FALL 2016

V E T E R I N A R Y C E N T E R

2082 Cheyenne Court, Grafton, WI 53024 Ph: 262-375-0130 • Fax 262-375-4196

Email: info@bestfriendsvet.com Website: www.bestfriendsvet.com

Best FriendsBulletin Bulletin

Dear Clients & Friends...People differ in the way they like to receive information or learn new things. About half of us like data or statistics and the rest prefer stories or narrative. Some of you may be logical, fact-based learners and others base decisions more on relationships and feelings. When I am explaining a diagnosis or treatment options I use a lot of stories. What is a veterinarian’s career but a thousand stories about the pets we’ve treated and the people who love and care for them? Medicine, though, is based in science and I am at heart someone who loves data.

Every time I go to a conference or read a journal I zero in on new statistics or studies that apply to my patients. It’s then my job to apply that new knowledge to the individual pets I have the privilege to care for. If I read, for example, that only 7% of intact (not neutered) male German shepherds will develop one or more joint disorders compared to 21% of those neutered before one year of age, when should we recommend neutering for that breed? How does that statistic compare with the greater risk of behavior problems in dogs that are not neutered or the fact that the risk for different cancer types go up or down depending on age at neutering or spaying as well?

Our challenge as doctors is to sift through all the information that’s out there, grab what is pertinent and important, and deliver it to you in a way you can relate to and understand. This might be a discussion in an exam room, a video in the waiting area or on our YouTube channel, a newsletter article, an e-mail announcing a new product or a handout that we send home with you. Many times we will tell you a story about a personal pet or patient who was helped by a new medication or treatment.

At a conference in August I learned a set of statistics that made me think about how difficult it is to keep up with advances in medicine in the modern world. In the 1950’s medical knowledge was doubling every 50 years. In the 1980’s medical knowledge was doubling every 7 years. In 2010 it was only 3.2 years and by 2020 that knowledge will double every 73 days. It’s enough to make me start to hyperventilate in panic – how will we ever manage to keep up?

To make matters worse, old, outdated or disproven information stays in the ether forever once it’s put on the web. Not only is it

hard to assimilate all that new knowledge but we have to try to overcome misinformation, false information and downright lies that you might find when you google a medical topic. I want you to learn real facts, not false ones, and true stories rather than fairy tales. I hope you trust what you learn from us and understand that it’s the best and most up-to-date we can find. It’s our challenge to pass the baton off to you, and your challenge to grab on to it as well.

I always enjoy writing these newsletters. They let me share with you some of the fascinating stuff that medicine has to offer. When I pull articles to use it refreshes my own memory and helps to ensure I will retain the information I am relaying to you. Medicine is galloping forward at a furious pace. I want to give you a way to keep up that is interesting and helpful. Please let me know if you have thoughts or ideas about what you would like to learn about in the next issue!

Nan Boss, DVM

Tid Bits...Cerenia, our go-to drug for vomiting in dogs and cats, has been found to also be effective as a cough suppressant. Instead of giving you a prescription for human codeine cough suppressants that have more side effects we can use a medication we already stock that comes in pet sizes instead of human ones.

Lakeshore Veterinary Specialists has a new surgeon, Dr. Kevin Kroner, who recently finished his surgical residency at UW-Madison. Dr. Odders, one of the original Lakeshore partners as well as a surgeon, has been doing mostly

administrative work for the past year or so, and Dr. Kroner will fill that gap. His particular interests are arthroscopy (joint

surgery using scopes), thoracic procedures (surgeries of the chest cavity) and wound management.

Friendly pet dogs have been shown to improve a child’s health. Interaction with dogs stimulates the release of oxytocin (the “love” hormone) and

reduces cortisol levels. Cortisol is the major hormone involved in stress. Children with pet dogs show less social and separation anxiety than their peers.

Did you know that humans, African lions and dogs are the only species to develop prostate cancer? Dogs are utilized for prostate cancer research instead of lions, for obvious reasons.

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Fear of noises helps animals to survive by prompting them to seek shelter or avoid danger. However, a fearful response to noise that is exaggerated in intensity and duration and results in what appears to be a panic attack is not normal. Common sounds that trigger noise phobias in dogs include fireworks, thunder, gunshots, engines and heavy construction noises. If left untreated, noise aversion tends to progress, with symptoms gradually becoming worse and worse with time.

Although noise aversion is a common problem that we deal with on a regular basis, many pet owners do not seek help. About 40% will consult their veterinarian and 20% will look for solutions on their own. The remaining 40% of affected pets don’t receive any form of treatment.

We have recently been able to offer a brand new solution for noise-related anxiety, a medication called Sileo. Sileo calms without sedation, so dogs remain fully functional to interact normally with their families. It comes in a gel that is squirted between the cheek and gum and is absorbed very quickly. Symptoms begin to abate in just 10-15 minutes and remain controlled for several hours.

Sileo was a wonder drug for Dr. Boss’s dog, Izzie. She slept right through severe thunderstorms while tent camping, where she formerly would have jammed herself between the air mattress and the tent wall, shaking like a leaf. It saved a lot of our canine patients from stress and fear during the 4th of July fireworks. We highly recommend this product!

Other effective medications and treatments for noise phobia include Thundershirts, melatonin, Solliquin, trazadone, alprazolam and clonidine. There is no need for your dog to be so afraid! We can help.

NOISE PHOBIA IN DOGS

BFVC has a GREAT WEBSITE! Visitus at www.bestfriendsvet.com.

We’re also on FACEBOOK! Find us at www.facebook.com bestfriendsvet and “like” us!

We have been frustrated by the poor performance of our BFVC phone app so we have switched providers to a company called Pet Partner. Our new app integrates with our veterinary software, allowing it to interface with us in a way our old app couldn’t do. This means you can book appointments, add appointments for your groomer or boarding kennel to your calendar, set up reminders to yourself for veterinary services or for medication administration and access all your pet’s information, such as reminder dates and prescription medications.

MEET THE PETPARTNER APPThe app will manage pet-related services, so you can focus on more quality time with your pet.

Like us, you probably spend a fair amount of time and money on your pet. They have become close family members and deserve no less. But we want you to spend more time playing with your pets instead of managing their care schedules. Our free Pet Partner app does just that.

It’s never been easier to request and confirm appointments with your pet care providers. You can simply click a few buttons in the app and wait for a response. 90% of the time we won’t even have to call you back. You’ll just get a confirmation message with your appointment time right in the app.

You already use your phone to manage your schedule – why not do the same for your pets? You’ll get a reminder before your upcoming appointment, a reminder when you need to schedule the next one, and it even adds the appointment to the calendar on your phone. You can also add medication reminders, play dates, or any other type of reminder you need. You’ll never miss an appointment again!

It’s amazing how many businesses we deal with on behalf of our pets. The veterinarian, groomer, boarder, walker, sitter, retailer, health insurance, and there’s more every day. That’s why we aggregate them all together in one app for all your pets. So add your vet, groomer, boarding facility, dogs, cats, and whatever else you have so the next time you need an appointment you only have one place to go – The Pet Partner app.

Store Everything in One Place. Our pet app holds your vaccination history, appointment history, and lets you know when it’s time for that next check-up or shot. More than 35% of pets aren’t kept up to date on their wellness services even though it has been proven to increase their lifespan. You can even go the extra mile and log notes, photos, and save their paperwork all in the app. Let us help make the journey ahead as long as possible.

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ARTHRITIS IN CATS

TAIL WAGGING CONVEYS INFORMATION TO OTHER DOGS

Most people don’t think about arthritis much when it comes to cats. That’s a shame because almost all older cats develop painful joints as they age. In fact, 90% of cats have arthritis visible on x-rays by age twelve. Keeping joint pain under control is one of the most important things you can do for the comfort and well-being of your feline friends.

As with many diseases, prevention is easy and inexpensive. Starting your cat on glucosamine and fish oil by about age 9 or 10 will mean a more comfortable cat 5 or 10 years later, by preserving and protecting joint health. J/D diet by Hill’s and equivalent diets from Royal Canin and Purina contain extra Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil and/or glucosamine. We have several brands of chewable and flavored glucosamine supplements, some containing additional nutrients that decrease pain and inflammation, such as MSM.

Weight management is a huge factor in the development of arthritis. Overweight pets develop arthritis symptoms a full two years earlier

than normal weight pets. Obese cats, who have moved beyond just being overweight, get sore even sooner. 54% of cats in the U.S. are årated as overweight or obese by their veterinarians – that’s a lot of painful cats over a lot of years. There is nothing more important to the health of your pet than its weight. Ask us to help you get a body condition score on your pets and for diet recommendations.

Once arthritis is present we again start with Omega 3 fatty acids and glucosamine but we usually add additional treatments as well. Our favorite medication for arthritis in cats is gabapentin. Gabapentin has low risk for side effects and can be administered in several different forms, depending on whether your cat will take chewable tablets, flavored liquid, plain tablets or the contents of a capsule mixed into food.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - NSAIDs - are the mainstay of arthritis treatment in dogs but we have to be cautious using them in pets with kidney disease. Most older cats have some degree of kidney disease as well as arthritis, so we don’t always have the option of using NSAIDs in cats. When we do, Rimadyl, meloxicam and Onsior are great treatment options.

Amantadine is a drug that dampens down overactive nerve fibers. Used for a month or so it can cause a big improvement in chronic, severe pain. Acupuncture and therapy laser treatments are also good options for pain in cats.

We hope you will give careful attention to your cat’s joint health – it’s one of the most important things you can do to help your pet live the longest, healthiest life possible.

It’s not just “old age,” it’s pain! Symptoms of arthritis in cats include:• Gradual decrease in activity• Not as social, sleeps more• Unable to jump as high• Hesitancy or slowing going up or down stairs or steps• Decreased grooming or unkempt hair coat. • Difficulty climbing in or out of the litter box

Dogs can learn a lot by observing how another dog’s tail is wagging, according to a study recently published in the journal Current Biology. Through the study, reported on by NPR, researchers learned that dogs tend to become uneasy when they see the likeness of a dog wagging its tail to the left side. Dogs remained more relaxed when the image of the dog wagged its tail to the right side, researchers said.Previous studies from researchers at the University of Trento in Italy have already shown that the way dogs move their tails varies depending on whether they perceive something as friendly or threatening, but they still wanted to learn if dogs can detect the meaning behind how other dogs wag their tails.Researchers selected 43 dogs to participate in the study. The dogs were outfitted with vests designed to capture changes in their heart rates as they observed tails wagging in different directions. Some canine study participants were shown still images of real dogs with tails that could be moved to the right or left. Other dogs were shown a video featuring the silhouette of a dog with a movable tail. According to researchers, dogs observing another dog with a tail wagging to the right remained calm. A tail that wagged to the left caused elevated heart rates and anxious behavior in participants, researchers said. If you watch which way your dog’s tail is wagging you may be able to tell whether he or she is relaxed and happy or nervous.

From the results, researchers concluded in the study abstract that the fact that “dogs are sensitive to the asymmetric tail expressions of other dogs supports the hypothesis of a link between brain asymmetry and social behavior and may prove useful to canine animal welfare theory and practice.” In other words, dogs can also tell whether other dogs are relaxed and happy or anxious by watching their tails. It’s part of their body language repertoire that we humans had been completely unaware of.Beyond explaining more about how dogs perceive certain social signals, the information gained from the study might help us modify our interactions with dogs to keep them calmer, said Giorgio Vallortigara, from the University of Trento.“These results suggest that dogs have perceptual and attentional asymmetries,” Vallortigara told NPR. “So for example, if you are going to visit a dog, if you are vet, there will be probably a side which is better with respect to the probability to evoke a more friendship response or to evoke a more aggressive response.”

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Most people are not familiar with the term brachycephalic, but if you own a Pug, Boston terrier, Pekingese, Boxer, bulldog, Shih Tzu or any dog with a pushed in

or short face, you should become familiar with this word. It comes from the Greek roots brachy

(meaning short) and cephalic (meaning head).

Brachycephalic dogs have been bred to possess a normal lower jaw that

is in proportion to their body size and a compressed upper jaw. Although this conformation makes them look cute it leads to a lot of medical problems. In producing this cosmetic appearance, we have compromised these animals in many important ways. Severely affected dogs can experience collapse of the larynx (voice box) and require a permanent tracheostomy (a hole in the throat for breathing). Aspiration pneumonia, recurrent respiratory infections and higher risk for anesthetic complications are also common in brachycephalic dogs. (To aspirate is to suck in fluid. In aspiration pneumonia saliva or stomach juice ends up in the lungs, where it causes pneumonia.) A shortened life expectancy and serious medical problems are the cost of having that cute, flat face.

Brachycephalic breeds are frequent victims of brachycephalic respiratory disease syndrome, which affects several areas of the respiratory tract. Fortunately, most dogs do not suffer from all possible aspects of the syndrome but the shorter the face the more risk the dog has. Here are the main issues:

Stenotic Nares – This is a fancy name for narrowed nostrils. Many brachycephalic dogs have small nasal openings for breathing. A quick and simple surgical correction can be done to open the nostrils back up and improve breathing. English bulldogs usually have a distorted nasal septum and sinuses along with their stenotic nares. The nares can be fixed but there is no surgical repair we can do for the sinuses.

Elongated Soft Palate – It is difficult to fit the soft tissues of the canine mouth and throat into the brachycephalic’s short face. A brachycephalic dog has the same amount of tissue in the throat as a normal dog but a lot less space. As a result, the soft palate, which is the soft part of the roof of the mouth separating the nasal passages from the oral cavity, flaps loosely down into the throat. In some breeds the soft palate is also thicker than normal. Sucking air past this obstruction creates snoring and snorting sounds.

Virtually all brachycephalics suffer from this and it usually gets progressively worse with age. The excess tissue slowly stretches and becomes longer with time. The constant turbulence of air trying to pass through too small an opening causes the tissues to swell. Breathing becomes more noisy and difficult as a pet ages. Excessive barking or panting may lead to swelling in the threat which can worsen the problem.

The soft palate can be shortened surgically. This should be done early in life, to decrease damage to surrounding tissues and to prevent secondary complications, especially laryngeal collapse. Sometimes the palate is already long enough to cause problems by the time a dog is 6 months of age and resection is done at the same time as spaying or neutering. Most of the time we shorten and correct the long soft palate when a patient is a young adult.

English Bulldogs tend to have a particularly hard time breathing. In fact, the English bulldog tends to have more severe symptoms in almost all aspects of brachycephalic syndrome. Again, the soft palate can be surgically trimmed and this should be done early on, along with correction of stenotic nares.

Tracheal Stenosis – A brachycephalic dog’s windpipe may be dangerously narrow. This condition creates tremendous anesthetic risk and should be ruled out by chest radiographs prior to any surgical procedures. English bulldogs are again the breed most likely to have a narrow trachea.

Everted Laryngeal Saccules – The normal larynx (voicebox) has two small pockets, one on each side, called ventricles or saccules. When a dog has increased effort in breathing, over time these little

Brachycephalic Respiratory Syndrome: Dogs with Short Faces Don’t Breathe Well

Anesthetic management of brachycephalic dogs presents challenges before, during and after any surgical, dental or radiographic procedure. Even sedating these dogs can be more risky than for dogs without the brachycephalic’s distorted airway. Caution is taken when choosing sedative and anesthetic drugs as some carry more risk for problems specific to brachycephalic dogs.

Vomiting and regurgitation from anesthetic drugs can lead to aspiration pneumonia, so we will probably want to start a brachycephalic dog on anti-nausea medication the day before anesthesia is administered. Usually this will be Cerenia (maropitant) because it works well to counteract the nausea caused by opioid drugs that are part of most anesthetic protocols.

Minimizing stress is important for these dogs, including both emotional stress and environmental stresses such as heat and humidity. A cool environment, low humidity and antianxiety medication are all helpful. A less stressed and less anxious dog

requires less restraint for procedures and has less risk for heat stress. Trazadone is the most common antianxiety drug used. It has few side effects, lasts through an entire day in the hospital and does not affect other anesthetic drugs.

At least one chest x-ray should be taken before anesthesia, to check for tracheal stenosis, aspiration pneumonia, hiatal hernia and heart enlargement. All of these problems are more common in brachycephalic breeds.

An injection of a small dose of steroid before anesthesia can reduce airway swelling from the endotracheal (breathing) tube, and we may also follow up with a couple of days of treatment with an NSAID drug such as carprofen.

The endotracheal tube may need to be cut shorter in order to fit better. A tube that is too long doesn’t exchange oxygen as efficiently, can get caught on things if it protrudes too far out of the mouth, and can end up reaching only one lung instead of both if it is pushed too

ANESTHESIA IN BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS

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pockets will swell and turn inside out (evert). When this occurs, they need to be surgically removed to get them out of the airway. Everted saccules indicate that surgery is also needed for stenotic nares and elongated soft palate, to prevent progression to full laryngeal collapse.

Heat Stress – Because of all these upper respiratory obstructions, the brachycephalic dog pants inefficiently. A dog with a more conventional face and throat is able to pass air quickly over the tongue through panting. Saliva evaporates from the tongue as air passes across it and the blood circulating through the tongue is efficiently cooled and circulated back to the rest of the body.

In the brachycephalic dog, so much extra work is required to move the same amount of air that the airways become inflamed and swollen. They are then less effective at cooling the air that passes by. This leads to a more severe obstruction, distress, and further over-heating. BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS ARE THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR HEAT STROKE. Exercise must be very limited in hot or humid weather, nor should a bulldog or pug be left outside on a hot day. These dogs should be kept calm and cool.

Altogether, the upper airways of the brachycephalic dog compromise the ability to take in air. Under normal conditions the compromise is not great enough to cause a problem; however, an owner should take care not to let the dog become overweight or get too hot in the summer. Be aware of what degree of snorting and sputtering is usual for your pet, and seek medical attention if you notice worsening. It is not uncommon for severely brachycephalic dogs to choke to death on their own throat tissue.

When your dog requires general anesthesia or sedation, your veterinarian will want to take extra precautions. Radiographs of the throat may be needed beforehand to look for tracheal stenosis. Anesthetic risk is higher than usual in these breeds, though under most circumstances the necessary extra precautions are readily managed by most animal hospitals.

Brachycephalic Respiratory Syndrome: Dogs with Short Faces Don’t Breathe Well

far down into the trachea. This means custom cutting and fitting to shorten a standard length tube.

Once a procedure is completed and the patient is waking up, the tube should be left in place until the dog can blink and swallow. This is another safety measure to ensure that no regurgitation or aspiration will occur.

In most cases, anesthesia of brachycephalic dogs goes as smoothly as for any other patient, as long as we are careful to adjust to their needs. If we are worried about how a patient will do during or afterwards we may recommend that a procedure be done at a referral hospital, or that a patient stay at an emergency hospital afterwards where he or she can be monitored more closely than we can overnight. Rest assured, we will do our best to ensure a safe procedure for your pet.

STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY

Tid Bit...A new UC-Davis veterinary school study adds German shepherd dogs (GSD) to the list of breeds for which spaying and neutering at an early age is not recommended. In some breeds the increased risk of hip dysplasia from early spay/neuter outweighs the risk for cancer that comes with later spay/neuter. 7% of intact male GSDs developed joint disorders versus 21% of GSDs neutered early. In females, the numbers were 5% versus 16%.

Lakeshore Veterinary Specialists is now one of only a handful of veterinary facilities in the country to provide Stereotactic Radiosurgery, or SRS. SRS is an advanced form of radiation therapy used for cancer treatment. It delivers precisely dosed radiation with the intent to kill only cancer cells without damaging surrounding tissue. SRS is not only more precise with its aim but it vastly decreases the number of treatments needed.

Older style radiation treatment usually involved daily treatments, which require anesthesia, every weekday for 4 weeks. The closest facility for this was the veterinary school in Madison. SRS, in contrast, is available right here in Glendale, and requires only 1-3 treatments. Each treatment delivers a higher dose of radiation over a shorter amount of time. Because it is so precise in its delivery, targeting only the abnormal tissue we want to destroy, it has far fewer side effects such as radiation burns of the skin.

With SRS, many tumors, even in difficult to reach areas of the body, can be destroyed without surgery. Brain tumors such as glial cell tumors and meningiomas, tumors in the nasal passages or sinuses, salivary gland carcinoma, oral melanoma, thyroid carcinoma and even pituitary tumors, which were previously unreachable, are examples. Away from the head and neck, spinal tumors, bone cancer, mast cell tumors and many types of soft tissue sarcomas can be treated, as can liver tumors, anal sac adenocarcinomas and carcinomas of the prostate gland.

The SRS machine at Lakeshore will be run by technicians specially trained just for that. We will still refer you to the oncologist at Lakeshore, Dr. Rachel Reiman, for cancer therapy consultations. This allows you to learn about all the cancer therapies available for your pet, so you can decide the best course of therapy for your particular situation. Surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy are all available as well.

Cancer is no longer the death sentence it used to be. Many of our patients have lived long and healthy lives during and after cancer treatment.

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Adapted from an article called Microbiome Results Argue for New View of Animals as Superorganisms, published in Science News, Dec. 28, 2013, by Tina Hesman Saey; and material from two veterinary journal articles from Clinician’s Brief, a popular veterinary medical journal.

We are not alone. Humans’ and animals’ vast inner and outer spaces teem with a menagerie of microbes that stand poised to alter conceptions of what and who we are.

Traditionally, microbes have been viewed as insidious invaders that make people and animals sick or as freeloaders in the gut. That view is beginning to change. In 2013, scientists amassed substantial evidence that people and other animals form a unit with their resident bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses – the collection of microbes known as the microbiome. In fact, only about 10 percent of a person’s cells are human; microbes make up the other 90 percent! An estimated 100 trillion microbial cells live in our gastrointestinal tracts and in those of animals.

Several new studies argue in favor of considering animals as superorganisms composed of host and microbes. Some scientists even advocate lumping a host organism’s genes with those of its microbes into one “hologenome.” Treating a host, such as the human body, and its resident bacteria as a unit – or at least as an ecosystem with intimately interconnected parts – offers various benefits, scientists say. The superorganism approach may help researchers better understand how diet, chemicals and other environmental factors affect health, for instance.

Everything and everyone, including identical twins, carries a slightly different microbial mix. Strong evidence indicates that some differences stem from diet or habitat but even mice raised under uniform lab conditions still have individualized microbiomes. In October 2014, two groups presented research suggesting that host genes play a role in selecting which microbes are allowed to settle in and on the body. Immune system genes may be especially important in screening suitable microbial companions. People with immune system problems have more types of bacteria and fungi on their skin. That finding supports the idea that the immune system grants visas to friendly microbes while keeping out dangerous interlopers.

The complex ecosystem that exists in our bodies and in those of our pets has a tremendous influence on its host. A balanced microbiota regulates the immune system, helps defend against infections and provides nutritional benefits. Herbivorous mammals

such as cows, horses and rabbits depend on large vats of bacteria to digest the plant material they eat to the point where it is usable. Hay contains about 20% protein but without bacteria in the rumen (in cows) or cecum (in horses and rabbits) to break down the hay into smaller digestible pieces, that protein would be completely unavailable to the host animal.

Complex carbohydrates, such as starch, cellulose and pectin, are fermented by bacteria, resulting in the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs provide energy to the host, regulate the motility of the intestines as food is digested, serve as growth regulators that maintain the health of the cells that line the intestinal tract and have anti-inflammatory properties. Because intestinal bacteria affect the immune system cells in the intestinal tract lining, they also effect the immune system as a whole. (There are far more immune system cells in the intestinal tract than anywhere else in the body.)

An alteration in the health of the intestinal microbiota is called dysbiosis. Anything that disrupts the health of the good bacteria living inside us or our pets can cause dysbiosis, and have adverse consequences that extend far beyond the intestines. Conversely, an improvement in the microbiome can strengthen the immune system as a whole.

The primary weapon we have to counteract dysbiosis and to improve the microbiome is to provide “good” bacteria to the gut. Live bacteria taken orally are called probiotics. A probiotic should consist of the right species and strains of bacteria, in sufficient quantity, and those bacteria must be able to survive passage through the stomach to reach the intestine still alive and able to reproduce. This is a tall order. As with many other supplements, most commercial probiotic products don’t actually do all these things and thus do not provide health benefits. Zero of nineteen pet foods claiming to contain probiotics actually did so in one study and another found that none contained the bacteria listed on the labels, though most did have some live bacteria.

A 2011 study showed that only two brands of probiotic supplements contained what was stated on the label. Those are the two brands of probiotic that we carry here at Best Friends, FortiFlora and Proviable. We are using these products for dozens of different disease problems.

Probiotics are especially useful for preventing and treating diarrhea caused by the administration of antibiotics or from stress, such as boarding at a kennel. Diarrhea caused by bacterial and viral

infections, food allergy, inflammatory bowel disease, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), medication

administration and dietary indiscretion (i.e. eating garbage) and food poisoning may be treated

in part with

The Microbiome, Dysbiosis and the Role of Probiotics I N T R E A T I N G D I S E A S E

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probiotics. Diseases involving the immune system also may be treated with beneficial bacteria, the most common of these being chronic upper respiratory infections in cats.

The use of probiotics is still in its infancy. There is a lot we don’t know about how the microbiome functions and what species of bacteria in what amounts are the most effective to modify it. We are also still learning about prebiotics, which are food ingredients that support the growth of good intestinal bacteria. Probiotics and prebiotics often work synergistically, so diets containing prebiotics are often combined with probiotic supplements to maximize their effects. Therapeutic diets sold specifically for gastrointestinal tract

diseases, such as Hill’s I/D, Purina EN and intestinal diets made by Iams and Royal Canin, usually contain one or more prebiotics.

Don’t be surprised if we dispense probiotics for your pet the next time he or she has an intestinal or immune system disorder. They are a staple of many of our treatment protocols and can make a big difference in your pet’s health and recovery.

BLUE BUFFALO LOSES IN PURINA LAWSUITBlue Buffalo admitted the truth in court: A “substantial” and “material” portion of Blue Buffalo pet food sold over the past several years

contained poultry by-product meal, despite pervasive advertising claims to the contrary. The admission came almost one year to the day

when Purina filed a lawsuit against Blue Buffalo for false advertising after testing revealed the presence of poultry by-product meal in some of

Blue Buffalo’s top selling pet foods.In its original suit, Purina alleged independent tests showed that Blue Buffalo uses chicken by-products, egg shells, rice hulls and

artificial preservatives in its products — despite claims to the contrary. Blue Buffalo has continued to make claims in its advertising

that none of its pet foods contains animal by-products, thereby implying that Blue pet foods are healthier for pets than competitive

foods that contain by-products.A lab report by Windsor Laboratories, which Purina submitted in the civil lawsuit, alleged several of Blue Buffalo’s pet foods contained

poultry by-product meal which contained “between 22 and 24 % poultry byproduct meal, egg shell and raw feather.”Animal by-products, the much-maligned pet food ingredient, probably tops most consumers list of ingredients to avoid, a concern that

Blue’s advertising campaign exploited. Indeed, when Blue Buffalo commissioned consumer research and discovered that pet owners

have strong ideas of what they don’t want their animals eating—above all, anything called a by-product—they discovered the basis for

their marketing campaign: “Consumers just don’t like the sound of ‘byproduct,’ says Bill Bishop, the Chairman of Blue Buffalo.The central issue is not whether by-products are bad for pets to eat, it’s about Blue Buffalo’s insistent claim that their pet food did not

contain ground-up chicken intestines and feet, when in fact it probably did or still does (no one is certain).Back in 2007, Purina and many other major brands recalled tons of dog and cat food after the FDA found it was contaminated with

melamine, an industrial chemical traced to Chinese suppliers. Blue Buffalo ran advertisements at that time, bragging that its products

didn’t contain the chemical. Unfortunately, that too turned out not to be correct, and Blue Buffalo eventually had to pull a third of its

product line.

Blue Buffalo claims it had no way of knowing the bags contained by-product meal. A manufacturer is responsible for knowing what’s in its product. A simple audit of its supply chain would have revealed what Purina discovered.

San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis, the company that manufactures Blue Buffalo products, admitted that a review of its facilities – in response to concerns about product mislabeling – “revealed poor record-keeping and operational processes at its facility in Rosser, Texas, and the mislabeling of pet food ingredients that were sold to companies that formulate food for pets.” But, Wilbur-Ellis hastened to add that although mislabeled “the products sold were all commonly used in pet food and safe for pets to consume.”Blue Buffalo’s advertising campaign, as it turns out, was built on a claim that should have been verified. The image consumers may have of the little family run business up against Big Pet Food Purina is inaccurate: Blue Buffalo is, in fact, owned by a big Wall Street firm and they outsource all their manufacturing, as do most pet food

manufacturers. Perhaps Blue Buffalo isn’t necessarily worse than other brands, but there’s no real evidence it’s any better and therein

lays the crux of the matter – that consumers were ripped off.The Blue Buffalo story is a perfect example of why you should be careful and skeptical when choosing a food for your pets. Most

people are too trusting when it comes to over-the-counter products; not just pet foods but nutritional supplements, herbal remedies,

dental chews and probiotics are among those that are poorly regulated and usually untested. We can help you to find products that

are safe and effective before you buy – just ask us!

Best Friends Bulletin Bulletin

Best Friends Veterinary Center2082 Cheyenne Court • Grafton, WI 53024

PRSRT-STD. U.S.POSTAGE PAID

Grafton, WI Permit No. 25

Best Friends Bulletin Bulletin

Best Friends Veterinary Center2082 Cheyenne Court • Grafton, WI 53024

PRSRT-STD. U.S.POSTAGE PAID

Grafton, WI Permit No. 25

VIDEO GAMES ARE FOR THE BIRDS

If you think video games are only for the younger generation, think again. In fact, the next population to play them may be pet birds. Researchers from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) and its Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center are developing video games that birds can play on a tablet, the CVM announced on June 14.

As part of an entrepreneurial program sponsored by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Innovation Corps Program, the researchers interviewed 127 bird owners to assess the market value and technology need among bird owners. They then set to work.

The first game developed, a stimulus discrimination test, is similar to the popular game “whack-a-mole,” noted Constance “Connie”

Woodman, a PhD student working on the project. “Picture a pop-up on the screen, and if the birds yelled at the pop-up to ‘scare’ it away, the picture would go away. Then, the bird gets a reward from the dispenser.

For birds like pet parrots, who are highly intelligent, the video games can do more than entertain; they

can also provide much-needed mental stimulation and exercise from the continuous movement the game play demands.

Limber tail typically affects larger working dog breeds, such as the Labrador retriever. It causes tail limpness and pain, and usually resolves on its own within a few days or weeks. What causes it? A new study, published in the Veterinary Record on June 27, offers clues.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom sought to gain insight into habits and lifestyle factors that might explain why some dogs are affected with limber tail and not others. They concluded that genetics, geography, and type of dog might play a role.

The researchers compared 38 cases of limber tail that were identified from owners’ reports about their dogs’ health with 86 dogs that had no tail symptoms. Although the dogs in the study were pets, the researchers concluded that those affected by limber tail were likely to be working dogs. Additionally, dogs with the condition were more likely to live in northern areas, lending support to anecdotal reports that limber tail is associated with exposure to the cold.

The researchers also concluded that Labradors that had suffered limber tail were more likely to be related to each other than unaffected dogs, which may indicate an underlying genetic risk.

LIMBER TAIL: COMMON PROBLEM FOR LARGE BREED DOGS WHO SWIM

YUP...REALLY!!