Dr..Ena Valikov's Veterinary GMO Explainers
with notes of sarcasm and music...Thanks for visiting my planet where it's considered insane to give legitimacy to insanity.
Did you know Pesticide Companies are in charge of your baby's food? Honestly, they are.
Recently, an animal much more likely to end up on your breakfast plate than to receive cutting edge veterinary treatment is in the news. Nemo, the rescued pig, is getting chemotherapy for his lymphoma. It is being administered through a surgically implanted catheter at Cornell University.
The word chemotherapy conjures up images of icky deadly poison flowing through veins leading to nausea, sickness and hair loss. And while it is true that chemotherapy can cause serious side effects, and I would prefer not to ever need it, I find treatment of lymphatic cancer in our pets very worthwhile. Veterinarians' goals are very different than they are in people, in whom aggressive protocols are often used to produce a cure. Veterinarians do not aim to cure the disease, but rather our goal is more humble- improving the animal's quality of life. So, the doses and protocols chosen are scaled down to minimize nasty side effects.
730 pound pig with cancer being treated at Cornell University
Nemo, a 730 pound pig with cancer gets treatment at Cornell University / Photo: Alex Dunbar
ITHACA -- He's 730 pounds but surprisingly quick and his doctors have to move fast to keep up with him. 4-year-old Nemo's owner brought him up to Cornell's Animal Hospital from his home in the Catskills when he started acting strangely. Nemo was soon diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma - a blood cancer. Cornell vets then had to come up with a new treatment plan for their massive, mud loving patient. "We have treated other large animals, we treated a horse with lymphoma years ago but most of the time we mainly treat dogs and cats for cancer," said oncologist Cheryl Balkman. Balkman and a team of doctors had to determine how much chemotherapy Nemo could handle safely and what dosages of medication would work. Nemo is believed to be the first ever documented case of lymphoma treatment in a pig. His chemotherapy drugs are delivered though a catheter behind his ear. Cornell doctors say the innovative method could help treat other large animals. "That was a huge breakthrough because I think that was one of our biggest concerns - how do we administer the chemotherapy without harming us as well as most importantly him," said Balkman. The doctors say Nemo's treatments are showing progress. His appetite is back and his energetic play gets some interested looks from the rest of the patients. After a big meal he takes his medicine and a few Tums before settling in for a nap. Nemo weighs more than three average NFL offensive linemen but his doctors say he's been a model patient and a gentle giant. "We're fortunate to be able to take care of him and hope to publish our results so people can follow in our footsteps down the road if they can," said Dr. Emily Barrell. His doctors say they are hopeful Nemo will be healthy enough to return home after just a few more chemo treatments. http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=927770#.UjjtBFTn-M8
I was shopping at Ralphs on 4th Street & Orizaba and noticed a very large display of Easter Lilies. Evidently the grocery stores don't realize that Easter Lilies ( and other species of lilies) are terribly toxic to cats. Ingestion of any plant parts, including pollen are toxic. A cat might brush up against a flower, get some pollen on their coat, later ingesting it while grooming--and go on to develop kidney failure.
Please spread the word wherever you see Easter lilies in grocery stores. Keep your kitties safe from kidney disease. Kidneys are an unforgiving organ which can't repair itself from damage.
Lilies Lethal to Cats
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
[March 19, 2013; Philadelphia, PA] – With Easter rapidly approaching, the veterinarians at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine would like to remind pet owners that Easter lilies are highly toxic to cats, with the potential for causing kidney failure. All parts of the plant are considered poisonous, so lilies should be kept away from cats at all times.
Lilies dangerous to cats include:
• Easter lily • Tiger lily • Rubrum lily • Japanese show lily • Day lily
A cat may vomit, lose its appetite or become lethargic within a few hours of eating a dangerous plant. If this happens, see your veterinarian immediately.
In addition, pets should not ingest onions, macadamia nuts or alcohol, as they are toxic to both dogs and cats. Pets also should never be fed chocolate, as it contains the heart stimulant theobromine, which can cause severe heart arrhythmias or seizures if ingested in large doses.
Some days physicians' jobs seem like cake walk. Notwithstanding the fact that M.D.s only work on one single species (human), while vets are licensed to medicate and surgicate on everything else- starting with a tarantula and extending east of a rhino; and the fact that M.D.s often specialize in just one organ--gallbladders, for instance--while the majority of us are generalists doing everything from manicures to chemotherapy; the fact that our patients can't speak to us and describe their symptoms actually makes the most profound difference. For a vet the skill of history gathering is a science and an art, sometimes taking circuitous routes into strange lands.
I can tell the precise time and day when my history taking skills hit their zenith. At 6:57pm on a Friday night, as Natalie was tucking in the patients in the back of the hospital and as I picked up the car keys, my nose and palate already tasting the bouquet and rich flavor of a 7 year old Pinot Noir I had at home, the hospital phone rang.
"Bellflower Veterinary Hospital"
Distressed, sobbing female caller on the other side of the line. " Hi. My name is Shelly Smith. I think my dog Herb has a brain tumor. He has been having seizures for half an hour. We are on the 91 Freeway--can you please see us?"
"A brain tumor? How old is your dog, Shelly?"
" He is two." A little too young for a tumor, I thought to myself.
" I am so sorry. If your dog is having seizures, you are probably better off taking him to the ER because he will need overnight care and we close in three minutes"
The woman sounding more agitated: "I don't know this area at all....we are from Washington state ....drove down to show Peaches and Herb at the Eukanuba International dog show in Long Beach tomorrow. I don't know where the ER is II am really very worried about Herb. Please! Is it Ok if we bring Herb in- we are on the off ramp to your clinic?"
" Well, OK. We'll see you in a minute"
Natalie came up to the lobby looking puzzled at the sight of the intravenous catheter and fluids set up.
"Natalie. I am very sorry, we need to see a seizing patient. Can you please get the valium out of the drug safe?".
"Sure, not a problem. Didn't have grand plans for tonight anyways"
Four minutes later Natalie and I greeted a worried woman, tears welling up in her eyes, clutching the cutest Cairn terrier we've ever seen. Herb would put Toto to shame.
I quickly examined Herb in Natalie's arms, while Shelly filled out our admission forms.
His mucous membranes were pink and he was well hydrated. The chest sounded normal on auscultation, though his heart was racing. His pupils were dilated and responsive to light and he was visual. Except for his eyes rapidly exploring the lobby around him as if surrounded by swarms of invisible fairies, there were no signs of abnormalities on a brief exam. Herb was not seizing but there was something a little different and odd about him. Cairn terriers are normally very busy little dogs, but this one looked busier than normal.
"Most dogs with brain tumors are geriatric Ms. Smith Lets not panic, OK?
"Is it possible that Herb got into something", asked Natalie,"a toxin of some sort.... could he have gotten into the garbage, eaten some moldy food, insecticides, pesticides, human drugs?"
"No, it isn't possible. We have Peaches and Herb crated when they aren't being directly observed."
"Nat... could you please put Herb down on the floor so we can evaluate his gait?"
She set the adorable little terrier on the ceramic tile. The scruffy little thing proceeded to ricochet from the counter to the chairs to the walls chasing invisible hockey pucks in our lobby." Has Herb been eating well, Ms. Smith?
"Yes"
"Vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, drinking excessively?"
"No"
"Is he normally this active and busy, Ms. Smith?"
" Well..... yes and no. He seems to have more energy than normal"
" Have you noticed him circling to one side, head tilt, any signs of gait abnormalities....acting blind before this incident?"
"No. He was completely normal until about an hour ago".
"So what happened an hour ago, Shelly... where was Herb?"
"We unpacked our stuff and let him out of his carrier in our hotel room. He went under the bed for a few minutes"
"Where was Peaches while Herb was sniffing around under the bed?
"She was in her crate in the hotel room"
"How is she?"
"Peaches is fine. She happens to be the number one Cairn terrier in the country... won Westminster last year. The Eukanuba show was going to be Herb's first show... we had high hopes for him until he got the brain tumor"
"So Herb was OK until he went exploring under the bed. Peaches was crated and she is perfectly fine.
How much did you pay for your hotel room, Shelly?"
"Excuse me?"
"Was it over a hundred dollars.... under a hundred dollars, less than fifty dollars?'
" I don't understand why that would make any difference to you, Doctor. What does the cost of my hotel room have to do with Herb's brain tumor?"
Natalie and I inflated the Doppler cuff and checked his blood pressure... 140mmHg.
"Ms Smith -Herb's blood pressure is OK. We will perform an EKG to be sure he isn't having any heart issues and run some blood-work on him. Is that OK?"
"Sure, do whatever you need to do"
After getting a blood sample and recording a lead II EKG strip we put Herb in a cage to do happy little figure eights racing with the lollipop guild. Fifteen minutes later, our blood tests were completed.
"Shelly.... Fortunately Herb's lab-work, chemistry, electrolytes and heart are fine. His red blood cell count was a bit high, and the EKG showed a sinus tachycardia which is understandable. He has a bit of a respiratory alkalosis probably due to hyperventilation. Things look better than we have a right to expect. I totally understand that this makes no sense to you, but did you pay less than $60 for your hotel room?"
"Well, yes... we don't know this area, but we found a little motel a few miles from here for $49 a night"
"I don't know much about Washington, Shelly, but do you know who tends to use $49 motel rooms in Southern California?"
"No...who?"
"Hookers and drug users"
Shelly stared at me as if a unicorn horn just sprouted from my skull. " Have you heard of meth- the most common of all street drugs? It would take a few particles licked off the carpet under the bed for a little creature to do just what you are seeing. I am afraid Herb is tweaking"
"He is doing what?" It felt like the horn on my head just grew a few inches.
"Tweaking. Tweaking is slang for being high on methamphetamines. Your doggie, Herb, has gone way over the rainbow".
"Is he going to be OK?"
"I think he needs to be monitored for hypertension and for arrhythmias until the drug wears off. We are going to give him some IV fluids for supportive care.
I sure hope he will be OK--he is a cutie and I really want him to do well tomorrow".
We heard from Shelly a few days after the show- Peaches earned first place.
Herb was better than OK--he earned second place in a national dog competition on his first time out--we will never know if illicit drugs had anything to do with it.
If you believe your pet got into toxins or drugs, please do let your veterinarian know. Our job is to help your pet. You could help us greatly in this effort by being observant. Although often there are no specific antidotes available to ingestion of illicit drugs and toxins, please be honest with us even if it makes you a bit uncomfortable. We are not the police and we will not report you-- being informed enables us to optimize patient care increasing chances of a good outcome for you and your pet.
"If your dog ate your pot, it is really important that you tell the doctor that your dog ate your pot. THC is toxic to dogs. If your dog ate any prescription medication (legally obtained or otherwise), tell your vet. If your dog ate a condom that SOMEHOW has peanut butter inside it, tell your vet. Vets are also bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, so they’re not going to narc on you. They will report abuse however, such as people drugging their pets to “see what would happen.” Don’t do that." http://www.xojane.com/relationships/how-not-to-be-a-dick-at-the-vet-hospital
Pancreatitis. Much more common in cats then we realize.
The pancreas performs two important and different jobs
The exocrine pancreas produces digestive enzymes to break down and aid digestion of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. These chemicals are very caustic to normal tissues and cause tremendous damage if they leak out into the belly in the course of pancreatitis, literally causing digestion of organs. They are secreted inside the small intestine ( duodenum) through a tube known as the pancreatic duct, which in cats joins the common bile duct from the liver.
The endocrine part of the pancreas makes hormones such as insulin ( the absence of which causes diabetes ), as well as glucagon and somatostatin.
Pancreatitis means inflammation or infection of the pancreas.
Cats unlike people and dogs can have very subtle and vague signs.
In dogs and people the disease produces extreme abdominal pain and nausea but these signs are absent in cats. Often cats with pancreatitis are presented with symptoms we like to call ADR ( ain't doing right).
Dogs:
Causes
toxins and drugs: potassium bromide, L-aspraginase, sulfa drugs, azathioprine
obesity
hyperlipidemia -familial in miniature Schnauzer
high fat or spicy meals--- getting in the garbage
high calcium levels
hypothyroidism
Cushing's disease
blunt force trauma
Symptoms:
abdominal pain
loss of appetite
nausea, diarrhea
weakness
dehydration
shock
Cats:
Causes
blunt force trauma- rare
high calcium-rare
viral infections : FIP, calici, herpes
parasitic: Toxoplasma, flukes
high fat meals not implicated
concurrent diseases:
inflammatory bowel disease
hepatic lipidosis- can be seen since pancreatitis can lead to loss of appetite and mobilization of fat
cholangitis/ cholangiohepatitis
diabetes
Symptoms
lethargy
depressed appetite
weight loss
Less commonly seen, unlike dogs are: abdominal pain in less than a quarter of cats and vomiting in less than half of cases.
diarrhea, jaundice, abdominal mass felt on examination, fever
Diagnosis:
Blood Count changes are non specific.
anemia ( low red blood cell counts), elevation and decrease of white blood cells in less than 1/4 of cases
depressed platelet counts especially in the more severe cases leaning to D.I.C. ( disseminated intra-vascular coagulation)
Biochemistry
elevated bilirubin
elevated liver enzymes
electrolyte abnormalities
azotemia: elevated BUN due to dehydration
low calcium due to saponification of fat in severe cases
glucose can be elevated due to stress/ concurrent diabetes- or- depressed
amylase is of no utility in cats
Lipase of 2-3 times normal range is specific for pancreatitis in dogs, but not in cats
Pancreas Specific Lipases:
spec cPL is a sensitive test (93%) of pancreatitis in dogs , while spec fPL is slightly less sensitive test of pancreatitis for cats. While when elevated these tests help diagnose pancreatitis, absence of elevation doesn't rule it out completely.
Radiographs (X-rays) are helpful in diagnosing pancreatitis about 25% of the time, but they are often performed to rule out other causes of vomiting such as obstructions and foreign bodies.
Abdominal ultrasound is a very useful tool in diagnosing pancreatitis if performed by a skilled, experienced ultrasonographer using newer and more sensitive equipment.
As the symptoms of pancreatitis can be vague and nonspecific in cats: lethargy, loss of appetite and dehydration- the disorder is easy to miss and is believed to be under-diagnosed in cats. Treatment
There is no specific treatment for pancreatitis, and the patients are typically hospitalized for supportive symptomatic care, and it consists of:
Intravenous fluids to correct dehydration, improve blood flow to the pancreas and correct acid-base and electrolyte abnormalities
Anti-emetics to control nausea
Analgesics to control pain, which can be extremely severe requiring opioid pain relievers.
Plasma transfusions in some cases to provide anti-proteases, clotting factors and macroglobulins and/ or synthetic colloids to improve pancreatic perfusion ( blood supply).
Antacids if there is evidence of gastrointestinal bleeding
Dogs are fed small amounts of bland fat-restricted diets, while in cats fat- restriction is not needed and is not effective. Cats sometimes required feeding tubes to prevent or treat coexisting hepatic lipidosis ( fatty liver disease).
B12 vitamin deficiency is common in cats with intestinal disease, so it is often supplemented
Corticosteroids which used to be thought of as a cause of pancreatitis are now being used to treat chronic pancreatitis in cats due to high frequency of coexisting inflammatory bowel disease and inflammatory liver diseases.
Insulin is administered if pancreatitis has progressed to diabetes mellitus.
In most dogs and cats where dietary indiscretion, such as ingestion of garbage or a fatty/spicy meal has been ruled out, the cause is unknown.
A recent study found evidence of pancreatitis in 67% of the cats admitted to a teaching hospital for various unrelated causes on autopsy, though remarkably in the 90's the disorder was diagnosed in less than 1% of cats. So either we are much better at diagnosing this illness, or there has been a profound environmental change since the 1990s predisposing cats to pancreatitis.
I tend to believe it is the latter, and so feel it is important to evaluate the changes occurring in the cats' diets in the last several decades. This brings us back to genetic modification of soy, which is commonly included in pet foods and was demonstrated to induce alteration in pancreatic zymogen granules in rodents. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12448776. Therefore, until thorough studies are performed, the precautionary principle dictates not feeding cats soy.
Unlike many of my girlfriends, most dogs don't think manicures and pedicures are any fun at all. They don't get excited about new dazzling sparkly nail polish colors, foot baths and massages. I think it might have something to do with a bad experience they've had, where the nail is trimmed past the "quick" causing pain and bleeding, lack of socialization as puppies and fun.
Hoping this post can change that.
It is a good idea to socialize puppies to have all parts of their body handled-- feet, ears, and gums for routine dental cleanings. When a puppy grows up having experienced the human touch in a stress-free, pain-free fashion they grow up unafraid of manicures, pedicures, ear and teeth cleaning, so long as socialization starts early and repeated frequently.
If like so many pet parents, you are having a difficult time teaching your dog to accept nail trims, Dr. Sophia Yin has great tips on desensitization and counter-conditioning to teach your dog to love them. The trick is to pair the event with something positive. Generous food treats and patience are essential ingredients for success.
Please click on the link to read the entire article and view the videos to learn how to enjoy giving a manicure to Fido.
Note the pink triangle in which the nerve and the artery reside and learn to trim below it at a 45 degree angle.
adventuresofadogsmom
Consider using a Dremel tool to grind down the nails instead of cutting them, if the nail trimmers scare you or your dog. Some dogs accept the nail grinding better than trimming, but the method of teaching the dog is the same: use food treats, introduce the dog to the tool, its noise and vibrations a little bit at a time...go slow.
Stop if Fido shows signs of fear or anxiety, give him a break and start over later.
In one of history's most stunning victories for humane
farming, Australia's largest supermarket chain, Coles, will as of January 1 stop selling
company branded pork and eggs from animals kept in factory farms. As an immediate
result, 34,000 mother pigs will no longer be kept in stalls for long periods of
their lives, and 350,000 hens will be freed from cages
Not to be outdone, the nation's other dominant
supermarket chain, Woolworths, has already begun phasing
out factory farmed animal products. In fact all of Woolworth's house brand eggs
are now cage-free, and by mid-2013 all of their pork will come from farmers who
operate stall-free farms.
Coles and Woolworths together account for a dominant 80 percent of all supermarket sales in Australia.
The move to open up the cages was fueled by
"consumer sentiment," and it has been synchronous with a major campaign against
factory farming of animals led by Animals Australia. The campaign features a TV
ad, titled "When Pigs Fly," in which an adorable piglet tells the
story of animals sentenced to life in cramped cages, and then flies to freedom.
Meanwhile, in the United States, egg factory farms cram
more than 90 percent of the country's 280 million egg-laying hens into barren
cages so small the birds can't even spread their wings. Each bird spends her
entire life given less space than a sheet of paper. And in a reality that does
not please fans of Wilber or Babe, between 60 to 70 percent of
the more than five million breeding pigs in the United States are kept in
crates too small for them to so much as turn around.
There are laws against cruelty to animals in the
United States, but most states specifically exempt animals
destined for human consumption. The result is that the animal agriculture industry
routinely does things to animals that, if you did them to a dog or a cat, would
get you put in jail.
Gene Baur, president of Farm Sanctuary, explains:
"Most of the anti-cruelty laws exempt farm animals as long as the
practices are considered to be normal by the agriculture industry. What has
happened is that bad has become normal, and no matter how cruel it is, normal
is legal."
But here, too, change is coming. Undercover
investigations have led to a $497 million judgment against
the now defunct Hallmark Meat Packing company, and to the recent temporary shutdown of
Central Valley Meat Company over what federal investigators termed
"egregious, inhumane handling and treatment of livestock." California
and Michigan havepassed laws that
will phase in a ban on battery cages for hens, and nine U.S. states have
joined the entire European Union in heading towards a ban on confining pigs in
gestation crates.
Worried that consumers are starting to find out the
truth about treatment of modern farm animals and will demand further changes,
industry leaders are pushing for "ag gag" laws
that would hide factory farming and slaughterhouse abuses from public scrutiny.
Recently passed laws in Iowa and Utah threaten
jail time for anyone working undercover and taking pictures or video of animals
in factory farms without permission.
What don't they want us to know? What are they trying
to hide? What would happen if the veil was lifted and we saw the level of
cruelty that has become the norm in U.S. industrial meat production?
A poll conducted by Lake Research partners found
that 94 percent of Americans agree that animals raised for food on farms
deserve to be free from abuse and cruelty, and that 71 percent of Americans
support undercover investigative efforts by animal welfare organizations to
expose animal abuse on industrial farms.
Most farmers don't try to be cruel to animals, but
they do worry about how to cut costs. And so long as consumers are kept in the
dark about the real source of their food, farm owners have no economic incentive
to do more than the minimum necessary to appease regulatory authorities.
Want to take action? Join
the Food Revolution Network, an online community dedicated to
healthy, sustainable, humane and delicious food for all.
Ocean Robbins was co-founder and director of YES! - a
nonprofit organization that "connects, inspires and collaborates with
changemakers to join forces for thriving, just and sustainable ways of life for
all." He is co-host and CEO of the 60,000 member Food Revolution Network.
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