Healthy Paws

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Though summer is technically almost 2 months away, with the weather we’ve had the last few days it already feels like it! Below is a little jumpstart on things to think about before the heat is here to stay for awhile.

The Weekend Warrior — Just like most people, intermittent and inconsistent exercise can lead to overexertion in our pets! If being active isn’t part of your pet’s regular routine, going for that 6.5 mile hike up Old Rag can lead to overexertion, overheating and injury.

Be cognizant of your pet’s limits and if you’re planning a big hike or a long run, doing a bit of training ahead of time will go a long way in preventing injury.

High-rise syndrome — As it gets nicer outside, apartment cats are more likely to be let out on the balcony and windows are left open. While we always tease that cats have nine lives and are deft when falling… creating a safe balcony and making sure windows are securely screened is paramount to reducing the risk of injury or death related to a fall.

Heat Stroke and other heat-induced maladies — The hottest part of the day tends to be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and is the worst time of the day to be doing outdoor activities with your pet. Long walks, jogging and hiking should be done early in the morning or in the evening.

Certain breeds of dogs (and cats!) are more sensitive to the heat than others — breeds with “smooshed faces” (i.e. Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Himalayan and American Shorthair cats) are already predisposed to respiratory problems/difficulty… and when it gets hot those problems can be far more apparent.

Additionally, you should NEVER leave your pet alone in a parked car. Even with the windows open that vehicle can become furnace-like, and quickly!

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Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

This week we thought we’d present a few fun facts about the amazing furry creatures many of us share our lives with: cats and dogs.

Dogs are omnivores and have nutritional needs more akin to humans than their ancestral relatives. This has a lot to do with the fact that humans domesticated them about 15,000 years ago and lived in very close association with humans, giving them a LOT of time to acclimate to our diet. As such, their metabolism and digestive function is genetically different than it was prior to domestication.

Cats, on the other hand are obligate carnivores…and while they are “domesticated” and that process started somewhere between 9,000-12,000 years ago, they have no genetic difference with their dietary needs or metabolism than their wild counterparts.

Historically speaking, cats, unlike dogs, have not been domesticated to obey humans’ orders; in true feline fashion, they choose to take part in the human-cat interaction.

This is in contrast to the history of dogs and humans, where they have bred over thousands of years to respond to orders, perform specific task and have specific physical traits. Cats, it seems, never needed to learn anything — which explains a LOT about many of their behaviors and “cattitude.”

Cats and dogs have 3rd eyelids! On the lower, inside corner of the eye you may have noticed your cat or dog has a membrane/structure there — this is the 3rd eyelid and it is also called the nicitans. The gland that sits under this eyelid produces about 2/3 of all the tears that cats and dogs make and a “Cherry Eye” is when this gland prolapses, or “falls out of place”.

Female AND male cats and dogs have mammary glands and nipples… however, not all dogs and cats have the same number of glands or nipples.

Most dogs have 5 sets of mammary glands (and 10 nipples) — however that can range from 4-6 gland sets (and 8-12 nipples); and most cats have 4 sets of mammary glands (and 8 nipples) — but that too can range from 3-4 gland sets (and 6-8 nipples).

Sometimes they also have “supernumerary” nipples — or an extra nipple on a single gland, which is of no clinical significance.

Cats sleep for about 2/3 of their lives. When your cat is 12 years old, it will have been awake for only 4 years of its life! Cats also spend about half their waking time grooming… so that 12 year old cat will have spent about 2 of those awake years grooming (and likely the other 2 years intentionally ignoring you, judging you and insisting you feed/pet/devote all your attention to them).

Cats purr at a frequency that promotes tissue healing! Domestic cats purr at a frequency of about 26 Hertz, in a range that promotes tissue regeneration. Purring is most often are associated with positive social situations: nursing, grooming, relaxing, being friendly.

That said purring is also soothing, or self-soothing, as cats also purr in stressful or painful situations (perhaps to help with the healing).

About 1/3 of a dog’s brain mass is devoted to smell, compared with just 5% of a human’s brain! But — they only have about 1700 taste buds, compared to about 9000 in humans… no wonder they don’t mind eating gross things!

Have a topic you’d like us to write about? Email us ([email protected]). We want to tailor these posts to the topics that interest you the most.

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

A couple of weeks ago we looked at the significance of the complete blood cell count. This week, we’ll be looking at the serum chemistry profile which has loads of useful information about metabolic function:

• Electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, calcium — electrolytes may be abnormal with dehydration (or overhydration in rare cases), kidney disease, advanced diabetes, hormonal imbalances and with some gastrointestinal diseases. The pattern of elevation or decrease can be especially helpful in ruling in and out some diseases.
• Blood sugar, or glucose — measure of how much “sugar” is circulating in the bloodstream; high elevations are seen with diabetes, though animals can develop a very transient elevation, or hyperglycemia), with stress. Low glucose levels, or hypoglycemia, can be seen with liver problems, some cancers, among other causes.
• Kidney values — kidney function is typically monitored by measuring certain enzymes or products that are typically eliminated by the kidney. The two most commonly measured values are creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (or BUN); the term for elevation is “azotemia”:
  • Creatinine — produced by muscle and eliminated by the kidney. Elevations indicate decreased kidney function or severe muscle damage.
  • BUN — urea is produced by the liver (so may actually be low with significant liver disease), but eliminated by the kidneys, thus increasing with decreased kidney function. However, high protein diets and GI bleeding are other potential causes of elevations.
  • Calcium and phosphorous levels can also be affected with more significant kidney disease.
• Liver values — here again, several different values are typically measured:
  • ALP — alkaline phosphatase — may be increased with conditions that cause “stasis” in the liver, but also can be induced by certain drugs such as prednisone (a commonly used steroid medication). ALP can also be produced by bones, and mild elevations are not uncommon in growing dogs.
  • ALT — alanine aminotransferase — elevations typically indicate ongoing damage or irritation of the liver.
  • GGT — gamma glutamyl transferase — similar to ALP, but more specific to the liver.
  • Total bilirubin — bilirubin is the molecule responsible for causing a jaundiced or icteric color to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes in individuals with significant liver disease. May also be elevated with a form of anemia in which the body destroys its own red blood cells.
• Blood proteins
  • Globulins — may be increased with inflammation, some cancers (i.e. multiple myeloma); decreases can be seen with blood loss and with more severe gastrointestinal diseases.
  • Albumin — may be elevated with dehydration, and decreased with blood loss, liver disease, gastrointestinal disease, kidney disease or destruction of red blood cells.

There are many other biochemical values that can also be measured from the blood, providing valuable information about heart health, pancreatic inflammation, cholesterol levels, thyroid hormones and so much more! Veterinarians today are fortunate to practice in an era when so much information is accessible in such a short period of time.

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Many pets have had bloodwork run at some point in their life — perhaps prior to routine surgery such as neutering, or possibly because they were sick.

So, just what information does blood work give your pet’s doctor that isn’t otherwise apparent?

In this three-part series we’ll look first at the complete blood cell count, or CBC, and then at the blood chemistry profile and finally some of the other myriad of tests that can be run from a simple blood sample.

The complete blood cell count is one of the most basic, but also most important, tests that can be run on a patient’s blood. As the name implies, it is assessing various cell counts within the blood.

In addition to being an important baseline test it is also especially useful in patients with fevers, evidence of infection, inflammation, cancer, or in patients on certain types of medications (especially chemotherapy drugs which can often affect cell counts).

Here’s a brief run-down of the values that are assessed with a complete blood cell count:

• White blood cells, or WBCs — these cells are the inflammatory cells that help fight infection. The total white blood cell count may be elevated with infection or inflammation as well as some time of cancers. In some instances severe infection can actually lead to a low white blood cell count, as the white blood cells are “used up” in fighting the infection before the bone marrow can regenerate them (the bone marrow is where nearly all of the blood cells originate from).

White blood cells can be further broken down into several different types of cells, each with specific functions:  (more…)

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Have ever experienced this scenario?

You have a wonderful new male puppy and one day he rolls over for a belly rub and you notice these two round swollen bumps at the base of his penis. Your puppy seems super happy and not at all bothered by the bumps, but you become really worried that something is wrong. Are those his testicles? Does he have an infection? Are they tumors?

Your happy puppy — now bored and confused that you keep staring at his belly — bounds off and grabs one of his favorite chew toys, seemingly unfazed by this new problem.

You then pick up the phone to call your vet and when they start asking you to describe these mysterious new bumps, you go back to look at your puppy and the bumps are completely gone. “I can’t find them anymore,” you say, “but I swear they were there by his penis and REALLY big.” Luckily, your vet tells you not to worry, because these bumps are a normal part of your boy dog’s anatomy — called the bulbus glandis.

The bulbus glandis is generally not noticeable, but will often swell and become very apparent when male (neutered and intact) dogs become excited — like when they are happy to see you and roll over for a belly rub.

So why do dogs have a bulbus glandis? Contrary to the what the name implies, the bulbus glandis is not a gland at all, but actually functions during mating to complete the “coital tie,” which keeps the male and female dogs somewhat locked together until mating is complete.

Luckily, when the bulbus glandis swells it does not cause any discomfort to your pup and does not require any medical intervention. However, if you notice any unusual areas of swelling on your dog, it is never wrong to seek the advice of you veterinarian.

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Ever wondered what that smell was permeating from your pet’s mouth?

Bad breath is a very common complaint among pet owners, and for good reason. Bad breath or halitosis is most often related to infection or inflammation in the mouth, and most often due to periodontal disease.

This diagram shows the correlation between the various stages of dental disease in our pets’ mouths and what that would look like in our own mouths (be prepared — it’s not pretty!):

February is National Pet Dental Health month, so it’s a good time to revisit some fun facts on oral health that we presented a few years back:

• Dental disease is undoubtedly one of the most common diseases veterinarians diagnose and treat. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, approximately 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats will have some degree of oral disease by the age of 3.
• In the majority of cases, dental disease is a condition where “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Small preventative measures such as regular brushing can significantly slow the progression of tartar accumulation and subsequent periodontal disease. While daily brushing is by far the ideal, even brushing every 72 hours will make a significant difference in the amount of tartar accumulation on your pet’s teeth. Every three days is the minimum frequency recommended as beyond that the plaque will already have hardened into tartar, which cannot be removed via brushing.
• Most dogs, and even cats, can learn to love (or at least tolerate) brushing — check out the video link here for instructions on how to brush your pet’s teeth.
• While the jury is still out on exactly how the low-grade infection associated with periodontal disease affects our pets systemically, in people there are consistent correlations between periodontal disease and
  systemic diseases such as diabetes, cardiac and kidney disease, likely related to the chronic inflammation and infection originating from the mouth.
• If brushing is out of the question, there are other options to help decrease the plaque and subsequent tartar buildup in your pet’s mouth. Look for products that carry the VOHC — Veterinary Oral Health Council — seal of approval, such as CET products, Greenies or antiplaque water additives. Most of these products need to be used on a daily basis to make an appreciable difference.
• Routine brushing and home care can reduce the chances of needing aggressive or emergency dental care, such as tooth extractions and root canals for problems such as severe gingival infections or tooth root abscesses.

If you missed Dr. Gloor at the Aurora Hills Library this past Tuesday evening — she’ll be doing her Pet Dental Health lecture LIVE on facebook Tuesday, February 27 @ 12:30 p.m.!

Have a topic you’d like us to write about? Email us ([email protected])! We want to tailor these posts to the topics that interest you the most.

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

February is the month of LOVE, and who better to shower love on than your pets! Human-Animal relationships have many benefits similar to Human-Human relationships. Here are some interesting facts about the Human-Animal Bond:

• Oxytocin, which you may have heard about in relation to mother-baby bonding, is also the hormone that bonds us to our pets and produces that sense of happiness and well-being in your interactions with your pet. Amazingly, dogs also have a surge of oxytocin when interacting with their owners, as opposed to strangers.
• February is also American Heart Month, which is appropriate to mention here since many research studies have shown that owning pets great for our heart health. The American Heart Association has gone as far as to publish a summary of all the research that demonstrates how pet ownership can directly improve cardiovascular health. The main benefits are that interactions with pets lower stress hormones in the body and that pets (especially dogs) make you more active. Exercise and reduced stress help lower blood pressure, which helps prevent many cardiovascular diseases.
• Mental health benefits of pet ownership are also a popular research topic. Studies have shown the benefits of pet ownership/assistance for anxiety, depression, PTSD and dementia disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Animal-assisted therapy programs are becoming more and more popular as a tool in treating those with mental health disorders.

You probably already knew that your bond with your pet was special, but science absolutely confirms that is true! Shower your pet with lots of love this month, but be sure to keep them away from your chocolate.

Check back in 2 weeks  for our blog on DENTAL DISEASE — and feel free to join us at the Aurora Hills Branch Library on Tuesday, February 20 from 5-6:00 p.m. — we (Clarendon Animal Care/Dr. Gloor) will be presenting on pet dental health. Sign up here!

Have a topic you’d like us to write about? Email us ([email protected]). We want to tailor these posts to the topics that interest you the most.

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Leash pulling is a common and frustrating dog behavior, but walking calmly on a leash is not a natural instinct for dogs and learning to do so requires training.

One important component of training is using an appropriate collar or leash that provides secure restraint, gentle control and can aide in discouraging leash pulling.

Not all collars and harnesses are created equal and here are some points to consider when making the right choice for your dog:

Flat Collar or Martingale Collar — These collars are excellent for keeping identification and tags on your dog at all times. They can also be used with a leash for walks, but are best for dogs that never pull or require leash corrections. With leash pulling these collars can cause strain on the neck, press against the airway or elevate pressures in the eyes. For dogs with neck pain or discomfort — these should be avoided.

Head Halters — These are a great training tool for dogs who are persistent leash pullers, especially large breed or strong dogs that are difficult to control. Since the point of leash attachment is the head and not the chest, a head halter disrupts the drive to pull against the leash.

When used appropriately, it also allows for gentle control and correction during training without causing pain or pressure. Again, for dogs with neck pain or discomfort — these should be avoided.

Chest Harness – These can be a good alternative to a neck collar or head halter as they provide secure control of the body and avoid any risk of neck strain or pressure. There are many varieties and styles, but they can be simply divided into harnesses with a leash attachment on the top of the back and ones with a leash attachment on the front of the chest.

These are the best to use when there is any neck or back discomfort. They can also be useful in dogs with mobility issues as a “handle” for the front end.

Choke Chain or Pinch/Prong Collar — These are designed to be training device that provide a negative stimulus for leash pulling or other unwanted behaviors. However, punishment training techniques for dogs can increase fear, anxiety and stress. (more…)

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Taking your pet in for a nail trim — it sounds so simple, and for many dogs and cats it is. But, for others, it is truly a terrifying experience. For many pets that are anxious or resistant to nail trims it is the handling of their feet that really drives them bananas; for others, they resist the pressure from the clippers. Others get anxious coming into the veterinary hospital or grooming facility, setting them up for a negative experience. For others, it may have been a previous experience that has set them up for fear and anxiety with future nail trims.

While it is true that in many cases a nail trim could be done with enough restraint, this often is not in the best interest of the pet — as future attempts will likely only elicit more severe anxiety and stress, making them that much more difficult and even dangerous to the pet. Our philosophy, and that of many veterinary hospitals that embrace the Fear Free/Low Stress philosophies is to never struggle with a pet for an elective procedure such as a nail trim. Therefore, we often recommend that our clients work on desensitization of their pets at home. In this process, the pet comes to associate the anxiety-provoking procedure with a positive experience.

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin was a wonderful resource for all things behavior-related in dogs, and has a wonderful (and rather impressive!) video demonstrating how to counter-condition and desensitize a dog to nail trims linked here.

In some cases, behavioral modification enough is not alone and sedation (ranging from very mild to heavy) is needed to safely perform a nail trim. This may include “pre-medicating” with mild anti-anxiety medications prior to the visit or short-acting injectable sedatives administered under the supervision of a veterinarian.

In other cases, pets may do better at home with nail trimming. Many owners are concerned about trimming the nails too close to the “quick,” but with a few precautions this can be easily avoided. Your pet’s veterinarian or groomer will also likely be willing to demonstrate their technique in person.

If nail trims are a source of stress for your pet (and you as their caring owner!), we recommend consulting with your pet’s veterinarian about desensitization techniques and coming up with a plan that works best for your pet.

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

2017 is almost over and we’ll be in a new year next week. What are your resolutions? There is nothing special about 2018 — you’ll probably make resolutions that you’ll struggle to keep after the first week — again. But that doesn’t mean resolutions are hopeless. Make a real difference in the new year and forge a pact for healthy change with your pet. These resolutions will help keep your pet happy, healthy and safe throughout the year. And well, what’s more important than that?

Be more active

• Studies show one of the biggest health benefits of owning a dog is improved cardiovascular health. Not only is it great for you, it’s great for your dog as well. Some dogs are satisfied with a walk around the neighborhood once a day, while others require additional exercise time. Parks, hiking trails and city walks abound in this area. Grab the leash and go! It’s good for you and your dog.
• While it is true that cats have the evolutionary advantage of a high metabolism that works even as they lounge around (see lions in the wild), they do still need some physical activity to keep them from a sedentary life of sloth and eventual obesity. Find a toy that keeps your kitty moving and active. Look into expanding their space vertically with floating shelves — and marvel at their acrobatic prowess.

Get in shape

• Along with being more active, good nutrition and portion control are essential for getting into better physical condition. Obesity is a huge deal in our fur children and is linked with orthopedic disease, metabolic disease and a shortened lifespan. While having your own personal chef to keep you on track with what and how much you eat — your pets do have that luxury. Talk to your veterinarian about what your pet should be eating and how many calories per day. You may be surprised with how many calories are in that cup of dog or cat food… and how few calories your pet actually needs. Help them get to their weight goals but not overfeeding them.

Get more sleep

• Did you know that cats sleep anywhere from 16-20 hours per day, and dogs sleep approximately 12-14 hours per day? If there’s one thing our pets are constantly showing us — it’s how to relax. You may want to keep the cat naps a little bit shorter though. Experts say that a power 30 is the perfect amount of time to help get you through the day. Turn the electronics off at night, go to bed earlier and snuggle up with that fur ball of yours.

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Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Winter is finally here and we cannot stress enough the importance of keeping pets in a warm, protected environment this time of year. So, for this week’s post, we’re reminding everyone about some winter weather tips for our canine and feline companions. Because, even though our four-legged family members have fur, they too are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia (low body temperature) and other winter-related ailments.

What is frostbite?

Frostbite occurs when damage to the skin and underlying tissues caused by exposure to extremely cold agents and weather occurs. Sub-freezing temperatures cause constriction/narrowing of blood vessels, which after long periods of time, reduces blood flow to certain parts of the body, especially the extremities. Together, the nearly freezing temperature and reduction of blood flow can result in severe injury to the exposed tissues. This is how frostbite develops in our furry friend’s paws, ears and tails (body parts farthest from the heart and most susceptible to becoming cold). Keep in mind young animals outdoors, or those in poor body condition, are at greater risk.

• Signs/symptoms of frostbite
  • Often, mild cold injury to the extremities may go undetected (toe tips, ear tips, tail tips) until changes to the skin are noted, sometimes days later
  • Acutely affected animals may have pale gray or bluish areas of skin that are cool to the touch
  • Body parts may be numb, overly sensitive to touch or painful
  • As the affected areas of the body thaw, the tissues may become red or swollen and painful
  • Skin may blister or ulcerate
  • Days after the frostbite has occurred, tissues may appear shrunken and discolored and may begin to slough if the tissue becomes necrotic or dies
  • Days to weeks after injury, hair loss and sloughing may occur

• What to do if your pet is suffering from hypothermia (and at risk for frostbite)
  • Remove any snow from in between the paws pads
  • Dry your pet off if their hair coat is wet or damp
  • Wrap your pet in a blanket or towel and contact your primary veterinarian, or the closest emergency hospital for further care and diagnostics

• Prevention
  • No matter how thick-coated your furry friend is, no pet should be left outside for long periods of time in below-freezing weather.

For those short-coated pets, this is a perfect time of the year to play dress-up with the pet winter sweaters and coats. Some pets may also benefit from booties to protect their feet. It’s best to have a few options since wet clothing can actually be more detrimental to the body, so after coming from outside, remove or change your pet’s winter gear.

Other winter preparation/safety tips

A warm vehicle engine can be an appealing heat source for outdoor and feral cats as well as wildlife — but that can lead to some pretty disastrous consequences. Check underneath your car, bang on the hood, and honk the horn before starting the engine to encourage wanna-be hitchhikers to abandon their roost under the hood. (more…)