Importance of wellness exams

Do you know the importance of wellness exams for your pet? At West Boulevard Veterinary Clinic, client education is very important to us. We encourage you to read this article and contact our team if you have any questions. Thank you!

Importance of wellness exams

Veterinarians recommend regular wellness exams for the same reason your physician and dentist recommend them – if you can detect a problem in its early stages, it's more likely to be treated and resolved with less expense, less difficulty and better success.

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Vaccinations, heartworm prevention and routine deworming are important components of wellness care and can prevent diseases that are not only life-threatening, but very expensive to treat.

Your veterinarian can recommend a wellness program based on your pet's breed (some breeds are predisposed to certain health problems), age, lifestyle and overall health.

Originally published by the AVMA.

Can Cats and Houseplants Just Get Along?

West Boulevard Veterinary Clinic Cares For Your Cat

The team at West Boulevard Veterinary Clinic is concerned about health and well-being of your pet and we're committed to providing the most detailed, up-to-date information to our clients. If you have any questions about your pet's care, please contact us and we'll be happy to schedule an appointment with our team of qualified doctors. 

Cats and Houseplants 

If your houseplants are looking a little ragged or your cat shows symptoms of illness, interaction between them could be the cause. Houseplants may be good for the health of a home but can be dangerous for our feline friends. It is possible, however, to create a level of détente between them.

Although cats aren’t herbivores (their teeth aren’t designed for grinding plant matter), they do like plants as both toys and snacks. “I haven’t seen any consensus or definitive answer on why,” said Pam Johnson-Bennett, CCBC, owner of Cat Behavior Associates in Nashville, Tenn., who is a former veterinary technician and author of the recently released Think Like a Cat. “Chewing greenery may help with digestion, or something may be lacking in their diet. Boredom can do it; plants become something dangling and irresistible to bat and play with, and the next step is to chew on them.”

The problem is that “plants are either deadly or, at the very least, toxic to cats,” Johnson-Bennett said. “If they don’t kill your cat, at least it will experience intestinal disorders. Even the most basic houseplant, such as philodendron, is toxic, and toxicity can be extremely painful. Dieffenbachia can cause the cat’s tongue to swell, which affects breathing.”

Signs of Trouble

It’s fairly easy to tell if your cat has chewed on or swallowed a plant; the symptoms are vomiting, difficulty in breathing and lethargy. “If you see bits of plant matter in the vomitus or stool, there’s a good chance” the cat has snacked on your plants, according to Johnson-Bennett. Be sure you know the names of plants in your house, because knowing what plant your cat has eaten can affect treatment; inducing vomiting is sometimes the right move, but that can sometimes make matters worse.

If you notice these behaviors, call the veterinarian right away. “I don’t wait,” Johnson-Bennett said. “If I think my cat has ingested something poisonous, I am on the phone to the vet right away. Don’t have a wait-and-see attitude.”

The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ poison control center (aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/plant-list-cats.aspx) may be able to help, but nothing replaces getting to the vet right away.

Creating a Safe Harbor

A big believer that cats can be trained, Johnson-Bennett said that cats can be discouraged from eating houseplants if you apply bitter antichew spray made specifically for plants to the tops and bottoms of leaves. “You have to use it a couple of times at first, and reapply it on occasion.” (Be sure to wear gloves and a mask when using such a spray, and to wash your hands immediately after using it.)

Give cats a safe alternative that fulfills their apparent need for greenery; grass is the best bet. “You can grow cat grass in a place away from your plants; there are kits at pet stores and organic food stores. Wheat grass is very safe,” Johnson-Bennett noted. This may cause vomiting as well in some cats as a natural reaction when eating grass.

The best way to encourage cats to leave plants alone is to make sure they have enough play time, activities and toys to distract them from the plants, she said.

By the way, cats aren’t the only animals to pose a threat to houseplants; dogs may also nibble on houseplants when bored or lonely. “Dogs are chewers, so that problem can be solved by providing chew toys—something that is self-soothing, encourages comfort behavior and reduces separation anxiety,” Johnson-Bennett said.

Even better than training your cat to stay away from your plants is to “train the plants”:

• Trim the trailing leaves and fronds of plants in hanging baskets to keep them out of reach.
• Move plants away from areas where your cat likes to play or relax, and out of the path to the litter box.
• Put garden netting or double-sided tape in planters in a criss-cross pattern to keep cats out.
• Put large (too big for the cat to swallow and too heavy to move easily) river stones on top of dirt so that potting dirt isn’t easily accessible, which is both effective and decorative.

RESOURCES

• The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals maintains a list of plants that can be safe versus toxic to cats (aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/plant-list-cats.aspx).
• The Cat Fancier’s Association also maintains lists of plants that are safe for (cfa.org/client/plantsnontoxic.aspx) or poisonous to (cfa.org/client/plants.aspx) cats.

This article originally appeared in PetsMatter March / April 2012, published by the American Animal Hospital Association. Copyright © 2012 AAHA.

Traveling by Car With Your Pet

The team at West Boulevard Veterinary Clinic knows that your pet is part of your family, and you're going to take them with you when you travel! We recommend a few travel safety tips for hitting the road with your pet in the article below, but please always check with us about specific travel needs that we recommend for your individual pet. 
 

Traveling by Car With Your Pet

Traveling with a pet usually involves more than putting the animal in a car and driving off, especially if you will be driving long distances or be away for a long time. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) offers these tips to help you prepare for a car trip with your pet and make it go a little smoother.

If your pet is not accustomed to the car, take it for a few short rides before the trip. This can help keep your pet from becoming nervous or agitated, and may lessen the effects of motion sickness. If, after a number of practice trips, your pet continues to cry excessively or becomes sick, consult your veterinarian.

Buckling up is an important safety precaution for your pet. Many states now require that pets be restrained while in a moving vehicle, and restraints have several advantages. They help protect pets in case of a collision, and they keep pets from running loose and distracting the driver. They also keep pets from escaping the car through an open window or door. Cats and smaller dogs are often most comfortable in pet carriers, which can be purchased in various sizes at most pet stores.

Carriers give many animals a sense of security and familiar surroundings, and can be secured to the car seat with a seat belt or a specially designed carrier restraint. There are also pet restraints available that can be used without carriers, including harnesses, seat belt attachments, pet car seats, vehicle barriers, and truck/pickup restraint systems. No matter what kind of restraint you use, be sure that it does not permit your pet’s head to extend outside the car window. If pets ride with their heads outside the car, particles of dirt can penetrate the eyes, ears, and nose, causing injury or infections. Excessive amounts of cold air taken into lungs can also cause illness.

While packing for your trip, remember to throw in a few of your pet’s favorite toys, food and water bowls, a leash, and food. You should also carry a first aid kit for your pet, and know basic pet first aid. If your pet is on medication, be sure to have plenty for the trip -- and then some. Dr. Walt Ingwersen, AAHA veterinarian in Whitby, Ontario, points out that veterinarians cannot write a prescription without a prior doctor/patient relationship. This means that in order to get any drugs, your pet will need to be examined first by a new doctor. This may be inconvenient if you need medication right away. Also, if your pet is on a special therapeutic diet, bring along an extra supply in case you can’t find the food in a strange area.

Stick to your regular feeding routine while traveling, and give your pet its main meal at the end of the day or when you’ve reached your destination. It will be more convenient to feed dry food if your pet is used to it. Dispose of unused canned food unless it can be refrigerated. Take along a plastic jug of cold water to avoid possible stomach upset the first day, as new areas can have minerals or bacteria in their water supply that pets need time to adjust to. Give your pet small portions of both food and water and plan to stop every two hours for exercise.

Remember that your veterinarian is a good source of information about what your pet will need when traveling. Consider having your pet examined before you leave as well, to check for any developing problems. If an emergency occurs while you are on the road, you can call the American Animal Hospital Association at 800/883-6301 or visit our hospital locator for the names and phone numbers of AAHA veterinarians near you. Have your current veterinarian’s phone number handy in case of an emergency. Also, be sure to travel with a copy of your pet’s medical records, especially if the animal has a difficult medical history.

Some pets travel better while tranquilized. Tranquilizers can lessen agitation and motion sickness in pets traveling by car. Discuss this with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may suggest giving your pet a tranquilizer three to four weeks before your trip to check the dosage and adjust it if necessary.
Find hotels, motels, and campsites that accept animals and book them ahead of time. "Vacationing with Your Pet" by Eileen Barish is a directory of pet-friendly lodging throughout the United States and Canada. Copies can be ordered by calling (800) 496-2665.

Learn more about the area you will be visiting. Your veterinarian can tell you if there are any diseases like
heartworm or Lyme disease and vaccinations or medications your pet may require. A health examination following your trip should be considered to determine if any internal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, heartworms) or external parasites (ticks, fleas) were picked up in contaminated exercise or wooded areas. Also, be aware of any unique laws. Some places have restrictions on exotic animals (ferrets are not allowed in some cities), and there are restrictive breed laws in others, such as no pit bulls allowed. Your pet could be affected by these laws, so call ahead to the city or travel information bureau for more information.

To avoid losing your pet during a trip, make sure your pet is wearing an i.d. tag. To be doubly protected, consider having your pet tattooed or having a microchip implanted. "The more methods of identification, the better chance that the owner will be found," says Dr. Ingwersen. Microchip databases are specific to the United States and Canada, so register your pet in both countries if you will be driving from one to the other. Dr. Ingwersen also suggests owners register the name and phone number of a relative who can identify the pet in case the owner can’t be reached while traveling.

It’s important to carry health and rabies vaccine certificates, particularly if you will be crossing the border into Canada, the US, or Mexico. All three countries allow dogs and cats to enter if they meet stringent entry requirements. Depending on the country, exotic pets may be allowed to enter, though they may need further documentation. Call the Agriculture Department or embassy of the country or state to which you are traveling for information on the vaccinations, documentation, fees, or quarantine that may be required to bring your pet into the country.

Most importantly, try to plan ahead for unusual or emergency situations. What you don’t need in the middle of a trip is one more thing to worry about. "People get into a panic if they don’t have enough medication for their pet, no appropriate documentation for travel to other countries, or money to pay for border fees," says Dr. Ingwersen. "Be prepared by bringing a copy of your pet’s medical records, proper documentation and medication and knowing the laws going into the new city or country." Preparation is the most effective way to help ensure a smooth, enjoyable trip for you and your pet.

Originally published by Healthy Pet.

10 “People” Foods for Dogs

As a responsible and informed dog lover, you probably know that too much “people food” can make your dog ill or overweight, but there are some human foods that can be safely added to your dog’s meals in moderation to give a nutritional boost to Queenie’s diet and add a bit of variety to her food bowl. Just remember: any additions to your dog’s meals shouldn’t comprise more than 25 percent of her weekly caloric requirement.

1. Yogurt is a good source of available calcium and protein. When choosing yogurt, pick one that has live active bacteria and no sugars or artificial sweeteners. The active bacteria may act as probiotics. If your pooch is pudgy, make sure that you pick fat-free yogurt but not one that contains fat substitutes (e.g., Simplesse or Olestra). Frozen yogurt is a nice summer treat for dogs.

2. Flax seed (ground or oil) is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids that are good for skin and coat. Whole flax seeds are best if ground right before feeding as this type of fat can go rancid quickly. Flax seed can also be added to your dog’s diet as a source of fibre. Flax oil is a more concentrated form of omega- 3 fatty acids without the fibre. Make sure that you store the oil or seeds in the fridge in an air tight dark container.

3. Salmon is a fatty fish which is also a good source of omega- 3 fatty acids. These fats support the immune system and can be beneficial for skin and coat health. There has also been some indication that they may benefit dogs with allergies. You can feed salmon or salmon oil. If feeding salmon, make sure it’s cooked before serving, as raw salmon can carry a parasite that can make your dog sick.

4. Pumpkin is a good source of fibre and beta carotene (a source of vitamin A). Dogs need fibre in their diet. The current trend is towards highly digestible diets that lower stool volume and this is not necessarily a good thing. Keeping the GI tract moving helps keep the cells lining the gut healthy.

5. Sweet potatoes are another source of dietary fibre and contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, beta carotene, and manganese. Sweet potatoes are great sliced and dehydrated as a chewy treat for your dog. There are so many dog treats on the market that we often overlook the simple, healthy, and reasonably priced treats available at our grocery store.

6. Green beans are a good source of plant fibre, vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese. If your dog has a tendency to put on weight, then replacing some of her regular food with green beans is a great low calorie way to fill her up and help her maintain a healthy weight. Many dogs enjoy green beans frozen.

7. Eggs are a great source of very digestible protein, riboflavin, and selenium. For some dogs that are prone to digestive upset, eggs can give them a little protein boost. Adding eggs to your dog’s food is a healthy treat. Make sure to use cooked whole egg, as raw egg whites can cause biotin deficiency. If you do a lot of training with your dog, consider taking cooked eggs to your next class as training treats.

8. Brewer’s yeast is the yeast that’s left over from making alcohol. Dogs seem to really enjoy the tangy taste of brewer’s yeast. It’s full of B vitamins which are good for skin, coat, and carbohydrate metabolism. Make sure you’re using brewer’s yeast (available at health food stores), not baking yeast which will make your dog sick. Brewer’s yeast can spice up your dog’s appetite. Just sprinkle a little on the food of a picky eater and watch her dive into her food.

9. Apples are wonderful crunchy treats for your dog. Apples with the skin on are full of plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that are thought to be protective against some types of cancer in humans. They are a source of vitamins A and C and fibre. Apple seeds, however, contain cyanide so your dog should not be allowed to eat the core. Though the effects of a few apple seeds will likely not harm your dog, the deleterious effects can accumulate over time if allowed to eat apple seeds regularly.

10. Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fibre. This can be beneficial for some older dogs that may have trouble maintaining bowel regularity. Oatmeal is also an alternative source of grain for dogs that are allergic to wheat. It can be fed in conjunction with probiotics to enhance their function. Keep in mind oatmeal should always be fed cooked and plain with no sugar or flavouring. As always, check with your veterinarian before making any major changes to your dog’s diet, especially if they are on any medications. Upsetting the vitamin and mineral balances in your dog’s diet can have negative effects on your dog’s health and some medications interact badly with some nutrients. The aim of most dog owners is to give their dogs the best diet possible. Good nutrition coupled with a health care program may result in extending your dog’s life by as much as 15 percent. The suggestions above are not meant to replace your dog’s normal, balanced diet. Rather, they are ideas for alternative treats or for adding a little variety to your dog’s meals.

Originally published in Modern Dog Magazine

ASPCA Winter Cat Care and Safety Tips

When the weather outside turns cold and snowy, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reminds you to think about your pet's safety and recommends the following winter care tips to protect your companion animal:

1. Keep your cats inside. Outdoor cats can freeze, or become lost or stolen, injured or killed.

2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under car hoods for warmth. Before starting your car, bang loudly on the hood and wait a few seconds to give the cat a chance to escape.

3. Antifreeze, even in tiny doses, is a lethal poison for cats. Unfortunately, its sweet taste attracts animals to it. Thoroughly clean up spills from your vehicle. To prevent accidental poisoning, more and more people are using animal-friendly products that contain propylene glycol rather than traditional products containing ethylene glycol. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-4ANI-HELP) if you suspect your animal has been poisoned.

4. Never leave your pet alone in a car during the cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold. Your companion animal could freeze to death.

5. Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep far away from drafts and off the floor. Consider a cat bed or basket with a warm blanket or pillow in it.


Originally published on Cat Channel.

Resolutions for Pets and Pet People

So here we are at the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Who am I to buck the tradition of the New Year’s Resolution? This is mine from the "professional improvement" category:

I will strive to be more compassionate with "difficult" pet owners.

As is the case for many veterinarians, I got into this field because I love animals and am fascinated with medicine and science. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy working with (most) people, but if people were my primary focus, I would have gone into human medicine. I wasn’t naïve when I applied to veterinary school; I knew that dealing with people would be a huge part of my job. But when I get tired, frustrated, or overwhelmed, I have little patience with people who make helping their animals more difficult than it has to be.

I can usually fake my way through appointments with difficult clients. I basically become an actor playing the role of a considerate veterinarian and focus most of my attention on my patient. I try to remember that it is never the animal’s fault if his or her owners are driving me crazy. In this way, I ensure that my patient’s medical care doesn’t suffer just because I don’t really like the people to whom he or she is attached.

This approach works in so far as it goes, but leaves me feeling like I’ve shirked one of my professional duties — truly connecting with my patient’s primary caretaker. I suspect that these owners leave our appointments somewhat unsatisfied as well — my acting skills haven’t landed me in Hollywood, after all.

Therefore, I resolve to truly try to connect with even the most difficult of clients by remembering that I don’t know what troubles are the cause of a person’s attitude and that most people are doing the best they can under the circumstances.

Now on to the other side of the exam table, so to speak. If you haven’t made a resolution in the "pet care" category, might I suggest:
 

I will take care of one aspect of preventive veterinary medicine that I’ve been putting off.

Did 2012 pass without your pet benefiting from a "wellness" exam? Does your cat need a dental cleaning? What about a fecal examination/prophylactic deworming for your dog? Did your veterinarian recommend a panel of lab work to screen for disease in your canine or feline "senior citizen"? Is there a vaccination you declined, but with hindsight think might be a good idea? What about heartworm or feline leukemia/immunodeficiency virus testing? Does your pet have a microchip? Is he or she neutered/spayed if not part of a breeding program?

Make it your New Year’s resolution to knock off at least one aspect of veterinary preventive care from your "to do" list in January or February.

Post originally published by PetMD.

Feeding your pet...how much and more

Pets, like people, don't magically maintain an optimum body weight. 

For pets, as for people, body weight is a function of calories in and calories out.

Calculating calories in is a no problem as there are many charts available, both in print and on the internet, to help with conversions. Any reasonable comercial pet food should list the caloric value per kg, or gm, of food on the product information label.

Calories out is more difficult to calculate as it varies with the life stage, activity and health of your pet. Fortunately there are some formulas that help to give us guidelines to follow.

The Resting Energy Requirement (RER) in Kcal/day is the starting point 

RER = 30x(wt in kg) + 70       or       RER= 30x(wt in lbs/2.205) + 70  as     wt in lbs/2.205 = wt in kg

EXAMPLE: RER for a 10kg dog    30x10+70=370   or   30(22.05/2.205)+70=370 Kcal/day
               
However this calculation does not account for age, activity, or health. To estimate for these factors standard multipliers are used for various scenarios as follows:



Multipliers for age, activity, and health:

Weight loss                                 0.8-1.0 x RER
Neutered adult normal activity   1.6 x RER
Intact adult normal activity         1.8 x RER
Light work                                 2.0 x RER
Moderate work                           3.0 x RER
Heavy work                               4-8 x RER
Pregnant  (first 42 days)             1.8 x RER
Pregnant  (last 21 days)              3.0 x RER
Lactating female                         4-8 x RER
Juvenile - weaning to 4 months  3.0 x RER
Juvenile - 4 months to adult size 2.0 x RER



So if our 10kg dog is a neutered adult with normal casual activity  RERx1.6=592  (the total kcal requirement/day). It is very important to remember that this is the TOTAL kcal requirement including all snacks, treats and scrounging! If you feed your pet snacks and treats the Kcal/treat or snack must be factored in.

Now that we know how many Kcal to feed, how much is that in pet food quantity?

To know this one must know the number of Kcal/cup or can of food. This value should be on the bag or can of food. If it is not you may want to consider another choice! If you home cook for your pet you will have to break down your recipe into ingredients and from that calculate the Kcal/recipe batch. The number of cups per batch, and from that, the Kcal/cup.

Once you know this value, calculating how much to feed your pet is straight forward. One divides the number of Kcal/day by the Kcal/cup of food.


So, for example, if the food has 425 kcal/cup, the math would look like this:

Kcal/day divided by kcal/cup = 592Kcal/425Kcal/cup= ~1.4 cups /day or 0.7 cups/meal

**One must remember that these are simply guidelines ... a starting point if you will. It is very important to weigh your pet regularly and if they are gaining, or losing, too much weight then the amount of food and/or activity should be adjusted accordingly. If you have adjusted your pet's food intake and/or exercise and they are continuing to increase or decrease weight a veterinarian should be consulted as many medical conditions can influence metabolism (weight gain or loss).**


Other questions you may ask: 

• How long will a bag last? 
• How much does it cost to feed my pet each day?

To calculate how a long a bag will last one divides the number of cups/bag by the number of cups fed each day. If the bag contains 50 cups and you feed 1.4 cups/day the bag will last 50/1.4=35.7 days.

Some bags do not list the number of cups within. If not, for many pet foods the gm per cup is listed or readily available online. If that is the case the weight of the bag in kg or gm per cup will give the number of cups/bag. So if a food was 110gm/cup and the bag weighed 2kg there will be (2x1000)/110=10.1 cups in the bag.

How much will it cost to feed my pet per day?

One divides the price of the bag by the number of days it will last.

Thus, if you know the Kcal/bag, cups/bag, price/cup and cups/day you can calculate what it costs to feed your pet for a day!

EXAMPLE:

1. kcal/kg x kg/bag = kcal/bag                                            3570x13.6 =  48552kcal/bag

2. kcal/bag divided by kcal/cup = cups/bag                        48552/407 = 119.29c/bag

3. cups/bag divided by price/bag = price/cup                     119.29/49.49 = 2.41/cup

4. cups/day x price/cup = price/day                                    2.41x2.41 = $5.78/day

You may then ask .... is my pet a healthy weight?

For that one turns to body score indexes. Using a score of 1-5, it is optimal to have pets in the mid score range.
Viewing a body score index will help you determine if your pet would benefit from losing or gaining weight.
Once this goal is established one feeds for the desired weight, not the current weight.


Body Score Condition Index 1-5

1 = Emaciated

Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all body prominences evident from a distance. No discernible body fat. Obvious absence of muscle mass.

2 = Thin

Ribs easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat. Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible. Pelvic bones less prominent. Obvious waist and abdominal tuck.

3 = Moderate                                                                                    

Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Abdomen tucked up when viewed from side.

4 = Stout

General fleshy appearance. Ribs palpable with difficulty. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar spine and tail base. Abdominal tuck may be absent. Waist is no longer evident.

5 = Obese

Large fat deposits over chest, spine and tail base. Waist and abdominal tuck absent. Fat deposits on neck and limbs. Abdomen distended.

At WBVC we take diet and nutrition seriously. As with people, pets are what they eat. One pet food is not suitable for all pets and not all pet foods are created equal. Even when ingredients are compared, similar diets may be far from equal in their make up. Not all ingredients are sourced similarly, and not all pet foods have solid clinical research behind them! "Holistic", "all natural", and "high quality" are marketing terms that do not speak to the nutritional value of the food for your pet.

Veterinary Prescription Diets are available only from your veterinarian. These diets are thoroughly researched and contain ingredients that are carefully sourced. Manufacturers of these health products fully understand that veterinarians can make educated decisions about the use of their diets and, as such, these diets can be appropriately prescribed to optimize health benefits for each individual pet.

At WBVC, the veterinarians have created a spread sheet for Veterinary Prescription Diets that aids them in making the best nutritional choices for your pet and lets you know how much a product costs per package, how many Kcal your pet requires per day, how much to feed your pet each day, and how much that will cost you on a daily basis. This can help bring you peace of mind and can save you lots of tedious calculations!

For a Wellness Examination & Consult including dietary recommendations please book an appointment by calling WBVC at 604-266-7421.