What a gorgeous time of year it is where I live, in the heart of northern California’s wine country. The leaves of the grapevines are luminescent shades of orange, yellow, and magenta. The vintners are smiling because the weather has provided them with a bumper crop.  Their grapes have been harvested and the “crush” is on.

As much as I enjoy this season, the grapes always create some anxiety for me.  What most people don’t realize is that grapes (and raisins) can be terribly toxic for dogs.  Fortunately, not all dogs become sick after eating grapes or raisins, but nothing clearly predicts which ones are susceptible.  For those who are, ingestion of even a small amount (as little as 0.35 ounces of grapes per pound of the dog’s body weight and 0.05 ounces of raisins per pound of the dog’s body weight) has the potential to cause kidney failure that may be irreversible. The toxic component within grapes and raisins hasn’t been identified, but it is thought to be contained within the flesh of the grape (not within the seeds). 

In susceptible dogs, symptoms of kidney failure develop within 24 hours following ingestion of the grapes or raisins.  They include: lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Partially digested grapes or raisins might be seen in the bowel movement or vomited material. What should you do if you discover that your dog has eaten grapes or raisins?  Seek out veterinary care as soon as possible- the earlier treatment is started, the better the prognosis.  If it has been less than a few hours, your veterinarian will induce vomiting to try to remove the toxin before it is absorbed into your dog’s bloodstream. If several hours have lapsed, hospitalization for treatment to prevent kidney failure will be recommended.  Once kidney failure develops, the prognosis is guarded. One study documented only a 53 percent survival rate even with aggressive treatment.  

So, here is the lesson of the season- dogs and grapes (or raisins) are a potentially lethal combination. Cats are thought to be susceptible to this toxicity as well.  Fortunately, cats who fancy fruit are few and far between! Please share this information with all of your dog-loving friends and relatives and ask them to do the same.  You just might save a life in the process! 

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

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Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross

If your four-legged family member is diabetic and the insulin product you are administering is Vetsulin®, please pay close attention.  The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine is alerting veterinarians that problems with this product are being reported. Apparently, as Vetsulin® sits in storage, the crystalline zinc crystal component (which is supposed to comprise 70% of the solution; the remaining 30% is the insulin) can increase above 70%.  This leads to a slower onset of action of the insulin and, potentially a longer duration of action both of which can result in unpredictable fluctuations in blood glucose values (values that are too high or too low). 

The manufacturer of Vetsulin®, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is unable to assure the FDA that each batch of their product is stable.  This company, along with the FDA have requested that veterinarians closely monitor their patients receiving Vetsulin®.  

There is absolutely no need to panic.  However, if your dog or cat is receiving this product, I strongly encourage you to discuss the following with your veterinarian: 

1. Symptoms to be watching for that might indicate your pet’s blood glucose value is too high or too low
2. Monitoring of blood glucose values
3. Whether or not your pet should be transitioned to a different brand of insulin 

At the time of this writing, this problem has not been addressed on the Internet/Schering-Plough Web site (www.vetsulin.com) but I expect information will soon be forthcoming.  

For more information about Vetsulin® concerns visit www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm188752.htm.

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

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Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross

Other than hanging identification tags on collars, I’ve always thought (and advised my clients) that microchipping our dogs and cats is the best way to ensure that we will be reunited should circumstances separate us. As it turns out, microchipping is not nearly so foolproof as I’ve believed- not because the chips are defective, but rather, because of human error.  Have a look at what I just read in the November 1^st edition of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA): 

“A limitation of the microchip registry system is than many pet owners do not register microchips in their names according to ‘Characterization of animals with microchips entering animal shelters’ (see JAVMA, July 15, 2009).  In that study, shelters contacted microchip registries regarding 1,943 animals but found registrations for only 58.1 percent.  The registries were unable to find any information on the owner or on the person who implanted the microchip for 9.8 percent of the animals. Among other recommendations, the study’s authors suggested that veterinarians and shelter personnel should not only register pet microchips at the time of implantation, but also remind the pets’ owners to update information in the registry. 

Jason Merrihew, American Animal Hospital Association spokesman said, educating pet owners is a key step to improve microchipping as a form of pet identification. ‘Every time that they change their address or change phone numbers, then they need to update that microchip information,’ Merrihew said.” 

So what does all this mean? Here’s the bottom line in terms of achieving the intended purpose of your pet’s identification microchip: At the time your dog or cat is microchipped, be sure to complete the registration materials and have them processed with the appropriate microchip registry.  Be sure your veterinarian (or whoever it is that implants the microchip) does the same.  Additionally, update that registry whenever your contact data (telephone number, address) changes.  I haven’t moved or changed my phone number (or my name!) in well over a decade, so my pets and I are in good shape.  How about you and yours? Will your lost dog or cat be able to find you again?  If you know your contact information is not current, or you are unsure, pick up the phone or go online today.  It could make all the difference. 

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

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Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross

 It has been a year since my book Speaking for Spot was released, and what an amazing year it has been.  I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible about the book business.  I’ve traveled with Spot, met many Spot fans, and was interviewed by one of my all time idols on Fresh Air with Terry Gross.  As word of Speaking for Spot has spread, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people online and have thoroughly enjoyed hearing about their lives and their doggies.  Here are a couple of examples. 

Carolyn is a wildlife biologist living in Belize.  I’m jealous! My family had the good fortune of visiting Belize a few years back- my husband and I fantasized about not returning home!  Carolyn has provided me with some photos of her menagerie of dogs.  I sense that Maggie is the apple of her eye.  It’s no wonder- take a look at the photos of this insanely adorable little dog. 

Maggie and Carolyn

Judy shares her life with Ricochet, an incredible Golden Retriever who loves to play in the waves, but not in the conventional canine fashion.  Ricochet rides a surfboard!  As Judy describes it, “Ricochet was slated to be a service dog for people with disabilities.  But she had too strong a chase drive, and I couldn’t trust that she wouldn’t try to chase birds while attached to a wheelchair.  I struggled for 18 months trying to make her something she wasn’t.  When I finally let go, she just flourished!” 

Ricochet and Patrick

The sweetest part of Ricochet’s story is her special connection with fellow surfer, Patrick Ivison.  Patrick is a teenager who sustained a spinal cord injury and has now mastered the art of adaptive surfing. Patrick and Ricochet have surfed together as part of a successful fundraising campaign to raise money for Patrick’s physical rehabilitation program (donations are still being accepted at http://www.ripcurlricki.com/Donate.htm). To read more about Ricochet and Patrick, pay a visit to http://www.ripcurlricki.com/SurfinforPawsabilities.htm. 

Patrick and Ricochet

If you’re like me, you just can’t help but smile looking at these photos.  Thanks to Carolyn and Judy for telling me about Maggie and Ricochet.  If you have a wonderful dog in your life (I’ll bet you do), I invite you to share your story!

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

Join our email list – http://speakingforspot.com/joinemaillist.html

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Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook

Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross

The American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation are pleased to debut two new podcasts in the Genome Barks series.

Genome Barks Podcast – The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals with Dr. Greg Keller

The Genome Barks Podcast Series welcomes Dr. Greg Keller, Chief of Veterinary Services with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).  Dr. Keller shares with us the history of the OFA and discusses the many health databases that the OFA manages.  Dr. Keller also explains the OFA process for evaluating radiographs and the differences between OFA evaluations and those of PennHip.

Genome Barks Podcast – How Can Great Danes and Chihuahuas Be Related? With Dr. Heidi Parker of NIH

Genome Barks welcomes Dr. Heidi Parker of the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health.  Dr. Parker has been studying how different purebred dogs are related genetically.  This research will be instrumental in determining how different breeds share disease.  How can the Great Dane and the Chihuahua be members of the same species?  Listen and find out!

The Genome Barks podcast series features lectures from the highly successful AKC-CHF Breeders Symposia and provides responsible breeders and pet owners an inside look at the work being done by the AKC and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

New podcasts are released every two weeks and can be accessed from either the American Kennel Club website at www.akc.org or the AKC Canine Health Foundation website at www.akcchf.org - click on “Podcasts.” They are also available on Apple’s iTunes or directly at www.genomebarks.com

Clubs are encouraged to add the Genome Barks Podcast link to their home pages.

AKC Canine Health Foundation
www.akcchf.org

Now, here’s wishing you and your four-legged family members much good health!

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

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Tipper and Jacob

Tipper came to live with us just over a month ago.  We don’t know what he was called during his former life in Louisiana.  Like so many other dogs, Hurricane Katrina forced Tipper to adapt to a new name, unfamiliar humans, and an unknown environment (while undergoing treatment for heartworm disease).  Tipper is the definition of adaptable, and he came through all this change with flying colors and a big ‘ole smile on his face.  He’s a big beefy mutt- likely the result of a Doberman and Shepherd rendezvous.  His tail is jet-black with a white tip (thus the name Tipper) and never quits wagging.  My son Jacob, then an undergrad at Colorado State University, signed up to adopt a Katrina rescue dog.  He was paired with Tipper (a match made in heaven) and the two have been inseparable, up until now that is.

Jacob graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife biology and minors in Spanish and conservation (can you sense a mama bragging here).  He is now off in Guatemala studying jaguars.  He figured he could trust his two parents, both veterinarians, to take care of his dog.  So now Tipper has become part of our canine trio enjoying the life of a country dog. In addition to goats, and horses (and horse manure), and deer, and cats, and foxes, and wild turkeys, Tip’s experienced some unexpected mishaps during his short stay with “grandma” and “grandpa”.  

Week one:  It’s foxtail season here in California, and one of these annoying plant awns landed deep in Tipper’s ear canal resulting in furious head shaking. Using an otoscope and a special type of instrument called an “alligator forceps” I fished the foxtail out of his ear canal. Tipper and his eardrum were immediately relieved. Problem solved. 

Week two:  Over the course of a few hours, Tipper vomited six times and his face swelled to the point of his eyes being closed.  Poor boy must have ingested or been stung or bitten by an insect or spider resulting in a severe allergic reaction.  Some antihistamine and TLC were administered and, within 24 hours, Tip was good as new.  Problem solved. 

Week three (at dusk):  Tipper came scampering into the house with his eyes at half-mast and reeking of “Eau de Skunk.”  Clearly, the little black and white critter took good aim and hit poor Tipper right between the eyes.  Fortunately, Nellie and Quinn, his two partners in crime managed to avoid the skunk- they’ve learned from past mistakes.  Tipper received eye ointment and his first California baths.  Problem solved (although he still smells a bit skunky). 

Week four:  One minute the dogs were ripping around the horse pasture, the next minute Tipper was three-legged lame.  Manipulation of his affected leg revealed a torn ligament in his knee. Tip’s going to need to have surgery followed by a couple of months of rehabilitation therapy.  Problem will be solved. 

I hate to think what week five holds in store……………

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

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Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross –

Whenever I meet with a patient (dog or cat) and client (their human) for the first time I always ask some version of, “How long have you two known each other?”  I love watching my client’s face light up as they recall that first moment of kitten or puppy love.  I delight in hearing the wonderful and amazing tales of how their lives managed to cross paths.   If my patient happens to be a black cat, I always provide kudos to my client for having performed an extraordinarily good deed.  You see, black kitties are notoriously more difficult to find homes for than are cats of other colors.  Perhaps this is related to black cat Halloweenish superstitions.  What I hadn’t realized, until now, is that black dogs are also more difficult to place than their colorful canine counterparts.

Dr. Kay with her dog Lexie who was solid black until 12 years of age

According to an October 9^th NBC News article by Emily Friedman, just as is the case for black cats, large black dogs tend to be the last ones to be adopted from shelters.  There are a few theories as to why. Many shelters offer no natural lighting, making it hard for the face of a black dog to stand out- it is more difficult to distinguish their facial features than it would be in lighter colored dogs or those with contrasting markings.  Kim Saunders, the head of shelter outreach for the Web site Petfinder.com believes that black dogs are overlooked because they don’t photograph as well as lighter colored animals.  When people are shopping for the next love of their lives, they are looking for a face that stands out with special appeal.  Some theorize that it is human nature to be drawn to things with more vibrant color or riveting hair coat patterns.  Placing solid colored black cats and large black dogs can be so difficult that some shelters run promotions and try to create more color and appeal- necks adorned with colorful scarves, discounted adoption fees, and even superhero names. When you are ready to begin searching for the next canine or feline love of your life, I encourage you to pay special attention to those that are solid black in color. They’re in need of a special advantage when it comes to landing in the type of loving, caring home that every dog and cat deserves.

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

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Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross –

 It’s hard to imagine that our pets might outlive us.  Worse yet is imagining our beloved pets, unsettled by the loss of their favorite human, having to adapt to a new situation, perhaps without the affection, and attention we would want for them.  As hard as this “unthinkable” situation may be to consider, I encourage you to prepare for it in a way that protects your precious four-legged family members. 

Just as you are obliged to create the paperwork that makes it undeniably clear who will inherit your possessions and assume guardianship of your children, spend some time determining who will take care of your pets.  Here are some tips for getting started: 

-Select the person you want to assume guardianship and confirm their willingness to take on this responsibility.  I encourage you to be specific about your wishes regarding the quality of care for your pet and your philosophy about medical treatment and euthanasia. 

-Prepare all of the official paperwork just as you would for any other advanced directives.  

-Set up a trust fund to care for your pet’s future needs.  Providing for the guardian will allow the guardian to provide for your pets. 

I recently happened upon a wonderful website (www.pettrustlawblog.com) that will help you with all legal matters pertaining to pets, including trusts and guardianship.  Attorney Danny Meek presents material that is thoughtful, comprehensive, and easy to understand.  (This says a lot, as I’m rarely able to comprehend attorney-speak.)  It’s also clear that this guy really loves animals.  I encourage you to pay Mr. Meek a visit. 

As my Grandma Goldie used to tell me, “People plan, and God laughs.”  My husband and I have made plans for our animals, should the “unthinkable” happen.  How about you?

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

Join our email list – http://speakingforspot.com/joinemaillist.html

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Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross –

You’ve heard it in the news.  There’s the gazillion dollar budget deficit, declining academic test scores, state park closures, and never-ending heated discussion about gay marriage and illegal immigrants.  What you may not know is that there is something even more sinister lurking in California.  It is of the ilk that science fiction writers fantasize about- alien creatures that penetrate body cavities, migrate through tissues, and wreak havoc!

Take the recent case of Emma Louise, a darling four-year-old residing in northern California.  One minute she was a healthy, happy, go-lucky little girl.  The next minute she was writhing in pain.  Doctors could not figure out what was wrong.  Little did they know that an alien had invaded her being and poor little Emma Louise was incapable of describing the evil that lurked within…….

Hmm, as I write this I’m wondering if I’ve been denying in inner desire to write science fiction!  I met Emma Louise just a few days ago.  She came to me for a second opinion to try to figure out the cause of her abdominal discomfort. Emma Louise is undeniably adorable- part hound dog and part Brittany Spaniel- and there’s nothing she enjoys more than running through fields with her nose to the ground.  The problem is, the fields are loaded with foxtails- awful little bristly weeds that grow rampantly throughout California in the late spring and summer months.  They seem hell bent on finding their way into dogs’ noses, ears, eyes, mouths, and just about every other orifice.  Not only is the dog’s body incapable of degrading or decomposing them, the foxtails are barbed in such a way that they can only move in a “forward” direction.  Unless caught early, they can migrate through the body causing infection and tissue damage.  Once foxtails have moved internally, they are notoriously difficult to find- they become the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Apparently Emma Louise was a “foxtail magnet” having accumulated several in her ears and nose over the years.  Her current symptoms were different than any she’d experienced before- she appeared to have abdominal pain and was straining to urinate and have bowel movements.  Other than a mild fever and some abdominal splinting, her physical examination findings were unremarkable. I performed abdominal ultrasound and discovered a gigantic abscess tucked up under Emma Louise’s spine and extending back (towards her tail) into the pelvic canal.  Given this girl’s history, I just knew there had to be a foxtail somewhere in that huge abscess pocket.  The question was, would we be able to find it.

I prayed to the “god of foxtails” and turned Emma Louise over to one of my esteemed colleagues (a surgical specialist) for abdominal exploratory surgery. After approximately two hours of me biting my nails and some expletives heard in the operating room, there was a shout of “Hurray!” My colleague had located and removed the foxtail!  Now with some post-op exercise restriction and a course of antibiotics, Emma Louise will be good as new.  Not finding the foxtail would have meant lifelong antibiotics, unless the foxtail migratory course happened to exit the body.

Perhaps you’ve always wanted to experience the unique flavors and marvelous beauty of California.  After reading this, you might just have a change of heart- now that you know of the evil that lurks there!

Now, here’s wishing you and your four-legged family members much good health!

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

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Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross

It began as a simple request from my incredibly talented friend, Leira.  She is directing a production of The Wizard of Oz at our local junior college, set to run around Thanksgiving.  Knowing that I am well connected in the dog world, she asked for my assistance in finding a suitable Toto.  She told me that any breed or look would do as long as the dog was small enough to fit in a basket and was well trained.  

I reassured Leira that I would be able to readily recruit a few suitable candidates to audition for her.  I let my dog training buddies know, put out word at the dog park, and solicited all of my more than 100 dog-loving coworkers.  My notions of being a successful talent scout were quickly dispelled.   I heard the same response over and over again-  “I’d love for my dog to be Toto, but he’s not really well trained,” or  “I know a dog who would be the perfect Toto, but she’s doesn’t really obey commands.”  I should have considered things a bit more carefully before reassuring Leira that I had the role of Toto covered.  My experience tells me that the vast majority of little dogs are not well trained.  It’s not that they are not smart- in fact the opposite is usually the case.  They are so smart that it is more about them training their humans than the other way around!  

I approached Leira with my tail between my legs and let her know that I’d struck out.  I should have kept my mouth shut after saying, “I’m sorry.” Rather, the part of me that hoped to “fix” the situation blurted out, “You can use Nellie if you want.”  What in the world was I thinking! Nellie is an 11 or so pound Terrier mix who was delivered to my hospital a couple of years ago by a good Samaritan.   He’d found her wandering the streets. She was a skinny little ragamuffin- in heat, terribly underweight with horrific skin disease, and her body was peppered with BB’s.  The second I looked into her eyes, I was smitten. I took her home just to “try things out.” It took just a night to know she was ours for keeps.  She is the very first little dog we’ve ever shared our home and hearts with and yes, she is our very first dog that has not been taught all of the basic obedience commands.  She is lovely, kind, adorable, and sweet in every way, but we simply never “trained” her.  Somehow, just as for all those other “little dog people” it simply seemed that such training wasn’t really necessary, that is until now.  I have until mid-November to teach my little Nellie to play a convincing Toto.  Come by my house these days and you are likely to hear a high pitched “Dorothyesque” voice shouting, “Toto come!”  Oy Vey! What have I gotten myself into!?

Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,

Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine 

Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller. 

Join our email list – http://speakingforspot.com/joinemaillist.html

Look for us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/speakingforspot

Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook

Listen to Dr. Kay’s interview – A Veterinarian Advises “How to Speak for Spot” on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross –