Calling all three legged cats!

Hero gets by just fine with three legs. And bucketloads of TLC.

If you live with or know someone who lives with a three-legged cat, this post is all about YOU. Well, the cat really. Actually both of you.

I've teamed up with Dr Geraldine Toh on a project concerning the management of the three-legged cat. Feline amputees require special care.

We're keen to know what burning questions (or insightful observations) you have about three legged cats. And if you don't personally know a three legged kitty, is there anything you would LIKE to know?

Please post a comment or hit the contact page and drop us a line!

Bart beats cancer - twice.

A CT scan showing Bart's 3cm diameter adrenal tumour (its the circled structure. The two big white structures are the kidneys).

One of our patients made headlines this month for beating cancer - twice. Bart, a 12-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair, had a rip-roaring enormous adrenal tumour, which is a problem enough in a cat. But he also had a brain tumour.

For most cats that sort of double-barrel diagnosis spells the end, but Bart's owners were keen to pursue treatment. The surgery  (in staged procedures, a few weeks apart) was performed by specialists at the University of Sydney, you can read the full account and see photos of Bart here. (I especially love the final short of Bart looking over his shoulder as if to say "what is the big deal you guys?).

He has been doing so well since his surgeries. 

Artificial sweetener xylitol is toxic to dogs: the case of the killer muffins

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener which is fine for people to eat - but a threat to the health of pets.

Dog owners should be aware that the artificial sweetener xylitol is highly toxic and potentially fatal to dogs. Cases of canine xylitol toxicity have occurred when dogs get into sugar-free gum with xylitol in it, but also when dogs eat baked goods containing xylitol.

We treated a young staffy cross who presented almost two days almost two days after consuming muffins baked with xylitol. (They were cooling on the kitchen bench, and the patient couldn't stop at one. She ate at least a dozen - which demonstrates another principle of canine toxicology: if it tastes good and no one is watching, the dose inevitably climbs higher).

What saved this dog was that the owner knew the ingredients of the muffins - having baked them herself, so I had an early suspicion of xylitol toxicity. The dog had eaten a LOT of xylitol (by my calculations, around 10.5g/kg). 

She had signs of vomiting, inappetence, lethargy and weakness, followed by jaundice.  Not only was she hypoglycaemic, a finding we knew was associated with xylitol toxicity, but she went into acute hepatic failure – something which has only more recently been associated with xylitol toxicity in dogs. 

She turned yellow as a banana, developed a coagulopathy (clotting disorder) and we really did not think she would make it. We treated her with IV fluids, glucose (initially), hepatoprotectants (SAMe and Mucomyst), gastroprotectants, antiemetics, antibiotics and vitamin K1 – combined with some late nights, early mornings and crossing our fingers and toes!

She made a complete recovery but it took  around 11 days. That allowed plenty of time to read everything there was about xylitol in the literature.

We learned that xylitol, a sweetener which is safe in humans, is incredibly toxic to dogs and can lead to acute hepatic failure. So even dogs which are not hypoglycaemic on presentation may require treatment for hepatotoxicity.

When we contacted the manufacturer she told us of at least one vet who sent two dogs home thinking they would be fine after eating cookies baked with xylitol. Both dogs subsequently died. This particular manufacturer was keen for more veterinarians to be aware of the potential for canine fatalities from this product.

-    Dogs with a history of eating 0.15g/kg or more of xylitol should be treated aggressively, and those with a history of eating 0.5g/kg or more may benefit from pre-emptive treatment with hepatoprotectants, particularly N-acetylcysteine (Mucomyst) and SAMe as this may prevent mortality.

For anyone interested in reading more, we wrote up the case in the Australian Veterinary Practitioner. We subsequently learned that the UK's Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) has campaigned for manufacturers of xylitol to provide visible warnings and information on packaging about the effects of xylitol in dogs and to educate manufacturers about potential risks. 

But when I asked if they stocked xylitol, the saleswoman at my local healthfood store told me that xylitol would be great for dogs – because it is great for humans.  The disparate effects of xylitol on one species vs another proves again that dogs are not little people.

Reference

Fawcett A, Phillips A and Malik R (2010) Hypoglycaemia and acute hepatic failure associated with accidental xylitol ingestion in a dog. Australian Veterinary Practitioner 40:142

Living with pets: interview with Dr Emma Power

Dr Emma Power, cultural geographer, lecturer and champion of companion animals - with a superhero surname to match.

Emma Power is a cultural geographer who spends her time looking at the way we live with companion animals. A big factor in relinquishment of animals is difficulty in housing them in urban environments. Finding a decent place to live in Sydney - or any city really - is hard enough, but it can be super hard when you cohabitate with non-humans. 

I'm going to put my cards on the table here and fess up (be prepared to be thoroughly unsurprised): for me, a home without animals just isn't a home. I think its important that we grow up with humans and non-humans alike. According to Dr Power's research, I am not alone.

Who are you and what do you do?

I am a cultural geographer and Lecturer in Geography and Urban Studies in the School of Social Sciences and Psychology at the University of Western Sydney. My research focuses on issues of housing and home. This ranges from questions about what home means to people and how people make home, to broader concerns about housing access and housing security. A particular focus of my work is about the place of animals within the home. My current research is looking at the experiences of people renting with pets in Sydney, and the experiences of real estate agents who have let properties to pet owners.  I have recently completed a project about the experiences of people living with dogs in strata apartments. A second research interest is in ageing and access to housing in an ageing Australia.

Can you tell us about any non-human animals who have been influential in your career path?

I was very lucky to grow up in a family that included a number of companion animals, including Blackie a Labrador cross, Holly and Mistletoe the cats, three guinea pigs and a rabbit. I now have two dogs (Paddy and Lewey) and a cat called Ferdinand. Most of these animals have come from shelters or been dumped: Blackie was found in a cardboard box as a four week old puppy, Paddy was left at a pound, and Lewey and the cats were strays. This experience of having animals that other people could not look after has prompted my interest in the factors that contribute to the very high rates of pet relinquishment that we see in Australia – access to housing is one of these issues.

These animals have also changed my home and my habits in numerous ways. Paddy is a high energy terrier – taking him on his daily walk not only gets me moving, it has also helped me to get to know lots of people in my neighbourhood. These types of experiences have informed my research into the ways that dogs impact on people’s sense of community across a number of housing contexts. 

You have done a lot of research around renting with pets. Why is this an important issue?

Australia is a nation of pet owners – around two thirds of us have companion animals. Renting is also very significant. Approximately one third of Australian households rent and the proportion of households identifying as long-term renters is growing. However, it can be difficult for people with pets to find secure, long-term rental housing that is pet-friendly. This is an important concern because it has implications for the housing security of pet owners. Moving house and issues around housing security are one of the key reasons that people relinquish their pets to shelters, so the issue has both social and animal welfare implications.

What are the major barriers to renting with pets?

The biggest challenge that people face when renting with pets is access to pet-friendly housing. Only very tiny proportions of all rental housing are advertised as pet-friendly, which means that access to housing is often highly competitive for pet owners. People often move several times during the life of their pets and therefore face this challenge each time they move.

Any ideas on how we can move forward/solutions?

There needs to be greater dialogue between pet owners, the real industry and property investors to understand the experiences and concerns of each group. My current research, which is funded by Mars Petcare, is an important step in this process. At the ACAC Think Tank on 11^th June I will present some of the first results of this research, and convene a workshop that will look at practical responses to this pressing issue. 

Has anyone here had an issue finding pet-friendly accommodation? How do pets enrich our lives? Smallanimaltalk wants to hear from you!

Three things I learned: renal disease in companion animals

Renal disease is a common affliction in elderly feline patients.

There are a lot of online resources available for vets, which is great as one can learn at one's own pace (with one's tiny hound sleeping on the desk beside one's computer if one so desires).

IDEXX have a range of seminars on laboratory testing. I undertook the renal laboratory testing module and picked up a few reminders/pointers. The section on urine cytology was well illustrated and particularly helpful.

Dr Cowell divides primary renal parameters (urea/creatinine/urinalysis) from secondary indicators of renal function (PCV, HGB, reticulocytes, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, anion gap and cholesterol) which I thought was a nice system.

* Inability to concentrate urine is lost when more than 66% of nephron function is lost, while azotemia occurs with 75% loss of nephron function, therefore isosthenuria is an early indicator of chronic renal insufficiency. Persistent isosthenuria and creeping creatinine levels even within normal ranges should ring warning bells.

* Creatinine is a more reliable indicator of glomerular filtration rate than urea.

* Differentials for isosthenuria + azotemia = chronic renal insufficiency, diuretics, corticosteroids, electrolyte derangements (esp hyponatremia, hypokalemia, Addison's disease and hyperadrenocorticism), pyometra (endotoxins inhibit anti-diuretic hormone) and diabetes insipidus.

I liked Dr Cowell's distinction between azotaemia and uraemia. Azotaemia = elevated urea/creatinine and is a laboratory finding. Uraemia = a clinical syndrome (ie azotaemia + nausea/vomiting, oral ulceration/stomatitis, lethargy). Its a simple way to communicate the concept. 

It also served as a good reminder that renal glomerular disease without tubular disease may not lead to azotemia, but usually leads to marked proteinuria (for example in cases of amyloidosis). 

Visit Milo's World

I've been there this morning and I don't want to leave...Milo has an entire website dedicated to his very charmed life.

If you need a bit more emo in your morning tea break, head over to Cute Overload where they have compiled footage of members of the US armed forces returning home to their dogs. If we greeted each other like this, there wouldn't be wars in the first place.

Call for help: dog health programs

The fabulous Nell Thompson pointed me in the direction of an urgent plea from the UK-based WorldWide Veterinary Service, an organisation which coordinates vet volunteer programs. 

There is currently a need for veterinarians to treat dogs captured for the illegal dog meat trade in Thailand. If this is something you can assist with, contact WVS asap for more information - or friend the organisation on Facebook.