ANIMAL CONNECTION

Archive for the ‘Medical’ Category

What do you think about cloning the DNA from an endangered animal to keep it from going extinct?  Dr. Betsy Dresser, senior vice president of research for the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans, is doing just that.  She takes the DNA from an endangered animal and uses it with a non-endangered relative.  An example is the typical house cat and the African Wildcat.

She takes the egg of the house cat and sucks out the DNA.  She then takes DNA from the skin cells of the African Wildcat and places it inside the egg.  She uses electrodes to spit the eggs.  If everything goes well she places the egg inside the house cat so it can mature and product a new kitten.  It has been going so well, the cloned cats are mating and giving birth to very healthy kittens on their own.

This procedure might sound easy but it’s not.  There is a lot of scientific research that goes into this.  Take the Woolly Mammoth.  They don’t know the gestation period for an animal like that so they would have guess.  The goal is to keep endangered species from going extinct, not to bring back the Woolly Mammoth.  She would like to do work on the Lynx to keep it from going extinct, or the bongo, cousin to the antelope.

The Audubon Nature Institute is located on 1,200 acres of land.  It seems part Serengeti, part high-tech medical facility.  She knows there is a lot of controversy on this topic.  Her opinion, she doesn’t want our next generation of kids to only know an elephant from a text book.  She wants the kids to be able to see these animals alive, in their own environment.  If she doesn’t do this now, then we will be losing a lot of animals for future generations.

She is known as the lady with the “frozen zoo”.  She collects tiny skin samples from thousands of different animals, representing hundreds of species, and is storing them at 343 degrees below zero in tiny canisters inside tanks filled with liquid nitrogen.  She has samples from tigers, bears, frogs, rhinos and many more animals.  She feels there is no reason not to save DNA from every species since the cells can survive for hundreds, if not thousands of years in these tanks.

The Woolly Mammoth is her poster animal because the thought of it is inspiring.  Imagine the face of a 9 year old child.  This child sees a picture of the Woolly Mammoth and knows that there might be the possibility of brining that animal back to life.  Talk about inspiring for a kid to want to get involved in science that way.  If not, there is the message to do something to improve our environment NOW so we are not impacting and affecting animals is such a negative way.  We all live on the same planet and are connected to each other.

No one has yet found the intact cell it would take to resurrect that Woolly Mammoth, but in Siberia, two years ago, a reindeer herder discovered a remarkably well-preserved one month old baby mammoth that had lain frozen in permafrost for 40,000 years.

Its DNA was in better shape than any previously found, raising hopes that between new finds and new technology, it may just be a matter of time.

Watch the Frozen Zoo  video

These days we hear about more and more people leaving their pets behind as they leave their homes.  It’s even harder to think about during the holiday season.  Some people will find reasons to leave an animal behind; relocation, financial issues, divorce, more responsibility for an older animal….and the list goes on.  For some, that is not an option.  They will lose everything but they will never leave their beloved pet behind.  The animal is the only thing that keeps them going in this crazy, unpredictable world.  It is called unconditional love and it’s an emotional bond of loyalty.  We all search for it when most of the time it is right in front of us, our pet.  The tragic part is that these pets don’t choose their owners.

It is estimated, by the National Coalition for the Homeless, that 3.5 million people are homeless.  Between 5% to 10% of homeless people have dogs and/or cats. In some areas of the country the rate is as high as 24%.  Most people who experience homelessness are homeless for a short period of time, and usually need help finding housing or a rent subsidy.   Unfortunately for those with pets it becomes more difficult.  Many are forced to choose between their pet or a roof over their head.

Picture this, a well dressed woman walks up to a homeless man and gives him a bag of fast food on her way to work.  The man has been sitting on the sidewalk in the same spot for weeks, he looks up and says “God bless you.”  The woman nods and walks away but not before she turns to see him open the bag and remove a burger, take a bite and give the rest to his dog.   This scene is probably something that goes on more often than we would like to think.

There is an organization I found out about called “Feeding Pets of the Homeless”.   They provide medical care and food for pets that belong to the homeless and the disadvantaged.  They do this by teaming up with Veterinarians and pet related businesses in different areas of the country.  They’ll do talks in communities about this issue and work with food distributing organizations about the importance of including pet food.  They also have collection sites across the U.S. and Canada.  These sites are clinics, hospitals, businesses, storefronts and nonprofits that understand the human/animal bond. They work hand in hand with the food pantries and food kitchens, so the animals can be fed as well as the homeless.  They also provide grants to licensed Veterinarians and other nonprofit organizations.  You can email them at: info@petsofhomeless.org for more information and an application.

Please, go to their website and see if there is a collection site in your area.  If not, please think about starting one for the animals and people in need.  Feeding Pets of the Homeless is available to help.  This is a hard time for everyone, animal and human.  It takes a lot of courage, and love, for these people in need to stand by their pet, literally.

Today I got some emails I wanted to share with you.

1. Did you know that November is “Go Vegan” month?

I, honestly, was not exactly sure what vegan meant.  I hear “vegan”, “vegetarian”, raw diet”, etc.  Because of this information,  I learned a lot more about being vegan.  I was aware of Georges Laraque, the NHL player,  who went vegan this summer to bring awareness to animal rights and issues.  I also knew that Portia De Rossi and Ellen Degeneres also became vegan earlier this year.  Until now I never really investigated it.  If you would like to learn more here is one website you can check out.  Vegan month.

2. November is also, National Pet Diabetes Awareness Month.

Today 50 percent of our pets are overweight or obese, which certainly can predispose them to developing diabetes. Both dogs and cats develop the same two types of diabetes seen in humans. The greater majority of dogs develop Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus where the body simply does not produce any insulin.

Most cats, on the other hand, develop Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. In cats the disease is due either to not producing enough insulin or an inability to utilize the insulin that is produced in the body — the same as Type 2 diabetes in humans.

Treating and caring for a diabetic pet takes a huge commitment in both time and dollars.  Initial symptoms of diabetes are excessive thirst and urination, possible sudden weight loss and frequent urinary tract infections. Lack of energy and listlessness also are on the list.

Be sure you take your pet to the vet at least once a year for a full physical.  Make sure it is, and stays, healthy!

3.  Here are some pictures a friend of mine took of some Javelina.. also known as Collared Peccary.   They are so cute I had to share them with you.  He had 14 of these critters come out from under his house a few weeks ago, with a couple of new born babies!!!
If you would like to learn more about these interesting animals just check out this link.

4.  This came from Judy Landers, one of my board members:

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we are working urgently to help stop the intense suffering of turkeys. Their situation is grave. The abuse they endure on factory farms is difficult to even imagine. Farm Sanctuary’s public awareness campaign to expose the hidden horrors of commercial turkey production, combined with our efforts to rescue and provide refuge to the victims of this cruel industry, are having an impact – opening hearts and minds and creating real change. But we need your help to expand our reach even further. Please help END the abuse.

5. ALSO…This Sunday night 60 Minutes will feature an unprecedented exposé on the factory farming of pigs in Australia which has been underpinned by an investigation conducted by Animals Australia.  You can learn more from this link.

6.Denmark is a big shame

The sea is stained in red and it’s not because of the climate effects of nature. It’s because of the cruelty that the human beings (civilised human) kill hundreds of the famous and intelligent Calderon dolphins. This happens every year in Faroe Island in Denmark. In this slaughter the main participants are young teens.
WHY?   To show that they are adults and mature….

In this big celebration, nothing is missing for the fun. Everyone is participating in one way or the other, killing or looking at the cruelty “supporting like a spectator”. Is it necessary to mention that the Calderon dolphin, like all the other species of dolphins, is near extinction and they get close to men to play and interact in a way of PURE friendship . They don’t die instantly; they are cut 1, 2 or 3 times with thick hooks. And at that time the dolphins produce a grim cry extremely compatible with the cry of a new born child. But he suffers and there’s no compassion till this sweet being slowly dies in its own blood.

MAKE THIS ATROCITY STOP NOW!

I took my ferret in for surgery this morning.  I realized, very late last night, I was not sure if she could have food or water?  If so, when do I stop it, or do I?  I got up early and searched the web.  I guess my veterinarian felt I had so much knowledge about ferrets that he didn’t have to remind me about this issue.  He was incorrect.  I found articles telling me that ferrets should eat and drink prior to surgery so they won’t crash.  Ferrets digest food quickly, that is why they eat every 3-4 hours.  I noticed that for other animals the preparations were different.  It seems that for dogs and cats you are not suppose to feed them after 9PM the night before or give them water after midnight.

Other things to consider:

1. Be sure your pet is cleaned because it might be awhile before you will be able to bathe it, clean ears, teeth, trim nails, etc.

2. Don’t let your animal do extensive exercise the day before.  You don’t want them to have sore muscles, they will already be sore from the surgery.

3. Clean the animal’s laundry so they come back to a nice, clean sleeping area.

4. Prepare an area for the animal to recuperate in a safe, quiet area.  They may not be able to climb into their normal area with stitches.

5. Be on time for the veterinarian.  You don’t want undue stress on them or yourself.  Also, don’t have emotional goodbyes.  Animals can pick up on your anxiety, if there is any.  You want them to stay as calm as possible.

I feel it is very important for people to talk with their veterinarians about the preparations that should be made prior to surgery, for their specific animal.  You want to be sure you have a successful surgery and easy recovery.  An example….my veterinarian gives his animals something called a “stress pack”.  It’s a powder and he likes the patient to take this at least 5 days prior to surgery and then after surgery.  He has found that animals using it are a lot stronger for the surgery and recover much faster afterwards.

Once your animal is home be sure to follow post-op instructions.  There may be medications that have to be taken at specific times, the veterinarian might want to see the patient in a certain number of days, etc.  If you have concerns about your animal once you get it home call your veterinarian!!!  They won’t mind and it’s better to be safe than sorry.  You are taking the time, and spending the money, to care for your animal.  Be sure you get the best outcome for them and yourself.

Please let us know your thoughts, comments, etc.

As the winter season settles in, the chill of the cold air often make us more aware of our joint health problems- the same goes for your pet.  Though commonly bothersome in the winter, joint discomfort can be a year round-pain that affects your pet’s quality of life.

Many of us will take aspirin, ibuprofen or Tylenol but you should NEVER GIVE THESE TO YOUR PETS.  Over-the-counter pain remedies are hard on animals stomach and intestines and can be fatal to cats and ferrets.  If you think the problem is serious enough for you to consider a pain reliever, it is serious enough to take your pet to your veterinarian.

Joints are areas where bones come together. They are a combination of bone, ligaments, cartilage, and the joint capsule and fluid. If anything damages the cartilage or another structure in the joint then arthritis or deterioration results.

There is no cure for arthritis. Symptoms can be treated, but arthritis is often progressive and gets worse with time.  There are ways to prevent or postpone the onset of your pet’s joint problems, as well as your own.

With weight control and proper diet you can possibly prevent or reduce joint issues.  It is very important that you consider the ingredients in the food you are giving to your animals because the food affects your pets’ joint growth and health.  Keeping your pet slim and trim is important in maintaining your pet’s health. Muscle mass can be controlled by moderate, low –impact exercise like swimming and walking.

Large dog breeds such as German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and Irish setters are especially susceptible to joint health problems, like hip dysplasia.

Dietary supplements that you take, such as glucosamine and Omega 3 fatty acids, can also help ease your pet’s joint pain.  There is research to show that the dietary supplement glucosamine, which is an important dietary adjunct that supports joint health, increases mobility and decreases pain.  It is not a cure but seems to slow down progression of joint health problems.  Omega 3 fatty acids can also help ease joint pain by reducing inflammation, which happens when joints rub together.  Your veterinarian should be consulted to be sure you are giving the correct dose.

If your pet has more severe joint problems, and more drastic medical attention is needed, there are a variety of treatment options available.

Hip joints that have arthritis can be replaced surgically, like in humans.  There is also pain management with medications such as nonsteroidal inflammatory drugs, joint supplements, and physical rehabilitation.

Always consult your veterinarian regarding food, exercise, supplements and drugs.

Here are a few conditions you might see in your animal…..

Hip & Elbow Dysplasia:

Dysplasia is basically another word for arthritis.  It is a genetically inherited issue that affects mid to large breeds. There can be arthritis symptoms, bone chips and malformed joints.  Most dogs will limp.  Many cats get this as well, especially Maine Coon, Persians, and Chartreux.

Pain in pets that is associated with their elbows tends to be serious.  This is mostly seen in young dogs where there are fragments of bone in the elbow joint.  These are serious conditions that will become worse if they are left untreated.  They can be treated medically with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines for a number of years or immediate attempts can be made to repair the joints surgically. Surgery offers the only hope of slowing or stopping the slow destruction of the joint

These are not conditions that pet owners can diagnose or treat themselves. Specialized x-rays and knowledge are required to detect them.

Arthritis:

Nearly all pets, like nearly all people, develop some degree of arthritis as they age. It is common to see arthritis in dogs over 8, cats over 12 and ferrets over 7. Pets that are unusually large, and those that do not stand vertically on their legs (Bulldogs), are more at risk of developing problems earlier. Signs of arthritis are usually visible on x-rays long before you notice them in you pet. The severity of the damage your veterinarian sees on x-rays may not reflect the amount of pain your pet experiences. Some pets with horrible x-rays do not seem to be in pain and vice versa.

If your pet suffered an injury to a leg joint earlier in life, arthritis may develop in that limb years later. For example, in racing greyhounds, left legs suffer more than right because those legs take a lot of pounding as the dog runs counter-clockwise on the track.

There are things you can do to delay the onset off arthritic pain:

1. Do not allow your pet’s toenails to overgrow.

2. Do not over feed growing pets or allow them to get over weight – their body weight can increase faster than the strength of their bones. This can cause the bones to bow, placing the weight improperly on the joints and cause early arthritis.

3. A moderate amount of daily exercise, like taking walks with your pets will also delay arthritis.

4. Hot tubs, whirlpools and swimming are great for pets that already suffer from arthritis and all the suggestions that apply to people with arthritis, apply to pets as well.

Overgrown or overly short toenails:

These cause limping. Overly long nails are a particular problem in older, less active pets. When these nails break off, they expose the sensitive quick. They quickly become infected and very painful. These nails need to be cut off straight and cauterized in order for them to heal properly. This is a painful procedure. It should be done, professionally, under mild anesthesia.

Very active dogs and dogs housed on concrete will wear their toenails down to the quick. With time, the quick on these nails recede. Once the nails no longer bare weight, they will become pain free.

When your pet’s nails are allowed to overgrow, they twist the joints of the foot that lead to arthritis and pain. Severely overgrown nails need to be clipped off short and cauterized by your veterinarian under a mild anesthetic. Antibiotics are rarely required.

Pets with rear leg pain often carry those legs farther forward than normal. Pets with front leg pain are often reluctant to move. When pets favor a leg over time, the toenails on that limb tend to be longer than on the others.

Limping pets are some of the most frequent visitors to veterinary hospitals. Sometimes an initial physical examination by your veterinarian identifies the cause – but often the cause is not immediately evident.

As you can see, humans and animals have a lot of the same conditions.  If all of us ate better, took supplements and exercised regularly, we would live better, longer, healthier lives.

We look forward to your comments and stories.

Ferrets make wonderful pets. The most important thing you can do for your ferret is find a veterinarian who has extensive training in ferrets.  If yours does not, THEN FIND ONE!!!

My ferret, Bessie, currently has adrenal disease, so I wanted to write about that illness today.  This picture is my very first ferret, Punum, who had adrenal disease.  He was 7 in this picture, 19 years ago.

Unfortunately ferrets age more quickly than dogs or cats do. Most only live about 9 years. One reason is because of genetics. None of the ferrets, small wild relatives, live more than 7-10 years. But these pet’s lives are also shortened by a relatively small number of diseases that are very common in ferrets. One of the most common is adrenal gland tumors.

Both sexes get these tumors but it is slightly more common in females than males. Some of these pets are as young as 3 years old.

Why Do Ferrets Get Adrenal Gland Tumors?

Some people think that the problem is due to the small gene pool of American ferrets. Most American ferrets are derived from a small number of animals obtained by George Marshall in the 1950’s (Marshall Ferrets). It may be that the inbreeding they did that resulted in an increase the animal’s susceptibility to these tumors. Other people feel that the practice of neutering ferrets very young is the cause of this disease. It does not appear to be as common in Scandinavia where ferrets are often left un-neutered. Neutering ferrets removes the target organs (ovaries, testicles) for hormones (GnRH) produced by the pituitary gland within the brain.

Since this gland no longer has circulating blood products to keep it in check, it produces an excess of hormone, which is closely related to the hormone that naturally stimulates adrenal gland activity (ACTH). After years of stimulation, the adrenal glands may become cancerous or simply enlarged and hyperactive. In either case, it then produces abnormally high levels of female (estrogenic) and male (androgenic) hormones.

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Today’s environment and food supply are packed with manmade compounds. Some of these, called endocrine disrupting chemicals, are suspected of causing endocrine glands to run amuck in many species. There is a lot of evidence that one group, PBDEs are involved in thyroid hormone overproduction in cats. Hyperthyroidism in cats and hyperadrenocorticism (overactive adrenal glands) in ferrets have many similarites. These chemicals are very similar to hormones that tell the body’s endocrine glands how much hormone to produce. When these glands over produce, the end result is often a tumor of the gland. Other chemicals that have been implicated in these types of problems are BPAs and others that are commonly found in plastics. They all eventually enter the water and food supply of humans and animals.

What Are The Signs Of Adrenal Gland Disease In My Ferret?

The first sign that something is amiss is a thinning of hair near the tip of your ferret’s tail. The pet’s adrenal gland has begun to produces abnormally large quantities of steroids that result in a thin hair coat and a thin skin among other things. Later, hair fails to grow over the ferret’s back and on its stomach. In females, the area surrounding the vagina (vulva) becomes swollen, due to too much estrogen in her system.

Approximately one in three ferrets with this problem will be itchy. This hair loss is always symmetrical, that is, the same on either side. It is not so much that the hair is falling out as it is that it is not being replaced and wears off at the points on the pets body that rub most.  There is no other condition that will result in these signs. These ferrets are also underweight; their skin is wrinkled and very thin.

They do not appear to be in pain, but some are less energetic than they ought to be. Many loose muscle mass – especially in their thighs and rear.  Some will become more aggressive.  Some male ferrets with this underlying problem will have trouble passing urine due to an enlarged prostate gland.  Some appear to drink and urinate more.

You can diagnose these cases by having an adrenal hormone urine test performed. Many times, the tumor(s) can be seen in an ultrasound examination. But very small tumors are not detectable by ultrasound. If your ferret shows the distinctive hair and skin changes of an adrenal gland tumor – it has the problem even if the ultrasound was negative.

When the diagnosis is confirmed, there are several ways the problem can be treated.  A non-surgical approach is to administer one of a number of “anti-hormones” to the ferret every 4-6 months. These anti-hormones are called GnRH inhibitors. Two that have been used successfully are luprolide acetate (Lupron, TAP Pharmaceuticals) and Goserelin (Zoladex, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals) implants. When these drugs are administered, hair coat re grows and blood levels of the problem hormones falls. However, the adrenal tumor remains and the shots must continue every 6 – 8 months indefinitely.

A less expensive – but not as effective – way to treat your ferret is with mitotane (Lysodren), which must be given orally every three or four days. This medication attacks the tissue of the adrenal gland. It is used primarily in pets to control over active adrenal glands in dogs (Cushing’s Disease) . Mitotane has a number of unwanted side effects. Many vets do not recommend that it be given.   Melatonin is another drug that has been given to ferrets with adrenal gland disease. This is the implant I put in my ferret yesterday and hope it relieves some of her symptoms. Melatonin is one of the chemicals that regulate pituitary cycles. It is safe and it is readily obtainable by ferret owners. However, it is very unlikely that it will cure the disease. When it is naturally produced in your pet, its level pulses in the blood stream quite differently than when it is given in an implant. It was once produced as an implant for mink.

I have also been using Poly MVA, which is an alternative shown to reduce cancer tumors in humans.  My vet has had really good results with it in ferrets.  I did not get a great result from it with Bessie and that is why I’m trying the implant.

The only curative treatment at this time is to surgically remove the tumors. They are generally quite visible within the body of the adrenal gland or glands and can be desiccated (zapped) with an electrocautery (electric knife) or lazer. This surgery is considerably easier when the left adrenal gland is only involved. The right adrenal gland is farther forward and much harder to approach without damaging the large blood vessels around it.  Vets usually check the ferrets’ pancreas during adrenal surgery. Sometimes vets will remove pancreatic tumors during the same procedure.

My veterinarian will remove the whole adrenal gland if there is any tumor at all. If they remove both glands completely, I’ve heard the ferret will need replacement hormones for the rest of its life. I did not need them for Bessie, but part of her gland was wrapped around a major artery so it was not completely removed.

What If I Do Not Treat The Problem?

Ferrets with this problem do not appear to be in pain. Some of them do appear weak. These are probably anemic. Without surgery, your ferret might live six month to two years.   Because the pituitary gland of your ferret is partially under the control of sunlight, some ferret owners give their ferrets lots of exposure to natural sunlight to try to keep the pets biological rhythms synchronized. Perhaps this might help. The effects of sunlight on hair growth and biological rhythms is complex. It operates through a compound called melatonin, produced in the pet’s pineal gland and retinas.

Anastrozole (Arimidex) used to treat breast tumors in postmenopausal women has also been tried in ferrets with adrenal tumors. It has not been very effective long term.

I hope that this information helps if you are a ferret owner.  The most important thing is to have a veterinarian who specializes, and has specific training, with ferrets.  If not, FIND ONE!!  My Veterinarian is Jack Landess and he is a wonderful resource if you need to contact him.  941-484-2485

FOUND IN CHINA

Put ONLY 2 drops of Frontline in each ear.  Wipe off the excess residue so other animals won’t lick it.  Repeat in 1 week.  If they still scratch their ears get them to a vet who specializes in ferrets.

The University of Saskatchewan just announced it will stop using pigs for trauma training & will use human anatomy-appropriate simulators instead!

This is great news, but we need to ask Vanderbilt to do the same. Trauma training at Vanderbilt still involves cutting into live, anesthetized pigs and practicing procedures. When the course is over, the pigs are killed.

Please click here to help save these pigs

READ ABOUT THE LUCKY 8