Top Ten Similarities Between My Cats And My Toddler

10. If you are getting into something you shouldn’t be and someone tells you “No” then just hurry and finish what you are doing and run before they can catch you.

This works especially well when your “owner/parent” has their hands full and cannot immediately intercept you. I’m still not completely convinced that one of our cats didn’t just teach this to our toddler instead of it being an individually developed trait.

9. “I do not want to wear clothes!”

Sure some dogs like clothes and some of the little tiny dogs with short hair actually need them in the winter but no self respecting cat really likes wearing clothes. I will admit to dressing my cats up. Apologies being sent up right now to kitty heaven to Barnaby for all the doll dresses and bonnets I subjected him to as a child. Even as recently as a few Christmases ago I did make my cats wear reindeer antlers for a Christmas picture. They definitely did not enjoy it but they tolerated it and those were some super cute pics! Now I’m convinced that no self respecting toddler wants clothes on either. At the first opportunity they will strip down to their diaper and run amok like Mogli in the jungle. I consider it a bonus day if we at least keep the diaper on which leads me to number 8.

8. “What do you mean I shouldn’t pee on the floor?”

If you have not had the joy of a cat suffering from inappropriate urination consider yourself lucky! It is the number one reason for owner surrendered cats in the nation. There are many reasons for I.U. In cats. Some like my Persian Michael, prefer an absolutely super clean box with his special Cat Attract litter (I wish I had invented that stuff it is soooo awesome and makes me happy like only an appropriately peed in litter box can!) Another cause can be due to territorial marking in response to an outdoor cat that comes and like a total punk harasses your cats through the window. Yep, dealt with this one, too, in one of my other cats. Can anyone say “Yay for tile floors!!!” Fortunately, after some environmental modifications around the house to ward off the other cat and some tuna flavored Prozac for my cat harmony has once again been restored.

The toddler on the other hand doesn’t have a particular reason for peeing on the floor other than diapers often get stripped off when the other clothes come off and when you strip off all your clothes the next logical step is to hop on your tricycle and ride mad circles around the house being chased by your gravidly pregnant mother. Of course when you’re driving a trike and nature calls you just go with the flow. Did I mention I’m glad I bought a house with tile floors? I’m also thankful for enzymatic cleaners and the fact that the potty is now a fun thing since giving tuna flavored Prozac to your toddler is frowned upon. Yay potties!

7. It’s always better if you make them think it’s their idea

This goes for carriers, car seats, brushing, getting dressed, or pretty much anything else. I also hear this works with husbands but don’t say I said that!

6. Thwarting your attempts at medical treatment

Cat perspective at the vet: “Why would you drive us here? Don’t you realize these people have needles? I will now have to claw and bite everyone who tries to touch me regardless of whether it is for my own good while howling unearthly screams. I will also try to cling to you as if my life depends on it.

Toddler perspective at pediatrician: “Why would you drive us here? Don’t you realize these people have needles? I will now have to claw and bite everyone who tries to touch me regardless of whether it is for my own good while howling unearthly screams. I will also try to cling to you as if my life depends on it.

5. They both like to “help”

As in, oh look you have a project all laid out! You must want me to help you by lying across it, scattering your papers, stealing your pens, typing on the keyboard for you or climbing in and out of your lap as I help provide moral support.

4. “Self-cleaning” (sort of)

Everyone with a cat has seen them bathe themselves and many toddlers are fine in the tub with a few toys. However, should you suggest to either a cat or a toddler that we involve actual shampoo or more scrubbing Katy bar the door because you are about to witness a scenario similar to the medical treatment one but they are no longer clinging to you! Ear plugs and leather gloves may be required.

3. Finicky Eaters

Cat Perspective: Yes, I am aware that I enthusiastically ate the first trial can of Mr. Fluffy’s Holistic, Organic, All-Natural, Human Grade, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, complete with Life Source Bits super food you bought for me. But now that you bought an entire case of it I have made the decision to only eat Wally World’s Special Kitty dry food or I will starve myself to death!

*This is why you can return prescription food to us for a refund or exchange if your cat decides it’s vile. It should also be noted that canned food is actually preferable to dry and there are ways to gently wean them onto canned food if they refuse it

Toddler Perspective: I now only want to eat yogurt, cheddar bunnies, and peanut butter toast for the next 2 weeks straight.

*At least it was Greek Yogurt, more protein right?!?

2. Precipitous increase in the amount of vomit in your home

The current theory in vet med is that any vomiting from a cat indicates a certain level of gastrointestinal dysfunction so that even hairballs should not be considered a normal part of cat life. This being said many cats suffer from this condition and my household has not been spared to finding the occasional vomit pile in the morning. While it might be gross when you step on it with your barefoot and then proceed to do the one foot hopping dance all the way to the bathroom you can at least rest assured that you are probably not going to catch something from your cat that will in turn make you vomit. This is of course assuming you didn’t vomit from the sheer nastiness of stepping in wet cat puke. Toddlers on the other hand vomit and have the power to make you vomit too if you catch whatever they picked up from licking some grocery cart. Before having children I naively assumed when people said you get sick more with kids they were talking only about snotty noses and coughing but this is a LIE! They pick up all sorts of nasty things and then share it with you. Icky, Icky, Icky! And “Icky” from me is saying a lot considering what I do for a living!

1. Life would be pretty boring without them

Sure they are stubborn, independent, crazy little creatures and maybe I have a masochistic streak to enjoy cats and toddlers as much as I do but I can’t imagine my life without them. They also bring joy, humor, and love to our family. Maybe the real takeaway message is just to hire a good cleaning service and enjoy the ride!

Pet Insurance: Is it the Correct Choice for me?

Insuring your pet is still a new phenomenon in veterinary medicine. Many of our clients don’t know that medical insurance is available for their pets. More and more companies are getting into this market and consumers really have few avenues to research what insurance policy may be right for them and unbiased advice is hard to find. Veterinary medicine has advanced quite dramatically in the last 20 years. We have gone from hoping clients try heartworm prevention to offering MRI for laser disk surgery for back pain, chemotherapy, radiation cancer treatment, and the list goes on. Unfortunately the cost of these procedures has progressed along with our ability to treat difficult, technically demanding problems. In spite of the fact that veterinary medical pricing is a bargain in comparison to human medical costs, eventually we will come to a cost crossroads in veterinary medicine. We can either decrease the level of care we give our patients to decrease cost to our clients, or we can find ways to offset the cost of veterinary care to our clients so that they can afford to give their four legged loved ones the care they deserve. I believe insuring our pets will be the most rational choice.

Insurance is by definition “an offset of potential future risk.” When we insure our car or home, we are hoping to offset catastrophic financial risk that we cant afford to incur. Pet insurance is no different. Many people, both within and outside of veterinary medicine, are concerned that adopting insurance will cause an upward spiral of medical costs as human medicine has seen. That is not a risk with the present structure of pet insurance. Pet insurance reimburses the policy holder directly and not veterinary clinics. Since the financial relationship is not with the veterinary hospital, veterinarians are not bound by any contractual relationship to the insurer. Therefore no overhead costs will be incurred by the hospital and then transferred back to the client via fee increases. This is really property-casualty insurance for your pet. Another benefit of this structure is that the insurance company will not dictate treatment options for your pet.

Contrary to human health insurance, pet insurance is far less complicated. Companies have made it simple to qualify pets for insurance and most policies are easy to understand and read through. I would recommend looking at policies that help provide coverage for the normal expenses pet owners absorb every year. Does this policy have an affordable rider that helps me pay for vaccines, bloodwork, dentistry, heartworm prevention, etc? Some companies will also allow these charges to count toward the deductibles of many plans.

Read the policies carefully and be careful! Not every company is reputable.

Veterinary medicine has come a long way in the past 20 years. We have more capabilities than ever before. The biggest issue veterinary medicine faces in the next 20 years will be finding legitimate means for our clients to be better afford this state of the art care. I believe some kind of insurance for pets will be the best way to afford the care our pets deserve.

Check out this comparison website for more information www.petinsurancecomparison.org

Some dangers, tips (and Help!) about your pet’s dental health

Infectious disease is a common issue with our dogs and cats. Most of our clients are well aware of the advantages of vaccination for infectious problems like parvovirus and distemper(dogs), and feline leukemia (cats). What most clients don’t realize is that the most common infectious disease that our dogs and cats suffer from is periodontal (dental) disease.

Periodontal disease starts early in a pets life and continues throughout his or her lifetime. Foul breath, gum disease, and tooth loss are just some of the problems encountered by pets because of periodontal disease. Bacteria, usually a species of Porphyrimonus, will attack the gum and then gain access to the periodontal ligament that attaches the tooth to the jaw bone. They start to eat that attachment and cause bone loss.

They can eat so much bone that fractures (breaks) of the jaw can occur.

It would be bad enough if the issues were just confined to the mouths of these patients. Many of these pets also have conditions that can be worsened by periodontal disease. These bacteria gain access to the circulatory system of these patients and cause problems at distant sites. Sites like the heart valves (valvular insufficiency) and heart lining (endocardititis) kidneys, and liver can be negatively impacted by this bacterial disease. So when periodontal disease is addressed we are really helping prevent or address systemic disease as well as localized disease in the mouth.

Riverchase Animal Hospital runs dentistry specials every February and September to help our clients better address their pets periodontal needs for less cost. We are filling up fast for February so if your pet needs some care please give us a call and take advantage of our special pricing.

If you are uncertain if your pets needs a dental cleaning please call to set up a free dental exam to assess your pet's level of need.

Ask the Doctor — Holiday Edition

With the holidays come fun, merriment and many times an emergency room visit for our family pets. Below are some but, not all of the most common holiday hazards your pet may contact through the holiday (ie eating) season.

1. Chocolate. Chocolate contains a substance, theobromine, which can be toxic to pets. Baking chocolate has the highest amount of theobromine (390 mg/ounce), followed by semisweet chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate (44 mg/ounce of theobromine) and chocolate-flavored treats. Pets with chocolate toxicity can have vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, very fast heartbeats with abnormal rhythms and may die. Mild clinical signs occur when the pet has eaten 9 mg of theobromine per pound of body weight (90 mg for a 10-pound dog, or about 1/4 ounce of baking chocolate or roughly 2 ounce of semisweet chocolate). Severe signs occur when the pet eats 18 mg of theobromine (180 mg for a 10-pound dog, or 1/2 ounce of baking chocolate or about four ounces of semisweet chocolate), Smith says. It may take up to four days for the theobromine to clear the pet's body.
2. Raisins and Grapes. These contain an as-yet-identified toxin that can cause acute kidney failure in susceptible pets. Although not all dogs and cats who eat raisins and grapes develop life-threatening kidney failure, amounts as little as 0.22 ounces of raisins per pound of the pet's body weight or 1.4 ounces of grapes per pound of body weight can cause toxicity, Smith says. For a 10-pound dog, that would be just over two ounces of raisins or 14 ounces of grapes. Kidney failure in these pets is manytimes irreversable.
3. Mistletoe, holly, Christmas rose and lilies. Mistletoe can be very toxic and even fatal if ingested by pets. Holly is considered moderately toxic, with vomiting and diarrhea most often seen in a pet who has ingested a small amount. When a large amount is ingested, holly can be fatal, Smith says. The Christmas rose is moderately toxic, with vomiting and diarrhea most often seen. Smith adds that lilies are potentially fatal to cats, as they can cause acute kidney failure. “Any lilly — Stargazer, Asian, Easter, Tiger and some day lilies can be fatal to cats. In fact, even the pollen from lilies can be hazardous to cats and kittens,” he adds.
   
   While many pet owners think that poinsettias are poisonous to cats and dogs, Smith says that this favorite holiday plant most often only causes stomach and intestinal irritation, with vomiting and diarrhea.
4. Tinsel, ribbon and string. Cats in particular are attracted to the shiny tinsel, ribbons and string that adorn holiday trees and packages. However, these can be deadly if swallowed. Smith explains that these objects often become wrapped around the cat's tongue and are swallowed. When they enter the intestines, they can cause the intestines to perforate, often with deadly results for the cat. Cats with these foreign bodies can have several signs: They may vomit, not eat, try unsuccessfully to defecate and become very lethargic. Smith cautions that cat owners who see their cats trying to defecate a piece of tinsel or string not pull on it, as serious consequences can develop.
5. Toy parts. Dogs in particular are prone to picking up and eating small toy parts that are left strewn around the house, Smith says. These parts often are too large to be defecated and can cause life-threatening intestinal obstructions. “It’s not uncommon for us to see one or two dogs each holiday season who have eaten part of a child’s toy and must undergo surgery to remove it,” he adds.

Make the holidays fun but safe for all your family members. No one should celebrate at the emergency vets office!

What is Heartworm Disease?

Many clients have asked me “why do I vaccinate my dog or cat every year with everything when I dont do that to myself or my kids?”

Until the American Animal Hospital Association came out with Veterinary-driven guidelines for vaccination in 2006, all we had were manufacturers recommendations for re-vaccination. These recommendations were for yearly vaccination for all diseases (rabies as the only exception). Now we have studies that show longer duration of protection for distemper parvovirus and hepatitis virus. At R.A.H., we have implemented the guidelines of the prestigious panel of veterinary disease experts and can now start to decrease vaccination without compromising the protection of our four-legged loved ones. Here at R.A.H. we strive to make medical recommendations for your pet with the most recent unbiased veterinary medical research.