
recalled. Blood and urine testing is used by your veterinarian to test
for detection of kidney disease. Sometimes multiple samples may need to
be taken if borderline results are seen. Treatment may be reversible if
caught early and treated appropriately.
Preparing your own diet for your pet may
be risky as an alternative. For instance many human grade vitamins,
glucosamine, and turaine are imported from China. Which ingredients are
safe? Church Ranch Veterinary Wellness Center has been investigating
diets to recommend to our clients. We have recently switched our
prescription diets to Purina Veterinary Diets-no recalls to date. We
are also going to stock and carry Eagle Select for a quality consistent
diet for all dogs and cats. Eagle Pack was chosen because it is
produced in the US, has quality controls and thus far no pet food
recalls. Dr. Stroberg has seen it used extensively for sled dog teams
at the Iditarod.
Several websites have been included for
further investigation.
www.fda.gov
www.eaglepack.com
www.purina.com
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Eugene Pei, DVM
Eugene
Pei holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine as well as a Masters
Degree in Public Health
George Stroberg, DVM
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Canine Influenza vs. Kennel
Cough
We have a new respiratory disease
affecting the canine species. This disease was first recognized in
racing greyhounds in 2004. It symptoms are similar to trachea
bronchitis or kennel cough. Kennel cough starts with a persistent cough
and coughing spells that end with a gag or vomiting reflex. Canine
Influenza in addition to coughing may have nasal discharge-green snotty
noses, fevers up to 104 and without treatment by a Veterinarian may
eventually produce pneumonia. Dogs and puppies vaccinated for kennel
cough may also be affected. Several institutions have the capability to
diagnose Canine Influenza. We normally treat according to clinical
signs. They respond to aggressive antibiotic treatment and they may
need IV fluids. Antibiotics may be necessary for a month or longer. Up
to 10 % mortality has been reported. Many dogs may be asymptomatic
carries of the virus-thus spreading the disease without knowing the
source. There is no vaccine approved because the FDA does not think it
is serious enough to warrant vaccinating for canine influenza. There
are several drug companies with the vaccine waiting for the okay. I
have called the FDA multiple times with no response to when or if they
will approve this vaccine. This is a difficult disease to control with
any dog contact. It has been known to act rapidly so do not hesitate to
begin treatment early.
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George Stroberg, DVM
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“Menu” recall on Pet foods
Menu Foods produces a number of pet food products under a
variety of different brand names. These foods have been contaminated
with some agent that causes severe kidney disease. This is limited to
products that are described as “Cuts and Gravy” and come packed in cans
or pouches. The specific insulting agent has been identified as
Aminopterin, which has been used as a rat poison in some parts of the
world. There is also an agent that seems to be related to the processing
of plastics contaminating the Wheat Gluten. Concerned owners should have
their pets receive a blood and urine test to identify if the kidneys
have been compromised.
The blood test - pre-surg/pre-anesthetic panel and
Early Renal Detection test
Treatment – IV fluids and supportive care.
Prognosis – dependent on exposure and severity of
effect.
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Eugene Pei, DVM
Eugene
Pei holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine as well as a Masters
Degree in Public Health
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Radiotelemetry Implant in
the Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer)
We have
implanted about 20 transmitters in gopher snakes caught locally. This
is an ongoing research project to determine the behavioral pattern and range
of this particular snake. A special battery operated transmitter is
surgically implanted in the abdomen-just about in the mid section with a
long antennae implanted under the skin. The snakes are hand caught
wild and reintroduced in the same area where captured. The radio
transmitter allows the researcher to locate each snake using an antennae
mounted to a receiver. This receiver emits an auditory beep being
stronger the closer one is to the transmitter (snake). Each
transmitter has its own frequency to help identify each individual snake.
This will be the second year of study and hopefully will allow more years of
these sleek sometimes difficult to see neighbors.
George Stroberg, DVM
 Endotracheal tube placement Beginning the
Incision
 Laser Surgery Placing the
transmitter
Closing the incision
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Newest Gadgets in
Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Medicine keeps
staying up with the newest and most beneficial diagnostics and services
available in the medical field. A few examples include:
Laser Surgery:
This form of surgery benefits the
patient by decreasing the amount of pain, bleeding, and swelling associated
with a surgical procedure normally done with a scalpel. This in turn
helps the animal feel better and produces a faster recovery. An
example is the cat declaw. Minimal recovery with the cat walking on
their paws with little or no pain several hours after the procedure is a
positive benefit. The older techniques required several days of
bandages and several weeks of recovery.
Ultrasound: Many people have come into contact with
this diagnostic device during their own children's pregnancy. We use
it also as a non surgical looking glass instead of exploratory surgery.
It also allows us to view the progress of therapy with just a shaving of the
hair coat or feathers. Thus it can be a very time and cost saving
procedure for the patient and owner.
Digital Radiology: Digital radiographs are also
replacing the film radiographs just like in photography. Advantages
include being able to change the contrast without retaking the image, no
chemicals or paper for processing, sending radiographs via e-mail for
referral or consultation instead of mailing large sensitive film, and
quicker results.
Pulse oxygen monitoring: This has greatly enhanced
the safety during anesthesia. Heart rate, percentage oxygen in the
blood stream, blood pressure, and temperature are a few parameters displayed
to the anesthesiologist during a procedure. It is very important to
know precisely the status of our anesthetized patients to make the necessary
adjustments for a positive outcome.
Physical Therapy:
Just like in people proper
therapy post injury or surgery is very valuable to decrease the recovery and
suffering associated with the condition. Many post surgery procedures
benefit from swimming in a therapy pool to improve strength and healing
time. This is usually done with the recommendations of a physical
therapist.
Endoscope: The use of both rigid and flexible
endoscope has been a great benefit on both diagnosing conditions and
therapy. We have used this device to remove foreign objects such as
socks from the stomach or to taking biopsies of the small intestine.
Many times joints can be repaired without the large post surgery scars.
These are just a few examples of enhanced equipment
used to help improve the safety and well being of our best friends.
Many other devices are used routinely and are updated on a daily basis.
George Stroberg, DVM
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George Stroberg,
DVM |
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Your Pet's Behavior-Is It
Going to Become a Problem Millions of pet
animals are destroyed every year by humane groups and veterinarians because
of "behavior problems" ranging from aggression to inappropriate elimination,
fear biting, and separation anxiety. Dogs and cats have some simple
rules to the programming that guides their lives. Of course behavioral
issues are not limited to our cat and dog friends-they also include horses,
small mammals, birds, and even reptiles. Many veterinarians, as
advocates for animals, have taken great efforts to inform and consult owners
on how to address these "problem behaviors'' before they become
problems. A classic example is seen in the dog.
When the puppy (as early as 6 weeks of age) first enters the household it
should be introduced to new people, new places, and new situations as often
as possible. The puppies first 6 months of age is the time when dogs
learn the rules of social behavior. If not allowed to do so, they may
become fearful, aggressive, or just unable to adapt to the new
circumstances. We at Church Ranch Veterinary Wellness Center offer
free socialization classes every Wednesday from 7-8 pm for all puppies 5
months of age or younger. When it comes to cats,
perhaps the most common problem is urinating in inappropriate locations.
As with any behavior, there may be an underlying medical reason and
that should be evaluated first by your local veterinarian. It is far
easier to correct a urinary infection than to correct a "problem
behavior". Unfortunately, urinary disease is often stemming from an
unseen behavioral issue. Perhaps there are too few litter boxes in a
multi cat household or the litter box is not being changed enough. We
recommend 1 litter box per cat plus one. Causes
for problem behaviors may be predisposed to a certain breeds or species, be
medical in origin, or may be present when the pet is first acquired.
As early as possible, contact your veterinarian for different ways to
address some of the "problem behaviors" before they become difficult
situations. Obedience training and socialization can go a long way to
prevent a host of evils. And in some cases medicine may have the
answer to a behavioral problem.
Eugene E.P.Pei, DVM Church Ranch Veterinary Wellness Center
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Eugene Pei, DVM
Eugene Pei
holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine as well as a Masters
Degree in Public Health
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Spaying your Pet
Not many years ago, when I was asked why an
animal (cat or dog) should be spayed (the medical procedure is called
ovariohysterectomy), one of my classic responses would have been "There are
thousands of animals in shelters that are being destroyed every year."
Though the Spay-Neuter programs that have developed over the past 40 years
have indeed reduced the population of unwanted animals that are destroyed in
shelters every year, there are many more beneficial reasons to spay or
neuter your pet.
Pets tend to live longer when spayed. Pets tend
to not "wander" as much. Animals don't go through the obnoxious stages of
their uterus cycles, ei. no bleeding, no yowling, no over affectionate
behavior. They do not tend to get mammary cancer. They do not develop
reproductive diseases such as Pyometra (uterus filled with pus) or dystocia
(problems with birthing). Cancerous conditions such as ovarian carcinoma are
prevented.
Pets that are exposed to animals in estrus tend
to respond to the pheromone released as if they were in fact going through
the estrus themselves, even if they are neutered. Hormonal changes can
provide for some severe behavioral changes. In cats, the behaviors will
continue until they are bred. In some cases this can lead to anemia.
Is it wise to spay your Cat or Dog?
ABSOLUTELY!!! For health reasons, for the sake of people working in
shelters, and to maintain your sanity.
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Eugene Pei, DVM
Eugene Pei
holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine as well as a Masters
Degree in Public Health
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Canine Distemper in Wildlife:
You may have heard of Distemper being seen in our wild population of
raccoons. The division of Wildlife states that this is a natural outbreak in
wildlife population that occurs periodically. When it does occur it tends to
leave in it's wake death throughout the raccoon, fox, skunk, coyote, etc.
population. For these species the virus that causes Canine Distemper is
typically lethal.
The signs to look for in these wild populations
would be: unusual behavior (ie. just sitting at the edge of the road as cars
drive by), seizures, stupor or coma and sudden death. Unfortunately these
signs can also be seen in a more important disease that is a public health
concern - RABIES. Fortunately here in Colorado rabies is not very prominent
in terrestrial mammals (most commonly seen in bats). NOTE: You must not
confuse unwanted behaviors, such as raccoons attacking cats or even dogs at
this time of the year or going through the garbage as being unusual behavior
- these animals are quite bold, whereas, if you saw a fox behaving in that
manner, that would be cause for concern.
One may wonder where this Canine Distemper came
from. Epidemiologists suggest that in inner cities, where a large population
of unvaccinated dogs live, that Distemper may make a "comeback" and spill
over into wildlife population. Though this may be true, outbreaks of
Distemper are not isolated to these areas. It is possible that the virus is
"floating" downstream to these species in waterways. One concern that I,
personally have is that this virus is killing the wildlife may be a version
of the distemper that is found in our dog vaccines and being shed by our
canine companions and are contacting the wild species. In any case, it is
worth protecting your pet, especially if an outbreak occurs in the wild
species throughout your community.
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Eugene Pei, DVM
Eugene Pei
holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine as well as a Masters
Degree in Public Health
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Health Insurance for Pets:
Health insurance is now available that covers more than 6,400 medical
conditions from routine care, minor problems to more serious accidents or
illnesses. Coverage also helps pay for diagnostic testing, prescriptions,
treatments, hospitalization, office visits, X-rays, lab fees, and surgeries.
Optional plans include vaccinations, heartworm protection, teeth cleaning,
health screens, spaying/neutering, and more. This particular plan called
Veterinary Pet Insurance, VPI, has been in existence since 1982. I have heard
for many years "if only I had insurance for my dog or cat." It is now available
for just pennies a day. I like the insurance as it allows the pet to be treated
quicker and prevents more serious side effects caused from not acting more
responsive. Also utilizing the plans benefits can encourage more preventative
procedures to extend the life of our pets. Other insurance plans are in
existence such as Shelter Care. This is usually initiated by shelters and has
been very beneficial for newly adopted pets. Many of these plans give discounts
for multiple pets. There are also plans available for exotic pets. Please ask our
staff if you have any additional questions or visit the web sites of
www.petinsurance.com or
www.sheltercare.com.
George Stroberg, DVM
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George Stroberg,
DVM
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E.R.D.
New Test
to Determine Overall Health for your Dog or Cat: Disease detection may be
difficult to find in a dog or cat that appears normal or is showing no
visible symptoms. There is a new test available to help us detect unseen
diseases. It is a definite advantage to be able to correct and possibly
medicate serious illnesses in there early stages. This can be accomplished
through a simple urine screening test called E.R.D. The test measures early
kidney disease by detecting levels of protein not normally found in the
healthy patient. Because this protein is found in many illnesses we can look
for what may be the factor causing this abnormal protein level. The kidney
is a filter for blood in the body. The blood is filtered every 30 minutes
thus when the kidney is showing small amounts of damage we can identify and
treat the illness in the early stages. We are now testing dogs and cats
prior to anesthesia, as part of our yearly health program, and including the
test with blood and urine testing for ill patients. We are requesting urine
be brought in at the time of the examination. Urine can be collected up to
24 hours prior to the appointment. Call one of our staff members for a
collection container for home collection. We can also collect the urine
through a needle tap during the exam. The E.R.D. test is a rapid in house
test that we can normally give you the results before leaving the office.
Please ask the nurse or the Veterinarian for further details and questions.
This is an exciting new tool for veterinarians in discovering diseases in
their early stages.
George Stroberg, DVM
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George Stroberg, DVM |
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Giardia in Our Pets
Giardia is an important cause of diarrhea, vomiting, malabsorption,
and contagious infection we see very commonly in the dog, cat, bird and
exotic animals. It has the possibility to be contagious to people
including our kids and other critters in the same household. It has been
reported to be at 8% in dogs (I think it is higher in Colorado), puppies
have even higher levels (36 - 50%), and shelters and kennels as high as
100%. Most animals may be asymptomatic (showing no signs - to just
softening of stools) but more severe signs such as diarrhea and vomiting
may occur suddenly. It may be difficult to detect the protozoan organism
that can reside in contaminated water supplies, back country streams,
and lakes with human and infected animal wastes. We use three different
laboratory methods routinely to diagnose this parasite. One is called
direct visualization - looking at a sample through a slide on a
microscope; the second is floating the organism in a special solution
then looking at it through a microscope; the third is using in the
clinic, during your visit, a new highly (97%) accurate diagnostic test- Giardia Snap Test. This test will detect the organism even when the
parasite is not being shed in high enough numbers to be seen in the
stool. It sometimes can be difficult to treat, as re-infection is very
common. I have heard of some reports of no treatment or not treating
because of low numbers seen in the lab fecal tests. I feel treatment and
getting rid of this organism is very important. Not only the possibility
of transmitting it to people, but symptoms of the disease - diarrhea,
vomiting, etc., with malnourishment is not an option. Treatments involve
oral medications, rechecking fecal samples and vaccinations. We have
used the giardia vaccine for several years and have seen a significant
improvement including lower incident of diarrhea in lodging animals. We
require the vaccine to stay in our facility - to protect the animal
entering and animals already at our Wellness Center. The vaccine as with
all vaccines may not be 100% effective thus we may have to revaccinate
before one year and use oral medications to resolve the infection.
Please ask the staff if you have further questions regarding this
harmful parasite.
Dr. George Stroberg
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George Stroberg, DVM |
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Vaccines and Your Pet
In the past
several years there have been numerous concerns raised about the use of
vaccines in our pets. As much as this is a concern with many people trying
to justify vaccinating or not vaccinating their pets, there is one truth
that must stand out above all. Pets are living a lot longer than they used
to; this is naturally due in part to improvements in nutrition, animal
training and control, but the MAJOR factor is the vaccines that are
available and routinely given today as a part of routine healthcare.
Fifty years ago dogs lived an average
lifespan of 6 years in captivity; cats even less than that. In the 1950's,
the city of Denver went through a massive rabies scare that caused panic and
had people shooting dogs on the street from moving vehicles. A city wide
vaccination program was born and since then the city of Denver has not seen
a single rabies case in dogs. 50 years ago dogs dying of diseases such as
Canine distemper, and canine infectious hepatitis was fairly common. Today
it is rare to see either disease in an animal that is native to Colorado.
Feline distemper (Panleukopenia) was a common killer of cats in shelter
situations as well as on farms and frequently made it into our homes. Today
this disease is very rare, even in shelters, because of vaccinations. If
vaccines were to be discontinued in pets, statistically 1 in 50 would
succumb to one of the infectious diseases routinely protected by regular
vaccinations.
The concerns raised about 10 years ago that
suggested that vaccines caused such conditions as "Immune Mediated Hemolytic
Anemia" and "Feline Fibrosarcoma" is not unfounded, however, the conditions
are very rare - perhaps 1 in 10,000. Yes it may happen - there are adverse
side effects in isolated cases. I can say that I have seen 2 cases in 17
years of practice. Are you gambler - just run the numbers and see what the
odds are - disease from lack of protection, or reaction from adverse effects
of the vaccine. Will you bet on a sure thing - or prefer to run the long
odds?
Some Veterinarians and even some vaccine
manufactures have gone to an increased interval of vaccinations. Except from
two variances of the general rule - any use of vaccines less than annually
is considered "OFF LABEL USE" - not recommended. Off Label use means that
the manufacturer cannot guarantee that the animal will be protected. Here at
Church Veterinary Wellness Center, we have adopted the most conservative
strategy for your pets - a series of vaccines to start the process off, then
annual vaccines thereafter, including a one year rabies (because it was
found to be the least likely to cause a reaction). If you have further
questions, or like more information, please call us.
Eugene Pei - DVM, MS (Public Health)
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Eugene Pei holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine as well
as a Masters Degree in Public Health
Eugene Pei, DVM |
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Annual Examinations
Our Pets have become a part of the family for many of us, and their health
and longevity is an important aspect of what we do here at Church Ranch
Veterinary Wellness Center. Annual examinations may provide us with the
ability to maintain their wellness throughout their lives. Such examinations
may help us to detect diseases early in their progression and thus be more
likely to correct or address them when the outcome of the disease can be
changed.
this is especially true in our feathered pets.
Birds are evolutionarily designed to mask signs of illness until they are
very advanced in their condition. Catching them before there are significant
signs makes treatment much more likely to be successful. The same may be
true in cats, where early detection of dental disease or kidney failure can
mean the difference between loosing teeth or dying from shutdown of the
kidneys. In a more subtle situation, when cats are showing changes in
behavior such as litter box use, these behaviors are easier corrected before
they become habits.
Our goal at Church Ranch Veterinary Wellness
center is to provide your pet the best health care for it's entire life and
to prolong that life and well being. We are best able to do that with
regular examinations and diagnostics. Remember, that a year for most average
dogs is equivalent to 5-7 years of our own lives. (For a cat it is usually
closer to 5 in our years).
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Eugene Pei holds a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine as well
as a Masters Degree in Public Health
Eugene Pei, DVM |
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Your NEW Pet
Many of you may be getting a new "puppy" or "Kitten" in the near future.
I would hope that if you a pet as a Christmas Gift that you were able to
participate in the decision process - as "surprise pets" do not make the
best gifts. Undoubtedly, though, a new pet should bring years of joy and
companionship.
A few reminders for your little bundle of
joy:
1.
Remember to have your pet seen by a Veterinarian soon after you get it
- this will allow for a complete health exam, parenting information and
getting them started on their vaccine schedule to insure they properly
protected.
2.
Lots of socializing with people, and new things
are very important to the young animals mental & emotional development.
3.
A good quality diet is important in providing a
long, healthy and happy life together.
4.
House training or litter box training is a
must, but it doesn't have to be hard.
5.
Remember - we have pets as part of our social
environment; they want to be close to us - so spend time with them
and make them apart of family activities whenever possible.
6.
Perhaps the most important - Love them. Show
them lots of affection by making eye contact with them, talking to them and
interacting with them.
Your new pet is a valued part of your family
and we here at Church Ranch Veterinary Wellness Center want to help your new
family member to be healthy, safe and thrive within it's family environment.
Oh . . . and don't forget to take pictures .
. . lots of pictures as they will never be that adorable again! :)
Eugene Pei, DVM, MS
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Eugene Pei, DVM |
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