My Cat Hates the Vet! You can help to make it better.

Do you dread taking your cat to the veterinarian because it is such a stressful experience for you and your feline friend?  We completely understand!  Even Dr. Kim has a kitty who gets upset at the veterinary clinic.  So she is going to tell you some tips and tricks for making your kitty’s experience at the vet a positive one.

Veterinary visits are so important for cats.  Yearly visits are especially important in felines because they are excellent at hiding any problem from you.  They are biologically designed to hide their problems.  So things like tooth infections, intestinal issues, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, urinary problems, thyroid disease and lung disease can easily go un-noticed by the most loving and devoted pet parents.  A thorough veterinary exam alone can pick up on so many of these issues in the early stages so we can treat them before they progress to more serious concerns.

The bottom line is that you should be taking your kitty to the vet EVERY YEAR to get an exam, period.  If your vet finds a problem and your kitty needs other tests like bloodwork, urine or imaging (x-rays, ultrasound) it’s even more important to make sure they are happy at the vet!  We want to make sure the visit is calm and serene so keep reading to see what you can do to make it happen!

First, you need to understand that when your cat gets upset at the veterinary hospital it’s only because they are scared.  When they start to hiss, growl, bite or scratch it’s because they are fearful of being hurt and this is the only way they have to protect themselves. All the ideas we will share with you are designed to take their anxiety away as much as possible.  If your kitty arrives happier and the visit is handled in the appropriate way then they won’t need to get upset.

It all starts at home.  We all know this scenario….your cat has a vet appointment so you bring out THE CARRIER.  Then…your cat disappears.  This is the first place that you can help.  Cats are very smart.  They know that the carrier means the vet and the vet is scary.  So how can you help?  Make the carrier part of everyday life.  Dr. Kim keeps her cat’s carrier in her bedroom closet and puts a soft kitty bed inside.  She takes the door off so her cats can go in and out and use it as a hiding and resting place.  That way when it’s time to take them to the clinic, she can put the door back on and they are actually happy to be in the carrier!  This can be done with any carrier but another great product is the Sleepypod® Mobile Pet Bed.  It is a pet bed that easily transforms into a carrier and is even crash tested! Watch the video here! If you are using a carrier you should always put something soft in it like a towel or preferably, your kitty’s favorite bed.

Make this carrier your kitty's regular bed at home!  Vet visits will be a breeze!

The next thing you can do is use kitty pheromones. A mother cat secretes this to help her kittens relax and now you can use it to help your kitty relax!  Feliway® is our favorite pheromone brand.  It can be purchased in a spray or a wipe.  The wipes come in individual packages which may be more convenient for a single visit.  It is very important that you do not use the wipe directly on your kitty!  You should wipe the inside surfaces of the carrier and the pet bed or towel that is placed in the carrier.  They can be purchased here .

Use these pheromone wipes on the inside of the carrier and pet bed inside it!

After you have wiped the carrier with pheromones, put in your cat’s favorite kitty bed (or just change your Sleepypod® into a carrier) then you can actually cover the carrier with a small towel or thin baby blanket.  Using a towel cuts down on visual stimuli that may add to your cat’s stress level.  If the weather is very warm you should skip this step because you don’t want your kitty to overheat in the carrier.

You can even play special music in the car on the way to the vet!  Harp music has been shown to soothe animals and decrease stress.  The music will also help calm you down so you aren’t as stressed!  Dr. Kim thinks Susan Raimond has done lovely work with this and her CDs can be purchased online here .  Many other types of music can be found online for this purpose with a quick google search.

You can call ahead to the veterinarian to make sure that the doctor is running on time.  If the doctor is running a little behind then you can arrive a little later so that you don’t have to wait in the lobby as long.  Upon arrival, ask to be placed into an exam room as soon as possible.  That way your kitty won’t hear the noises in the lobby or smell the other animals that might be there (dogs!).  If you have to wait in the lobby pick a quiet corner away from other people and pets.

Once you get into the exam room Dr. Kim recommends leaving your kitty in the carrier until the nurse or doctor comes in.  Unless of course your kitty is the social type and would prefer exploring!  For most kitties it is much less scary to be in the quiet carrier. 

Ask the nurse and doctor to do as much of the exam and tests IN THE EXAM ROOM and IN THE CARRIER as possible.  With the Sleepypod® and many other carriers you can just take off the top so they don’t have to pull or “dump” your cat out - very stressful!  Also, you should ask to be present if possible.  Staying with your pet can be soothing for them.  However, you should let the nurse and doctor hold your kitty for the exams and tests.  You don’t want to risk a bite or scratch if they do happen to get grouchy.  This is so important for safety.  Many veterinarians are becoming Fear Free® certified.  Dr. Kim is in the process now!  Those veterinarians will already be employing these low stress handling techniques.  They will often use towels to wrap your kitty if bloodwork is needed instead of scruffing your pet.

Look for this logo at the veterinary office you choose!

The last thing we need to comment on is a medication called gabapentin.  If your kitty gets really stressed at the veterinarian despite the above techniques then you should ask your kitty’s doctor to send this home with you and come back a different time.  Gabapentin has been proven as a very safe and effective way to decrease stress in cats at the veterinary clinic when given orally (either in a treat or pilled) at home prior to the visit.  A great clinical trial was just released and can be found here.  Trazodone is another medication that has been used very effectively for this purpose.

Ask your vet for this!

We hope that these tips and tricks have been helpful for you!  As a holistic veterinarian decreasing stress and anxiety is of the utmost importance for Dr. Kim!  This will not only help to improve your kitty’s anxiety but also their health and well-being by allowing a calm and serene yearly veterinary visit!

Dr. Kim regularly does house calls for acupuncture.   These home visits eliminate the stress of the vet clinic but can still make your kitty nervous.  Alot of these techniques can be employed at home visits too such as Feliway®, acupuncture in the pet bed and gabapentin if needed!  To schedule an appointment please call 707-535-9979 today!

I'm Yunity: Medicinal Mushroom for Cancer

An exciting new supplement is now available for treating cancer in dogs!  An extract of the turkey tail mushroom (Coriolus versicolor) has been proven to extend the survival time of dogs with hemangiosarcoma (a highly aggressive, metastatic cancer often involving the liver and spleen and spreading throughout the body).  The most exciting thing is that patients treated with this extract lived longer than currently available chemotherapy protocols!  

In 2012 the University of Pennsylvania performed a study with dogs that had hemangiosarcoma.  This cancer often causes a tumor in the spleen to rupture and bleed, requiring a surgical procedure called a splenectomy.  Following surgery, with typical chemotherapy protocols, dogs have an average survival time of 141-179 days.  In the study with the mushroom extract, WITHOUT any chemotherapy, dogs lived for 199 days!  These results are astounding and extremely exciting for our canine companions!

This mushroom has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years.  The compound within this mushroom is called a polysaccharopeptide (PSP). The specific supplement being tested is called I’m Yunity, which has a guaranteed analysis of 38% PSP in each capsule.  

Another great thing about I’m Yunity is that it was extremely safe and well tolerated among all patients in the study.  A very important thing to note is that the dose of I’m Yunity which was most effective was 100mg/kg/day. 

Due to the success of the early study, researchers are currently conducting a study evaluating dogs with hemangiosarcoma treated with I’m-Yunity alone, dogs treated with I’m-Yunity + chemotherapy, or dogs treated with chemotherapy alone. If you know a dog who has recently been diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma and would like more information about joining this study, please contact PennVet’s Clinical Investigation Center directly at (215) 573-0302 or via e-mail at vcic@vet.upenn.edu.

It is also exciting to imagine how effective I’m Yunity may be for other cancers.  More research needs to be done and we are eagerly awaiting results!  For more information and to order I’m Yunity go to www.imyunity.com or www.imyunityfordogs.com. 

Acupuncture and Intervertebral Disc Disease

What is Intervertebral Disc Disease?

Your dog’s spine is made up of a number of bones called vertebrae.  They extend from the base of the skull to the tip of the tail.  Separating each vertebrae are flexible cushions called intervertebral discs.  These discs help the spine to be able to move and bend in many directions.  Each vertebrae has a small tunnel running through it which holds the spinal cord.  The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body.  Because of the anatomy of the spine, the cord passes over each vertebrae and also over the intervertebral discs as it runs down the length of the back.

Due to trauma or age a disc can become weakened and rupture, or herniate, putting pressure on the spinal cord.  This interrupts nerve transmission along the spinal cord and can cause varying effects on a dog’s body.  Most frequently it causes pain, weakness and loss of sensation to the legs.  It can also cause paralysis and urinary dysfunction if the herniation is severe.  Usually this occurs in the rear legs, if the disc herniation is along the back.  If the herniation is in the neck then all four legs can be affected.

Mild disc herniations are typically managed with pain medication or steroids, muscle relaxants and strict rest.  More severe herniations causing paralysis are managed with surgery of the back in order to decompress the disc.

Acupuncture For Disc Disease

Several exciting studies have recently been performed showing that the addition of electroacupuncture can be extremely effective in helping animals with disc herniation make a better recovery.  It can also be very helpful for dogs who would benefit from surgery but who are unable to undergo anesthesia, or whose owner may not be able to afford it.

Electroacupuncture involves inserting tiny acupuncture needles into various locations along the back and legs and connecting pairs of these needles to a mild electric current for varying amounts of time.  This procedure is not painful and in fact releases several endorphins in the brain which relieve pain and promote relaxation.

A 2007 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association compared dogs with disc disease who received standard western medical therapy alone to dogs who also received electroacupuncture.  Dogs in the group receiving electroacupuncture recovered the ability to walk sooner than the dogs that did not receive acupuncture!1A 2010 study published in the same journal looked at dogs with disc disease that needed surgery.  This study showed that electroacupuncture alone was just as effective as surgery in recovering the ability to walk again.2 

In my opinion electroacupuncture IN ADDITION to western medical treatments (pain medication/steroids, rest, muscle relaxants) should be the gold standard of care in treating this condition.  Recovery to function will be much faster for your dog.  And if your dog would benefit from surgery but is unable to undergo anesthesia due to other health issues or you simply cannot afford it then acupuncture is a wonderful option for your dog!

For more information please always feel free to call 707-535-9979 or email us at kschmidt@napaholisticvet.com.  If you are interested in full text PDF documents of the articles below just let me know.

References

1 Hayashi, A.M., Matera J.M., Pinto, A.C. “Evaluation of electroacupuncture treatment for thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease in dogs” JAVMA Vol. 231, No. 6, September 15, 2007. Pages 913-918.

2 Joaquim, J. G., Luna, S. P., Brondani, J. T., Torelli, S. R., Rahal, S. C., Freitas, F. P. “Comparison of decompressive surgery, electroacupuncture, and decompressive surgery followed by electroacupuncture for the treatment of dogs with intervertebral disk disease with long-standing severe neurologic deficits” JAVMA Vol. 236, No. 11, June 1, 2010. Pages 1225-1229.

Golden Paste: Turmeric for Pets

You probably know turmeric as a common cooking spice.  Also known as Curcuma longa, this plant’s uses go far beyond your kitchen!   

Numerous clinical trials in dogs have shown the potential health benefits of turmeric.  It has shown to be a potent anti-inflammatory and is also a good pain reliever!  It has even been shown to have a positive effect on cancer cells.  If your pet has any inflammatory disease, arthritis or cancer you may want to give turmeric a try.

The active component in turmeric is called curcumin.  Taken alone, curcumin is not very bioavailable which means only a small amount actually gets absorbed into the bloodstream when taken orally.  By combining curcumin with piperine (a compound in black pepper) the bioavailability increases dramatically.

So how can you use turmeric for your dog’s health and make sure that it is available for the body to use?  In comes Golden Paste.  This whole food recipe, created by Dr. Doug English, an Australian veterinarian, is a wonderful way to safely incorporate turmeric into your furry friend’s holistic healthcare plan.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 mls/60gms) turmeric powder
• 1 cup water (250 mls) PLUS 1 cup water in reserve, if needed
• 1/3 cup (70 mls) Raw/Cold Pressed/Unrefined Coconut/Flaxseed-Linseed Oil, Virgin/Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2-3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Place turmeric and water in pan, stirring over gentle heat until you have a thick paste. This should take about 7-10 minutes and you may need to add additional water along the way.

Add the freshly ground pepper and oil AT THE END of cooking. Stir well (a whisk is ideal) to incorporate the oil and allow to cool.

The Golden Paste will keep for 2 weeks, refrigerated

Freeze a portion if you think you have too much to use within two weeks.

A good starting dose is 1/4 teaspoon two to three times daily.  Just add to your dog’s food!

PLEASE NOTE: Commercial turmeric capsules/pills that have high levels of curcumin are not recommended for use with animals.  That’s why we prefer the whole food recipe above.

Side effects are very uncommon with turmeric but there are a few circumstances where it would not be recommended for your pet.  Curcumin causes contraction of the gallbladder so it is contraindicated if your pet has gallbladder stones or bile duct obstruction.  Also use with caution in diabetic patients because it can lower blood sugar a bit.  Stomach ulcers and bleeding disorders are two other situations where turmeric is not recommended.  It can occasionally cause stomach upset and might slow blood clotting.  These effects are all very mild but if your pet has any of these conditions then turmeric would not be the best choice for them.

Further information can be found on Dr. Doug English’s website http://turmericlife.com.au/ as well as the Facebook User Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/415313751866609/

As always if you have further questions you can contact Dr. Kimberly Schmidt, owner and head veterinarian of Napa Valley Holistic Veterinary Services at 707-535-9979 or email her at kschmidt@napaholisticvet.com.