Posts tagged "declawing"

By Dr. Patty Khuly, via Vetstreet

Each year, I write about the new stuff I learned throughout the course of the year.

This annual post is usually aimed at the geek in you--and all my interesting findings from 2011 happen to be science-based and fall well within the sphere of veterinary medicine. (Although some of my favorites trend toward the more personal.)

SEE ALSO: Secret Lives of Cats: 9 Things Your Cat Won't Tell You

So here, in no particular order, are the top seven veterinary things that inspired me in 2011.

1. Tuna With Lemon Works Best to Tempt Finicky Cats
For some reason, the new tinned tuna "with a hint of lemon" has improved my trapping efficacy. One of my clients suggested it and I'm now hooked. Try it if you're trapping or looking for something new to help inspire your finicky feline to eat.

2. Liposuction for Lipomas Is Worth Considering
I wrote about this yesterday. Sure, it's cool and less invasive, but it still begs the question: Is this a necessary procedure or should it be considered a cosmetic one best avoided?

SEE ALSO: Do Any Dogs Need Sweaters or Coats? Only These 3 Do

3. Older Dogs Benefit From Rehab
Rehabilitation for pets is quickly gaining more respect and popularity - so much so that general practitioners like myself are turning to rehab facilities for help with our patients.

Although this is great news, it isn't always a feasible approach for budget-strapped owners. And not every pet needs to attend a fancy facility to take advantage of routine rehab techniques, which is why I've started to offer my clients simple exercise tips for older canine patients, in particular.

There's no reason every pet owner shouldn't have access to such basic knowledge, especially if they're motivated to improve their older pets' mobility, agility and overall quality of life.

4. The Veterinary Services Market Is Booming
A research group recently predicted that the veterinary services market will grow by nearly 3 percent next year, an uptick that's fueled by rising pet ownership. The economic prospects for 2016 are even better, says IBISWorld, a publisher of industry research. The latest report predicts revenue growth for the veterinary market of 3.8 percent per year through 2016 to $35.4 billion.

5. Sand Impaction Requires Emergency Surgery
In the same way that canine gastric dilatation-volvulus (aka "bloat") almost always calls for emergency surgical attention, goats require the same approach in the case of dire impactions - especially if you live in sandy places like South Florida.

I learned this last month when my goat Tulip's rumen impaction led to her death within 24 hours of becoming symptomatic. (Ten pounds of sand were recovered with her cremation.) It's sad to have to learn things the very hard way, but that's sometimes how things go.

6. Cat Declawing Should Be Reconsidered
If you read my post last week on the subject, you'll know I've become increasingly intolerant of this procedure - even as a last resort for a destructive cat who'd otherwise have to find a new home or face euthanasia. I haven't always taken such a hardline stance, but we wouldn't be interesting if our beliefs and values didn't evolve over time.

7. Treating Feline Cavities Is Easier With X-rays
I guess I should have known this by now, but I didn't. Extracting a feline gumline cavity (feline resorptive lesions) is so much easier when you use an X-ray machine. That way, the offended tooth's crown can be drilled away, which is simpler than making incisions in the gumline - and less painful and cheaper, too.

How about you? Did you learn any cool things this year? Or answer this: What do you wish your vet had learned in 2011?

Award-winning author Darlene Arden is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant. Her newest book is "The Complete Cat's Meow."

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Cats aren't exactly as mysterious as they are purported to be, but there is enough that isn't widely known about them to make that seem true. Your cat really wouldn't mind you knowing more about felines, and would welcome the extra interest.

Here are 10 more facts about your cat that you may not know.

1. Generally, a cat's purr is healing, not just for the cat but for anyone the cat is near--which means it's helping you as well.

2. On the flip side, purring doesn't always mean something good; it can mean that the cat is in pain or is terrified of something or someone.

3. A cat has more bones than a human. A human has 206 bones, while a cat has either 230, 240, or 245 (though some fuse together as the cat ages). The number is different for each cat because it depends upon how many bones are in a cat's tail.

Award-winning author Darlene Arden is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant. Her newest book is "The Complete Cat's Meow."

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After spending years with your cat, you may think you know everything there is to know about her. But here are 10 things that your favorite feline may not have gotten around to sharing with you.

1. A domestic cat can run about 31 mph. Running fast is something usually attributed to wild cats, gazelles and greyhounds, but your house kitty is pretty speedy.

2. It is possible for every kitten in a litter to have a different father. Hopefully, she is spayed so there's no risk of an unexpected pregnancy.

3. Cats walk on their toes, which probably accounts for their graceful movements. In ballet there is a step called pas de chat -- the cat step. It's a little jump to the side, but in truth nearly every move your cat makes is lovely.

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director, and Paw Nation's expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with animals and is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of 10 books, including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know." As an animal behaviorist, Dr. Burch is happy to answer your questions about cats and dogs.

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I adopted an adult cat recently, and she's using my entire living room as a scratching post. She's made her mark on every sofa and chair I have. I've bought several scratchers – tall ones she can climb, short ones at floor level -- but she prefers to destroy my furniture! I adore her and am committed for the long-haul, but I do want to keep my living room intact. Help!

How frustrating! I'm glad that you 're willing to be patient while coming up with a good solution for your new roommate. To deal with what's going on in your home, it may help you to better understand what's behind your feline's behavior and then evaluate various options to try.

1. Why Cats Scratch
Giving their claws a workout is about more than you may think. Cats scratch to:

-- Exercise. It feels good when they reach up to scratch.
-- Relax. The kneading motion is soothing.
-- File their nails. This is the most typical reason for scratching as it removes old layers of the nails.
-- Mark their territory. Cats have scent glands between their paws that release scent on the furniture. (This may be particularly appealing to your cat now that she's in a new home.)

Declawing cats has gotten a bad rap, with a number of communities considering banning the procedure. But what about laser declawing? This method of removing cat's claws is touted by some as more humane than traditional declawing surgeries. So is it?

Not so much, said Louise Murray, the director of medicine at the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. "The difference is that instead of using a metal surgical blade, [the vet] uses a laser to cut the tissue. It's like using a lightsaber instead of a sword," Murray told Paw Nation.

But whether it's done by laser or by scalpel, declawing is a painful procedure that removes the last joint of a cat's toes, she said. The term "declawing," makes it sound gentler than it is. "It really should be called digit amputation," she added. "There is no way to make this not be a painful surgery."

Besides the pain of the procedure itself, cats can suffer from complications long after they've healed. They may feel phantom pain in their missing toes, or develop neuromas, swelling on the nerves that were severed during the surgery. And, Murray said, declawed cats often become moody and aggressive, and can turn to biting -- either because they're experiencing pain, or feel defenseless without claws, or both.

Cat declawing gets a bad rap from anti-cruelty groups: "Declawing is a surgery that involves the amputation of the end of a cat's toes and causes significant pain during recovery," states the website of the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Declawing cats can lead to chronic paw pain and other problems down the road, Louise Murray, the director of medicine at the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital told Paw Nation. "Many veterinarians feel that cats who have been declawed become more aggressive. This may be due to a feeling of being defenseless, or may be due to chronic pain," Murray says. "These cats tend to bite when afraid or stressed."

So you'd think that animal rights groups would all be jumping for joy that, as the San Francisco Chronicle reports, San Fran is considering a ban on onychectomy (declawing) and tendonectomy (removal of the flexor tendon). Not quite.

The law under consideration would would ban the surgery unless it was deemed medically necessary, the Chronicle reports. But the issue is more complicated than it sounds, says the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The SF/SPCA has released a statement explaining why they're opposed to the declawing ban.

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