Medical acupuncture is similar to traditional eastern acupuncture in many ways.  It involves placing needles in points throughout the body to cause a specific effect.  However, the theory behind it is vastly different.  Medical acupuncture is based in science.  It combines our current knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology to prescribe a specific treatment regimen to a specific diagnosis, resulting in a specific change in the body.  The  diagnoses are based on complete myofascial (muscle and connective tissue), neurological, and orthopedic examinations.

What conditions can acupuncture treat?

Acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain.  This may be acute injuries, chronic pain (such as arthritis pain), or post-surgical pain.  It is also commonly used to treat trigger points (hard painful knots) within muscle that can be acute or chronic as well.

Acupuncture is also very effective at treating many neurological problems.  Acupuncture causes release of chemical signals that can help regenerate nerves and stimulate the nervous system to repair itself.  Spinal cord injuries and peripheral nerve injuries can both benefit a great deal from acupuncture.

Acupuncture can be used to treat many other conditions.  It has been shown to be effective for conditions such as internal medicine conditions, dermatology conditions, and endocrine diseases.  It is also a helpful treatment for animals with cancer as a way of reducing side effects associated with chemotherapy.  Although it may not replace traditional Western medical treatments, it can be a useful adjunctive treatment for numerous conditions.

How does it work?

In a word, neuromodulation.  Each acupuncture needle is placed in a site that will stimulate a specific nerve or portion of the nervous system.  This in turn causes the nervous system to react in a specific way to help decrease pain, increase blood flow, regenerate nerves, improve immune function, decrease inflammation, or reduce anxiety, to name a few.

Is acupuncture right for my pet?

Due to the widespread effects of acupuncture, most pets can benefit in some way.  If you are interested in finding out more information for your pet’s medical condition, call and set up a consultation with Dr. Peuser to determine if your pet would be a good candidate.  We can likely start treating your pet at the first visit.

The AAFP Welcomes Olathe Animal Hospital to the Cat Friendly Practice Program

Cats are purring their way into the hearts and homes of the American public.  The cat is king, with more than 86 million cats loved as pets, compared to 78 million dogs. With the number of people choosing cats steadily increasing, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has initiated a program to improve the health care and overall well-being of the growing feline population.  A Cat Friendly Practice (CFP) is committed to learning ways to make the visit more pleasant for your cats and to help you learn ways that you can contribute also. A Cat Friendly Practice has adapted an environment that is less stressful to cats and meets the cat’s unique needs. The staff at the practice is aware of ways they can interact and handle your cat so that examinations and procedures will be less stressful.  A Cat Friendly Practice also values your contribution to your cat’s healthcare plan and will make every effort to help you understand your cats’ needs and help you learn what you can do at home to ensure that they get the care they need.  Olathe Animal Hospital is proud to announce that it is recognized by the AAFP as a Cat Friendly Practice.

Why Cat Friendly?

“There is a tremendous recognition that while cats are the largest percentage of companion animals in homes, their wellness visits and other types of veterinary care are much lower than for dogs,” said Dr. Elizabeth J. Colleran, AAFP Past-president. The association pioneered the Cat Friendly Practice program to provide a framework for creating a positive practice environment for cats, including medical care that supports the cat’s unique needs, and knowledgeable staff members who understand feline friendly handling. The Cat Friendly Practice program was created to improve the treatment, handling and overall healthcare of cats. Its purpose is to equip veterinary practices with the tools, resources and information to elevate the standard of care for cats.

Olathe Animal Hospital

“We are committed to providing quality care to our patients. When we heard about AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practice Program, we knew it was time to take a fresh look at the practice to determine what could be done to make the veterinary visit more positive for cats and cat owners,” said Dr. Claypool.  “We evaluated every aspect of the practice and its environment from the perspective of the cat. We can proudly say that from the minute they walk through the door, our patients and clients will be part of a welcoming, comfortable experience that will ultimately lead to the improved health of our feline patients.”

For more information about the Cat Friendly Practice Program, visit the AAFP’s website.

It all starts with the carrier.  In order to acclimate your cat to the carrier, begin by leaving the carrier out in your home.  Place familiar bedding in the carrier and encourage the cat to enter the carrier on his or her own by feeding of treats or a favorite toy.  Making the carrier a familiar part of your home will make loading the cat in the carrier less stressful.  This process takes time; be patient, remain calm, and reward positive progress with food, play, or affection.

Carrier selection is also important.  We recommend a hard-sided carrier with a removable top.  Often these carriers have a front and top opening.  Use familiar bedding in the carrier.  Spraying Feliway on the bedding 30 minutes prior to loading your cat can help reduce their anxiety.  Remain calm; cats can sense our own stress and anxiety.  Do not chase your cat. If your cat will not enter the carrier on his or her own, place the carrier in a small room with few hiding places. While remaining calm and relaxed, bring the cat into the room and gently place him in the carrier, removing the top of the carrier if needed.  Carry the carrier gently to the car with minimal bouncing and movement and buckle the carrier in place in the seat.  Cover the carrier with a towel if visual stimulation stresses your cat and keep noise in the car to a minimum.  Consider taking your cat on short frequent car rides so that a trip in the car does not always equal a trip to the veterinarian!

Check out this link for additional tips.  Feel free to call us for additional advice prior to your appointment.  We are happy to help in any way we can!

For example, we 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 this video.

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

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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 Ad

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opt 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!!

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!

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.

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

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!