Scratching the Surface of Your Itchy Pet: Part 1

We all itch and scratch from time to time.  On average, a person has about 20 square feet of skin.  That is a large area to come into contact with many different things that can cause itching.  Occasionally through the day we’ll have a mild itch that we will need to scratch and think nothing of it.  Like us, dogs and cats have these same kinds of itches which are very normal.  The question is when is too much scratching a problem?  There are many different causes of itching in your pet.  This multi-part series of blogs will discuss the most common ones more in depth.

During the summer months, we see many of cases of itching pets coming into Kaibab Animal Hospital that are related to various environmental allergies.  Commonly called ‘hay fever’ in people, seasonal allergies affect many of us and our pets.  Most affected pets show only mild signs and don’t require any kind of medical therapy to control their allergies.  Periodically they will have a flare up and something as simple as an antihistamine or a quick bath will help get them back to normal.  These mild allergies don’t typically require a trip to the vet but if you are having to give an antihistamine daily to control the itching, then an examination with the doctor is your best bet to see if there is something more going on.

Occasionally, mild allergies can lead to serious skin conditions that will require a more aggressive course of action.  When a dog or cat continually scratches or bites at their skin, they will start to breakdown the normal barrier that protects them from bacterial and fungal infections.  When the skin is ‘broken’ by scratching, it begins to bleed.  Of course the blood carries very important nutrients through our body so that we can grow and remain alive.  However, bacteria and yeast will feed on these nutrients just like our own cells will.  When that bacteria and yeast begin to overgrow, a very severe and painful rash will begin to form on the skin.  These lesions are called ‘hot spots’ or ‘moist dermatitis’ and will typically require treatment in the hospital with cleaning of the wound and antibiotics.  Along with hot spots, chronic allergies usually lead to ear infections and infections on the pads of the feet.  All of these conditions are very uncomfortable for your pet.  The goal is to control these allergies before we get to this point.

Thankfully, there are great new ways to control allergies that work better and safer than the options we have had in the past.  Steroids have been the mainstay for control of allergies and work great short-term to quickly get the itching under control and your pet feeling better.  However, with chronic use steroids can lead to side effects such as extreme hunger, weight gain, thinning skin, diabetes, and chronic infections.  An alternative to steroids that we have been using at Kaibab Animal Hospital is Apoquel.  It has been very promising in treating and getting allergies under control in most dogs.  This new medication has had a lot of people wondering if it will work well for your pet.  Due to production problems, this medication has been difficult to find, but we are hoping that it will soon become much more available to our clients and their dogs.

Another therapy we have been using at Kaibab is sublingual allergy serum, by The Spectrum Group.  This liquid medication is administered under your pet’s tongue and will help control the signs of allergies.  Traditionally, allergy shots have been used for allergy control in both people and animals but they can be confusing and can require daily injections, which are not fun for the pet or the owner to administer.  Instead of giving shots, a quick spray under the tongue is much easier and significantly more comfortable for your pet.  This therapy requires a simple blood draw to determine what your pet is allergic to and then the serum can be quickly developed.

Itching and discomfort are very common signs of allergies in our pets and we have many options to get them under control.  If you think your pet is scratching just a little too much, make sure you schedule an appointment with us today so that we can get your beloved furry family member back to an itch-free life!

Be sure to look for Part 2 of our series on itching next week.

Canine Flu: Is Your Dog At Risk?

Most of us have experienced the flu at one or more times in our lives.  The nausea, fever, aching, lethargy, and overall ickyness of how it makes us feel is enough to make you run out and get your flu shot the next year in hopes of not getting it again.  In people, there are many types of influenza and the vaccine that we can get is a ‘best guess’ vaccine for the type of flu that the CDC predicts will be most common for the coming year.  In dogs though, we have only typically had one type of influenza, H3N8 (all influenzas are classified into one of 18 ‘H’ groups and one of 11 ‘N’ groups).  Thankfully, this canine influenza has not been very common and outbreaks tend to come from very concentrated populations of dogs, such as in kennels or at the pound.  There is a vaccine for this ‘old’ influenza, though it is not used commonly because of the rarity of this disease.  However, a new type of influenza appeared in the Chicago area in March of 2015.  It has been circulating in China and South Korea since 2006 and has had a lot of people talking, speculating, and worrying about what to do.  This ‘new’ influenza has been classified H3N2.

Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine for this new type of influenza and the vaccine that we have for the other strain appears to have no activity against H3N2.  At Kaibab Animal Hospital, we have received many calls from clients who are worried about this disease affecting very valuable members of their family so let’s look at this disease a little more.

As in people, dogs who get infected with H3N2 influenza can show signs of fever and lethargy but can also develop severe complications such as pneumonia.  In the initial outbreak in Chicago, approximately 1,000 dogs were infected.  With treatment, most survived but approximately 0.5% died as a result of the infection.  Although there is no vaccine available, there is a very reliable test that can be done if we suspect your pet is infected with this influenza.  At present, this strain has not yet been seen in Arizona but cases have been reported in North Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia.  There is no way to predict if and when this disease will make its way to Arizona but as of now, the closest cases appear to be at least a few states away.  If you have recently traveled or are planning to travel to one these area soon, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss any concerns you may have.

Rest assured, Kaibab Animal Hospital is tracking these cases and will keep you informed of any new developments.  At this time there is no need for you to worry too much about this disease.  Most of the infected dogs will recover with proper supportive care but do be vigilant and make sure to schedule an appointment if you are worried that anything may be wrong with your beloved pet.  The key to beating this flu is quick and proper intervention for your furry friend.

Toxic Foods and Your Pets

Happy National Junk Food Day!

As we begin our new Kaibab Animal Hospital Blog, it seems fitting that today is National Junk Food Day, especially in light of the delicious snacks and goodies that many clients tend to drop by as a 'thank you' (and we really appreciate all of these!).  Though there are many snacks that we should not be eating (and that hasn't seemed to stop us here yet), there are a lot of common foods that we eat that can be harmful to your pets!

So, let's look at some of these common foods that we need to make sure our dogs and cats don't share with us:
Candy/Chocolate -

Though many of us have a sweet tooth and enjoy a piece of candy or a chunk of a chocolate bar here and there, this is something that our pets just can not have.  Chocolate, as many of us heard, is very bad for your pets and the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is.  Make sure that when you enjoy this snack, your furry family member doesn't!
Similar to chocolate, certain candies and chewing gums are toxic for dogs; specifically 'sugar free' items that use sugar substitutes.  A very common sugar substitute, xylitol, is good for people to help keep cavities away and strengthen the enamel of your teeth, but if your pet eats it, it can cause a significant and fatal decrease in blood sugar and throw them into liver failure!

Coffee -
Similar to chocolate, coffee contains caffeine which animals just don't tolerate well.  The same thing that can give us a little 'pick me up' during a long day can cause major problems in your pets including anxiety and severe changes in the way the heart is beating, otherwise known as an arrhythmia.  If your pet ends up enjoying your latte before you can or gets into the trash and eats those used coffee grounds, make sure you call us or your closest emergency facility immediately!

Grapes/Raisins -

These are a healthy and nutritious snack for us to have, but just eating a couple of them could throw your beloved pet into kidney failure.  It isn't known what the toxic compound is in grapes and raisins that does this and not every dog is going to develop kidney failure, but since we can't predict who will and who will not have an issue, it is best to avoid these altogether.

Macadamia Nuts -
The nuts are a great snack and many people enjoy eating a handful.  However, your dog will not enjoy the after effects of eating them.  Though it is unlikely to be fatal, ingestion of macadamia nuts can cause muscle weakness, pain, and tremors in dogs.  Signs tend to last no more than 48 hours, but support during that time can include hospitalization with IV fluids and pain medications.

Onions/Garlic -

Most people don't eat onions and garlic as a snack alone, but these are used in many different recipes that we enjoy.  When an animal eats onions and garlic, they can get changes in the shape to their red blood cells that can lead to weakness and other signs.  In severe cases, hospitalization and blood transfusions can even be needed!  Usually your pet won't show immediate signs, but a few days after ingestion is when the problems can occur.

Alcoholic Beverages -
Though this is not typically a 'junk food,' alcohol is something that many people enjoy.  Though alcohol should always be consumed safely and in moderation in people (as it can cause enough health problems for us), it is something that you definitely do not want your pet to ingest.  Pets are much more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and can show the same signs that a drunk person does, up to and including alcohol poisoning!  Not only can this happen from drinking alcoholic beverages, but this can also happen from a pet eating raw bread dough!  The yeast in bread produce alcoholic byproducts just like the yeast in beer or other fermented beverages can.  So, keep your pets away from the liquor and, if  you like to make your own bread, make sure they can't get at that rising dough either!

This is just a short list of the various toxic things your pets can get into.  If you have any other questions, be sure to call us at 480-947-8113 or visit our webpage at www.KaibabAnimalHospital.com.