Cats

October has traditionally been designated National Pet Wellness Month, but at Brownsburg Animal Clinic, wellness is a year-round priority. 

Many of our clients think their pets’ wellness begins and ends with the recommended yearly (or twice-yearly for older pets) exam and the vaccines that may come with it. 

But there is so much more to pet wellness than wellness exams! 

In fact, your pet’s wellness depends not only on regular, capable veterinary care, but on the care you provide between clinic appointments, every day, at home. 

Preventive Care

As part of our Pet Care Costs collection of posts and pages to help you manage the costs of pet ownership more effectively, we published “Preventive Care for Better Health and Lower Costs.” In that blog post, we talked about how preventive care—another name for wellness care—can benefit not only your pet’s health but your budget, too. 

The topics we covered:

• Wellness Exams
• Vaccinations
• Deworming
• Heartworm and Flea and Tick Preventives
• Spaying and Neutering
• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Dental Care

We encourage you to review the post on preventive care for an overview of the basic, year-round responsibilities of keeping your pet well.

Overweight and Obesity

Earlier this year, we dedicated an entire blog post to the very serious problem of overweight and obesity in pets.

Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more pets whose wellness is jeopardized by excess weight. In fact, these days more than half of pet dogs and cats are overweight. 

We are also seeing many owners who deny their pet’s weight problem and may even get angry with us for bringing it up.

We understand! Nobody wants to hear, “Your dog really needs to lose some weight,” or “Your cat is dangerously obese.” It’s only natural to feel at least a little embarrassed, defensive and insulted when one of our veterinarians says something like that to you.

Just keep in mind—our first priority is your pet’s health, and we would be negligent if we didn’t call out overweight and obesity for the serious health problems they are. 

If we see it, we have to say it. 

Rather than wait for us to evaluate your pet’s body condition, you can judge for yourself if your pet is overweight or obese using resources linked to in our blog post. 

Once we mutually recognize, acknowledge and evaluate the problem, we can make a plan and work together to help your pet achieve a healthier weight. 

Safety Concerns

We often publish posts on our blog about pet safety, too. 

Keeping your pet safe from potential hazards is another critically important aspect of wellness that needs attending year-round. 

We hope you’ll browse the “Safety” category on our blog to gain an even broader perspective on how your taking safety precautions can contribute to your pet’s year-round wellness. 

We’re in This Together!

Your pet’s wellness is a year-round concern the veterinarians and staff of Brownsburg Animal Clinic take very seriously! 

We see our patients’ wellness as a collaborative effort between our team and our clients. 

With you, we’re in your pet’s wellness together, and we feel honored you’ve chosen us to work with you to provide your pet with the healthiest, happiest possible life.

What’s next? Call us now at (317) 852-3323 to see when your pet’s next wellness exam is due.

In coordination with human medicine’s Pain Awareness Month, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) has designated September as Animal Pain Awareness Month because animals experience pain just as people do.

Unlike people, animals can’t use words to tell us when, where and how much it hurts. Those of us who love them must be alert for signs our patients and pets are in pain and work together to diagnose, treat and manage it.

According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons—

Pain can be caused by many things:

• physical trauma, such as falling down or being hit by something
• internal organ problems, such as intestinal upset or kidney blockage
• surgical procedures, such as abdominal surgery or bone surgery
• brain or spine problems, such as a slipped disc, pinched nerve or headache
• degenerative changes, such as arthritis and joint damage

An article in Today’s Veterinary Practice explains—

Pain is typically classified as acute or chronic:

Acute pain is broadly defined as pain that lasts for a short period of time and usually subsides after the inflammatory and healing processes are completed.

Chronic pain is a more complex phenomenon, and can last much longer than acute pain (up to lifelong).

Acute pain after an injury or surgery is relatively easy to recognize and address in a timely way. Chronic pain is often more subtle in its onset and progression and easier to ignore or explain away simply as age-related “slowing down.”

In a report titled “Pain in Pets: Beyond Physiology,” published by the National Institutes of Health, researchers note, “Acute pain that is not appropriately addressed can evolve into chronic (long-lasting) maladaptive pain.”

That’s why, at Brownsburg Animal Clinic, we take a proactive, compassionate approach to pain relief. We believe we owe it to our patients to recognize their potential to experience pain and help our clients learn the symptoms they, as the people who know their pets best of all, are in the best position to observe and report back to our veterinarians and technicians.

Then it’s up to us to provide our patients the help they need without delay to ease acute pain, stop or at least slow further progression toward chronic pain and do our best to restore and maintain their optimum comfort and quality of life over the long term.

Signs Your Dog May Be Hurting

• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Decreasing activity
• Interacting less with family and other pets
• Irritability or aggressiveness
• Lameness or limping after exercise
• Lagging behind on walks
• Not moving from one spot
• Hiding, perhaps in other-than-usual places
• Exhibiting tense, pained facial expressions
• Ears flattened against the head
• Crying or whining
• Growling when approached
• Hunched-up body
• Restlessness, inability to get comfortable, changing positions frequently
• Heavy panting
• Reluctance to jump up or go up and down stairs
• Stiffness
• Difficulty standing after lying down
• Difficulty maintaining positions to urinate and defecate
• Showing less interest in eating and drinking
• Shaking and trembling

Signs Your Cat May Be Hurting

• Hissing or spitting
• Scratching or biting
• Growling and/or purring
• Irritability or aggressiveness
• Loss of agility and flexibility
• Changes in customary resting places
• Reluctance to jump and visit favorite high places
• Excessive licking, grooming or chewing
• Decreased grooming that suggests difficulty in twisting the body
• Trouble climbing in and out of the litter box
• Difficulty maintaining positions to urinate and defecate
• Crying or whining
• Hunched-up body
• Stiff, tense posture
• Restlessness, inability to get comfortable, changing positions frequently
• Faster, heavier breathing
• Decreased eating and drinking
• Shaking and trembling

As these lists indicate, expressions of pain may be many and varied, with each animal’s response unique to the individual. Many dogs and cats instinctively hide pain—some more than others—so it’s important to pay attention to even minor changes in what you know to be your pet’s normal behavior, activity levels and routines.

What To Do if You See Signs of Pain

• Make an appointment to see one of our veterinarians as soon as you can.
• Note the signs and symptoms you’re seeing so you can provide the veterinarian as much detailed information as possible to help diagnose the source of the pain and determine the best course of treatment.
• Limit your pet’s activity to reduce the risk of further pain or injury.

What Not To Do

Do not give medicines—especially pain-relieving drugs meant for humans—to your pet.

Managing Pain

Since their approval for veterinary use, beginning in the 1990s, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have become central to treating and managing post-operative and chronic pain in animals.

Opioids and other pain-relieving drugs may be prescribed in some cases.

Sedatives may be used to keep your pet calm and activity levels low.

New drugs continue to be developed and approved for veterinary use as do other treatment modalities.

Immobilization may be used to treat injuries like fractures or wounds, with a bandage, splint or cast put in place to keep your pet from moving and causing more injury and pain.

Local therapies, such as cold and warm compresses, massage, range-of-motion exercises, ultrasound and laser treatments may be used at the surgery site or site of the injury to help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Rehabilitation therapies can be used to treat both new and chronic pain, with exercises by a qualified veterinary rehab specialist to help your pet recover from an existing injury and prevent new injuries from happening.

Whatever combination of treatment modalities we recommend and implement, we will need to monitor your pet to make sure pain is being effectively reduced and there are few, if any, side effects. This may mean frequent follow-up visits, tests and/or drug and dosage adjustments. Otherwise, your pet may experience continuing pain and possibly severe complications.

About Those NSAIDs

In an article, “What Veterinarians Should Advise Clients about Pain Control and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) in Dogs and Cats,” The Food and Drug Administration notes—

Recognizing and controlling pain in dogs and cats are important parts of companion animal medicine. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a mainstay of pain management, but these drugs can cause side effects, some of which can be serious. Veterinarians are in the best position to inform dog and cat owners about these side effects and should discuss the benefits as well as the risks of an NSAID with their client before prescribing it for a patient.

Should we prescribe an NSAID to relieve your pet’s pain, we will emphasize the importance of following our dosing instructions to the letter and never adjusting the dosage on your own or giving other prescription or over-the-counter drugs we don’t know about.

For long-term use of an NSAID, we will recommend regular check-ups, complete with blood and urine tests to confirm the drug is safe for continued use.

Meanwhile, side effects to look out for include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, depression and lethargy. If your pet is taking an NSAID and you observe any of these indications, stop administering the drug and call us immediately.

Why Treating Pain Is So Important

On their pain management webpage, the American College of Veterinary Surgeons writes—

Pain and its effects can slow recovery and prolong illness if it is not treated appropriately. This can lead to chronic issues that may require more intensive and invasive treatments. It may also make some treatments ineffective or more costly. Painful illnesses in a pet’s life may make future illness or injuries more difficult to treat. Your pet may have a bad memory of veterinary care he/she received, and be fearful or aggressive the next time they need treatment. Therefore, pain should not be viewed as a ‘good’ treatment to prevent pets from being too active and all illnesses and injury that cause pain should be appropriately treated….

If pain goes away quickly and is minor enough, the negative impact is slight. As the duration and/or severity of pain rises, all of the negative impacts start to add up, and pets need our help.

Where We Stand on Pain Management for Your Pet

In summarizing the current state of pain management in veterinary medicine, the American College of Veterinary Surgeons concludes—

The veterinary profession is sufficiently advanced to recognize and successfully manage pain in our patients. We have medications, techniques and experience that can be customized to the species and the medical condition; current standard of care allows for the vast majority of patients to be made comfortable the majority of the time. Pet owners should feel empowered to be part of the medical decision-making regarding this, and other, aspects of their pet’s medical care. From the common spay procedure to the complex trauma case, reserve the time for these pain management discussions with your primary care veterinarian or your veterinary surgeon.

At Brownsburg Animal Clinic, we are fully prepared to prioritize easing our patients’ acute and chronic pain according to our profession’s current and emerging best practices.

In alignment with our veterinary surgeon colleagues, we commit to managing our patients’ pain and encourage you to collaborate with us on formulating an effective, individualized pain management plan for your pet.

Each August, the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) sponsors National Immunization Awareness Month and, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), works to deliver four key messages:

• Vaccines protect against serious diseases.
• These diseases still exist and outbreaks do occur.
• Vaccines are recommended throughout our lives.
• Vaccines are very safe.

These four points apply to pets as well as people. We join our veterinary colleagues to support this month-long human health care campaign to raise awareness among our clients of the many benefits of immunization for pets.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) notes, “Experts agree that widespread use of vaccines within the last century has prevented death and disease in millions of animals.” 

The AVMA offers these six reasons to vaccinate your pet:

• Vaccinations prevent many pet illnesses.
• Vaccinations can help avoid costly treatments for diseases that can be prevented.
• Vaccinations prevent diseases that can be passed between animals and also from animals to people.
• Diseases prevalent in wildlife, such as rabies and distemper, can infect unvaccinated pets.
• Reputable pet boarding, daycare and training services—as well as our clinic—require vaccination against certain diseases to protect all participating animals (and people).
• In many areas, local or state ordinances require certain vaccinations of household pets.

That’s why we join the NPHIC, the CDC and the AVMA in strongly recommending vaccinating all pets in our care—including yours!

The Best Preventive Care You Can Provide

Vaccinations are essential to protecting your pet from contracting and spreading a number of dangerous, potentially deadly diseases. 

One disease in particular—rabies—is so dangerous and deadly to animals and people that Indiana law requires all dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies.

We require animals brought to our clinic to have current rabies vaccinations. If they are overdue for their rabies shots or we have no record of a current rabies vaccine on file, if their health permits, we will administer the vaccine during the visit.

Core Vaccines and More

Vaccines contain some or all inactivated proteins that cause a particular infectious disease. Following the vaccination, your pet’s immune system recognizes and creates antibodies to defend against any actual disease-causing pathogens. If exposed, a vaccinated pet may experience only a relatively mild illness or may not get sick at all.

There are several core vaccines all cats should receive: rabies, feline panleukopenia, feline viral rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus infection.

Core vaccines for dogs include rabies, distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, hepatitis and parainfluenza.

Beyond the core vaccines, we customize our recommendations for each pet by asking about the pet’s environment and habits and adding other vaccines as needed based on the pet’s estimated risk of contracting various diseases. 

For example, if your dog spends time in boarding and grooming facilities, we will most likely suggest vaccinating against Bordetella or kennel cough.

We highly recommend the leptospirosis vaccine for nearly all dogs in our part of the country, as this serious disease can be passed along from pets to humans and can be deadly to dogs. See our post about leptospirosis in which we discuss the benefits and risks of this potentially life-saving vaccine.

While the Feline Leukemia vaccine is not considered a core vaccine for adult cats who live indoors, we highly recommend it for cats that spend time outdoors. 

If your dog spends lots of time outdoors in the woods, we will likely recommend vaccinating against Lyme disease. (For more information, see our post, “Lyme Disease, Your Pet and You.”)

Travel outside the Brownsburg area or likely contact with other pets or wildlife are factors that determine what additional vaccines your veterinarian may recommend. If we are aware of regional or seasonal disease outbreaks, we will also discuss available vaccines to protect your pet from those risks. 

For puppies and kittens, we give most initial vaccinations in a series of shots between six and eight weeks of age. We give booster shots to dogs and cats at one year of age, with boosters after that every one to three years, depending on the vaccine.

To be most effective, vaccinations should be given by qualified professionals. Despite what you may see on the internet, immunization is not a job for the do-it-yourselfer. 

Staying on the vaccination schedule your veterinarian recommends is important, too. Failing to complete your puppy or kitten’s initial vaccination series or delaying or skipping booster shots puts your pet at greater risk of contracting a serious, potentially deadly disease. 

Make sure there are no gaps in your pet’s protection by completing your pet’s initial vaccination series as scheduled and staying on schedule for boosters. 

But Do Vaccines Really Work?

No vaccine is 100% effective, but it’s rare for an animal that has received an appropriately administered vaccine to contract the disease the vaccine is designed to protect against.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, vaccines can fail for these reasons:

• Failure of the vaccinated patient to mount an adequate immune response.
• Exposure to the infection before being fully vaccinated.
• Interference of maternal antibodies.
• Improper storage or handling of the vaccine, including inappropriate administration.
• Waning immunity (e.g., immunosenescence, or age-related deterioration of the immune system).
• Vaccine manufacturing errors, such as lack of potency due to instability, expiration, or improper storage.

While some of these patient-specific factors are beyond our control at the clinic, we can promise you we stock only current, high-quality, properly-stored vaccines, and our staff members are well-trained on how to handle and administer them. 

Yes, There Can Be Side-Effects

As with any medical treatment, regardless of its demonstrated safety record, individual patients may experience side-effects with vaccines. Fortunately, serious adverse reactions to vaccinations are rare. 

The most common adverse effects of vaccinations include mild, short-term pain and swelling or soreness at or near the injection site.

Contact us if your pet has these post-vaccination side effects lasting more than a day or two:

• Discomfort and swelling at the vaccination site
• Mild fever
• Decreased appetite and activity

Sneezing, mild coughing, nasal discharge and other respiratory signs may appear two to five days after your pet receives an intranasal vaccine. Call us if your pet experiences these symptoms.

A small, firm swelling may develop under the skin at the vaccination site. It should begin to disappear within two weeks, but if it lasts more than three weeks or seems to be getting larger, call us to schedule an appointment.

According to the AVMA, an uncommon but serious adverse reaction that can occur in cats is tumor growth (sarcomas), which can develop weeks, months, or even years after a vaccination. Improvements in vaccination technology and technique have greatly reduced the occurrence of sarcomas.

Less common, but more serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, can be life-threatening and should be treated as medical emergencies. If, after being vaccinated, your pet shows any of these signs, listed by the AVMA, get emergency veterinary care immediately:

• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Itchy skin that may seem bumpy (“hives”) 
• Swelling of the muzzle and around the face, neck, or eyes
• Severe coughing or difficulty breathing
• Collapse

Remember, the vast majority of pets experience no adverse side effects at all, and unless your pet has a medical condition that makes vaccination especially risky, the many benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks. 

We Welcome Your Questions

We are aware beyond our clinic, there are many outspoken critics of vaccines, eager to warn you of the perceived dangers of vaccinating your pet. 

From within the mainstream of science-backed veterinary medicine, the veterinarians at Brownsburg Animal Clinic assure you the benefits of the professionally supplied, handled and administered vaccines we recommend for your pet far outweigh the risks of the potentially deadly diseases they target. 

Knowing what we know, based on our many years of veterinary medical education and experience with vaccinating thousands of pets, we all choose to immunize our own pets using the vaccines appropriate to each pet’s individual situation and risks of exposure to the various diseases.

If you have read or heard allegations warning of the dangers of immunization, our veterinarians are happy to address your concerns with science-based facts. Just ask!

Senior cats and dogs make up 44% of the pet population as advances in veterinary care enable pets to live longer lives than ever before. 

If you are fortunate enough to enjoy the faithful companionship of an older pet, there are a number of ways you can enhance your caregiving to help your pet age more safely, comfortably and gracefully. 

Is Your Pet a Senior? 

Whether or not your pet has reached its senior years generally varies by species and by size.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners considers cats 10 years old and older to be seniors, but your veterinarian may begin treating your cat as a senior at an earlier age if he or she is already showing signs of aging. 

Dogs are considered seniors when they’ve reached the remaining 25% of their estimated lifespan, based on size. 

Given that smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger ones, data from the American Kennel Club suggests dogs achieve senior status according to these guidelines:

• Small and toy breeds weighing less than 20 pounds are considered seniors at age 8 to 11 years of age.
• Medium-sized breeds weighing 20 to 50 pounds are classified as seniors when they’re 8 to 10 years old.
• Large breeds weighing 50 to 90 pounds achieve senior status at age 8 to 9 years.
• Giant breeds weighing more than 90 pounds are seniors when they’re 6 to 7 years old. 

Home Care for Senior Pets

Keep your senior pet active. Although it’s natural for pets to slow down as they age, you can help them stay mobile and flexible by routinely encouraging an age-adjusted level of physical activity. Your walks together may be briefer and more leisurely, but still enjoyable.

Talk to your veterinarian about potential changes to your senior pet’s diet. You may want to transition to a food that’s easier to digest and enriched with supplements—glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, for example—considered especially beneficial for older pets. 

If your pet has been diagnosed with a chronic health condition, such as liver or kidney disease, we may recommend a prescription diet formulated to help manage the diagnosed condition.

As your pet ages, it’s more important than ever to help your pet achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain and weight loss are both concerning. 

See our posts, “Overweight, Obesity and Your Pet’s Health” and “New Year’s Resolutions for Overweight Pets” for more detailed information about evaluating your pet’s body condition and managing your pet’s weight.

Senior dogs are increasingly susceptible to dental disease, so it’s more important than ever to brush your pet’s teeth every day and have dental cleanings and exams under anesthesia when we recommend them. See our post, “Time to Focus on Your Pet’s Dental Health” for details. 

Home Comforts for Seniors

Your aging pet may benefit from changes to make your home environment more safe, comfortable and accommodating. You might consider—

• Orthopedic pet beds
• Raised feeding platforms
• Food and water bowls with no-slip bottoms
• Additional water bowls around the house
• Pet stairs and ramps to make it easier to access favorite spots
• Larger litter boxes with ramps or low sides 
• Litter boxes that don’t require stair-climbing to access
• No-slip rugs to provide better footing on slippery floors
• Baby gates to block stairs
• Covers over swimming pools, fire pits and window wells

Make sure your senior pet has a space where he or she can safely retreat from activities in your home. Put his or her bed against a wall or in a corner or inside a crate with the door propped open.

Veterinary Care for Seniors

No matter how well you care for your senior pet at home, with time he or she will become increasingly vulnerable to age-related health issues. 

A stepped-up schedule of regular veterinary care—even for apparently healthy pets—is essential to detecting, diagnosing and managing any of these issues that may emerge as your pet ages. 

Specifically, once your pet transitions to senior status, it’s time to double up on annual wellness exams and schedule them twice a year. 

Pets taking some medications may require even more frequent check-ups to make sure no side-effects are developing from prolonged drug use. 

When our veterinarians examine your senior pet, we follow many of the same protocols and conduct many of the same tests we have throughout your pet’s life. The difference for a senior patient is a more thorough physical examination and a more extensive blood panel, all with an eye toward detecting common conditions that come with aging. 

Vaccines continue to be important, perhaps on a modified schedule to account for older pets’ weakened immune systems. 

We depend on you more than ever to pay attention and report to us to even subtle changes in your pet’s behavior, activity levels, drinking and eating habits, and stools and urine production. 

Potential Senior Health Problems

Cancer is the leading cause of death in nearly half of dogs and about a third of cats more than 10 years old. Some common signs to watch for—

• Lumps or bumps (which may be benign)
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Unpleasant odors coming from your pet
• Difficulty defecating and urinating
• Difficulty breathing
• Sores that don’t heal
• Discharge from body openings, such as the nostrils or anus

Other common health problems that come with age include:

• Heart disease
• Kidney or urinary tract disease
• Liver disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Hypo- and hyperthyroidism
• Diabetes mellitus
• Joint or bone disease
• Overweight or obesity
• Cushing’s disease
• Dental disease
• Lipomas

Vision loss. It’s normal for pets to lose some of their vision as they age. Some seniors develop cataracts. Visually impaired pets can still get around well enough in familiar surroundings, so long as you keep your pet’s beds, food and water bowls and litter box in the same places and refrain from adding or rearranging furniture.

Hearing loss. Older pets may also lose their hearing, making it harder for them to hear you call them or come into a room. While your pet still can hear you, consider coupling some simple hand signals with your most-used commands so you can still offer guidance to a hard-of-hearing pet. 

Potential Cognitive and Behavior Changes

Canine cognitive dysfunction causes symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Common behavior changes that come with canine cognitive dysfunction include:

• Increased reactions to loud or strange sounds
• Diminished response to voice commands
• Increased barking
• Increased aggressive or protective behavior
• Increased anxiety
• Apparent disorientation or confusion
• Repeating the same actions over and over
• Increased wandering
• Diminished memory and learning ability
• House soiling
• Changed sleep patterns
• Diminished interest in playing
• Hiding

Cats can develop cognitive dysfunction syndrome, too. At 15 years old and older, 80% of cats show signs of cognitive dysfunction. Signs, which are similar to symptoms exhibited by dogs,  include disorientation, vocalizing—especially at night, having accidents in the house, hiding, poor grooming and sleeping more than usual. 

Watch for signs of senility or cognitive dysfunction and address them by engaging more frequently with your pet and providing mentally stimulating games, toys and puzzles. 

Arthritis. An overall reduction in your senior pet’s activity level may indicate disease—most commonly, arthritis. Your older pet may begin to avoid activities like climbing stairs, running, jumping or getting into cars. Other signs of arthritis—

• Favoring a leg
• Walking stiffly
• Having trouble sitting down or standing up
• Resisting being touched or petted
• Playing less
• Sleeping more
• Showing unusual aggression toward people and other pets

Age is Not a Disease

While aging may come with its share of health and quality of life challenges, your pet’s advancing age is not a disease. 

The team at Brownsburg Animal Clinic is eager to support you and your senior pet, working side-by-side with you to achieve a longer, healthier, happier life throughout your remaining years together.

Call us at (317) 852-3323 to schedule your senior pet’s next appointment.