Safe Summer Fun
A letter from Dr. Goodman...

As we head into summer with longer days and warmer weather, it's time to get our pets ready for their favorite time of year - social time! For dogs - it's running & walking with their families, going to the dog park, and best of all- hiking and beach trips. For cats - it's also social time (or anti-social time!) when they stretch those wintery legs and get outside to lay in the sun or maybe even go for walks with the family. Social interaction makes summertime the perfect time to protect your pets from parasites and diseases too.

To protect your dog from parasites we recommend that all dogs take Sentinel, a heartworm preventative which is also a monthly dewormer and flea preventative. For cats - especially outdoor cats, we recommend Revolution. It is a monthly dewormer, heartworm preventative and it protects against adult fleas and eggs. Indoor cats also need protection from fleas. We recommend Program to prevent flea infestations from occurring indoors. For dogs that are visiting tick infested areas such as central Oregon, we recommend Frontline. All of these products are given once a month.

Be sure your pet is also up to date on all necessary vaccines before heading out for those social gatherings. For dogs, Bordetella/Parainfluenza - the Kennel Cough vaccine is a very important part of a social dog's vaccine program. And although we are now vaccinating less frequently for most immunizations (every 3 years), we are including an additional vaccine option - Leptospirosis for dogs. As you will read later on, Leptospirosis is highly contagious and can be transmitted to people as well! For many years we stopped this vaccine because the risk of contracting the disease was low in our state. Recently, we have seen an increase in local cases and are now recommending the vaccine for dogs that are socially active and live in areas with exposure to wildlife, domestic livestock, or those that visit the beach.

Cats also need protection - even if they are indoors. As the days get nicer, our windows get opened and the neighborhood cats wander through the yards - upper respiratory infections can spread even without close contact. For outdoor cats in particular, it's extremely important to keep the Leukemia and Rabies vaccines up to date. Of course, at Murrayhill Veterinary Hospital, we always customize your pets' vaccine program to their individual needs.

Summertime is also the best time to work on a weight loss program for your dog or cat, since this is the time that we want to exercise with our pets. A recent study shows that pets kept at their ideal body weight can live up to 2 years longer. Read the excellent article below for some helpful advice on weight loss for your pet written by our own resident expert, Dr. Kristin Sulis, who has appeared twice on AM Northwest to discuss pet obesity, most recently with Hercules the famous Portland Fat Cat!

Lastly I wanted to thank all of you that participated in Dental Health Month and have made the commitment to better oral health care - including home care - to keep your pets healthy, comfortable, and living longer. I am proud of all of you!

Sincerely,
Dr. Laird Goodman

Dr. Goodman is the Medical Director and Practice Owner of Murrayhill Veterinary Hospital. He lives in Beaverton with his family and enjoys spending time with his Golden Retriever, Zoey and his three cats, Lilly, Eileen, and Annie

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An Emerging Local Threat
Leptospirosis


With the weather getting nicer and people and dogs spending more time outdoors, we wanted to let you know about a re-emerging threat that is occurring in our own area and elsewhere in Oregon and Washington. It's called Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacteria that is spread by wildlife or cattle through infected water. Our dogs can become infected by drinking, swimming or running through this water. This disease is zoonotic, meaning that humans can be infected as well. We can contract the disease through the same water contamination or by coming in contact with our dogs' urine if they are infected with the disease. You may wonder - what about cats? Although cats are potentially at risk for leptospirosis, they appear to have a natural resistance.

The Public Health Veterinarian for Oregon reported a case of Leptospirosis in a human from Fanno Creek and there has been an increase in cases coming from the coast, spread by sealions. At Murrayhill, we have seen a case of Leptospirosis in a dog that who had no exposure except in her own Beaverton backyard; which has prompted us to research and carry a newly designed vaccine.

16 years ago, when Murrayhill Veterinary Hospital first opened vaccines were given yearly and every pet, no matter what their lifestyle, received all vaccines. All dogs received a DHLPP annually - the "L" was for leptospirosis. With these vaccines we saw a lot of reactions, everything from hives and facial swelling to vomiting and more serious reactions such as anaphylaxis. At that time the threat of leptospirosis was minimal in our area and we dropped that part of the vaccine and our reaction rates went down. With more research showing that vaccines lasted longer than 1 year we started offering vaccine titers and tailored vaccine protocols to lessen the number of vaccines each indidvidual pet received.each year. It was difficult to consider bringing back a vaccine that we had problems with in the past. Luckily, many veterinarians felt the same way and started using DHPP vaccines with no "L" so the vaccine companies went back to the drawing board and re-designed their leptospirosis vaccine. We have already started offering the vaccine and so far we have seen no reactions which makes us even more comfortable with the vaccine.

If you live in an area with wildlife, including rats and raccoons, that share your yard with your dog, or your dog visits farm areas or the beach, or swims in water that is shared with wildlife you should consider this vaccine for your dog. Please schedule an appointment to discuss with one of our veterinarians if this vaccine should be included in your dog's vaccine protocol.

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Spotlight on Obesity in Pets
by Dr. Kristin L. Sulis

When the video was shown online of Hercules, the obese cat from Portland, getting stuck in the doggie door of a home he was trying to enter to steal food, he became an overnight sensation. Luckily his stardom got him reunited with his owner, Jeff who was away from home having a double lung transplant in Seattle and brought awareness nationwide to the issue of pet obesity. I was lucky enough to meet Hercules and Jeff at a recent appearance on AM Northwest where it was announced that Hercules had already lost almost 2 pounds! Hercules showed up backstage in his carrier but was quickly released and wondered around the room on a harness. What a great outgoing cat - he really loved his fans and being in the limelight. Hercules, now strictly and indoor cat, owes his weight loss success to his owner's dedication to daily play sessions and walks and a daily caluculated amount of Purina Veterinary OM (Obesity Management) Diet.

It doesn't take stardom to motivate us to keep our pets healthy. We love our pets and as Americans we are all too aware of the obesity problem in people that is now spreading to our American pets. A recent study has shown that pets kept at their ideal body condition live up to two years longer than their counterparts and who wouldn't be willing to give ½ of a cookie to our dogs (instead of a whole one) or play five minutes a day with our cats to spend two more years with our beloved friends?

Obesity in pets is associated with many of the same medical problems we see in people such as diabetes, heart problems and arthritis. Some medical conditions and medications can contribute to obesity as well. Endocrine conditions such as hypothyroidism (low thyroid) and Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticoidism) can lead to rapid weight gain. Prednisone for allergies and autoimmune conditions and phenobarbital for seizures can cause increase in hunger and weight gain. It is very important to keep our pets at a healthy weight from the time they are young so weight management is easier as they age. The annual physical exam from puppy or kittenhood on up to geriatric wellness exams are the prefect time to monitor weight and body condition scores. When starting a weight management program with your pet the first step is to weigh your pet to get an accurate starting point, have a full physical exam with pody condition scoring and assess your pet's lifestyle and calorie consumption.

Weight and Body Condition Scoring
Having an accurate weight on your pet gives us an objective way to track success and gives us an idea of how rapid that gain has been. It also gives us a starting point to begin our weight management program. Weight alone, however, does not reflect how lean or overweight our pets are. For example, a 120 pound Great Dane may be at his ideal weight or even skinny compared to the 10 pound Maltese that may be overweight. We need to also look at Body Condition Score. This score is based on a scale of 1-9, with 4 and 5 being ideal. We look at 3 points on each patient to assess the score. The first is feeling the ribs towards the backbone - can you feel them easily without pushing (4 or 5/9) or are you wondering why you can't feel them at all (8-9/9)? The second is assessment from the top of your pet. Can you see where the chest narrows at the waist (4-5/9) or is the width of your pet the same from teh chest on back to the hips with no waist seen (7-8/9)? The last area of assessment is from the side of your pet. Can you see where the tummy tucks up behind the chest (4-5/9) or does the lowes part of the chest extend straight back to the pelvis (7-8/9)?

Physical Exam and Laboratory Testing
Next we need to be sure there are no underlying conditions that may be contributing to weight gain - arthritis limiting exercise or underlying medical conditions that need to be addressed prior to starting out. We will also need to address calories and possibly consider a food change or snacking schedule change to increase our chance of successful weight management.

Lifestyle
Our pets lead a variety of different lifestyles - some run daily or hike with their athletic families and some are content napping on a lap all day long. Some pets have different food habits. Is your dog used to getting treats from every family, member multiple times a day? Does your strictly indoor cat eat everything, including bread left on the counter? Just like with people it is very difficult to start a diet and exercise program that completely changes their daily routine. We need to work within the lifestyle of our pets to have a successful weight management program. You and your family have to decide what role you are willing to play in weight management - can you commit to walking your dog daily or playing with your cat 5 minutes a day? Can the kids in the family promise not to drop food from the dinner table? And can you promise not to wake up at 5 in the morning to give your cat an extra meal so it will let you sleep?

Calories
Calories are one of the easiest components, in theory, of a weight management program to address. Most of our pets do not feed themselves and therefore we can regulate the amount of calories they receive in a day. They also are unable to get themselves treats, cookies, rawhides, pig ears, greenies or table food so we can regulate those calories as well. Now a word of caution here, if your pet has skillfully trained you to feed them and give them treats just for asking, this may be harder than it sounds, but I do believe that although our pets are very smart and persistant, we are smarter and there are ways to work with our pets to keep them happy and satisfied while still maintaining a healthy weight. Controlling calories may involve a diet change to a lower calorie food, a treat change, or perhaps a change in the number of treats.

Medication
There is a new canine obesity management medication that has just come out on the market called Slentrol. It works by preventing fat from being packaged for absorption in the intestine which in turn leads to an increase in hormone levels to trigger satiety. The dogs on Slentrol absorb less fat and are less hungry which leads to weight loss. Although diet and exercise are still fundamental to pet weightloss programs it is good to have another tool to help dogs in need. (Slentrol cannot be used in cats).

Tips for Success

1. Calculate the calories- This is where the doctors and staff at Murrayhill can help you. We can calculate the total amount of calories your pet will need per day to reach their ideal body condition. You will then need to figure out how many calories are in each item you pet gets - dry food, wet food and treats and figure out the correct amount of each to equal the total daily calories.

2. Measure the food- You will need a measuring cup to measure out the exact amunt of food per meal.

3. Limit treats- Measure out the number of treats allowed each day and place them in a bowl. Break them into pieces (to allow for "more" treats.) Have all family members take treats from ONLY that bowl - once the treats are gone - no more treats are given until the next day.

4. Exercise your pet- Take your dog for walks twice a day or start a running program or ball playing schedule. Take your dog to doggie daycare once a week - there is a lot of exercise in playing! For your cat play 5 minutes a day with a laser toy or fishing style toy. Even laying on its side, moving its arm counts as exercise. With cats loving their schedules try to exercise them at the same time everyday. You can also train your cat to walk on a harness and have them walk you everyday.

5. Play with their food- For cats one great way to encourage exercise is to have them "hunt" for their food. Take the calculated amount of food for each meal and divide it into 6-8 small dishes. Leave one dish in the usual place and hide the rest of the dishes throughout the house. Move the location of the dishes every 2 weeks to keep things interesting. You can also hide small amounts of food behind doors or in toys for them to try to get out. For dogs, Buster Cubes or Twist 'n' Treats are fun toys that you can fill with crunchy dog food so your dog has to work for its meal.

Diet and exercise are the hallmarks of a successful weight loss program. The enrichment that we give to our pets through interaction with exercise or having them play with their food not only will improve their overall physical health but will improve mental health as well. Please schedule an appointment to body condition score and check the overall health of your pet so we can help create a weight loss program for your cat or dog. Enjoy the great weather and get out and exercise!

Fat Cat on Youtube

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Hayden Hall is Born!
Dr. Hall Returns From Maternity Leave


We want to take this opportunity to congratulate Jeff and Chea Hall on the arrival of their baby boy Hayden Walker Hall. He was born February 15th and weighed in at 8 pounds 9 ounces. He was 20 inches long. We've gotten many chances to meet Hayden when Dr. Hall comes in with him for staff meetings or he comes to meet her for lunch and he's such a cutie. Dr. Hall was home caring for Hayden and his older brother Dillon since mid February and we are so glad to have her back.

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Fireworks
Fun for People, Frightening for Dogs

The 4th of July is just around the corner and for those who have dogs with noise phobias it's a very stressful time of year. For the week leading up to and the week after the noisy holiday, evenings are filled with firecrackers and store bought fireworks which can frighten dogs into the long hours of the evening.

What can be done about this stressful time of year? Some clients have opted for going out of town camping with their dogs for the weeks surrounding the holiday. Avoidance is a great way to prevent fear and can be fun for your dog too if they love camping or travel. But vacation is often out of the question for most pets and their people and there are other options.

The very best option is to train your dog to NOT be afraid of loud noises. When started early in the year this program can eliminate the need for sedatives or antianxiety medication or the trip to the wilderness over the July Fourth holiday. It may be helpful to exercise your dog prior to the training - allow them to cool down before you begin - panting can be a sign of anxiety in a dog. You will need a fireworks recording, some high reward training treats and some time everyday. Start by putting your dog in a sit or down position and give them a settle command - reward calm, relaxed behavior. Continue training daily with no fireworks sound rewarding calm, relaxed behavior until your dog is successful. Once your dog has mastered calm and relaxed behavior play the recording of fireworks at a very low level - reward ONLY calm, relaxed behavior. If your dog becomes nervous or agitated then ignore the behavior and stop the lesson. Do not address your dog with any touching, petting or saying "it's ok" while it is in a nervous state as it will reward the anxious behavior - it is best to ignore and redirect your dog to something else. Also never get angry with your dog for its anxious behavior - you will only create more anxiety. Continue the noise training until you can turn the fireworks recording to full volume and your dog remains calm - reward the calm, relaxed behavior.

Sometimes the very best is not easy to achieve. It takes a lot of time and effort to train against noise phobias so we need other options. To the noise phobic dog, sedative and antianxiety medications can serve well when the 4th of July holiday arrives. Classically we used sedative medications such as Acepromazine. If this medication has worked well with your dog we may continue with it this holiday as well. The issue with sedatives is that it creates a sleepy dog that is too tired to react adversely to the frightening stimulus but we are not sure if it prevents the actually anxiety. We also know that dogs cannot learn while on this medication so they will always need sedation when loud noises occur. Antianxiety medications like Alprazolam do relieve anxiety and dogs can learn to be calm in the face of fearful noises. Both medications should be given at least an hour in advance of fearful episodes and you want to do a test run of the medication when there are no fearful stimuli occurring to see how your pet will react. Acepromazine and Alprazolam have a wide dosage range and we want to use the best amount for each individual dog.

For dogs that live in areas where fireworks are a 3 week long phenomenon and it is difficult to predict when to give the antianxiety medication for best effect, there is another alternative - Reconcile. This SSRI is mainly used for dogs with separation anxiety but can also work well with noise phobias. The medication should be started 1 week prior to predicted firework displays and should be continued thoroughout the holiday period. Alprazolam can safely be given along with the Reconcile for times that the noise is particularly bad. Please remember that your pet will need to have a current exam for us to prescribe any medication, so plan in advance for your holiday needs.

Here are some helpful hints for working with your noise phobic dog over the July Fourth Holiday:

Never get angry or punish your dog for fearful behavior.

Never cuddle, touch, or use soothing words when your dog is fearful - it rewards unwanted behavior. Ignoring or redirecting is best.

Teach your dogs commands for relaxing such as "settle" and reward good behavior.

Be sure your pet has had a current physical exam and request medication as soon as possible before the holiday arrives.

Try out any medication you will be using with your dog before the holiday arrives so you know what to expect and what dose to use.

Place your dog in an interior room with no windows to eliminate as much sound as possible and leave on the radio, or better yet, Rap music (for it's heavy bass) to dampen the sound of fireworks.

DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) plug ins can be used to help take the edge off of a fearful dog. These plug ins can be used in the interior room that you select to keep your dog in. DAP also comes in a collar which would work well for phobic dogs that will spend time outside during the holiday season.

One trick Dr. Sulis uses with her mildly noise phobic dog is to keep treats in your pocket and when you hear the fireworks go off happily say "Cookieworks" and give your dog a treat each time. This trick worked great for her dog Seso, especially when out in the backyard working in the garden. "It got to the point where Seso would first look worried when she heard the noise and then she would look instantly happy and come to get her cookie!"

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