You are your rabbit’s best advocate. You know best what her eating habits area, how active she normally is, and what her poops normally look like. So when you notice any changes, you owe it to your bunny to talk to a veterinarian about the changes you’ve seen. It may be nothing, but it may be a sign that she’s developing a more serious problem.

For example, I recently saw a remarkably handsome black-and-white rex rabbit whose owner was concerned about a decreased appetite and poops that were smaller than normal. He seemed lethargic, too. Fortunately, she was a very knowledgeable and attentive owner who had helped him through a bout of GI stasis in the past, so she knew what signs to watch for. Her prompt attention is undoubtedly what helped her bunny’s fast recovery.

In an effort to be as proactive as possible, we xrayed his abdomen to check for signs of ileus, or GI stasis. Ileus is the technical term for a GI tract that has slowed down or stopped moving. Rabbits rely so much on eating all the time,  and they need to have regular digestion to stay healthy. I had a professor in vet school who jokingly referred to rabbits as “cecums wrapped in fur” (the cecum is one of their major digestive organs), because their digestive system is just that important.

When his xrays turned out to be normal, we started him on a course of metoclopramide (a pro-motility drug–helps “keep things moving”), Probiocin (a probiotic in paste form, which rabbits like), and we gave him fluids subcutaneously (SC). The fluids are very important because even mild dehydration can quickly affect a rabbit’s GI tract.

Another important part of his treatment included syringe feeding him Oxbow Critical Care until he was eating normally on his own. Critical Care is an easy-to-prepare liquid diet which is easy for rabbits to digest and provides high-quality nutrition. If you need help syringe feeding your rabbit, check out the following video:How to Syringe Feed a Rabbit

Thankfully, the bunny in this article responded really well to treatment and is back to normal!

March is Adopt a Guinea Pig Month!

At Olathe Animal Hospital, we love guinea pigs! From our veterinarians, to technicians, to receptionists, we all recognize that these furry little pets can be every bit as loved as the family dog or cat. That’s why, in honor of Adopt a Guinea Pig Month, we present you with this…

Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Guinea Pig

1. They have a ton of personality!
2. They don’t talk back to you. Unless you count “weep, WEEEEEP!” as talking back, but that’s just cute!
3. They won’t bite and scratch you, unlike some pets! Although some guinea pigs can be a little nippy, they are generally very social and enjoy receiving and giving attention.
4. They don’t need any vaccines! And with proper care, they tend to be very healthy little animals. However, we recommend wellness exams every six months so we can help ensure that they stay healthy.
5. You don’t have to take a guinea pig for a walk in the rain or snow! Keep their cage fresh and clean with lots of soft bedding.
6. Lots of guinea pigs are awaiting homes in shelters and rescue groups. You can save a life and get a new best friend—what more could you want!
7. You can save money by building your own cage—it’s easy! Using C&C (stands for Cubes & Coroplast) and directions provided on the Guinea Pig Cages website, you can create large, luxurious homes for your piggies at a fraction of the cost you’d pay for a store-bought cage.
8. Feeding them is easy! But do your research. The Guinea Lynx website has great dietary information. Guinea pigs should always have plenty of timothy hay available, and a high-quality guinea pig pelleted diet (NOT alfalfa-based pellets, and no “junk food” like seeds and dried fruit mixed in).
9. They make great pets for children (but make sure the family is committed to caring for them, as no living animal is “maintenance-free”.)
10. Just look at these faces!!

Have you ever had an injury of some sort?  What did it feel like?  Did you yell, curse, or cry (or maybe all of the above)?  Those are all common ways for people to react to pain.  Our nervous system and that of our pets is almost identical in the way it works.  Therefore, it is safe to assume that anything that hurts us hurts animals too.  The problem is our pets instinctively hide their pain as much as they possibly can.  Signs of pain can be obvious (limping, whining,etc.) but are often very subtle.  They can also be things we wouldn’t associate with pain at all.  One example is the cat that was literally pulling out all of its fur because of dental pain.  Another example is a dog that will lick its wrist because of pain elsewhere and develop a lick granuloma.

A common cause of pain in veterinary medicine is surgery.  If we cut into an animal for a spay, a neuter, orthopedic surgery, or soft tissue surgery, you can bet it hurts.  If we don’t treat that animal’s pain, we have failed as veterinarians.  Some of our “exotic” animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, are highly susceptible to pain and must be aggressively treated.

A very common misconception we frequently hear is the following:  “He’s not whining so he’s not in pain.”  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  If you or I were in pain, it’s true; we would be whining or letting someone know about it.  Since our pets are programmed to hide their pain from us as much as possible, it is our duty as veterinarians and as pet owners to err on the side of caution when treating pain in animals.  If we think that an animal is in pain, then we should treat it.

Another common misconception about pain in animals is limping.  “It doesn’t hurt; he just won’t put any weight on it,” or “He’s not in pain, he just won’t walk on it.”  We hear these quotes commonly with orthopedic problems.  The reason he’s not walking or putting weight on it is because it HURTS!  An animal with a broken leg or a torn ACL might not be whining or whimpering, but you can bet it hurts, and probably hurts a lot.  An easy way to know if your pet should have pain medicine…if it would hurt you, then it hurts them.

Remember, pets feel pain in the same way people do, but our medications are very different.  Many are often toxic to dogs and cats.  Don’t use any over the counter pain medications on dogs and cats and contact us if you are concerned your pet is in pain. Visit this link to learn more about surgical pain control, and here to learn more about chronic pain control in pets.  And as always, if you have any questions or concerns about your pet being in pain, give us a call, we would love to help!

If you have ever had your pet under anesthesia at our hospital, you know that we do not take anesthesia lightly.  However, many people don’t realize what we do or why we do it.  This past week gave us a perfect example of why we require these safety measures for anesthetic procedures.  Before I get into the details, I would like to point out the following: This case is an extreme example and is NOT the normal.  In the last 5 years, we have done over 1600 dental procedures on cats and dogs without one anesthetic death.

A dog came in recently for a dental procedure.  We had him under anesthesia for his cleaning and full mouth radiographs (x-rays) to fully assess his dental problems.  While I started to extract his diseased teeth, the heart monitor stopped.  One of our registered veterinary technicians immediately checked on him and confirmed that his heart was no longer beating, nor was he breathing.  We immediately gave him IV medications to get his heart going and started breathing for him.  At the same time we shut off the anesthesia and stayed by his side physically monitoring him along with all of our monitoring equipment for the next hour until he was stable.  He recovered uneventfully after this and went home later in the day.

What would have happened if we didn’t take these precautions?

What if he was not hooked up to our monitoring equipment? We would not have recognized the problem as quickly as we did and wouldn’t have been able to respond immediately.

What if we did not have a registered veterinary technician who is extremely capable right there by his side? Again, we might not have recognized the problem until it was too late.

Why do we require an IV catheter? In this situation, time is of the essence.  Hitting his tiny little vein for two separate injections under these circumstances would have been very difficult at best.  We also would not have been able to give him extra IV fluids to get his blood pressure back up either.  By the time we would have given him these drugs it may have been too late.

We are required by AAHA to have a “crash kit” together. This kit contains all of our drugs and items needed in the case of an emergency.  In this case, both injectable drugs we needed were easily available with the doses already calculated.  This saved valuable time in a situation where every second counted.

As I stated at the beginning of the article, we take anesthesia very seriously.  Because of the precautions we take and the safety measures we require, a disaster was averted and this pet is home and happy with his owners today.  Although this is a rare occurrence, it can happen, and by being prepared and cautious we can make sure anesthesia for your pet is as safe as possible.

Cats outnumber dogs in their overall numbers as pets, but studies have shown that they see the veterinarian less often than their canine counterparts.  One of the reasons is that their illnesses are typically much more subtle.  Ten very common signs of illnesses in cats are:

1.  Inappropriate elimination

2. Changes in interaction

3. Changes in activity

4. Changes in sleeping habits

5. Changes in food and/or water consumption

6. Unexplained weight loss or gain

7. Changes in grooming

8. Signs of stress

9. Changes in vocalization

10. Bad breath

The following document has more information about these signs of illness in our feline friends.  If your cat is showing any of these signs, an exam may be in order.  Keebler (cat in the above picture) isn’t physically sick, just sick of being a cow!

Illnesses in Cats

The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) is an organization designed to “recognize products that meet pre-set standards of plaque and calculus (tartar) retardation in dogs and cats.”  The VOHC recognizes these products by giving them their “seal of acceptance.”  In order to achieve the seal, products must have gone through at least two separate clinical trials that demonstrate their ability to control plaque or tartar (some products help with both).

Periodontal disease (plaque, tartar, gingivitis, bone loss, infected teeth, etc.) is a progressive problem, and not one product will completely prevent it from progressing.  The most effective way of preventing periodontal disease is brushing your pet’s teeth.  Daily brushing is best as plaque can start to harden on the teeth in 24 to 48 hours.  VOHC approved products help as well.  If a dental product bears the seal of acceptance, then you can be sure that the product does what it claims to do, i.e. it works.

More information about the VOHC along with a list of approved products can be found at www.VOHC.org.  At Olathe Animal Hospital, we are happy to offer the following VOHC approved products:

Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d

Greenies

Healthy Mouth Anti-Plaque Water Additive

Stop by the office or give us a call for more information regarding these products for your pet!

In July, I spent a week working on an Indian reservation in North Dakota.  The trip was sponsored by the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS for short) and is one of many that they provide throughout the year.  The group who worked on the trip was made up almost exclusively of volunteers.  On this trip, there were 8 veterinarians, 35 veterinary students, 4 veterinary technicians, 2 administrative volunteers, and 2 volunteer cooks (the food was very good!).

We met in Bismarck on a Sunday morning.  After a brief orientation period, we set off in a caravan (14 vehicles) to the reservation, a 3 hour drive.  The clinic was run out of the local rec. center.  The equipment for the clinic is contained entirely in a gooseneck trailer.  Everything is labeled and packed very specifically to ensure nothing is lost and all necessary equipment is available.  The level of medicine that was provided was as good as I have seen at most private practices.  This was one of the most impressive aspects, especially given the less than ideal working conditions.

Monday morning brought the first patients.  These were animals owned by local tribe members, as well as local non-Native Americans.  Monday through Thursday we spayed and neutered dogs and cats of all sizes, ages, and health status.  We did 40 to 60 surgeries per day.  Additional surgeries were done as needed.  For example, a dog was hit by a car and received an amputation of his front leg.  Another dog had a ruptured eye so we removed that as well.  A great dane on the trip had a condition called entropion, so we corrected that at the same time as her spay.

Friday was then spent as a wellness clinic.  Animals were brought in by owners, in some cases by the truckload, for vaccines and exams.  Some animals had minor health problems, others had major health problems.  Parasites were rampant on these animals, both internal and external.  Every animal was treated for fleas and ticks, dewormed for intestinal parasites, and vaccinated.  Animals with other health concerns had them addressed as well.

At the end of the day Friday, we packed up the clinic and left.  In all we saw nearly 600 animals.  The best part of the trip was getting to work with some amazing people.  The veterinarians were great people with a wide range of experience and expertise.  The students were all eager to learn, which made teaching a lot of fun.  Experience levels ranged from not knowing how to restrain a dog or a cat, to having done several spays and neuters on their own.  Most were somewhere in the middle.  The majority of clients loved their pets just as much as our clients here in Olathe.  Some were taken care of as well as our patients we see here, but these were the exception rather than the rule.  Overall it was a memorable trip and was a great experience.

Check out numerous photos from the trip on our Flickr page.

You can see the setup of the clinic, our sleeping area (on the gym floor), and several photos of students and locals.  Some photos that you won’t see were of the case of mange I contracted while on the trip.  Not one of the better memories I made, but quite the experience nonetheless!

Fleas continue to be a major health risk for many pets, not just cats and dogs.  Fleas cause many damaging diseases including flea bite dermatitis, tapeworms, anemia, bubonic plague, cat-scratch disease and bartonellosis.

Flea populations start with a bang when the weather turns warm and humid but can survive indoors over the winter.  The population grows exponentially as the summer months continue until the early fall when the population peaks.

We are often asked if the various products that have been applied to prevent fleas are working when pet owners see fleas on their pet.  The answer varies from case to case as well as with the product that was applied.

Currently, flea control products can be categorized into three main groups; topical liquids applied to the skin, oral medication that is swallowed, and collars placed around the neck.

Topical products usually include protection against ticks as well.  This gives them a decided advantage.  Oral products generally protect against fleas only and work very quickly.  Collars, in general, do not work well although we are experimenting with a new product that has promise and may kill ticks and fleas for up to 6 months.

The answer to the question is that most of these products work well enough to control fleas well when used properly and early.  Really nothing prevents fleas from hopping on the pet.  They must be on the pet for a period of time before they die, depending on the product that can be minutes or several hours.

The life cycle of fleas tells that tale.  Adult fleas stay on the pet and generally don’t leave the pet.  One female flea can lay 50 eggs or more each day.  That can amount to many eggs in a given area over a few days.  The eggs hatch into a larva, the larva spins a cocoon which later pupates into a new adult flea.  This cycle takes time.  At any point in time only a small percent of the flea population consists of adults.  Ninety plus percent is in the process of becoming adults.  So, knowing the life cycle, let’s see how that affects the pet.  A product is applied early in the cycle and the few fleas that the pet may have are killed and for a period of time usually 3 to 4 weeks no new fleas are seen.  Then all of a sudden the life cycle matures and a bunch of new adult fleas are available to the pet.  They hop on the pet and the pet owner sees these new fleas before the product can kill them.  It is also at the end of the treatment period for some products and some of the strength is diminished so it takes a little longer to kill the fleas.  The trick is to start early and use the product consistently.  If you feel there is a population of fleas that the pet is continuing to pick up, you should treat the pet’s environment and that will hasten the elimination of the problem.

Be very careful you understand what you are applying to your pet.  Never apply products to cats that are not approved for cats.  They cannot handle all of the same chemicals that dogs can handle.  Much of the over-the-counter products are actually more potentially harmful than products sold by veterinarians.  Take the time to understand the product and please consult with us.  We are here to help solve problems and keep your pet healthy.

Support Wildlife and Help Us Celebrate!

We were thrilled to receive 2^nd Place in the AAHA Accredited Practice of the Year Awards.  AAHA is the American Animal Hospital Association, and only about 15% of vet clinics in the US become accredited. Our award recognizes us as one of the top animal hospitals in North America!  We are so thankful to our loyal clients and patients who have helped us become what we are!  We couldn’t have done it without you!

Please join us in celebrating, and while doing so:

• Meet a few of OWL’s education animals
• Kitty City Kansas – meet some friendly felines
• Prairie Paws – meet some adoptable pooches
• KC Ferret Rescue – find a ferret who needs a home
• “Try it out” dog agility – K9s in Motion
• Dog Training Demos by Gloria Logan of Perfect Puppy at 11:30am & 12:30pm

Photos and Autographs with Lisa Teachman, KMBC Meteorologist!

“Wild” Pet Costume Contest
Prizes for the “wildest” pet costumes!

Silent Auction
Raffle
Register for a chance to win an iPad!!

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT OPERATION WILDLIFE
Microchipping
Nail Trimming
Dental Check-ups

Family friendly!
Pets Welcome!

Raffle Items

• iPad!! With Wi-Fi and 64GB!!
  
• Dog food (various)
• Cat food (various)
• Pocket knives
• Set of small-sized ceramic dog bowls
• XS Dog life jacket
• Hunting calendars
• Synovial joint chews
• Omega 3 Crumbles
• Jose Pepper’s Giftcard
• Scooters coffee gift card
• Spin! Pizza gift card
• Sheer Madness – Children’s hair cut
• Sugar Rush cupcakes
• Scentsy warmer
• Dry Clean Supercenter gift certificate
• Tasso’s Greek Restaurant gift card

Silent Auction Items

• Hand-painted Boxer plate by Gloria Logan
• Timbermist Farm Horseback Riding Lessons
• Hilltop Stables Horseback Riding Lessons
• Hodgdon Powder Company custom shooter’s field bag
• Sportsman’s “Ducks Unlimited” duffle or decoy bag
• Canine Annual Wellness Exam ($198 value)
• Feline Annual Wellness Exam ($143 value)
• Gift basket containing Comfortis flea control (need current exam on file)
• Vectra 3D 6-months’ worth of flea control
• Divine K-9 $50 Gift Certificate (grooming services and/or retail products)