Treating Hyperthyroid Cats Without Pills

If you have a cat with Hyperthyroidism, a disease where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, you understand the frustration of trying to control the disease. Radioactive medicine is one treatment option, but can be expensive for some owners and not all cats qualify for the treatment because of underlying conditions. The other option is twice a day medication, for the duration of the cat's life. That will be the case until Hill's releases a new prescription diet designed to treat Hyperthyroidism in cats by just switching the diet.

The new diet manages iodine intake to control thyroid hormone production and will eliminate the need for oral medications.

The product helps restore thyroid health by reducing T4 hormone production, and it helps support kidney health by controlling phosphorus and sodium. The product is also said to help support urinary tract health through reduced magnesium and moderate urine pH target (6.4 – 6.6). Hill's claims the food can correct thyroid health in 3 weeks. The standard T4 blood test will be used by your veterinarian to determine if the food is working correctly.

The food will be released in October and will be available in dry and wet formulas. I am very interested to see the data and research on the food but if this really works, it will be a great alternative for so many cat owners!

Preparing for Hurricane Irene

Everyone is starting to prepare for Hurricane Irene, and if you haven't started checking Weather.com hourly, it's time that you did! The hurricane is posing a major threat to the eastern seaboard and many beach towns are evacuating. As you prepare for the hurricane, don't forget to prepare for your pets too! Here are some reminders as we head into the weekend....


1. If you pets are on daily prescriptions or prescription foods, call your vet today to get a refill. Some items may have to be ordered, but you do not want to run out if clinics are closed due to power outages or weather.


2. Make sure you have enough food AND water to get you through several days to possibly a week. If your pets eat wet or canned food, remember you will need to keep this food cool, even if the power is out.

3. Be careful when walking pets outside under tall trees and in areas of high or fast moving water. Also be sure to have your pet's collars with identification on them at all times.

4. Instructions for meals and medications should be ready. Include what foods they may be allergic too as well as when and how any medications are given. Always make sure you have a current medical history for each pet as well.

5. You may not be able to go outside. In the event you must stay inside for days, be sure to keep pets separated to help keep a clean environment in the home. Pets may need to be crated or kept in separate rooms.

6. Pets feed off of our stress and anxiety and keeping a normal routine is the best thing you can do. Have familiar toys, blankets and beds on hand to help them stay calm.

I hope everyone has a safe weekend!

Which is worse? Fleas or Bed Bugs?

If you said bed bugs.... you're WRONG! And it's important you know why!

In a recent study done by Banfield Pet Hospital, 3 out of 4 pet owners said they were aware about the dangers of fleas but only 11% felt it was worse to have fleas than bed bugs. Fleas transmit diseases to humans, unlike bed bugs. These diseases can be very serious, especially with younger children or immune compromised adults. One serious bacterial disease that fleas carry is caused by Yersinia pestis, also known as Plague. And a dog recently tested positive for Plague in Mexico so the threat isn't too far away.

77& of pet owners allow their pets to sleep in their beds but only 16% of these were worried about fleas. Are you one of them? Fleas are easy to treat and easier to prevent and it's important that everyone knows this.

According to the same study, flea infestations have increased an average of 14% in dogs and cats since 2006. Don't be a statistic! Use monthly flea protection on your pets every month, even if you don't see fleas.

Is your dog getting better parasite protection than your cat?

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has recently reported that cats are not as well protected from parasites as their dog counterparts. In a study looking at the incidence of Roundworms in fecal samples from cats and dogs, 6% of cats had eggs from the feline roundworm versus only 2.9% of dogs having eggs of the canine roundworm. This was consistent for 46 states. (Alaska, Arizona, California and Nevada had higher rates in dogs than cats)

When looking at heartworms, a higher percentage of cats tested positive in every state except Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Dogs are routinely tested for heartworms every year as part of the annual wellness exam but often times cats are only tested when they are sick. Because of this, there may be even more heartworm positive cats than the study showed. Unlike dogs, cats are affected by a much lower worm burden than dogs and there is no treatment for cats.

There are a variety of products that are labeled to protect cats from heartworms and intestinal parasites including roundworms. Two of these are Heartgard for cats and Revolution. Talk to your veterinarian today about these products and start protecting your cats like they deserve!

Top 10 Weirdest Cat and Dog Names

Bella and Bailey are 2 of the most common dog names at our practice and Whiskers and Smokey are common cat names. Yesterday when a dog by the name of Ducks came in, I thought that was bizarre. But then I found the list of this year's strangest cat and dog names and I was impressed!

Here they are.... the 10 weirdest names that you and I never would have thought of!

DOGS:
1. Almost-A-Dog (Seriously, this is a teacup Yorkie)
2. Franco Furter
3. Stinkie McStinkerson
4. Sir Seamus McPoop
5. Audrey Shepburn
6. Dewey Decimell
7. Knuckles Capone
8. Beagle Lugosi
9. Shooter McLovin
10. Uzi Duzi Du


CATS:
1. Ozzy Pawsbourne
2. Mr. Meowgi
3. Murderface
4. Fuglee
5. Scruffernutter
6. Corporal Cuddles
7. Cat Masterson
8. Spam
9. Tape W. Orm
10. Louisiana Purchase

See the full list with pictures by clicking HERE

The Dangers of Leaving Pets in your Car

Brutus, Duke, Coco, Lola and Jake are the names of 5 pets that died last year when owners left them in the car to run errands, go shopping or visit friends. The saddest part about their deaths is that they were 100% avoidable.


An independent study was recently done to prove that as a car sits outside, the temperature steadily increases and cracking the window doesn't help. Click here to see a detailed chart of the estimated temperature inside your car over time.

But the heat is not the only danger to your pet. The majority of pet owners do not properly restrain or use any form of restraint with their pets in the car. This can lead to fatalities if the vehicle must come to a sudden stop or if it is involved in a collision. Pets in the car also serve as a distraction to the driver, forcing them to take their eyes off the road. According to a 2010 American Automobile Association (AAA) survey, 2 out of 3 owners engage in distracting behaviors (playing with, feeding or petting their dog, or letting their dog sit in their lap) when pets are in the car...and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 20% of injury crashes involve distracted driving.

Click HERE for more information on distracted driving.

Veterinarians are asking you to help keep you and your pet safe and only take your pets in the car when you absolutely must. We don't want your cat or dog's name included in our list next year.

How can you help prevent these injuries and deaths?

* Learn more about keeping your pet safe during travel
* Set a good example by leaving your pet(s) at home except when you need to have them in the vehicle
* Set a good example by always properly restraining your own pet(s) while in a vehicle
* Educate family and friends about these issues and how they can keep their pet(s) safe

Getting Pets Ready for 4th of July

It's almost July 4th and the phone calls for sedatives for pets are coming in! If your dog is freaked out during fireworks shows, they are not alone. Many clients say their pets hide under tables or in closets, shake constantly, or exhibit other signs of anxiety. Some pets have even been known to display destructive behaviors, destroying furniture or scratching doors. A lot of pets even run away from home during fireworks in an attempt to get away from the loud noise.

To help ensure your pet's safety, keep them indoors during fireworks shows if you know they will be anxious. Many dogs will attempt to dig under fences or go over gates and so during these times, a yard may not be enough.

It is a good idea to make sure pets have their collars on with identifying tags in case they do get out and run away during a fireworks show. This is another time that microchipping pets is very helpful.


If you know your pet has anxiety attacks during fireworks shows, contact your veterinarian. They may be able to prescribe an anti-anxiety or sedating medication to help your pet. Most vets may require an office visit prior to a prescription if they have not seen your pet in some time or if this is a new condition.

If you are going to be shooting off fireworks from your house, make sure all pets are far away from where they will be launched. It is not funny to put fireworks or other explosives near pets and they can be severely burned if you are not careful. Never shoot off any explosive in the direction of a pet. And of course, do not let your pets have access to be able to ingest any explosive.

The 4th of July weekend is a great time to get together with friends and family and it is important to make sure we are looking after our safety as well as that of our pets.