By Babette Gladstein

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is a significant health problem among all dogs. It has been estimated by many veterinarian organizations that up to 30 percent of the canine population are afflicted with this painful hip-socket condition. As a result of the widespread nature of this problem, a non-surgical alternative solution is now available.

Babette Goldstein.

Prolotherapy has been used in human medicine successfully since the 1950s. It is comprised of a series of injections with natural substances that cause natural contraction of tendons and ligaments surrounding the hip joint.

Typically, four treatments are utilized and administered by an experienced veterinarian.

The treatment protocols are determined by the physical findings as well as the response to treatments and the cessation of clinical signs. The addition of Acell is introduced at the end of the sessions and seems to accelerate the ultimate progress of the case. Typically the first session shows some progress. After the second session more progress is visible and by the third the clinical signs are mostly resolved. The fourth session is the one that proves the most significant.

Bejinos is a charming Tibetan spaniel, with the breed’s regal bearing and energy. Yet a few weeks ago, the 9-year-old spaniel was lame and clearly not his cheerful self. His case underscores the value of a combined regimen of prolotherapy and Acell.

The problem was compounded by wear and tear on his left side. The elbow and shoulder on that side were stiff and sore, problems directly related to overuse.

A week later, Bejinos underwent a second treatment. After this treatment his lameness issues resolved to a mild stiffness. The owner reported that Bejinos’ improvement was promptly apparent.

In Bejinos’ case, the results were clearly evident, with the compact dog quickly regaining his playfulness and energy.

Although Hazel, a young Saint Bernard, did not show signs of hip dysplasia, something was definitely going on with her. She was reluctant to go up or down stairs and would sometimes sit down abruptly in the middle of a walk. At just two-and-a-half years old, both of her hips were already painful.

Again, the results of the treatment were profound. Within a week, Hazel was sitting less often and was more willing to go up or down stairs. There seemed to be less tenderness in the hip joints.

Several months ago, Buddy—an 11-year-old chow mix at the New York City’s Humane Society—was presented with hip dysplasia and little hope. Palpitation showed how much pain he was in, and an inability to get up and down comfortably. He was basically walking on three legs and was using one hind leg only for balance.

Buddy’s immediate treatment included two prolotherapy sessions, given at two-week intervals and followed by a third treatment of Acell injections

In the weeks following treatment, Buddy made considerable progress. He is able to get up and down more easily and no longer needs pain medication. He now runs happily on his daily walks and the closeness of his hind legs has gradually lessened. He is bearing weight on all four limbs

But the success of his prolotherapy treatment is not the only good news for Buddy. He has recently been adopted and will go to a new home along with his long-time companion, a yellow lab mix.

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Babette Goldstein is a VMD and owner of B Glad Veterinary.

Cats generally have eight mammary glands (four pairs). Dogs vary, but usually have 10 glands. Around 90 percent of feline mammary tumors are malignant; in dogs, less than 50 percent are malignant.

To prevent mammary gland cancer, spay your pet before she goes into heat. Dogs spayed before their first heat are 2,000 times less likely to develop breast cancer. Cats spayed before their first heat have 91 percent less chance of developing breast cancer. After just one heat, the risk rises. Around four months of age is a good time to have your pet spayed, as vaccinations are generally completed by then.

Just like in people, mammary exams for pets are important. Early detection is key. For example, cats with mammary tumors removed when less than 2-centimeters in size have a median survival time of four-and-a-half years, while cats with tumors that are bigger than 3-centimeters have a median survival time of six months.

Once your dog or cat is five years old, perform a mammary exam monthly. Gently feel the tissue under and around each nipple, “rolling” the tissue between your fingers. If you feel even a tiny lump, bring your pet to the veterinarian.

The primary treatment is surgical removal. Depending on the situation, your pet may have only the affected gland removed, several glands in the area or all glands on that side. The tumor will be analyzed to determine if it’s benign or malignant. If malignant, your veterinarian will likely refer you to a veterinary oncologist for advice.

–
Louise Murray, DVM, DACVIM, is director of medicine at ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, and author of Vet Confidential.

Alvin is a 14-pound Boston terrier who does not share my affection for shoes. Needless to say, it took a while to find a pair that he would be seen in public with. But step foot out on a snow or salt covered sidewalk? He won’t have any part of that either.

Never in a million years did this native New Hampshire-ite think she would write a column advocating the use of canine booties. But I am a true convert. City sidewalks are tough on the feet. While dog’s paws are built to withstand outdoor terrain, a little pampering can be warranted. Snow and ice can build up between the toes and cling to fur on the feet, resulting in cuts and abrasions or, at the very minimum, uncomfortably cold feet. It is best to let the ice melt rather than trying to pull it off. Caustic sidewalk de-icer products can cause irritations and chemical burns. At the very least, you should inspect and cleanse your dog’s paws after walking. I keep a box of baby wipes at the door.

If you splurge on boots, be prepared for some resistance from your pet. It will take some time to get used to them. A good fit is necessary to ensure proper ambulation. Make sure the boots have suitable traction on the bottom, and be careful not to wrap them too tight. Of course, make sure the shoes fashionably accentuate the jacket. You don’t want to be caught by the canine
fashion police.

Other cold weather tips:
Keep your animals sheltered from inclement weather. The toasty indoors is always preferable.

If you must house your pet outdoors, provide ample housing that is elevated off the ground and insulated with dry bedding or straw. Find a house just large enough for the dog to stand and turn around in, but small enough to retain body heat. Unfrozen water and ample food are necessary.

Anti-freeze is highly toxic to pets, even in minuscule amounts. If you suspect that your pet has ingested anti-freeze, immediately seek veterinary attention. Life threatening kidney failure can occur, even with treatment.

Beware of thin ice. Keeping your dog on a leash around bodies of water is the smart thing to do.

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Dr. Robin Brennen is vice president of program operations and chief of veterinary services at Bideawee, 410 E. 38th St.

Got a question for the vet?
Email it to pets@manhattanmedia.com.

Puppies and kittens should receive a series of vaccinations every three weeks from the time they are six to eight weeks old until they are between three and four months old. The first vaccine for a kitten is called either a “3 in 1” or a “4 in 1,” or FVRCP, and it gives protection from viruses that cause serious upper respiratory symptoms that can become much more severe than just a “kitty cold.” The vaccine also protects from panleukopenia, a gastrointestinal virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea and which can be fatal. If a kitten begins receiving vaccinations after three months of age, only one or two doses are necessary because the immune system is considered fully developed, and not dependent on the mother for maternal antibodies.

The first vaccine for a puppy is called a “5 in 1” or DA2PP, and it gives protection against five very severe diseases, including distemper and parvovirus, both of which are highly contagious to other dogs and can be fatal. When a puppy is older than three months, the combo vaccine should also include leptospirosis, a disease that affects the liver and kidneys, which can be fatal, and is contagious to people. Leptospirosis is found everywhere, cities and suburbs, and is carried by many species, including raccoons, small mammals and cockroaches.

All dogs and house cats need a rabies vaccine if they are older than four months of age. This is mandated by New York State law. The rabies vaccine must be boostered no later than one year after the first vaccination was given, then the vaccine is given either annually or every three years, depending on the type of vaccine your vet uses.

Adult dogs and cats should receive boosters of their core vaccinations (FVRCP for cats and DA2PP for dogs) either annually or every three years, depending on the vaccines used by
your vet.

There are also “lifestyle” vaccines for pets at higher risk of contracting certain diseases. Dogs that are social with other dogs (play in dog parks, go to doggy day care or the groomer, or are boarded frequently) may need to be vaccinated against bordatella bronchiseptica, which causes “kennel cough,” or canine influenza. Dogs that play in the woods may need to be vaccinated against Lyme disease. Check with your veterinarian.

In general, all vaccinations are very safe, and most pets have no reactions at all. However, some pets may experience transient lethargy, decreased appetite, soreness or mild swelling at the injection site. Occasionally, more severe reactions occur, such as vomiting, hives, facial swelling or, in rare instances, trouble breathing. If any of these more severe signs occur, you should seek immediate veterinary attention for your pet.

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Dr. Kathleen A. Dunn, DVM, is a staff veterinarian at the North Shore Animal League America.

Dr. Brennen briefly mentioned “that puppy or kitten in the window.” The great majority of (if not all) puppies sold in pet shops come from commercial breeding facilities, otherwise known as “puppy mills.” In these facilities, the breeder dogs spend their entire lives in wire cages, simply being used to help fill pet shop windows and cages. When the breeder dogs are no longer capable, they are cast aside like trash.

If a pet shop proprietor says their dogs come from “reputable breeders” (a term they are known to use), they are more than likely being completely dishonest. In very easy to understand terms, no “reputable breeder” will ship their dogs by plane or truck to a pet shop and NOT know where their dogs end up.

If you are committed to the pet’s lifetime care, then adopt from one of the many shelters and rescue groups. All breeds can be found on petfinder.com. Saving a life (and lots of money) will bring true joy to both you and the grateful animal.

Mickey Kramer
East 75th Street

Letters have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.

Imagine if that “gadget” were living, breathing and had four legs and a tail? Now what?

Animals given as presents often end up unwanted and discarded, like that ugly green-and-white Christmas sweater. Trust me; I see it all too often. It is hard to resist that puppy or kitten in the window, but giving the gift of pet ownership and the responsibility that goes along with it is something that I would ask you to not only think about once, but twice.

Growing a family by adding a pet is a decision that needs to be made by all the family members. It should not be an impulse buy. The recipient can’t put a pet up on a shelf in the back of the closet when they are done with it. There are 15-plus years of care, love and security to provide, not to mention the thousands of dollars this gift will cost over a lifetime. Shouldn’t the recipient have a say in whether or not that is something he or she can commit to?

If your children really want a dog or a cat for Christmas, schedule a family outing to a shelter after the holiday when things aren’t so chaotic and stressful. Assume that the parent will be the primary caregiver if the children are under the age of 13. Iron out all responsibilities beforehand.

If you are looking for a great alternative, consider giving a gift certificate from a local shelter that covers the cost of an adoption. Let the recipient decide on what pet is best suited for his/her lifestyle. Adoption counselors can assist in the process, and that way a good and permanent match can be made. Or consider making a donation as a gift or support a virtual adoption.

We have a lot of animals in our shelter that I would love to see go home for the holidays. But as a rule, we do not adopt unless all family members are present. We take the gift of life very seriously. It saddens me to see on occasion the life of an animal considered disposable. Our shelter is filled with throw-aways. But I have faith that the spirit of the holidays will bring homes to our homeless when the time is right.

Please consider donating your time, money or needed supplies to the several desperate shelters and rescue groups in this great city of ours. The joy of receiving is in the giving.

Happy Holidays.

–
Dr. Robin Brennen is vice president of program operations and chief of veterinary services at Bideawee, 410 E. 38th St.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention reports that nearly half of the nation’s pets are classified as overweight or obese by a veterinary healthcare provider, including 43 percent of dogs and 53 percent of cats. That’s roughly 85 million pets!

Pet owners often don’t take this condition seriously. But the reality is obesity can cause or exacerbate osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, respiratory problems, heart disease, high blood pressure and many forms of cancer. A recent study by Purina found that overweight animals lived 1.8 years fewer than their leaner counterparts. Are we killing our own pets with kindness? Too much food and not enough exercise is the recipe for disaster. Caloric intake should match metabolic need. Following the instructions on the back of a bag of pet food is not always the best guideline. And snacks add up. One large Milkbone is 112 calories! An ounce of cheddar cheese fed to a 20-pound dog is the rough equivalent of one-and-a-half hamburgers for a human. For a 10-pound cat, that same ounce of cheese is the equivalent of three-and-a-half hamburgers. On top of that, city dwelling animals tend to be couch potatoes.

Most pet owners would do anything to keep their furry friend healthy. A 30-minute romp in the park can go a long way to keeping your dog mentally and physically fit. There are many interesting cat toys that stimulate play behavior and burn calories in your kitty.

If you think your pet is pudgy, work with your veterinarian to formulate a diet and exercise program. Your vet may want to run some tests to make sure your companion is healthy and rule out underlying disorders, like thyroid disease. Cats in particular need to be under the guidance of your veterinary health care team, as they are prone to serious liver problems if they lose weight too rapidly.

Oct. 14 is National Pet Obesity Day. Many pet-food manufacturers are hosting weight loss challenges to motivate you to go out and get your animal fit. Doing so could add two years to your pet’s life. Sounds like a mutually beneficial investment to me!

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Dr. Robin Brennen is vice president of program operations and chief of veterinary services at Bideawee, 410 E. 38th St.

The first step in helping an itchy pet is to figure out why the pet itches. There are many causes of pruritus (itchiness), but treatment without knowing what’s causing the symptoms is unlikely to succeed and can result in the animal receiving inappropriate medications, some with the potential for significant side effects. (Corticosteroid injections can cause diabetes, for example.)

Your veterinarian can learn a lot before even touching your pet, beginning with an in-depth discussion. Is the pruritus seasonal, or year round? Has your pet traveled out of the city, or had contact with other animals that have? Are other pets (or people) in the household showing similar symptoms? What flea prevention do you use?

Your vet will perform a careful physical exam, looking in hidden areas such as the armpits, groin and between skin folds. He or she will also look for external parasites, including fleas (and for pets with an allergy to fleas, even low-level exposure can cause a severe reaction) and tiny mites, which are found by scraping the skin and evaluating this sample under the microscope. Your vet will also check for evidence of bacterial or yeast infection, even using his or her sense of smell.

If no other cause is found, your vet may suspect an allergy. Food allergies can be treated with a special diet, and inhaled allergens that make humans sneeze may cause itching in pets. Your vet may prescribe an antihistamine. If your pet’s condition is persistent or severe, the vet will refer you to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist (www.acvd.org) for specialized testing and advanced treatment. Dermatologists are great not only at diagnosing why pets are itchy, but at knowing just what do to about it. And for an itchy pet and her owner, that’s a real relief.
–
Louise Murray, DVM, DACVIM—Director of medicine, ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital and author of Vet Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to Protecting Your Pet’s Health.

The ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital is open to the public for appointments and emergencies Monday through Saturday, and can be reached at 212-876-7700, x4200.

A:In all my years of living in a multiple-cat household, I have never done anything more elaborate than just plopping the new cat right into the mix! Generally, the first few days are a bit tumultuous with some hissing and hiding and maybe a swat or two and the occasional brawl, but things calm down as they instinctively work out their social structure and plot out their territory. Worst-case scenario is they just agree to dislike one another and go about their business ignoring the other’s presence. None of my cats bonded; they simply co-habited. Only on the rare occasion is all out war declared, leading to sleepless nights, broken objects and infected cat bites.

If you are adopting a cat, most shelters know if their cats get along with other cats. At Bideawee, we have several communal cat resorts full of cats who were once strangers and are now sleeping in the same kitty bed. If you are introducing a kitten to an adult, you probably won’t have much resistance. Things get a bit more unpredictable when you introduce a companion to a confirmed bachelor/ette. Cats don’t always embrace change, but most eventually accept it.

However, if you prefer not to leave things to feline chance, then a more structured introduction is warranted. Make up a separate room for your new cat where you are able to isolate him. Let them acclimate for a day or two. Because the cats will sniff each other through the door I would do something to make that interaction positive, like place their food dishes adjacent to the door. Or take two big catnip mice and tie them together with a shoelace, and place the shoelace under the door with the mice on each side. That will encourage play behavior without adverse visual stimulation. After a few days, switch the cats to allow each to explore the others environment. Once you feel comfortable, just open the door and cross your fingers! See how the supervised interaction goes and expect some minor altercations while they are figuring out their hierarchy. If the interaction is really aggressive, go back to separate rooms for a bit and repeat the process. Eventually the cats will work it out and you wont need to referee. Check out the Internet—there a lot more detailed suggestions out there.

—Robin Brennen, DVM
Chief of Veterinary Services and Vice President of Program Operations, Bideawee

Got a question for the vet?
Email it to pets@manhattanmedia.com