Pet Health Information
The Humane Society of Berks County believes that an educated caretaker makes for a better caretaker. Below we have provided some information on topics you may find useful. Just click on a topic to jump to an article. New articles will be added regularly.
Veterinary Acupuncture
The Humane Society of Berks County has long embraced successful traditional methods while it has sought out new and innovative approaches. One new veterinary option offered at the Veterinary Hospital of the HSBC is a new spin on one of the world medicine's oldest practices: acupuncture. Dr. Lee Pickett has prepared the following overview of veterinary acupuncture. Please contact the HSBC to schedule a veterinary acupuncture appointment or to speak to Dr. Pickett about the procedure.
Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine therapy, is used in conjunction with conventional Western medicine to treat dogs and cats with pain or weakness associated with degenerative joint disease (including osteoarthritis due to hip dysplasia), spondylosis, intervertebral disc disease and traumatic nerve injuries. Veterinarians also use acupuncture in allergic skin disease, lick granulomas, seizures and kidney failure, and in birds with psychological featherpicking.
Techniques, Treatment Schedules and Fees
Treatment consists of one or more of the following techniques, depending on the pet’s medical condition: 1) dry needle acupuncture, the insertion of sterile acupuncture needles into the skin at various locations – points – where they are retained for about 15 minutes; 2) electroacupuncture, which provides a small, non-painful electrical current to some of the needles; 3) moxibustion, warming the acupuncture point by burning the herb mugwort (Artemis vulgaris) above the surface of the skin; or 4) aquapuncture, injecting a substance such as Vitamin B complex into an acupuncture point.
Most dogs don’t mind acupuncture treatments and actually come to enjoy them, although not all cats tolerate them well. A family member usually holds the pet during treatment.
A typical treatment schedule starts with two treatments per week for the first two weeks, then one treatment per week for a month. Subtle improvement usually is noted by the fourth treatment. If no improvement is seen by the sixth treatment, additional treatments are unlikely to prove beneficial.
After maximal improvement is achieved, treatments are gradually stretched out to a schedule that meets the pet’s needs. Generally, maintenance treatments are repeated every one to two months throughout the pet’s life. At the HSBC, the first visit is $85, and follow-up visits are $55.
How Acupuncture Works
Some, but not all, of the actions of acupuncture can be explained in terms familiar to conventional Western medicine and science. Acupuncture is thought to exert its pain-relieving effects by releasing brain chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin, and by blocking transmission of pain signals up the spinal cord to the brain. Function is thought to be enhanced through increased blood circulation to the area needled.
In traditional Chinese medicine, disease is thought to result from an imbalance of yin and yang (essentially an imbalance of normal homeostasis) as well as abnormal flow of Qi (loosely translated to mean energy) and blood (similar but not identical to the Western concept of blood.) The objective of acupuncture therapy is to restore balance and enhance the flow of Qi and blood.
Precautions
Before acupuncture therapy begins, a conventional Western workup is done to determine whether other therapies would be more appropriate or even whether acupuncture is contraindicated. For example, it is essential to differentiate joint pain due to osteoarthritis (a chronic degenerative disorder for which acupuncture is useful) from pain caused by Lyme disease or septic arthritis (infections for which other treatment is more appropriate) or bone cancer (which will develop faster with acupuncture treatments.)
Adverse reactions from acupuncture are rare if the correct points, depths of needle insertion, needling techniques and retention times are used. The possibility of infection, though extremely low, is minimized by using sterile needles and needling only uninfected skin. Bleeding occurs only rarely; when it does, the few drops released from the acupuncture point are a positive sign.
For a day or so after an acupuncture treatment, the pet may experience drowsiness or weakness. These transient effects are considered good prognostic signs, but treatments should not be scheduled for the day before competition or heavy exercise (e.g., obedience trials, agility trials or hunting.)
Other potential adverse reactions include hives and increased growth rate of established tumors. Corticosteroids, particularly at high doses, may block some of the effects of acupuncture.
Watch Dr. Alicia Elwell performing acupuncture live on the HSBC BCTV show and learn more by clicking here.
Suggested Reading
Altman, Sheldon. Acupuncture Therapy in Small Animal Practice. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Third Edition, Edited by Stephen J. Ettinger, 1989, pp. 484-498.
Kendall, D.E. A Scientific Model for Acupuncture, Part I. American Journal of Acupuncture 17(3):251-268.
Kendall, D.E. A Scientific Model for Acupuncture, Part II. American Journal of Acupuncture 17(4):343-360.
Schoen, Allen M. Veterinary Acupuncture: Ancient Art to Modern Medicine. American Veterinary Publications, Inc., California, 1994.
Schwartz, Cheryl. Four Paws, Five Directions. Celestial Arts Publishing, California, 1996.
How to Deal with Your Cat’s Claws
Your cat’s claws are his favorite tools, useful in self-defense, climbing, grooming and
hunting, whether for real or just when he’s playing with a ball of yarn. Your job is to help
him keep his claws in good shape, trimming them periodically and providing
opportunities for sharpening them on sturdy, immovable scratching posts. If you like,
you may cover the trimmed claws with soft nail caps, which come in a variety of colors.
Let’s start with trimming your cat’s claws, using a human toenail trimmer or a cat claw
trimmer. Choose a time when you and your cat are relaxed. Wrap your left arm around
your cat and hold her paw in your left hand, so you can clip with your right hand.* Place
your left thumb on top of your cat’s toe and your forefinger beneath it. Gently squeeze
to expose the claw.
When you look at the claw from the side, you’ll see the pink “quick” inside – and the
curved hook that forms the end of the claw. With the trimmer in your right hand, cut off
the claw’s hook. Avoid the quick to prevent discomfort. Pet and praise your cat as you
trim each claw.
If you prefer to trim claws only occasionally, fit your cat with plastic claw caps like Soft
Paws. To use them, trim your cat’s claws, apply a bit of the supplied glue to the inside
of each cap and slide the cap onto the claw. Cuddle your cat for several minutes while
the glue dries. As the claws grow over the next four to six weeks, the nail caps will drop
off and you’ll need to repeat the process.
It’s also important to offer your cat scratching posts, because scratching is a normal cat
behavior. The posts should be at least three feet high, so the cat can stretch while she
scratches. It’s best to situate some posts vertically and others horizontally. The
scratching posts must be stable, because cats don’t like posts that totter. Entice your
cat to use each post by rubbing catnip on the surface and flicking a feather toy against
it.
*If you are left-handed, reverse these directions: Hold your cat with your right arm and
clip with your left hand.
Raise a Dog with Good Manners
Your dog is an important member of your family. To ensure that he remains so
throughout his life, we recommend three things:
1) Establish a relationship with a veterinarian you like, and see her or him at
least once or twice a year. During these wellness visits, your veterinarian
will examine your dog, counsel you on ways to prevent disease and
behavior problems, and resolve minor problems before they become
severe. Your veterinarian will also vaccinate your dog and test for
common parasites and diseases.
2) Sterilize your dog. Studies in our region and elsewhere show that
sterilized dogs are much less likely to bite people than non-sterilized
dogs. In addition, spayed females are less likely to develop uterine
infection and cancer of the mammary glands, ovaries or uterus. Neutered
male dogs are less likely to develop prostate disease, run away or exhibit
indoor urinary marking – which means your friends will be happy to
welcome your neutered male into their homes when you visit.
3) Teach your dog in kind, respectful ways that, while he is an important and
much loved member of the family, you – and all the other humans living in
the family, including the children – lead the “pack” family. This is
especially important if your dog attempts to dominate you, for example, by
growling when told to get off the couch. Here’s what you can do:
- Remember that the leader leads. You and the other human family
members should be first in line when entering or leaving the house.
Precede your dog when you go through doors, down hallways and
up/down steps. Have him sit and wait for your okay before he
leaves the house and gets into or out of the car. Eat before you
feed the dog, and if you have more than one dog, place your dogs'
food bowls on the floor in order of their dominance.
- Teach your dog that there are no “free lunches.” Have your dog sit
or lie down before every treat or meal. Practice obedience
exercises daily, because each time your dog does what you ask –
and is praised – he is reminded that you are the boss, the one
whose praise he wants most, the leader of the pack.
- Be aware of your body language. Dogs are keenly sensitive to eye
contact, body language and tone of voice. To maintain your
leadership position, keep your body higher than your dog's, and
pat your dog on top of his head, not under his chin.
The leader should expect to receive eye contact at will. So practice
this eye contact exercise daily: Standing before your dog, touch the
corner of your eye and say, "Look." When your dog looks at your
eyes, even if only for a brief moment, praise him. Smile and make
your eye contact soft and loving. In time, you'll only have to say "Look" to have his full attention for as long as you want it.
- Being the leader means you always win. So don't play tug-of-war,
because when you relinquish the toy, your dog perceives that he's
stronger and therefore must be the leader. Besides, tug-of-war
games make dogs bite down harder on objects they should be
carrying with a soft grip. Play games you'll "win," such as retrieving
games, tricks and round-robin recalls. During recalls, reward your
dog when he runs to the first person who calls him, then again
when he runs to the second person who calls, and again when he
runs to the next person.
- Sign up for an obedience training class. Obedience training not
only reduces behavior problems, but it helps you and your dog
communicate better, which strengthening your relationship.
Training classes also help your dog develop good manners and
household obedience – even when there’s a group of dogs and
people around to distract him. Join a class with trainers who use
positive, motivational techniques characterized by praise and
rewards. Be sure that you and your dog attend classes together;
don’t send your dog away to have him trained by someone else.
- Consult books that stress positive, motivational training methods,
such as:
Second-Hand Dog, by Carol Lea Benjamin
Leader of the Pack, by Nancy Baer and Steve Duno
What All Good Dogs Should Know, by Jack Volhard and Melissa
Bartlett
How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears
If your veterinarian recommends that you clean your dog’s ears – either because they are infected or to prevent infection – follow these simple steps.
Use the ear cleaner your veterinarian recommends, or, if your dog doesn’t have an ear infection, use an unmedicated pet ear cleaner. Medicated cleaners are not advisable for routine use, because they kill the “good” bacteria and allow “bad” bacteria and yeast to overgrow.
Hydrogen peroxide is not a good ear cleaner because it forms oxygen and water, which leaves the ear canal moist, inviting bacterial growth. Don’t use alcohol, either, as it stings if the ear canal is inflamed.
Dogs’ ear canals are L-shaped internally, so the first step in cleaning is to straighten the “L” by gently raising the ear flap as far as it will go.
Fill the ear canal with cleaner, and massage the base of the ear to loosen any debris inside the canal. Let go of the ear and let your dog shake his head. The debris will move from deep in the canal up to the ear flap where you can remove it easily with gauze, cotton balls or tissues.
Don’t insert a cotton swab into your dog’s ear canal, because you might push debris deeper into the canal or damage the eardrum.
Finally, give your dog lots of praise while you clean his ears – and a dog treat, too, if he’s especially good – so he always will be happy to have his ears cleaned.
Dental Care
Dogs and cats benefit from good dental care, just as people do. Good dental habits begin early and include a healthy diet (preferably of dry food), regular tooth brushing, an annual physical examination to detect minor dental problems before they progress to major ones, and professional teeth cleaning when needed.
The benefits of good dental care include more than sweet-smelling breath. Healthy teeth and gums decrease the risk of heart, kidney and liver disease, because bacteria in diseased gums travel through the bloodstream to these organs. In addition, good dental health reduces the need for tooth extractions.
Signs of dental disease include bad breath, gingivitis (a red gum line which may actually shrink back from its usual position), loose teeth and decreased interest in food that requires chewing. Some pets even become lethargic as their mouths become more painful.
One of the best ways to maintain good dental health is to brush your pet’s teeth. Start by softening the bristles of an ordinary soft toothbrush with warm water and applying pet toothpaste to the brush. Pet toothpastes, which are flavored to appeal to pets, contain enzymes that are specific to the chemistry of the dog and cat mouth. Human toothpastes are not recommended because they are ineffective, foam too much and cause stomach upset when pets swallow them.
Gently brush the cheek surfaces of the incisors, the front-most teeth. Over the next few sessions, extend the toothbrush further back in the mouth, so that eventually all teeth are brushed. The animal’s tongue removes much of the plaque from the inside surfaces of the teeth, so your brushing should focus on the cheek surfaces of the teeth, where most of the plaque forms. Tooth brushing is most effective if done daily, but every-other-day brushing also is beneficial.
Professional cleaning, when needed as a supplement to brushing, is done under general anesthesia. The crowns of the teeth are cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler, and the portions of the teeth under the gums are hand-scaled to remove plaque that would otherwise damage the gums. The teeth are polished to produce a smooth surface to which plaque cannot easily attach. Finally, a plaque prevention barrier is applied. Teeth are extracted only if necessary to ensure the health of the rest of the mouth. If needed, x-rays are taken and antibiotics are prescribed. The first meal after the procedure should be light. If teeth were removed, your pet may prefer soft foods for this meal.
Good dental care keeps your pet’s mouth sweet-smelling and free of pain – and helps the rest of your pet’s body remain healthy, too.
The Humane Society of Berks County Veterinary Hospital is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday. If your pet is a patient of the Humane Society of Berks County Veterinary Hospital and you have an after-hours emergency, please contact one of the following emergency clinics, depending on where you live:
- Metropolitan Veterinary Associates & Emergency Services, Valley Forge (off Route 422, west of King of Prussia): 610-666-1050 (www.metro-vet.com)
- PETS Pet Emergency Treatment Services, Lancaster: 717-295-7387 (www.lancasterpetemergency.com)
- Valley Central Emergency Veterinary Hospital, Whitehall: 610-435-5588 (www.valleycentraler.com)
- Veterinary Referral Center and Emergency Service, Frazer (near the Downingtown exit of the Turnpike): 610-647-2950 (www.vetreferral.com)
- Animal Emergency Service of Berks County, Reading (Kenhorst Boulevard near Lancaster Avenue/Business 422): 610-775-7535 (Open Friday nights, Saturday and Sunday only)
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