By Dr. Vic Dasaro

We certainly see a very interesting caseload of injured or ill wildlife. From snowy owls with dislocated wings, to giant snapping turtles with crushed shells, to mange-ridden fox kits, a wildlife veterinarian sees a little bit of everything.

This week, just when we were ready to think we had seen them all (or mostly), a common loon was brought to my hospital. He was weak, unable to stand (or so we thought) and had a disturbingly slow heartrate.

A long way from home

This bird was a beauty — black and white feathers, long beak but really ill. He also was far out of his habitat — by this time of year, he needed to be up near Canada. These birds live up to 30 years in the wild and have common ancestry with penguins!

The beak is the business end, and we were careful to control his head while examining him (or her; it’s difficult to determine the sex of these birds).

Blood tests, X-rays and an electrocardiogram indicated organophosphate poisoning. This can be from exposure to pesticides on farms. Sure enough, he had been found in an apple orchard. And one of his big problems was that this type of bird can’t get around on land very well — he needed to be in water, and soon.

‘Relay from the heart’

Medications to treat the toxic exposure and stacks of herring got him feeling chipper quickly. A “relay from the heart” was quickly arranged by rehabbers near and far. Each one did a two-hour stint up the Thruway, till our loony friend was over the Canadian border. The photos we were sent provided all the reward we ever hope for.

Dr. Vic Dasaro, who practices in Newburgh Veterinary Hospital, has a special interest in avian medicine and Labrador retrievers. He and Dr. Ellen Friedman have been married for 30 years and in veterinary practice together for 20.

The kidney is an amazingly complicated, interesting organ. Its foremost task is filtering: It filters the blood, and that’s a big job. In 24 hours, your pet’s entire blood supply passes through the kidneys numerous times. Substances in the blood that need to be removed are sifted out and sent into the urine.

Important proteins and minerals (including potassium and sodium) are retained (and sometimes excreted, too), depending on the body’s particular needs at that moment. Excess water is lost; if necessary, water can be kept from leaving the body in situations of need (low blood pressure, dehydration).

The kidney also produces hormones that regulate calcium levels, cause increases in red blood cell production and fine-tune blood pressure.

What causes kidney damage?

Many different events can cause damage to these organs. Some drugs, toxic substances, physical injury, infections and many other things can damage kidney tissue.

Once the tiny functional units of the kidney die, they can never be regrown. The remaining units get larger and work harder to handle the workload. When they can no longer manage, the kidneys start to fail, leading to signs of illness and sometimes to death.

Transplants for pets?

In humans, kidney transplants are no longer rare events. Some veterinary teaching hospitals are transplanting cat kidneys (one requirement is often that the owner adopt the shelter cat that donates), but this is still a very long way from being a common solution to kidney failure.

Ask your veterinarian what you can do to keep your pet’s vital organs humming along.

Falling asleep, losing consciousness … will you wake up again? Many humans experience fear of being anesthetized for surgery — and experience that same fear when their pet companion faces surgery, even something as simple as a brief dental procedure.

In the bad old days of veterinary medicine, years ago, anesthetic drugs were not very sophisticated, and, very occasionally, a desperate outcome would be seen.

If you think about the monitoring equipment you see today in a human hospital, you understand how precisely tracked heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels and so on are watched. Years ago we didn’t have such monitoring.

Anesthesia is a safe procedure

Nowadays we do, and that has incredibly contributed to anesthetic safety in the veterinary hospital.

We have a better understanding, too, of how very young, very old or very ill animals have special anesthetic needs, and we are able to meet these needs. Especially in the old or ill pet, risks remain, but our ability to shield your pet from dangers has changed dramatically in the 25 years I have been in practice.

Sometimes when anesthesia is necessary in a very old, frail pet, we don’t sleep the night before the procedure, going over in our minds what we can do to make sure everything goes well. And, surprisingly, the worst candidate does absolutely brilliantly.

With flying colors

A patient of mine, a 19-year-old grouchy cat, came to see me. She was showing discomfort while eating. A careful oral exam revealed multiple abscessed teeth. She was not going to eat well again if we didn’t extract them. So, with my heart in my mouth, she was routinely anesthetized, had her teeth removed, woke up uneventfully and lived another three years, in total dental comfort. Sometimes our hand is forced by circumstances.

New drugs that we have access to, anesthetic agents that are used for tiny human babies, heated recovery units, exceptionally skilled nursing: All these are reasons why you needn’t fret when your pet has to take a brief nap — at our place.

We need to talk about some serious stuff. Canine heartworm disease is a proven killer. If your dog gets bitten by the wrong mosquito and isn’t on preventive drugs, she can contract heartworm disease and become ill or even die.

While intestinal worms are more familiar to pet owners, heartworms are out there, and they’re just that: adult worms that live in the heart and blood vessels of dogs. With the advent of protective medications, veterinarians see affected dogs less frequently, but this week at our hospital alone we have three cases.

How heartworms do damage

So let’s review our parasitology: The mosquito bites a dog and transfers infective larvae into the bloodstream. These young forms develop in the dog and migrate to the heart. This is where the damage becomes grave. After a period of time, the dog will begin to show signs of heart failure: coughing, exercise intolerance, weight loss. A severely affected dog can collapse and die unexpectedly.

Diagnosis is simple: An inexpensive blood test gives a reliable positive or negative result. When a dog tests positive, a medical plan is put together to prepare for treatment. Chest X-rays and other blood tests are usually necessary to treat safely.

Treatment is a serious matter

In years past, the drug used to kill the adult heartworm was arsenic-based. Treatment could be very risky. Newer drugs have higher safety levels and are more effective. The treatment still lasts three days and usually requires hospitalization.

The preventive drugs we use to stop the spread of heartworm disease are relatively affordable, very safe and easily accessible. Once your dog has had a negative test, your veterinarian will prescribe a monthly preventive.

In the old days, prevention was a daily, bad-tasting pill. Now it’s either a chewy (you should see the Dasaro dogs line up for their “treat”) or a topical applied to the back of the neck (you should see Marina try to hide).

Either way, heartworm is a disease whose time has come … to be left in the dustpan of history

By Dr. Ellen Friedman

Last week, a very charming junior high school girl was at my hospital for her community service requirement. Part of her checklist was “interviewing a doctor.” Her question to me was simple: “Dr. E, what does it take to become a veterinarian?”

Simple, but not really.

The basics are clear. The standard path is a bachelor’s degree with a good background in the sciences. This is a four-year process. Most veterinary schools will require a number of years of experience at a veterinary hospital, either observing unpaid, or working summers, holidays, weekends.

After this comes application to, and acceptance at, a veterinary hospital. There are various options, both in the United States and abroad. Years ago, when I was a young student, the choices were very limited. If your state school didn’t have a spot available, it was almost impossible to pursue this career. Now the options have expanded so that a motivated, bright student is free to dream of joining the profession.

Veterinary school is a relatively grueling array of physiology, biophysics, math, anatomy and biochemistry. This is just the start: laboratory work, overnight rounds, emergency calls, lambing season, horse colics. It’s tough, physical work. Cows can be public enemy No. 1.

After four years at veterinary school, with classroom courses and various “hands-on” electives, the new graduate then can choose to enter the workforce and find a job at a veterinary hospital, or else can do an internship in a field of interest, such as cardiology, surgery and cancer medicine. In recent years, more and more women are joining the veterinary ranks. It was once a men-only field, but flexible work schedules and small animal practice have changed the profession significantly.

Veterinary practice is a marvelous choice, providing a challenging, exciting and fulfilling career. Every day I hear clients tell me, “My child wants to be a vet someday.” I can only say, “He’ll never regret the choice.”

Dr. Ellen Friedman is in general practice, with an interest in geriatric feline medicine, at Newburgh Veterinary Hospital and All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in New Paltz.

But I don’t want to tell you about the snowy owl who needed his wing amputated, or the adult deer suffering from head trauma or the blind woodchuck who really likes cat food.

I want to tell you about the little pigeon that could.

Two or three years ago, a good Samaritan brought in yet another injured pigeon. We see lots of these guys; generally some simple medical care, warmth and a snack will get them up and running, ready to be released.

This plain gray pigeon with purple wing markings looked like just another boring pigeon. The nurses set him up in a hospital cage. He had an injured wing that didn’t show any fractures on X-ray, always a good hopeful finding. It would take a few weeks or months to resolve. My dog Pippi took a huge dislike to him for an unfathomable reason. She would bark incessantly at him when she passed his cage in the dog ward where he lived. Maybe she was just getting back for all the bullying she endures from my parrot at home.

Anyway, the wing took a long time to heal. After three or four months, we started getting him ready for a soft release — out in the backyard of our hospital, which abuts a beautiful lake.

Except he wouldn’t leave. He would sit patiently on the fence outside the back door. Whenever anyone came outside to walk a dog, he would fly into the entrance, turn hard right into the dog ward and fly into a cage. There he would sit, waiting for something to eat.

We would punctually evict him. He would wait patiently on the gate. Sometimes he would lurk on the roof of the little storage shed. It always ended up the same way. Sometimes, if the door to the dog ward was closed, he would fly into the treatment area and sit on the dental unit until he could get back to his own house.

No one knew what to do. We spent weeks putting him out. There were long complaints of “Oh no, the pigeon …” Finally, after almost a year, he gave up and moved out to a tree in the backyard.

This Sunday afternoon we were finishing up appointments; I went out back and he was sitting on the fence. I just gave up and got him a bowl of granola and a scrambled egg. Anybody want a pet pigeon?

Dr. Ellen Friedman is in general practice, with an interest in geriatric feline medicine, at Newburgh Veterinary Hospital and All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in New Paltz.

By Dr. Ellen Friedman

While we spend a lot of time thinking about health problems that pertain specifically to certain dog breeds, the so-called “fancy” cat doesn’t call a lot of attention to itself. There are fewer specialty breeds of cats, and mostly we think of the “domestic short hair” as the representative of the species.

Try telling that to a Siamese owner!

This exotic cat has its origins inThailand. The original name means “moon diamond,” and it is the most popular of the purebred cats. The Siamese has changed from its original appearance, and is now very often seen as slender, leggy and with a very fine, pointed muzzle.

The “points,” or color-marked areas, which include mask, legs and tail, have morphed from the original seal color to chocolate, lilac, flame and even tortoise patterns. These points have an interesting scientific basis — they result from a partial albino trait and relate to a heat-sensitive enzyme that produces pigment. The cooler parts of the skin grow darker hair, and the face is cool because of air flow through the nasal sinuses. The kittens are born white, and by four months or so, have begun showing their characteristic pattern.

The old-fashioned traits of the Siamese — the kinked tail and crossed eyes — have mostly been bred out by breeders, but the typical voice is common. Siamese are great talkers and have been described as the dogs of the cat world, for their sociable nature, insistence on being heard, and what has been described as “clinginess.”

Generally relatively long-lived, Siamese are resistant to the urinary-tract woes that plague many cats. There is some evidence that this breed is more prone to mammary tumors, another reason to be sure to spay early, before the first heat cycle.

One lovely story that comes down to us across the ages is the legend of how the Siamese got the characteristic kink in its tail. A cat that was the prize of an Egyptian princess would accompany his mistress to her bath. She entrusted him with her precious rings, slipping them over his tail for safekeeping. The proud cat, guarding his treasure, kinked his tail to be sure not to lose the jewels. The tail remained permanently kinked, and to this day we see the last vertebra at a marked angle, sign of the Siamese’s pride, loyalty and commitment to duty. A nice story about a lovely breed.

By Dr. Ellen Friedman

Yes, I’m a worrywart. But why wouldn’t I be? I’m a veterinarian, and I’m a pet owner. So I see pets who have inadvertently been put in harm’s way, and have been guilty of causing harm to my own pets.

So this week, let me make you stop and think. Perhaps you’ll worry a little, and your pet will be safe because of your worrying.

Pet safety and your vehicle

A few years ago, we saw a dog who jumped or fell out of the back of an open pickup truck and recovered from his injuries only after much medical care. That’s not uncommon; you may have heard of this happening, too.

But last week we saw a dog who was sitting safely in the back seat of his owner’s SUV. He leaned his paw on the armrest; the automatic window opener wasn’t locked. The window slid down, he jumped out and broke his leg.

That’s uncommon, but three or four years ago, our Victor opened the back window in the same way while we were driving. We closed it back up in time, but I never get in the car anymore without checking the window locks.

Cords and cats: not a safe mix

How cute is the new kitten batting the cord from the window shades? But how dangerous this simple play behavior can become. Cats can become entangled with potentially fatal results. It happened to my very old cat; now I tie all curtain cords up way out of reach, and then tuck them into the shade itself.

Be careful in the driveway

The driveway of your house. Your elderly pet. He doesn’t hear you returning home, or his ears hear but his brain can’t quite figure it out. Make sure your pets are well away from the car wheels; if you can’t tell, stop. Get out. Know where your dog is at all times, not just when you’re backing up.

Don’t let the cat into the bag

Shopping bag handles: An old cat can put his head through and not be able to figure out how to get his head back out. I cut all handles in half, or throw the bag out, just to be sure.

Your purse: Zip it up, lock it up

Your pocketbook: Do you have sugar-free gum? Some types contain a sweetener called xylitol that is very toxic to dogs. Zip your bag; put it up in the closet.

Keep all meds locked away

While we’re talking toxicity, your hall pantry: Do you keep any prescription drugs there, any Advil or other headache pills? Behind lock and key, please. Never at nose height.

And some cats, while cruising the kitchen counters, will pick up dog medications (if beef-flavored) and eat them. That’s a huge overdose of trouble waiting to happen.

Does all this sound too overprotective to you? Yes, it might be, but keeping your pets safe — and healthy — is what we’re about.

Dr. Ellen Friedman is in general practice, with an interest in geriatric feline medicine, at Newburgh Veterinary Hospital and All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in New Paltz.

By Dr. Ellen Friedman

Dear Dr. Friedman: When I take my pet to the vet for a medical problem, they always want to check a urine sample, even if my dog (or cat) is vomiting. Don’t you just check urine when there’s a urinary tract problem? — A Curious Pet Owner

Dear Curious: There is an amazing amount of information contained in a urinalysis. The concentration of the urine can tell us about hydration. If there’s glucose in the sample, we are concerned about diabetes. There is also a specific odor to diabetic urine.

Protein should not pass from the bloodstream through the kidneys and out in the urine. If we find a lot of protein in the sample, it can be an indicator of kidney disease and even certain types of cancer.

Blood, of course, is not an uncommon finding. This can be from infection, a cancerous tumor, inflammation, stress, excessive exercise and even sometimes in tick-related diseases.

Bile pigments can give a dark color to urine; this can be related to liver disease. There is a large range of microscopic crystals that can be found as well as tiny stones. This is an indicator of stones either in the urinary bladder or in the kidneys themselves.

White blood cells or pus can be found in this situation, too. Certain bad types of bacteria, such as E. coli, are indicative of severe infections, which can be dangerous.

So when your vet says that she needs a urine sample to complete what we call a “minimum data base,” be sure to follow her recommendations. The outcome: a healthy, happy pet.