Everyone with a dog has asked the question and almost everyone, including friends and neighbors,  has an opinion on why this occurs.  “Rocky” is seen scooting his bottom on the floor at home or the grass in the backyard.  It can be a rather annoying and unpleasant sight for many pet owners.  Why does your pet continually do this disgusting habit?  One of the most common reason for this behavior is impacted anal glands.  So what are anal glands and how can you keep this from happening?

Anal glands are glands that are located near the rectum of dogs and cats.  They serve absolutely no purpose although it is believed that at one time it was a “marking” mechanism to let other dogs or cats know that the animal had been here.  Most pets will automatically express the anal  glands whenever they defecate, although they may be expressed spontaneously in times of stress.  If you are present when these glands are expressed, you are aware of just how unpleasant the odor can be.  On occasion the glands may become impacted and can be very uncomfortable for your pet.  This is when the “scooting” occurs and is your pet’s attempt to relieve the discomfort.  Other signs of discomfort may include  licking or biting at the anus, sitting uncomfortably, having difficulty sitting or standing, or chasing of the  tail.  A trip to your veterinarian is in order to diagnose and treat the situation.  Pets that are obese or have soft stools may have more problems with their anal glands.  While anal gland problems are more common in dogs, they can also be present in our feline friends.

Normally the fluid produced by anal glands is a liquid the consistency of oil.  However, when it is not expressed it becomes thickened and may actually become impacted and cause the anal glands to abcess if not expressed.  If your pet has issues with his/her anal glands, it is important that they be expressed regularly to avoid complications.  If this is a recurring problem for your pet, the best treatment is removal of the anal sacs.  While this is not a complicated procedure, it is time consuming and not a procedure every veterinarian chooses to perform.  Having this procedure done on a pet with recurring anal gland problems will avoid the pain and discomfort experienced with this most unpleasant problem.

by Dr. Jennifer McCutchon

Recently, an adult, indoor only cat we’ll call “Rags” for privacy reasons, presented to me for signs of decreased energy and acting abnormally for the past day and a half.  “Rags” was reported to have a wheezing sound and potentially trying to get up a hairball.  Physical examination revealed increased respiratory effort and wheezes in her lungs.  After taking chest x-rays, it was determined that her heart was enlarged and that she had inflammation and fluid buildup in her lungs which was leading to her respiratory difficulty.  Bloodwork results showed that “Rags” had been exposed to heartworms and she was diagnosed with Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease.  “Rags” was given supportive treatments and started on a monthly heartworm preventative and with time she improved.  While “Rags” responded well to treatment, not all cats infected with heartworms are so lucky.  

Heartworms are parasites which infect dogs and cats through the bite of a mosquito.  Juvenile heartworms pass into an animal’s body after the mosquito takes a blood-meal.  The heartworm larvae then begin migrating through the animal’s body towards the vessels of the heart and lungs.  It can take up to 6 months for adult heartworms to reach these vessels. 

Cats tend to be more resistant to development of adult worms and have fewer and smaller worms than dogs.  However, cats can have very dramatic and even fatal complications associated with the parasite.  It only takes one heartworm migrating through a cat’s lungs to cause serious inflammation and injury to the lungs. 

A cat suffering from heartworm disease can present with signs often mistaken for an asthma attack.  Signs can range in severity and may include vomiting, decreased energy, weight loss, coughing, difficulty breathing, collapse, convulsions, and even sudden death.  Cats who survive the initial complications of heartworm disease may still have long term effects due to the damage to their lungs. 

All cats in high mosquito areas, such as Texas, are at risk, even indoor only cats.  The only way to prevent complications associated with heartworms is through giving a monthly heartworm preventative. Heartworm testing is now available and recommended for all cats as part of their annual wellness visit.

For more information about Feline Heartworm Disease contact , Woodland Springs Veterinary Hospital at 817.431.3735 or click here.

Dangers: Overweight or obese dogs, large breed dogs, those with heavy muscling (pit bulls, boxers), or those that are brachycephalic (i.e., smooshed-nosed dogs like English bulldogs, French bulldogs, Shih Tzus, and pugs) are predisposed to overheating due their poor ability to dissipate heat. Dogs with health problems like laryngeal paralysis (an airway cartilage abnormality that results in loud, noisy breathing or a change in bark) are also predisposed to heat stroke. Any dogs carrying tennis balls in their mouths are also at risk because their airway is blocked, preventing adequate panting and cooling.

The most dangerous temperature is often 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the presence of 70 percent or 80 percent humidity. At this temperature—and higher temperatures—less evaporative cooling and heat loss take place so the body is unable to cool itself well through panting.

Cats and dogs inside closed cars—even with the windows slightly open—that are exposed to direct sun face a dangerous risk of heat stroke. Even when the temperature is as low as 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the inside of a car can heat up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 20 minutes, resulting in death in less than an hour.

Clinical signs: Signs of heat stroke while exercising: constant panting, slowing down, collapse, dark red gums, little urine production (or very concentrated, yellow/brown urine), and lethargy. Pets with heat stroke frequently have body temperatures greater than 108 degrees Fahrenheit, which often leads to permanent organ damage (kidney failure, bloody diarrhea), altered clotting (disseminated intravascular coagulation), or death.

Treatment: If any of these signs occur, it is imperative for pet owners to cool their pets immediately in a pond or pool and immediately call their veterinarian. Treatment includes rapid whole-body cooling with cool water baths (not ice), fans, cold towels, and alcohol applied to the paw pads. Aggressive therapy with IV fluids, IV protein (colloids), electrolyte and blood glucose monitoring, plasma transfusions, urine output monitoring, and supportive care are necessary for survival.

Prognosis: Good if treated early and before the body temperature has reached critical levels. Prevention is key—pet owners should carry a water bottle and offer fresh, cool water frequently to their dog, and to keep their pet wet and cooled during walks in hot weather if possible.

The neighborhood that we are most adjacent to, The Villages of Woodland Springs, has such a huge community of pet owners, it is impressive to see how attentively they look after each others’ pets.  I have worked at several major hospitals in different areas of Texas, and never have I seen so many pet owners bringing stray dogs and cats in to us.  I say stray, but I really mean lost animals.  Microchipping has been around for years and years, and I wonder why more people have not done this for their pets?  

So I have to ask myself… as the manager for the veterinary hospital supporting this community and those around it, how do we help?  What can I do to raise awareness and make sure that all of these pet owners know what their options are?  How do I rally our team of Veterinarians and staff members to make sure this is a subject we discuss at the time of the physical examinations?    

The answer to all of these questions is to just start talking about it!  So that’s what I am doing today!

A microchip is permanent identification for your pet, and is about the size of a grain of rice that is implanted between the shoulder blades.  The microchip has a unique number that is scannable at all veterinarians and shelters.  Your pet’s number is registered to a national database that is available 24 hours a day by phone or the internet.  The database allows your pet to first and foremost be returned to you, but also in a much more timely manner.  I have to remind you that there are lost dogs (and cats!) coming into our hospital daily, and the first thing we do is scan them for a microchip!

To learn more about microchipping your pet, click here.  Then when you are ready to microchip your pet, or have any questions for us, please give us a call at 817.431.3735.  We are always happy to help!

While vaccines are an integral part of your pet’s preventative health care plan, we recommend that you take other important steps to keep your pet healthy.  The rest of your pet’s plan should include annual or semi-annual examinations, proper dental care, obedience and behavioral training and preventative care testing such as heartworm and annual wellness bloodwork.  These things, along with the vaccinations that we recommend will help to keep your pet happy and healthy for many years.

The first thing that many pet-owners think of when they consider taking their pet to the veterinarian is which vaccines do they need?  We cannot determine the safest and most effective vaccination plan for your pet unless we know what his or her lifestyle is.  We will ask you several questions that will help us determine which vaccinations we will be recommending and which ones we will not.  Any time a pet is vaccinated, there are risks.  Therefore, we insist on giving your pet only those vaccines which will be beneficial, excluding any that are unnecessary.  This will reduce the risk of vaccine related problems.  For more information on vaccination recommendations of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) click here.

While vaccinations are an important part in maintaining your pet’s health, the physical examination is the most important part of your pet’s preventative health care. During this examination, the veterinarian will look in your pet’s eyes and ears, listen to your pet’s heart and lungs, examine the skin and hair, and feel for any internal physical abnormalities.  We will also talk to you extensively about the behaviors of your pet and their environmental conditions. All of these things together will allow us to discuss with you the risk factors that will influence specific vaccinations and preventative health care tests that we recommend for your pet.

Give us a call when you need us… we are always here to help!