Hi,

Debbie
Kitchener, ON, Canada

Cysts are benign (non-cancerous) growths that are common in or under the skin. They consist of a sac or lining of cells that produce secretions. The secretions accumulate within the lining and fill the cyst. Some cysts produce secretions that are very fluid. Others fill with very firm, viscous secretions.

Cysts in or under the skin usually are harmless. They can be unsightly, and they may burst or become infected. However, they rarely lead to life-threatening situations.

Some cysts can be drained with a needle and syringe. If the fluid inside a cyst is very viscous, it may not be possible to perform this procedure. These cysts can be removed (excised) with surgery.

However, in most cases it is not necessary to drain or remove cysts. Since most external cysts are not dangerous, I generally recommend leaving them alone unless they are causing irritation or other problems.

Most cysts appear to be hereditary in nature. They are common in older pets. I doubt that your dog’s diet is playing a role in the syndrome. She most likely has an individual predisposition that causes her to develop cysts.

You mention that the growths on your dog look like cysts, but that you aren’t sure whether your vet has ever had a laboratory analyze the growths to confirm their identity. I recommend that you contact your vet to determine if this has been done.

If a laboratory has confirmed that the growths are cysts, then you don’t have much to worry about. Your dog may produce more of them over time, but they are unlikely to cause harm.

If none of the growths has been tested, then I’d recommend that you have your vet submit a sample to the lab. Laboratory analysis will confirm the diagnosis, and hopefully provide peace of mind.

(A note about the photo: Buster doesn’t have any cysts yet, but if he’s like most dogs some will show up over time.)

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Dr. Barchas, I am taking an herbal/homeopathic
blend to “detoxify” my body of chemicals,
metals etc. Are there any such herbal/homeopathic
medicines for dogs?

Joe Anne
Mechanicsville, MD

There are many homeopathic products available for pets. In fact, there seem to be several blends available for every conceivable condition, as well as many products for “cleansing” the systems healthy pets.

Homeopathy and herbal medicine cause almost as many arguments among veterinarians as vaccines. In the general public, supporters and opponents of homeopathy both have such strong feelings that they often sound like fanatics when the subject comes up.

I have no doubt that certain blends of herbs and natural products may have health benefits for pets. However, I’d urge you to perform due diligence if you are thinking about administering a homeopathic treatment to your pet.

For one thing, the efficacy of many homeopathic products is unproven. And in my opinion, that’s a big deal. It is very easy to prove that a treatment works. Simply set up a controlled, randomized double-blind study with a sample size that will yield statistically relevant results. That may sound technical, but it’s actually very easy to do. If no study has been done to prove the efficacy of a product, it raises a red flag in my mind. Why has the manufacturer not bothered to take this simple step?

Another problem is that the world of homeopathy is not well regulated by governments. This leads to wide disparities in the qualifications of homeopathic practitioners and the quality of their products.

Some practitioners of homeopathy are veterinarians or other individuals with advanced training. These individuals create products that are likely to be safe.

Other homeopathy practitioners are basically snake oil salespeople. They have no training at all. They simply want to cash in on a profitable enterprise.

A third group consists of well-meaning people who are knowledgeable about human homeopathic remedies but have little training with animals. Members of this group can be especially dangerous. Some of them are not aware that certain compounds can be beneficial to humans yet dangerous to pets (grapes, chocolate and garlic come to mind). Sadly, I have seen pets suffer kidney failure, anemia and other adverse effects after consuming human homeopathic products.

I am not opposed to the use of homeopathic and herbal products. But do some research before you purchase and administer these creations. If you aren’t careful you may do more harm than good.

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Hello Dr. Barchas,

Kimberly
Mt Maunganui, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand

In a way, I do. But it’s probably not the way that you’re talking about.

In developed countries, diseases such as thyroid conditions, kidney failure, cancer and heart failure are becoming more common among pets. There is rampant speculation about what causes many of these syndromes. Breeding, chemical body burden, and yes, diet probably play a role. But there is one factor that is not in dispute. All of the problems listed above occur most often in older animals.

Another thing that is not in dispute: on average, animals in developed countries are living longer than in the past. There is no doubt that the increased life expectancy that animals now enjoy is playing a role in the increased prevalence of cancer, hyper(and hypo)thyroidism, heart failure and kidney failure.

I am not saying that increased life expectancy is the only factor involved in this phenomenon. But it definitely is a factor.

Now, consider developing countries. In recent years, I have observed dogs and cats in Nicaragua, Mongolia, Laos, El Salvador and Botswana (among others). The diseases that are so common in the US, New Zealand, and other developed countries are basically unheard of in developing nations. The explanation is simple. Animals in developing countries don’t live long enough to develop these problems.

Animals in developed countries live longer, on average, for a number of reasons. Cats are more likely to be kept indoors. Pets are more likely to be spayed or neutered. They are more likely to receive vaccines. They are more likely to receive basic medical care and be treated for parasites. And they are more likely to be fed pet food.

I am not saying that the pet foods on the market now are perfect. History may reveal tremendous problems with them. There is always room for improvement. We may discover in the future that certain ingredients in pet foods promote some of the diseases mentioned in this post.

However, there is no doubt that the currently available pet foods represent a massive improvement over the diets that animals receive in developing countries–table scraps, garbage and prey animals.

The widespread use of pet food has contributed to increased life expectancies for pets. So yes, in that sense pet foods are contributing to the increase in health problems that we are seeing in the developed world.

For those of you who want my opinion on which food is the best: I weighed in on that matter a while back. Click here to see what I had to say.

For more information on dogs in developing countries, I recommend the book Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger (Scribner, 2001).

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I have heard from several cat folks who felt that my recent post on common poisons in pets didn’t really apply to them. I see their point. The poisons mentioned in the post (chocolate, rodenticides and xylitol) most often affect dogs.

It is no secret that cats are quite selective about what they consume. That makes them less likely to suffer adverse effects from the poisons in the previous post. But there are plenty of hazards out there for cats. So let’s give cats their due.

Here are some hazardous items that, in my experience, commonly cause trouble for feline companions.

Please remember that the above list is not comprehensive. However, if more people take care to protect their cats from the hazards in this post, fewer cats will end up in emergency rooms.

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An interesting message appeared in my inbox the other day. The message was sent by an organization that opposes a voter initiative scheduled to appear on the November ballot in California.

The ballot measure in question is the 2008 Farm Animal Initiative. An excerpt from the e-mail I received follows.

Californians for SAFE Food, a coalition of family farmers, veterinarians and consumers, which includes the National Animal Interest Alliance, California Farm Bureau Federation, California Women for Agriculture and many of the leading avian science and poultry experts in the nation, ask you to join us and oppose this dangerous initiative. (emphasis mine)

I did some research on the initiative. Here is a quote from the text of the ballot measure (link is PDF format).

The purpose of this Act is to prohibit the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs.

To me, the standards set forth in the initiative sound quite reasonable. And I have a hunch that the overwhelming majority of Californians will see it the same way. I predict the initiative will pass by a landslide in November.

If you look at the website sponsored by the initiative’s opponents, you will see a list of veterinarians who have, indeed, endorsed the opposition. But a check of the sponsor’s site will reveal a much, much longer list of veterinarians who support the measure.

I recognize that the initiative may create a burden for California farmers. It may also lead to increased food prices.

But I, for one, am not happy that veterinarians as a group have been listed in mass e-mails as opponents of an initiative designed to promote humane farming practices–especially when it seems that most vets (myself included) support the measure.

For more information on the initiative, click on the links below.

Supporters’ website: Californians for Humane Farms
Opponents’ website: Californians for SAFE Food

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I have a three-year-old Lab who limps quite
frequently, and the pain seems to be in his front
leg or paw. It is most evident when he is
walking downstairs. I have mentioned this to my
vet repeatedly and he says it could be muscle
strain and to not walk him for a few days. That
doesn’t help. I have him on chondroitin but to
no avail. This is continual. What can I do to
get this diagnosed properly? Do you suggest an
MRI?

Val
Newtown Square, PA

Soft tissue trauma (muscle strain or a mildly injured joint) is the most common cause of limping in young dogs. This sort of injury usually is caused by rough play, over-exertion, or landing incorrectly after jumping.

Limping caused by soft tissue trauma generally improves after a few days of rest. I have seen cases in which dogs were not rested properly. This can lead to recurrent injuries and chronic limping.

However, it sounds like you have rested your dog appropriately on more than one occasion. I have a hunch that something else is going on.

Young, large-breed dogs such as Labrador Retrievers may suffer from a number of different problems that can cause chronic limping. Syndromes that may be contributing to your dog’s limping include elbow dysplasia and cartilage defects in the elbow, wrist or shoulder. He may have suffered significant trauma to a joint early in life that has resulted in arthritis. As well, several other less common causes could be causing the problem.

I recommend that you have a vet perform a very thorough evaluation of the affected leg. He or she will check for swelling, pain, joint laxity, and other symptoms that can help identify which area of the leg is affected. If your dog exercises heavily just before the exam, the problem spot may be easier to identify.

Once the problem has been localized to a specific area, the next step is to take X-rays of the area. (If the problem can’t be localized, consider taking X-rays of all of the joints in the limb.) In most cases X-rays provide a definitive diagnosis. This, in turn, will allow you to treat the problem appropriately.

There are instances in which X-rays do not lead to a diagnosis. In these cases, the next step is arthroscopy or advanced diagnostic imaging (CT or MRI). However, I recommend that that you start with simple tests and work your way up if necessary.

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I would like to thank Amanda of Environmental Working Group for alerting me to a report that her organization recently released. An excerpt from the report is below.

High Levels of Toxic Industrial Chemicals Contaminate Cats And Dogs

. . . In the first study of its kind, Environmental Working Group found that American pets are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people, including newborns.

The results show that America’s pets are serving as involuntary sentinels of the widespread chemical contamination that scientists increasingly link to a growing array of health problems across a wide range of animals—wild, domesticated and human.

I recommend that you read the report. The findings are disturbing. For instance, consider the following.

Dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people, according to our study of plastics and food packaging chemicals, heavy metals, fire retardants, and stain-proofing chemicals in pooled samples of blood and urine from 20 dogs and 37 cats collected at a Virginia veterinary clinic.

Diseases such as cancer and hyperthyroidism are becoming more prevalent in pets. Part of the increase in prevalence can be explained by the longer life expectancies that pets currently enjoy. Cancer, in particular, is more likely to strike when animals are older.

However, the bodily effects of many chemicals listed in the study are not fully understood. In my mind, it is very likely that chemical body burden is playing a role in these disease processes.

Environmental Working Group has launched a campaign to raise awareness about this issue. You can view the campaign’s website by clicking here. The campaign’s spokesdog, Eddie, has a good blog. He also has a profile on Dogster.

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I have a sweet but sensitive Bichon/Terrier mix
who has gone through a lot of change in the past
year. He had a brief stint in an animal shelter
and then got a brand new neighbourhood, family and
owner (me!).

Sarah
Toronto

There is no doubt about it. Moving is stressful. This is true for pets, just as it is true for people.

Pets generally are creatures of habit. They tend to be most comfortable in stable environments and they usually enjoy predictable routines (although a surprise trip to the park or beach rarely seems to bother most of the dogs I know). Moving houses upsets that stability.

First, take heart from the fact that your dog has already gone through quite a few big changes in his life. It sounds like he was able to tolerate those changes and remain well-adjusted. That bodes well for the future.

I have two recommendations for easing your dog’s transition to the new house. First, try to maintain as many of your normal routines (regular walks, feeding times, belly rubs and so forth) as possible during the move. He will suffer less stress if fewer elements of his life are disrupted.

Second, and this is easier said than done, you should try not to get stressed out during the move. Dogs make wonderful companions in part because they are highly attuned to human emotions. If you are distressed or nervous, your dog will pick up on it. And he probably will become stressed out as well.

Dogs are highly adaptable creatures. I’m sure it won’t be long until he settles in and becomes comfortable in his new home.

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• What Causes Chronic Limping in Young Dogs?
• Study Reveals High Levels of Dangerous Chemicals in Pets’ Bodies

My cat has been sneezing and wheezing
when he is resting. He is eating and drinking
normally and I have been giving him antibiotic
shots for about two weeks but he doesn’t
seem to be improving.

Washington, DC

Several different problems can lead to sneezing and wheezing in cats. Sinus infections, allergies, viruses and foreign objects or growths in the nose are some of the most common culprits.

In Baxter’s case, I am wondering whether the inflamed tooth and the nasal symptoms may be related. The roots of the upper canine teeth lie very close to the nasal passages. If a canine tooth root becomes infected, it can cause a chronic sinus infection.

Although Baxter’s tooth does not seem to hurt him, inflamed or infected teeth and gums generally do cause pain. Some cats are very stoic, and do not show signs of dental pain. There is a chance that the tooth is hurting him even though he doesn’t act like it.

I think that taking X-rays of the tooth and the surrounding area is an excellent idea. X-rays will help to determine how severely damaged the tooth is, and whether it is contributing to Baxter’s wheezing and sneezing. This will help you and your vet make an informed decision about extraction of the tooth.

Be aware that if the tooth is not playing a role in Baxter’s troubles, the path ahead could be frustrating. Diagnosing chronic sinus problems often involves complex and expensive tests such as CT scanning, rhinoscopy (using a special instrument to visually examine the interior areas of the nose and sinuses) and biopsy.

Photo credit: Pascua Theus. Photo licensing information: click here.

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I have spent several nights over the last few weeks working at a veterinary emergency hospital near San Francisco. We see an incredible range of cases, but during my last two shifts in particular I treated a huge number of dogs for exposure to toxic substances.

There are literally thousands of household products, plants, foods, human medications and chemicals that are poisonous to dogs and cats. To view two (non-comprehensive) lists of potential poisons, click here (for household products) and here (for plants).

Despite the huge number of hazardous plants and materials out there, I have noticed that three of them seem to be more commonly ingested by pets than the others. So, although I encourage you to be proactive about protecting your pet from all potential poisons, please be especially aware of these three.

I recommend that pets never be allowed access to any poisons. However, please be especially careful with the three listed above. Dogs are more likely than cats to be exposed to each of these poisons because they are less selective about what they eat.

If you suspect that your pet has consumed any poisonous product, contact a veterinarian immediately. Acting quickly can help to prevent serious consequences.

If possible, always bring the packaging from the product that was consumed, as well as any remaining product to the veterinarian’s office when you seek treatment. This will help the vet to positively identify the type and amount of toxin consumed.

Remember, however, that the best way to keep your pet safe from poisons is to make sure he or she does not have access to them in the first place.

• Can Dogs and Cats Take Herbal Cleansers?
• Does Pet Food Cause Health Problems?
• Study Reveals High Levels of Dangerous Chemicals in Pets’ Bodies
• Vaccines Poised for a Comeback
• Commonly Used Medicines may Have Little Known Side Effects: Part 1