Back in the US: application of learned European veterinary medicine

 

Dr. Deborah Breitstein recently returned from the European spring veterinary conference, Voorjaarsdagen, held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It was her fourth year consecutive conference presence. She brought back many new and interesting practice ideas to her veterinary hospital. Many of the speakers and attendees were delayed or couldn't attend due to the volcano eruption in Iceland. One of the veterinary specialist speakers, Dr. Wilke from the Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine presented his talks on Skype which actually was a very novel and well received format.  Dr. Breitstein concentrated her learning efforts on osteoarthritis in cats, making her practice a cat friendly place to be and senior cat concerns including high blood pressure which can have deleterious effects on the heart and kidney as well as lead to premature blindness. It's clear that high blood pressure is not good for use and now we know the effects on our furry friends, too. A new test available from Idexx laboratories can aid veterinarians in determining if the heart murmurs we hear are actually a functional concern for overworking the heart muscle.  A simple blood test can be especially relevant in dog breeds at risk and cats in general and can aid in determination of the need for cardiology diagnostics and consultation with specialists such as Dr. Goodwin of Garden State Veterinary Specialists as well as aid in determination of effectiveness of medical management and treatment of certain heart diseases. Many medications and procedures and protocols for animals are similar in Europe but it still was interesting to see common veterinary companies with their Dutch counterparts: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Pfizer Animal Health, Idexx Laboratories, and Bayer Healthcare to name a few. 

Many people are also unaware that up to 20 % of healthy cats and kittens can carry the bacteria known to cause cat scratch disease.  This fact can be important for new kitten owners as well as seasoned pet parents as this disease is transmitted to people through play activity though scratches and/or "love nibbles". Dr. Breitstein and the doctors and team of Animal Health Care of Marlboro have advocated testing all new kittens at introduction into households  as well as those cats who may exhibit a myriad of clinical signs including, but not limited to, chronic upper respiratory problems, skin diseases such as acne and even is cases of premature or excessive dental disease.  These recommendations are in keeping with the AAFP: American Association of Feline Practioners and the UK counterpart the Wellcare Cat Initiative.

For further information about any of these important information and testing please bark back at us. We're just a bark away at yourpetsvet@ahcmarlboro.com,  a quick tweet toyourpetsvet@twitter.com or stop in as we're purr-fectly ready to help!

                     

 

My friend Buddy: veterinarian no longer dog-less: Mia makes move

It's been more than 1 year now that my dog, Buddy, our Shiba Inu left our family. He was 17. He came to us as a 10 month old who had been involved in a motor vehicle accident and abandoned with his injuries. He had another name, but to be honest he was just my Buddy. Dr. Tepper brought him to Animal Health Care where through several surgeries and lots of love we pieced him back together. What a great friend and companion: he fit right in even though the resident cats at the time took to dive bombing him from the book shelves and loudly voiced their opposition. He had a job to do and he did it so well! But as he became affected with doggie dementia we adjusted our lives to suit his special needs. How hard to realize that as a veterinarian I could not stop this progressive doggie Alzheimer's  affliction. Even when the MRI study came back negative- who would have thought I was hoping the neurologist would find a brain tumor! (because after all that could be surgically removed).  So on a Monday evening in January we said our final goodbye to Buddy Breitstein (all our pets have first and surnames) with tears, no make that sobs of pain, knowing though that we were making this decision out of love and respect for my Buddy, even as our hearts were breaking in a grazillion pieces. His paw prints are so deeply etched into my heart. I miss him so very much.

Now once again, it's a specal day in the Breitstein household. I met Mia a 5 year old lab something mix who need to be rehomed because her family is moving and cannot take her with them. She came to meet me at the animal hospital today. Her mommy was very sad but as we met , Mia wagged her tail and I think things will work out. She bounced into the car and walked right into our lives as though she has always been there. She exlpored the yard and we walked the neighborhood.  The resident cats are not sure what to make of her and voiced their opinion by walking away and ignoring this new addition.

Tomorrow Mia will get a get a spa treatment and bath by our talented grooming team at ahc. And, we'll send off a sample of her blood to find out by DNA testing through the Wisdom MX panel what's in the mix of this mixed breed dog. Stay tuned...

 

Healthy, or hiding disease? Your pet's well care and Animal Health Care

Twice a year visits 4 your pet 2 the veterinarian can catch health problems early

Everyone has heard that pets age seven years for every human year but have you really thought about what that means for your pet and their health risks?

It's true, that on average pets age up to seven times faster than people.  So when you take your furry friend to the vet once a year it's like making a visit to your doctor or dentist once every seven years!

And the faster aging process that cats and dogs experience means that serious health changes can occur in short period of time. Early detection is the key and now is a great time to start.

Your pets do talk and speak volumes about their happiness, anxiety, and feelings but we need to be ready to listen! Early detection and being proactive about your pet's health care uncovers problems and concerns, well, early. And, this kind of care is not about one test, or a series of tests, or just one visit; it's a continued caring for those you love most.  It's a new emphasis in the way of caring for our pets! And, your pet's vets and the animal health care team work together to be an advo-cat and be dog-diligent about regular testing as the key to prevention.

Know the warning signs that are common to many diseases:

-bad breath/drooling

-change in sleeping habits:we know cats sleep 23.5 hours a day, but try to notice since everyone know cats are great at keeping secrets!

-change in pee or poop patterns:accidents and housetraining slip-ups may not be just bad manners :(

-change in water drinking

-problems going up or down stairs: could be stiff creaky joints or vision problems

-lumps or bumps

-coughing and/or sneezing

-confusion or disorientation

Signs like these do not just go away and should not be ignored.  Early intervention can mean a lifetime of good health.  And just like with people, as we age our health care needs change.

So, remember early detection + prevention = protection for your pets.  And that's the equation that makes the most health care sense to us. Healthy pets and healthy people the other family doctor: your AAHA accredited veterinary team of Animal Health Care of Marlboro.

 

Dr Deb's continuing education and your pets| perfect together

 

Dr. Deborah Breitstein recently returned from the 24th annual North American Veterinary conference held in Orlando, FL. This conference was her 11^th consecutive conference presence.  Dr. Breitstein concentrated her learning efforts in new diagnostic testing procedures and protocols for animals with heart murmurs that can allow indications of stress on the heart muscle and how to identify patients at risk for heart disease and/or congestive heart failure.  Other new and promising testing includes a sensitive blood test for animals that are at risk for pancreatitis that can give indication and direction for immediate and acute therapies to better aid the vomiting patient, the patient with a poor appetite, and those with unexplained weight loss.

Many people are also unaware that up to 20 % of healthy cats and kittens can carry the bacteria known to cause cat scratch disease.  This fact can be important for new kitten owners as well as seasoned pet parents as this disease is transmitted to people through play activity though scratches and/or "love nibbles". Dr. Breitstein and the doctors and team of Animal Health Care of Marlboro have advocated testing all new kittens at introduction into households  as well as those cats who may exhibit a myriad of clinical signs including, but not limited to, chronic upper respiratory problems, skin diseases such as acne and even is cases of premature or excessive dental disease.

For further information about any of these important diagnostic tests please contact us for more information at e-mail the animal health care team by barking back at us or follow dr deb on Twitter @yourpetsvet.

Veterinary hospital open house| pets and their people welcome!

Animal Health Care of Marlboro, an AAHA accredited companion animal hospital, is celebrating our new veterinary hospital with pets and their people. On October 21^st from 5-8 pm we are opening our doors to the pet loving community for a behind the scenes look and a front office tour to you the pet parents: both new and experienced owners and soon- to-be pet parents for a celebration of the human animal bond.

We're planning a great evening with dental demonstrations, exam room etiquette-what you can expect from the doctor-nurse team in a typical examination experience, rehab/physical therapy treadmill treatments, label reading lessons, Dr. Deb's calorie counting club for the weight challenged, and pain prevention practices, our medical boarding and kitty condos for boarding and much more!

We will have our Marlboro police dogs on premises, raffles and giveaways, and we're planning an early Howl-a-ween costume contest for our dogs and cats, too.

So Drs. Breitstein and Tepper invite you to come and meet your animal health care team who welcome you to come in "furr" a while and take a tour of our new dog house.

For further information about our open house please bark back at us at http://www.ahcmarlboro.com/and we'll be(agle) right back or e-mail the animal healthcare team yourpetsvet@ahcmarlboro.comor follow us @yourpetsvet on Twitter.com!

                                       

 

Back to school blues: your pets vet and separation anxiety

Back to school means new schedules for everyone, including our family pets. Dogs may feel the loss of extra playtime and companionship the most (especially newer additions who had so much attention during their initial training times) when they are left home as pet parents and children return to work and school on a more regular basis. 

Have you every returned home to find that in your absence the dog has chewed the woodwork into tooth picks or the pillows from the bed into a pile of fabric and stuffing?  Have the neighbors complained about barking and whining for hour after the car leaves the driveway?  Do you come home to a smelly surprise package waiting for you to clean up on the kitchen floor?

The types of experiences may indicate that your pooch suffers from separation anxiety.  Your veterinarian is the first person who should be called as we want to make sure there are no medical problems such as a bladder infection which can happen if there is not ample opportunity to go outside to eliminate (again related to that change in schedule), gastrointestinal disorders and/or neurological conditions.  If your pet is physically healthy then a series of relaxation and behavioral modification lessons can help with the coping skills and stress of not having constant human companionship.

Treatment for separation anxiety does NOT involve punishment of any kind.  We also do not want to encourage or compound the problem which can be difficult as the concerned pet parent want to console and reassure a visibly upset pet that everything is OK, but this actually validates the improper behavior.

The key to control can involve training, behavior modification, and sometime various medications useful in moderating the fear factor.  Separation is one of the consequences of our close relationship with our dogs. Your veterinarian is an integral partner in helping you and your dog deal with this stressful condition.  The end result is usually a happier pet and a less upset pet parent.

The NJVMA represents the state's 1400 licensed veterinarians and has provided some of the material used for this blog.

Drs. Breitstein and Tepper and Animal Health Care of Marlboro are members of the NJVMA and the American Animal Hospital.  For more information pet parents can also visit the AAHA website at http://www.healthypet.com/.