Alternative pet ideas for children that have cat and dog allergies.

1. Rabbits- Fuzzy and adorable and easy to housetrain

2.Rats-Highly intelligent and social only down side is short life span about 2-3 years

3. Parakeets-Hand-tamed from a reputable breeder can be very friendly. Another option cockatiels which if properly cared for can live a long time

4.Chickens- cheap and easy to keep , they don’t require much space. Females are calmer and quieter.

5. Goats-make surprisingly good pets.  They are affectionate active and silly. You will need more space for a goat at lest 20 by 20 pen and some solid high fencing.

Just remember what ever pet you decide on you are making a commitment to that pet to care for and treat that pet for their life. Pets are a luxury not a necessity.

Now before you ask there is an animal relevance here. I found this in a magazine some web site that can sow the troops you care.

Pets For Patriots- Matches homeless dogs and cats with military families  looking to adopt a furry friend. The nonprofit arranges for to help for veterinary bills and pet supplies.

Here are a few other sites.

Operation Write Home- operationwritehome.org

K.I.D.S- kidsdonation.org this promotes reading by giving books to children of military families

Good Grief Camps- taps.org  this is a place for kids of families that have lost loved ones can go and be paired with an active duty service member trained in supporting a bereaved child

Operation Military Kids- operationmilitarykids.org this offers recreation programs, assistance with school issues, free camp and more.

Hugs For Soldiers- hugsforsoldiers.org send a handwritten note or volunteer time preparing care packages

Homes For Our Troops- homesfortroops.org nonprofit that builds adapted housing for severely wounded veterans.

Cell Phones For Soldiers- cellphonesforsoldiers.com prepaid calling cards and free phone services for military personnel

Pizzas For Patriots- pizzas4patriots.com this charity shipped close to 60,000 pizzas to troops around the world

If you get bit by a tick and need to know if it is a tick carrying Lyme disease, please call the Monmouth County Mosquito Commission at (732)542-3630. If you are looking for more information about Lyme disease you can visit the Centers for Disease Control at www.CDC.gov. As far as our furry friends, you should start using your flea and tick preventative. We recommend Frontline or Vectra. The Lyme vaccine is also available especially for those dogs that go to the dog park, woods, or high grass areas. These products are not repellents so please remember that after a walk in a wooded area you should check your pet and yourself for ticks. It is especially important to check around the head and neck area.

I found this great behavior website from a conference I went to. Please check it out the videos are an amazing training tool for puppies and dogs with “issues” from barking at people who come to the house to lunging at dogs on walks. The site is http://abrionline.org/ . Please check it out

Max is a happy energetic 15 year old Silky Terrier who never gets in trouble that is until now. A few months ago Max’s stomach started to give him problems. He would have episodes of  drooling, vomiting , not eating well and loose stools. He had gone on emergency to another hospital and had blood work and X-Rays which did not reveal much. After trying anti-nausea pills and antibiotics. He started to feel better but it seemed as if the effects were only temporary. This continued for about a month. It was finally decided that we should pursue an abdominal ultrasound. The internist determined that Max had a foreign body in his small intestines that was causing his problem. When I spoke to the owner about the situation, she was baffled because Max was not a chewer. He had never had issues with chewing or swallowing things he shouldn’t….until now. It is not an easy decision to take a 15 year old dog to surgery. You see Max had a stroke about  a year ago he was doing better now. The other problem was Max’s signs had persisted for so long was it possible that he had  a foreign body for 2-3 months or did he eat the foreign body because of another disease and we are finding it now. After much deliberation we took him to surgery. Max recovered without incidence and we found a half of a rubber ball in his small intestines that appeared to be causing a partial obstruction. From the look of things this was not recent.

In pictures Max post surgery, a picture of the surgical site , the foreign body a piece of a rubber ball

This is a story that has a happy ending. In an area that most of would not want to get caught in a after dark this 4 months old puppy was found shivering and suffering from a broken leg. The area he was found in is a known area for dog fights. He was taken by Newark police to the human society after he was assessed it was deemed that he should be brought to our facility where he could receive proper medical care. The puppy had suffered a compound fracture in his femur. He was going to need surgery to put the fracture back in place and he was going to need a surgeon to do so. We called Dr Thatcher a traveling board certified surgeon and he was able to come in and in a few short hours he was able to put a pin a plate and several screws in his leg. He is now a few days post surgery and recovering nicely. The best part to this story is that the police officer who found him wants to adopt him. It is because of generous donations from our clients and others that has helped fund this and many other surgeries in aid of the many pets at the humane society that need medical attention. If you have any interest in helping the humane society is always looking for volunteers. We are also holding a fundraiser so that we can continue to help these wonderful pets. Come out for a day of baseball and fun and the Lakewood Blueclaws game on May 14th at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Little Silver Animal Hospital. If you would like to bring your dog you can pay a little extra at the gate. All money raised will go to aid the Little Silver Animal Hospital Foundation For Animals, a tax exempt fund that was established to help fund the medical care for the sick animals at the humane society.

Photos from Left to Right:

 Lisa with Briggs right before going to his new home, Dr Thatcher doing surgery, Post-op radiograph of fracture, Peter doing Laser post surgery to decrease pain and increase healing

This is always a sensitive subject to speak about but it is an important one so lets get it out of the way. Obesity– there, I said it, it is the elephant in the room. Why is it so important? Well just think about weight and humans. The extra weight we carry affects our joints and makes it harder for us to get around; over time,  that extra weight causes osteoarthritis which can cause pain and inflammation. In our pets this may look like difficulty rising or taking time to lay down, inability to walk long distances, inability to go up or down stairs, to name a few. When these signs occur, we often have to reach for medications,  diets, acupuncture or other treatment modalities to help. Eventually, if our pet can’t walk, the decisions we have to face are heartbreaking. Obesity can lead to respiratory illness, diabetes,,, pancreatitis and heart disease.

The best way to help avoid these problems is through prevention. Most of us really don’t know how much we feed or how much to feed. To say to us,  ”I feed him this much” and use your hands as a demo doesn’t tell us much. Feeding once a day, or twice a day, is not the culprit.   It is the total amount we feed for the day that matters. You must take into account all the biscuits, table food, chew bones, and dog food. That total amount is the most important thing to keep in mind. Exercise is also a part, but starting with the right amount to feed is key.  As a veterinarian, I almost never have to say for a young animal, “please put weight on your pet, he’s a little thin”.

Okay, so where do we start.  First of all,  the average dog food has 350 calories in a cup. The average cat food is 400 calories in a cup. Some dog foods can be a high as 500 calories. This information is not on the back of the bag. Usually the place to look is on the manufacturer’s web site or call the company.

Calories needed for the average dog are calculated by knowing their RER which refers to Resting Energy Requirements. If the pet is normal and a good weight, the weight calculation used is by taking RER and multiplying it by as much as 1.6. For weight loss,  their calories are calculated by 1.0 X RER. Here are some general number for RER in different weights.

10lbs=200

20lbs=360

30lb=497

40lb=616

50lbs=729

60lbs=835

70lb=938

80lbs=1037

Remember that not every dog is the same.  Some dogs are more energy efficient meaning they need fewer calories to support their body weight than other dogs. It is always a good idea to start by writing down what you feed in a day and then finding out how many calories that adds up to. Include  those pieces of chicken or cookies that you may be feeding. If you’re not sure if your pet is too heavy just ask us at your next appointment. We always say you want to be able to feel their spines and ribs without having to push down hard but you should never see their spine or ribs. Most dogs should also have a tapered waist. If you aren’t sure we can help. We can give you a guideline and help set up a weight loss program for you.

As for Cats, well the old adage “a mouse a day”  is accurate. The average cat requires usually 180-250 calories a day. That may be as little as 1/2 cup of dry food daily. Some cats, as with dogs, may be more energy efficient and require less. You never drastically want to cut a cat’s food without checking with your veterinarian. It is always best to check with one first. Most cats are also inactive.  They sleep an average of 20 hours a day, so it is important to try to get them moving. Try using a laser pointer. Get them to run for their treats. Whatever works best for you. The key to remember is not to just fill the bowl up and walk away and automatic feeders (ugh) are not a good idea.

It can seem overwhelming at first, but know we are here to help. We will help your pet get started on the right foot with the right plan. You may not need to change anything.  But ignoring the issue is never good. I often tell clients we know you love your pets, but showing them love through food only makes us feels less guilt.  The true love is doing what is best for them.

Well I showed you some amazing things pets eat last year here is this year’s latest contest. Wow these really are amazing:

If you thought that was good check out this one…Tums anyone:

Guess what this one is, not just for the tub..

So eating a shoe, socks, carpet is not all they will eat,

Been a while since we have been on the blog so here are some updates on what is happening.

Dr. Claudia Regan and her husband Ivan welcome baby Zee into the world. We are hoping to have her back at work soon.

Houndstooth came and went and, guess what, they are coming back October 21 and October 22.

If you haven’t noticed our windows as you drive by please take a look, carefully if you are driving. See if you can guess whose pets are showcased.

We now have Digital X-ray, which is the latest on the high tech scene. Digital X-Ray allows us to give you the best quality images when it comes to your pets.

The latest addition is our Laser. It is a Class 1 and 3 Laser that we can use to treat a wide spectrum of issues from arthritis, acute pain, lameness, wounds, and other ailments. Dr Scott Kilcullen and Dr Richard Yacowitz are now using the laser for acupuncture to help get better results. Stay tuned because a Class 4 Laser is on the way.

We are now carrying two over the counter foods from Hills - Science Diet and Nature’s Best. A Natural line of food with no additives or preservatives. This food is what the doctors at Little Silver Animal Hospital feed their pets. Science Diet Mobility formula has a very high level of Omega Fatty Acids that will help decrease joint inflammation. It has been well proven that fatty acids, in the correct ratio, play an important role in decreasing inflammation in the body. They are great for the heart, kidney, skin and joints.

Congrats to the Staff of Little Silver A.H. who helped raise money for a great charity during which our office manager, Amy Arnone, won 4 tickets to see Mary Poppins on Broadway!

We also wish Ellen ,one of our beloved receptionists, Good Luck on her upcoming nuptials.

Never does my blood boil more than when I see what people are allowed to have published in newsprint under the auspices of providing information to the general public.  When I read today’s  Asbury Park Press’  Healthy Living Section  regarding pet food, I was angered by the ignorance.  I wonder if  the author was paid for advertising this dog food.  Did she even look to see if a Veterinary Nutritionist is on the staff of this company that has won her heart?  Did the  pet food company conduct a feeding trial,OR–perhaps their paying clients constitute the feeding trial.  A feeding trial consists of a company feeding  pets a particular food for a required period of time; methodical tracking is performed to see how those pets do on the food. If you check a can/bag label, there has to be an AFCO statement.  If it does not say feeding trial,  then there was none done.

I have learned from studying the diet/nutrition aspects of pet care that many of these new pet food companies have no real scientific research behind their food.  Most of the time there are way too many probiotics or complex carbohydrates for a dog’s digestive tract.  Dogs are similar to humans but with shorter GI tracts.

The reason the meat in pet food cannot be labeled “for human consumption” is that once the product leaves a facility where the USDA can no longer inspect it, it can no longer be called fit for human consumption. If a pet company labels their meat as human grade, they are lying.  As for the term “byproduct” that refers to organ meat (ie. liver, heart, kidneys, etc). There are no beaks and feathers in commercial pet food. Remember where all the nutrition is… all that organ meat is rich in essential fatty acids and nutrients.

Another point worth arguing is the introduction of the new novel proteins these companies are pushing on people..the rabbits, venison, bison etc.  All they are doing is making it harder on you and your veterinarian to diagnose your pet’s possible allery and what it might be. If we as Veterinarians have no novel (meaning new) proteins to pursue for an elimination diet where do we invest our time and your money?  Just keep inventing new ones?

I do not like seeing people use scare tactics.  This is misinformation which, in turn,  makes people think they are poisoning their pets.  This leads to a great deal of money spent on foods that have no research or medical evidence behind them.  Companies that have been around for almost 70 years and are running successful companies must be doing something right. At least reputable companies such as Science Diet, Iams, Pedigree, and Royal Canine have a Veterinary Nutritionist who balances their diets. They are also responsible for all the cutting edge research that has been done in nutrition.  This has kept our pets with serious diseases around for many extra quality years.

Chew on that for a while…words from your vigilant (e) Vet