All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

Sick Dog

Low platelet counts are big trouble for dogs

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine,

Does your dog have black stool, or bruises or other marks on his skin? This could be a lights and sirens emergency, and definitely requires a fast trip to the vet. Here’s what I told a reader about it.

Q: My dog’s stool is black, and I noticed when I was grooming him that his body was covered in bruises (he’s white, so it’s easy to see his skin). My veterinarian did bloodwork right away and says it’s something called thrombocytopenia. What can you tell me about this condition?

A: Thrombocytopenia is what we call it when the body has an abnormally low number of blood platelets (thrombocytes). Normal platelet counts are 180,000 to 200,000. Anytime platelet counts are less than 40,000, spontaneous bleeding can occur in the gastrointestinal tract (which is why you saw black stools and bruising on the body) or in the urinary tract, brain or lungs. It’s a good thing you took your dog to the veterinarian right away because internal bleeding can cause dogs to die quickly if they don’t receive a blood transfusion.

To figure out the cause of the low platelet count, veterinarians do what’s called a differential diagnosis — you probably heard this term if you were a fan of the television show “House M.D.” It’s a process of elimination that might involve an abdominal ultrasound and chest X-rays to rule out cancer, a test for common tick-borne diseases in your area and a blood chemistry panel.

Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia is the destruction of the platelets by the dog’s own immune system. We don’t necessarily know why this happens, but this life-threatening condition can usually be treated.

Dogs with this condition are hospitalized in the intensive care unit and receive corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive drugs to stop the body from attacking itself, and drugs to stimulate the bone marrow to release immature platelets more quickly than normal. In a best-case scenario, dogs usually respond to treatment within three to five days. The condition can be managed, but not cured. Dogs need lifetime medication to control the disease.

Read more, including how to teach your cat to do tricks, in this week’s Pet Connection!

Bringing hospitalized children the healing power of their own pets

Healing Power of Pets,

Being in the hospital is frightening and stressful for a child. Can you imagine how much easier it would be if their own beloved family pets could come for a visit?

If you ever spent any time in a hospital when you were growing up, or your children or grandchildren have, you know even the shortest stay can be tough. If the child’s condition is serious and the hospital stay is a long one, the stress and anxiety increase exponentially.

We’ve been blessed with nature’s perfect stress relievers in the form of the dogs and cats who live as members of our families. They can lower our blood pressure, boost our immune system, improve depression, anxiety, and fatigue, and shorten recovery time from illness and injury. They’re even associated with lower mortality rates after some serious health crises.

That’s why many hospitals have added pet therapy programs, where specially-trained dogs and other animals visit patients. These are wonderful programs and I believe in them – I’ve been an honorary board member of Pet Partners (formerly the Delta Society) for many years.

But there’s something very special about the bond we have with our own pets. I remember how desperately my own mother, Virginia, longed for a visit from her beloved little dog Sugar Babe during her final hospitalization. And I can only imagine the joy our granddaughter, Reagan, would feel if her dog, or one of Teresa’s and my dogs, was there for her if she ever had to be in the hospital.

Many in the medical field understand that reality very well. One of my team members lost her mother a few years ago, and the hospital allowed her dog to visit her in the hospice unit during her last days.

Nowhere is this a more promising opportunity for healing, however, than in hospitals and units specializing in the care of children.

At the St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., the plight of a young patient named Madison Taliaferro touched the heart of child life services manager Jill Malan. Madison had struggled for her whole childhood with cystic fibrosis. She had to spend long days at home when her friends and schoolmates were sick with minor illnesses that could have been life-threatening to Madison. During those endless days alone, she had one sure source of comfort: her dogs.

Madison finally received a double lung transplant at the hospital. Her parents, grandparents, friends, and hospital staff all gave her love and support during her long, difficult surgery and recovery. But there was one request she remembers making that the hospital wasn’t able to fulfill: “I just wanted to see my dogs,” she said.

“Our doctors see every day the importance of medicine and world class technology,” Malan said. “We see every day the impact a child’s emotional wellbeing has on their overall recovery.”

Malan knew their young patients’ wellbeing would benefit from the opportunity of having what Madison had so longed for: a visit with their own cats and dogs.

As soon as she suggested it, the hospital was on board. Larry Vancil, director of facility services, approached the hospital’s foundation, which reached out to Purina, which is headquartered in St. Louis. The company didn’t hesitate, pledging nearly half a million dollars to support the construction and staffing of a place where hospitalized children could visit with their own pets.

The Purina Family Pet Center opened one year ago, the first in the region and only the fourth such center in the world.

The opening was just what the doctor ordered for two children named Elias and Kristen who had not seen their dogs in the more than two months they’d been in the hospital. This past December, they had the chance to be reunited for quality time together after their dogs made the two-hour journey from their hometown.

“The treatment process is even more challenging when you’re far away from home and separated from family, including four-legged members,” said their mother, Julie Strebe. “Pets bring so much joy to our lives, and having the chance for my children to be comforted by their dogs at the Purina Family Pet Center was a true blessing!”

I’m a veterinarian, not a physician. But I’m also a father and grandfather and a lifelong animal lover. I’m the author of the best-selling book The Healing Power of Pets. I founded Fear Free, dedicated to ensuring animals’ emotional wellbeing is treated as seriously as their physical health.

For all those reasons, I know as surely as I know how to check a pet’s respiratory rate that the presence of a beloved dog or cat is great medicine for children. I hope soon to see centers like this in every hospital that treats children. That day can’t come soon enough!

Disclaimer: While this is not a sponsored post, I am currently working with Purina on a number of educational projects.

 

What dog owners need to know about reverse sneezing

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine,

I’ve actually had a few patients rushed in for emergency care because it seemed like they were gasping for breath. That wasn’t actually what was going on. Here’s what I told a a Facebook follower who asked me about her pet’s “reverse sneezing.”

Q: My little Chihuahua-mix makes a weird gasping sound at least once or twice a day. I thought she was choking the first time I heard it, but then she seems fine. What could be causing it?

A: That awful gagging sound — in veterinary speak called a “pharyngeal gag reflex” or “aspiration reflex” — is more commonly known as a reverse sneeze.

The rapid and repeated inhalation through the nose is usually caused by throat, sinus or nasal irritation, but it can also occur when dogs are excited or exposed to cold air. As the dog extends his neck in an attempt to relieve the uncomfortable feeling, the throat narrows, making it more difficult for air to pass through. The dog breathes harder, causing the throat to narrow even more.

What happens is that the dog rapidly takes in long breaths as the head and neck are extended. The result is a snorting sound. Once it’s over, he’s back to normal.

We typically see this problem in small dogs, probably because their throats are already small and then become constricted further, but it can occur in any dog. I recall a greyhound client who was known for the frightening sounds she would make during her reverse sneezes. Brachycephalic dogs — the ones with big heads and flat faces — are also prone to reverse sneezes. Reverse sneezes may also occur right after a dog wakes up or after he’s been eating or playing.

The good news is that although the snorting and gagging sound scary, this is a harmless behavior and doesn’t require any treatment. There’s no cure, but you can help to end it by gently blowing in your dog’s face and stroking his throat. That interrupts the behavior by causing him to swallow. Petting may also help him to relax. While medication isn’t necessary, if reverse sneezing is related to chronic allergies, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe medication that helps to reduce its incidence.

Read more, including puppy feeding tips, in this week’s Pet Connection!

Cat biting you? Here’s what may be going on

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine,

Is your cat suddenly biting you when you pet her? Or have you recently adopted a new cat who is showing this behavior? The answer might be pain, as I explain to a reader who wrote asking about her cat’s biting.

Q: Lately, every time I pet my cat, she tries to bite me. Why has she started doing that?

A: Your cat may be troubled by back pain. Cats are slinky and athletic, and most people don’t think of them as prone to musculoskeletal problems. But cats are always jumping on and off high places and contorting their bodies into weird positions. It’s no surprise that sometimes they can hurt themselves if they land wrong or run into something as they’re chasing a ball or toy. And with age, cats can certainly develop arthritis. If your cat is stiff or in pain, she may well react with a bite when your hand runs across a tender spot as you’re petting her.

It’s always a good first step to take your cat to the veterinarian for a physical exam to confirm whether she has pain from an injury or arthritis. If that’s the case, there are several options to help your cat enjoy being petted again. Talk to your veterinarian about medication. There are safe drugs available to help relieve arthritis pain in cats.

Nutritional supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin may help as well. Keep in mind that it can take up to a couple of months to start seeing an effect.

Your cat may also benefit from acupuncture, chiropractic and massage therapies. The practitioner should be a veterinarian trained in those modalities, or someone who works under the supervision of a veterinarian. Not every complementary therapy is right for every cat. For instance, chiropractic is not appropriate for cats who have fractures, any type of cancer, or who are very old or very young.

Weight loss, a heated bed and warm compresses may benefit your cat as well. With appropriate treatment, your cat should soon be purring again from petting.

Read more, including the scoop on puzzle feeders, in this week’s Pet Connection!

Is anesthesia safe for cats?

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine,

I can’t tell you how many painful, infected, miserable mouths I see on cats whose owners are afraid for their pets to get dental care due to fears of anesthesia. Here’s what I told a worried reader.

Q: My cat needs to have his teeth cleaned, but I’m afraid for him to go under anesthesia. How safe is it?

A: We know a lot more now about anesthetizing cats safely than we did when I began topractice more than 30 years ago. New drugs and advanced techniques contribute to a safe and comfortable anesthetic experience for cats. If your veterinarian follows the latest anesthetic protocols, your cat should come through his dental cleaning just fine.

A preanesthetic assessment of kidney, liver and bone marrow function is important to ensure that he doesn’t have any underlying conditions that could cause problems. For instance, if lab tests show that your cat has a high white blood cell count, which might indicate a bacterial infection, your veterinarian can modify anesthesia to make it safer or recommend that you wait until the condition is treated. Anesthesia protocols may also need to be modified for cats with conditions such as asthma, diabetes or hyperthyroidism.

Your cat should receive intravenous fluids while he’s anesthetized. Fluids help to prevent dehydration and low blood pressure.

It’s also important for cats to be kept warm before, during and after anesthesia. The body is better able to metabolize anesthesia drugs when it’s warm, not to mention it’s just more comfortable for your cat.

Last but definitely not least, minimizing stress throughout the process will help to ensure that your cat responds well to anesthesia. Practices that can help include use of pheromone products, Fear Free handling techniques (visit fearfreepets.com for more information) and appropriate use of pain-relief drugs before, during and after anesthesia.

Talk to your veterinarian beforehand so you understand exactly what will happen, what you can do before the procedure to ensure a good outcome, such as withholding food and water, and what to look for afterward to make sure you don’t overlook anything abnormal.

Read more, including about the safety of flying pets, in this week’s Pet Connection.