When the November 27, 2011 New York Times Magazine came out, I was elated.  The cover article, “Can the Bulldog be Saved?” addresses the many health issues faced by the breed today. Finally people can read what I have been telling them for years now:  that the bulldog, while adorable in its nature, is in fact an enigma.  It is a breed that if not for mankind could not exist in its form today.  On the cover of the magazine is the long laundry list of problems related to their anatomy and genetic line, including  cherry eye, dry nose, corneal ulcers, elongated soft palate, dry eye, skin fold infections, hip dysplasia, inverted screw tail, elbow dysplasia, congenital heart disease, skin allergies, birthing difficulties, and inter-digital cysts.  When I see a bulldog for an initial exam, I always suggest that the owner should invest in an insurance  policy that covers congenital and inherited defects. I have seen many bulldog owners regret not having insurance on this breed.

The fact is that after a bulldog won Westminster, the bulldog has climbed on the top 10 list of most popular dogs. However, this is not a breed for everyone. They are a high maintenance breed. They constantly need to have their skin folds and ears cleaned. They need to be kept on the thinner side because of their bad hips and elbows. They should not go out in extreme heat because their airways are prone to overheating, which can create inflammation, cutting off the airway. They are also prone to respiratory distress and aspiration pneumonia. As a veterinarian, I advise looking for bulldogs with fewer folds, longer noses, and tails with looser spirals. This breed has many health issues and I have always found it ironic that owners get upset with the breeders and feel the pet was unfit for sale.  This is a breed where ”buyer beware” is a true statement. Demand dictates supply.  As long as people seek out these traits, breeders will continue to produce the bulldogs that have them. As a veterinarian, this knowledge is a double-edged sword. My goal is to educate and help people maintain a healthy bond with their pet. While I too find the bulldog to be adorable, I know their health pitfalls. My thanks to the New York Times Magazine for bringing the issue of the bulldog to our attention.

This is definitely going to be a hot topic right now. Horse slaughter facilities are going to reopen and will make meat for human consumption. Horse meat is legal for human consumption in most US states. This is a very emotional subject and may surprise many people that Veterinarians support the reopening of these facilities. The Why is because Veterinarians still feel the welfare of the animal is still the most important goal.
      To start at the beginning what options do people have when they need to get rid of a horse. Rescue,  adoptions, donation to a charity, euthanasia, or slaughter. The average horse costs around four thousand dollars in up keep a year. Due to the economy many horses have been neglected, let loose or sold to slaughter. Since the slaughter house shut down in the US four years ago the demand has not gone done but increased. Now instead of being slaughtered in a US facility they are being shipped across to Canada and Mexico.

“In 2006, just 11,080 U.S. horses were shipped to Mexico for slaughter. In 2008, after the American industry shut down, that number jumped to 57,017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture ” These facilities do and did not have the same control as they do in the US. Meat that is fit for human consumption must be slaughtered in a humane fashion and be inspected from beginning to end. In Mexico that is not the case. Stories of inhumane slaughter have been passed around over the last 4 years.

A lot of people in the Veterinary comunity feel that people should be educated on the costs and amount of care horses need. Some even believe there should be a tax incurred upond people who breed horses.

At the end of the day people on both sides of the issue care about the welfare of horses. People will continue to take these beautiful creature to slaughter as long as their is a market for their consumption. With the opening of these facilities at least we can monitor how their final moments are and to make sure they are given the respect that they deserve.

Before I left for vacation I had spoken to one of the Internists at a local referral hospital, she  had mentioned that they had 3 cases of Leptospirosis recently.  For those of you who are not aware of Leptospirosis it is a bacterial organism that is contagious to humans and animals, it occurs worldwide and can have severe consequences.

Transmission occurs through the urine of infected animals which can get into infected soils and survive for several weeks. Humans and animals can become infected through contact with this contaminated urine (or other body fluids, except saliva), water, or soil. The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth), especially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch. Drinking contaminated water can also cause infection. Infected wild and domestic animals may continue to excrete the bacteria into the environment continuously or every once in a while for a few months up to several years. Animals that may have or spread letospirosos include raccoons, skunks, squirrels, opossums, or deer.

The signs of leptospirosis vary and may be nonspecific but some signs that may be seen fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, refusal to eat, severe weakness and depression, stiffness, and severe muscle pain. Treatment is available if diagnosed in time. Dogs may go into acute kidney failure which may be life threatening if not treated.

The best treatment is prevention. Try to keep rat and rodent populations low. There is also a vaccine. The vaccine is not 100% , there are 6 strains of Leptospirosis. The vaccine contains 4 of the 6 strains. Vaccine reactions are possible but the animals that we see reactions in are low. In this area Leptospirosis cases have grown. When we do see it we  tend to see outbreaks of it.

I am often asked by my clients “when is it time to let go?”. As our pets age, it becomes hard for us to recognize the signs that our pets are having difficulties because we see them day to day. Sometimes, as in humans, changes are only noticed by someone who hasn’t seen the pet in a while.

When is it time? Unfortunately, there is no specific answer.  Changes are hard to measure and sometimes not specific. I often ask my clients questions such as: Is your pet able to rise and walk around without any significant difficulty. Is he continuing to socialize with your family, liking the attention from different members? Is he showing an interest in eating or do you continually need to change the food to keep him interested? Sometimes a pets spirit gives out before their body. Other times, it is just the opposite.
I’d like to suggest the concept of making two jars,  a good day one and a bad day one. At the end of every day, determine which kind of day it has been. If there are more bad days then good days then I think that may lead us to our answer. It is still a personal decision. I do believe that most of us know when the time has come.  The comfort of veterinary medicine is hopefully found in the measures we can take to alleviate our pet’s pain and to provide a peaceful end for our loved family member.

I find great comfort in that most people tell me peaceful and quick the end was. The values of the rainbow bridge was always pertinent. 

“Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown…

This is a great video for puppy training from Dr. Yin

Dr. Yin is a veterinary behaviorist. I attended some of her lectures at Western States and was very impressed. I will be posting some of her training videos for clients to check out.

My technician gave me  a great article about the Internet and Veterinary medicine. In this modern era people have become very Internet  savvy and search the Internet for info from everything from cars to home improvements. So it is not surprising to me when people come in and show me a piece of paper from the Internet with what they think their pet’s diagnosis is or what they learned about pet food and how bad it is. I love the fact that people and so proactive and doing their homework. I think an educated client is the best. The patient gets better treatment and we see more compliance with giving medication. I urge people to be careful not all Internet sites are the same. Most of the sites that people go to for information are site that want them to buy something. I recomend you  avoid them and be skeptical of what they have to say.  They usually direct the person to another site where they recommend they buy something. One of the worst are the sites that compare different dog foods and then offer their suggestions of what the pet should eat. The best web sites for information are those that are owned or sponsored by veterinary schools.

One site I suggest to  people is: veterinarypartners.com, a site that has educational information on diseases, medicine, pregnancy and other data.

Another site I often urge people to check out if they have indoor cats is from Ohio State Veterinary School.http://indoorpet.osu.edu/

www.avsabonline.org , www.dogwise.com,  www.dogstardaily.com – Behavior Web Sites

www.petsandparasites.org- sites about keeping your family safe from parasites

www.doggonesafe.com- bite prevention

www.petpoisonhelpline.com

These sites will offer you some great trustworthy information. I hope you will enjoy them.

If you plan on taking your bulldogs and flying with them you had better make sure you’re not flying Delta, they have placed the bulldog on their no-fly list. Half of the dogs that died on commercial flights from 2005-2009 were short-nosed breeds.  Over that period 125 deaths were reported including 25 English Bulldogs and 11 Pugs. Breathing problems and other congenital issues were linked to the high mortality rates. Continental did have the highest amount of deaths–53. Their number has improved since they instituted a bulldog embargo in the summer and when temperatures rise above 85 degrees. It should be noted that American Airlines will not fly short-nose breeds since last fall. SouthWest will only fly pets that fit under the seat. It is important to remember if flying with a pet that you need to check your airlines regulations, make sure you have a health certificate that is filled out within 10 days prior to travel (if flying outside the United States, you will need to check that country’s regulations. This may take a few weeks to get done). You should also make sure your pet’s carrier is properly labeled with your information and that your pet has identification as well, the best would be a microchip. Also, make sure your pet has ice cubes in the water dish as the ice will melt. This way, they will always have some fresh drinking water. It is best not to sedate your pet as this can affect their ability to regulate their body temperature, the only exception is if your pet will be on board with you where it may be necessary to medicate them to keep them quiet for the flight. It is always best to consult with your pet’s Veterinarian. This will guarantee that you have decided what will work best for your pet based on age, breed and medical problems.

If traveling abroad, the USDA has a link that will inform you about each country’s regulations for traveling with your pet. It is also best to double check with the USDA in case there have been any recent changes in regulations.

I read an interesting article about a 20 year study two vets from Georgia put together from 20 years of data what they discovered is what we have always felt certain breed are more likely to die of specific diseases that are breed related. These numbers were statistically significant. Here are the facts that they put together and the breeds they involve.

Large dogs just don’t have shorter life spans than smaller dogs they are more likely to die of musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal disease and cancer.

Smaller breeds live longer but are more prone to die of metabolic disease. (Diabetes, cushing’s)

Toy breeds like Chihuahuas are known to have high rates of heart disease. Fox Terriers trailed chihuahuas by 3%.

Golden Retrievers and Boxers have a high rate of cancer about (48% of deaths) A lesser known breed Bouvier des Flandres also had high frequency of cancer related deaths.

Gastrointestinal disease were listed as the cause of death in Great Danes, Akita’s, Gordon Setters, Shar peis, Weimaraners.

Newfoundlands, Maltese, Chihuahuas, Doberman, Fox Terriers succumbed most frequently to heart disease.

Neurological disease was the most like cause of death in Dachshunds, Miniature Dachshunds, Dutch Pugs, Miniature Pincher’s and Boston Terriers.

Musculoskeletal was top cause of death in Saint Bernard’s, Great Pyrenees, Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane and Greyhound.

Urogenital disease (urinary system problems) while not top cause of death was seen in Scottish Terriers, Airedales Terriers, Dalmatian, Norwegian Elkhounds, Standard Schnauzers.

Respiratory Disease were highly seen in Bulldogs, Borzoi, Yorkshire Terriers, Afghan Hounds, Treeing Walker Coon hounds.

Highest incidence of death due to congenital disease was seen in Newfoundlands, Bulldogs, Yorkshire Terriers, Akita, and Maltese.

This is not to say that all pure breed dogs will die of one disease or another but it is an insight to a pattern that is seen over the last 20 years. One thing to note is that some of these breeds are some of the most poplar seen and if your heart is set on one of them it might be a good idea to invest in pet insurance especially at a young age, that way you can make decisions for your pets welfare based on factors that don’t involve cost.