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Responsible Pet Ownership

Why Shy People should get Themselves a Dog

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The Zodaic and your Dog

Feline Facts

Responsible Pet Ownership

[Part 2 of article contributed by our Deputy Chairman, Dr S. Sivagurunathan. Part I appeared in Vol. 2/99 Sept-Dec '99]

Genetic Screening

Congenital defects are caused by hereditary or environmental factors or both. These defects are expressed as clinical problems. Health maintenance programmes should include screening protocols for these diseases. Known and suspected genetic disorders in dogs and cats according to breeds can also be detected under the programme.

Three routine screening protocols in adults involve the skeletal system, eye and haemostatic mechanism. Hip dysplasia is the result of hereditary and environmental factors, specifically nutritional defects. Routine screening protocols include radiographic procedures to detect changes in adult dogs. As much as 15 per cent of all congenital defects in dogs involve the eye. Similarly, successful genetic screening programmes can detect bleeding disorders, particularly Von Willebrand disease in Dobermans.

Behaviour Counsel

Behaviour is a combination of inherited trends (species specific) and learned components. In fact, most behaviour problems are not due to abnormal behaviour but due to normal species-specific behaviours that must match the lifestyle of the owner, for example, excessive barking, excitability, territorial defence, snapping at children and playfulness.

Behavioural problems are the leading cause for euthanasia or abandonment of pets. This can be avoided through counselling and advice from veterinarians or animal behaviourists.

Environmental Factors

The environment in which a pet lives profoundly influences its health. Pets housed in-doors are less susceptible to environmental extremes such as weather, motor vehicle accidents and other trauma while animals that roam freely are at greater risk of trauma and weather-related injuries. 75 percent of all trauma suffered by dogs and cats involve motor vehicle accidents, interaction with animals and other injuries.

Vaccination

Vaccines for dogs protect them against distemper, adenovirus, infectious hepatitis, para-influenza, leptospirosis, parvovirus, corona virus and rabies. Other vaccines can be included to the canine's health maintenance programme depending on local disease incidences and veterinarian's recommendation.

Cats are usually vaccinated against viral rhino-tracheitis, calicivirus, feline panleukopenia or distemper and feline infectious peritonitis and feline leukemia. Like dogs, other vaccines can be added to a feline's health maintenance programme depending on local disease incidences. Annual vaccination is encouraged after an initial series of vaccinations are completed on juvenile animals.

Parasite Control

In the tropics, external parasites of concern in pets include fleas, ticks and ear mites. An annual faecal examination is recommended for intestinal parasites. Intestinal parasites of concern in adult dogs are hookworms, whip-worms and cestodes. Heartworm prevention with either diethycaramazine or ivermectin should be continued in the adult pet. In endemic areas, adult dogs should be examined routinely through heartworm antigen test, whether the animal is or is not receiving routine medication.

Neutering

One of the major decisions that owners must make which may affect a pet's health and longevity is neutering. Behavioural characteristics most influenced by neutering include roaming, feline urine spraying, canine urine marking and inter-male aggression. Neutering pets at an early age will prevent the occurrence of all tumours of the reproductive tissues with the notable exceptions of canine prostatic adenocarcinoma and feline mammary cancer.

Tumour of the testicles is the second most common neoplasm that affects male dogs. This disease is extremely rare in male cats.

Intact males also suffer from canine perineal hernias, prostatic disease and sexually transmitted diseases such as transmissible venereal tumour and brucellosis. The most common tumour in female dogs is mammary gland in origin. Ovariectomy performed before the first oestrus virtually eliminates the risk of mammary tumour in dogs and cats. Research has proven that the risk factor increases by two and a half times when ovariectomy is delayed after the first oestrus.

Dental Care

Periodontal disease or gum disease is the munber one cause of premature loss of teeth in dogs and cats. Research has proven that more than 70 per cent of dogs and cats above six years have periodontitis, although it is not a geriatric disease. Initial gingivitis (a reversible form) of periodontal disease develops at one or two years of age and progresses to periodontitis (an irreversible form) by four to six years of age, which then results in tooth loss. As such, preventive dental care in young adults will prevent periodontitis. Routine dental prophylaxis and education on oral hygiene can help teach owners how to take better care of their pet's teeth and gums at home.

Grooming

It is true that the skin is a reflection of general health, but pets with ungroomed coats could be the result of neglect. Unkempt, poorly groomed coats invite external parasites and dermatological problems which can lead to acute pyotraumatic dermatitis. Normal grooming procedures for the individual type of coats should be emphasised to owners as part of the health maintenance programme in young dogs and cats. Owners must be taught to spend a few minutes regularly grooming their pets rather than several hours sporadically or occasionally. Most well trained pets thoroughly enjoy being groomed. Animals that need to be groomed include Persians, Himalayans, Poodles, Pekinese and Maltese.

Nutrition Counsel

Optimal nutrition during all the different stages of a pet's life is an important part of any health maintenance programme. Manufactured pet foods contain more than adequate levels of all the essential nutrients needed by dogs and cats. It is a well-established fact that infections are more likely to be fatal in hosts experiencing clinical and sub-clinical malnutrition. Malnutrition and infection are found to be synergistic.

The immunological basis for the relationship between nutrition and health states that protein and energy malnutrition will consistently suppress cell-mediated and humoral immunity. Excesses of certain essential nutrients will also compromise immune responses. Optimal nutrition is important when feeding reproductive females, stressed animals and in managing obesity.

Preventive Health Care programmes can lessen existing problems of aging, slow or prevent pathology and add quality years to a pet's life. Nutrition is a vital part of this process. As such, small animal practitioners should provide nutrition counselling to pet owners.

Geriatric Health Care Programme

Now that the lifespan of pets has extended over six years of age, Geriatric Medicine and Management have been included as part of routine Geriatric Health Care Programmes. Aging pets are less active and have less organ reserves. Four common problems found in aging pets are obesity, kidney diseases, hepatic diseases and cardio vascular diseases. Geriatric programmes can screen for these diseases through lateral and thoracic radiography, electro-cardiography, analysis of blood and urine, and weight control. Annual dental care can also prolong the life of pets.

The Geriatric Health Maintenance programme is best performed through a system review every six months. The review should include a thorough history and complete physical examination. Extended laboratory tests which include a complete blood count, serum bio-chemical profiles, urinalysis and other laboratory tests that are necessary, should be perfortned to screen the pet's system to detect probable diseases.

An annual thoracic radiograph and electro cardiogram or echo cardiograms or both are necessary to detect cardiac murmurs if there Is history of coughing or abnormal respiratory symptoms. Sometimes these procedures could also reveal a tumour before it is felt or seen.

A complete opthalmic evaluation including a fundic examination might be necessary to detect abnormalities. At the same, vaccination, parasite control, grooming and oral health prophylaxis should be reviewed. Lastly, dietary management for obesity, chronic progressive renal diseases, heart failures and constipation should also be addressed.