Pet Dangers During the Holidays!

All of us at CUVS wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season! Because we’re always looking out for your four-legged family members, we’d like to share some common dangers to avoid during this joyful, and sometimes chaotic, time.

High Fat Holiday Foods
Although it is tempting to let everyone sample grandma’s great cooking, holiday foods are not a good idea for your pet, even in small quantities. Meals with a high fat content are one of the most common causes of pancreatitis in dogs. Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) can result in a reduced appetite, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and in severe cases, can be life-threatening. High fat foods and abrupt changes in the diet can lead to gastrointestinal problems, such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Chocolate
Most of us know that chocolate can be toxic to dogs; however, few know the reasons. Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical compound of the cocoa bean which is a strong stimulant, closely related to caffeine. In large doses, theobromine and caffeine can cause excitation, cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm) and seizures. Dogs are particularly sensitive to the effect of theobromine and caffeine. Chocolate should be stored far from your pets’ reach, especially dark, semi-sweet, unsweetened chocolate and cocoa nibs, since these have higher concentrations of theobromine than white or milk chocolate.

Raisins & Grapes
Raisins and grapes are extremely dangerous for dogs, as they can cause severe kidney failure. Keep in mind that raisins are commonly found in holiday treats such as bread and desserts.

Alcohol
We all like to relax and enjoy the spirits of the season. Just keep in mind that even small amounts of an alcoholic beverage can significantly affect your pet. Pets, especially cats, are not as efficient at breaking-down alcohol, and could end up in an ethylic coma. Please avoid sharing your drink with Fluffy, and keep the booze out of reach at all times.

Household Plants
If you share your house with a dog or a cat, always investigate your indoor plant choices before you consider making them an integral part of your household. Keep this in mind when receiving flowers as a gift. Poinsettia, the Christmas flower, can cause mouth irritation and gastroenteritis, but is not considered lethal. Various types of lilies, however (Easter Lily, Day Lily, Tiger Lily) can be lethal. These lilies cause severe kidney failure when ingested, even in small quantities, by your feline companion.

Holiday Decorations
Nothing sets the holiday mood like decking the halls and dressing your tree. However, many of these decorations can be hazardous to your pets. Tinsel and other string-like decorations can be a tempting treat for your cat or dog. Sometimes, parts of these decorations can get caught around your pets’ tongue or elsewhere in the gastrointestinal system and cause life-threatening problems that require emergency surgery. The same goes for other non-string-like decorative items, which can get lodged in the stomach or intestines, causing a blockage. Electric cords (such as for lights) can also pose a problem if your cat or dog has a tendency to chew on things they are not supposed to. Because of the danger they pose, make sure to hang your tree ornaments and other decorations out of the reach of your pets.

Please keep your pets safe this holiday season. And keep an eye on them. If they are lethargic, not eating, acting abnormally or exhibiting vomiting or diarrhea – seek medical attention.

Alex Rousseau, DVM, DACVIM (Internal Medicine), DACVECC

Happy Thanksgiving from Cornell University Veterinary Specialists

Cornell University Veterinary Specialists wishes you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving... and that goes for your pets as well! 

This holiday season, please be aware of food-related illnesses:

• Do not give in to begging pets: too many table scraps of fatty food can lead to pancreatitis. Symptoms can include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness and shock- definitely not a fun way to spend Black Friday.

• The turkey carcass is a delicious treasure trove of foreign bodies. The bones can become lodged in the throat or airway, or become obstructed in the intestines. Do not give the dog a bone. Close up any garbage bags and move them away from your home's living area so the animals can't get into them.

• Your food is tasty and the smell will attract your pets to the table. Do not leave food unattended! Dogs and cats alike can easily get up on the table to steal food that is dangerous to them.

• Overeating is bad for you, and your pets as well. Do not overfeed dogs on Thanksgiving, as this can lead to bloat. Bloat occurs when the stomach fills with gas and twists back on itself. Bloat is a life-threatening condition.

• No desserts! If you own a dog, you should already know this: chocolate is toxic. Same goes for grapes, and therefore raisins. The various compounds in these foods can cause organ failure in dogs- different organs for each form of toxicity, but both should be avoided at all costs.

Following the guidelines above will keep your pets safe during the holidays. We love our clients and their pets, and we hope you don't have any incidents on Thanksgiving. But if you do, the CUVS Emergency Department will be open all day and night.

Wrap up: "The First 24 Hours" Continuing Education Lectures & Labs

Dr. Kleman leads her lecture on heart failure emergencies.

 On Sunday, October 23rd, many of CUVS's specialists lectured at a one day continuing education seminar for veterinarians titled The First 24 Hours: A Multifaceted Approach To The Emergency Patient. Over one hundred veterinarians attended the six lectures which were held at the Hyatt in Old Greenwich, CT.  The lectures, which covered a broad range of emergency topics, were led by veterinary specialists from Cornell University Veterinary Specialists as well as the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Following the lectures were two labs which allowed veterinarians to get hands-on experience with either CPR using a virtual model or emergency radiology of the thorax and abdomen using a computer-based laboratory.

Dr. Fletcher leads the CPR lab with a high-tech virtual dog model.

The feedback from the attending vets was very positive and we all enjoyed meeting up with local veterinarians face-to-face. Although the veterinary field is a small community, and we do refer cases back and forth, it is not often we can meet up as a group to get to know one another. It's nice to put faces to names so that we can forge stronger bonds with our referring veterinarians moving forward.

Dr. Forman lectures to a full house at his Endocrine Emergencies lecture.

Lectures presented at "The First 24 Hours" included:


• Critical Thinking in the Critical Patient: 30 Minutes to Save a Life (Dr. Sergi Serrano LV, DVM, DACVECC)

• Getting to the Heart of the Matter: The Emergency Heart Failure Patient (Dr. Mandi Kleman DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)

• Hematology in the Emergency Setting (Dr. Deanna Schaefer DVM, MS, MT(ASCP), DACVP)

• Endocrine Emergencies: A Case-based Presentation (Dr. Marnin Forman DVM, DACVIM (Internal Medicine)

• Making the Cut: The Fine Line Between Urgent and Emergent Surgery (Dr. Alon Kramer DVM, DACVS)

• Breaking Myths: Teaching Old Dogmas New Tricks (Panel Discussion- Dr. Daniel Fletcher, Dr. Susan Hackner, Dr. Alex Rousseau, Dr. Sergi Serrano)


Labs presented at "The First 24 Hours" included:


• Cardiopulmonarycerebral Resuscitation (CPR) Using a Virtual Model (Dr. Daniel Fletcher DVM, PhD, DACVECC)

• Emergency Radiology of the Thorax and Abdomen (Dr. Margaret S. Thompson DVM, DACVR)

Continuing Education: The First 24 Hours: A Multifaceted Approach to the Emergency Patient

REGISTER BY OCTOBER 13TH

A Day of Practice Relevant Continuing Education

THE FIRST 24 HOURS: A MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO THE EMERGENCY PATIENT

8 Hours Continuing Education for Veterinarians and Technicians*

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2011  9AM-6PM

Greenwich Hyatt, Greenwich, CT

Program Information and Registration

*Technicians welcome to the lecture portion of this program on a space available basis.

Silver Program Sponsors: Hudson Valley IT Solutions • Pfizer Animal Health • SoundEklin

Bronze Program Sponsors: Butler Schein Animal Health • CareCredit • Covidien • Final Gift Pet After Care Services • Hill's Pet Nutrition • IDEXX Laboratories • MWI Veterinary Supply • Petplan Pet Insurance

CUVS Performs a CT Scan on Arizona, a Galapagos Tortoise

Arizona, a Galapagos tortoise, arrives at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, CT.

We had quite a unique event this past week when Arizona, a 300-pound Galapagos tortoise, came into the hospital for a CT scan. Arizona's owners, who live in Westchester county, noticed that he was not putting weight onto one of his hind legs. Arizona's regular vet, Jeremy Sabatini, DVM of the Pleasantville Animal Hospital, referred Arizona to CUVS so that we could perform a detailed computed tompography (CT) scan. Dr. Sabatini was on hand to lend his expertise while we performed the CT scan.

Positioning a 300-pound tortoise takes many helping hands, including those of CUVS CMO Dr. Susan Hackner (right).

First we positioned Arizona on the CT scanner's motorized bed. Then we anesthetized him with gas, using an anesthetic mask which is more commonly fitted on the muzzle of a dog or cat patient. After Arizona was sedated, we backed him up to the CT and positioned his affected limb so the images could be taken.

Arizona, sedated and on the CT scan.

While preparing Arizona for this procedure took some time, the CT scan itself did not take long. Soon after, Arizona was waking up and on his way back to his sanctuary home. While CUVS frequently treats exotic species, this particular visit did garner quite a bit of media attention. You can find other articles about Arizona's visit here.

A Study of the 9/11 Search & Rescue Dogs

In the spirit of the 9-11 commemoration, we recognize the efforts of the almost 300 search-and-rescue dogs called into service following the attacks. A recently published study, funded by the AKC, evaluated 95 search and rescue canines for health issues post 9-11. Results showed these magnificent animals did NOT develop the common respiratory issues seen in many of the human responders and workers. Several of these brave dogs are still alive 10 years after the attacks on the World Trade Center:

Rescuer lauds dogs' work after 9/11: wishtv.com

CUVS will be open and fully staffed during the storm

Cornell University Veterinary Specialists will have doctors, technicians and staff staying at the hospital for the duration of Hurricane Irene. Care will continue around the clock for all current patients, and we have generators in place in case of a power outage. If you have an animal emergency during the worst of the storm, our Emergency Department will be open. Please call us at (203) 595-2777 to give us a heads-up as you leave for the hospital. If anything changes with the status of the hospital, we will put up another post.

Keep a close eye on your pets during the storm; this type of weather is very dangerous for dogs and cats.