Posts by Dr. Lelan Olsen

Your fabulous feast lay before you on that most food-oriented holiday of all–Thanksgiving! And those beseeching , soulful eyes of your pet look at you with adoration and hunger. Can you refuse? Yes! Sometimes generosity can lead to injury.

Here’s some things to be careful of during the Thanksgiving holidays:

• Too much fatty, rich, or even just new types of foods can give your pet pancreatitis or gastroenteritis. Both can be very painful and become quite serious, so go easy on the tidbits. Better yet, none at all.
• Bones can tear up or obstruct your pets’ innards.
• The string often used to tie up the turkey during roasting can tie up your pets’ intestines too (as can the bag your turkey came in or the little red “popper”).
• Onions, often abundantly found in stuffing, destroy a dog’s red blood cells, leading to anemia.
• Too much chocolate, especially baking chocolate, can actually kill your dog, so keep it all well out of reach.

To show your pet how thankful you are to have them as part of your family, give them a feast of their own–perhaps a treat of canned pet food, a catnip treat, a special chewy, or a few tablespoons of peanut butter stuffed in a favorite “tube” toy (at least a half hour of entertainment). And when those eager eyes look at the loaded dining-room table, remember that your feast is not fit for your pet…and then give thanks for your pets’ healthy appetite!

Usually I write my monthly articles on topics to educate my clients, but this month I am going to dwell away from this.  You see last night I had to put one of our pets to sleep.  It was one of the most painful decisions that I have had to make.  They say that pets bring us the most joy during their lives, but also give us the most sorrow when we have to say goodbye.

Opal was only six years old.  She was a one-of-a-kind yellow labrador retriever.  She always had that bounce to her step and always was into something.  But last week, everything changed.  She quit eating and had a brown watery diarrhea.  I brought her to the clinic, placed an IV catheter in her and did some blood work on her.  The blood was thin so I knew we had some problems, but little did I know what lied ahead.  The results showed that she was extremely anemic.  She had a disease that we call Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia.

AIHA happens because the body is destroying their own red blood cells and it does not have a good prognosis.  Because the red blood cells are being destroyed, less oxygen gets to the organs and cells thus causing organ shutdown.  Looking to fight the odds against us,  I took her over to Hawthorne Animal Hospital for a blood transfusion.  It raised her blood count some, but she was still depressed and weak.  Radiographs revealed that she had some tumors on her spleen that were confirmed with ultrasound.  We were thinking about removing the spleen, but found a tumor on her heart.  So I brought her home and tried to medically treat her in her weakened state.  She did improve some over the week and was looking better.  She was starting to do the things that Opal did to make us laugh at her.  I was happy with her progress until last night when I got home from work.  She had returned to her very weakened state, would not hold up her head, and had bloody diarrhea everywhere.  I knew it was time to relieve her suffering and say goodbye to her.

I will always fondly remember her distinct personality.  No dog ever did it like Opal.  She stopped the treadmill at LaBest.  She would always take the jolt from the electric underground fence just to get out.  She didn’t care, but she was the best.  The summers were always an adventure around the pool with her always sneaking a sandal, towel or whatever she could get a hold of.  She didn’t have many years to grace us with her presence, but we will have a lifetime of memories.  She was loved very much by our family, but the unconditional love returned was unmeasurable.  As my son, Mitchell said last night through his tears, “Opal, you are going to have the best seat for our fireworks shows.”

Rest in peace, Opal.

Many pets have behavioral problems in their everyday life.  These may be petty annoyances of everyday life such as being jumped on, barked at, licked or scratched to something more serious like separation anxiety , or fearful behavior and inappropriate urination.  Some of the behavioral problems merit attention because they could lead to inappropriate behavior that is serious and dangerous.

There are seven things that I would recommend doing with a pet  to prevent, diagnose and/or treat a behavioral problem. As with everything else prevention is the best medicine.  It is best to start as young as possible.   A lot of the problems include house training and litter box use, dealing with inappropriate play and ensuing social harmony.  It is best to train often to reinforce the good behaviors and gently and humanely.  I do not recommend disciplining a puppy with negative reinforcement such as hitting with a newspaper or rubbing their nose in soiled area.  These means of disciplining could lead to worse behaviors.  Instead, I recommend positive reinforcement and praise especially if they have an acceptable behavior.  This may include a treat or attention.  Only use commands that you can enforce.

Sometimes diagnostic workups are in order to rule out disease or a primary behavioral problem.  Your pets may be sick and painful leading it to be lethargic and irritable.  These could lead to changes in its appetite or activity level. It is important that you the clients be educated about humane care as well as the science of learning.  Positive reinforcement can shape behavior without putting you in danger.

There are several local trainers that can assist you in your training.  I recommend that every pet have some form of obedience training.  The trainers not only work with the petty annoyances, but also can assist with the serious behavioral problems.  There are many ways to train your pets, so it is best to find a trainer to meet your needs.  Not all pets need the corporal punishment part of training, so check several out.  Ask questions.

There are some medications on the market that can be used.  There are some that are not approved but can be used.  As a veterinarian, we strictly monitor the pet’s reaction, because some are not approved for use.  If we use them, we assume all responsibility.  By no means do we want to make the pet worse on the medication.

It is important that safety is emphasized.  Anytime we are dealing with an aggressive pet,  there is a potential for injury.  Prevention of future bites depend on the historic details of the individual animal’s behavior.  We as veterinarians and owners need to take into account what the best interests are for both the owner and the pet.  Unfortunately, owners liability must need to be addressed, especially with aggressive dogs.  No one wants people or other animals hurt.

After the treatment plans have been implemented, it is important to have follow up visits with your veterinarian.  Sometimes there are subtle effects to adjust.  Every problem is unique, so constant adjusting may be needed.

One of the top reasons why veterinarians see pets is because of gastrointestinal problems according to the Veterinary Pet Insurance Company.  There are many choices when it comes to feeding your pet, so naturally veterinarians are asked to give recommendations about what food is best for their pets.  Some owners fail to recognize that  bad pet food can be detrimental to their pet, nor do they realize that good pet food and feeding tendencies can be beneficial to their pet.

The most common conditions seen associated with GI tract disease are pancreatitis malabsorption syndromes, protein-losing enteropathies, inflammatory bowel disease, and food allergy.  These conditions can benefit from the proper pet food.  This key to this is proper education from your veterinarian and their team to counter some of the mistaken beliefs about feeding their pets. There are five myths about the pet’s diet and GI disease.

With the recent warm weather and the advent of summer, it is important to be aware of the diseases that can be spread by the insect and arthropod vectors like the mosquito, tick and flea. These three parasites carry a lot of diseases that not only affect your pet but also can cause sickness in you.

The mosquito-borne diseases which are spread by a bite from a mosquito include Heartworm Disease, Encephalitis, West Nile, and Yellow Fever. Heartworm disease can be fatal to dogs if left untreated, but it is easier to prevent it than treat it. The other diseases can affect humans as well with clinical signs ranging from fever to headaches to even death.

Ticks carry numerous diseases. The most common is Lyme Disease. Lyme disease presents itself as a high fever, lameness and arthritic. The pets are reluctant to walk and we tend to see some swollen and warm joints. Other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Ehrlichiosis, and Tick Paralysis. The best way to prevent these is to use flea and tick collars along with sprays and topicals on the pets back.

Lastly fleas can not only be a nuisance to pets, but also spread disease. They are implicated in spreading the bacteria that caused the Bublonic Plague along with Cat Scratch Disease and tapeworms. These diseases are zoonotic, which means that they can be transferred to people.

The summer is a fun time, but also many vectors are out there. It is best to prevent them by using appropriate flea and tick products, mosquito repellants and heartworm preventatives.

Spring is a time for several chores like planting and caring for your garden and spring cleaning. But we as pet owner’s must be aware that several of the plants, household cleaners, insecticides and other items can cause toxicity to our furry friends.

There are several plants that can cause toxicity to your pet from ingestion. Among these are onions, grapes, mushrooms, dieffenbachia, daffodils, azaleas, and tulips to name a few. Clinical signs range from hypersailivation, vomiting and gastric upset to possible kidney, liver or neurological and possibly death.

Insecticides that we spray on our yards or place on our pets can be toxic. Some flea medications that contain pyrethrins, especially those labelled for dog use only can be toxic to cats. These clinical signs can include hypersalivation, siezures and eventual death. So please make sure that the flea controls are safe for use on your pet before using. If your pet is showing some signs of toxicity from these, it is best to immediately wash the pet off completely with something like “Dawn” dish soap and call your veterinarian immediately.

Household cleaners can cause some irritation and toxicity to your pets. Many owners are not aware that some come surface kitchen and bath cleaners, rug cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and even some laundry detergents can be harmful. Symptons can include profuse salivation,difficulty breathing, vomiting and organ damage. After cleaning your home, make sure that all residues are wiped up and the areas completely dried.

It is best to keep your four-legged friends safe from these poisons. If you think that your pet has ingested something harmful, it is best to call your veterinarian or the pet poison helpline at 1-800-213-6680.

Since spring his here and summer rapidly approaching, many people are gearing up to make that annual visit with their pet to their veterinarian. The trip can be stressful for all pets, but our feline friends may be more affected by this. To make this trip less stressful, here are four tips that may assist on your trek to the veterinarian’s office.

1) Make your carrier your cat’s second home. I know a lot us of store our carriers out in the garage. By sitting out in the garage, the carrier loses the scents from your cat, so bring it inside with the door open and let the cat rub against it. Allow the pet to go inside. Maybe throw in a blanket or something that your cat is accustom to. This will act as a security blanket for your pet. By allowing this, your cat won’t view the carrier as a foreign object and the pet may be less stressed.

2) Turn the carrier into a feeding center. If the cat associates the carrier as where its food is, the cat may go into the carrier easier. It may also work by putting some treats in the carrier, as it will show that the carrier is not bad at all.

3) Try a different type of carrier. Sometimes emergencies happen and there is not time to acclimate your pet with the carriers. So a pillowcase can be a good option by putting the cat on your lap and sliding the pillowcase over the body first and then the head. Other things that may work are laundry baskets or something that your cat is used to sleeping in.

4) Try some synthetic pheramones. There are pheramones that can be purchased and sprayed on the towels and blankets that will help the pet be not as agitated, so it make make it easier to adapt to the car ride and the stress of the visit.

Nothing is foolproof, but these steps could make your trip less traumatic to you and your pet.

It is not uncommon for us to get a phone call from an owner complaining about her pet shaking its head, scratching at its ears, and having a horrible odor. Chances are the pet could be suffering from otitis externa. This is the medical term for an inflammation of the outer ear canal. It is estimated that up to 20% of the dog population is affected by the disease.

The clinical signs may also include but not limited to: discharge from the ears, redness and swelling of the ear flap or canal, pain around the ears and changes in the pet’s behavior. There are many causes of otitis externa. When we see a pet with ear disease, we think of possibly allergies, parasites, infections, foreign bodies, trauma, hormonal abnormalities, the ear anatomy, hereditary conditions, or tumors.

To diagnose the problem, we must look down in the ear with an otoscope. With this we can assess the condition of the ear canal and determine the amount of inflammation present. Routinely, I will take samples to look at under a microscope. This allows me to examine the ear canal debris for bacteria, yeast, and look at the inflammatory cells that are present. Sometimes a culture/sensitivity test of the discharge is indicated to assist in the identification of the microorganism and identify the antibiotic that would be most effecacious.

The treatment of the otitis is determined by what is causing the ear problem and what secondary conditions are there as a result. So the treatment regimen is not always the same for all pets.

Infections left untreated can spread to the middle and inner ear leading to some more serious consequences. Chronic ear infections usually will not bet better by just cleaning the ears, so it may be necessary to incorporate some antibiotics in the treatment.

Regardless of the cause of the ear disease, it is important to keep the ear canal clean and dry. This can be done by applying some ear cleaner in the ear canal and massaging the base of the ear for about 20 to 30 seconds. The cleaner will soften and loosen the debris so that it can be wiped out with a cotton ball or paper towel. The excess fluid can be removed by letting the pet shake its head.

Once the otitis externa is under control, it is best to keep the ear canals clean and dry. Maybe cleaning then once weekly, especially if the dog swims a lot or has a history of the ear disease.