While we can’t tell you that pet insurance is the way to go it is certainly worth serious consideration. We have found that more and more of our clients are using pet insurance.

Our animals can incur hefty financial expense. Whether you opt for insurance or not, it’s important to be prepared for all eventualities. One night in the emergency clinic can set you back thousands of dollars. It’s not something we as pet owners like to think about, but it’s always a possibility. Through no fault of your own a dog or cat can get seriously ill or suffer traumatic injuries.

We don’t aim to scare you with what may or may not happen to your furry pals. We simply urge you to be as prepared financially as you can for what may or may not come. Take some time to research insurance companies. Ask your friends if they have insurance and what their experience is.

If insurance isn’t for you, perhaps keep some savings available for unseen unfortunate events! We hope you’ll never need to use it’s but better safe than sorry.

Dogs are naturally omnivores and so eat both plant and animal. Ancestors of our modern day canines ate fruits and berries in the wild. Today’s domesticated ubanites have easier access to lawns and grasses. Dogs are also opportunistic and if an alternative “food source” is available may opt to take advantage of it. Prior to domestication, dogs would eat other animals as well as the contents of their stomachs, often containing botanical material. What we see as a pristine botanical garden, Fido may recognize as a buffet. More often than not we are simply witnessing instinctual behavior.

Alternatively, your dog may be experiencing gastric upset. It is unclear why dogs eat grass to ease their discomfort. Grass contains essential nutrients that the dog may crave and there is little harm in eating it unless it’s been treated with pesticides and the like. If eating grass is atypical for your dog, consider consulting with the vet to see if there is an underlying issue.

Roses

The main risk to pets from these lovely blooms are the same threats they pose to us. Thorns can traumatize mouths and paws which in turn can lead to infection. There is a chance of obstruction to the gastro intenstinal tract if a rose head or stem is ingested. Look for signs of vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy if you suspect your pet dined on your Valentine’s Day arrangement.

Lillies

Lillies are another lovely flower that makes the rounds on Valentine’s Day. This is a bloom that is highly toxic if ingested, particularly in cats who are liable to suffer kidney failure as a result. If you suspect your cat has ingested any part of the flower, call the clinic right away. Symptoms associated with lilly ingestion include salivation, vomiting and inappetance.

Chocolate and Cocoa

A box of chocolates, while a treat for us humans, is no such thing to a four-legged critter. The offending ingredient that causes our pets problems is called theobromine. As a general rule, the darker the chocolate, the more theobromine  is contained in it. The severity of toxicity is dependent on the percentage of theobromine, the weight of your dog and the amount eaten. In the event that your dog eats chocolate, get on the phone with your veterinarian with details of exactly how much and what kind of chocolate was ingested. Some of the signs to look for with chocolate toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, tremors and seizures.

Dog owners often hope these behaviors stop once their dog is neutered. While testosterone levels do drop, the ability or motivation to continue to hump can remain. There is never a guarantee that getting “fixed” will fix your problem.

So what else can cause your dog to mount? A commonly cited reason is to display dominance. This is often seen in dog groups and is in fact a normal behavior. Just as the dog may be seen pouncing, barking or stalking other dogs humping is a “social” activity. It is a dynamic set between two individuals (versus inanimate objects) and this dominance behavior is always between animals.

Something else that can provide the impetus for humping is high levels of anxiety. In the dog behavior world this is termed “displacement behavior.” Often when dogs experience internal emotional conflict they express this through “out of context” behavior. This will be observed in relation to inanimate objects or people.  A number of things can trigger this such as a new toy, person or some kind of abrupt change in the environment.

So what can be done about changing this behavior? The first step is to determine why it’s happening. Here are some points to be aware of:

• Rule out possible physical causes (call the clinic to make an appointment)
• Is it an occasional behavior? If so it may be something you can get used to as a part of normal dog behavior
• Avoid placing the dog in situations that trigger the activity
• If your dog isn’t neutered talk to your vet about whether it may be a good option for your pet. According to Clinician’s Brief, neutering  may reduce mounting by 50% in almost 70% of dogs regardless of age.

This week’s question provided a long answer to an often asked question. We may not have covered everything, but as always our doctors and staff are happy to talk with you further about this issue. Call us at 510-549-1252.

Our doctors are now able to appreciate more detail and contrast with the superior quality that our IDEXX DR 1417 machine provides. Most importantly this means better tools to care for all our patients.

As we move into a new year we will continue to seek new and better ways to serve you and your pets. Please let us know if you feel there are ways in which we can improve our clinic to take care of you and your pets. Feedback is always welcome!

It’s important to remember that fleas don’t just make your pets (and you) itch, but are also carriers of parasites and disease. Additionally, a bad flea infestation can cause anemia in your pets.

Reeling in a bad flea infestation can involve a lot of time and money. Once an infestation is full-blown you need more than a flea preventative to get rid of it. A much better option is the minor inconvenience of keeping you and your pet protected all year round.

Our staff here are more than happy to talk to you about options. Please call us or stop in if you wish to learn more.

Here’s her story in Siobhan’s words:

“I met Emma then Cleo at the Manhattan Beach SPCA storefront on July 14, 2002.  She was a high energy 1 year old with bigger than life ears (one has an incredibly cool grid pattern on it ). She had been found wandering the streets of Los Angeles alone.  Two days later our journey began when I adopted her and renamed her Emma.   She has been my faithful companion for 9+ years.  The first 3.5 years of our life together she came to work with me every day which we both loved.  Over the years we have shared many walks, hikes, camping trips and sleep together every night.

She was a handful when she was young.  She was willful, a bit stubborn and didn’t get along with other female dogs.  I worked with her to make sure she got plenty of exercise and she responded really well to obedience training.  Both big investments of time but well worth the payoff.  She also had stomach issues so for the first year I had her I made her food, Emma Mush, which consisted of cooked chicken, pumpkin, brown rice, peas and other green veggies and blueberries.

Thanksgiving weekend 2010 while playing ball in Los Angeles she broke her hind left leg and we discovered she had bone cancer which is very painful and highly metastatic.  I had 3 options, euthanize immediately, amputate or amputation & chemotherapy.  I was devastated but remember looking into her eyes and knowing in my heart it just wasn’t her time to go. I had her leg splinted, got pain medicine for her to keep her comfortable and headed home to Berkeley.  I immediately called Campus Veterinary Clinic, told them what I was dealing with, that I was leaning toward amputation only but was told to have her lungs x-rayed to make sure the cancer hadn’t already spread. Thankfully x-rays indicated her lungs were clear.  3 days later she had her hind left leg amputated.  I picked her up the same day of the surgery and by that evening not even 12 hours post surgery she was up and walking on her own.  I was amazed at how quickly and well she recovered from the surgery.  We got lots of great tips on “tripawd” life from Dr. Yen and staff and the wonderful Tripawds community we found on Facebook.  We couldn’t have made it through this without them.

I have loved Emma since the moment I met her but the resilience, strength and tenacity she has demonstrated during this fight against cancer and as she transitioned to life as a tripawd has only deepened that love.  Her willfulness and stubbornness have served her well in this fight.  I am so thankful I followed my heart regarding choice of treatment.  Average post amputation survival time for dogs with Osteosarcoma who are treated by amputation alone is 3 to 5 months.  February 3rd marks 14 months since her amputation surgery.  I am so grateful for every additional day we have together and for the incredible care and support  from Dr. Yen and staff.”

Likes:Walks, Trader Joe’s dried chicken breast strips, hanging with my baby bro Aiden, her friends at Campus Veterinary Clinic

Dislikes: Cancer, other female dogs

To learn more about Tripawds, a “User-Supported Three Legged Dog Blog Community,” visit www.tripawds.com

Think your pet is a good candidate for our next Critter of the Month? Email us a *protected email*

Toxins released into the home environment are liable to settle in areas that pets are most exposed to. Furniture and flooring are locations that your dog or cat typically spend their time. Unlike humans, who often leave these environments for extended periods, pets are home  without much respite from these toxins.

Cats are especially susceptible to smoke as they are enthusiastic groomers and lick the smoke residue from their own fur. It is therefore not surprising that mouth cancers in particular have a higher incidence in cats that cohabitate with smokers. Tufts University published a study linking lymphoma to second-hand smoke (learn more here). Dogs (especially those with longer muzzles) are more inclined to contract nasal cancers according to studies (learn more here). Sadly both nasal and oral cancers often have a poor prognosis.

Crowding

Dental problems are one of the most common problems veterinarians encounter with pets.  It is estimated that by 3 years of age, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some forms of oral disease.  While many conditions can be prevented with good dental hygiene and home care other conditions occur simply based on a cat’s or dog’s breed or genetics.  Here are some of the common    canine and feline breed specific dental conditions we frequently see in the veterinary field.

Small Breed dogs typically have too many teeth that are too large for their mouths.  Miniature mouths can lead to crowded teeth, bad breath, inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and periodontal disease.

Retained Deciduous Teeth (courtesy of American Veterinary Dental College)

We also commonly see retained deciduous or baby teeth.  The deciduous teeth are normally lost and replaced by permanent teeth by six months of age.  If the deciduous tooth doesn’t give way, or is retained, the permanent teeth can’t erupt in the correct place and instead are pushed into the roof of the mouth or to one side.  Retained deciduous teeth should be removed.

Common problems that you encounter with larger breed dogs, most commonly with boxers, are referred to as proliferating gum conditions, or more specifically gingival hyper-plasia and epulides (see pictures).   Your boxer may drool or avoid eating as the epulis enlarges. Interference from other teeth may cause the tumor to become irritated or bleed. Bad breath occurs with both hyperplasia and epulides.  While the causes of these conditions are unknown, hyperplasia may  result from inflammation at the gum line.  Brushing daily may help prevent hyperplasia.

Epulis in a Boxer

Some types of hyperplasia and epulides require surgery to  remove the excess tissue, with or without tooth extraction.  Food and hair may get caught between the gums and teeth, however, resulting in bacterial growth and tooth decay. In this situation, or if your boxer shows any signs of discomfort or pain due to the gum proliferation, pursue surgery sooner rather than later.

Sighthounds are predisposed to developing severe periodontal disease.  It is critical to start daily brushing and home care at a young age for these breeds, otherwise frequent periodontal therapy  under anesthesia may be necessary.

Gingival Hyperplasia

Finally, probably the most common dental problem in cats is the resorptive lesion.  It is estimated that 20-67% of cats have one or more of these lesions.  Feline resorptive lesions usually begin under the gingival margin and are caused by cells called odontoclasts, which are cells whose role is to absorb the bone and roots of baby teeth.   Unfortunately, these cells reabsorb the adult teeth instead causing lesions to occur under the gumline.  The premolars are most often affected and your cat will typically display extreme sensitivity if these lesions are touched.  Symptoms often include salivation, reluctance to eat and cherry red gums.  Diagnosis is via visual examination of the teeth and dental x-rays, and treatment usually involves extractions.

For specific questions about your pet or to schedule a free dental examination call us anytime at (510)549-1252.

Make Sure Your Pet is Protected This Spring!

We do our very best here at CVC to keep our clients informed and make sure that their pets are 100% protected.  For that reason, with the springtime approaching, we want to be sure that all of our clients are aware of the manufacturing problem involving the medication used to treat heartworm disease in dogs.  Merial, the drugmaker of the product immiticide (the only drug approved to kill adult heartworms), notified veterinarians across the country this past summer that their supplies were dwindling and asked practitioners to help conserve supplies by only ordering the product to treat dogs with severe heartworm infestation.  In a later letter dated August 9, 2011, by Merial’s Technical Services Department, the company confirmed that they were in-fact “officially out” of stock.

While the Berkeley area is typically not a highly heartworm prevalent area, we are encouraging our clients at this time to be proactive about the heath of their pets.  Merial is keeping us up to date on the status of the situation, but as it stands, they have no estimated date as to when production will resume.

Until that time, we are recommending that all pets be protected by some form of heartworm prevention.  There are several different types and variations available both on the market and through our clinic.  If your pet is not currently taking any heartworm prevention, we strongly recommend getting a heartworm test performed first.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding Merial or a heartworm preventative for your pet, or if you would like to schedule an appointment to discuss the matter further with one of our doctors, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (510)549-1252.

In honor of Pet Dental Health Month in February,

CVC is running a few specials to help you stay on top of your pet’s Oral Health!

• Free Dental Exams
• 25% Discount off the cost of a Complete Dental Treatment
• Discounted Dental Home Care Package

For questions or details about any of these offers, call us or

schedule an appointment today!

Even the esteemed Mayo Clinic has conducted studies showing that these red-leafed plants pose no fatal or public health threat. There is in fact no substantial evidence that points to poinsettias being dangerous to pets (or humans for that matter).

There are plenty of other substances around this holiday season that cause more harm to dogs and cats (chocolate for instance). With all the distractions that the holidays bring, try to keep your pets from ingesting things that aren’t part of their regular diet such as table scraps.

Christmas weekend and New Years Eve weekend we will be open during our regular hours. If your pets needs medical attention and our clinic is closed you may call the PET EMERGENCY TREATMENT SERVICE  in Berkeley at 510-548-6684.