Gambit's Pets - Winter 2016

Good old boys Caring for an aging pet PAGE 3

The need for feed How to give your pet optimum nutrition PAGE 4

Pest arrest

Wild side

Natural flea control tips

All about exotic pets

PAGE 9

PAGE 10

Outside the (litter) box Can cats be toilet-trained?

PAGE 1 1

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G A M B I T ’ S PETS • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6

Old friends How to care for aging pets

BY S A R A H R AV I T S

O

There are advancements in treating pain, she says, including acupuncture, cold laser therapy, physical therapy and new and improved drugs. Keeping a pet at a healthy weight also can increase quality of life.

SOME PET OWNERS CHOOSE HOSPICE CARE DURING THE LAST MONTHS OF THEIR PETS’ LIVES. Dr.

Ashley Tahir of Fur De Lis Mobile Veterinary Services says it’s an option for people who understand that their pet is dying and want inhome care.

“Generally, by the time a client comes to me, they’ve already received the diagnosis, so we work on short-term care,” she says. This can include opiate-based or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain management treatments. Tahir also connects her clients with professionals who offer alternative or homeopathic treatments to manage pain and discomfort. Tahir’s business is mobile — she operates out of her Jeep — and she sees most of her clients for about an hour twice a week.

“I show the owner how to perform certain therapies and provide them with materials,” including medications, she says.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO LET GO? Euthanizing a pet is a deeply

personal decision.

“It really depends on how much people are willing to put their pet through,” Akers says. “When they’ve been diagnosed with something, people have different thresholds.”

Akers and Wegmann recommend pet owners monitor a pet’s general happiness — and have empathy for pain or discomfort it might feel.

“I tell people to pick three of their pet’s favorite activities to do,” Akers says. “If they are only doing one of them, then their quality of life might not be good.”

She also suggests daily tracking.

“Keep a calendar and mark off whether your pet had a good day,” she says. “Did he or she seem to enjoy their day? When those notso-good days start to outnumber the good ones, it’s time to consider euthanasia.”

“I try to determine what the pet’s quality of life is,” Wegmann says.

“Can they get up and walk and go to the bathroom on their own? If we can’t get the pet to eat, that’s a big sign that it’s time. Each situation is unique, so there is no black-andwhite answer, but we do our best to guide the owner.”

There are gray areas. “We’ve had patients that are paralyzed that still have a good quality of life,” she says. “Do they respond to you? Are they aware that you’re there? A lot of older dogs can’t hear or see, some of them don’t know where they are, but they can still smell their owner.”

Many local vets, including those at Magazine Street Animal Clinic and MSAH, make house calls when the time comes to say goodbye.

“Our job is to prevent pet suffering, so when we know that there’s nothing left, we speak up and recommend humane euthanasia,” Wegmann says. “We offer that service at home. We often go to the owner’s home and do [the procedure] in a non-stressful environment.” She notes that some pets get upset upon entering vet clinics, so owners often don’t want to make the pet nervous during its final moments.

“The typical procedure involves an IV catheter,” Wegmann says.

“That way the owner is able to hold them. And then we give them a

sedative and it relaxes them. It is generally a peaceful process and it usually takes less than a minute.”

The final step is determining what to do with a pet’s body. Heaven’s Pets at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home and Cemeteries offers a range of services. Pet owners can opt for a communal cremation service or a private cremation in which a family keeps a pet’s ashes in a box or urn.

Heaven’s Pets also offers memorial tokens, such as paw prints, nose prints or a lock of the animal’s fur.

“Some people choose to bury their pets if they are small, but most people don’t elect to do that,” Wegmann says. “We stay out of that decision-making.”

Many veterinary clinics also offer options for dealing with the body, and there is a variety of pet cemeteries in the state. Some people choose to scatter a pet’s ashes at its favorite play spot or keep the ashes in their home.

Other owners want to have their pets buried with their human’s remains, which isn’t legal in Louisiana.

State Sen. Conrad Appel, R-Metairie, introduced a bill in April that would have allowed such burials, but cemetery owners opposed the proposal and it remains in a Senate judiciary committee. Appel says he will revise the bill and may reintroduce the measure during the 2017 legislative session.

G A M B I T ’ S PETS • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6

wning a pet brings love to and builds empathy and compassion for animals. Pets become our best friends and part of our families. But saying goodbye to an aging or sick animal — and knowing when to do so — is a challenge.

With advancements in technology and veterinary medicine, a pet’s life can be prolonged even in the face of a chronic illness. But when it’s time to let go, there are several options for paying final respects and memorializing your pet.

“One of the most important things for pets as they age is to receive preventive care,” says Dr. Rita Akers, a veterinarian at Magazine Street Animal Clinic. Preventive care is instrumental throughout a pet’s life, but Akers says as pets get older they should receive regular screenings to diagnose or identify problems.

“Sometimes you can catch [diseases] while they are still fixable,” Akers says, adding that proper dental care throughout a pet’s life also is key.

Dr. Allison Wegmann, a veterinarian and partner at Metairie Small Animal Hospital (MSAH), encourages pet owners to develop a long-lasting relationship with their veterinarians before a pet reaches an advanced age.

“Early detection is so important, so having a good relationship with your vet going into the senior years is huge,” she says.

The risk of cancer, arthritis, organ failure and discomfort increases as an animal ages, but Akers says age itself isn’t an illness. “I always tell people that being old doesn’t mean unhealthy,” she says. “Age is not a disease. There are lots of things we can do to keep pets happy and healthy. There are a lot of ways to keep pets comfortable as they age.”

Even if a pet has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, it can have a good quality of life with proper care.

“We start to see senior pets — generally 8 years and older — for physical exams and wellness lab work every six months,” Wegmann says. “Once we detect something, we may see them every three months, so we can fine-tune their care.”

3

Food for thought When it comes to pet food, here’s what you need to know.

BY DELLA HASSELLE

I

G A M B I T ’ S PETS • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6

n 2007, the world saw an international pet food crisis that resulted in the deaths of cats and dogs.

Many animals who survived experienced massive, expensive-to-treat kidney failures. The culprit? According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, several brands of pet food had contaminants in certain vegetable proteins imported into the United States from China.

According to Patrick Mahaney, a holistic veterinarian and certified veterinary acupuncturist, any poor-quality ingredient — vegetable or not — can produce disastrous results when it’s mixed with Fido’s food.

Mahaney says that’s because pet food manufacturers attempt to create a less expensive product by using ingredients that cause companion animals to suffer a “life-threatening toxicity.” Pet owners and pet food companies currently are dealing with a comparable crisis stemming from the toxic effects of China-made chicken jerky treats.

For Mahaney, the solution is clear: feed pets only high-quality nutrients, with whole-food-based diets that meet the same standards as human diets.

“By providing their pets with commercially available dry and moist foods and treats, owners are lulled into a false sense of security that their pet’s best health is being

4

served,” he writes on his blog at www.patrickmahaney.com. “Cumulatively, consumption of highly processed foods and excess calories has led pets to suffer from a variety of health problems having potentially irreversible consequences, including obesity, arthritis, periodontal disease, diabetes, and cancer.”

But what about pet owners who don’t have the time to create catered, whole-food-based diets for their furry friends? Prepackaged pet foods are safe, as long as people know exactly what ingredients are acceptable and which are dangerous.

According to Adrianna Smith, a veterinarian who works in the community clinic at the Louisiana SPCA, some prepackaged food can be beneficial to dogs or cats.That’s partly because there are several foods designed for specific stages of life, she says. Puppies or kittens and geriatric dogs and cats have foods made with specific formulas, for instance, while other foods provide hypoallergenic nutrition or have ingredients that help control specific health conditions like heart or kidney disease.

In terms of allergies, Smith says “nine times out of 10” the product that causes problems for dogs is a protein — which means that buying food with no corn or wheat often won’t help the situation.

Smith suggests trying a prescription diet for dogs with allergies, and also trying different options for proteins to pinpoint the source of the problem.

“When we change it, we try to pick something completely new and different,” Smith says. “If a dog is allergic to chicken now, you can’t pick duck as something new, because that’s poultry. Anything beef, venison and buffalo is close [to cause a problem in dogs who have a beef allergy], too.”

Avoiding human food can help prevent problems like obesity or allergic reactions, Smith says, adding that the advice is “usually lost on most people.”

“Ideally we don’t give [pets] anything [in terms of human food],” Smith says. “But I can appreciate that’s an ideal fantasy that’s never going to happen.”

Never give pets certain human foods. Among the most dangerous are sugar substitutes that can be found in a variety of products, including peanut butter. Also on the “no” list are grapes, onions, garlic, chocolate, almonds and raisins.

Regardless of pets’ special needs, or warnings about human food, the overall gist is simple, Smith says: Like humans, animals need a certain combination of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water every day in order to function normally.

For animals, each of those proteins, fats and other ingredients play a vital role in animals’ health. Dogs need glucose in the diet for energy, and both dogs and cats need protein to build muscle mass. They need good fats and omega-3 fatty acids for good skin coats and to “have a nice balanced health body,” she says.

Cats are carnivores and need to be on higher protein diets.

Too much fat in a diet can cause animals to store excess fat and have a buildup of cholesterol in the body, which can break down joints, cause diseases like diabetes and poor organ function,” she says.

“Too much of anything in excess is not good,” Smith says. “If we can feed good, healthy diets, we can avoid diseases in our pets, just like with us.”

PRESENTS

THE 2016

P R O M O T I O N

Holiday

PET PHOTO CONTEST 1

WINNER

Good old boys

2

ng pet

Caring for an agi PAGE 3

The need for feed

Pest arrest

pet How to give your tion optimum nutri

Natural flea control tips PAGE 8

Wild side All about exotic pets PAGE 10

Outside the (litter) box Can cats be toilet-trained?

PAGE 1 1

PAGE 4

3

Coby

1: Boudreaux Adams (Photo by: Hilary Adams); 2: Tuck (Photo by: Jennifer Core);

PHOTO BY: EMILY COIA

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No flea zone

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iven enough time, most Louisiana pet owners know the itchy, infuriating, ankle-slapping hell of a bad flea problem. The blood-sucking bugs love Southern heat and humidity.

Though topical medications such as Advantage, Revolution and Cheristin are the first line of defense against fleas, pet owners can incorporate more natural methods in their ongoing flea control strategy and to help pets recover from an outbreak.

Below, find tips about chemical-free flea recovery.

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS WISELY.

Though all-natural flea treatment might work in other environments, VetNaturally veterinarian Ashley Geoghegan (known professionally as Dr. G) cautions that a fully chemical-free strategy isn’t effective in Louisiana.

“There are lots of natural remedies you can use (for prevention), but if you’re actually having a flea problem in the home … they’re harder to get control of,” she says. “And you have

to use Western medicine for those cases.” A topical flea treatment can protect your pet from uncomfortable and even dangerous consequences of flea infestation, such as anemia.

After applying medication, you can move on to natural methods to dampen infestations and prevent recurrence. Substitute an intensive cleaning regimen for sprays and bug bombs. Wash bedding and pet bedding regularly — organic detergent is fine; use the washer’s hottest water setting. Vacuum daily to remove fleas and flea eggs from the carpet.

Use a narrow-toothed flea comb on your pet.

TRY ESSENTIAL OILS. As part of an

overall prevention strategy, Geoghegan suggests experimenting with essential oils with flea-repelling smells, such as lavender or peppermint.

Essential oils can be toxic in high doses, so exercise caution when introducing them to the home. Try putting a few drops on your pet’s breakaway collar or in a diffuser,

Chemical-free boosts to your flea control regimen.

B Y K AT S T R O M Q U I S T

but pay close attention to your pet’s reaction.

“Pets have a way stronger nose than we do,” she says. “Everyone has sat next to the lady on the airplane with too much perfume … that’s the equivalent of putting scents [around] a pet that they don’t like.”

If your pet shows signs of scent aversion, like refusing to enter a room with an essential oil diffuser, discontinue use. Also, make sure you’re buying high-quality oils that are properly sealed and labeled with official designations such as “organic,” rather than vague terms such as “natural” or “medical-grade.”

FIGHT ITCHING WITH A HOST OF NATURAL TREATMENTS. As your pet

recovers from a case of fleas, you may notice ongoing itching.

“If [pets] have a severe allergy to it, they can have an associated scratching … up to three weeks past the last flea bite,” says veterinarian Michelle Jobert of Well Adjusted Pet. To help soothe itching, flea allergy dermatitis and associated skin prob-

lems like bacteria and yeast infections, Jobert suggests an oral solution of apple cider vinegar at a dose of one tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight. If a picky cat won’t cooperate with an oral dosage, pet owners can mix a dilute solution of one part vinegar to two parts water as a topical spray to calm itchy skin.

For a dry coat or skin flakiness in the wake of a flea infestation, Jobert recommends an oral dose of coconut oil. The maximum dosage is one teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight, but pet owners should start at a quarter or half that dosage to prevent stomach upset and loose stools.

Geoghegan adds that dry kibble can cause inflammation and dehydration, which can make pets more reactive to the effects of flea and mosquito bites. Switching to wet food may make your pet more comfortable. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, offered by both vets, may address a tendency toward itchiness and skin problems.

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Exotic pets Some can live for decades — if you know how to care for them

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B

irds, ferrets, guinea pigs, rabbits and reptiles are the most common patients at the Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana (3635 N. I-10 Service Road W., Metairie, 504-455-6386; www.gregrichdvm.com), according to Dr. Gregory Rich, who opened the clinic in 1993 and sees exotic pets exclusively. He also sees sugar gliders, hedgehogs, rats and monkeys.

“The new thing we are seeing are pet chickens,” he says.

What he doesn’t see are very large snakes, big monkeys or wild cats; Louisiana law prohibits individuals from possessing “bears, cougars or non-human primates as pets.” The law also bans venomous snakes and constricting snakes 12 feet or longer require a permit.

Rich’s office also has pets available for adoption, since there are no rescue organizations in the area that deal with exotic animals.

Exotic pets require different care than dogs and cats, Rich says, and owners need to learn the specific needs of their animals.

“An Amazon parrot will live 55 to 65 years,” Rich says. “That’s the glory, that it’s going to live that long. You get to grow up with those pets. You get to grow old with those pets. A rabbit can live 12 to 14 years, and chinchillas can live 15 to 18 years. ... At home, I’ve got a 41-year-old Amazon parrot and a 26-year-old hawk-headed parrot.”

Owning exotic pets is a different experience than sharing a home with a dog or cat.

“It certainly takes an owner who is committed to having a pet that is indoors all the time,” Rich says, “a pet that you are going to give fresh food and water every day and clean their area every day.” Most people walk their dog outside, where it relieves itself, and cats use litterboxes, but owners must clean the living area of caged animals often to cut down on smells as well as bacteria that can cause skin sores and respiration problems, he says.

To keep these pets healthy, Rich recommends an annual veterinary

Metairie veterinarian Dr. Gregory Rich with some of his patients.

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y G R E G O R Y R I C H

checkup that includes a thorough physical exam and blood panels to check on liver and kidney function and nutritional status. Rich’s office also can check cholesterol levels, take X-rays to detect kidney stones and CT scans to detect sinus, kidney and other issues.

Nutritional imbalances are a common problem. “That’s probably the biggest health issue we see in the realm of exotics,” Rich says. “It’s not so much deficiencies but imbalances; it’s more not eating the right thing for your environment.”

For example, birds that live outside and use a lot of energy flying can use the nutrients in sunflower seeds and peanuts, but those same ingredients can cause high cholesterol in caged birds. Veterinarians can help find products suitable for each pet’s lifestyle, Rich says.

“Using the veterinary community and the zoological community to educate [pet owners] about dietary needs for their individual pet is a great idea,” he says.

“There are a lot of things we try to help owners understand about the pet they have, from caging to diet to veterinary care. Preventative care is a lot cheaper than emergency care.”

Dumping the

litterbox

T

eventually you just remove the bowl, and make sure the toilet is always open with the seat down and the lid up.”

Kits like the Litter Kwitter and the CitiKitty make the process easier. Flushable litters, like the corn-based World’s Best Cat Litter, are useful as well. But before dropping dough on cat toilet training supplies, think about who’s at home. Are there young children who are learning how to use a toilet? Or people who’ll be so grossed out that they won’t want to help with cleanup? And will someone be home often enough to keep the toilet clean and ready for the cat and offer positive reinforcement?

For example, Katy Reckdahl tried toilet-training her cat Pipsqueak, but her then 7-year-old son and his friends often forgot to take the training box off the toilet when they used the bathroom, especially in the middle of the night. Unless everyone at home is on board, prepare to waste money and about a month of time.

However, there’s the possibility that your cat might be the rare toilet prodigy. Aimee Landreneau-deTurk and Karen Henry wondered who was using the toilet without flushing. They learned their cats had hidden talents by catching them in the act.

“So one morning I’m brushing my teeth and Domino walks in, pauses and gives me this look,” Henry says. “Waits, hops on the toilet and balances himself, glares at me again and pees.

Cat looked at me like he wanted to be left alone with his newspaper. When he was done, he gave me another fierce look and then walked out, tail high and proud. And so we left the lids up after that. I mean, what else can you do?”

BY MEGAN BRADEN-PERRY

When cats can’t pee

I

f cat toilet training goes wrong, it can provoke a litterbox crisis, ending in confused cats who don’t know where to pee. However, if your usually trained cat starts urinating outside of the litterbox, a medical issue may be at play. Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), or stress cystitis, is one of the most common feline diagnoses, according to the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. Marked by inflammation of the bladder, bladder stones or urethral blockage, it’s a serious condition that can result in kidney failure if not properly treated.

“If cats are urinating outside the box, going in and out of the litterbox, excessively licking the genitals, vocalizing or straining to urinate, any of those signs warrant an exam by a vet,” says Dr. Gordy Labbe of Metairie Small Animal Hospital. Follow his tips to keep your cat hydrated, happy and in good health.

— MISSY WILKINSON PAY ATTENTION TO DIET.

“It’s tricky to tell if cats are drinking enough water,” Labbe says. “Feed your cat a canned pate diet, which has more water than dry food.

Or add water to dry food that is formulated specifically for bladder health. These foods maintain a good pH of the urine, to prevent crystals from building up in the bladder.”

MAKE WATER AVAILABLE AND ENTICING.

“Place water bowls throughout the house to allow cats easy access,” Labbe says. “Some cats are finicky about the type of bowl, and some only drink from fountains. Get a bowl with fountains to get them more into [drinking].

[The issue] could be type of water — bottled water may be more palatable than tap water.”

GIVE THEM A SAFE PLACE TO ELIMINATE.

“We recommend at least one litterbox per cat,” Labbe says. “Sometimes the type of litter matters too. If they are avoiding or stressed about their litterbox, that can cause [urine] retention.”

ENRICH THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

“Urinary issues in cats can be due to stress in part,” Labbe says. “One conversation we have with owners is making sure there is some good environmental stimulus for cats.” Toys, perches and playtime can make cats happy, but if that doesn’t work, antidepressants are an option. “If [your cat is treated for FLUTD] and continues to eliminate outside the litterbox, sometimes we put those animals on Prozac for cats,” Labbe says.

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G A M B I T ’ S PETS • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6

oilet training cats takes time, tenacity and treats. Be warned: it’s a wet, smelly process. I tried toilet-training my cat Ellington in 2013. I was too busy doing overnight crime reporting and my then-husband would rather deal with a litterbox than clean the dirty bathroom. When company came over, it was also hard to ask them to move the training box before and after using the toilet.

As we approached what I thought would be the last week of training, Ellington acted out. He started going everywhere but the toilet: in the trash can next to the toilet, under a bathroom rug or in the tub. Frustrated, we went back to the traditional litterbox.

While my attempt to toilet-train my cat failed, other New Orleanians have found success. They begin by placing a litterbox gradually closer to the toilet until it’s on the seat. Then they make a hole in the bottom of the box, gradually enlarging it until the cats learn to perch with their bottom over a boxfree bowl.

Victor Pizarro used the following tricks to toilet-train his cat. “[Eventually], get rid of the litterbox and find a bowl that fits under your toilet seat but is snug in the toilet bowl, like a metal mixing bowl,” he says. “You put a bunch of litter in there and gradually decrease the amount of litter until the cat gets comfortable peeing in the bowl with nothing in it at all.”

However, the adjustment process can be unpleasant, he says. “It smells really bad,” Pizarro says. “You have to be really on top of getting rid of the waste, especially at this, the stinkiest stage. You eventually start adding water little by little into the bowl over the last few days and then

Give cat toilet training a go.

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