Kidney Failure Information From Our Royal Oak Animal Hospital

At Woodside Animal Hospital we want your pets to live as long and healthy a life as possible. One medical condition which sadly affects far too many older dogs and cats is kidney failure. Kidney disease starts in younger pets and slowly progresses over a lifetime, eventually leading to kidney failure. Kidney cells cannot regenerate like liver cells can - once they are damaged they are lost forever. Unfortunately, most pet owners do not notice the signs of kidney disease until some 70% of their pet's kidney is destroyed. By then, it is usually too late to prevent further failure.

Our Royal Oak veterinarian, Dr. Simon wants to help you succeed in the fight against this silent killer. The most effective preventative measure you can take against kidney disease is to bring your pet into our animal vet clinic at least twice a year for a veterinary examination and urine or blood tests. Dr. Simon might prescribe a urine test for Early Renal Disease, which can detect kidney disease earlier than standard urine analysis.

Food and environmental toxins, bacterial infections, high blood pressure and certain allergies can also affect your pet's kidney. Preventative actions we recommend include providing a diet that is low in preservatives, artificial colors, and chemicals. Nutritional supplements might also help boost your pet’s immune system. Fresh, alkalinized water without toxins also promotes kidney health.

Kidney Care from Our Holistic Veterinarian

Signs your pet may be experiencing kidney disease include increased thirst and urination, weight loss, and incontinence. If you notice these symptoms in your pet, contact our animal vet clinic immediately. Our holistic veterinarian takes a healing approach that combines traditional veterinary care with ancient eastern therapies. He may recommend fluid therapy to flush out toxins and provide rehydration. Antioxidant therapy may help neutralize kidney-destroying free cells. As a certified pet acupuncturist and animal chiropractor, Dr. Simon may use chiropractic techniques and acupuncture to provide relief and manage pain.

What questions do you have about kidney failure in pets? Ask Dr. Simon, because the care we give is more than medical.

Look for Signs of Dangerous Leptospirosis in Your Dog

As your local Royal Oak vet, we want to make you aware of a recent outbreak of the dangerous leptospirosis bacteria in Metro Detroit. Recent statistics show that some twenty cases of this life-threatening bacteria have affected dogs in the Motor City area. We strongly advise you to be on the lookout for any symptoms of this dangerous infection as it can be fatal to dogs, and can even be transmitted to humans. While the disease is most commonly carried by rats, it can also be transmitted from one dog to another and from dogs to humans. Pets can become infected by sniffing contaminated urine or by drinking standing water that has been contaminated.

Symptoms to watch for are dog vomiting, dog diarrhea, fever and depression. Keep a close watch as your pet may appear fine one day and become ill the next. If you observe any of these symptoms, bring your dog to our animal vet clinic as quickly as possible so our veterinarian, Dr. Simon can begin immediate treatment.

Our Royal Oak Vet Helps Keep Pets Healthy

The best way to prevent leptospirosis is to bring your dog into our animal vet clinic and have our veterinarian make sure his vaccinations are up-to-date. Even if your dog’s vaccinations are current, you should always be prepared for any emergency.

Check out the emergency preparedness information on our website and make sure you have an action plan in place so you know what to do at home before bringing your pet to Woodside Animal Hospital.

Dr. Simon has authored three books on keeping pets happy and healthy. We have been providing compassionate veterinary care and holistic treatments for over thirty years, and will continue to use this blog and other social media outlets to keep you educated and informed. If you’ve got questions on ailments relating to dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents or ferrets, just send us an email and we’ll be happy to respond.

What pet diseases would you like us to provide more information on in upcoming blogs?

Cancer in Dogs Has Higher Success Rate with Immediate Treatment from Royal Oak Veterinarian

Cancer is not limited to humans, and it has become a leading cause of death in dogs. Preventative care and early detection and treatment from Woodside Animal Hospital can go far in increasing the chances of recovery. Our Royal Oak veterinarian, Dr. John Simon, believes in and practices integrative veterinary medicine, which combines traditional veterinary care with holistic medicine to provide the most effective treatment for cancer in dogs as well as a number of other conditions. Using this approach helps alleviate pain and other symptoms while, at the same time, treating the underlying cause.

Signs of cancer include loss of stamina, decreased appetite, weight loss, anemia, swollen abdomen,  vomiting, blood in stool or urine, sores that do not heal and limping dogs.    The more observant you are regarding your pet's appearance and behavior the better the chance of catching cancer in its early stages.

Most dogs that are lame and painful are not suffering from cancer, however  limping dogs that have a tender swellling at the end of a long bone are highly suspicious for a type of malignant tumor known as an osteosarcoma. 

Dogs with cancer may also have a strong, notable odor, bleeding or discharge from any bodily orifice,and trouble breathing or releaving themselves. Upon noting any of the above symptoms, immediately schedule a diagnostic exam with your veterinarian .    X-rays, blood screens, urinalysis, and a tissue biopsy will help to further define the problem and identify the type of cancer,  if it is present.

If cancer is indeed the diagnosis, Dr. Simon can tailor a traditional and holistic cancer treatment plan that will be the most effective for your dog's situation.   Depending on the stage and type of cancer, options may include chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, using heat or cold therapy, cryotherapy or immunotherapy. He will also suggest changes in your pet’s diet and lifestyle to help support the immune system,  detoxify the liver, increase the number of antioxidants and enhance GI tract function.   

Is your pet struggling with pain as he or she ages? Are you wondering if alternative treatments for cancer in dogs are actually effective? Here at Woodside Animal Hospital, our Royal Oak holistic veterinarian Dr. John Simon offers comprehensive holistic pet care services that can help your pet stay active and healthy will into his or her golden years.

Royal Oak Vet Provides Natural Pet Wellness Care

There’s a reason the philosophy of our small animal vet clinic is, ‘The Care We Give Is More Than Medical’. We strongly believe that a combination of conventional veterinary care and holistic care produces the best possible outcome for pets. For example, we often prescribe a combination of treatments to help pets battle cancer. Traditional medical treatments can help stop the cancer from spreading, while holistic remedies naturally strengthen your pet’s immune system.

As pets age, many experience joint pain and stiffness that makes it difficult to run and jump as they once did. When traditional treatments or anti-inflammatory medications fail, pet acupuncture and chiropractic care can naturally help manage pain. Even simple dietary changes like the addition of fish oil supplements can greatly enhance your pet’s mobility, and reduce or even eliminate the need for prescription medications.

With every pet patient, Dr. Simon personally examines the pet and administers all tests. He also dedicates extra time to holistic appointments in order to fully explain each treatment and discuss care options with pet guardians.

Our holistic treatments include acupuncture, chiropractic, soft laser therapy, homotoxicology, cryotherapy, prolotherapy, bioresonance therapy, pulsed magnetic therapy, herbal therapy, and stem cell therapy. In fact, Dr. Simon is the first veterinarian in Michigan to be certified as an “in-house pet stem cell therapist.”

An essential part of our approach to holistic care is prevention and wellness. This starts at home with what pet guardians choose to feed their pets. While there are many different types of pet foods on the market today, many are loaded with fillers, artificial coloring and preservatives, leading to an epidemic of overweight and undernourished pets. Dr. Simon is happy to assist you in finding the right type of food for your pet’s unique dietary and nutritional needs. When we feed our pets a healthy, balanced diet, we promote long-term wellness.

Are you wondering if holistic veterinary care is right for your pet? Curious about pet acupuncture treatments for managing pain?

It is important to take steps to keep your pets as cool as possible.

When left to deal with excessive heat, pets have some of the same problems as humans. They can overheat, become dehydrated, and get sunburned. By taking some simple precautions, you can make sure your pets stay safe.

You can protect your pet by always ensuring it has a cool place to escape to on hot days. Dogs should never be left in a hot car, and outdoor exercise should be avoided during the heat of the day. It is also very important that both dogs and cats have cool water available to them at all times.

Never take chances with your pet’s health. Issues like dog vomiting, dog diarrhea, and dog rashes should never be ignored. Changes in your cat’s behavior can indicate signs of a health problem. Regular visits to our Royal Oak animal vet clinic can help protect your pet’s health. We hope you will consider using some of the free time you have this fall to visit our veterinary office for a pet wellness exam, vaccination update, and a dental cleaning.

Visit Our Veterinarian This Summer to Safeguard Your Pet’s Health and Happiness

Our Royal Oak veterinarian at Woodside Animal Clinic is very knowledgeable about the latest natural approaches to veterinary medicine. In addition to being a holistic veterinarian, Dr. John Simon is also an avid writer. He has published many articles and books about pet health and wellness. Dr. Simon would love to have the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your pet’s care. He can help you implement a veterinary care regimen that will keep your animal healthy for many years to come.

We would love to read your comments about these important summertime pet care tips. What steps have did you take to ensure your pet stayed cool and healthy this summer?

When a pet develops  a lameness which involves both hind legs there is a whole group of possible causes that need to be considered and ruled in or out.   Hip dysplasia, intervertebral disk disease,  bilateral cruciate ligament ruptures, bilateral ly torn meniscal  cartilage,  lumbo-sacral stenosis,  spondylosis,   fibro-cartilaginous infarcts, and spinal cord tumors are a few of the possible causes for such a lameness.     Although cruciate ligament tears cam be diagnosed using the “drawer test” while  hip dysplasia can be diagnosed using xrays , and torn meniscal cartilage can be diagnosed when a “click” is heard upon flexing and extending the knee,  most of the other above causes mentioned requires an MRI.   Unfortunately an  MRI  is very expensive and many pet owners can not afford this diagnostic procedure.    So the question then becomes---How can a veterinarian decide what therapeutic approach to take without having an MRI to distinquish  whether the  lameness  is due to an  intervertebral disk disease,  spondylosis, lumbosacral stenosis, a spinal cord tumor, or a fibrocartilaginous infarct,  all of which produce similar symptoms?

The answer is, that a  veterinarian has got to play the  odds and treat the problem that is most likely to cause the symptoms.   Spinal tumors and fibro-cartilaginous infarcts are relatively rare so  we need put our efforts where we are most likely to reap the benefits.     Intervertebral disk disease and spondylosis are both high up on the list when  playing the odds.   Therefore, without  an MRI to figure out the true cause of the lameness  we, as veterinarians,  treat the  dog or cat for disk disease and/or spondylosis.  This gives us the greatest chance of success.   Granted we may be wrong but we have a better than average chance of being right.

Now if we decide to play these odds and treat for disk disease we still have to decide, without an MRI, where the ruptured disk is likely to be.    In this case a  veterinarian uses symptoms to narrow the choices.    If the damage is in the neck the dog may hold his head still and turn his whole body.   Ruptured disks in the  neck are usually very painful and the patient will scream out if the neck is turned.    If the damage disk is in the mid to lower back the dog may walk with an arched back and may cry out  upon moving in the wrong way .    A ruptured disk in the neck can cause both front and back leg gait abnormalities where a   ruptured  disk in the the lower thoracic or lumbar will only produce hind leg  problems. 

Once a veterinarian decides whether the problem is in the lumbar spine or the neck  the veterinarian must further narrow down  the location of the damage.    If  the veterinarian has determined the disk problem is somewhere in the back  but he can’t  more speciificly localize a  tender area  he will play the odds that the damaged disk is between  T11 and L4.     So this the general area  where acupuncture would be applied.    Again playing the odds is not the best way to determine where to treat but is the best we can due if the money is not available for an MRI.

Diarrhea is one of the most common reasons owners bring their dogs to see us. It can be very alarming to both you and your pup. Diarrhea is not a disease but possibly a symptom of many other diseases. Most of the time diarrhea is not serious. Usually diarrhea is brought on by eating garbage or some other nasty morsel. Other minor causes are stomach or intestinal viruses. You can usually treat your pet at home for this type of diarrhea. Time is usually the best cure, but you can give your dog a medicine such as Kaopectate. Give your dog 0.5 to 1.0 ml per pound every 2 to 6 hours. You will need to make sure that your pooch does not get dehydrated. You can give him a sports drink in his water dish to guard against loss of nutrients. Do not feed your dog any table scraps or treats while she is suffering from diarrhea.

You might ask, "How do I know if my dogs diarrhea is serious?"  Here's the answer.

Your dog’s diarrhea may be serious if any of the following additional symptoms are present.

If the diarrhea is occurring in conjunction with one or more of the symptoms above you should bring your pup to the clinic for a diagnosis. Dr. Simon may do x-rays, blood tests, stool cultures, biopsies of the intestinal tract, or in severe cases exploratory surgery. He may also prescribe medications or a special diet for your dog.

If you bring your dog in, you should know some of the following information.

· How long the diarrhea has been present?

· Has it gotten worse?

· What is the consistency of the stool?

· Is there blood in the stool?

· How often is the diarrhea happening?

· What color is the stool?

· Is your dog eating normally?

· What have you been feeding – or what might your dog have eaten lately?

· Do you have any other pets in your house? Have they also had diarrhea?

DOGS: Dogs favorite foods are meats, sweets, and cheese. They also like chicken pot pie, peanut butter, molasses, chopped liver, liver wurst , cream cheese, honey, and hot dogs.

CATS: Cats like tuna fish, shrimp cocktail, grilled tuna, salmon steak, bacon crispy, sardines, fish chowder, peanut butter, chicken pot pie, molasses, butterscotch toppings. chopped liver, cheddar cheese, cream cheese.

BIRDS: Birds love taste of banana bread, molasses, and mandarin oranges

RABBITS: Rabbits are attracted to vegetables and fruit flavors such as mandarin orange, banana bread, raspberrys, and apples.

FERRETS: Ferrets enjoy sweet flavors such as bubblegum treats and molasses. They also like peanut butter, fish chowder, banana bread, bacon, chopped liver, mandarin oranges.

RODENTS: Rodents are attracted to pungent aromas which include banana bread, lemon meringue, cheddar cheese, and peanut butter

By knowing what flavors animals prefer we can more easily medicate these pets by hiding medication in foods which will not only mask the drugs taste but also stimulate the animals appetite. Liquid medication can be mixed with appropriate fruit juice and syringe into the pets mouth. Liquid or powdered medication can mixed with honey, molasses, or yogurt. Tablets can be crushed into a powder or placed whole into peanut butter, cream cheese, liverwurst, or cheese whiz.

Lameness is not always a result of a painful leg.     If pain is the cause of lameness then it may originate  from damage to  muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilage or it may result from a sliver, a broken nail or foriegn material between the food pads.   However lameness may  result from non painful causes.   Neurological damage to  the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves can effect motor nerve fibers that stimulate muscles to contract.  Neurologic damage may also cause loss of communication between the brain and back legs.  When the brain looses awareness of where the limb is in space an abnormal gait resutls.  Neurologic damage may also result in muscular weakness.  Such weakness in one limb will cause an abnormal gait to occur. Finally muscular weakness and lameness may also result from disuse atrophy.   This is particularly true with older arthritic animals

The point I am making is that diagnosiing a pet's lameness is often not cut and dry.    Neurologic damage must always be considered as a complicating factor

Regularly checking your pet's health between veterinary health examinations is a good idea! You can discover your pet's problems before they become serious  and expensive.................................... You can help by using

this simple checklist at least once a week-to save undue pain and expense.

My pet is acting normal, active and in good spirits

My pet's appetite is normal with no difficulty in chewing or swallowing.

My pet breath normally, without straining.

My pet urinates in the usual amounts and frequency.

My pet has normal appearing bowel movements.

My pet walks without stiffness, pain, or difficulty

My pet's feet look healthy and it's nails are short.

My pets coat is full, glossy, and in good condition.

My pet's skin is not greasy and free from dry flakes.

My pet has no fleas, ticks, lice, or mites.

My pet's eyes are bright, clear, and free of matter.

My pet's ears are clean, pink inside, and without debris.

My pet's nose is moist and free from discharges.

My pet's teeth are clean, white, and free from tartar.

My pet's gums are glistening and pink, with no redness.

When I run my hands over my pet's entire body, there are no lumps or bumps indicating tumors.

This checklist will help you to pay attention to the normal appearance of your pet. If you are clear on what is normal you will pick up abnormal changes that much sooner. Call your veterinarian at once if  you answer no to one or more of these questions.

HOW TO PERFORM

THE WEEKLY HOME PHYSICAL EXAM

HEAD, EYES, EARS, NOSE, THROAT, TEETH, GUMS

NECK

FRONT & BACK LIMBS

TRUNK

RECTUM & GENITALS

SKIN, HAIR COAT, NAILS

GAIT, POSTURE, HEAD CARRIAGE, TAIL CARRIAGE

TEMPERATURE, RESPIRATION, PULSE, MUCUS MEMBRANES, HYDRATION

EATING, DRINKING, DEFECATION & URINATION

ODORS & UNUSUAL SOUNDS

FOOD INTOXICATION OF PETS

Unfortunately there are no paramedics to call when a cat or dog goes into acute respiratory or cardiac failure, however, pet owners who learn a small animal version of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can save the life of a dying pet.

CPR is a technique that combines heart massage with artificial respiration in order to revive human heart attack victims. The animal variation of CPR is used when a pet becomes unconscious due to heart failure, injury, trauma or smoke inhalation.

There are 2 things an owner should not do if and when their pet goes into heart or respiratory failure:

1.  Do your best not to panic.  It is up to you to convey a sense of calmness and confidence not only to your pet but also to those around you.

2.  Do not waste time. Start CPR immediately while you let others a rrange for immediate transport to the nearest veterinary clinic. CPR can and should be continued during the car ride to the veterinary clinic.

An animal in acute heart or respiratory failure may still be partially conscious and therefore should be kept calm and comfortable. Observe and evaluate your pet's condition constantly. Keep talking to the animal as you would talk to a child. Approach any and all frightened and injured animals carefully and slowly because even your own pet who has absolute trust and confidence in you may attempt to bite or scratch when he or she has no other way to communicate apprehension and fear.

The first step when beginning CPR is to restrain the animal in as gentle and non-threatening a way as you can. Cats can be rolled up in a towel or blanket. Dogs can be muzzled with a belt or a mans tie if they are attempting to bite. Once the pet is under control quickly use a blunt instrument to open the animals mouth and clear it of foreign objects, food, blood or mucus ( a spoon is ideal). To keep the pets mouth open during the clearing procedure use a piece of cloth folded several time and insert it between the animals back upper and lower teeth, on only one side of the mouth. For obvious reasons, never use your fingers to clear your dog or cats mouth.

With the pet placed on its side, properly restrained, and with his or her mouth now held closed, extend the animal's head and inflate the lungs by blowing short breaths into the animal's nose (not mouth) with enough force to moderately expand the chest. You may use a handkerchief over the nose and blow through it if you prefer. The air passageway through an animal's nose is better than the mouth because it creates a closed system which allows the lungs to expand. Blow through the nose 15 times per minute (every 4 seconds) making sure the lungs expand with each breath applied.  At the same time, use your free hand to apply heart massage by firmly but rapidly compressing the ribs and chest wall (just behind the front legs) at a rate of 60 to 80 times per minute. The hand applying the heart massage should be placed about 2-4 inches behind where the front leg meets the chest. The palm of your hand should compress the chest along the bottom 2/3 of the chest wall. The pet should be lying on his or her side on a firm surface (the floor) as opposed to a bed or couch so that compression of the sides of the chest will be more effectively accomplished. The amount of pressure will vary with the size of the animal.

There is no time limit for applying CPR. The technique may be used until the animal begins to breath and the heart begins to beat or until the owner is certain the pet is beyond help. Practicing this technique at home with your healthy pet could some day save the animals life.

Meet John and Ziggy

Canine Bloat

Winter Pets

Vaccination Risk Factor Management

The Role of Antioxidants in the Free Radical Concept of Disease

What is the Free Radical Concept of Disease?

What is Meant by the Terms "Free Radical" and "Oxidative Stress"?

What is Meant by the Terms "Antioxidant" and "Antioxidant Defense System"?

• Super oxide dismutase (SOD) - inter cellular; converts superoxide to hydrogen peroxide; Zn, Cu, and Mn are cofactors
• Catalase - inter cellular; converts hydrogen peroxide to water; Zn, Cu, and Mn are essential for activation
• Glutathione peroxidase-inter cellular; converts hydrogen peroxide to water; Se is an essential cofactor for activation
  

• Vitamins C, E, A, Beta-carotene

• Vitamins BI, B2, B6, BI 2 , Choline are cofactors necessary for biosynthesis of endogenous antioxidant enzymes
• Glutathione - a triple peptide
• Minerals - Se, Zn, Cu, Mn, Mg, Fe,
  
  • Selenium stimulates the endogenous production of Glutathione Peroxidase

Free Radicals are Both Beneficial and Toxic to the Body

What are the Predisposing Conditions Leading to Free Radical Production?

A Metaphor for Understanding Antioxidant Adaptation and Free Radical Pathology

How Does the Body Maintain its Antioxidant Reserves?

Inflammation, Degeneration, Immune Deficiencies, Autoimmune States, Cancer and Environmental Hypersensitivies are All Conditions Resulting from Unchecked Free Radical Damage

Anitioxidants and Aging

Six Stages of Pathology in the Free Radical Concept of Disease

The antioxidant defense system utilizes non enzymatic, nutrient obtained antioxidants, acting in conjunction with nutrient influenced antioxidant enzymes, to detoxify free radicals The antioxidant defense system is able to react adaptively in response to oxidative challenges, subject to the availability of nutrient-obtained antioxidants and antioxidant cofactors.

The antioxidant defense system is composed of complex and simple compounds ranging from antioxidant enzymes, vitamins, minerals, peptide and amino acid, The body obtains its antioxidants, by endogenous synthesis and or through gastro-intestinal absorption of antioxidants and cofactors. When the oxidative stress starts to overwhelm the available antioxidant defenses, it shifts the body away from Its state of equilibrium. Then a variety of adaptive changes occur, which if not successful, eventually give way to clinical disease. Inflammatory, immune deranged and carcinogenic states are representative examples of clinical situations which appear to result from unchecked oxygen toxicity. Below is a summary of a six stage progression beginning with a well balanced antioxidant free radical relationship, followed by the introduction of increased oxidative stress', followed by antioxidant adaptation, followed by exhaustion of the antioxidant defense system, followed by overt disease, followed by allergies, immune suppression , autoimmune disease, and cancer.

Stage I
    Individual is in good health and responds well to oxidative stress.
    Healthy individual is exposed to xenobiotics (foreign chemicals) in the environment. Even though these xenobiotics are diverse structurally, and their effects upon biological systems vary. they have in common the fact that their destructive effects are mediated by oxidative stress.

Stage 2
    We are now one step lower in our overall health status as a result of the effects of accumulative oxidative stress from the environmental pollutants (i.e. smog, leaky gas stoves, chemicals in the work place, and pesticides), as well as from emotional stress. In stage 2 the body is more susceptible to pathogens, drug side effects, and to food allergens.

Stage 3
    At this point the organism is beginning to lose the battle, and clinical symptoms of disease are beginning to show. Depletion of antioxidant reserves so compromises the antioxidant defenses that they can no longer adequately adapt. Major metabolic functions begin to suffer. Signs of illness are a reflection of inflammatory damage which appears first in the more susceptible organs. Free radicals produce increasingly more cell destruction by attacking the cell membranes which results in lipid peroxidation and consequently, the liberation of mediators of inflammation such as arachidonic acid, histamines, and serotonin. Allergic reactions to foods and autoimmune disease can follow as secondary consequences to ongoing oxidative stress. The body makes a great effort to strengthen the antioxidant defenses at the target organ at the cost of wiping out the antioxidant reserves left to protect the rest of the body and consequently damage may begin to show up at distant sites.

Stage 4
    Generalized systemic breakdown and exhaustion characterize this stage in the development of a disease process. With the antioxidant defenses badly damaged by oxidant attack and br a nutritional antioxidant deficiency, a vicious cycle is created. "The point is reached at which the rate of deterioration of the system continually exceeds the rate of recovery."

Stage 5
    Once systemic oxidative damage becomes established degenerative disease may follow. Each new oxidant attack produces inflammatory episodes, with deranged arachidonic acid catabolism producing a variety of lipid derived prostaglandins. A great many of these prostaglandins are not only pro-inflammatory but are also immune suppressive. Peroxidized membrane lipids can alter cellular membrane activity and eventually destroy membrane continuity. Antigens derived from oxidized cellular molecules can produce auto immune responses. Degenerative organ specific symptoms may result.

Step 6
    Carcinogenesis: Many researches have come to view cancer susceptibility as a direct consequence of exhaustion of the antioxidant defense. As a consequence of antioxidant exhaustion cells can become increasingly susceptible to oxidative attack on its genetic material which could, in turn, lead to inheritable chromosomal alterations.



The known protective effects of antioxidants such as vitamin A against lung cancer and the effects of other natural antioxidants against a variety of cancers support the free radical mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression. Antioxidants compounds provide profound protection to laboratory animals against cancer, even those affected with cancer-producing viruses and exposed to high concentrations of the potent chemical carcinogens. Selenium, ascorbate, tocopherols, retinols, and other nutrient derived anti-oxidant factors have been found to be clearly protective. Similar protection against malignant transformation is afforded cultured cells and tissues by supplementing with critical antioxidants. There are many indications that nutrient antioxidants such as ascorbate, selenium, tocopherol, retinols, and beta carotene are likely to play an important role in human cancer prevention. Dietary supplementation with these antioxidants nutrients stimulates host immunological defenses. In addition, these nutrients may damage malignant cells directly, through their tendency to redox cycling with consequent oxygen radical production. Antioxidant therapy has a very favorable risk-benefit ratio.

Substantial evidence exists that the activity of the mitochondria superoxide dismutase enzyme is markedly diminished in cancer transformed cells (so far without exception). Under normal aerobic conditions the bulk of the superoxide generated in the aerobic cells is generated in the mitochondria, hence if superoxide cannot be detoxified (dismutated by mitochondrial SOD enzyme) it stands to damage the inter-mitochondrial respiratory enzyme assemblies. An electron microscopy study found mitochondrial abnormalities to be a consistent feature of tumor cells. Taken as a whole the results of research are in complete agreement with clinical reports both of which make a case for the suitability of using antioxidant nutrients and SOD to treat cancer.

Summary

The building blocks of our biological machine are vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and protein and peptides. Oxygen is the power source that fuels this machine. With this in mind, many researchers view a free radical, antioxidant imbalance as the underlying mechanism of all degenerative disease. Oxidative stress reactions appear to play a major role the chain of events which are part of biologic degeneration, and it is proposed that all biologic stresses encourages biologic damage by pathways which consistently involve excessive generation of free radicals. If the antioxidant defense system fails to neutralize the leakage of even I free radical molecule, irreparable cellular damage can result. If free radicals attack our tissues in large numbers then our antioxidant defenses may be overwhelmed, and this may result acute or chronic disease. The numerous conventional medical approaches to inflammation and degenerative organ pathology involves the use of expensive anti-inflammatory agents, calcium blockers, and lipid-lowering drugs which may provide temporary symptomatic relief, but almost always have significant undesirable side effects. Usually the underlying pathology is unaffected by these treatments and the patient's health continues its down hill spiral. Antioxidant therapy is the valid alternative to conventional palliative therapy. Using our understanding of the antioxidant defense system of the body and our realization that free radical damage represents the underlying cause of most if not all inflammatory and degenerative diseases we can clearly understand the benefits of using a therapeutic modality that is effective on the primary level of pathology.

Indications for Antioxidant Therapy

1. To support healthy animals that are regularly exposed to environmental oxidative stress such  as air pollution, water pollution, food additives and contaminants.
2. To support healthy animals that are exposed to emotional stress, physical trauma, and infectious organisms.
3. To support healthy middle aged pets at risk of developing geriatric problems
4. To support pets, young and old, that are struggling with inflammatory disease, allergies, immune deficiencies, auto immune disease, and cancer.
5. To support debilitated geriatric pets that already have degenerative disease
6. To support the body in recovering from trauma, and surgery
7. To support the body in resisting the aging process

This paper is for the most part a summary of the information provided in the below listed text: Antioxidant Adaptation & Its Role in Free Radical Pathology by Stephen A Levine, Ph.D. and Parris M. Kidd, Ph.D. Publisher Allergy Research Group copyright 1985, 1986

© 1999 Dr. John Simon
Woodside Animal Hospital and Bird Clinic 

Holiday Hazards

• Dogs and cats may get into the holiday garbage and develop intestinal distress from the bones and fat of the turkey leftovers they consume. Severe vomiting and diarrhea are often the result.
• Christmas tree ornaments and decorations are frequently a source of pet injury. Decorative glass bulbs tinsel, ornamental plants, and strings of decorative lights can cause damage to a pet's mouth and intestinal tract.
• It is not uncommon for cats to consume string and ribbon used to wrap presents. Swallowing such items can result in intestinal damage that may necessitate surgical removal of the offending material.
• Christmas trees should be carefully supported to prevent cats that like to climb trees, from pulling them over. Bells tied to the lower branches can act as an early warning alarm system.
• Dark bittersweet chocolate is a favorite of dogs. Unfortunately, when large amounts are consumed the chocolate becomes a poison.
• Candles are always a nice touch as table decorations or religious symbols. Unfortunately, when left unattended, these flickering lights can be easily pushed over by the family pet and either burn the pet or start a fire.
  

Flying With Your Pet

• Check with your airline to make sure that the baggage compartment they will travel in is heated and pressurized.
• Check with your airline regarding health and vaccination certificates they may require in order accept your pet for travel.
• Check with your airline to find out if the city that you will be flying into has any special requirements regarding pet entry. Many foreign countries have special quarantine laws to protect against Rabies and other public health problems.
• To avoid the possibility of baggage mix-ups take direct flights only.
• If your pet is small and quiet and can be placed in a cage that will fit under your seat many airlines will allow will allow at least one animal in coach and one in first class.
• All pets except birds should not be fed for 4 hours prior to the flight. You can allow water up until flight time but remove the dish before handing over your pet to the airline.
  

• The cage should be large enough for the pet to stand and turn around easily.
• The cage should have floors and walls that are water proof and that can withstand biting and clawing. The door should have a secure latch and be strong enough so that the animal can not bend the bars.
• Make sure there is adequate ventilation on at least 3 sides.
  

Enzymes - The Fountain of Life

Digestive Enzymes

Systemic Enzymes

• Cleaning excess fibrin from the blood and reducing the stickiness of blood cells. These two actions minimize the leading cause of stroke, heart attacks and blood clots
• Breaking down dead material into small enough particles that can immediately pass into the bowel
• Cleansing the receptor sites on the white blood cells thereby improving their function and availability to fight infection
  

Cryosurgery

Antioxidant Supplements: Microhydrin

Eliminate Environmental Toxins and Have a Healthier Pet

•  use cleaning supplies, room deodorants and personal cleansing and grooming supplies that are non toxic. (Call Dr. Simon's clinic for sources)
• Put in natural gas and carbon monoxide alarms
• Don't allow smoking in your house
• Don't use chemical insecticides or herbicides on grass where your pet walks
• Keep copiers and laser printers turn off when not in us to reduce "out gassing"
• Check the basement, the garage, and under the sink area for items that could prove toxic to children or pets
• Eliminate toxic plants or keep them out of reach of pets
• Use dehumidifiers to reduce mold and mildew in the basements
• Periodically blow out your heating vents
• Keep mouse and ant traps out of reach of pets
  

Your Birds Health

Your Bird's Diet

1. To support healthy animals that are regularly exposed to environmental free radicals such as air pollution, water contamination, nutritional deficiencies, chemical food additives including pesticides
2. To support healthy animals, young and old, that are exposed to emotional stress, physical trauma, infectious organisms
3. To support healthy middle aged pets, at risk of developing chronic geriatric disease
4. To support pets, young and old, that are presently struggling with inflammatory disease, allergies, immune deficiencies, auto-immune disease, and cancer.
5. To support sick, geriatric pets that already have degenerative disease
6. To support all pets in recovering from trauma and surgery
7. To retard the aging process.

1. Antioxidants are beneficial to the entire body and not just the organ or organ system being treated.
2. Unlike many drugs such as cortisone or aspirin, antioxidants treat the cause and not just the symptoms of disease.
3. Unlike many drugs such as cortisone or aspirin, antioxidants can be used long term without fear of side effects.
4. Antioxidants can be used along with other therapies without fear of drug interactions.
5. Antioxidants can be used to reduce the dose of other more aggressive and possibly more toxic therapies.

1. To support healthy animals that are regularly exposed to environmental free radicals such as air pollution, water contamination, nutritional deficiencies, chemical food additives including pesticides
2. To support healthy animals, young and old, that are exposed to emotional stress, physical trauma, infectious organisms
3. To support healthy middle aged pets, at risk of developing chronic geriatric disease
4. To support pets, young and old, that are presently struggling with inflammatory disease, allergies, immune deficiencies, auto-immune disease, and cancer.
5. To support sick, geriatric pets that already have degenerative disease
6. To support all pets in recovering from trauma and surgery
7. To retard the aging process.

1. Antioxidants are beneficial to the entire body and not just the organ or organ system being treated.
2. Unlike many drugs such as cortisone or aspirin, antioxidants treat the cause and not just the symptoms of disease.
3. Unlike many drugs such as cortisone or aspirin, antioxidants can be used long term without fear of side effects.
4. Antioxidants can be used along with other therapies without fear of drug interactions.
5. Antioxidants can be used to reduce the dose of other more aggressive and possibly more toxic therapies.

THE SERIOUSNESS OF SPAYING AND CASTRATION

Based on the questions I am asked daily, it is clear to me that most pet owners are very unaware of the serious nature of the "neutering" and "spaying" surgery. Every owner considering having their female

dog or cat "spayed" should be aware that the operation is a complicated major surgery and is in truth an "ovariohysterectomy" which means that the entire uterus along with both ovaries are surgically removed. In addition, large blood vessels must be severed and tied carefully so that serious hemorrhaging does not occur.

Many pet owners are given a false sense of security when the non­ threatening, familiar term "spay" is used. A large number of pet owners do not realize that" spaying" a dog or cat is truly major abdominal surgery. Many believe that it is done in just minutes, using some special little instrument. Other more sophisticated but equally misinformed pet owners think that "spaying" is a simple "tubal ligation". Unfortunately the operation is not so simple and every veterinarian I know has sweated over more than one NOT so simple spay. If veterinarians were asked, I believe most would say that spaying is amongst one of the most difficult operations they routinely perform.

Furthermore, "spaying" and "neutering" require the pet receive a general anesthetic and as with any operation requiring a general anesthetic it must be considered very serious business. General anesthesia whether on a person or pet has inherent risks which can be reduced but not eliminated. These risk include potentially fatal respiratory and cardiac arrests. Animals must be carefully monitored to spot signs of such impending disasters so that rapid action may be taken to resuscitate the animal. Up to date equipment along with an alert, well trained surgical staff is the key to safely administering and monitoring general anesthesia.

A pre-anesthetic blood screen is now recommended by most veterinarians in an attempt to catch hidden problems such as dehydration, anemia, infection, liver and kidney disease.

Any surgery presupposes a risk of infection. However, "major" surgery like the "spaying" operation where the abdomen is opened and entered to remove large masses of tissue provides an opportunity for bacteria to settle and multiply in the deeper tissues of the body. It is therefore of utmost importance that this surgery be done under absolutely sterile conditions using steam sterilized surgical instruments, drapes, gloves and attire.

Because the "spay" and "neuter" surgery is performed so frequently and spoken about so matter of factly most pet owners are unaware of how important it is to have their pet's surgery and anesthesia performed by some one they trust and have confidence in. When you have your pet spayed you are literally putting that animal’s life in the hands of the veterinarian doing the surgery. So if it is time to "spay" or "neuter" your pet and you do not have a regular veterinarian, rather than shopping around for the best deal, friend or neighbor if they have a veterinary clinic they could highly recommend. Any time your pet requires surgery &/or anesthesia it is very important to go to a veterinarian you trust will give your pet the careful, individual attention and anesthetic monitoring your pet deserves. Take responsibility for your pet’s welfare by giving your little friend every chance to have a safe and successful surgical experience.

Click here to learn more about spaying and castration.

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal, one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine. Dr. Simon is certified in Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Stem cell therapy. He is the author of 4 pet care books, a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and a regular contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine

Woodside Animal Clinic sees pets from all over Michigan but primarily from the greater Detroit  area  including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties.   Cities in these counties including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Redford, Livonia, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson, Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Lathrup Village, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica, Grosse Pointe, Romeo and Flint, Hartland,  Lansing, Okemos, Flint ,Howell,  Brighton, White Lake, Romeo, Saline, South Lyon, Windsor Canada, Toledo Ohio

It is estimated that 25-30% of all dogs will suffer the agonizing and crippling pain of arthritis during their lifetime. Large dogs are the most susceptible to arthritis but dogs of any breed, age or size can be victims of this disease. Early signs of arthritis may be first noticed when your dog starts to get up slower from a lying position, however, arthritis may eventually become devastating with your dog becomes unable to rise.

As arthritis progresses there is a steady degeneration of the dog’s joint cartilage. This cartilage is a cushion in the dog’s elbow, knee, ankle, shoulder, or hip. Cartilage gives the dog the mobility to run and play. As this cartilage begins to be rubbed thin, the bones will begin to grind against each other, causing excruciating pain.

Dogs in the earlier stages of arthritis may have mild pain and lose as much as 20% of their joints range of motion. Consequently, they appear stiff when they get up and walk. As their arthritis progresses, as much as 50% of their joint’s range of motion may be lost. Because they are often in severe pain they will be reluctant to move and the less they move the more weight they gain. This added weight puts additional stress on their joints. Lack of movement and reduced exercise results in weaken musculature. Pain, added weight and weakened muscles are all part of a vicious cycle that leads to less and less movement until the pet can no longer get up and must be carried out to go to the bathroom. If the pet is large and can not be easily carried, euthanasia can sadly become the only alternative.

In addition to making walking difficult, severe arthritis often results in personality and behavioral changes. A dog’s pain may cause them to withdraw from the family and seek secluded places. Because rising may be very painful arthritic pets may soil the rug where they lie rather than ask to go out. Because squatting is painful arthritic pets often become constipated. Dogs and cats in pain can become aggressive and ornery and start to bite. Dogs that were once friendly will not want to be touched by anyone including trusted family members.

So what’s the solution? Conventional medicine attempts to solve the problem with laboratory manufactured corticosteroids or non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs. Both these products are usually effective in reducing inflammation and pain but ultimately result in further joint deterioration and can damage other organs such as the stomach, liver, and kidney.

On the other hand the alternative medical approach is to use nutritional joint support substances, weight loss, medicinal herbs, anti- oxidants, mega vitamin and mineral therapy, omega 3 fatty acids, chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, prolotherapy and non embryonal stem cell therapy to reduce pain and inflammation and to support joint health rather than simply removing the symptoms.    A special injection I have developed combining nutritionals Adequin and Legend along with B12 and niacin has worked remarkably well at rehabilitating a joints.  This approach is much gentler on the body and rarely results in any serious side effects.    An injectable Immune modulator has recently been licenced only for horses but m has great potential for reducing the pain of spondylosis in dogs and cats.

Of course it is not necessary to wait until your dog is lame before you take steps to help your pet.   Being proactive makes much more sense. Feeding your healthy dog or cat a high quality, free range, meat based diet and supplementing with steamed vegetables, digestive enzymes, and omega 3 fatty acids will go along toward preventing the onset of arthritis.

Pet Limping &Lameness

Itchy Pet Skin

Dietary Management of Gastro-Intestinal Disorders

1. Fast pet for 24 hours -- absolutely no food!!
2. Then feed a soft, bland, low residue in small amounts several times daily - see recipe at the bottom of the page
3. Continue this diet for at least 24 hours after the stool appears perfectly normal.
4. Observe each bowel movement carefully for consistency, color, mucus, and evidence of worms, bones, foreign material and blood. (Blood may appear as either a red or black substance in the stool)
   

1. Fast pet for 24 hours -- absolutely no food!!
2. Then feed a soft, bland, diet in small amounts several times a day -- see recipe at the bottom of the page.
3. Limit rate of fluid intake by either
1. placing several ice cubes in the water bowl or
2. filling water bowl only 1/4 inch high with gatorade or uncarbonated "Coke" or a solution made by adding 1 part maple syrup to 2 parts water. Replace the contents of the water bowl every 30 minutes as it is consumed. Limiting the rate of fluid- intake is extremely important since rapid intake will stimulate vomiting and actually increase degree of dehydration
4. Continue limiting fluid intake and feeding special diet for at least 24 hours after vomiting has ceased.
5. Examine vomitus for evidence of worms, bones, other foreign material, and blood. (Blood may appear as either a red or black substance in the vomitus.)
   

• 7 oz. of dry white rice (190-200 g) *minute rice is not acceptable
• Cook rice in 14 oz. of water
• To the cooked rice add 4 oz. of cottage cheese or cooked hamburger.

Diagnosing and Treating Chronic Diarrhea

Body Odor

Anal Sac Disease

Dogs and cats with loose stools are all to common a complaint of pet owners. If you have a pet with either persistent or periodically abnormally soft stools it is important to discover the cause of this problem. Diarrhea is a symptom and not a disease and may have many causes. Having your dog or cats stool regularly tested for intestinal parasites is probably the first and simplest test to have your veterinarian perform when trying to discover the cause of diarrhea. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms coccidia, and giardia are all common intestinal parasites that can cause persistent loose stools and can be detected by a routine microscopic "fecal flotation test".

If you feed your dog or cat from the table or regularly change his or her dog food you may be periodically introducing foods to which your pet is either sensitive or allergic. Putting your dog on a non-allergic diet like HA, venison and rice or duck and potato, and feeding nothing but this diet for 1 month will help you distinquish whether the animal's problem is allergic or due to some other cause. A blood "Elisa" test is also available to help detect food allergies and to recommend less allergenic diets.

Another very common cause of diarrhea is a condition called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). If IBD is suspected then a good way to confirm this suspicion is to check the appearance of the intestinal tract lining with a fiber optic endoscope to see if there are any inflamed abnormal looking areas. If an abnormal area is detected, a small biopsy specimen can be obtained and sent to the histopathologist for a laboratory diagnosis. If "endoscopy" and "histopathology" are out of the question due to financial considerations then a "therapeutic trial" may be performed to see if using anti inflammatory drugs like metronidazole or prednisone will eliminate the diarrhea. If either endoscopy or the above described therapeutic prednisone test, points to inflammatory bowel disease then long term drug therapy would be the conventional medical solution. However, for those pet owners who would prefer not to use cortisone or metronidazole therapy, holistic medical care using nutritional therapy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture are very capable of dealing with this bowel problem.

Some animals are chronic chewers or scavenger and they are constantly getting into things. Whether the pet eats the food out of the garbage, the baby's sock, a branch of the tree, or crab apples that have fallen to the ground, these foreign substances when ingested can play havoc with the intestinal tract and produce a mucousy and even bloody diarrhea. Keeping everything put away and out of reach from your pet may be difficult but is the only way to eliminate this cause of diarrhea.

There are many other less common causes of diarrhea such as those caused by enzyme deficiencies and emotional stress. Digestive enzyme and/or anti anxiety supplements will effectively treat such problems.

So you see there may be many causes for diarrhea. Trying to distinguish the true exact cause of your pet’s loose stool requires patience and in some cases may not be a cheap proposition.

An Alternative Dental Hygiene Strategy

Dental Work

The Importance of Good Dental Hygiene

The Mid-Year Senior Pet Checkup

“How do I know if my pet is in pain?” is a question commonly asked by pet care owner

In the following article my goal is teach you how to recognize the more subtle sign of paint.

Of course sometimes its easy to tell a pets in pain. If a pet is lame and carries one limb you can bet she hurts. A dog with a ruptured disk may arch his or her back and scream if you touch the affected vertebrae. There is no question this animal is in severe pain.

But what are some more subtle signs of pain that are often missed by the average pet owner. Loss of appetite, restlessness, panting can be signs of severe discomfort.

Licking at a particular area of the body such as a joint should have you consider that the area may be painful. A distended abdomen that is very tense to the touch often indicates a pet in great discomfort. A pet that gets up slowly after sleeping but walks better as the day progresses is probably arthritic. This same dog may hesitate to go upstairs or jump into the family car. A dog or cat that goes to eat some food but then drops the food may have a tooth ache. Cats are well known for developing very painful cavities at the interface between the tooth and gum. Older dogs may develop painful root abscess of the large upper premolar. This abscess may be detected when a buldge or open wound develops under the eye on the same side. If a dog or cat’s personality changes and the animal becomes reclusive or aggressive you may suspect pain as possible cause. On the other hand some pets in pain want more of the owners attention. Shivering and shaking are very common signs of an animal in pain. A pet that starts to urinate or defecate and then stops may be feeling pain from the posture being assumed or from the attempted passage of urine or stool. It would then make sense to have the urine tested for the presence of blood or white blood cells. A stool that is very large and hard could cause a great deal of distress on attempted defecation. Male cats that have urinary tract obstruction may have a greatly distended urinary bladder that is extremely uncomfortable. This cat may go in and out of the litter box repeatedly but produce no urine. This same cat may strain for longer periods or just momentarily if the pain of passage discourages him Dogs with neck injuries may stand in a guarded posture with their neck pulled into the body and turn their whole body rather than their neck as they explore their environment. Sometimes just looking into your pets eyes will tell something hurts. His or her eyes may be squinty and the pupils may be dilated. Taking your pets pulse may also provide evidence of pain. A much more rapid than normal pulse is a common sign of pain. Of course you must know what your pets normal pulse is to know if it has elevated.. A good place to take a pets pulse is at the inner thigh up toward the groin.

Keep in mind that there are all types of animals just as there all types of people with different pain tolerances. Some small coddled dogs may cry for no reason while some large stoic dogs may not complain even though you are manipulating a very painful joint. Giving your pet a weekly home exam will help you learn what is normal for your pet. Put their joints through full range of motion, push up on their abdomen, and just spending a few moments watching them, walk, run, eat, drink, breath and eliminate will help you pick up early signs of pain. If you suspect your pet is in pain don’t wait very long to have the problem diagnosed. Procrastinating when pain is present could turn the problem into a very expensive emergency.

Fortunately, veterinarians can provide a number of options for pain control.
These options include non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, narcotic pain killers, muscle relaxants, herbal analgesics, acupuncture, chiropractic, pulsed magnetic therapy

cold laser therapy, and infrasonic sound therapy

1. Blot up as much as possible if wet.
2. Apply vinegar solution and blot
3. Apply detergent solution and blot
4. Apply ammonia solution and blot
5. Rinse with water and blot until dry
6. Cover spot with ½ inch pad of paper towels and weigh it down to dry for 6-8 hours
7. If stain remains, professional help is recommended.  Urine may cause dye removal
8. If large areas of carpeting are involved a carpet cleaning machine could help

ELIMINATE URINE ODORS

1. Follow above steps for stain removal then if odor is still present
2. Wait until ammonia smell disappears and spot dries then
3. Purchase a “bacterial enzymatic odor eating product”  from the pet store.  Ask them which product they consider the most effective.  Follow the directions on the package.   With bacterial enzymatic products it is often the case that the smell will get worse  before it gets better because the bacteria enzymes digest the urea in the urine and  produce a volatile gas.

 ELIMINATE SKUNK ODOR

     Mix together the following in a bucket

                   1 quart hydrogen peroxide

                   ½ cup baking soda

                    1 teaspoonful liquid soap

      Soak animal with this solution

      Rinse off with tap water

      A tomato juice rinse is also helpful

      If available, obtain a product called “Skunk Off”  from the pet  store.   

 ANAL GLAND ODOR

Both dogs and cats have small sacs on either side of the anus that lie under  the skin  and contain a foul smelling material that is usually expressed when the animal is  frightened.  The actual material that oozes out of these sacs can vary in consistency  from watery to pasty.   Anal gland odor can be very difficult to wash off the pet or off  rugs and furniture with just  soap and water but there are pet odor elimination products that are effective at  neutralizing  the smell.    Animals that lick or chew at themselves  due to allergies will cause the coat to become moist and smelly.   Avoiding the  offending  allergen, if possible, and relieving the itching with antihistamines,  natural hydro  cortisone,   licorice root, and Beta thyme will often eliminate this type of odor .   

EAR ODOR

    Yeast and bacterial ear infections can produce a very obnoxious odor that pervades the  house and causes it to reak.   If your pet’s ears smell stinky and the animal is rubbing  or scratching his or her ears then it is time to see your veterinarian who can determine  the exact cause of the problem and prescribe an antibiotic and ear cleaner that will  alleviate the problem.   If the ears are extremely dirty and full of wax and infection a  professional ear flush may be necessary.

MOUTH ODOR

      Dogs and cats that have heavy tartar on their teeth along with gum or periodontal      disease  will have extremely bad breath.   When these same animals lick themselves  and groom their coat they spread the mouth odor all over their bodies.    To alleviate  this odor have the animal get a professional dental prophylaxis which will remove the  odor promoting tartar and greatly reduce the oral bacterial population.  A thorough medicated deodorant bath will help wash off the mouth odor from the hair coat. If a  teeth leaning does not solve the problem then the odor may be eminating from  the stomach.   If this is the case then changing the food to a more digestible one while   adding digestive enzymes and probiotics  may make your life more pleasant.   An easy  to apply dentifrice will also help to reduce the bacterial population in the mouth and   keep it smelling sweet.

SKIN AND COAT ODORS

 Bacterial and yeast infections are common causes of skin and coat odors.  Another  cause of skin odor is the nasty habit dogs have of  rolling in fox urine or the stool of other wild  life.  .   Of course clearing up the skin infections with anti bacterial  herbs  or  with antibiotics is an important part of the solution but immediate relief will require a  anti bacterial, anti inflammatory  deodorizing bath and oatmeal creme rinse  or spraying the pet with a probiotic liquid called “Inner Garden”.   This probiotic liquid contains a population of good bacteria which quickly destroys most any odor.

An ovario-hysterectomy (OHE or spay) is a surgical procedure recommended for most female dogs or cats at 3-4 months of age. The benefits of spaying include:

1)     a dramatic decrease in the possibility of breast cancer occurring later in life, especially if done before         the pet's first heat cycle

2)     preventing the risk for your pet of an unwanted pregnancy

3)     preventing the burden on you of caring for and finding homes for unwanted puppies or kittens

4)     removing the likelihood of life-threatening uterine infections (pyometra) which can occur in unspayed         pets in later years

5)     preventing your pet from becoming injured or diseased as a result of an encounter with an aggressive         male who will attempt to forcefully breed with her.

6)     helping to decrease the pet overpopulation problem which results in million of unwanted dogs and                cats being put to sleep.

The spay or OHE is an operation in which both the ovaries and the uterus are removed. Removal of the ovaries means that the hormonal influence known as "being in heat" is gone. Your pet will no longer come into heat, or be able to produce puppies or kittens

At Woodside, prior to surgery, all patients receive a careful pre anesthetic evaluation. All potential physical problems detected result in a phone call to you and are thoroughly discussed at that time. Just as your own doctor would never take you to surgery without first running laboratory tests, the same precautions are strongly recommend and offered at Woodside Animal Clinic.

Since the OHE is a major abdominal surgical procedure, it is performed with your pet placed under general anesthesia. Your pet sleeps painlessly through the entire operation. At Woodside Animal Clinic your pet's safety is our primary concern. With over a dozen different anesthetic choices available in our hospital pharmacy, we can custom design an anesthetic regimen to your pet's specific health needs. Our newest addition in anesthestic safety is Aerane which is reported to be ten times safer in older patients than other agent commonly used in veterinary medicine today. The surgery is performed in our private operating room by Dr. Simon or one of his associate veterinarians who scrub, gown, and glove before beginning the surgery. A freshly sterilized surgical instrument pack is used for each individual patient to help prevent post surgical infections.

The operating room at Woodside is equipped with the latest in respiratory and cardiac monitoring equipment including a pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitors,  an ECG machine and a cardiac oscilloscope. The gas anesthetic machine is equipped with a pressure monitor that makes sure that your pet's lungs do not become overly inflated. An infra red ear thermometers is used to monitor your pet's body temperature while under anesthesia and our new surgery table is heated in order to prevent your pet's body temperature from dropping below acceptable levels. An electro-surgery unit is always available should excessive bleeding become a problem.   Of course all the above equipment would mean nothing if it were not placed in the hands of highly competent and caring health care professionals such as you find at Woodside.

 After surgery each patient is placed in a heated cage and carefully monitored by our highly trained staff and veterinary technicians until they are fully awake and stabilized.  No pet is dismissed from the hospital until we are satisfied that she is fully recovered from the anesthetic and stable from the surgery.

After hospital discharge there is very little work required at home. Skin sutures are removed by us at no additional charge in 10 days to 2 weeks. We do ask that your pet be restricted in activity for the first week after going home, and that her incision area be kept as cleans and dry as possible.(no bathing, swimming or licking until the sutures are removed).

 We at Woodside Animal Clinic strive to perform the spay and all surgical procedures with the highest medical standards set forth by the profession. If you have any other questions about the procedure or your pet, please, don't hesitate to ask our staff  or  Dr. Simon.   Whenever you are ready to schedule youR pet's spay operation, just call,.   Our receptionist will be happy to set up the appointment.

Click here to learn more about spaying dogs and cats.

For years veterinarians have observed that as a general rule pet owners have a difficult time making the decision to castrate their male dog or cat while the decision to spay their female pet seems to be made with relative ease.  The feeling of many, within the veterinary community, is that this phenomena is a result of a male oriented society.  Because the neutering of a male animal contributes far more to pet population control than neutering its female counterpart it is important for us to overcome such male chauvinistic prejudices. 

Castration is actually a far less serious operation than is an ovario-hysterectomy (spay).   Where as ovariohysterectomy involves the removal of the ovaries and uterus and is major abdominal surgery, castration involves the removal of only the testicles and does not require abdominal surgery.  A contributing factor to societies aversion to neutering the male of the species is that with the male the results of the surgery is apparent whereas with the female the changes are intra-abdominal and the anatomical rearrangement is not visible.

 Beyond the obvious contribution castration makes toward population control there are a number of behavioral  benefits that come as a result of this surgery.  As a result of their decreased sex drive neutered males have less of an occasion to escape from the house or yard and run down the street where their chances of getting lost, stolen, shot, hit by a car or badly bitten are greatly increased.  Neutering will reduce or eliminate the obnoxious tendency of male dogs to mount the knees of their owners or their owners friends and family.  Neutering will make a male dog less aggressive toward his/her owner or toward other animals thus reducing the chance of it biting his/her owner or being bit by other animals.  Neutered male cats are much less likely to get into fights with neighborhood Tom cats.  Consequently neutered males develop significantly fewer "cat bite abscesses" than their unneutered counterparts.  Neutering a male cat will greatly reduce their tendency to mark their territory by urinating on vertical objects in and around the house -- this type of behavior is known as "spraying" and results in difficult to eliminate odors and often a house that smells like a urinal. 

There are a number of health benefits which come with neutering the male animal.  Castration will reduce or eliminate the prepucial drainage can produce stains on the rug and furniture.  Neutered males will be less prone to developing prostatitis, perineal hernias and anal tumors.  In fact when these problems are diagnosed neutering is almost always part of the recommended treatment protocol. 

 Unless you are seriously planning on breeding your male and are confident their will be homes for the offspring please consider neutering your male pet so that both you, your cat, and the community can reap the benefits.

Click here to read more about neutering dogs and cats.

• Feed your pet a highly nutritious meat based, whole grain, chemically free diet supplemented with raw meat and steamed vegetables.
• Perform regular home dental care and bring your pet in for an annual dental prophylaxis.
• Give your pet a weekly home exam and learn to recognize early signs of illness
• Learn your pets normal behavior and normal physiology (ie urinating, defecating, eating, drinking, breathing) so that you will recognize when he or she begins to act abnormal.
• Feed your pet supplements including, digestive enzymes, trace chelated minerals vitamins, probiotics, fatty acids, antioxidants.
• Maintain your pet at a lean weight and exercise regularly.
• Provide your veterinarian with a detailed, accurate history whenever your pet becomes ill. Keep a diary
• Have your veterinarian perform a yearly physical and regular annual blood, urine, and stool screens to obtain a normal base line or to catch hidden problems.
• Provide fresh air, fresh water, sunshine, love and companionship
• Widen your concept of health care to encompass alternative medicine

• If they have a multiple pet household and notice that there is vomiting, diarrhea , or urinating outside the litter box they do not isolate the cats to discover which at is having the problem
• They mistake straining to urinate for straining to defecate.
• Poor appetite and weight loss is either not recognized or not taken seriously enough
• They are so fearful of anesthesia that they never have their pets teeth cleaned
• They believe that the terms "premium" and "natural" insure their pet is receiving a healthy diet
• They over feed their pet
• They do not take repetitive vomiting as seriously as they should
• They do not allow their veterinary to perform preventive blood and urine screens
• They do not follow their veterinarians instructions - for example
  • Medications not given at proper frequency
  • Medications not given long enough; they do not come back for refills
  • They do not come in for indicated recheck exams
  • They stop medication when symptoms disappear
  • They use left over medication to treat a new condition that they think is the same as a past condition
  • They give their veterinarian a poor, inaccurate or misleading history (husband or child is sent in with pet without proper information)
    • They have not isolated sick pet from other in house
    • They let sick pet go outside
    • They don't know which leg pet is lame on
    • They do not bring in past history from previous vet
    • They provide misleading information
      • They are embarassed about their neglect and try to cover up
      • They are poor observers because not home enough, too busy, or multiple pets
      • They misinterpret their observations - ie straining equals constipation
      • They forget important information because they have not written it down
      • They say that the wrong leg is lame because they face the animal and use they right or left rather than the pets.

• Straining from dairrhea mistaken for straining from constipation
• Bronchial spasm for retching or vomiting
• Gagging for coughing
• Regurgitation for vomiting
• Straining for urinary obstruction mistaken for constipation
• Weakness for lameness
• Neurological lameness for musculoskelat lameness

• Loss of appetite
• Increase or decrease in water consumption &/or urination
• Reduced activity
• Change in posture or gait
• Personality or behavioral changes
• Change in color, consistency and frequency of bowel movements
• Nose, eye, and ear discharge
• Abnormal body odors
• Straining to urinate or defecate
• Pale or inflammed gums
• Change in rate and depth of breathing
• Restlessness, crying, whining, or other evidence of pain
• Enlarged distended abdomen
• Vomiting, retching, choking, gagging, coughing, sneezing, wheezing
• Licking excessive, head shaking, dragging anus along the ground

Feed your pet at specific times and pick up any remaining food after an hour as opposed to leaving food down all day long. This feeding approach will keep you more in touch with your pet's appetite and will allow you to more quickly discover the presence of' disease.

If you have more than one dog or cat and can't tell which one is sick then separate the two animals so you can tell which one may be vomiting, having diarrhea, or soiling the house, etc.

Make sure you regularly observe your pet's urination and bowel movements. If you do not accompany your pet outside to eliminate or regularly check the litter box it may take several days before you realize he or she is having elimination problems..

Weigh and record your pet's weight weekly. If your pet is not overweight and is found to be progressively loosing weight, you should become suspicious that there is a significant health problem.

Examine your pet from head to toe once weekly. And be aware of the warning signs of illness. See guidelines for a physical exam on the Woodside Animal Clinic wall chart.

Be able to recognize when your pet is in pain. Pain can show up as restlessness, panting, whimpering, lethargy, a rapid heart rate, lameness, a change in posture, an abnormal gait, a tense abdomen, reluctance to eat although hungry, head shaking. The presence of pain necessitates veterinary intervention.

Dehydration can be detected by checking skin elasticity. Pull up on your pet's skin over its mid back and note how quickly it returns to its normal position. In a normally hydrated animal this should happen almost immediately. If your pet appears dehydrated make an appointment to see your veterinarian. Dry gums may also be evidence of dehydration.

Anemia may be detected by examining your pet's gums and conjunctiva. If they are pale and not pink a serious problem may be present.

If your pet has an abnormal body odor then you should suspect that disease may be present. Such odors may result from an ear infection, heavy tartar and gum infections, mal-digestion and gas expulsion, anal gland disease, skin infections, abscesses or infected wounds, and stool or urine on feet, under tail, or smeared on hair coat.

© 1999 Dr. John Simon
Woodside Animal Hospital and Bird Clinic