Seizures in Pets

Seizures are due to abnormal electrical conduction within the brain that results in a loss of consciousness (in most cases), and various physical signs that can be associated with the seizure. These physical signs can manifest as any one of the following:

Falling over to one side
Legs "paddling" or generalized trembling/twitching
Jaw "chomping"
Salivation
Urination
Defecation
Eyes "rolled back"
Vocalizing

Most pets will seem anxious and even seek out the owner prior to the actual seizure, when the above signs can be seen. The actual seizure usually lasts from 30 seconds to 2 - 3 minutes. Afterwards the pet may seem disorientated, or "drunk" in appearance, sometimes behaving blind, stumbling about and being poorly responsive to his/her environment. This last phase of disorientation can last for as little as 10 minutes to several hours.

When your pet has a seizure, be sure to place thick cushions, blanket, etc. between your pet's head and any hard furniture. Be very careful to avoid handling your pet's head directly, since this has often resulted in a biting injury to owner's hands. Your pet is unaware of his/her surroundings when seizuring, and may bite down very hard on your hand and not even realize it. Make sure to pay close attention to what you are witnessing, since your veterinarian will want you to keep a journal of the seizure events. Record in notebook the following:

Date, time and length of the seizure

Time the length of the "disoriented" phase that follows the seizure - document exactly what signs were seen (from above list), was it associated with any events eg: exercise, eating, drinking, etc?

By keeping a journal, it helps you to know how often your pet is seizuring, and whether the seizures are getting longer or more violent. This helps your veterinarian to counsel you on when is the appropriate time to start anticonvulsant medications, or see a neurologist.

The first time your pet has a seizure, most vets will advise you to do nothing. Many seizures are one-off occurrences and in these cases, investigation is not required. If a seizure occurs more than once, then blood work (standard biochemistry to check liver function) is the first diagnostic test done, alongside a thorough general clinical exam and a more specific neurological exam.

YOU NEED TO SEEK IMMEDIATE VETERINARY CARE:

When your pet's seizure is going on to 5 minutes in duration. By definition, this is turning into "status epilepticus" which essentially means a constant state of seizure activity, and if the seizures are not stopped, this can lead to life threatening consequences. Status epilepticus can result in a overheating of the body, essentially a "heat stroke". This also can cause some temporary or permanent damage of the brain tissue. Once a seizure is climbing towards 5 minutes, get your pet immediately in the car and start driving to the closest veterinary clinic.

Once an anticonvulsant has been administered, the pet should be monitored for any more seizure activity for at least 24 hrs, usually accomplished through an emergency (24 hr) center.

If your pet has more than one seizure in a 24 hour period, this is considered a "cluster" of seizure activity. You need to seek veterinary care once he or she has the second seizure, since this indicates a rapid succession of seizures, and may require anticonvulsants be started to control these. A "cluster" will often precede "status epilepticus", as indicated above.

FINAL NOTE:

Some pets have been known to have one seizure in their lives, while others develop serious repeated seizure activity. With a first time occurrence of seizure activity, we do not yet have a pattern of seizure activity established. Without a pattern, it is impossible to predict future seizure activity. Your pet may never seizure again, or may continue to have seizures. You play an important role in the diagnosis and proper treatment of your pet's seizures, by providing us with an accurate history, and seeking veterinary help when indicated.

This article was donated by the Columbia Animal Hospital. For further information please visit http://www.petshealth.com

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Portosystemic Shunts

Congenital Portal Shunts are due to a defect in the blood circulation around the liver. Instead of blood entering the liver to be detoxified, the liver is bypassed. The liver usually eliminates toxins derived from the gut. With a porto-systemic shunt, there is a bridging between the veins around the liver and so the toxic material bypasses the liver, causing an elevation of ammonia in the circulation.


This defect may be within the liver (intrahepatic) or occur outside of the liver (extrahepatic) - most are single vessels.

Shunts can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired. Acquired shunts can develop subsequent to portal hypertension (high blood pressure); typically they are multiple in nature. This occurs due to a lack of valves in the portal vein, permitting circulatory accommodation through the shunt. Portal hypertension is usually associated with liver scarring or cirrhosis.

The shunt may lead to episodic development of hepatic encephalopathy (seizures or bizarre behavior) associated with ingestion of high protein food, and administration of certain drugs.

Another effect of the shunt is the development of bladder stones due to inability of the liver to metabolise uric acid from the blood.

SYSTEMS AFFECTED

Nervous system signs include episodic hepatic encephalopathy (seizures).
Gastrointestinal signs are intermittent inappetence; vomiting; diarrhea; pica; drooling in cats.
Urogenital signs bladder stones and or large kidneys

GENETICS

Basis unknown
Breeds predisposed include miniature schnauzers; Irish wolfhounds; Old English sheepdogs; cairn terriers; Yorkshire terriers

INCIDENCE/PREVALENCE

Incidence is greatest in purebred dogs and mixed breed cats
Especially common in Yorkshire terriers

CLINICAL SIGNS

Episodic seizures or disorientation (hepatic encephalopathy) may be noted.
Affected cats may drool. This may be initially confused with an upper respiratory infection based on the display of increased salivation.
Initial signs usually noted at initial feeding of puppy or kitten food and stunted growth is common

SYMPTOMS

CNS Signs: Episodic weakness, pacing, disorientation, head pressing, blindness, behavioral changes (aggression, vocalization, hallucinations), seizures, coma
Gastrointestinal Signs: inappetence, vomiting, diarrhea
Urinary Signs: bladder stones
Congenital disease –The pets may have a normal appearance or have stunted stature, hepatic encephalopathy, golden or copper irises in non- blue-eyed and non-Persian cats.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES

CNS signs -Other rule outs include infectious disorders (e.g., FIP, canine distemper, toxoplasmosis, FeLV-related infections); toxicities (e.g., lead, mushrooms, recreational drugs); hydrocephalus; epilepsy; metabolic disorders (e.g., severe low blood sugar).
Gastrointestinal signs—bowel obstruction; dietary indiscretion; foreign body ingestion; inflammatory bowel disease
Urinary tract signs—bacterial urinary tract infection; stones

DIAGNOSIS

Lab Work

CBC/Biochemistry: low BUN, creatinine, glucose, and cholesterol common; liver enzyme activity variable (ALP usually high in young patients owing to bone isoenzyme); bilirubin normal with congenital but may be high with acquired shunts.
Urinalysis: Decreased urine specific gravity (inability of kidneys to work properly) and crystals in the urine.
Total serum bile acids—sensitive indicators; random fasting values may be within normal reference range; 2-hr postprandial (post feeding) values markedly high (usually > 100 mmol/L)
Blood ammonia values—sensitive indicators; less reliable than total serum bile acids because of analytic problems
Ammonia tolerance testing—more reliable than random ammonia values; samples cannot be stored, frozen, or mailed for analysis.

Imaging

Abdominal Radiography: Small liver, Large kidneys, Bladder stones
Injecting radiographic contrast media into a mesenteric or spleenic vein. This is the test of choice, but is technically difficult.
Abdominal Ultrasonography: Subjective estimation of small liver, hypervascularity, and observation of the shunting vessel. Color-flow Doppler—assists in shunt localization. Intrahepatic shunts are most easily imaged.


Acquired Shunts

Liver size depends on underlying cause.
Abdominal fluid is easily detected.
Ammonium urate calculi (stones) in the kidney or bladder

TREATMENT

Eliminate causal factors—dehydration; elevated kidney toxins; gastrointestinal bleeding; high- protein foods; infection (urinary tract, other); treatment with certain drugs

Protein-restricted diet—dogs: dairy and soy protein may perform better than meat and fish proteins; cats: require balanced, meat-based protein.

Increase dietary protein tolerance by concurrent treatment with lactulose (0.5–1 mL/kg PO q8–12h; dose based on production of two to three soft stools daily), metronidazole (7.5 mg/kg PO q8– 12h), and/or neomycin (22 mg/kg PO q12h).

Cleansing enemas with warmed isotonic fluids— until free of feces
Retention enemas—15 mL/kg; with lactulose (1:2 dilution with water) and neomycin (10–15 mg/kg)

SURGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Surgical ligation with congenital disease

Goal: total ligation vessel; often only partial ligation can be performed safely and surgical assessment of extent of ligation may be inaccurate.

Hepatic encephalopathy signs must be resolved before surgery. Intrahepatic shunts are most difficult to ligate.

This article was donated by the Columbia Animal Hospital. For further information please visit http://www.petshealth.com/

Kidney Disease in Cats

The kidneys are organs which maintain the balance of certain chemicals in your cat's blood, while filtering out the body's waste as urine. The kidneys also help regulate blood pressure, help regulate calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and produce a hormone that stimulates red blood-cell production called erythropoietin. As you can imagine, a malfunctioning kidney can cause many problems.

Let us picture the kidneys filtering mechanism. There are tens of thousands of microscopic funnel shaped tubes called nephrons. These tiny structures are responsible for filtering and reabsorbing the fluids that balance the body. These nephrons are susceptible to damage due to many causes such as poisons, aging, infection, trauma, cancer, auto-immune diseases, and genetic predisposition. If any of these occur the entire nephron stops functioning. Fortunately, due to both the reserve capacity of the kidney and the ability of the nephrons to grow larger, the kidney can still function. If damage to nephrons occurs gradually and the surviving nephrons have enough time to hypertrophy, a kidney can continue to function with as few as 25 percent of its original nephrons.

When the number of functioning nephrons drops below 25 percent or when damage occurs too suddenly for the remaining nephrons to compensate, kidney failure occurs. There are two types of kidney failure. Acute kidney failure is a sudden loss of function that is sometimes but not always reversible. Chronic kidney failure is an irreversible loss of function that occurs gradually over months or years.

Failing kidneys can't adequately clear the blood of certain toxins. These include urea (a nitrogen- containing byproduct of protein metabolism) and creatinine (a chemical byproduct of muscle exertion). As a result, when the kidneys fail, there is an abnormally high levels of these wastes products. Other blood components normally regulated by the kidneys - such as phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, and chloride - may also rise or fall abnormally.

Failing kidneys may also produce extremely dilute urine or urine that contains too much protein. Healthy kidneys produce concentrated urine that is relatively protein-free.

To determine the prognosis of kidney disease, blood and urine tests are performed frequently during treatment to evaluate how well the kidneys are responding. A complete blood count looks at the numbers of red and white blood cells and a blood chemistry panel will examine the levels of waste products and electrolytes, indications of whether the kidneys are functioning properly. It's a good sign if test results swing back toward normal within the first 48 to 72 hours of therapy.

The blood tests will determine if your cat is suffering from anemia (a lower than normal number of red blood cells, RBC). This is significant because it often indicates a drop in erythropoietin, a hormone secreted by the kidneys that stimulates RBC production. The blood chemistries will determine levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, both are indicators of the amounts of waste products in the blood. Elevations of these levels result from kidney failure.

Urinalysis measures a number of factors, including how well the kidneys are concentrating the urine. In kidney failure, urine becomes dilute. Urine may also be checked for the presence of bacteria, protein, and blood. If the kidneys are normal urine should be concentrated and there should be no blood or protein in the urine.

X-rays, ultrasound and possible kidney biopsies are also very useful in assessing kidney disease.

Acute renal Failure:

The causes of acute renal failure are many. Toxins, antifreeze, cancer, intestinal disease and dehydration are just a few. Management of acute renal failure requires hospitalization, intravenous fluid therapy, and medications to help offset the affects of toxemia associated with renal failure. Intensive therapy is essential to attempt to reverse the process.

One hopes to see positive changes within 48-72 hours of treatment. The prognosis worsens if there is no reduction in the abnormal kidney values.

Chronic renal failure (CRF):

Chronic renal failure is the result of one of several different diseases, including chronic interstitial nephritis, glomerulonephritis, and amyloidosis. Some of these are autoimmune diseases; the body's immune system actually turns on itself and attacks organs and tissues. In addition, pyelonephritis, a bacterial infection that usually starts in the bladder, is often a complicating factor that precipitates CRF.

Other causes such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD) can affect younger cats, especially Himalayans and Persians, and also lead to CRF. Cysts develop in the kidneys and grow, destroying normal tissue.

Renal amyloidosis, is another form of hereditary kidney disease that affect Abyssinian and Somali cats, and may also lead to CRF.

There is no way to prevent or stop chronic renal failure. Cats can only live with one healthy kidney, but because CRF affects both kidneys, over time it is fatal.

Severely affected cats may need hospitalization. They are first rehydrated. This is best done via intravenous fluids, and therefore must be done in a hospital or veterinary clinic. Some clinicians will allow cat owners to give subcutaneous fluids at home, though this is also frowned upon by others. It involves purchasing bags of sterile fluids and injecting the prescribed amount of fluid beneath the cat's skin on a regular basis.

Dietary management is also potentially helpful. A low protein diet is generally recommended. By decreasing the protein intake, waste products of protein digestion in the blood stream decrease. This reduces the work load of the kidneys. Some cats will eat this diet while others will refuse it.

These diets are also low in phosphorus, which is usually retained in the blood stream in cats with CRF. Chronic retention of phosphorus can lead to a mineral imbalance, resulting in calcium being leached out of the bones. Increases in phosphorus also cause severe irritation of the stomach, causing nausea. Decreasing the phosphate in the diet helps to prevent these problems.

Other therapies include:

Administration of antacids such as Alternagel, this acts as a phosphorus binding agent. This will also help control phosphorus levels. This product is available at most pharmacies, located where the antacids are kept.

Calcitriol at a dose of 2.5ug/kg/day is also sometimes recommended to help control phosphorous toxicity. This drug should not be administered if phosphorus levels are over 6.

If urine cultures are positive or on ultrasound there is indication of disease in the kidney pelvis, antibiotics should be administered for 4-6 weeks.

H2 blockers such as pepsid at a dose of 5mg every day, help with the nausea of kidney disease.
If hypertension (high blood pressure) develops amylodipine (Norvasc) is given at a dose of 0.625mg per day.

Epogen or Procrit is an injectable which may help replenish the loss of erythropoiten and help control the anemia. The use of these products is somewhat controversial.

Appetite stimulants-by prescription

Potassium supplements

Kidney Transplant-this procedure is available at about 10 clinics nationwide. Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania in the East offer this procedure. Please consult with your veterinarian for a facility near you. As of this writing the cost is $4,000-$5,000. Kidney transplant recipients need to take medication daily to avoid organ rejection, and there are ethical considerations regarding the donor cat as well.

Geriatric Pets - Optimizing Health

With recent advances in disease detection and treatment, your pet’s senior years can be a healthy and happy time. By sharing life and love with you, your pet has given you a priceless gift. Now that your pet has earned senior status, you have an opportunity to give something in return: the special love and care that can make the golden years happy and healthy.

It is estimated that your pet ages five to seven years for every one of yours, which suggests that health problems in your pet can progress at a faster rate. Therefore, we recommend frequent examinations for our older pets. In this manner, we can help prevent or treat many age-related conditions and enhance your pet’s quality of life. No one knows your pet better than you do, so it’s up to you to report any and all changes to your veterinarian.

As pets age, there is a decline in organ, mental abilities, sensory function and immunity. The following is a short list of the most common problems for aging pets: heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, dental disease (tooth loss and infections), cataracts, glaucoma, blindness, weight gain or loss, change in appetite, loss of house training, incontinence, changes in sleeping patterns, hearing loss, skin and hair coat problems, increased thirst and urination, decreased immune system, endrocrine dysfunction (thyroid), behavioral changes (due to medical problems or cognitive dysfunction), and cancer.

Physical Examination

A physical examination performed at a minimum of every six months will enable us to detect the presence of small problems or changes in your pet’s health before they can become major health problems. During this physical exam, the veterinarian assesses the following on your pet: cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, urinary and reproductive systems, central nervous system, eyes and ears, skin and coat, mouth, teeth, and gums, and a weight assessment. For some patients we will recommend a physical examination every three months.

A thorough physical exam alone is not capable of detecting all possible health problems. It is impossible to obtain and understand a complete picture without also performing other tests. Blood work gives us a means of checking your pet’s internal functions in a non-invasive manner.

Diagnostic Blood Work

Because of our strong commitment to providing the best medicine that we can for your pet, we strongly believe that regular blood testing is important in helping your pet to achieve a long and happy life. Even though our pets may appear to be healthy based on physical appearance and activity, many clinical signs of disease do not develop until late in the disease process. Pets cannot tell us when they do not feel 100% and because of their instinct to protect themselves, many animals will ‘hide’ their illness. A good example of this situation is a cat with kidney disease. This patient may be afflicted with kidney disease for months to years before developing signs of disease because a pet can lose up to 75% of kidney function before clinical signs will develop. Performing blood work will detect early changes in kidney enzymes and allow us to manage this disease process properly—allowing the patient to live a longer and healthier life.

We feel that blood work is the most important diagnostic test that we can perform on our older pets. Yes, we do not like to admit it, but most of our pets are senior citizens at seven years of age. Giant breed dogs attain senior citizen status at five to six years of age. Because of rapid aging changes at this stage of your pet’s life, we highly recommend blood work on an annual basis. We can compare current and previous blood results in order to evaluate the process of a disease and its response to therapy. Common diseases include heart disease, liver and kidney disease, arthritis, diabetes, thyroid disease, and dental (tooth) disease.

A normal result on blood work is great! You have not wasted your money. We now have a baseline for how your pet is doing at this time. If future blood work reveals changes then we can tell how long there has been a problem and are assured that we are indeed catching the problem early. Normal blood work results give both of us peace of mind that your pet is doing well.

A CBC (Complete Blood Cell Count) and Comprehensive Blood Serum Chemistry are good screening tests to help detect health problems for your pet.

Complete Blood Cell Count

This test provides information about the various types of blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues. White blood cells are the body’s primary defense against infection. Platelets are involved in the clotting process. Abnormalities with any of these values help to potentially detect anemia, inflammation, acute or chronic infection, bleeding disorders, blood parasites, dehydration and autoimmune diseases.

Comprehensive Blood Serum Chemistry

This is a series of individual tests that analyzed together give us valuable information concerning the kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestinal tract, and endocrine diseases.

BUN, CREATININE, and PHOSPHORUS—kidney
ALT, ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE, and BILIRUBIN—liver
AMYLASE and LIPASE--pancreas
TOTAL PROTEIN and GLOBULIN—immune system, dehydration
GLUCOSE—diabetes, insulin tumor
CHOLESTEROL—hypothyroidism, cushings disease, pancreatitis
CALCIUM—kidney disease, hyperparathyroidism, some tumors
ELECTROLYTES—endocrine diseases, kidney and dehydration

Sometimes other diagnostics may be recommended based upon these results. Some of these involve specialized tests at outside laboratories. Some of the more common diagnostics involve:

Thyroid: Hyperthyroidism is extremely common in older cats. It can cause hypertension, heart disease, and weight loss. Dogs tend to get hypothyroidism which causes weight gain, problems with the hair coat, and other problems.

Urinalysis: This is a common test that will help to detect kidney disease, diabetes, infection, inflammation, and metabolic disorders. Kidney disease is first evident here.

ECG (Electrocardiogram): This enables us to see the electrical activity of the heart. Abnormalities may indicate a serious problem and a chest x-ray or a cardiac ultrasound may be recommended to further diagnose heart disease.

Ultrasound: This is a specialized piece of equipment that allows us to obtain a three dimensional image of your pet’s organs. We can visualize the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, intestines, pancreas, adrenal glands and bladder. When diseases of the liver or kidney are detected, the ultrasound can give us a look at the internal structure of these organs and allow for ultrasound guided biopsies to help further identify the cause of the disease. We strongly recommend an ultrasound on all of our cardiac patients, especially cats. Older cats are prone to HCM—Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. This is a disease in which the heart muscle hypertrophies, decreasing the available volume of blood to be moved through the heart. Radiographs will not diagnose this disease; it can only be diagnosed via ultrasound. This disease is fatal without specific and appropriate medical management.

Blood Pressure: Many older cats and dogs become hypertensive, especially with hyperthyroidism and/or kidney disease. This machine works much like the blood pressure monitors in human medicine. The test is quite simple and easy to perform.

X-Rays (Radiographs): These can help to detect problems with the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, bones, soft tissue and intestinal tract. They are used to identify disease and also to monitor progress/response to therapy. X-rays are an essential component in the work up of heart patients.

Glaucoma testing using the Tonopen: Many older pets can have problems with increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma) same as people do. Increases in pressure in the eye will cause pain and also lead to blindness if not detected early and treated appropriately.

Other Considerations

Advances in medical diagnostics and treatment enable us to help your pet be more comfortable and also to prolong his/her life. You and your veterinarian can form a partnership whose goal is to maintain an improved quality of life for your pet as long as we can.

Many older pets suffer from arthritis. This may be presented as lameness, difficulty getting up or climbing stairs, increased irritability, decreased appetite, and overall decrease in activity. New pain management medications help pets with chronic pain have a better quality of life. Nutritional supplements containing Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate help with joint maintenance and repair and are good to use in conjunction with other anti-inflammatory medications. The medication that is best for your individual pet’s needs will be chosen after discussion between you and your veterinarian. Acupuncture is another option for pets with arthritis.

In addition to medications, appropriate nutrition for your pet’s condition will also prolong his/her lifespan. All veterinarians agree that older pets need to be on a high quality diet. Most older pets suffer from obesity. These pets would benefit from increased dietary fiber. Other pets with kidney problems or heart disease may need specialized diets restricting sodium and protein. Skin problems can often be improved by adding omega 3 fatty acids to your pet’s diet. Immunomodulators and antioxidants will often help immune compromised and cancer patients. Some older pets will actually do better with a diet high in carbohydrates and increased protein. Together you and your veterinarian will decide upon an appropriate diet based upon your pet’s individual needs.

Many older pets will suffer from various dental problems: tooth decay and loss, gingivitis, infection and oral tumors. Pain caused by a tooth abscess can cause your pet to have a decreased appetite, be more irritable, and also lead to infection elsewhere in the body. These problems can be treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, teeth cleaning and oral rinses.
Behavioral changes may be an early signal of various medical problems. Many of these can be related to pain from arthritis, dental disease, etc. Cognitive dysfuntion is due to age related changes in the brain. Some symptoms of this are confusion and disorientation, decline in social interactions, changes in the sleep-wake cycle and house soiling.

With detailed information obtained through a physical examination and diagnostics, you and your veterinarian can formulate a plan for keeping your senior pet as healthy as possible. This overall patient assessment will include diet, exercise, and treatment recommendations. Certain medical, nutritional, and behavioral changes could signal a need for special care and diagnostics. With your love and dedication, these can be your best years together!

This article was donated by the Claws & Paws Veterinart Hospital, http:www.cpvh.com

Televets is a new free online pet Q&A service. Visit them today and ask your question!
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Heat Stroke in Dogs

Dogs don’t sweat the way people do in order to cool the body down during extreme temperatures. They cool off by panting; the air cools the mucous membranes and blood vessels in their mouth and tongue. Extreme cases of heat stroke lead to the disruption of the dog’s internal cooling mechanism, and they quickly go into cardiovascular shock, which is life-threatening.

Cars are the worst culprit. Even windows left open do not always provide the air flow needed, and the hothouse effect is very rapid! If you absolutely must leave your dog in the car, park only in the shade with windows open (so that they cannot jump out), and NEVER for more than 7 - 10 minutes. They must have access to cool, clean water at all times and be able to avoid direct heat by providing shade if outdoors, or a fan if left in an apartment during the hottest part of the day.

Puppies and older dogs are more susceptible to heat stroke. If you suspect your pet has heat stroke, this is an emergency situation and should be treated by your veterinarian immediately.

Some of the signs to watch for include:

1) unusual sluggishness or unresponsiveness
2) pale or dark red gums, sometimes with a dry feel
3) erratic breathing

Treatment:

NEVER ICE YOUR PET. THIS WILL CAUSE THE BLOOD VESSELS IN THE BODY TO CONSTRICT TOO FAST AND AFFECT BLOOD FLOW IN THE BODY

Immediate correction of hyperthermia:

Monitor your pets temperature with a rectal thermometer. The normal temperature for a dog is around 38.5°C or 101°F. Dogs suffering from heat stroke often present with body temperatures around 105ºF.

Spray with water or immerse in water before transporting to veterinary facility.

Stop cooling procedures when temperature reaches 103°F, to avoid hypothermia.

Give artificial respiration support if required.

Don't let a fear of heat stroke stop you from enjoying the great outdoors with your pet, but please be aware of the danger. A little caution goes a long way, even just providing access to water and shade at all times will prevent your pet from developing this condition.

This article was donated by the Columbia Animal Hospital. For further information visit http://www.petshealth.com

Televets is a free online pet Q&A service. Visit them today at http://www.televets.com to ask your question!

Cheyletiella Mites in Dogs, Cats and Rabbits

Cheyletiella dermatitis is caused by a small mite that lives in the outer layers of the skin of dogs, cats, rabbits and people. Infected animals have an accumulation of dandruff on their backs and occasionally on their necks and heads. Most infested animals scratch and shed hair excessively.

The mite spreads easily from animal to animal by direct contact or sharing contaminated quarters or grooming supplies. People become infested through contact with infested animals.
As the entire life cycle of these mites occurs on the host animal, environmental cleaning is not difficult.

Diagnosis is made by identifying the mite microscopically. The characteristic appearance on examining the pet is one of 'walking dandruff'.

Important Points in Treatment

1. Cheyletiella infestations are easily treated with acaricidal spot-ons such as Revolution, Stronghold or Advocate. They can also be treated effectively with medicated shampoos and insecticidal dips, powders or sprays. The veterinarian will advise you concerning the best product for your pet.

2. During treatment, your pet should be isolated from other animals for 3 weeks.

3. While environmental contamination is not a great problem with Cheyletiella, mites may survive up to 10 days off the host. For this reason, a strong effort should be made to clean the premises thoroughly and spray the area with a good residual insecticide.

This article was donated by the Columbia Animal Hospital. For further information visit http://www.petshealth.com

Televets is a new and free online pet Q&A service. Visit them at http://www.televets.com to ask your question today!

Liver Disease in Dogs & Cats

The liver is the main filtering and clearing organ of the body. All blood supply travels through the liver to be detoxified. There are many causes of liver disease - genetics, copper storage diseases, drug induce diseases, poisons, pancreatitis, Cushing's disease, malnutrition, parasites, environmental stresses, cancer, trauma and infectious diseases (bacterial, viral, fungal), just to name a few.

When diagnosed early, treatment of liver disease can be very rewarding. Diagnosis includes blood tests (lab interpretations) such as an ALT (SGPT), alkaline phosphophotase, bilirubin, total protein, bile acids etc. X-rays and ultrasound are also very important in the diagnose of this disease. Liver biopsies may also be an invaluable aid in the determination of the type of liver disease.

Listed below are several of the more common diseases of cats and dogs:

Hepatic Encephalopathy

A metabolic disorder affecting the CNS that develops as a result of hepatic disease causing seizures. The end result is the accumulation of ammonia in the blood stream due to portal shunts, cirrhosis, or end stage liver disease.

Clinical signs include: excessive drooling in cats, behavior changes, visual defects (blindness), circling, pacing, anxiety, stupor and seizures. These signs are more prevalent after eating due to the increased amount of ammonia in the blood stream affecting the brain.

Causes: portal shunts, infectious hepatitis, cirrhosis, dietary restriction of arginine in cats and ferrets.

Treatment: repair portal shunt if possible, low protein diet, antibiotics such as neomycin affecting intestinal flora to reduce the production of ammonia, lactulose to trap the ammonia in the gut, and low protein diets.

Acute Hepatic Failure

A rapid loss of liver function due to death of liver cells.

Causes: drugs, toxins, infectious diseases, and lack of oxygen.

Clinical signs: acute depression and illness-vomiting, icterus, diarrhea, seizures, hemorrhage

Diagnosis: abnormal laboratory values, abnormal x-rays and ultrasounds, and biopsy

Treatment: IV fluids, intestinal sedatives, plasma if indicated, antibiotics, vitamins

Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver)

The accumulation of fat within the liver.

Causes: loss of appetite which promotes the accumulation of lipid in the liver. This leads to a decreased in liver function. Underlying causes include-primary liver disease, shunts, diabetes, intestinal disease, pancreatitis, cancer, and other illnesses causing loss of appetite.

Signs: loss of appetite, weight loss, icterus, vomiting, enlarged liver on palpation.

Treatment: Dietary therapy is the primary treatment. High protein high calorie diets should be fed either by force feeding or by stomach tube. This process of tube feeding may last for 6-8 weeks. In our practice we place a either a PEG tube or pharyngeal tube surgically. Iv fluid therapy and antibiotics as well as vitamin therapy is also done.

Hepatitis Chronic Active

Inflammation of the liver resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory cells and scarring. This disease is more common in dogs and is due to many causes.

Causes: infectious canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, immune mediated diseases, copper storage diseases of Bedlingtons and Westies.

Diagnosis: Laboratory tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, biopsies

Treatment: A diet of high calorie and low in protein (HILL'S LD Diet), IV fluids, steroids, broad spectrum antibiotics, ursodiol (Actigal), B-complex and vitamin K.

Copper Storage Disease

Bedlington Terriers and Westhighland White Terriers can suffer from this genetic disease caused by accumulation of copper in the liver. This may also be seen in Doberman Pinchers and Skye Terriers. Copper is found in all foods then absorbed by the intestines, stored in the liver and excreted through the bile system. These breed genetically have the inability to eliminate copper from the liver. As many as 2/3 of Bedlingtons in the USA have this disease and may be clinically affected. Westies do not show the clinical signs of the disease even though they may have high levels of copper. Other breeds affected are cocker spaniels, keeshonds and Labrador retrievers.

Diagnosis: Blood tests, x-ray, ultrasound and biopsy

Treatment: Iv fluids, lactulose, d-penicillamine for binding the copper, and zinc acetate given before feeding. Vitamin C may also help reduce the absorption of copper.

Infectious hepatitis

A viral disease targeting the liver, kidneys, eyes, and blood stream.

Clinical signs: fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain

Diagnosis: Blood tests, x-rays, ultrasound, liver biopsy.

Treatment: This disease is preventable with vaccination. Treatment is supportive-IV fluids, antibiotics, highly digestible diets.

Leptospirosis Hepatitis

A bacterial disease caused by leptospirosis. This is a potential communicable disease to people.

Clinical signs: Depression, loss of appetite, signs of kidney disease, respiratory disease.

Diagnosis: Blood tests, serum testing for leptospirosis, urine culturing

Treatment: IV therapy, Procaine penicillin G, or enrofloxicin

Other liver diseases include:abscess of the liver, benign tumors, cancer, toxins, parasites

There are many types and clinical signs of liver cancer. Treatment is often not rewarding as the disease is diagnosed when the cancer is to far advanced. Diagnosis may be made by blood tests, x-ray, ultrasound, laproscopy, CAT scan, and exploratory surgery.

End stage liver disease encompasses may types of pathology. Cirrhosis is one form of end stage liver disease. As the disease progresses, the liver is unable to filter and process properly. As a result, the body is overwhelmed with toxins such as ammonia. When this occurs, your pet may develop a seizure like disorder as a result of the toxins. Diets low in protein as well as medications to bind the ammonia may be of use to help minimize the clinical signs as well as prolong your pet's quality of life.

This article was donated by the Columbia Animal Hospital. For further information visit http://www.petshealth.com/

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