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This fall, something happened that is likely going to change the way I practice veterinary medicine, at least a little. I suffered a really bad bite, and lost function in my hand for several weeks. It was both scary and painful.
My patient was a 45 pound dog who was very scared. Since she tends to bite when she is scared, she has had trouble in veterinary offices in the past so the owner muzzled her for her blood draw. When I reached to pat her, she swiftly pulled off her muscle and bit me really hard on my hand, not letting go for several seconds. The pain was quite intense as the bite was very deep. Anyway, long story short, I had to go to the emergency room three times over a 24 hour period because the infection was difficult to control despite my being on three potent antibiotics.
Unfortunately, because trips to the vet to have traditionally been so difficult for this dog, she was not up to date on her Rabies vaccine. Now, while I am sure that this little dog did not have rabies, state laws still requires quarantine for 10 days to be sure that she was not carrying rabies. If she were to get sick during this 10 day quarantine, the state could demand that she be euthanized and her brain sent to the lab to be tested for rabies. Not a happy story for the dog either. The state has these tough guidelines because Rabies is a zoonotic disease.
A zoonotic disease is one which is transmittable from animals to humans. Other diseases in this category include the A1N1 flu virus (“Swine Flu”), Campylobacter, Giardia, Salmonellosis, E.coli, etc. the state takes these diseases very seriously.
Lessons reiterated:
- Even dogs with muzzles can be quite dangerous.
- Treat all bite wounds as potentially life-threatening and be sure to institute appropriate medical care immediately after suffering such a wound.
- All pets are up-to-date on their Rabies vaccination. Even pets that don’t go outside should really be vaccinated against rabies because the consequences can be so severe both for you and your pet. We would hate for you to be forced to euthanize your pet!
Finally, a word on biting and other misbehavior during veterinary visits… To be honest, I really don’t blame this poor little dog for what she did. She was really scared, and she was telling me she was scared using her best body language. Unfortunately, sometimes as a veterinarian, I am forced to handle animals even when they are scared and resist exam. However, if I had to do it over again, I would likely give this dog a heavy sedative before trying to touch her.
Of course, there is always a risk administering sedative, especially if you haven’t been able to do a complete physical exam first. Therefore, the risk of sedation always needs to be balanced against the benefit the pet will likely receive by having the medical procedure/exam that it needs.
I do try to take into account that fear is a form of suffering too, so as a veterinarian, I try to work pretty hard to decrease not only physical suffering for your pet, but also emotional distress as well. Thus, sometimes some “happy juice” is the best choice for all of us, pets and people, and sometimes patience and gentleness alone will do the trick.
Talk with you soon,
Dr. Hanna E.
Following is a reprint of an article sent out by Washington State Public Health for your information:
Protecting Pets from Illness
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) remind Iowans that in addition to protecting their families, friends and neighbors from the spread of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, it’s important to remember to protect family pets from the illness, as well. People who are sick with H1N1 can spread the virus not only to humans, but to some animals.
The Departments are sharing this message following the confirmation of a case of H1N1 in an Iowa cat.
The 13-year-old indoor cat in Iowa was brought to the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where it tested positive for the H1N1 virus. The diagnosis is the culmination of collaborative efforts between IDPH, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Advanced Host Defenses, Immunobiotics and Translational Comparative Medicine, USDA, and IDALS Animal Industry Bureau.
“Two of the three members of the family that owns the pet had suffered from influenza-like illness before the cat became ill,” said IDPH Public Health Veterinarian, Dr. Ann Garvey. “This is not unexpected, as other strains of influenza have been found in cats in the past.” Both the cat and its owners have recovered from their illnesses.
People can keep their pets healthy by washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and minimizing contact with their pets while ill with influenza-like symptoms. If your pet exhibits signs of a respiratory illness, contact your veterinarian.
“Indoor pets that live in close proximity to someone who has been sick are at risk and it is wise to monitor their health to ensure they aren’t showing signs of illness,” said Dr. David Schmitt, State Veterinarian for Iowa.
For more information about H1N1, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/h1n1/ or call the Iowa Influenza Hotline at 1-800-447-1985.
For the month of November, we will be trying out some new hours. We are going to be open approximately every other Saturday, as well as Tuesday evenings until 7 pm in an attempt to better accommodate your pet health care needs. Call us to book these slots, as they are going fast.
Many people ask me what dog food I recommend. Well, that is not an easy question, as I believe that what is right for one pet is not necessarily right for another. My primary tenets are to feed a healthy diet that is complete in all nutrients and has been tested by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) to not only contain the nutrients is says it does, but also that is those nutrients are absorbable and usable by your pet. See http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1661&aid=662 for some additional information, nicely summarized by the veterinarian at Foster and Smith, Dr. Holly Nash.
Of equal importance is to feed the right amount of the diet; ie, not too much and not too little. Overweight pets suffer from a multitude of diseases and tend to die younger than pets kept fit and trim. Underweight pets may not be getting enough calories, may be burning more than they take in (ie, an active dog on a high-fiber diet), or may not be absorbing the food properly because of underlying medical conditions.
If your pet has special health needs, he or she will need a diet formulated to best meet those needs. For example, pets with kidney disease need diets low in salt and phosphorus, and containing a small amount of a very high biological value protein as well as lots of essential fatty acids to promote renal health.
In general, I don’t recommend raw food diets, mostly because there is a much higher incidence of bacterial overgrowth issues with these foods (they require very careful handling), and because many of these bacterial can and do make people sick also. This is especially important in homes where there are small children, elderly people, or anyone that is immunosuppressed in any way.
This is not to say that I don’t have many clients that use these foods successfully. I do, and I support these clients in their choice. It is just that I think there are other diets that can achieve similar results without the danger of health issues to you and your pet.
Okay, that’s all for now. Next blog I will move on to some “myth-busting” regarding ingredients we find in pet foods.
Stay well and enjoy this lovely fall weather! Hanna Ekstrom DVM
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