March is Poison Prevention Month – Part 2
So what do you do if you think your pet may have ingested or come into contact with a potentially harmful substance?
1. Stay calm!
2. If your pet is not showing any signs or symptoms of illness it is still a good idea to contact your veterinarian and discuss whether or not your pet should receive medical attention.
3. If your pet is showing any signs or symptoms of illness, you should take them to a veterinarian immediately.
One thing to remember is to please try to provide as much of the following information as possible when you contact the veterinary hospital or bring your pet in to the veterinary hospital:
1. What the ingested substance is ( including all active ingredients ).
2. Keep and bring any remaining packaging material that the agent was in.
3. Approximate amount that the pet ingested or was exposed to the agent.
4. Time ( or best approximation ) of ingestion/ exposure.
All of this information will serve to better help your veterinarian provide the best medical care and treatment course for your pet.
Of course, the best way to prevent accidental poisoning of your pets is to prevent your pet from having access to the agents and knowing which items can pose a threat to them. Some helpful tips include keeping harmful agents in cabinets that are secure and/ or above a height that your pet can not reach, use trash cans with locking lids and keeping compost piles enclosed or protected from access by you pets. Always read and follow the directions on the labels regarding lawn and garden products as well as flea and tick products. Do not give your pet any medications unless approved or recommended by your veterinarian. Keep toxic plants out of your home and yard or at least out of reach from your pets.
There are two Animal Poison Control helplines, one through the ASPCA, 1-888-426-4435, and one via the PetPoison Helpline, 1-800-213-6680. Charges may apply for either service, so have a credit card handy.
Heather B., CVT
March is Poison Prevention Month – Part One
1. Foods - alcoholic beverages, chocolate ( especially dark or bakers chocolate ), coffee, onions, grapes or raisins, avocado, macadamia nuts and gums containing xylitol.
For a household pet safety checklist please visit the ASPCA Poison Control website. For a more comprehensive list of potential toxins, please check out the Pet Poison Hotline website.
Interesting Medical Case — Squirrel
Squirrel's stone was a bit camera shy, but this one looks strikingly similar!
IQ testing for cats
There is an 8th grade student, at the Beaverton School District’s gifted middle school program, who is collecting data on cat intelligence for a science project. The goal is to create an IQ scale for cats.
Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, scoring has similar flaws across species, particularly when it comes to examiner bias and interpretation of results. But it is still a fun thing to think about!
If you have the time, and a feline subject who is able to complete the test, you should check this out and participate.
Who was really “Lucky?”
Weight loss and cats. Seems to be a common thread here? Really this fascination stems from my own battle with the kitty bulge. I know how tough it can be. Its a long road, and you do not have to go it alone. And neither does this “Lucky” cat, who is now named for the piece of furniture that he most resembled. I wonder if they will change his name again when his transformation is complete…?
~Cara
**Disclaimer**
**While Otto’s monthly weight loss goal is 1 pound per month, this is not a rate that we would recommend without strict veterinary oversight. Please bear in mind that Otto is living with veterinary staff who are able to continually monitor his health.**
Morbidly obese cat gets a second chance at life
This article is from the American Animal Hospital Trends news magazine.
When his owner brought 35-pound “Lucky” to an animal hospital in January to be euthanized for improper litterbox habits resulting from extreme obesity, the staff at Clementon Animal Hospital in New Jersey didn’t know what to do.
Sachina Lyons, DVM, suggested finding a way to sponsor the animal’s weight loss diet so that it could be of minimal cost to the owner. When the owner declined, the hospital also offered to do free regular weight loss checks for the cat to help him stay on track with a new diet and weight loss plan. Finally, Lyons flat-out refused to put the cat to sleep, upsetting the cat’s owner.
A staff member suggested the owner turn the cat over to the hospital, at which point the owner dropped the cat’s carrier on the floor and walked out.
Originally named Lucky, the practice is now calling the obese feline “Otto” due to his ottoman-like figure. The staff at the hospital has fallen in love with the cat, and the practice is working with Otto to get him back down to a normal weight.
Otto’s story is an example of pet overeating gone dangerously wrong.
Though people find Otto to be cute due to his large size, the serious health risks can put his life at risk, the hospital says. In people terms, a 35-pound cat is equivalent to a 500-pound person. Health threats can include diabetes, liver disease, joint pain, skin problems and digestive problems.”People just don’t realize that obesity can run in our pets too,” Greaney said. “Over-the-counter foods might not be the best for them – it can be the equivalent of feeding your pet McDonald’s every day, which most people don’t realize.”
So far, the 10-year-old cat is surprisingly very healthy other than being morbidly obese, Greaney says. Other than taking pain management medications for very bad arthritis and being restricted to a calorie-control high fiber diet, he is not currently facing any other health issues.
Despite being locked in a basement with minimal contact from people, those who know Otto say he is extremely people-friendly and affectionate.
“He is the most loving and affectionate cat you can imagine. What impressed me the most about him was how affectionate he is after spending his life in the basement with very little contact with people,” said Wanda Ross, practice consultant for the American Animal Hospital Association. “He has a very dedicated fan base between clients and Facebook followers.”
The cat faces no shortage of love around the office: Staff members rotate taking him home on the weekends to care for him, and original plans of adopting him out have been abandoned as the hospital employees have fallen in love with him.
“Everyone is so attached to him now, I don’t think we could let him leave the hospital,” Greaney said.
Otto has even become a local and national celebrity for his “fat feline figure” and affectionate nature. The local NBC affiliate in Philadelphia, Pa., filmed a segment about Otto and the clinic’s weight loss efforts for him; Otto also traveled to New York for a special appearance on the “Today Show”, and has even been considered for Animal Planet’s “Must Love Cats” show.
The hospital is on track to have Otto lose a pound a month as a part of his weight loss plan. As of Oct. 14, 2011, he is down to 27 pounds, 10 ounces. The hospital is aiming to get Otto’s weight down to that of a healthy 12-13 pound range of a normal cat.
