It's been quite a zoo here at TVEC lately. Not just a lot of cases, but a lot of very sick pets who need lots of care. It falls on the nurses (or technicians as they are more commonly called in veterinary medicine) to do the dirty work.
Being a veterinary nurse is hard work, but we are lucky to have some of the best in the business. They have to pay attention to the various patients, learning each pet's unique personality. Is this pet going to be one who is going to chew out their catheter? Is this pet going to respond better to being held this way, or that way? Does this pet like a lot of blankets, or do they like less? They have to anticipate problems before they occur if possible, and clean up the mess if they can't. Bodily fluids of all types have to be collected and analyzed, replaced, or just cleaned up. Dosages have to be calculated and double checked, tests need to be run, x-rays need to be taken, and everything needs to be done 10 minutes ago. Did I mention cleaning? It's constant. Dirty laundry multiplies in the bin. And all the while there are doctors making demands, receptionists are calling for patients to be brought to the owner, and clients are asking questions.
What impresses me the most is how they manage to do it all with a minimum of fuss and with so much compassion for the pets. You think you baby talk your pets at home? That's nothing compared to the sweet talk that goes on in here. If a pet appears to need something, it's usually the nurses who spot it first.
Being a veterinary nurse/technician is a demanding job that requires many skills, both technical skills and "people" skills. I once had a veterinary nurse joke that she was just a "scratching post for sick cats."
No, you're not. You're much more than that.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Parvo!
(Warning: the following sentence will remind you of a late-night TV commercial).
If you have a new puppy, or are thinking about getting one, YOU NEED TO READ THIS!
(Sorry, we're not trying to sell you the latest and greatest nose hair trimmer. Parvo really is a bad disease. If you don't know about it, keep reading).
Soon it will be warmer, and we anticipate our yearly rise in parvo cases. Parvovirus causes a horrible disease in puppies or adolescent dogs. It's EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS. Basically, every environment your dog is likely to encounter probably contains some parvovirus. If your puppy is either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated, exposure to the virus often leads to disease. Many dogs will die, either from dehydration secondary to profound vomiting and diarrhea, or from secondary infections. Even if treated appropriately, once symptoms develop, not all dogs will make it. Most adult dogs are immune, either from prior disease or vaccination.
We usually see more disease in the spring, when people start taking their puppies out to the park or even just to walk around the neighborhood. The problem is, so does everybody else! And if one dog is shedding the virus, the area gets contaminated. The virus is very hardy, and can live for months in the environment. The unprotected puppy walks down to the local park and gets infected.
Treatment usually involves hospitalization and intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Many potential complications can develop, and as mentioned earlier, not all treated animals will live. It can also be very expensive to treat dogs with parvovirus.
A very good vaccine exists, but it's still difficult to get puppies protected. You have to vaccinate them early and often (but not too often!) in order to get them protected. So follow your veterinarian's advice and make sure to complete the entire vaccine series for your dog. (Some breeds, like Rottweilers, are more at risk and need more vaccines than other dogs).
Things to remember:
Update 3/14/09: Even celebrities' dogs aren't immune!
If you have a new puppy, or are thinking about getting one, YOU NEED TO READ THIS!
(Sorry, we're not trying to sell you the latest and greatest nose hair trimmer. Parvo really is a bad disease. If you don't know about it, keep reading).
Soon it will be warmer, and we anticipate our yearly rise in parvo cases. Parvovirus causes a horrible disease in puppies or adolescent dogs. It's EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS. Basically, every environment your dog is likely to encounter probably contains some parvovirus. If your puppy is either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated, exposure to the virus often leads to disease. Many dogs will die, either from dehydration secondary to profound vomiting and diarrhea, or from secondary infections. Even if treated appropriately, once symptoms develop, not all dogs will make it. Most adult dogs are immune, either from prior disease or vaccination.
We usually see more disease in the spring, when people start taking their puppies out to the park or even just to walk around the neighborhood. The problem is, so does everybody else! And if one dog is shedding the virus, the area gets contaminated. The virus is very hardy, and can live for months in the environment. The unprotected puppy walks down to the local park and gets infected.
Treatment usually involves hospitalization and intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Many potential complications can develop, and as mentioned earlier, not all treated animals will live. It can also be very expensive to treat dogs with parvovirus.
A very good vaccine exists, but it's still difficult to get puppies protected. You have to vaccinate them early and often (but not too often!) in order to get them protected. So follow your veterinarian's advice and make sure to complete the entire vaccine series for your dog. (Some breeds, like Rottweilers, are more at risk and need more vaccines than other dogs).
Things to remember:
- Take your new puppy to the veterinarian very soon after you get him/her.
- Follow your veterinarian's advice about vaccines (it's way cheaper than treating your dog for parvo).
- Don't take your new puppy to any public place until it has finished it's series of puppy vaccines. (Your puppy could still get parvo even if it never leaves your yard, but public parks and other high traffic areas make for higher risk of contamination).
Update 3/14/09: Even celebrities' dogs aren't immune!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Fatty Liver
Recently the Internal Medicine service has seen a few cases of a disease called hepatic lipidosis, more commonly known as fatty liver. It's much more common in cats, but it can happen in lots of animals, including dogs, cows, and people. Birds too. (Can you say "foie gras")? Although it can be completely reversed, if not caught in time, it can be fatal.
Almost all cases of fatty liver disease in cats are caused by decreased caloric intake. It doesn't matter why they stop eating. It could be another disease has made them ill, another cat has moved into the house and made them mad, the neighbors got a new dog, the arrival of a new child at home, a diet change by the owners, anything. If they get mad or ill and don't eat enough, they'll get fatty liver. Fat begins to accumulate in the liver. Eventually, the liver stops working, this makes the cat feel sick, and they eat less, making the disease worse. It's a vicious cycle.
The treatment is food. Food, in this case, is the 'drug' that will reverse the condition.
Even if you fix the initial problem, many cats are so sick by then that they won't eat. Fortunately, cats tolerate feeding tubes very well. These are tubes placed into the esophagus or stomach that allow us to give the cat enough food to reverse the liver disease even if they don't voluntarily eat. It may sound a little weird at first, but it works! And most cats are much more tolerant of the tubes than you might think.
So if you are thinking of changing your cat's diet, or if your cat has stopped eating, or if you have any new event in your cat's life that may effect his or her appetite, talk to your veterinarian. Signs to look for that may indicate liver disease (including fatty liver) are:
Talk to your vet, especially if your cat's ears or mucous membranes are yellow, like the kitty below!
Here's some other information about fatty liver:
Almost all cases of fatty liver disease in cats are caused by decreased caloric intake. It doesn't matter why they stop eating. It could be another disease has made them ill, another cat has moved into the house and made them mad, the neighbors got a new dog, the arrival of a new child at home, a diet change by the owners, anything. If they get mad or ill and don't eat enough, they'll get fatty liver. Fat begins to accumulate in the liver. Eventually, the liver stops working, this makes the cat feel sick, and they eat less, making the disease worse. It's a vicious cycle.
The treatment is food. Food, in this case, is the 'drug' that will reverse the condition.
Even if you fix the initial problem, many cats are so sick by then that they won't eat. Fortunately, cats tolerate feeding tubes very well. These are tubes placed into the esophagus or stomach that allow us to give the cat enough food to reverse the liver disease even if they don't voluntarily eat. It may sound a little weird at first, but it works! And most cats are much more tolerant of the tubes than you might think.
So if you are thinking of changing your cat's diet, or if your cat has stopped eating, or if you have any new event in your cat's life that may effect his or her appetite, talk to your veterinarian. Signs to look for that may indicate liver disease (including fatty liver) are:
- Jaundice (a yellowish color to the mucous membranes)
- Vomiting
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- If severe, neurologic signs (e.g., seizures, blindness, drooling)
Talk to your vet, especially if your cat's ears or mucous membranes are yellow, like the kitty below!
Here's some other information about fatty liver:
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Amputation
Are you facing the possibility of having your pet's limb amputated? It's a tough decision to make. Most of us think about what it would be like to lose a limb, and we assume that our pets would feel the same way. But in reality, pets don't lose much sleep over it. They aren't worried about what the other dogs will think of them, and they don't worry about it being "undignified." Usually, the reason for an amputation is a painful condition (e.g., cancer, trauma), and once you remove the source of pain, most pets adapt very well. (One of the TVEC docs has a three-legged cat who will successfully climb 6 foot privacy fences if you don't watch out. She's got the strongest front legs in the world!)
If your pet is facing this problem, and you're not sure what to do, first talk to your vet. Tell him/her about your concerns and ask the questions you want to ask. This is definitely your best source of information. If you're the type of person who needs or likes to find more information on the internet, here's a good site to check out. It's written by people who have been there and done that. Also try the amputation FAQ's at BoneCancerDogs.com. This is another good website for those with pets facing this disease.
Disclaimer: These websites have some good information, but we can't promise that all of it will apply to your pet. We provide the links just to give you more information. Again, talk to your vet!
If your pet is facing this problem, and you're not sure what to do, first talk to your vet. Tell him/her about your concerns and ask the questions you want to ask. This is definitely your best source of information. If you're the type of person who needs or likes to find more information on the internet, here's a good site to check out. It's written by people who have been there and done that. Also try the amputation FAQ's at BoneCancerDogs.com. This is another good website for those with pets facing this disease.
Disclaimer: These websites have some good information, but we can't promise that all of it will apply to your pet. We provide the links just to give you more information. Again, talk to your vet!
In the womb
National Geographic has produced some interesting videos that deal with the development of cats, dogs, and other animals. It includes "4D" ultrasound of dogs as well as intra-uterine video. Should be good stuff!
It appears that the next airing will be on February 23rd. Check out the National Geographic website for more details.
It appears that the next airing will be on February 23rd. Check out the National Geographic website for more details.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Charlotte can breathe again!
Charlotte rivals Izzi on the cuteness factor. This young Pug presented to her veterinarian recently for vomiting and gagging. On the edge of her abdominal x-rays, it was noticed that her lungs were abnormal. Due to her breed, a lung lobe torsion was suspected. This is bad news! When the lung lobe twists around itself (torsion), it cuts off the blood supply to the lung lobe, and that portion of the lung literally dies. If Charlotte didn't have surgery to remove her dying lung lobe, it could kill her!
Charlotte did fantastic during and after surgery, where a torsion was confirmed. The effected lung lobe was removed and the pathologists confirmed that no tumor or other disease caused the problem. Recovery from thoracic surgery of any kind is always hard, but Charlotte did great. It helps that she is a certified therapy dog; her calm demeanor really helps when recovering from major surgery.
Interestingly, Pugs and Afghan Hounds tend to be predisposed to this problem. No one really knows why, but some people think that Pugs might have bronchial (windpipe) anatomy that is different than other dogs and makes this problem more likely. For Afghans, they are predisposed to chylothorax (accumulation of chyle - a type of fluid - in the chest cavity). Most people think that's why they get lung lobe torsions.
It's also interesting that a primary lung problem can initially look like an abdominal problem (vomiting). Charlotte's 'gagging' and 'retching' were likely unusual displays of coughing, due to her rotten lung lobe. That's part of what makes veterinary medicine so fun; the myriad ways that the same disease or problem can be expressed.
For those who are interested...
Lung lobe torsion paper 1
Lung lobe torsion paper 2
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