Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital Newsletters

Newsletter for August 2002

Passive Smoking Harmful to Pets and More:

PASSIVE SMOKING IS HARMFUL TO YOUR PETS

Researchers at Tufts University recently reported in the Journal of Epidemiology that living in a household with a smoker considerably increases a cats risk of acquiring feline lymphoma, which kills three quarters of its victims within a year.

Scientists studied 180 cats treated at a Tufts Veterinary Hospital between 1993 and 2000. They found that, adjusting for age and other factors, cats exposed to second hand smoke had more than double the risk of acquiring the disease. In households where they were exposed to smoke for 5 years or more, cats tripled their risk. Chris Laurence, chief veterinarian at the RSPCA , said "Lymphoma is far and away the commonest tumor in cats, so this is a very important finding".

MORE ON PET BIRD CARE:

Signs of illness - both wild and caged birds will hide any signs of illness as part of their natural defense. Therefore, when a bird no longer masks its illness, it is usually seriously ill.


HERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO WATCH FOR:

*Decrease or loss of appetite
*Change in the number or consistency of droppings
*Vomiting
*Discharge from the nostrils, eyes, or mouth
*Change in activity (less singing, talking, sleeping more, etc...)

If a small bird (parakeet, canary, etc...) goes without food for 48 hours, its life is seriously threatened. Larger birds can go longer without food but low blood sugar from not eating will make them weaker.

When signs of illness are present in your pet bird, do not "wait to see" how the bird is doing tomorrow. Contact us immediately if you think something is wrong. Remember even though birds do not get routine vaccines, annual exams are necessary to check for illnesses that may not be generally apparent and to get an overall assessment of your bird's well being.


THINGS TO AVOID:

*Unsupervised flight
*Feeding of avocados or chocolate
*Buying foods in large quantities (unless you freeze the food for storage)
*Keeping your bird in the kitchen or any other area exposed to fumes and smoke
*Avoid perfumes and other things which create fumes (cleaners, carpet fresheners, etc...)  Non stick cookware (like Teflon) heated above normal cooking temperatures will give off toxic fumes.
*Sandpaper or concrete perches - these can irritate the feet causing bacterial infection
*Sandpaper cage liners
*Mite sprays - can be toxic
*Mite boxes that attach to the cage - also toxic
*Avoid grit - caged birds do not need grit and it may cause dangerous crop impaction

PETS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH!

The Pet Prescription Symposium, held during the Western Veterinary Conference, cited specific studies that detailed the contributions pets make to the healing process and how they positively influence human life over-all. A few of the highlighted studies presented by the speakers included:

Pet ownership decreased blood pressure without drug therapy in a study involving 48 business people with hypertension.

Positive interaction between humans and dogs led to physiological changes in people, including lower blood pressure and cortisol levels, plus increased levels of chemicals that have a positive impact on the nervous system such as dopamine and endorphins.

In a study involving 976 family care givers, those who owned pets made fewer job moves, were better able to pay their bills, and reported they were under less stress and less depressed, compared to care givers who do not own pets.

Animal assisted therapy reduces anxiety levels for psychiatric patients, including those with mood disorders. In a related study, psychiatric patients experienced 8 percent less anxiety when an aquarium was nearby.

Patients recovering from heart attacks had higher chances for survival and were better able to sustain moderate stress when pets were present.

Keynote speaker Edward Creagan, MD, with more than 28 years at the Mayo Medical School and holder of chairs in clinical oncology and humanism in medicine, as well as columnist and author, said, "pets can bridge the gap between mind and body, a connection that is real, quantifiable and has profound therapeutic implications, to foster lives that are more meaningful, productive, and creative."

HEARTWORM DISEASE IN CATS

Heartworms in cats are becoming more common and are caused by the same parasite that causes heartworms in dogs - dirofilaria immitis.  New research shows that heartworms in cats can cause even more serious disease than in dogs, including sudden death.

How do cats get heartworm disease?  Cats get heartworm disease the same way that dogs get it. Mosquitoes transmit the disease by biting an infected animal, then passing the infection on to other animals they bite.

Where are cats at risk for heartworm infection?  Wherever dogs are at risk. Even cats that live indoors. In fact, studies estimate that 25% of cats with heartworms are strictly indoor cats.

What are the signs of Heartworms in cats?  Coughing, breathing difficulties, vomiting, sluggishness, weight loss. Other more acute signs are collapse, convulsions, and sudden death.  Heartworms are more difficult to diagnose in cats than in dogs.

How can heartworm disease be treated?  Currently, there is no approved or effective treatment for heartworm disease in cats.

What can I do to prevent heartworm disease in my cat?  There are safe and effective preventive products (Heartgard feline) that can prevent this deadly disease.