Newsletter December 2016 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @pittsfieldvetny Keep up with current events, news & patient pet photos. We welcome you to share your photos with us! Follow us @pittsfieldvetny or tag us #lsvpets! You can also find us on our website, Google, Youtube, and Facebook! Ask the Vet - Holiday Poisons In Your Home Holidays are a tough time for pets, but what do I really need to be concerned about? Dr. Lisa Johnson from Pittsfield Veterinary Clinic writes: This is the hardest time of year for pet owners. Between decorating your house and cooking large meals, dogs and cats come in contact with many health hazards. Every pet owner should be aware of pet dangers, but I am going to discuss the major concerns I’ve dealt with over the years. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener often used in sugar-free foods or drinks. Although a natural sweetener, this can be dangerous to your dog or cat. Xylitol can lead to low blood sugar, possible liver necrosis or liver failure. Depending on the amount of xylitol consumed, dogs or cats may experience weakness, lethargy, vomiting, seizures, collapse, tremoring, black-tarry stool, coma or even death. Poinsettias, lilies, holly and mistletoe are very common, beautiful holiday plants. The milky white sap from Poinsettias may cause irritation to the mouth and stomach, sometimes resulting in vomiting. Generally, poinsettias are over-rated in toxicity. Lilies are commonly used by florists. Just two bites from this plant can result in severe acute kidney failure in cats. Even lily pollen is thought to be poisonous! Holly berries and mistletoe are another concern. The spiny leaves can lead to severe gastrointestinal upset, but toxins are also present in these plants. If ingested, your dog or cat may drool, lip smack, or head shake due to injury from the spiny leaves. American mistletoe is less toxic than European varieties, but may still lead to gastrointestinal upset, collapse, hypotension, or seizures. So leave your mistletoe (securely!) hanging high where you pets can’t get it! (Continued on Page 2) December 2016 - Newsletter 1 If you suspect your cat or dog has ingested any of these holiday hazards, you should call your veterinarian immediately or the Pet Poison Hotline at 1-855-289-0358. Holiday Poisons in Your Home (Continued) Chocolate may be a holiday treat for you, but it can be deadly to your pet! The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous. Chocolate contains theobromine. Dogs are not able to easily metabolize theobromine. A small amount of theobromine may lead to upset stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting. But large consumption of chocolate or cocoa powder can produce muscle tremors, seizures, irregular heartbeat, or heart attack. Usually severe hyperactivity is commonly a sign of theobromine poisoning. Oh what fun decorating your house with tinsel and ribbons can be! But the fun stops as soon as your pet ingests these dangers! Although tinsel and ribbons do not contain toxins, if your pet (usually a curious cat) ingests either, you should be highly concerned! Ingestion can result in a ‘linear foreign body.’ Sometimes, surgery is required to safely remove the material from your pet’s stomach before a deadly blockage forms. If your pet has ingested tinsel, ribbons or any stringy, shiny item, you may see them pawing at the mouth, vomiting, not eating or having abdominal pain or diarrhea. One danger often not listed is purchasing special treats for our pets. Many of these products are not manufactured in the USA, or made with US ingredients. With the rise in scares and recalls over the past several years, I recommend purchasing name brand products labeled with the source of their ingredients. Last, but not least are Macadamia Nuts. Dogs are the ones generally harmed by macadamia nuts. The mechanism of toxicity is not known, but may lead to a nonfatal syndrome characterized by vomiting, ataxia, weakness, hyperthermia, and depression. Tremors may be secondary to muscle weakness. Depending on the amount ingested, your dog may be able to recover without supportive veterinary care. The holidays are a time to enjoy with your family, friends and pets. Don’t let your time with loved ones be interrupted if your pet has contact with any of these holiday treats or décor. Keep your pets safe, and don’t hesitate to ask your veterinarian any questions or discuss concerns you may have in regard to your pet’s health or holiday hazards. If you suspect your cat or dog has ingested any of these holiday hazards, you should call your veterinarian immediately or the Pet Poison Hotline at 1-855-289-0358. About the Doctor: Dr. Lisa Johnson graduated from the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. It is there that she met and married her husband, Dr. William Johnson, also a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Lisa has owned the Pittsfield Veterinary Clinic outside of Edmeston, NY since 1989 Do you have a question for Dr. Lisa Johnson? E-mail your questions to [email protected] Please title the e-mail, “Ask the Vet”. - Dental Care - Microchipping Available - Diagnostics - Pharmacy - Surgery - Boarding Services Visit us online at pittsfieldvetclinic.com for information on all of our available pet services. 2 December 2016 - Newsletter Foreign Bodies in Pets Gastric and intestinal foreign bodies can be anything small enough for a dog or cat to swallow, but not pass through the entire G.I. system without producing an obstruction. Some items that individually are small enough to pass through the stomach will obstruct the intestine. Then there are objects that are small enough to pass through the full length of bowel if in single file, but when clumped together, become a problem. What sort of things have been removed from pets? anchored under the tongue, the yarn/thread cause If it can be swallowed, a veterinarian somewhere the intestine to bunch up along the entire length. Guide Dog has removed it. Common objects are socks, corn Thin thread will cause the bowel to be cut through cobs, rocks, sanitary pads, string, safety pins, and along the inner surface. This produces massive What’s in our underwear. What would entice an animal to eat such trauma to the intestine requiring major repair. December 2016 things? They are animals and less discriminating in Thicker yarn causes less cutting action. what they eat than humans. Smell and flavor are Newsletter? often a cause. Dogs enjoy mouthing rocks and I have also removed the metal clips that come off accidentally will swallow one or two. Cats love to the top of plastic bags incasing turkeys, chickens play and lick all sorts of items, often chewing and and Styrofoam from food containers. 1 Ask The Vet: Holiday Poisons Dr. Lisa Johnson discusses household swallowing also. holiday items that are toxic to pets. The list seems to be endless and the challenges Recently, I had to remove a used drier sheet (think numerous. Pets have been known to pass some 2 Foreign Bodies in Pets “Bounce”) from a cat. I can think of no enjoyable unbelievable things. I have removed rocks, sport If you own a cat or dog, you know they reason for that to appeal to a cat except as a toy. socks, towels and other objects rectally that I never swallow things. Learn more about foreign bodies in pets. Nor can I think of a cat being starved enough that thought could pass through the intestine. However, it would willingly eat a drier sheet. Yet, it happened. once vomiting and anorexia begin, it is time to start the diagnostic process with the knowledge that I have removed hair ties from cats. One cat had a removal will be the answer. fondness for them and would eat any not connected to its owner. Eventually, a couple of ties stuck Currently in most small veterinary practices the together in the stomach, starting a chain reaction. In diagnosis of foreign bodies involves abdominal time, they filled all the available space and vomiting palpation, x-ray and then exploratory surgery - ensued. Of course, at this time no one, including the gastrotomy (opening the stomach), then enterotomy Pittsfield Veterinary Clinic owner, knew why the cat was off feed and vomiting. (opening the intestine) to remove the foreign body. X-ray showed a dark mass. During surgery, I removed The procedure is standard and routinely successful. 607-965-8991 30 ties in all stages of decomposition. With gastroscopy becoming more available in larger 1033 State Hwy 80 practices, the removal of gastric foreign bodies Edmeston, New York 13335 Corn cobs, due to their rough surface, are often without surgery is becoming more popular. [email protected] a cause of obstruction. They are food and are frequently available to the pet during summer and A pet owner can avoid many of these problems with Staff fall. Left in the garbage, fields, or tossed aside after a constant vigilance in keeping small items away from picnic, the pet sees and smells “food” not a potential their pets. Owners are dealing with animals who VETERINARIANS - Dr. Lisa Johnson problem. The cobs leave the stomach, but get love to play and eat, much like toddlers. If enough LICENSED VET TECHS - Crystal Freeley caught in the intestine causing first, muscle spasm potentially dangerous things go in the mouth, VET ASSISTANTS - Leanne Catlin around the cob, then inflammation and mucosal eventually one will be swallowed. However, even if lining irritation, then ulceration and adhesion. At an object is swallowed, it does not necessarily follow SUPPORT STAFF - Lynette Dye this point, surgical removal is the only answer. that a medical/surgical problem will ensue.