The department of public health has very strong views on animal bites. Veterinarians are required by law to report animal bites if it breaks the skin (even just a little). And pets that have bitten a person are required to go into quarantine for 10 days to make sure they do not show signs of developing Rabies. Even if a pet has been fully vaccinated against Rabies and has no exposure risks, they are still required to do this because of the human health hazard. Unfortunately, these kinds of things happen quite often in a veterinary clinic because even nice animals will sometimes object when handled in certain ways.  [less]

Chronic vomiting has many potential causes and having your pet examined by a veterinarian is the best way to determine what may be causing it or what the best course of action is to determine what the cause is as well as the corresponding treatment. Some potential causes of vomiting include Primary gastrointestinal diseases such as foreign material obstructing the intestines (either partially or completely), inflammatory bowel disease, infections, internal parasites, food allergy, and gastrointestinal cancer and Systemic diseases like Kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, liver disease, pancreatitis, reactions to drugs or medications, toxins, and cancer. There are no specific over the counter remedies which will help, unfortunately, and some may actually make the problem worse. Projectile-like vomiting is especially serious and an examination should be performed as soon as possible.  [less]

The oily hair and dandruff may be an infection in the skin which requires antibiotics. Some cats have allergies which cause them to develop pyoderma (an infection in the skin). In general, cats (and dogs) can have allergies to three basic categories – Food/dietary allergies, Environmental allergies, or flea allergies. In general, flea control is recommended year round for most pets with skin problems (even indoor only cats) in order to prevent flea allergies from playing a role. A food or dietary allergy can develop even if the food has not been changed recently. Usually food allergies are directed toward the protein content of the food so changing the food to a novel protein source (one that the pet has never been exposed to before) is usually recommended for 2 months. Environmental allergies (such as toward pollens, trees, molds, etc) can also occur in indoor-only pets because most of us do not live in a hermetically sealed home. Often these allergies are seasonal and can cause skin problems to develop only during certain times of the year. Pets can also have a combination of allergic problems, just because a pet has a food allergy does not mean they do not also have an environmental allergy. This would be one explanation why a pet with environmental allergies does not appear to have seasonal symptoms. The two allergic causes together build on one another making them even worse and compounding the problem. There are many different treatments for skin problems in cats (and dogs) such as fatty acid supplementation, antibiotics (if necessary), dietary changes, other skin supplements and topical treatments (medicated shampoos and sprays).  [less]

There are a couple of reasons why your cat may be doing this. It could be a medical issue, for instance, it could be a variant of pica (a desire to consume abnormal things). Pica can be a result of many things such as anemia (low blood count), gastrointestinal disease and hyperthyroidism to name a few. It could be a nutritional issue, for instance, he may be craving the salt on your skin because of a deficiency in his diet. Or it may be behavioral, a form of obsessive compulsive disorder. It would be a good idea to have him examined by a veterinarian first to rule out the medical causes.  [less]

Since he has gotten a taste of the outdoors, it is going to take some work to get him to stay inside. You will have to be diligent and consistent to get the new kitty to mind and it will take some time to get him to cooperate to where you can trust him not to bolt. First, you will need to figure out a way to squeeze out the door without allowing the cat to run out or, if you cannot, you will need to keep him confined in the short time while you are training him. Start by just standing at the front door and jiggling the handle as if you are going out the door. More than likely, kitty will run to the door ready to run. After kitty runs over, walk away and go sit down until the kitty returns to what he was doing. Then repeat the process over and over again until when you jiggle the handle, he does not respond. Then move to the next phase where you not only jiggle the handle but also open up the door (just a little). Again, kitty will come running at the sound at which point you close the door, walk away and go sit down. Repeat the process over and over again until he does not respond to this action. This process will desensitize him to the sound of the door opening so he does not bolt out every time somebody goes to the door. It will also make it impossible for him to tell when the door is just going to be closed or when someone is actually going to walk out the door giving him the opportunity to run.  [less]

Having to pay medical bills for a sick or injured pet is a difficult task for just about everybody. It is even more of a problem for those who already have a limited income, are homeless, or have financial problems. However, there are some options. 1)Pet Insurance. Pet insurance is a contract between the client and the insurance company that does not involve the animal hospital, so you must pay the hospital’s fees up front and then submit your bills for reimbursement after you have already paid. There is not a guarantee that all the fees will be reimbursed, however, so read the fine print. 2)Talk to your veterinarian to see if they provide any options. Some veterinary hospitals will allow payment plans to help defray the costs. 3)Care Credit is a credit card that can be used at most veterinary hospitals and emergency clinics. You do have to apply and get approved just as for any credit card so those with poor credit may not get approval. 4)Finally, there are numerous non-profit organizations aimed at helping those in need pay for their veterinary bills. Most of these organizations are funded solely by private donations and volunteers so their available funds are limited by the donations they have received. Most are also very specific about whom they will provide funding for, and sometimes there is a long wait for approval of applications. a.Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Foundation (www.fveap.org) b.The Pet Fund (www.thepetfund.com) c.Angels 4 Animals (http://angels4animals.org) d.In Memory of Magic (www.imom.org) e.The American Animal Hospital Association’s Helping Pets Fund (www.aahahelpingpets.org) f.Help A Pet (www.help-a-pet.org) g.Feline Outreach (www.felineoutreach.org) h.Cat’s in Crisis (www.catsincrisis.org) i.Shakespeare Animal Fund (www.shakespeareanimalfund.org) j.United Animal Nations (www.uan.org)  [less]

It depends on the strength or dose of the tablet consumed. Morphine is a controlled opioid drug which is primarily used for pain relief in people and animals. Potential side effects of ingesting a pill are variable and dosage dependant. Possible effects include mild lethargy, nausea, vomiting, miosis (pinpoint pupils), decreased temperature and depression. Severe overdoses can cause seizures, severe respiratory depression, collapse and death. Accidental toxin ingestions are common in puppies because they love to pick up anything and everything off the ground. We often carry around food and pieces will sometimes fall onto the ground which the puppy is used to picking up and eating. Therefore, when someone is getting ready to take their morning medication and accidentally drops the tablet, the dog sees this as his usual opportunity to grab something yummy. In general it is a good idea to teach your dog not to pick up this bad habit. Practicing a command such as "Leave It" on a daily basis (with safe items such as food and treats) is a good way to teach him that just because it falls onto the ground does NOT mean it is fair game.  [less]

Vaccination requirements differ based on your individual cat's risk factors. For instance, indoor cats and indoor- outdoor cats do not generally receive the same vaccinations because outdoor cats have a higher risk of contracting contagious diseases than cats that never go outside. Vaccinations are given to help prevent some serious, life threatening diseases, however, they are not always harmless. Rarely, some pets can have adverse reactions to vaccinations varying from a simple soreness or swelling at the site to severe anaphylactic allergic reactions. In addition, recently, specifically in cats, abnormal cancerous growths have been seen which developed at the same site as prior vaccinations had been given (vaccination associated fibrosarcomas). Because of this recent development, most hospitals are recommending fewer vaccinations for cats than previously recommended. In addition, feline vaccines are given in very specific sites low down on the legs to track the development of these growths. Although these adverse reactions sound scary, they are also thankfully very rare. The risk of your cat developing the contagious disease is far more likely than the risk of developing an adverse vaccination reaction. You should discuss all of your concerns with your veterinarian to decide which vaccinations are most appropriate for your individual cat. Following are the recommendations from the American Animal Hospital Association for the most common feline vaccinations. 1) FVRCP, Also called the Feline distemper vaccination. This vaccination is recommended for ALL cats and is usually given every 3 years (following the routine kitten boosters). 2) Rabies, This virus poses a human health risk and, as such, is also recommended for ALL cats. It is given every 3 years in adult cats. 3) FeLV, Feline Leukemia Virus is a severe virus which can cause the development of cancer in cats. This virus is extremely contagious between cats. It is recommended for cats that have a potential risk (such as indoor-outdoor cats) and is usually given every 1 year. There are other vaccinations for cats which you should discuss with your individual veterinarian to decide together whether your cat has enough risk factors which makes those vaccinations necessary. An alternative to vaccination is a vaccination blood titer. This is a blood test which will tell you whether your pet has a protective level of antibodies in the blood against the virus. These blood tests are much more expensive than the vaccinations and there is still some question about whether the results truly correlate with protection against the virus. In other words, just because the cat has a high vaccination titer does not guarantee the cat is protected against the virus and may leave you with a false sense of security and leave your cat vulnerable and unprotected.  [less]

Allergies in pets are tough to treat and frustrating for owners and veterinarians alike. Very rarely are dogs cured of their allergies for lif Allergies in pets are tough to treat and frustrating for owners and veterinarians alike. Very rarely are dogs cured of their allergies for life, and in fact, often their allergies tend to get more severe with age and consequently, more difficult to manage (not to mention, expensive). The first step in managing allergies is to see if you can figure out what they are allergic to and whether that allergen can be removed from the dog’s life to prevent the allergic reaction. In general, there are three basic things dogs can have allergies to – Fleas, Food or Environment. 1) Flea Allergies – These are some of the most severe allergies and also probably the most preventable. When a dog has a flea allergy, he will usually be scratching on the top of his back and tail. Oftentimes, you will find fleas or flea-dirt (small black specks of flea feces) in your dog’s coat, but not always. When dogs have a flea allergy, it takes only one or two fleabites for them to break out in an itchy, red rash. Many times, they develop hot-spots which are painful, red, moist infected areas of skin where they have chewed the hair away. Flea allergies are simply prevented by keeping fleas away from your pet. The most effective way to do this is by keeping your pet on monthly topical flea medication all year round. 2) Food Allergies – When dogs have food allergies, you may see itching around the face, chewing at the feet and underbelly, and chronic ear infections. Dogs can develop allergies to foods even if they have been eating the same food their whole lives. The most common things dogs develop food allergies to is the protein in the diet (i.e. Beef, Chicken, Pork, etc), although grain allergies (i.e. corn and wheat) are also seen. In order to determine if your dog has a food allergy, a special feeding trial has to be done called an elimination diet trial. This test takes 2 months to complete and during the test, the dog is fed a hypoallergenic or novel protein diet (with a protein source they have not been exposed to before – examples include rabbit, venison or salmon). During these two months, they cannot eat anything else including other foods, treats, supplements or even flavored medications. At the end of the two months, the old diet is fed back to the dog. Ideally what you would see is a complete remission in the allergies while the dog was on the hypoallergenic diet with a severe return of the allergies when the old diet was re-introduced. After a food allergy is confirmed, the treatment is simple – figure out what is in the food that is making the dog react and avoid it! 3) Environmental Allergies – These allergies can cause itching and redness under the armpits and in the groin area, chewing at the feet and itching around the face and ears. Environmental allergies are by far the most difficult to control and the most frustrating to treat. They tend to be seasonal with most dogs having symptoms during Spring, Summer, or Fall and having very few to no symptoms during Winter. There are two tests to see what your dog is allergic to – one is a blood test that can be performed at most veterinary clinics, the other is a skin test performed at a veterinary dermatologist. Sometimes the offending allergen can be identified and removed (for instance, my own dog was found to be allergic to cedar and was sleeping every night on a cedar-chip bed). Treatment options for environmental allergies include topical therapies (i.e. medicated shampoos and conditioners, anti-itch sprays), fatty acid supplements, antihistamines, allergy shots (similar to people), steroids and cyclosporine. Steroid injections are very effective at controlling the itching, however they come with some serious side effects, particularly if they are given frequently throughout the dog’s life. In general, it is best to avoid using them and opt for the other treatments whenever possible to prevent these chronic problems. However, often dogs with severe allergies respond to nothing else and steroids are the best option available aside from moving out of allergy-ridden Southern California.  [less]

There are a couple of reasons why your cat may be doing this. It could be a medical issue, for instance, it could be a variant of pica (a desire to consume abnormal things). Pica can be a result of many things such as anemia (low blood count), Feline Leukemia Virus, gastrointestinal disease and hyperthyroidism to name a few. It could be a nutritional issue, for instance, he may be craving the salt on the rocks because of a deficiency in his diet. Or it may be behavioral,a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Of course there is also always the possibility that something yummy was on the rocks and he just wanted a taste.  [less]