What are these itchy circles on my skin?

What is Ringworm?
Ringworm is a skin and scalp disease caused by several different kinds of fungi. Ringworm on the scalp usually makes a bald patch of scaly skin. People with ringworm on other parts of their skin can have a ring-shaped rash that is reddish and may be itchy. The rash can be dry and scaly or wet and crusty.

Can animals transmit ringworm to me?
Yes, many different kinds of animals can transmit ringworm to people. Ringworm is transmitted from direct contact with an infected animal's skin or hair. Dogs and cats, especially kittens or puppies, can have ringworm that can be passed to people. Cows, goats, pigs, and horses can pass ringworm to people too. People can also get ringworm from other people and their personal items (CDC).

Can I transmit ringworm to my pet?
YES! If you develop ringworm first, you may have to take a break from contact with your furry friends because it is definitely harder to treat in animals (because of the amount of hair) than in people.

If you think your pet may have ringworm please see a veterinarian. If you develop ringworm, see your doctor! The faster it is resolved the fewer people and animals will be affected.

If you would like a bit more information on ringworm visit the National Institute of Health's website: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001439.htm

Sometimes it's hard to spot in a cat!  It may be confused with allergies or several other skin diseases.

This is what it may look like in a dog

This is what it may look like on a person's arm

Is all cat food created equal?

I am a little picky when it comes to nutrition in my patients.  So come with me on this quick little journey.  I'm going to list the first few ingredients in three different cat foods (and on the previous post we examined dog food) and before you scroll to the bottom to see what brands they are, pick which one you would like to feed your kitty at home.




1. Poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, wheat flour, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of vitamin E)


2. Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Corn Grits, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp


3. Chicken, Chicken Liver, Turkey, Chicken Broth, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots

Well?  What do you think a wild, carnivorous cat would prefer?  Remember, cats have always been carnivores and many may have difficulty digesting carbohydrates.  If you let a kitty outside what do they leave on your doorstep, a cob of corn or a dead mouse?  

1. Dry Cat Chow
2. Dry Iams ProActive Original with Chicken
3. CANNED Wellness Chicken


Yes, I would love it if all of my kitty patients could eat #3 but yes, it is the most expensive of those listed.  That said, out of the most reasonable cat foods sold in all grocery stores I would choose #2 and the canned Iams is even better!

My other favorite cats foods are Nature's Variety Instinct, Purina ProPlan Selects, Innova, and Before Grain.

Is all dog food created equal?

I am a little picky when it comes to nutrition in my patients.  So come with me on this quick little journey.  I'm going to list the first few ingredients in three different dog foods and before you scroll to the bottom to see what brands they are, pick which one you would like to feed your dog at home.


1. Whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn gluten meal, meat and bone meal, brewers rice


2. Ground yellow corn, chicken-by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef


3. Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Tomato Pomace, Rye Flour, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), Tomatoes 




Which one of these three sounds the healthiest?  If you were stranded on a deserted island which would give you the most protein??
















1. Dog Chow
2. Beneful Adult
3. Wellness Super5Mix


Examine the first 3 ingredients.  Would a wild dog prefer an ear of corn or a chicken?  Although I would love my patients to all be on Wellness, it is the most expensive.  Of the dog foods sold in all grocery stores I would choose Purine One over all the others (meat is the number 1 ingredient and it provides life-stage nutrition).
 

Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers are fantastic family pets with a happy and loving personality.  They are easily trained and usually extremely obedient. 

Do you have a Golden Retriever?  Were you aware of some of their common genetic disease?  I don't mean to be a "downer" but if Goldens are your dog of choice you should know what to look out for!

Cancer is the most common disease of Goldens.  This includes hemangiosarcoma (can lead to internal bleeding), followed by lymphoma, mast cell tumor, and osteosarcoma (bone cancer).  Cancer was the cause of death for 61.4% of American Goldens according to a 1998 health study conducted by the Golden Retriever Club of America, making it the breed's biggest killer. 

Obesity

Hip and elbow dysplasia affects 19.8% of dogs.  Severe forms of this disease will be evident early in life as front leg pain.  Moderate to mild forms may not be evident until adulthood.

Eye diseases include cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, glaucoma (increased eye pressure), distichiasis (eyelash growing in an abnormal place causing rubbing on the cornea), entropion (eyelids rolled inward toward the cornea), corneal dystrophy and retinal dysplasia

Heart disease, especially subvalvular aortic stenosis and cardiomyopathy

Joint diseases, including patella luxation, osteochondritis, panosteitis, and cruciate ligament rupture (a.k.a. ACL tear)

Skin diseases, with allergies (often leading to "hot spots"), particularly flea allergies, being most common.  Others include seborrhoea, sebaceous adenitis, and lick granuloma.

Hemophilia

Lilies

Spring is coming and the lilies will be blooming in a few months. This is just a reminder that if you have a kitty that goes outside, keep the lilies out of your garden.  If your cat is inside only, keep the lilies outside!  They can be deadly!

If you can't read the smaller print it says:
Tiny amounts, even licking pollen from their coat, can lead to kidney failure and death within 3-7 days.  Prevention is better than cure: Keep lily arrangements out of the reach of cats.

Allergies and Duoxo

Those that have visited the clinic and discussed allergies with me know that I don't like using steroids if we don't have to.  Although it is cheaper and easier to give a steroid injection or send home oral steroids, it is to the detriment of your pet's health in the long term.  Some of the other options include allergy testing with immunotherapy, antihistamines, Atopica (an immunosuppressant), shampoos, and topical medications.  I have also found a new product with great results in calming down that itchy allergic skin!  It's call Duoxo ("duke-so") www.duoxo.net.  


This product contains a new ingredient called phytosphingosine.  Phytosphingosine is a natural component of the epidermis (the top layer of skin). It plays a key role in the building and maintenance of the skin defense barrier. Lack of phytosphingosine is associated with: seborrheic disorders (flaking skin-dry or oily), keratosis (non-cancerous scaley growths), alterations of the skin surface layer, bacteria and yeast proliferation.
Topical application of phytoshingosine helps restore the skin's natural top layer and can help control the production of scales and sebum (that yellow-ish build-up you may see) and control local normal bacteria.

Although we do not carry this in the clinic yet, I have recommended it to clients with great success.  The best part is that most don't need to stay on steroids long term!

       This is a really good example of seborrhea- see that thick yellow build-up on the skin??

Those are some itchy feet!!  The spoton and or spray would be great for these!

                                                   Severe allergy  --->

To find a place to purchase these product, duoxo.com carries most of the products and if you are looking for the spot-on treatment it is the cheapest through entirelypets.com.

If you decide to try it, let us know if it helps!!

Dog Training

A veterinarian should be your first stop when ruling out medical causes for less than desirable behavior in your dog.  When those are ruled out, the opinions of behavior experts are always helpful for behavior modification.  If you are interested in some "self-learning,"  here are some great resources:

"How to Behave so your Dog Behaves" by Dr. Sophia Yin
"Parenting your Dog" by Trish King
www ABRIonline.org - this link has videos that are very helpful!

Influenza

Lately I have noticed a strange Influenza-like illness spike in our clients and co-workers so I thought I would use this space to address the flu in our pets.  In April of 2009 a new strain of the Influenza virus was discovered in people- we now call it the H1N1 strain (some call it swine flu).
All of this information was taken from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm#f

What animals can be infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus?

In addition to humans, live swine and turkeys, a small number of ferrets (which are highly susceptible to influenza A viruses),  domestic cats and dogs have been infected with 2009 H1N1 virus.  

How do pets become infected with 2009 H1N1?

All available information suggests it is spread through close contact with ill humans. 

Can I get 2009 H1N1 influenza from my pet?

Available evidence suggests that transmission has been from ill humans to their companion animals. No evidence is available to suggest that animals are infecting humans with 2009 H1N1 virus.

What do I do if I am sick with flu-like symptoms and I have pets?

If you are sick with influenza-like-illness, take the same precautions with your pets that you would to keep your family and friends healthy:

• Cover your coughs and sneezes
• Wash your hands frequently
• Minimize contact with your pets until 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medication

What should I do if I suspect my pet has 2009 H1N1 influenza virus?

If members of your household have flu-like symptoms, and your pet exhibits respiratory illness, contact your veterinarian. 

Is there a vaccine available for my pet?

Currently, there is not a licensed and approved 2009 H1N1 vaccine for pets. (There is a canine influenza vaccine, which protects dogs from the H3N8 canine flu virus, but it will not protect pets against the 2009 H1N1 virus, and the H3N8 vaccine should not be used in any species other than dogs.)  We DO have the H3N8 vaccination in the clinic if any clients are traveling to the southern states where it is more prevalent.

How serious is this disease in pets?

Pet ferrets with naturally occurring 2009 H1N1 infection have exhibited illness similar in severity to that seen in ferrets exposed to seasonal influenza viruses and to 2009 H1N1 virus in laboratory settings.  Clinical signs exhibited have included sneezing, inactivity, and weight loss.  Of the reported cases, most of the pets have recovered fully with supportive care, although some have died.

Parasites in the brain!!

How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy

Jaroslav Flegr is no kook. And yet, for years, he suspected his mind had been taken over by parasites that had invaded his brain. So the prolific biologist took his science-fiction hunch into the lab. What he’s now discovering will startle you. Could tiny organisms carried by house cats be creeping into our brains, causing everything from car wrecks to schizophrenia?

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/03/how-your-cat-is-making-you-crazy/8873/?single_page=true

1st Blog

Welcome to anyone that may read my blog now and in the future!  First of all, I am Dr. Martell-Moran, a veterinarian at the Chesterfield Animal Hospital in Chesterfield, IN.  If you would like to find out a bit more about my background, please visit our website profiles: www.chesterfieldanimalhospital.com.

This will be a place where I will be periodically (hopefully at least once weekly) posting seasonal reminders, education tools, environmental enrichment ideas, training ideas, public health information and disease overviews that may interest pet owners out there.  Although I mostly work with dogs and cats, I will do my best to include some ferret, rabbit, and rodent information too...although I may have to consult with Dr. Breitenwischer first!  :)  She is GREAT with the little furry guys!

Once again, welcome and I hope you find this information interesting!