by Rina Van Eeden | May 4, 2021 | Animal Behaviour, Cats
The thought of tired whiskers may sound silly, but whisker fatigue can be a huge problem for your cat.
Most pet owners see their cat’s whiskers as simply a part of the body. Much like hair!
How Do Whiskers Work?
However, your cat’s whiskers are much more complex. Whiskers, which are called vibrissa, are coarse touch receptors that go far deeper under the skin. They eventually connect with the nervous system. Movement and touch affect the whiskers and send signals to their brain and sensory system. They act like antennas that constantly collect important information about your cat’s environment.
So, what is whisker fatigue? In basic terms, whisker fatigue is simply over-stimulation of the sensory system of the whiskers. When the whiskers are touched too much, even just the basic brushing against food and water bowls, your cat’s brain gets an overload of sensory information. This overwhelming stimulation can make your cat feel stressed. Some of the most common symptoms include refusal to eat or drink from their usual bowls, pacing in front of food bowls and meowing incessantly, pawing at food and water and acting more aggressive around food or treats.
Thankfully, correcting problems associated with whisker fatigue is quite simple. Manufacturers have started producing food bowls that are designed to be whisker-friendly. These dishes have a wider opening and are more shallow than regular food dishes, so your cat’s whiskers do not brush against the sides of the bowl. If you cannot find whisker-friendly pet dishes, feeding your cat in a shallow dish with low sides. These could be plates or saucers, will have the same effect.
In most cases, simple adjustments to how you feed your cat and the dish you use to do so will get rid of any symptoms of whisker fatigue and allow your cat to eat and drink happily.
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by Rina Van Eeden | May 4, 2021 | Cats, Dogs, Exotics
Dealing with the loss of a pet can be very difficult. Experiencing the death of a pet can come without notice. Things happen that are unexpected and incredibly painful. When we open our hearts and our homes to our furry, or not so furry, family members, pets and animal companions, we have hopes of a full, happy and healthy life for each of us.
Mostly, that is the case, but sometimes we don’t get that opportunity. Experiencing the death of a pet that is unexpected, sudden and tragic can leave a profound impact on us. So many times we can place unfair guilt on ourselves for the experience, blaming ourselves for what has happened.
Grief isn’t easy when it is expected and is even harder when it is not.
A common phrase we hear among the grieving is that one needs to “find closure”, but convoluted feelings arise when faced with ‘incomplete’ grief experiences. The truth is, many times we as pet owners cannot experience “closure” before being faced with the death of a pet.
Within the grieving process, our brain attempts to make sense of this profound experience. We try to believe that things happen for a reason, even if that reason leads us to blame ourselves. When something goes wrong, it is extremely important to remember that we didn’t plan for it to happen.
It Is Not Your Fault
Guilt is a powerful emotion that has a huge impact on our lives, consciously and unconsciously. Guilt makes us punish ourselves. Throughout the grieving process, we place a massive amount of guilt upon ourselves. This pressure, this guilt, leads to an increase in anxiety and even feelings of panic. We need to remember to allow ourselves to process through our emotions in a healthy way.
It can be easy to lose control quickly when we, consciously or subconsciously, place more and more pressure on ourselves. We can easily feel burdened, overwhelmed and feel that we are unable to meet our daily needs throughout the grieving process.
If you feel this happening to you, it can be helpful to ask ourselves, ”What would my pet want for me?”. Would your pet want you to blame yourself, or would they be understanding with you? Would they want for your happiness regardless of what happened? I would say so, without any hesitation. That’s just how amazing our pets are.
Remember, it is completely normal to experience many different emotions in the beginning of, and throughout the grieving process, especially when it comes to facing the sudden death of your pet.
It is important to experience healthy distractions. A healthy distraction could be as simple as a walk through the park. It may be a close, understanding friend taking us out for coffee and laughing about something small. It may be when you’re reminiscing of fond memories of your pet and smile – it is so important to talk about what you are feeling.
These distractions are fundamental and allow us, even if just for a moment, to unburden ourselves. Grieving is hard work, it is extremely taxing on our body, but it is also a crucial thing to experience.
Grief is a Moment-to-Moment Process
If you take no other advice from this, remember that grief is a moment-to-moment process. It can be too hard to ask for even one day at a time, because a day can seem endless when we feel overwhelmed by our grief.
Remember that in this moment and with every emotion our body is processing through our grief. Please know that you are not alone. We are always here for you.
For more resources on how to cope with your pet’s death, please read this petMD article – https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/coping-your-pets-death-important-guide
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by Rina Van Eeden | May 15, 2020 | Animal Behaviour, Cats
Almost all cat owners consider litter boxes to be essential. Very few of us, these days, think it’s safe for our cats to go outdoors to eliminate, in order not to have a litter box in the house. And as soon as something goes wrong, like the cat urinating or defecating outside the box, we tend to blame the cat…but usually, it’s because the poor cat is finding the litter box to be a problem. How can we make the litter box NOT a problem for our cats, so they’ll use it happily?
First of all, the great folks at the Cornell Feline Health Center have studied cats’ litter preferences for years. They’ve found that most cats prefer unscented litter. Cats also prefer clumping litter, and they prefer the finest texture possible (sand-like). If you are using scented, coarse-textured, or other types of litter, try putting unscented, clumping, fine-textured litter in one of your boxes, and see how your cat(s) like it.
Second, we know that cats don’t always want to share boxes. The Cornell researchers recommend that you have at least one more litter box than you have cats (three cats? Four litter boxes!). From a cat’s point of view, boxes that are in the same room might as well be the same box; if you put all four boxes in the basement, the three cats feel like they’re all sharing one box. Spread those boxes around the house! Cats like some privacy, but they also like easy access to the bathroom (just like we do!).
Third, most of us don’t recognize the role that stress plays in our cats. Often, cats that are eliminating outside the box are experiencing stress. Cats can be stressed by living with other cats (our living spaces are smaller than cats prefer for their home ranges), by the presence of dogs or toddlers, by seeing other cats through the window, by their early life experiences before you adopted them, and especially by a genetic predisposition to higher stress levels (brain biochemistry differences). If you are experiencing urine or stools outside the litter box, please talk to your cat’s doctor for help! Most cats can be helped significantly!
Resources: Dr. Nina Beyer
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by Rina Van Eeden | May 15, 2020 | Animal Behaviour, Cats, Dogs
Behaviour in the Vet Waiting Room
Working in veterinary medicine, this is where we see many dog to dog mishaps. This is simply due to a lack of knowledge about dog behaviour and a lack of respect for both their own dog and the other dog’s space.
Here’s a scenario that happens quite regularly in a vet practice.
An owner has their dog in the waiting area on a loose leash. This dog is free to roam at least 3 – 4 metres.
Another dog and its owner attempt to enter the room, or area, only to be blocked and greeted nose to nose by the uncontrolled dog, which is now tense on his leash, pulling, eager to meet a new friend.
It’s owner, who eventually speaks up, simply says, “It’s okay, I’ve got him, he’s friendly!”
This is where any person who works at the vet clinic will step in and ask the owner to keep the dog close to them, only to be met with, “he’s fine, he’s wagging his tail!”
Little do they know that something much more complex is unfolding right before their eyes.
Education and knowledge is power,
especially when you are dealing with an animal that you are supposed to guide and mentor through its entire life.
It is our responsibility to ensure stability, confidence and to reinforce respect.
So, here are some things to remember for your next visit to your vet.
Never allow your dog to greet another dog head on, or nose to nose, on a tense leash.
To a dog, being greeted head on is generally considered very rude, intrusive and unnatural. This can create conflict right from the get-go. Any dog can interpret this posture as threatening and begin defensive, aggressive behaviour. To make matters worse, a tense leash can build energy in the dog due to space constraints.
If you must introduce dogs on a leash, it is better to keep the leash loose and allow them to greet side by side, keeping the situation relaxed.
Never assume that a wagging tail is an indication of a happy dog!
A tail wag indicates a multitude of emotions, that’s why it is extremely important to know you’re your dog is saying by its tail wag. Tail position and speed will indicate how a dog is feeling. A low, fast wag is generally indicative of nervous energy, or insecurity, which has the potential to cause an aggressive response due to fear. A high, stiff wag can indicate over-stimulation, or the intent of being ready to spring into action. A dog will make lousy choices in this state of mind, making them harder to control should they “rev-up” even more. A tail positioned in a natural position accompanied by a soft and loose wag is generally universally considered to indicate a happy dog.
Get to know your wags!
Never assume any other dog is just as friendly as yours.
Not all dogs are dog friendly. This should be common knowledge. Just because your dog is friendly, does not mean the other dog is as well.
They could be under-socialised, have insecurities or just be dog aggressive.
Give other dogs their space, please!
It is never a good idea to allow your dog to interact with other dogs in a vet waiting room.
Dogs and cats very often come to the vet already stressed. For cats we have put certain measures in place to alleviate some of their stress, like pheromone spray. You can also request to sit in a quiet room if we have one available.
The smell of other ill dogs, or even death, is in the air, which makes a dog uneasy. Most owners are often nervous for their dog during a vet visit, so that nervous energy does little to help the situation.
The smell of cat may be hanging in the room, urine markings from other dogs or stress pheromones aiding in the negative experience.
Dogs come in not feeling well, they may be painful due to arthritis or injury. Some may be recovering from surgery or coming in to be put down due to old age or chronic illness. Some may even be there because they started a fight with another dog!
Now, tell us why this sounds like a good place to play.
We all go to the vet with our pets, so let’s be respectful and make our next visit a pleasant experience for everyone!
For more information on etiquette in the veterinary waiting room, please check out this website – https://endlesspaws.net/blog/veterinary-waiting-room-etiquette/
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by Rina Van Eeden | May 15, 2020 | Cats, Dogs
Dental Disease In Pets
Stomatitis
Stomatitis is a severe, painful inflammation of a pet’s mouth and gums. In most cases, the condition causes ulcers to form in the mouth. These ulcers can involve the lips, tongue, gums and back of the throat.
There is no single cause of stomatitis. Dental disease (particularly periodontal disease) is commonly implicated as a cause of stomatitis in pets.
In many cases, the cause is assumed to be immune mediated, this means that the pet’s immune system attacks its own oral tissues as an abnormal response to bacteria in the mouth. Other medical conditions in cats that can be associated with stomatitis include infection with viruses, such as feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), calicivirus and bartonellosis.
Stomatitis is extremely painful. In some cases, an animal suffering from this condition may be in too much pain to open his or her mouth to eat. In other cases, they may try to eat but drop the food as soon as it touches the mouth. Other clinical signs may include drooling (sometimes with blood), unkempt hair coat (because grooming is painful), anorexia, bad breath, weight loss and pawing at the face or mouth.
Because the condition is very painful, initial treatment generally includes giving medication to control pain and inflammation and antibiotics are also commonly administered.
Although stomatitis is difficult to completely cure and treatment tends to be long term, your veterinarian will likely recommend managing dental disease as part of the overall treatment plan. A thorough dental cleaning may be recommended and many pets do well if the molar and premolar teeth are removed.
If the pet has an underlying illness that can be treated, treatment should be pursued.
Long-term outcomes can vary. Many pets with stomatitis require long-term treatment with anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics intermittently to control the condition. At-home tooth brushing and other dental care, such as oral gels, water additives and even dental chews are recommended to reduce the accumulation of plaque and associated inflammation in the mouth.
Periodontal Disease
Did you know that periodontal disease is the most common disease in adult dogs and cats?
Periodontal disease is the inflammation and infection of the gums around your pet’s teeth. It is caused by bacteria that build up in your pet’s mouth, ultimately, they form soft plaque that can get underneath the gum line and harden into tartar. The key is to catch periodontal disease in dogs and cats early!
The most common signs of dental disease are consistent bad breath, gums that look irritated, a build-up of visible tartar or plaque, teeth that look discoloured or darker compared to the others, heavy salivation, trouble picking up food, reluctance to eat (this tends to be more of an issue with cats), favouring one side of the mouth for chewing, bumps and lumps the mouth and the swallowing of food without chewing it first.
The process is gradual. Initially, your pet will feel some mild discomfort. If periodontal disease isn’t treated, though, it can cause more significant issues. Some of these issues include chronic pain, destruction of your pet’s teeth, gums and bones and even damage to your pet’s major organs.
The symptoms of periodontal disease aren’t always easy to notice.
As you know, dogs and cats have a knack for hiding pain, but that being said, even the toughest dog or cat may show some signs.
The treatment of dental disease depends greatly on the severity at the time of presentation. If your pet is in the first two stages of the disease known as gingivitis and mild periodontitis, dental cleanings can help reverse the progress of the disease. In some cases, teeth may need to be extracted. The sooner you start to clean your pet’s teeth, the less likely it will be necessary to extract teeth.
If the disease progresses, however, your pet can get moderate to severe periodontitis. In these stages, it’s likely your pet is in pain and you can expect multiple extractions. It’s important to have your pet’s teeth cleaned immediately to help your pet avoid losing more gum tissue and teeth.
The key is to prevent the disease or start treating it as soon as possible. That way, your pet will be in as little pain as possible.
Pet periodontal disease can almost always be prevented or minimized. It takes a combination of home dental care and veterinary dental cleaning. We recommend starting with brushing from a young age so that your pet can get used to the sensation. Also, adding water additives and using oral gels will be of great help when fighting plaque and tartar build-up.
Retained deciduous teeth
A dog or cat’s baby teeth are also known as deciduous teeth or primary teeth. Have you ever felt those sharp little needle teeth when playing with puppies and kittens? That’s them.
Much like humans, dogs and cats have two sets of dentition: primary and permanent. Dogs have 28 deciduous teeth, which are replaced by 42 permanent teeth as they age. Cats have 26 deciduous teeth and 30 permanent teeth.
Deciduous teeth begin erupting when your pet is around 3-4 weeks of age. Permanent teeth begin erupting at 4 months of age and finish erupting by 7 months of age.
Normal tooth eruption involves the deciduous tooth falling out or resorbing once the permanent tooth begins to erupt. Retained deciduous teeth are teeth that don’t fall out once the permanent tooth erupts. This condition is seen most commonly in small breed dogs but can occur in medium to large breed dogs and cats. The most common retained deciduous tooth is the upper canine tooth, followed by the lower canine tooth. Incisors are the third most common retained teeth.
Occasionally, premolar deciduous teeth can fail to exfoliate.
Retained deciduous teeth can cause multiple problems for a growing dog or cat. With a retained maxillary (upper jaw) canine tooth, the permanent tooth typically erupts immediately in front of the deciduous tooth. Subsequently, tartar accumulates between the two teeth leading to periodontal disease and eventually the loss of the permanent tooth. These malpositioned teeth will often be in traumatic contact with soft tissues of the mouth and is very painful!
Retained incisor and premolar teeth will lead to crowding, tartar accumulation and subsequently periodontal disease. Additionally, when teeth do not follow the normal eruption pattern, it can lead to jaw malformation. This malformation will keep the maxilla and mandible from growing properly and may inhibit your pet’s ability to eat in a traditional manner. When the maxilla and mandible is not in a normal relationship with each other, it is called a malocclusion.
Once a retained deciduous tooth has been identified, it should most often be extracted. This is particularly true when the permanent tooth has already erupted. This violates the orthodontic “Rule of Succession”, which states that no two teeth should occupy the space that only one should be in.
A complete oral exam needs to be done under anaesthesia to address persistent teeth.
Our pets are oftentimes much more tolerant of oral pain than we would be in a similar situation. If a retained deciduous tooth is removed early, the permanent tooth has a greater chance of erupting in a normal pattern.
Puppies and kittens should have their teeth evaluated closely at every visit to ensure the normal tooth eruption pattern is occurring. When a malocclusion is identified, the sooner it is addressed, the better. This will result in relieving associated pain sooner and usually provide a greater number of treatment options for a veterinarian to offer their pet owners.
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by Rina Van Eeden | May 15, 2020 | Cats, Dogs, Sterilisations
Sterilising your pet.
Spay
Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumours, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats.
Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
Your spayed female pet won’t go into heat.
While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they’ll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house.
Spaying your pets is also highly cost-effective. The cost of your pet’s spay surgery is far less than the cost of having and caring for a litter!
Spaying your pet may result in weight gain, but, your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor her food intake.
We generally spay dogs and cats before their first heat cycle, so more or less at 6 months.
We will provide pre-surgical advice that you should follow. In general, avoid giving your dog or cat any food after 22:00 the night before surgery.
We will also provide post-operative instructions for you to follow.
Although your pet may experience some discomfort after surgery, we take various measures to control pain , medication for pain may be sent home with your pet.
- Provide your pet with a quiet place to recover indoors and away from other animals.
- Prevent your pet from running and jumping for up to a week following surgery.
- PREVENT YOUR PET FROM LICKING THE INCISION SITE, which may cause infection, by using an Elizabethan collar.
- Avoid bathing your pet for at least ten days after surgery.
- Check the incision site daily to confirm proper healing.
If you notice any redness, swelling or discharge at the surgery site, or if the incision is open, please contact your veterinarian. Also call your veterinarian if your pet is lethargic, has a decreased appetite, is vomiting or has diarrhoea or any other concerns following surgery.
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumours, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats.
Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
Pyometra is defined as an infection in the uterus. It is considered a serious and life threatening condition that must be treated quickly and aggressively.
Dogs with closed pyometra become severely ill very rapidly. They present with loss of appetite, severe listlessness and severe depression.
Pyometra is a SERIOUS medical condition that requires prompt treatment.
Mammary tumours are common in female dogs that are either not spayed or were spayed after 2 years of age.
More than a quarter of un-spayed female dogs will develop a mammary tumour during their lifetime.
The type of surgery depends on the size, location and number of mammary tumours and species of your pet, therefore, EARLY SURGICAL TREATMENT IS IMPORTANT.
Mammary tumours can be largely prevented by spaying before 6 months of age or before your pet’s first heat cycle
Canine transmissible venereal tumours (TVTs) are cauliflower-like, nodular, papillary, or multi-lobulated in appearance.
Initially, TVTs grow rapidly and more rapidly in neonatal and immunosuppressed dogs.
The prognosis for total remission with chemotherapy or radiation therapy is good, unless it has spread to organs other than the skin.
Recurrence is likely in such cases unless adjunct radiation or chemotherapy is used.
Neutering you pet
Early neutering helps curb many undesirable behavioural problems.
Your neutered male may be better behaved. Unneutered dogs and cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house.
Castration may curb aggression.
Male aggression is influenced by the levels o f the male hormone testosterone. As its name implies, this hormone is manufactured in the testes.
High levels of testosterone have been shown to cause aggression in dogs and cats. A lower level of aggression makes it easier for a person to bring their dog to public places without fear of a dog becoming unduly snappy and territorial. In addition, un-neutered male cats have the tendency to be more aggressive to their owners.
Fighting male cats are also more likely to acquire diseases like FIV and FeLV due to roaming.
It may lower hyper-sexual behaviour – intact male dogs have a strong drive to mark their territory.
Your dog might be less likely to mount other dogs, people and inanimate objects after he’s neutered.
Your male dog and cat will be less likely to roam away from home. An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate, including finding creative ways to escape from the house.
In their desperation to mate, they will bolt from houses, jump or dig under fences, or escape during walks.
Free to roam, they risk being hit by cars, fighting with other males and contracting communicable diseases.
Neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems.
Neutering is NOT as a quick fix for all behaviour problems.
Although neutering your pet often reduces undesirable behaviours caused by a higher level of testosterone, there’s no guarantee that your dog’s behaviour will change after he’s neutered.
Although the surgery will reduce the amount of testosterone in your dog’s system, it won’t eliminate the hormone completely. Neutering will also not reduce behaviours that your pet has learned or that have become a habit.
The effects of neutering are largely dependent on your dog’s individual personality.
Most importantly, neutering your pet has an astronomical effect on population control and also prevents the development of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and other prostate related ailments like prostatitis and prostate cancer.
We will provide pre-surgical advice that you should follow. In general, avoid giving your dog or cat any food after 22:00 the night before surgery.
We will also provide post-operative instructions for you to follow.
Although your pet may experience some discomfort after surgery, we take various measures to control pain, medication for pain may be sent home with your pet.
Provide your pet with a quiet place to recover indoors and away from other animals.
Prevent your pet from running and jumping for up to a week following surgery.
PREVENT YOUR PET FROM LICKING THE INCISION SITE, which may cause infection, by using an Elizabethan collar.
Avoid bathing your pet for at least ten days after surgery.
Check the incision site daily to confirm proper healing.
If you notice any redness, swelling or discharge at the surgery site, or if the incision is open, please contact your veterinarian. Also call your veterinarian if your pet is lethargic, has a decreased appetite, is vomiting or has diarrhoea or any other concerns following surgery.
Your neutered male may be better behaved.
Unneutered dogs and cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house.
Castration may curb aggression.
Your male dog and cat will be less likely to roam away from home.
Most importantly, neutering your pet has an astronomical effect on population control!
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common prostatic disorder and is found in most intact male dogs older than 6 years.
Castration is the treatment of choice; a decrease in the size of the prostate is usually evident within a few weeks and is often complete in several months.
Castration also prevents other prostate-related ailments such as prostatitis and prostate cancer.
Nutrition is of the utmost importance after your pet has been spayed and neutered.
Along with the hormonal changes, one can expect changes in metabolism as well.
A slower metabolism means that your dog can gain excess weight easily after sterilization, making it important to pay special attention to their nutritional needs to ensure that they don’t become overweight.
There are great commercial diets readily available to help you along your journey.
For more information on spaying and neutering your pet, please check out this website – https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/spaying-and-neutering
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