Spring is Here! What can I do to keep my pet safe?

As the weather warms up, we love spending more time outdoors with our pets. But when the temperature remains above freezing, insects like fleas, ticks and mosquitos start to circulate in higher numbers. Warmer weather is also a more hospitable environment for infectious viruses (like distemper and parvovirus), gastrointestinal worms (like hookworms and roundworms) and single celled parasites (like giardia and coccidia.)

So what can you do?

Here are some tips to help you keep your pet safe this season:

-Don’t forget your flea and tick prevention! Fleas and ticks can transmit diseases and can cause your pet to be very uncomfortable. They are typically easily prevented with a once a month product, like Vectra.

-Let’s stay heartworm free! Heartworms are a potentially fatal blood parasite that are transmitted by mosquitoes. They are easily prevented by a once a month tablet. These preventatives offer cross protection for most intestinal worms as well. Examples of commonly used products include Heartguard, Interceptor, or Trifexis.

-Say yes to vaccines! Now that you and your pet are spending more time outdoors, up-to-date vaccinations are a must! Warmer weather allows for infectious viruses to live longer in the environment and more time outdoors means more risk of exposure to these nasty viruses.

-Rinse off or wipe down. After coming inside from a long play session, consider rinsing off or wiping down to reduce the accumulation of dirt and allergens on your pet’s skin and coat. These can contribute to itchy skin conditions that are uncomfortable for us and for them. (Seasonal allergies blog, coming soon).

It’s very exciting to get outdoors during spring and summer. We want everyone to stay healthy and have lots of fun. If you have any questions about outdoor safety, parasite prevention or anything at all, please feel free to contact The Worth Street Veterinary Center at (212)257-6900.

Stay Safe and Have Fun!!

Jonathan S. Block, DVM, CVA

 

Does My Pet Need Vitamins?

It’s an unfortunate reality that most people in the U.S. live with some kind of vitamin deficiency despite efforts to educate the population on how to eat better. Specifically, there has been the relatively recent movement toward looking for organic foods and foods with a supposed increased nutrient level. Whether or not you subscribe to the organic-only ideology or buying fortified foods, there are valid points to be made on either side of the argument.

For myself and many others, it makes sense to believe that food items in their most natural state contain most of the enzymes, vitamins and other micro-nutrients that we hope and expect to receive. However, there are some exceptions where heating certain foods may improve their digestibility and absorption.

Just as is the case with people, I strongly believe that our pet population suffers from vitamin and other imbalances. While we can measure deficiencies of major nutrients such as proteins, fatty acids and carbohydrates in pets, it is nearly impossible to measure a micro-nutrient deficiency with our standard level of medical care.

For this reason, I strongly believe in adding a well-balanced multivitamin to a pet’s diet protocol. Since there is no clear oversight on how these vitamins are produced, finding a good and reliable company is essential toward assuring that a product’s quality is as advertised. Some of the brands that we like at Worth Street Veterinary Center include Rx Vitamins, NuVet and Vetri-Science. I am sure there are other good products on the market, so please do your research before getting any supplements for your pet. Always try to feed your animal food that is natural and is processed as little as possible.

If you need any nutritional guidance for your pet, please give us a call at 212-257-6900.

Francisco DiPolo, DVM, CVA

Dogs and Laser Beams: Healing Pets With Low-Level Laser Therapy

Photo: Los Angeles Times

The idea of sharks with laser beams on their heads in Austin Powers was admittedly a little ridiculous. But dogs and lasers might not be as farfetched as you might think. Well, sort of. Laser therapy is becoming increasingly popular as a means of healing pets.

Extensive research has shown that, at the cellular level, photochemical reactions stimulated by low-level laser therapy have reparative effects on damaged cells. Low-level lasers have primarily been shown to reenergize (repolarize) injured and malfunctioning cellular membranes, and increase cellular energy output. Both of these effects lead to faster healing times for damaged tissues and have proven to be therapeutic for a variety of conditions.

Low-level laser therapy is an effective treatment for the following conditions:

• Skin/Wound healing and burns
• Bone healing
• Pain (Muscular and Skeletal)
• Arthritis
• Tendonitis
• Neurologic diseases
• Hair loss
• Cancer

The most remarkable property of low-level laser therapy is that it is a safe, non-invasive effective complement to conventional medicine/surgery that can help your pet feel better faster!

If you think your pet can benefit from low-level laser therapy, or if you would just like to learn more, please feel free to call Worth Street Veterinary Center at (212) 257-6900 or visit www.worthstreetvet.com. We are always excited to hear from you.

Jonathan Block, DVM, CVA

Does My Dog Need Physical Therapy?

Dogs and people often suffer from the same medical conditions. When it comes to diseases of the muscles, bones, joints and nerves, dogs, like people, respond remarkably well to physical therapy and rehabilitation programs that are developed to meet their individual needs. Common conditions that that benefit from physical therapy alone or in combination with other surgical and/or medical intervention include:

-Orthopedic Conditions:

• Soft Tissue Injuries (Sprains, Strains, Tendonitis)
• Hip/Elbow dysplasia
• Osteoarthritis/Degenerative joint disease
• Osteochritis Dessicans
• Patella luxation
• Post-Operative conditions (Fracture repairs, Triple Pelvic Ostectomy, Femoral Head Osteotomy, Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture Repair, Total Hip Replacement)

-Neurological Conditions:

• Intervertebral Disc Disease
• Degenerative Myelopathy
• Fibrocartilagenous Emboli
• Wobbler’s Syndrome

-Weight Management
-Senior Care
-Conditioning/Athletics
-Fun

If your dog has suffered from one of these conditions, is recovering from orthopedic surgery, or would benefit from swimming for fun and exercise, please feel free to contact The Worth Street Veterinary Center at 212-257-6900 to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Jonathan Block, DVM CVA

How Veterinary Acupuncture Can Help Your Pet

Here at Worth Street Veterinary Center, we find acupuncture to be particularly beneficial for animals suffering from musculoskeletal disorders, neurologic disorders and for patients who are rehabilitating from injuries or surgeries. It’s also very effective in promoting and maintaining a good quality of life in geriatric patients and those who may be suffering from cancer or other chronic, degenerative diseases.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the stimulation of a specific point on the body, usually through inserting very thin, painless needles (usually about the thickness of a strand of hair), resulting in a therapeutic response. Scientific research has validated that most acupuncture points correlate with areas of high-density nerve fibers, arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels. When these points are stimulated, physiologic reactions result, which affect a patient both at the local point of stimulation and throughout the body.

How does acupuncture work, and what are the effects?

Local effects of acupuncture include inflammation reduction and pain relief through the release of anti-inflammatory chemicals such as histamine. For example, while it may sound counterintuitive, if your pet is having knee pain from a ligament injury, acupuncture can provide pain relief by inserting needles in specific, local points around the knee.

Systemic benefits (those that occur throughout the body) result from the release of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain, such as beta-endorphins and serotonin. This can benefit a variety of ailments and help to promote health and well-being in the following ways:

• Pain relief
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Immune regulation
• Gastrointestinal regulation
• Hormone and reproductive regulation

So, say your pet is having chronic diarrhea that has stopped responding to conventional treatments. We may opt to treat your pet with acupuncture as well as dietary management instead of the typical antibiotics and anti-diarrheals.

The effects of acupuncture can be immediate, or they can be realized over several days and/or treatments, depending on the underlying condition. Overall, we know that acupuncture broadens our ability to treat certain ailments in your pet. It takes the burden off of relying on medications (eg, anti-inflammatories) that have potentially harmful effects over time.

How do I know if acupuncture can help my pet?

In general, acupuncture can be used both as a treatment for an illness or injury and as a way to maintain a normal, healthy patient. It can act as an exclusive form of therapy or in conjunction with conventional medicine or surgery. We may recommend acupuncture if your pet is suffering from any of the following conditions:

• Musculoskeletal problems — arthritis, back pain/disc disease
• Neurologic disorders — such as seizures, paralysis, cognitive disorders
• Gastrointestinal disorders — vomiting, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease
• Chronic systemic diseases — heart disease, chronic kidney disease, respiratory ailments, and cancer
• Performance enhancement and sports medicine
• Behavioral disorders — anxiety, phobias

*For information on ongoing research and clinical studies involving acupuncture, you can visit the website of the National Institute of Health Complimentary and Alternative Medicine at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture.

If you would like to learn more about veterinary acupuncture or how your dog or cat may benefit from it, please feel free to call us at Worth Street Veterinary Center at (212) 257-6900.

Jonathan S. Block, DVM

Arthritis in Dogs and Cats: Prevention and Treatment Options

Photo courtesy of Water4Dogs

If you want to proactively prevent your pet from getting arthritis— or you want to keep your pet’s arthritis from progressing—the following factors are important to consider:

1. Body Condition: To prevent joint disease, it’s critical for your pet to maintain a healthy weight and level of activity. In general, it is advisable maintain a body condition where the ribs are felt, but not seen and where there should be a visible waistline. Your pet’s individual activity requirements are largely based on life stage, breed, and health status.

2. Nutrition: A healthy, well balanced diet is essential to maintaining healthy bones and joints. Additionally, there are even therapeutic diets formulated to help slow down the progression of joint disease. Please contact your local veterinarian to learn whether a therapeutic diet is appropriate for your pet.

2. Supplementation: The following neutraceuticals can aid in the prevention of degenerative joint disease.

   —Glucosamine
   —Chondroitin sulfate
   —Avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASU)
   —Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
   —Fatty acids
   —Collagen

*Bear in mind, a good joint supplement should contain a combination of some of these ingredients at appropriate therapeutic concentrations. We suggest consulting your veterinarian prior to giving your pet any supplement. The highest quality products are usually available through your local veterinarian.

How do I treat arthritis once my pet has been diagnosed?

Once your dog or a cat begins to show signs of arthritis, it is important to 1) try to manage the pain associated with the condition, and 2) try to slow down the progression of the disease.

Pain associated with arthritis is conventionally treated with Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories (NSAIDS) and pain medications such as opioid narcotics. While these medications are relatively safe in short courses and are effective against inflammation and its associated pain, they can have long term side effects that are potentially damaging to our pet’s vital organs (specifically, the liver or kidneys). Therefore, it’s important to note that while NSAIDS and pain medications are usually effective and safe for acute flare-ups, they must be used with caution for the long-term management of this progressive disease. It is also important to regularly monitor liver and kidney function with regular blood work while using these medications.

Are there any alternatives to NSAIDs?

1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a very safe and profoundly beneficial tool for the treatment and management of joint disease and arthritis. It works by providing local anti-inflammatory effects at the affected site and by triggering the release of pain-modulating hormones in the brain. Most significantly, there are little to no side effects of acupuncture, especially when used to treat musculoskeletal disorders.

2. Physical Therapy
Other effective alternative therapies for the prevention and management of arthritis include physical therapy, hydrotherapy, swimming, soft-tissue laser therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, and massage therapy. These areas often fall under the classification of rehabilitation and sports medicine, which is becoming more prominent in the veterinary medical field, making many of these techniques more widely practiced and accessible.

3. Integrating Medicine
Ultimately, our goal as pet companions and health care providers is to preserve a pain free, good quality of life for our furry loved ones. Oftentimes, one treatment avenue is not sufficient to achieve a desired outcome. It can require a combination of conventional medicine and alternative therapies to achieve our goal for long-term comfort and well being.

If you would like to learn more about our integrative approach to the treatment of arthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders, please call Worth Street Veterinary Center at 212- 257-6500. We’d be happy to address your questions.

Jonathan S. Block, DVM

How Do I Know if My Pet Has Arthritis?

Photo courtesy of eHow

Arthritis—or degenerative joint disease—is a chronic, degenerative disease of the joints, causing pain and stiffness in pets and people. It is the result of progressive deterioration of cartilage and loss of joint fluid that normally helps keep the joints well cushioned and lubricated. When cartilage and joint fluid erodes, it creates friction between bones, which leads to inflammation in the joints, in turn resulting in pain and decreased mobility.

How common is arthritis in dogs and cats, and how do I know if my pet is affected?

More than 50 percent of dogs and cats over 10 years of age show evidence of arthritis. It is most prevalent in medium to large breed dogs, especially those that are very active. Some animals are born with conditions that predispose them to joint degeneration. The most common developmental abnormality that leads to joint disease is hip dysplasia, or abnormal formation of the hip joints. Unfortunately, dogs born with hip dysplasia can start to show evidence of arthritis as early as 6-12 months of age. Early signs of arthritis may include:

• Stiffness
• Difficulty or slowness while standing
• Decreased desire to exercise
• Pain when affected joints are palpated
• Limping

These signs can be very subtle, making them difficult to notice. In fact, in the early stages, most of our furry loved ones are so stoic, they may not show any signs at all. It is up to us as pet owners to take the proper steps to not only recognize the early signs of arthritis, but also to consider preventative care to slow down the process. We recommend bringing your pet to see a veterinarian if you suspect your pet may be suffering from arthritis.

Now that you know how to recognize the signs, stay tuned for our next blog post, which will address prevention and treatment options for arthritis. As always, if you have any questions about your pet’s health, you can reach us at Worth Street Veterinary Center at 212-257-6900.

Jonathan S. Block, DVM