Vet Blog
11/19/09
 Microchips are brilliant in theory. Pets can be lost in countless ways. A microchip provides a permanent link between pet and owner. In theory.
In practice, microchips have not yet lived up to the hype. Much of the gulf between expectations and experience is attributable to a lack of standards in the microchip industry. In short, it appears that economic considerations and attempts to corner the market by different microchip manufacturers have interfered with the purported goal of the devices: returning lost pets to their owners.
Proprietary technologies initially played a role in the problem. Each brand of microchip could be read only by scanners made by the same company. For instance, in 2001 a commonly available microchip scanner (manufactured by Home Again) could not read chips made by the company’s main competitor, Avid. When scanned, Avid chips would not display the unique code that was supposed to identify the pet. Instead, the scanner display would simply read “AVID”. I had to refer lost pets with Avid chips to a nearby facility with an Avid scanner.
This problem came to a head when a large chain of corporate veterinary practices decided to start using an entirely new type of microchip. This chip would not even register on most commercially available scanners. In other words, pets with the new chip would appear not to be microchipped when scanned with many devices.
A furore erupted. What if a lost pet with a family desperately searching for it were euthanized because an animal shelter’s scanner could not read its microchip?
This concern lead to the development of universal microchip scanners. These devices read all brands of microchips.
That’s a good start. But after a microchip has been scanned successfully, the chip must be matched to the person who registered it. There are several microchip registries.
For instance, when I scan my pal Buster’s microchip, the following information appears on the device’s screen:
473***1O43
(I have redacted a few digits from the code to protect my privacy)
This sequence of numbers and letters can be plugged into the appropriate database to reunite Buster with the people who would be frantically searching for him if he were lost. But there are several databases out there. Where to start?
Enter the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The Association has launched a new web site, www.petmicrochiplookup.org, which will track the registry of a microchip and direct a good samaritan to the proper database. In theory.
I entered Buster’s microchip information into the site and retrieved the following:
[WebException: The operation has timed out]
System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse() +5314029
_Default.ImageButton1_Click1(Object sender, ImageClickEventArgs e) +1819
System.Web.UI.ImageClickEventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, ImageClickEventArgs e) +0
System.Web.UI.WebControls.ImageButton.OnClick(ImageClickEventArgs e) +108
System.Web.UI.WebControls.ImageButton.RaisePostBackEvent(String eventArgument) +118
System.Web.UI.WebControls.ImageButton.System.Web.UI.IPostBackEventHandler.RaisePostBackEvent(String eventArgument) +10
System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(IPostBackEventHandler sourceControl, String eventArgument) +13
System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(NameValueCollection postData) +36
System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +1565
Some day perhaps microchips will live up to their potential. I hope that day comes soon.
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11/18/09
 As I was perusing the North American Veterinary Conference Clinician’s Brief the other day, a blurb about lead in canine tennis balls caught my eye. A quick Google search brought up the article mentioned in the Brief.
Healthystuff.org has been independently testing various consumer products for toxins over the last few years. Here is a bit of what the site had to say about pet toys.
HealthyStuff.org tested over 400 pet products, including beds, chew toys, stuffed toys, collars, leashes, and tennis balls. Since there are no government standards for hazardous chemicals in pet products, it is not surprising that toxic chemicals were found.
45% of pet products tested had detectable levels of one or more hazardous chemical, including:
One-quarter of all pet products had detectable levels of lead.
7% of all pet products have lead levels greater than 300 ppm — the current CPSC lead standard for lead in children’s products.
Nearly half of pet collars had detectable levels of lead; with 27% exceeding 300 ppm — the CPSC limit for lead in children’s products.
One half (48%) of tennis balls tested had detectable levels of lead. Tennis balls intended for pets were much more likely to contain lead. Sports tennis balls contained no lead.
Lead poisoning affects many systems in the body. Learning and cognitive difficulties are a common feature of lead poisoning. This means that my pal Buster, who loves playing fetch and no doubt has consumed ample lead from various balls, may have to give up on his dream of a Nobel Prize in economics.
Photo: I hope that’s a sport tennis ball. By Bruce.
Editor’s Note: Here is a list of toys, beds, collars and more Healthy Stuff has found with high levels of lead. Also see their list of pet products of medium concern.
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11/16/09
 DVM Newsmagazine reports on rabies in the United States:
National report — The number of rabies-infected cats was almost four times that of rabies-infected dogs in the United States in 2008, according to a new report from the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Cats may be more prone to rabies because they’re vaccinated less and roam outdoors unsupervised more often than dogs, the report suggests.
The data, collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, appears in a new AVMA rabies backgrounder published online in advance of World Rabies Day, Sept. 28. The report also covers the history of rabies and its prevalence around the world as well as clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and euthanasia protocols for infected and possibly infected animals.
Most rabies infections — 93 percent — are seen in wild animals, according to the report, but most post-exposure rabies prophylaxis (PEP) in humans is administered because of exposure to rabid or possibly rabid cats and dogs.
Researchers also warn that imported dogs carry the threat of a resurgence of canine rabies variants in this country. They point to a rabid puppy that arrived from India in 2007, and a rabid dog from Iraq imported into New Jersey in 2008.
The complete study, “Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2008” appears in the Sept. 15 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
A quick visit to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website provided hard numbers. In 2008, 49 states (Hawaii is rabies free) and Puerto Rico reported 294 rabid cats, 75 rabid dogs, and two people with rabies. Both human cases appeared to spread by bats. Both people died.
Bear in mind that these numbers are relatively small. Rabies is not common in developed countries. However, it is a major threat to humans and animals in some parts of the world. In these areas, dogs are the leading source of human rabies.
Chart: American Veterinary Medical Association.
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11/14/09
 My 10 month old dog got spayed this past Tuesday. She was fine on wed except for excessive thirst and urination. Thursday she started to pant and shake A LOT! I took her back to her vet who said that during surgery (he didn’t tell me this previously) he had a problem hematoma I think, and he had to give her steroids intravenously to reduce the risk of shock.
He took a full panel of blood work and all shows normal as well as her temp. He believes it is all the steroids working their way out and suggested giving her 1 tsp. of baking soda to 1 qt. of water. I did that. I am taking her out every 10 minutes to pee, she is shaking and panting like crazy and I am really concerned and worried. Any ideas or suggestions?
Amy
I agree that the steroid injection probably caused the symptoms you describe. Steroids are very useful medicines in many situations. In some instances (such as when there is a risk of shock), steroids can be life saving.
However, steroids are very powerful medications. They can cause many side effects. Panting, restlessness, trembling, and increased urination are among the most common.
The side effects should wear off as the medicine clears from your dog’s system. This may take several days.
I think you should talk to your vet more about why the steroid injection was administered. Steroid injections are not routine during spay surgeries. If your dog was at risk of shock, you should try to learn more about why that happened–shock is a very rare (and serious) development during routine surgeries. Was the problem something that might occur again in the future if she is anesthetized? Might there be complications from the problem as your dog matures? For the sake of your dog, you need to know the answers to these questions.
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11/09/09
 I have an 7yr old female yorkie. She has had itching and patchy hair loss over the last yr. I have had her to two different vets. One says its yeast, the other an allergic reation. I have been feeding her Duck/Potato and she has had no change. What can I do to help her? She has an odor to her hair/skin after a couple of days so she is getting baths 2xs a week.
Donna
Russellville, AR
I suspect your dog has both a skin infection (with bacteria and possibly yeast) and allergies.
Itchy skin is the hallmark of allergies in dogs. Malodorous skin is often a sign of a skin infection.
Dogs can be allergic to many things. Fleas are the number one cause of allergies in canine companions. If your dog isn’t already on a good flea preventative I would recommend that you start one regardless of whether she has a visible flea infestation.
Food allergies also can cause skin problems in pets. Duck and potato diets are hypoallergenic, but your dog may be a rare reactor to a protein in her food. You therefore could consider switching to a different hypoallergenic diet.
Finally, environmental allergens can cause symptoms like you describe. Dogs can be allergic to pollen, mold spores, dust mites, cockroaches, chemicals, detergents, cats, and even humans. Preventing exposure to these allergens can be difficult. Allergy testing is required to identify these allergies.
Once the skin is weakened by allergies, bacteria and yeast can proliferate exuberantly, leading to a skin infection with an unpleasant odor. Skin infections exacerbate itching and baldness.
Bacterial infections respond to antibiotics. Yeast infections can be diagnosed with a non-invasive test called skin cytology, and can be treated with anti-fungal agents. You should talk to your vet about an antibiotic trial and skin cytology.
Finally, although your dog’s problems truly sound like a combination of allergies and skin infection, remember that other things could be going on. Certain parasitic infestations and auto-immune diseases may cause similar symptoms.
Click the links in this article for more information on any of the highlighted subjects.
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11/07/09
 My indoor cat MidgeyGirl was diagnosed three years ago with a heart murmur, she’s six now. Should I be concerned? I haven’t had her checked in some time, since I’ve moved to another state. Does this murmur ever correct itself, is there medication for this? Thank you!
Lee
Stuart, FL
A heart murmur is a description of how the heart sounds when a veterinarian listens to it. The presence or absence of a heart murmur does not always correlate with the presence or absence of heart disease.
A heart murmur signifies turbulent flow of blood through the heart. Under normal circumstances blood flows through the heart smoothly and soundlessly. In animals with heart murmurs the blood does not flow as smoothly, and this causes a shushing noise that is called a heart murmur.
Blood flowing through the heart is similar to water flowing through a hose. A kink or irregularity in the hose can lead to a shushing noise as the water flows through. Any irregularity in the structure of the heart or the flow of blood through the heart causes a similar shushing noise.
Heart murmurs come in two broad categories: non-pathological and pathological. Non-pathological heart murmurs are caused by benign hereditary or developmental anomalies and other harmless irregularities in the structure (but not the function) of the heart.
Pathological heart murmurs are caused by leaky valves, irregularities in heart muscle structure, or anatomical irregularities that compromise heart function.
Animals like MidgeyGirl that develop heart murmurs at a young age often have non-pathological murmurs. Animals that develop heart murmurs late in life most often have pathological heart conditions.
However, there is absolutely no way to tell whether a murmur is pathological or non-pathological simply by listening to it. Diagnostic tests are needed to determine whether disease exists and whether medications are necessary.
A combination of chest X-rays and ultrasound of the heart (known as echocardiography) almost always reveals whether heart pathology is present. Basic blood tests (and a special blood test called pro-BNP) also are useful.
I recommend that your vet perform these tests on MidgeyGirl. Hopefully the results will put your mind at ease.
Go to my website for more information on heart disease in pets.
Cats: http://drbarchas.com/feline_heart_disease
Dogs: http://drbarchas.com/canine_heart_disease
Photo: Lola’s heart looks good!
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11/02/09
 A few days ago a very nice woman brought her Miniature Schnauzer to my office. The dog had been acting agitated for several days. He seemed reluctant to sit down, but when he finally was seated the dog had a tendency to rub his hind end on the floor.
A thorough general physical examination was unremarkable (unremarkable is how veterinarians say normal–we can’t actually say normal because the word normal, according to some malpractice insurance providers, implies things that can be very dangerous if we have missed something subtle).
The symptoms were consistent with an anal gland problem. If you never have heard of anal glands, consider yourself lucky. You may want to stop reading now in order to preserve your innocence.
The anal glands are bulbs located adjacent to the anus. The bulbs are connected to the anus by ducts. The glands produce a fluid with a unique odor. It smells like a combination of rotting fish, feces, and tear gas.
Cats and dogs have anal glands. Skunks do too–the glands are modified in skunks and are responsible for skunks’ unique smell.
The anal glands normally empty when a cat or dog defecates. In some instances, however, this does not happen as it should. The result is anal glands that are impacted and distended. Animals with impacted anal glands often drag their rear ends along the ground.
Impacted anal glands are treated by manual expression. The most effective means of manually expressing anal glands involves inserting a finger into the animal’s rectum and massaging the accumulated fluid out of the glands.
This is what I proposed for my patient whose hind end was so uncomfortable.
The owner accepted my proposal. However, she declined to accept my recommendation that the procedure be performed in a section of the hospital where only employees were present. She asked to be present while her dog’s anal glands were expressed.
Palpation of the glands revealed that they were both markedly distended. Both glands were expressed with ease. A large amount of fluid was released.
As the smell of the fluid filled the room, the owner of the Miniature Schnauzer soon was ill at ease. She complained of light headedness and dizziness. She asked to sit down. She retched and nearly vomited.
The nurse and I escorted her to some fresh air. She rapidly recovered. I blame myself for not warning her vehemently enough that anal gland fluid smells really bad.
After enough time one becomes inured to the smell of anal glands. To the uninitiated, however, it can be overpowering.
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10/31/09
 I love Halloween. Sadly, tonight I am working at the veterinary emergency hospital. And I already know what the night is going to bring. People and dogs are very predictable.
People will leave Halloween candy unattended, in many cases just for a moment. Dogs will pounce upon and devour the candy, wrappers and all. I see the consequences of this every year, time and time again.
Fortunately, most Halloween candy contains milk chocolate (click the link to learn more about chocolate toxicity in dogs)–one of the least dangerous types. And many seasonal treats are made mostly of nougat, which isn’t technically toxic. The wrappers generally are harmless.
But any dog that eats enough Halloween candy is at risk of more than chocolate toxicity or an upset stomach. Each year I treat several dogs for pancreatitis after they devour a stash of sugary treats.
Pancreatitis is a life-threatening inflammation of an organ that is involved in the digestion of food. Dogs who recover from pancreatitis are at increased risk of diabetes later in life.
Have fun this Halloween. But watch the dog!
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10/30/09
 Dr. Barchas,
One of my Pit Bull rescues has patchy bald spots on his face. The vet has tested several spots on two separate occasions and consistently show negative for mange. Any ideas what else could be causing this?
Thank you!
Paoline
Atlanta, GA
You don’t mention how old your dog is. If he is less than two years old, I am guessing that puppy mange is causing the bald spots.
Yes, I know, your dog twice tested negative for mange. But the test for puppy mange (which is caused by a mite called Demodex) occasionally yields false negatives. The test involves scraping the skin with a scalpel blade. This process harvests skin (and any parasites contained within the skin) from the affected area. The harvested sample is scanned under a microscope. If Demodex organisms are seen, the diagnosis is clear. If none are seen, then one of two things could be going on: either puppy mange isn’t causing the spots, or no Demodex organisms happened to be present in the area that was scraped.
Puppy mange most commonly causes patchy baldness without skin irritation (the spots generally aren’t red or itchy). The spots most commonly occur on the face. In my experience Pit Bulls are extremely susceptible to the syndrome.
If your dog’s spots aren’t bothering him and they aren’t coalescing to take over his face, I recommend that you try to wait it out. Almost every dog outgrows the problem by two years of age.
For more information on the syndrome, go to my website:
http://drbarchas.com/demodex
Photo: no sign of puppy mange on Tank.
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10/28/09
 Swine flu, also known as H1N1 influenza, has been dominating the news recently. The viral strain appears set to cause the first influenza pandemic in a generation. Influenza pandemics are big deals. The pandemic of 1918-1920 caused more people to die from flu than from bullets or bombs during World War One.
Influenza viruses are known for infecting multiple species–as the name would imply, swine flu developed in pigs and then spread to people.
This may lead pet owners to wonder: can cats and dogs catch swine flu?
The answer appears to be no. DVM Newsmagazine reports that there is no evidence cats or dogs can contract, carry, spread, or suffer illness from H1N1 influenza.
H1N1 influenza has been isolated from a ferret. Fortunately at this time there is no evidence that ferrets can spread the disease to people.
Although it appears we can rest easy about our cats and dogs catching swine flu, remember that cats are susceptible to an even scarier form of influenza: bird flu (also known as H5N1). Cats contract bird flu by preying upon or being fed raw bird meat. The virus does not appear capable of spreading from cat to cat. That is a good thing, since the fatality rate among cats infected with H5N1 appears to be 100%.
Fortunately, it is easy to protect your cat from H5N1. If you feed your cat commercial or cooked food and keep him indoors, his chances of catching bird flu are nil.
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Microchips are brilliant in theory. Pets can be lost in countless ways. A microchip provides a permanent link between pet and owner. In theory.
You have questions. 