Canine Pancreatitis

                                                                  

Pancreatitis is a disease process we see often in the hospital primarily with mini schnauzers, however any breed can be affected.

The dog pancreas has two main jobs:  secretion of digestive enzymes to help break down the food we eat and the secretion of the enzymes insulin and glucagon to regulate our sugar metabolism.

In pancreatitis, the pancreas becomes inflamed and the enzymes that are normally safely released are now digesting the pancreas itself instead of food.  This occurrence results in a metabolic catastrophe that can be life threatening.  Secondarily pancreatitis can also lead to diabetes, DIC (bleeding disorder), pancreatic encephalopathy (brain damage), and lung or liver damage. 

                                                                    

The classic signs of pancreatitis are appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and pain in the abdomen.
Treatment of pancreatitis includes hydration with electrolyte supplementation, pain management, medication to control vomiting and diarrhea, and antibiotics. 

In most cases of pancreatitis we never find out what caused it.  Some known causes of pancreatitis are:  reflux of intestinal contents into the pancreatic duct, trauma, concurrent hormonal imbalances like diabetes, hypothyroidism, and hypercalcemia (high calcium levels), drugs like sulfas and certain chemotherapy agents, and cancer. 

Once dogs have recovered from pancreatitis we keep them maintained on a low fat diet and reevaluate them on a regular basis to make sure that diabetes has not developed.






Dr. Kim Simons
West Boca Veterinary Center
www.westbocavet.com

Inappropriate Urination in Cats

                                                                       "It wasn't me......"

Waking up in the morning to a wet puddle under your foot or a squish in the carpet is never fun.  For all of us cat lovers out there, this can happen every once in a while.  However, for those of you who are dealing with this situation regularly I have some tips for you.

The most common reason for cats to urinate in places other than the litter box is a cleanliness issue.  Cats are very finicky and like things clean.  The rule of thumb is scoop your litter box daily and replace litter weekly.  Now, this does not mean just top your litter off with fresh litter!!  It means remove all of the litter, wash the box out with warm water and soap, and then put in fresh litter.  I know some of you out there do the former!

Secondly, have enough litter boxes.  The golden rule is to have one more litter box than the number of cats in your household.  So, if you have 3 cats.......sorry you need 4 litter boxes (don't hate me). 

Cats may also have preferences for types of litter and litter boxes.  Some cats like scoopable litter, clay, pine, crystals.....you just have to figure out which one your cat likes.  Studies show scoopable litter is preferred by cats specifically Fresh Step.   Studies also show that cats prefer large open litter boxes.  In addition, cats don't like their litter type changed.  This may lead your cat to choose other places to use the restroom.  Be consistent with the location of your litter boxes and the type of litter you use.

Lastly, don't forget our older senior/geriatric cats may be painful getting into the litter box due to arthritis.  So our older cats should have low walled boxes to make it easier for them. 

Now we all know that this would be ideal!!!!

Dr. Kim Simons
West Boca Veterinary Center
http://www.westbocavet.com/
                                                             

Flea Anemia

With all the advances veterinary medicine has made in the last decade, you would think that flea borne disease would be eradicated.  However, we still see cases where our patients are getting sick from fleas.

Fleas can transmit infectious diseases to our dogs and cats, cause mild to life threatening anemia's, transmit tapeworms, and cause significant skin irritation to our pets and humans.

Fleas are parasites that suck blood from their host of choice; in this case my feline patient Katie.

Katie presented to my office with extreme lethargy and just not acting herself.  Upon her physical exam I found fleas and flea dirt in her coat.

As I checked her mouth, I noticed that her gums were pale.  This is a sign we see when our patients are anemic.  Anemia is defined as a reduced number of red blood cells in a pets circulation.  Your red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to your tissues.  If there are inadequate numbers of these red blood cells you will feel tired and when severe enough will have difficulty breathing from a lack of oxygen carrying red blood cells.

A complete blood count (CBC) and chemistry blood panel were done on Lola.  Her CBC supported our clinical findings and demonstrated a pronounced anemia.  Katie's PCV was 10%.  (normal is about 35%)

Some anemia's can be so severe that a blood transfusion is needed.  

Fortunately, Katie did not require a blood transfusion.  I treated aggressively with flea control.  In this case I used Revolution which is a heartworm preventative, flea and intestinal parasite treatment.  This preventative therefore can treat any hookworms that Katie may have had which also contributes to anemia as they are blood sucking parasites as well.  In addition, I prescribed a liquid multivitamin to help rebuild red blood cells faster and doxycycline in case Katie also became infected with a flea transmitted infection called hemobartonella.  This parasite is a common cause of anemia as well.  After only a couple of days, Katie was feeling much better and is more active.  She is very lucky.  She came very close to needing a transfusion and hospitalization but her owners keen eye prevented that!

Glad you are feeling better Katie!!

KEEP THESE UGLY PARASITES AWAY WITH A GOOD FLEA CONTROL PRODUCT!!

Dr. Kim Simons

West Boca Veterinary Center

www.westbocavet.com

Vomiting or Regurgitation-That is the Question.....

  "Ralphy" in his feeding chair  

Regurgitation is the passive process of bringing up contents from the mouth, pharynx, or esophagus.  It will often occur just like a simple burp or urp with no forewarning.  In contrast, Vomiting is the forceful and active process of bringing up contents from the stomach and upper intestine.  The most notable signs of vomiting are drooling and heaving.

It  is of utmost importance that the veterinarian distinguishes between the two as the differential diagnoses are vastly different.  This blog will focus on regurgitation.
The most common cause of regurgitation is Megaesophagus. Esophageal Strictures, sliding Hiatal Hernias, and Esophageal Tumors may also cause regurgitation.  Megaesophagus can be congenital or it can be as a result of Myasthenia Gravis, Addison's disease and possibly even Hypothyroidism.

Ralphy presented to our hospital with a complaint of regurgitation.  He was tested for megaesophagus by X-ray and barium swallow and the results were inconclusive.  However, we treated him as such and he responded. (Below is an image of a dogs chest with a megaesophagus.)

Part of the therapy for megaesophagus is to feed your pet upright so gravity helps keep the food down.  His owner was dedicated enough to have a feeding chair built for him.  As you can see he tolerated it very well!!!   (Watch the video above)
Ultimately it turns out that Ralphy most likely had an esophageal stricture secondary to esophagitis that caused his regurgitation. He no longer needs his feeding chair and is a happy boy!!


Dr. Kim Simons
West Boca Veterinary Center
www.westbocavet.com