A Wagging Tail

Rant Incoming  

I was awakened in the middle of the night last night by not one, not two, but three cat fights.  The first occurred in the tree right outside my house, between a cat and I’m thinking a raccoon as I only heard one cat hissing and screaming.  With the nice weather, our windows are open and Norris needed to defend his territory and almost crashed through the screen many times trying to “save us”.  When I got the window closed and him semi calm, the cat in the tree finally gave up and climbed down and appeared no worse for wear.  I watched as a second cat a few minutes later looked into the tree, wondering if he (or she) should check it out and decided against it, only to go under my deck for some reason.  I’m happy he didn’t decide to walk along the fence as Norris would have been a mess all over again.  10 minutes later, the second fight broke out and it might have been the two cats I saw earlier.  Maybe 30 minutes later, another fight, further off but still close enough to wake me up after I had fallen back to sleep.  Many of you know that I have some green space beside me and a park across the street.  I know for a fact that we have raccoons, possums, deer, coyotes and even groundhogs that will visit our yard. 

Please, please, please.  If you have cats that like to be outdoors, bring them in at night!!!!!!!!

I do not like cats being outdoors.  While they do help with keeping the rodent population down, and many have a high predator instinct, it is just much safer to keep cats indoors all the time.  Here is my reasoning in a nice list

1. At my old house, we would see at least 2 cats getting hit by cars each year typically at night.  In the area I live now, they can get caught by coyotes, never to be seen again.
2. Cats get in fights which can be not only cause expensive vet bills, but causes immense pain and suffering for your beloved baby.  And if finances are tight, some of these pets may not get the help they need right away and must live in pain for days or more before they can be seen.
3. The hot weather brings flies and I have seen my fair share of pets with maggots from wounds and flies.  That is extremely painful and dangerous for the cat, but also very gross for us humans.
4. Rabies can be transmitted from raccoon or another cat during a fight and if your cat is not properly vaccinated, you are putting your cat but yourself as well as your family and children at tremendous risk.
5. Risk of human injury.  I am one of those people that will put on my shoes and a jacket to go out and help a pet.  If the cat is in pain, they may bite (also a rabies risk to humans) and then the health department becomes involved, the cat needs to be quarantined at home inside which means an angry, bored, frustrated cat inside the house for 10 days.  We all know how being quarantined feels now.
6. I work extremely hard some days, and with the backlog of clients since the covid crisis, I am still fully booked.  I do not have good quality sleep and really need the sleep I do get.  Hearing cats fight at night causes me great anxiety and I have a hard time going back to sleep so the affect on humans is great as well. 
7. Cats by nature are territorial and Norris is one who follows that instinct.  So, if something were to happen and he barreled his way through a screen, he does not have the facilities to fight.  He is declawed (my bad, I know) but mostly he has a compromised hip and cannot run overly fast to escape a pursuer.  Even without going through a screen, it causes him great distress.  His breathing was so rapid, he was growling and barely registered that I was there.
8. If your cat is not fixed, they will continue to propagate the species.  One unspayed female can produce up to 12 kittens per year, then they each can have up to 12, and so on until you reach over 400,000 cats from a single unspayed female in her lifetime.  An unneutered male can impregnate multiple cats so multiply that number and the number of cats that need homes or that are feral is insanely high. Reference here
9. If they need to go out through the day, give them a collar.  Then people like myself know that they have a home and are not strays, or lost cats.  That way if I find an injured cat, I can contact you first versus the human society where the vet bills, humane society costs, course of treatment and even the life of your pet can be changed.

Please bring your cats indoors at night.  If they are used to being outside, it will take adjustment for them and you to keep them inside, but they will be safer and live longer if you do. 

Dogs are pack animals.  They will defend territory and the pack, even if that pack is made up of other species such as humans, cats, rabbits, etc.

An unfortunate incident happened to one of my clients a few months ago.  Their little dog was whining to get out and usually only goes out the front door to do her business, but she also runs down the driveway to greet the rest of the pack (my client’s daughter and granddaughter).  This day, Heidi went out, but decided to run to greet the other pack that was walking which was made up of a mom with a child in a stroller, and a boy, maybe 10 years old walking a mastiff.  Now, a mastiff is a big, strong dog, bred initially as a war dog, and for bear, bull and lion baiting.  They are traditionally known as a guard dog, (though you wouldn’t know it) with breed standards weighing 120 lbs- 250 lbs (the largest mastiff recorded was 343 lbs).  They are big, muscular, and lovable.  They are also great with kids and just want to be loved.  I have known many and never saw any aggression.  Now back to the incident.  This mastiff didn’t know what this little thing was, running towards him and his family (Heidi is a dachshund), so he went to defend his family and his pack against this “terror” (which she is not).  While what actually happened wasn’t seen by my client, it was assumed that the mastiff grabbed Heidi and hopefully just pushed her to the ground, but it was enough to cause damage that required surgery to repair a few teeth punctures. Heidi pulled through well, and will now have a few scars from her ordeal.  She is getting extra loving from her humans. 

 

 

 

There is no one really at fault, you know your dog best.  I’m just hoping that people are more aware of other dogs.  I have been walking dogs while pet sitting when another dog comes up to greet us (sometimes on leash, sometimes not).  “My dog is good with other dogs” is something I hear often, but I am not too sure about the dog I’m walking, so know that not all dogs are ok with others.  Best to ask first before letting your dog meet another.

Here’s a few things that can be done to help avoid dog on dog issues.

• ALWAYS LEASH. You never know if that other dog will cause issues.  I have an acquaintance that took her dog off leash to greet another dog and it was mauled and unfortunately died.
• ALWAYS LEASH. You also never know when the dog will decide to cross a road that they never cross and get hit by a car.
• ALWAYS LEASH. If a fight does occur, it is safer to try to get the dogs apart with their leashes.  You do not want to get involved and get injured.
• Do not pick up your dog. If a fight does occur and you have a little dog, do not pick it up.  The other dog may still be in an aggressive state and may jump up injuring you as well.
• Proper training. You as the human need to be the pack leader and your dog should be listening to you.  If you say sit, it should sit.  If you say stay, it should stay.  That way when you greet another dog, a good sit-stay while you see if they can meet is important at avoiding a fight
• Proper leash/collar. I am not a fan of the prong collar.  I have seen neck injuries from prong collars and I feel they don’t work as well as a halti, gentle leader, or no pull harness that clips on the chest.
• Proper human. If you have a large, strong dog, have a person walking them that can control them if there is an issue.  A human weighing 80 lbs cannot properly control a 150 lbs dog if something happens.
• Proper walking route/time. Do not walk your dog past a dog park if they are not good with other dogs, or if you know that a neighbour’s dog goes outside for a walk/pee break at a certain time, avoid going that way, or at that time of day.
• Stop the fight before it starts. You know your pet best so watch for subtle cues that your dog maybe upset.  Know social cues as well, what do dogs ears normally do, or their tail, or body when they are not happy.
• Know your pet’s limits. If there is a medical condition such as arthritis in the hips, don’t let them wrestle with another dog that may move them in a way that will become painful.  This can cause a bite out of sheer pain.

If a fight does occur here’s a few ways to break it up.

• NEVER get in the middle of a fight. You can get seriously injured
• Stay calm- most fights only last for a few seconds (though it can feel a lot longer)
• Make noise-Yell, clap your hands, anything to make a sharp noise to get their attention
• Water-spray them with a hose or dump a bucket of water on them. It should shock the aggressor into releasing the other dog and hopefully they can be separated
• Use a blanket-toss a blanket over the dogs. Again, it will distract the aggressor long enough to hopefully stop the fight
• Leashes-if the aggressor has the other dog and is not causing further injury, wait until the other dog gets released. Only when the aggression level has reduced should you try to move the smaller dog.  If the aggressor is still in a high level, they may pick up the smaller dog and start again, causing further injury.  You can also step on a loose leash to stop a dog from charging if the dog does get away from you.
• Grab the hind feet-This way, you are far enough away from the fight to avoid injury. You can then start backing up, but let go if the dog is really flexible and can manage to get close enough.
• Hit the aggressor with another object that will allow you to remain distant. A broom, a purse, etc.  You don’t necessarily want to hit them hard, but enough to get their mind off of what is in their mouth, or under them, again, keeping your distance.

 

Dog fights occur.  Please do what you can to avoid them for the well being and safety of pet and human alike.

 

 

A bit of history, I have restless leg syndrome (RLS) and have since at least 2008 and have been hypothyroid most of my life.  Before all of this, I was working hard, felt (what I thought) was a normal amount of stress from daily life and my job, but I felt tired a lot.  I got headaches often, sometimes daily, but attributed all of this to stress.  I assumed I was normal and that the occasional anxiety I felt came with being an adult.  The RLS wasn’t too bad, I would have problems a few times a week, and the insomnia and fatigue that came with it wasn’t too debilitating.

It started in 2012, though now that I think about it, it probably started before that though I don’t have any records of my medications before 2012.  I am prone to sinus infections and ear infections. Maybe once a year I’ll get one or the other.  My history starts in November 2012 when I had a sinus headache.  I was prescribed Avelox for it and it worked as it had before.  I know I had it in the past, but cannot say when, and I didn’t have any issues with it (that I knew of), so I filled the prescription and took it for the duration as prescribed.  In February of 2013, I went back to my doctor as I was having some numbness in my fingers and my toes, as well as a recurrence of my sinus issues.  Again, Avelox was prescribed and I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy.  I started B12 injections as my values were low, and my doctor believes that maybe the reason behind my neuropathy, but he believed that a neurologist appointment would be a good idea.  We did bloodwork, looking for lyme, thyroid, B12, mono, etc.  all normal.  By the time I went to see the neurologist in July, the tingling and numbness had increased to my forearms and calves, and I was aware of it when not moving around.  My nerve conduction was normal, and from what I was told, there was no explanation at that time for the neuropathy.  An MRI was performed of my head and neck as my symptoms are bilateral (same on both sides).  They found a single focus of increased t2 within subcortical white matter in the right frontal lobe.  (This info wasn’t given to me at all until my medical records recently became available to me and I was able to read through them). I was told everything appeared normal with my testing and MRI and to come back to see her if needed.  I also was noticing by now that I was having some brain fog.  I knew a word or a thought, but my brain wasn’t connecting properly, so I stumbled over my words a lot.  I also was having issues with my thoughts jumping.  I was thinking of one thing, then something completely random would pop into my mind and I couldn’t figure out where it came from, and I couldn’t get back to my original though at all. I felt stupid and slow.  I still felt tired and the neuropathy was starting to affect me and I finally recognized my anxiety and depression so I was given Elavil to help me sleep. It did help, but not enough and it did nothing for the other symptoms.  By now it is early 2014, and I decided to leave a job that I loved (and hated) for my physical and mental health. Soon after, a sleep study was conducted because of my fatigue and I had severely fragmented sleep.  No wonder I was tired, moving every minute (literally).  I started seeing a chiropractor who helped immensely with my daily headaches.  The acupuncture did nothing for me. I weaned off the Elavil and in 2015, I got a second opinion from another neurologist, also with no answers.  I started taking Cymbalta and it helped the neuropathy somewhat and it helped me sleep through the night, but it was still low quality and I was still fatigued.

May 2016, another sinus issue, again, prescribed Avelox.  Fluoroquinolone toxicity is cumulative, that is worsens the more to you take it so I’m blaming the May prescription for my body pains.  I saw a rheumatologist in Sept 2016 as I was having significant aches and pains, waking up exhausted, as if I had run a marathon in my sleep.  Every muscle and joint had some level of discomfort, and having that along with the neuropathy made life and work difficult.  But we have to sally forth.  Nothing significant was noted by the rheumatologist, my issues we likely movement related, no evidence of fibromyalgia.  From my research, the fibers and tendons in my body have now been affected.  By now, I had twitching all over my body, felt like RLS but everywhere and 24-7. The sensation feels like a stiffness, like my body wants to maintain a specific position, the stiffness rises, until the sensation becomes too much and I jerk whatever body part is bothering me. The neuropathy was affecting my entire body by now, lips, scalp, face, all of it, but concentrated in my hands and feet.  Relaxing was nearly impossible, and I didn’t get the sensation of sinking into my bed at night, almost like a constant tension.  I felt like bands are being tightened around my muscles, like a blood pressure cuff, but on every muscle, almost like the fibres of the muscles themselves hurt.  The neuropathy changes too from a jolt, to a vibration, to tension, to numbness, to needle pricks and the body pain ranges from a 2-8.  All of this is affected by exercise, how tired I am, how much alcohol I’ve had and my physically demanding job.  A 5^th neurologist that I insisted I see finally believed my RLS and other symptoms and gave me Gabapentin (an anti-seizure and pain medication).  It helps about 80% with the twitching and RLS, but does nothing for my neuropathy or body pain.  It helps me sleep through the night, but I am still fatigued.   I started meloxicam (an NSAID of course, which is contraindicated if you been “floxxed” by fluoroquinolones) which helped somewhat, but I didn’t like the long term effects, and it wore off too early so I’ve been taking Tumeric instead which has better effect for me.  CBD does nothing for me, but THC helps the pains and aches, but doesn’t do much for the neuropathy.  My old doctor has now retired so my new doctor who is young asked me if anyone has ever found a reason for my neuropathy.  By now, I finally found out about the effect of fluoroquinolones and done some research and asked if that was possible due to the timelines.  “Most likely” was his answer. It’s now May 2018 and finally, someone believed me and gave me somewhat of an answer, I’ll take it.  Now I’m reading others stories and trying to find something that works for me and my lifestyle.

My current symptoms:

• tingling all over body-like when your foot falls asleep and the feeling is coming back
• internal vibration/tremoring-like you’ve cut the grass and your hands still feel the vibration, only all over
• concentrated in hands/feet
• poor sleep quality-can sleep 8 hours and wake up tired
• daytime fatigue-sometimes napping 3-4 times per day
• feeling of constant tension-Like my body wants to maintain the current position
• cannot relax-I tell my body to relax, then a minute later, it’s back to tense
• depression and anxiety attacks-mostly under control
• waking up with body aches-I feel like I’ve run a marathon in my sleep
• heavy feeling in limbs, yet tense
• twitching – may only be a muscle in my side, or my whole arm.  Happens maybe every 5 minutes
• loss of sensation in hands/feet
• easily bruised
• deep pain when I hurt myself- like the smallest thing makes me feel like I want to vomit
• moderate exercise intolerance-worsens my neuropathic pain and I feel clumsy with the loss of feeling
• restless leg syndrome
• toes/fingers go white with cold
• concentration/recollection troubles
• hard time regulating body temp-sometimes intense night sweats (granted I am over 40 now)

I wish there was a definitive test for being floxxed.  It still feel like I’m crazy, and it would be nice to just say “I have ………” instead of the long explanation that makes me sound crazy too.

Reading info online, I am trying Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin D3, looking to try Probiotics, Omega 3’s, Glutathione, and D-ribose.  I am going to try a diet change, but I have little will power when it comes to food.

 

Update-June 19 2018.

I’ve been taking the D-ribose, Omega 3’s and Glutathione for a week, the Magnesium, Calcium and D3’s bothered my stomach too much so I’ve stopped those, granted I didn’t feel really any difference on them.  I have much better energy, the neuropathic pain and tingling has decreased by about 50%.  I still feel the tension in my muscles, but when I try to relax them, I can’t, so I think this is relaxed for me, or my body is still in a repair phase and that will improve.  Time is one of the biggest healers when it comes to being floxxed from what I’ve read.  Meditation is also a good practice so I’m hoping to get started back on that real soon, along with yoga and/or stretching.

Fluoroquinolones should only be used when there are no other options.  There is a big warning for peripheral neuopathy that comes with them, but the symptoms don’t always show up right away, mine came after exposure, so no one put two and two together.  The medication info sheets also do not say that it can occur afterwards, but the FDA website does.

If you want more info on fluoroquinolones, it is fascinating how it works on bacteria, it’s a form of chemotherapy (which explains why some of my symptoms are so much like my dad’s who has been through chemo).  Chemotherapy is using a drug to inhibit the growth and replication of cells in the body by stopping them from dividing and destroying them.  Fluoroquinolones do that to bacteria, but it can affect healthy cells in certain bodies.  This video is the best thing I saw to help me understand how it works and what it has done to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkKZ_gxAOXI

Here is a site for info and stories.  This is good for a list of symptoms.   If you read this man’s story, it resonated with me quite a bit.

It’s really hard to me to put into words how I feel and I think this is the best I can do.  Unless you are in a person’s body, you never truly understand what someone is going through mentally and physically, so I always try to keep an open mind and an open heart, please do the same with me.  Thank you all for who have read this long story of mine and if you have questions, please ask.  I’m here to learn and here to help.

Nothing gives me the heebie jeebie’s more than ticks.  I actually got one myself in my backyard from my lilac tree on Sunday.  It must have landed on my shirt, then I felt it crawl on my neck.  I scratched and felt something, bringing it to look at it, promptly freaked out, ran outside, and stomped on it a million times.  I ran back in the house and stripped down so hubby could check my back and my legs just in case.  I had the creepy crawlies all night long.

So lets learn a bit about ticks.

Ticks like warm and moist areas and living in Niagara, our summers are hot and humid, a perfect environment for ticks.  They start to get active in April, May, though it’s not unheard of to see them in March.  Most species are less active in the heat of the summer, becoming active again in September and October, but some species don’t mind the summer sun.  They like to live in longer grasses and bushes, that way when something walks past, they can just stick out a leg and hop on.  Areas like the Shorthills, fields, woods, campgrounds, even backyards are great places for them to live. Our dogs are particularly susceptible to getting ticks because they love to sniff everything and many dogs will stick their nose into a batch of grass, right to the bottom, giving the tick the perfect opportunity to hitch a ride on an ear.  Once they are on a pet or a person, some species of tick will latch on quickly, while some will explore their new environment before they decide to hunker down for a meal.  They tend to walk upwards, finding areas of thin skin, again, where it’s warm and moist, in dogs, it’s the groin, armpits, ears and around the face. They latch on and start taking their blood meal.  Once the tick has had its fill, it will fall off and lay eggs (if it’s a female), then continue the cycle.  I, for one, am so thankful that they don’t fly or jump.

How to avoid them

• Avoid areas with tall grass, leaf litter and bushy areas
• Walk in the center of trails, do not let your dog wander
• Wear long pants and sleeves if you can, tuck pants legs into socks
• Use a product on your pet such as Revolution, Advantix or Bravecto (Cats need to be kept away from dog that has had Advantix applied for 24 hours as the permethrins are extremely toxic to cats) Talk to your veterinarian or their support staff to find the best product for you and your family.

How to remove-see video here.

• Do a thorough check after being in tick territory. Have a shower and check yourself as soon as you can.  You can also put clothing in dryer on high for 10-15 minutes to kill any ticks on clothing
• Give your pet a good massage and remove any ticks you find
• Use a tick twister or tick key if you have one. If not, grasp tick as close to the skin as possible with tweezers.  Using gentle pressure, pull out.  You don’t want to break the tick or squeeze it, but make it uncomfortable enough that it releases its grip.
• Place tick in a sealed container or Ziploc bag with rubbing alcohol. Identify the tick if possible, or take to Health Department for identification.  If it appears to be a black legged tick or lone star tick, definitely take it to the Health Department.
• Wash area with soap and water
• Keep tick (or at least a good quality picture of it) so that if your pet does get sick, you can confirm the type of tick which will help with treatment
• Ticks may survive even the best of bashings, so squishing and tossing in garbage will not do, and I have personally seen them crawl out of a garbage can.
• Keep an eye on the area that you removed the tick in case of localized infection
• If tick is engorged (fat and full) and you suspect it is a black legged tick or lone star tick, a vet/doctor visit is needed as they can carry Lyme disease.

Human Diseases

Instead of going through the symptoms and such, check this link which is extremely through.  Lyme, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis

Dog Diseases

Here is the link for those. Lyme, Erlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babeiosis, Bartonella, hepatozoonisis

Identification

No one likes to look at ticks.  But if you have to, here is my identification sheet, including the lone star tick.  Beware also as the nymphs are small….very small. tick info sheet

I did a blog post a few years ago about ticks, so feel free to read it here.

If your dog, cat or yourself get sick and you’ve recently removed a tick.  Please seek medical attention from your veterinarian or your own doctor.

 

Well, we have tried many things to help Norris with his vomiting.  It’s been about a month since my last blog on vomiting in general (here’s the link if you haven’t read it yet) and I just wanted to let you know how Norris was doing.

Norris continues to bright, alert, responsive.  He has a great appetite and has no problem asking us for his dinner when he knows it’s time, and he’s drinking, peeing and pooping normally.  Here’s a few things we tried.

Smaller multiple feedings.  So he got his moist food first.  If he was fine, after about a half hour, he’d get half his dry, and the rest about another half hour later.  The problem with that was Mike and I weren’t always at home to take the time to do that.  We also go back to bed on the weekend (I’m not getting up at 6:30 and staying up if I don’t need to) or I (as I didn’t leave for work as early as Mike) would just plain forget.  So our poor boy was getting hungry, and while he wasn’t losing much in the way of weight, I could tell that if we kept it up, he would become underweight very easily.  So this way didn’t work too well.

We tried to spread his dry food around a larger area so he wouldn’t eat as fast.  This helped a bit, but he was still vomiting.  So I went looking for other ideas.  It turns out that some cats will have their esophageal sphincter irritated by food if it is too big or eaten too fast, so raising their food bowl may help to straighten out the esophagus and avoid that irritation.  We raised his food an inch to no avail.  He was still vomiting once to twice a week in the morning after breakfast.

When we had Mace, Norris didn’t vomit, so we were thinking what had changed.  We stopped giving an evening snack.  Mace was the keeper of the clock and would always remind us what time it was, especially if food was involved, but Norris wasn’t that food driven.  So we started again with a nightly snack about 10 am.  Maybe he was having some acid reflux from an empty stomach and when the food hit, it churned it up so much that it didn’t stay down.  There was a bit of success to this step, but not enough for us to be happy (or him I think)

Final step was to change his food to something for sensitive stomachs.  I have always used Royal Canin dry for my cats, and he gets Iams moist, but I looked at the other brands that I was comfortable with.  (This is not a food debate, so any food recommendations will be ignored).  Finally we found one that seemed the best option as it was a larger kibble so he would have to chew it into smaller pieces, reducing the chance it would irritate his esophageal sphincter.  It was also circular so that if he did still gobble it up, it didn’t have any corners like many of the triangular foods did, again, reducing that irritation.  I am happy to say that since we have changed his food, and kept all of the other changes in place, he has only vomited once in the last 4 weeks.  Fingers crossed that we have found a good solution.

Vomiting is one of the most common health issues pet owners see, it can also be one of the hardest to diagnose.  There are so many possibilities that it is important for the owners to be mindful of patterns to the vomiting such as what they vomit, how often, what are they eating, are there other symptoms, etc.  I am not a vet, so if you are concerned about your pet, always seek out a professional opinion.

• How do they feel? Are they bright and alert, are they lethargic, are they flat out and not very responsive.  If they are not themselves, then definitely contact your veterinarian as soon as you can.
• Are they still eating/drinking?  Are they eating only a little bit, or do you need to entice your pet to eat more.  Are they hungry, just not wanting to eat. Are you hand feeding or are they eating normally.  Are they drinking more than they normally do or urinating more than they normally do
• How often are they vomiting? Pets can be really sick so this is a very important thing to know.  Is it every once in a while, a few times a week, daily, or frequently through the day.  Make a chart if you need to if it is not daily
• What are they bringing up? Is it food, is it digested or whole kibble.  Is it hair, phlegm or bile, what colour is it.  Does it look like coffee grounds. Is there bits of foreign material in it. If necessary, take a picture of the vomit or bring a sample in for the vet to see.
• If you have multiple pets, do you know which pet it is? Unless you know for sure, this can be difficult to assess.  If unsure, separate them temporarily until you know which one it is, or if a vet visit is in order, then take them both in, the vet maybe able to determine which pet it is, or if both pets might be sick.
• What are they eating? What kind of food, what flavour, have you changed foods recently or has the company changed formulas.  Do they chew on things around the house such as plants or plastic, what treats are given, how often.  Have you had people over recently that could have given something. Thanksgiving and Christmas is a big time for vomiting because it is hard to resist puppy eyes when you are eating turkey.
• Are there other symptoms? How is the pet feeling, is there diarrhea, dry heaving, swelling anywhere, pain, etc.  In dogs, especially bigger ones that are barrel chested, if they appear bloated and dry heaving and not producing anything, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!!! Bloat, gastric torsion, stomach flip, whatever you want to call it needs to be addressed asap.  Urination issues can cause enough pain that pets can vomit. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!!  Urinary tract obstructions, either by crystals or stones need to be treated quickly whether a cat or a dog.
• When do they vomit? Is it right after eating, right after playing, right after grooming or when in the car.  Are they stressed or may be in pain.  Are they on any medications currently
• Are they spay/neutered? An unsprayed female that is mature can develop a life threatening uterine infection quickly (a pyometra)
• Are they taking in enough water? Pets can dehydrate with vomiting so fluid intake is important.  Are they bringing up after they drink, are they drinking more and urinating more than normal.
• Have they gotten into anything? A lot of our household items can cause toxicity and it is important that if the pet has ingested something, that you bring the item with you.  Sometimes poison control needs to be contacted

Here is a general list of possibilities.  Again, I’m not a vet so if you are concerned, call your clinic.

• Bacterial or viral infections – commonly known as gastroenteritis
• Diet-related (diet change, food intolerance, ingestion of garbage)
• Foreign bodies – This can possibly be an Emergency.  Call your vet asap
• Intestinal parasites
• Acute kidney failure
• Acute liver failure or gall bladder inflammation
• Pancreatitis (in cats, in dogs)
• Ingestion of toxic substances (here’s a list)- This can possibly be an Emergency.  Call your vet asap
• Certain medications
• Bloat– This is an Emergency!!!! Call your vet asap
• Urinary Blockage (for cat, for dog) – This is an Emergency!!!!  Call your vet asap
• Heatstroke – This can possibly be an Emergency.  Call your vet asap
• Car sickness
• Infected uterus (in cats, in dogs) This is an Emergency!!!!  Call your vet asap
• Pain
• Stress

If you do need to see a vet, be prepared with some of these answers.  An examination will be done first, then maybe simply some recommendations, you may have a special diet to give your pet and maybe some medications.  If it is more serious, blood work and xrays are likely where your vet will start.

Norris has started vomiting occasionally. His food recently changed from canned to a plastic portion size and I could not get the other flavour any longer. He vomits within about 15 minutes of eating, only about once a week or so.  He is happy and healthy otherwise, feeling fine with no other symptoms and no diarrhea.  We spread his food out over his placemat and raised it up in hopes that he is just eating too fast and gulping in too much air.  He is still vomiting.  Our next option is to see if it a specific flavour of his moist food.  Since he is fine otherwise, and it is happening rather infrequently, Mike and I are comfortable monitoring him to see what the pattern is.  If it is the one flavour, we simply don’t feed him that.  If it isn’t associated with that, then we will change to a sensitive stomach formula, then an allergenic formula.  If he is still having issues, then we will take him to our vet.  If he develops other symptoms or the vomiting increases, then we will take him in.

While the veterinarian may be a scary place to go (for you and your pet) better to get an expert opinion.  Better to waste a bit of money than have your pet be unwell.

 

 

As 2017 came to a close, I realized that I am a very lucky person.  I had the chance to get together with my family over Christmas (all 22 of us and 2 dogs) and was able to witness a great exchange of love between my Grandparents.  Married for nearly 70 years (yes, 70 years), they were chatting and holding hands while we opened gifts.  It was great to know that I came from such love and that my family shares in that.  They accept the new additions to our family with open arms (a welcoming beer in one hand, and one for themselves in the other) and before you know it, you are part of the clan.

I was able to get together with great friends for New Years.  My friend Nina’s birthday is usually celebrated with a few drinks, and this year we were able to visit a local watering hole to watch our friends band (Slider) play and there was quite a bit of dancing done and a few shenanigans.  That was on the Saturday, so New Years Eve, Mike and I were able to sit quietly, have a few, enjoy the couch with a cat and a blanket, and watch superhero movies all night until the ball dropped.

I have not been too busy this week, with only a few clients booked, so I am able to get over my crazy December, my long days, and some long shifts at work.  I’m catching up on paperwork, getting HST paid and my taxes all ready to go (seriously, I’m ready.  Thank you Quickbooks for making it easy).

I do have an unfortunate item to think about and discuss.  As with everything, prices increase and I have yet to address that elephant in the room.  Sometimes, my job is easy, sometimes it is really difficult, and sometimes it is downright painful (chronic conditions along with sharp claws and pointy teeth) but I believe that I should not penalize those owners whose pets need me the most, so everyone pays the same fee, whether the visit is 15 minutes, or 4 hours.  It takes me the same amount of time to do my paperwork, do my laundry, maintain my vehicle, purchase supplies and other expenses, and the support and recommendations I give to clients  I give willingly and for free.  The cost of gas continues to fluctuate and generally increases, as well as the minimum wage increase to $14/hr, costs will continue to increase. My prices have remained the same for my first 3 years of business and I have always felt that my prices are reasonable.  While it is difficult for me to do this, I will be increasing my fees as of February 1st.

For those who have supported me, who have appreciated me, who trust me with their pets and their homes, I love you and I hope to continue a great friendship.  Know that I will always have your pets best interest in mind.

So Norris is finally settling in after losing Mace but when we went on vacation in September and left him for a week, that also caused him some issues.  He is demanding, cries a lot, almost like he wants us to come and get him, yet we are completely in plain sight.  I’ll call him over to give pets, but he won’t come and will continue to cry, or he’ll come over and get a few scratches before he moves back into the hallway.  This is usually done in the evening as our morning routine is pretty settled now, but every evening is different.  I was wondering how to help him and thought about leash training him, that being outside and being stimulated a different way will benefit him (and me).  But how do I do that and not have it so he wants to slip out of the house every time the door opens. (Side note: He did slip out the other day and tried to evade me a few times.  Thankfully with his bad hip, he can’t run too fast and I managed to grab him before he ended up under the back porch).  I am a huge fan of Jackson Galaxy and watch My Cat From Hell when I can.  I thought if anyone can help me find a way to leash train Norris, it would be him.

October 27^th 2017.  I sent off an email to Jackson and his team.  Not really expecting a response too quickly, it only took 19 minutes for someone to respond, Jacob from his team.  He sent me his sympathies at the loss of Mace and gave me a link about pets and how they deal with loss, as well as a link to his spirit essences that he has developed to help him with his behaviour.  I also got a link to help an ex-outdoor cat and how to leash train a cat.  The secret for Norris would be to carry him outside with his harness on.  So that he learns that when the harness is on, he’s going to go outside, but only when I say so.  That the doorway is still a no go zone.  Norris will get a new harness and leash today (November 1), one that will feel different as his harness has only been used for vet visits and I don’t want that negative association, and the leash training can begin.

November 6, 2017.  Our first trip outside.  It was just for a little bit, and I brought him in when it started to get dark.  He slinked around a bit, not quite used to the harness, or being told where he could/couldn’t go.  He did seem to enjoy the smells and exploring.  When I brought him in, he cried for about an hour, wanting to go back outside.  Very irritating.  Finally he settled down though.

Novemeber 8, 2017.  He stood by the back door and cried while I was doing some sewing.  He wanted out and it was a very nice day in the sunshine, so out we went.  We stayed on the porch this time and I tethered him to the swing, this way I could read and not worry too much about him.  He really enjoyed just lying in the sun, listening to the sounds and smelling the smells. He then sat at the back door and just looked at it, so I knew he was ready to go in. About an hour later, he looked at the back door and started crying.  I wasn’t feeling great, so I was on the couch in and out of sleep while he cried at the door for an hour and a half.  How the hell I was able to doze with his yowling, I don’t know.  He settled in, but started again about 6 pm.  Holy crap cat!

Talking with Mike, we have decided that Norris is not going to continue his outside adventures.  We are not sure if he will get used to going out when we decide, or if he needs more which we cannot give him.  If I could trust him to stay on the back porch or our yard without us, we would consider it, but he cannot be outside unsupervised.  With his hip, he cannot out run me, let alone another cat/animal or car.  We are being more diligent with his play time, and maybe he just needs more of that.

On dog and cat training tv shows.  I know a lot of people who watch them and for myself, it’s mostly Cesar Miilan, but also Brad Pattinson back in the day.  I follow Jackson Galaxy when I can as well (it’s not just cats being cats, they have their own baggage also).  For me, it’s about getting as many tools under my belt to make my work easier, to make life easier for pet and pet parents, and a happier, healthier animal-human bond.  I also know of people who hate the techniques used by tv show hosts.  I am an intuitive person, and I let my feelings guide me on what the pet is feeling.  One of my clients, (Seamus) is fearful aggressive with his bum, feet and face.  I have to have a strong voice sometimes, sometimes it is soft, a sturdy grip, a no-nonsense attitude and no fear.  He improves with each grooming, but I still see that he doesn’t fully trust me.  Sadie is the same way.  With Sadie, she will bite so she is muzzled, and she uses so much of her energy trying to stop me, that by the time I get to her face, she’s exhausted and I can take her muzzle off and there is no issue.  I am learning with her as well different ways of holding her to reduce the chances of her lunging.  Regardless of whose technique I use, I use my own.  What works for me may not work for you or your pet.  Cats are completely trainable, and they deal with fears, anxiety, and depression.  If you need help with your cat and training, feel free to message me and we can work through the issue together, or contact Jackson’s team through their website.  If you have problems with your dog and training, again, you can message me and we can work through it, or contact a reputable trainer that you feel comfortable with.

 

What is it– Parvovirus is a virus that attacks dividing cells in the body, affecting the gastrointestinal tract the greatest.  It is life threatening illness which can be prevented with a few simple vaccines.

Symptoms of Parvovirus-The big one is extreme diarrhea, typically bloody.  There is also vomiting, lethargy, and loss of appetite. All of these lead to severe dehydration.

How it is transmitted-Parvo is transmitted through the feces from one dog to another.  That can be through direct contact in the park, on the street, on a walk, or at any place that allows dogs.  Indirect contact can be through food bowls, a persons shoes, or floors.

Who is susceptible to parvo-Any dog that has not been fully vaccinated can potentially become infected with the virus.  It is important that your puppy or new dog be vaccinated.  If you don’t have concrete proof (actual veterinary certificates or records, don’t just take their word for it), then take them into your veterinarian to get up to date.  Other dogs at risk are older dogs that may have a compromised immune system, or those dogs that have a medical reason that they should not be vaccinated.  Puppies usually go to a puppy class for training and socialization.  This is where there should be a strict clean up policy and a strict vaccination requirement.  You should also only socialize with friends or family members dogs in a known area (your own yard) and only if the dog is vaccinated and not sick.

What vaccines are needed-As a puppy, there are 3 vaccines, typically given at 8 weeks of age, 12 weeks of age and 16 weeks.  This is when the puppy’s immunity starts to drop as they are no longer receiving natural antibodies from their mother.  If the puppy has not nursed, then the veterinarian may recommend additional vaccines.  They typically receive a DA2PP vaccine (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and parainfluenza) at each of those visits, with rabies being a single vaccine at their 4 month appointment.  Additional vaccines to consider would be Bordetella (kennel cough), lyme, and leptospirosis.  If the dog is over 16 weeks of age and vaccine history cannot be verified, then they receive one set of DA2PP + R with a booster of DA2PP 3-4 weeks later.  Then they are considered fully vaccinated.  If you have questions about your veterinarians protocol, I’m sure they or their staff will gladly help you figure it out for sure.

What happens if my pet becomes sick-Always, always, always call your veterinarian.  As a previous veterinary receptionist, if I heard diarrhea in the same breath as puppy or new dog, then parvo pops into mind.  The staff will usually ask for a fecal sample to come into the clinic, some vets may want to see the consistency, smell, amount mucous, etc, and if possible, carry your puppy in to avoid any possible spread of the virus in the clinic.  If the veterinarian suspects parvo, then a simple test can usually be done in the clinic, with results obtained in about 10-15 minutes.  The fecal sample may also be sent to the lab to look for additional parasites such as roundworm, coccidia and giardia.

My dog is positive for parvo, what now?-The veterinarian will likely get an estimate put together for a stay in the clinic on intravenous fluids, medications to help with vomiting and diarrhea, antibiotics, as well as others to combat fever, nausea, etc.  The dog will be in isolation where anyone that goes inside the room has to wear a coat, and step in a solution to avoid spread on their shoes.  Any item that goes into that room that doesn’t need to come out, usually stays in.  Depending on how the pup does while they are in the clinic, it may only a few days or so, or it may be a week or longer.  Be prepared though, that even with extensive medical treatment, some pups may not survive parvovirus.

What do I need to do now-While your pet is in treatment, now is a great time to clean the house.  A bleach solution can be used to wash the floors, food bowls, etc. Disinfect the areas thoroughly for at least 10 minutes.   Any toys should also be disinfected as well for 10 minutes, but if it cannot be, then it should get thrown out.  Bedding should also be washed in a bleach solution.  This is mostly to avoid bringing the virus outside where other dogs can potentially become infected.  Your pup has it, and now will have sufficient antibodies for it.  When your dog comes home, follow your veterinarians home care instructions, including giving medications as directed for the entire length of the prescription.

I have seen parvovirus with my own eyes.  I have seen the good and the bad and it is not something that should be trifled with.  Please if you have any questions, or you suspect your dog may have parvo, call your veterinarian.

 

 

 

One of the downfalls of owning a cat is the dreaded litter box.  There is so many rules that apply to ones cat, that don’t apply to someone else’s, or even your other cat.  I know from personal experience how difficult it can be.  So here are some ideas as to why, and some ideas that may (or may not help) your cat.  Ultimately, first rule out a medical issue such as a bladder infection/bladder stones, etc as this is not a substitute for a professional opinion, plus it may cost more in the long run and cause your cat more pain and anxiety.

1. Not enough boxes. The standard is one box per cat plus one. Be sure to spread them out as well, put them in different rooms, on different floors, etc.
2. Cats like things to stay the same. Simply moving something a few inches can cause some cats enough distress. For us, it was clothing.  If there was something that was on the floor (particularly in the dining room), it didn’t belong there, and Mace let us know after a few days.
3. Type of litter-Some cats are very texture based when it comes to their litter. Some like clumping, some like pine pellets, some preferred recycled newspaper pellets.  Scent can sometimes be enough to stop them using a box as well.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
4. Outdoor cat now indoor cat. Outdoor cats have a job and that is to defend their territory.  When they become indoors, their territory becomes smaller and if they are used to marking their territory outside where there are no consequences, then they may do it inside as well.  They may also mark out of boredom or stress. (see below)
5. Not clean enough. I am guilty of this.  I would rather have more litters and clean them less.  Thankfully, for the most part, they would still use them, even if they were dirty, but I know some cats that need their box to be meticulous.  Norris will seek out that clean box and christen it, sometimes if I’m still cleaning it.
6. Not cleaning up accidents well enough. Animals have a very keen sense of smell, so much more than ours.  If we can’t smell where our kitty has gone, that doesn’t mean that they can’t.  Once they go somewhere, sometimes they think it’s ok to go there again.  So a thorough cleaning that breaks down the urine enzymes, smells, etc can help dramatically, or you can stop their access to that spot.  If it in a specific room, close the door, if it is a rug or mat, remove it completely if you can, or put something in that spot if possible.
7. Location of box. Most kitties want some privacy when they go, so having a box in a high traffic area may discourage them from using it.  I do know of some cats that want an audience, so a higher traffic area may work better.  Dock’s box needed to be upstairs as she couldn’t travel downstairs to her box any longer due to her age.  (see below)
8. Type of box. Is it covered, does it have a door, is it too short, is it too tall.  Many cats have a preference and if you have a covered box, but kitty isn’t using it, take the lid off and see what happens. My cat Dock had bad knees and would go into the box, but couldn’t assume the correct position, so her butt stayed in the air and she’d pee over the side, so it was a not a matter of not using the box, we needed a taller box.
9. What is around the box. Do you have a mat?  Mine have a matt in front of the boxes to catch the litter that gets flicked everywhere.  Mace was not one to clean his paws and would just jump out, oh the mess.  So the matts were necessary, but if you have a cat with sensitive feet, the matt may be deterring them from going into the box.
10. Age related. As cats age, they are more prone to kidney issues, gastro-intestinal troubles, and mobility issues.  Kidney disease causes an increase in thirst and in urination, so there might be issues with more urine in the box, increased odour, etc.  Gastro-intestinal issues may come with a lower ability to digest certain food, causing smaller/larger stools or mushy or runny poops.  This can cause an aversion to the box due to smell, or the pain involved with using the box.  Mobility issues as cats may not be able to get up and down the stairs to get to a box, getting into the box might be too difficult, getting their butt down enough might hurt so they overshoot the sides, all of these might be an indicator.
11. Illness related. If your cat has any urinary issues such as a urinary tract infection (uti), bladder stones, or feline interstitial cystitis (FIC), all of these can cause an aversion to the box.  Cats tend to see the litter box as the source of their pain, not the act of urinating itself as the problem, so they think that by avoiding the box, they avoid the pain.  When that doesn’t happen, they find another spot, and so on.  A urinalysis, possibly bloodwork and possibly xrays will give your vet a clear picture of what might be the cause, such as a urinary tract infection, diabetes or kidney issues, or bladder stones.
12. Cats are predators and they love to hunt and catch.  If a cat’s instincts are not met, then all they can do is roam their territory over and over again, marking it again and again.  Keeping them engaged, busy, and tired will help.
13. Cats are not born a**holes.  They want our love and attention just as any other pet or human, but when they do not receive enough attention, or the wrong kind of attention from their humans, they look for other ways to get it, even if it isn’t good attention.  Rubbing a dog’s nose in an accident doesn’t help, neither does yelling at a cat.  Unless you catch them in the act, there is no reason to get angry, just quietly clean up and investigate why it might be happening.
14. Does your cat like to sit up high and watch you from a perch?  But what if all of a sudden there is no perch, this will add stress as your kitty can no longer watch their territory for predators or interlopers.  Mace used to love to burrow, mostly because he was always cold, but if we had no hiding spots, he would cry and wander the house until we made him a bed.
15. Inter-cat conflict. Is there a favourite spot for your cats, but only one cat can occupy the space? This causes strife and will cause territorial aggression which can lead to an increase in marking.  Do you have one cat that is a rough and tumble cat, but one that is a princess, the princess may be trying to say that she has no safe place, no real territory.  Looking at how your cats interact with each other can be a great place to start
16. Not spayed or neutered. Please be sure to spay and neuter your cat around 5 months of age.  Not only will it reduce the pet population, it reduces the instances of mammary tumors and uterine infections in females, prostate and urethral issues in males and less territorial behaviour.  There is no reason to let your pet have “one litter”.  She’s not going to miss the wonder that is motherhood, and male cats only have intercourse to reproduce, not for fun like us humans, so he will not miss those testicles at all.

What you can do.

1. Check for medical issues. Have a urinalysis, bloodwork and xrays done to get a full picture.  You don’t want to simply treat for an infection if there is early kidney disease present as well.
2. Keep boxes and litter the same. Some cats are ok with change, some aren’t.
3. Have enough boxes and keep them clean. I know it’s a pain, but sometimes to keep your sanity, a litter box in the dining room is needed.
4. Be sure to have enough perches, sleeping spots, beds, food and water dishes to keep everyone happy. No one wants to fight with their siblings, especially if mom’s going to yell.
5. Feliway or other pheromone products. Ask your vet about a spray, collar or diffuser to help.
6. Anti-anxiety medications can be of great benefit when given under a veterinarian’s supervision (we tried 3 with Mace before we found the right one). If your pet is older, give them their anti-inflammatories and pain medications as per your vet.
7. Work with their instincts. Play with them, get them tired, get them jumping, catching prey, etc.
8. If your cat is happy being an only cat, maybe getting them a play mate is not a great idea, no matter how badly you want another cat.

Jackson Galaxy hosts “My Cat From Hell” and has some great episodes that may help give insight, but first (and I cannot stress this enough) talk to your vet.  They are the experts and should be your first stop.  Best of luck.