WASHINGTON (AP) – Products intended to treat cats and dogs for fleas and ticks kill hundreds of pets each year and injure tens of thousands, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday as it outlined plans to make the products safer. The EPA said it will develop stricter testing and evaluation requirements for flea and tick treatments that are applied to a pet’s skin. The agency also will begin reviewing labels to determine which ones need to say more clearly how to use the products.

The EPA’s effort follows increasing complaints from pet owners that the “spot-on” products have triggered reactions in dogs and cats, ranging from skin irritation to neurological problems to deaths.Cats and small dogs appear particularly vulnerable, the EPA said, especially when given products intended for larger animals.

Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, said new restrictions will be placed on flea and tick products, with additional changes for specific products likely—including possible changes in some product formulas.

“These are poisons,” Owens said. “These are products designed to kill fleas and ticks—and they do their jobs.”

The EPA is committed to better protecting the health and safety of pets and families, Owens said, but added that pet owners “need to carefully read and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to a pesticide.”

The agency announced last April it was increasing scrutiny of topical flea and tick products because of the growing number of bad reactions reported.

The EPA said it received 44,263 reports of harmful reactions associated with topical flea and tick products in 2008, up from 28,895 in 2007. Reactions ranged from skin irritations to vomiting to seizures to, in about 600 cases, death of an animal.

An EPA spokesman said he did not have a breakdown of how many deaths were dogs and how many cats.

Dog and cat owners say their pets have suffered burns and welts on their skin; started to drool excessively; begun to shake uncontrollably; lost control of their legs or experienced other neurological problems after using the flea and tick treatments.

A 2009 study by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported that the majority of illnesses linked to proper use of topical flea and tick products were mild. Cats were more susceptible than dogs to illnesses and deaths from misuse of the products, the report said.

“The important take-home message is that although adverse reactions can occur with all flea and tick products, most effects are relatively mild and include skin irritation and stomach upset,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, ASPCA veterinary toxicologist and senior vice president for animal health services.

Pet owners should keep using the products as directed when faced with a flea infestation, Hansen said.

Georgia-based Merial Ltd., which makes the popular Frontline tick and flea treatment, defended its product and disputed the EPA data.

“The number of adverse events reported for Frontline has remained consistently low since the product’s introduction in 1996,” the company said in a statement e-mailed to reporters. The vast majority of reactions are minor, the statement said.

In a 29-page report, the EPA said the majority of problems for dogs occurred in smaller dogs, weighing 10 to 20 pounds. Some incidents occurred when products intended for larger dogs were given to smaller animals, the report said. Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, miniature poodles, Pomeranians and dachshunds were among breeds where problems occurred the most, the EPA said.

Similarly, many problems for cats occurred when they were given treatments intended for dogs. The EPA is likely to require companies to revamp labels to clarify that products intended for dogs should never be used on cats, Owens said.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Pet deaths prompt warnings on flea meds (msnbc.msn.com)
• EPA begins more scrutiny of flea and tick products (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• EPA: More Pets Injured by Flea and Tick Products (abcnews.go.com)
• Small Dogs Prove Susceptible to Flea Poison (scientificamerican.com)
• EPA Cautions Pet Owners Using Spot-on Products to Kill Fleas and Ticks (treehugger.com)
• Flea and tick medicine blamed for pet deaths (timesunion.com)
• Anti-Flea Products for Pets Deemed Safe After Lengthy Government Investigation (abcnews.go.com)

IVERMECTIN TOXICITY
This toxic reaction occurs especially in dogs that are genetically hypersensitive to ivermectin, an anti-parasite medication most commonly used for heartworm prevention, or to treat ear and hair mites, which can lead to mange. Ivermectin prevents or kills parasites by causing neurological damage to the parasite, resulting in paralysis and death for the parasite. But dogs genetically sensitive to the medication have an anomaly that allows the ivermectin to pass the dog’s blood-brain barrier and into its central nervous system, which can be lethal for the animal.
About Ivermectin »

While the sensitivity to this type of medication is not always guaranteed, the following breeds are most likely to be affected (although not every “sensitive” animal in the breed is affected):

• Old English Sheepdog
• English Sheepdog
• Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)
• Australian Shepherd
• German Shepherd
• Long-haired Whippet
• Silken Windhound
• Skye Terrier
• Collie

Washington State University Veterinary School developed a DNA test for a mutant gene which produces adverse reaction to ivermectin and other medications in some dogs. They have discovered that 75% of Collies, 25% of Border Collies, 8% of Old English Sheep dogs, mixed dogs of these breeds, plus other breeds have this mutant gene.

It is also seen in mixed-breed dogs, older dogs that have experienced a blow to the head, puppies, dogs that have overdosed on similar types of drugs, or other central nervous system diseases that affects the blood-brain barrier. Treating dogs that are susceptible to ivermectin toxicity with parasitic medication should be only be done under a veterinarian’s supervision and with great caution.

For breeds predisposed to the disease, an autosomal recessive trait (MDR-1) gene has been identified that causes a defect in the p-glycoprotein multidrug transporter to the blood brain barrier. This allows the ivermectin to pass into the brain at low dosages thus causing toxicity. This trait may also cause toxicity from other related drugs and should also be avoided or used in lower doses in susceptible breeds.

Toxicity can occur in cats, although it is uncommon.

SYMPTOMS
Symptoms for the dog may be acute or mild. Acute signs will become apparent within 4 to 12 hours of the drug’s administration. In mild cases, symptoms will occur between 48 to 96 hours after your dog has been treated. Such symptoms include:

• Lethargy
• Depression
• Drooling
• Vomiting
• Dilation of the pupil
• Loss of appetite (anorexia)
• Difficulty controlling voluntary movement
• Disorientation
• Tremors/Seizures
• Inability to stand
• Blindness
• Slow heartbeat
• Respiratory distress
• Coma

TREATMENT
Unfortunately, ivermectin toxicity cannot be reversed. Therefore, it is best to make your pet comfortable and treat the symptoms to the best of your ability. If exposure has occurred within the past four to six hours, induce vomiting and/or administer activated charcoal for the purposes of minimizing absorption. Be on the lookout for signs of secondary complications.

Some or all of the following measures may also be recommended by your veterinarian:

• Intravenous fluid therapy
• Keeping electrolytes in balance
• Intravenous nutritional support
• Turn the dog over frequently
• Appropriate bedding
• Physical therapy
• Ocular lubricants
• Ventilator in case of respiratory distress
• Heat support if body temperature is low
• Fans if body temperature is high
• If your dog can not stand up, urinary catheters may be needed
• Medication for seizures if appropriate

Much will depend on the severity of the dog’s reaction, along with its initial overall health. It may take several weeks of dedicated care before the dog fully recovers.

PREVENTION
There is a test available to check sensitivity to ivermectin. If your dog is one of the breeds that is prone to ivermectin toxicity, you might consider testing for it. If you decide not to have the testing done, be cautious about using ivermectin to prevent heartworm disease or for the treatment of mites.

In dogs with MDR 1 gene mutation, the following drugs should be avoided or used with caution:

• Ivermectin
• Selamectin
• Milbemycin
• Moxidectin
• Loperamide
• Acepromazine
• Butorphanol
• Vincristine
• Vinblastine
• Doxorubicin

WHY TELL YOU ALL THIS?
I include all this scary stuff so you know what can go wrong when using ivermectin on your own to treat your pets. It’s the same ingredient used in the popular heartworm meds you can buy for cats and dogs, but I know someone whose dog died when she administered Zimecterin Gold, a horse wormer, to her dogs. I don’t know the particulars in her case — what breed her dog was, how much she dosed, etc. I offer this info so you know what can go wrong and are as informed as possible before going this route. I assume no responsibility. Zimecterin Gold contains ivermectin and praziquantel. The praziquantel kills tapeworms. I have used this product for several years on my cats and dogs with no ill effects (knock on wood). My dogs are mutts. But be aware of the hazards if you have any of the breeds mentioned above. Having several cats and dogs, this is a more affordable alternative for me. There are several generic versions of heartworm preventative on the market. I used to order them from PetShed out of Australia. That worked fine, too. However, I have a number of cats and dogs and even the generic version became quite expensive.

Zemecterin Gold comes in an oversized syringe with a dosage appropriate for horses. The plunger on the syringe is marked at 50 lb intervals. This is how I determine the appropriate dosage. One syringe treats approximately 1300 pounds and costs about $15.

You can also buy the cattle version of just plain 1% ivomec (without the praziquantel), but it requires a larger dosage ivermectin (1/10 of 1 cc per 10 pounds) and it tastes really nasty. So you need to mix it in something like orange juice or yogurt.

Swine flu started in pigs (although we don’t know exactly when or where), adapted to and passed to humans who returned the favor and passed it back to pig herds. Then we heard that turkeys in Chile had contracted the virus, followed by ferrets and a house cat. We can infect animals cross species with flu in the laboratory, but all of these are cases acquired in the natural world by animals interacting with humans. Once cats were on the menu, the next question was dogs, another population “companion animal” (aka, pet) in the US and Western Europe (and literally a menu item in many parts of Asia). In recent years there have been periodic outbreaks of “dog flu,” an H3N8 subtype that didn’t seem to infect humans but produced “kennel cough” like symptoms in dogs. Now we get reports out of China that the family dog can also be infected with swine flu — by us:

Two dogs in Beijing have tested positive for swine flu in the second case of animals catching the disease in China along with pigs in the northeast, Chinese media said Sunday.
The A(H1N1) virus detected in the dogs was 99 percent identical to the one circulating in humans, the state-run Beijing Times reported, quoting China’s agriculture ministry.

The news comes 10 days after four pigs in China’s Heilongjiang province were diagnosed with the virus, which specialists said might have been caught from humans, the report said.

Countries including the United States, Canada and Chile have already reported cases of animals being infected with the A(H1N1) virus.

A cat in the US state of Iowa was diagnosed with swine flu at the beginning of the month in the first known case in the world of the new pandemic strain spreading to the feline population. (iafrica.com; h/t Chen Qui)

The Chinese news service Xinhua is reporting that the virus was found in 2 samples of 52 taken from sick dogs at the China Agricultural University College of Veterinary Medicine and genetic analysis showed it to be 99% homologous to virus from cases of human swine flu.

What strikes us about this is not the danger to dogs specifically but the amazing promiscuity this virus is showing. We have always thought of influenza virus subtype strains to be relatively host species specific, although exceptions do exist. Humans occasionally get the devasting (to us) H5N1 bird flu, which can also infect cats, ferrets and a few other animals, but all rarely. This virus doesn’t seem to care if you are a human, pig, turkey, dog, cat, ferret or who knows what else. Maybe that’s too strong, because while all those infections have been reported we still don’t know how easy it is to transmit. But nothing so far suggests it’s extremely rare. On the contrary, the evidence suggests if we start looking for infections in other species we will start to find them.

I don’t see why we should be thinking only of mammals and birds. Could the influenza virus also infect insects or reptiles or amphibians? (NB: a new vaccine production method in caterpillar cells doesn’t use the flu virus but an insect virus with the gene for the flu HA protein spliced into it; our post here). Maybe there’s a good biological barrier to that but if there is, I don’t know what it is and I don’t think we’ve done much looking outside of birds, humans and pigs.

The species promiscuity of this virus raises still another issue. Influenza viruses not only have species preferences but tissue preferences (called tropisms). Rabies virus infects nervous tissue but not kidneys while flu mainly (although not exclusively) likes cells in the respiratory tract. But if this virus is so indifferent to what species it is infecting, might it not also develop a wider palette of tissue tropisms? Nothing we see in the genetic sequences predicts the striking host non-specificity or what’s allowing it and we are still pretty vague on the distribution of viral receptors in different body tissues, assuming we even know how to characterize those receptors (the conventional story of the 2,3 versus 2,6 sialic acid linkages seems now to be much more complicated; see our posts here and here for more about this).

The dog and cat story may mean a lot more than our pets are at risk. Right now these are just questions. How hard it will be to get the answers and how long it will take is anyone’s guess.

Managing It

Chronic kidney (renal) disease commonly affects older animals, but it also occurs in younger animals with congenital abnormalities. The kidneys are two important organs that filter the blood and remove waste products from the body as urine, maintain the body’s water and electrolyte balance, regulate blood pressure, and produce a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production. When the kidneys fail, these substances build up and cause your pet to feel ill. Here are some ways you can help your pet.

Feed kidney-friendly food
A low-protein diet is one of the mainstays of treating chronic renal failure. That’s because the protein in food must be broken down by the body to be used for energy, and one of the byproducts is blood urea nitrogen (BUN). If your pet’s kidneys can’t remove that BUN, the animal starts to feel worse. A high-quality, low-protein diet, however, makes it easier for the kidneys. In fact, sometimes a diet change alone will help your pet feel better. Several low-protein diets are available through veterinarians, and these diets are the most effective method of slowing progression of the disease.

Keep your pet hydrated
Make sure your pet always has access to fresh water. In addition, giving fluids under the skin (subcutaneous fluid) can help flush out toxins and prevent dehydration. Some pets may need subcutaneous fluids twice a week, and others need them twice a day. Your veterinarian can teach you how to give fluid therapy at home.

Restrict dietary phosphorus
Because the kidneys are responsible for getting rid of excess phosphorus in the food your pet eats, phosphorus levels in the blood climb with kidney failure. This can reduce your pet’s appetite and also cause mineral deposits in the kidneys and other places in the body.

Two ways to keep your pet’s phosphorus level at a appropriate level include feeding less of the mineral and preventing its absorption from food. Low-protein diets are low in phosphorus. You can give your pet a phosphate binder medication—in liquid, powder, or tablet form—that binds to phosphorus in food and prevents it from being absorbed into your pet’s bloodstream. Phosphate binders must be given with meals, because the medication can’t do its job without food. If you change the frequency of feeding, talk to your veterinarian about changing the phosphate binder dose so you can give it with each meal.

Additional therapies for anemic pets
Anemia (low red blood cell count) is common in pets with chronic kidney failure. The kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin that tells the bone marrow to make new red blood cells to replace older cells as the older cells are removed. When kidneys fail, they stop making adequate amounts of this hormone. The anemia develops slowly, giving the pet time to adapt. When the anemia is moderate to severe, your pet may appear tired or unwilling to eat. Blood transfusions can help for a short while, but transfused cells don’t last long, and the transfusions need to be repeated every few weeks. Hormone replacement shots are also available to treat anemia.

Soothe and protect the stomach
Stomach ulcers are a common problem in pets with kidney failure because of the toxins that build up in the blood. These ulcers can cause nausea and vomiting (occasionally with blood) as well as decrease your pet’s appetite, so an anti-ulcer medication to reduce stomach acid may be prescribed. Other drugs that coat the stomach to protect ulcers that have already formed may be used during flareups. However, these stomach-coating drugs can interfere with the absorption of other drugs and aren’t typically used long-term. Your veterinarian can answer questions about the best medications and dosing schedules for your pet.
…………………………………………………..
Adapted from Dr. Cathy Langston, DACVIM, at Animal Medical Center in New York

This groundbreaking treatment, known as Palladia, comes in pill form and has shown to be effective in fighting mast cell tumors, the second most common type of tumor found in canines. In a clinical study, Palladia caused mast cell skin tumors to disappear, shrink or stop growing in approximately 60% of the dogs tested.

Cancer treatments can be expensive, but if you have Pets Best Insurance and your dog develops this type of tumor, the treatments, including Palladia, are eligible for coverage. Under Pets Best Basic, First and Premier plans, cancer treatments for your dog and cat are covered per incident up to $2,500, $7,000 and $14,000, respectively, after a one-time deductible.

“Treatments for pet cancer are becoming more the norm and are typically the highest payments we make,” states Dr. Jack Stephens, President of Pets Best Insurance. “No one expects their pet will get cancer or that they will pay thousands of dollars for a treatment, but they do, especially when they have pet insurance that reimburses them 80% like Pets Best Insurance.”

Although some forms of meningitis can be fatal, in most dogs it can be treated successfully if the disease is caught early and the dog receives proper veterinary care, which is why awareness of the disease, its symptoms and treatment is important, said Dr. Anne Chauvet, founder of Veterinary Neuro Services.

“I commend the New Jersey Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee for approving legislation that would help raise awareness of this disease in humans,” Chauvet said, “and I hope that pet owners will become as aware of the symptoms and the importance of early treatment for their dogs.” The bill, SJR-65, to designate August as Meningitis Awareness Month, was introduced by Senator Sean T. Kean, R-11.

Meningitis, which is an inflammation of the membrane (meninges) that wraps the brain and spinal cord, may be caused in dogs by tick-borne diseases such as Lyme, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis or parasitic diseases like toxoplasmosis. A common cause of meningitis in dogs is a central nervous system disease known as granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME,) and toy or small breeds may be susceptible to meningitis caused by immune dysfunction, Chauvet said.

Sterile (or idiopathic) meningitis is the most common form of canine meningitis, and usually occurs in young dogs a year old or less. Sterile meningitis symptoms typically are neck pain along with a fever that waxes and wanes. Other symptoms of meningitis can include changes in gait where the dog looks as though he is walking on eggshells, she said. Affected dogs may have a lot of pain everywhere except their joints, which is one way to distinguish sterile meningitis from polyarthritis and other conditions that exhibit painful joints. Neurological symptoms, such as seizures or blindness, usually are not present unless the disease is advanced.

A meningitis diagnosis can be confirmed with a spinal tap when the spinal fluid shows a very high number of white blood cells and high levels of protein. An MRI also is an important diagnostic tool that can rule out a disc herniation, infection or other problem that could cause the symptoms, Chauvet said.

Sterile meningitis is treated with high doses of steroids, such as prednisone, to suppress the immune system supported with doxycyline, an antibiotic. Sometimes more advanced treatments or combination therapies are required, such as immunoglobulin therapy or chemotherapy drugs, depending on the patient’s need. In most cases, the dog responds quickly and is back to normal in a few days, Chauvet said, but treatment must be extended over weeks and sometimes months with most dogs recovering fully.
About Veterinary Neuro Services:

Dr. Anne Chauvet, one of about 150 veterinary neurologists and neurosurgeons in North America, is the founder of Veterinary Neuro Services in Sarasota, Fla. Veterinary Neuro Services treats brain, spinal cord and neuromuscular conditions in animals and is the only strictly neurology and neurosurgery practice on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

More information is available by calling 941-929-1818 or online at www.PetNeuro.com.

Special Pets, Special Needs, a 30-minute podcast produced by Small Plate Radio and available for free on iTunes, shines the light on the many unique challenges faced by pets who are geriatric, recovering from injury or surgery, or suffering from chronic or debilitating illnesses or conditions, such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, cancer, obesity, and degenerative myelopathy.

Featuring interviews with a wide range of guests, including veterinarians, medical researchers, and attorneys specializing in animal law, the show will help pet owners understand the myriad of medical and functional issues their pets face, and give them the information they need to help these important family members live more comfortable and more functional lives.

The podcast will air every other week beginning Tuesday, June 23, at 11AM Pacific time. Listeners can hear the live broadcast and ask questions via instant message by going to Scout’s House’s “Special Pets, Special Needs” podcast on Small Plate Radio, or they can download archived shows via iTunes.

The first show, hosted by Scout’s House CEO Lisa Stahr, features Physical Therapist Krista Niebaum, MPT, CCRT, who offers practical advice on how pet owners can modify their homes to accommodate their pets’ gradual or sudden disabilities.

Upcoming shows include Advances in Cancer Care with Linda Fineman, DVM, ACVIM, one the nation’s top veterinary oncologists, and Understanding Degenerative Myelopathy with Joan Coates, DVM, MS, DACVIM, the foremost authority on and researcher into degenerative myelopathy, a disease similar to Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) in humans.

“People whose pets are ill or disabled — and sometimes even their veterinarians — often don’t know what they can do to help these animals be more comfortable and more functional,” explains Niebaum, Director of Rehab Therapy at Scout’s House. “With this show, we hope to give them a better understanding of the limitations a pet may face and some ideas on how to cope with them, including what products and services can help.”

Special needs pets are a growing segment of the pet care industry, fueled by pet owners’ increased demand for highly specialized veterinary treatments, such as rehabilitation therapy, oncology, and dentistry, that can improve the quality–and length–of life for their pets. According to American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, pet owners in the United States spent over $38.4 billion on their companion animals in 2006, with almost half that going to veterinary care, supplies, and over-the-counter medicines for their pets.

A state-of-the-art rehab therapy and boarding facility, Scout’s House is the only center in California dedicated to the care of special needs dogs and cats. Since opening in 2005, it has provided rehab therapy to more than 1000 companion animals, and through its online store Scout’s House Online Store has helped thousands of people around the world find products specifically designed to help their special needs pets.
…………………………………………………………….
reprinted from PRWeb website

Canine Parvovirus (“parvo”) attacks rapidly reproducing cells — such as those that line the gastrointestinal tract, bone marrow, lymph nodes and heart. Parvo is highly contagious and is transmitted from dog to dog via contaminated droplets and feces. It can be carried on the dog’s hair and feet, as well as on contaminated cages, shoes and other objects. Dogs of all ages can be affected, but the highest rate of death occurs in puppies less than five months of age. Two main syndromes of parvo.»

To follow is a home remedy I stumbled on for treating canine parvo on the internet and wanted to reprint it in case anyone may need it. It addresses the biggest needs in a treatment: fluid and electrolyte replacement, and medication to control diarrhea and vomiting.

This is an extremely hardy virus. It resists most household cleaners. The best disinfectant is Clorox (one part bleach to 30 parts water).

My puppy had Parvo, he was only 8 weeks old, and just a few pounds. I took him to the vet and realized that it would be anywhere from 600-1500 dollars to cure him, even then he may not survive. So I looked up puppy parvo on Google.com for any alternatives, I found many things that people had tried, and they said it worked, so I chose the raw eggs, children’s Pedialite, and children’s pepto method. What you will need is the following;

* Eggs (enough to last several days)
* Children’s Pepto
* Instant rice
* Hamburger
* Children’s Pedialite (or Gatorade will work also)
* A Syringe for feeding
* You might also want to get puppy training pads or newspaper

Directions
First take your dog and place him in a sterile dog cage, with the puppy pad or news paper covering the bottom because there will be lots of throw up and lots of diarrhea. Then sterilize your whole home. I used a spray found in the pet area of WalMart, its called “Odo Ban.” It also smells really good. Then used bleach [1 part bleach to 30 parts water] on all hard floors and dog cage. After everything is clean, DO NOT let your puppy out of his/her cage until he is completely healed.

Then I took a raw egg and blended it with a fork and put it in the Syringe and force fed him. I gave him 2 tablespoons of egg and 1 tablespoon of Pedeilite every 4 hours for 3 days. I also gave him the children’s pill form of Pepto 3 times a day. I cut the pill in half and put it at the back of his throat. The serving size for your puppy may be greater depending on his size. I did this for about 3 days and until he was a lot more play full, and until his diarrhea was gone. (I also changed his pad every time he went potty and sterilized his cage every time to keep the parvo contained.)

After the 3 days was up I boiled instant rice and ground up hamburger and fed him 1/4 of a cup every four hours. (try this one time and wait to see if he can hold down the solid food. If its thrown back up, go back to eggs and pedielite for 2 more days. Then try it again.) After the first day of giving them the rice (and the puppy kept it down), try soft dog food the next day. If they keep that down, then you’re good to go, give them a sterile bath and they are now free to run around and play.

Why this works
This method works because puppy’s die from being dehydrated, not from the sickness itself, the key is keeping them from throwing up and healthy while the sickness goes away. They need lots of electrolytes. The Raw eggs for Nutrition, and pepto to keep there tummy’s calm. It worked for my little boy, and I hope it works for you. He is now the happiest little thing. Don’t forget to follow up with another vet visit to make sure all is well. Keep them in the house and off the outside ground for at least a week more just so you wont spread the sickness to any other dogs. Good luck i hope this helps you Jessica F.

P.S. My puppy is about 3 pounds, so there might me a slight change in feeding, Be sure not to over feed, were not trying to make them full, just enough to keep them alive.

Tip Source: Thrifty Fun website.

Diarrhea is the passage of loose, unformed stools generally occurring in more frequent bowel movements. It is the most common sign of an intestinal disease.

Diarrhea can be classified as acute or chronic, depending on its duration. Acute diarrhea comes on suddenly and is finished in a short period. Chronic diarrhea often comes on gradually and persists for three weeks or longer, or has an episodic pattern of recurrence.

Chronic diarrhea requires veterinary investigation.

Food in the small intestine takes about 8 hours to reach the colon. During that time, the bulk of the food and 80 percent of the water is absorbed. The colon concentrates the remainder. In the end, a well-formed stool is evacuated.

Transit time in the intestinal tract can be speeded up for a variety of reasons resulting in a large, loose, unformed bowel movement. This accounts for the majority of acute diarrheas of short duration.

To determine the cause of the diarrhea, it’s impoprtant to decide where the disease is located: small intestine or colon. This is done by examining the color, consistency, odor and frequency of the stools, as well as the condition of the dog:

COLOR

• Yellow or greenish stool — indicates rapid transit (small bowel)
• Black, tarry stool — indicated bleeding in the upper digestive tract
• Bloody stool — red blood or clots indicate bleeding in the colon
• Pasty, light-colored stool — indicates lack of bile (liver disease)
• Large, grey, rancid-smelling stool — indicates inadequate digestion or absorption (malabsorption syndrome).

CONSISTENCY

• Watery stool — indicates small bowel wall irritation (toxins and severe infections)
• Foamy stool — suggests a bacterial infection
• Greasy stool — often with oil on the hair around the anus: indicates malabsorption
• Excessive mucus — a glistening or jellylike appearance; indicates colonic origin.

ODOR (the more watery the stool, the greater the odor)

• Foodlike, or smelling like sour milk — suggests rapid transit and malabsorption: for example, overfeeding, especially in puppies
• Putrid smelling — suggests an intestinal infection.

FREQUENCY

• Several in an hour, each small, with straining — suggests colitis (inflammation of the large bowel)
• Three or four times a day, each large — suggests a malabsorption or small bowel disorder

CONDITION OF DOG

• Weight loss, malnutrition — suggests small bowel disorder
• Normal appetite, minimal weight loss — suggests large bowel disorder
• Vomiting — small bowel origin, except for colitis

Common Causes of Diarrhea
Intestinal parasites are a common cause of acute and chronic diarrhea in puppies and adults. The greatest problems are caused by roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, threadworms, and giardia.

Most cases are caused by an irritation of the bowel lining from ingested substances or infections agents — in other words, something they ate. Any change in your dog’s diet could be the trigger: unfamiliar water; intolerance to certain foods like beef, pork, chicken, horsemeat, fish, eggs, spices, corn, wheat, soy, gravies, salts, spices, fats, and some commercial dog foods; excitement or emotional upset.

Dogs are scavengers and sometimes tend to eat things they can’t digest like:

• dead animals, rodents and birds
• garbage and decayed food
• rich foods, table scraps, gravies, salts, spices and fats
• sticks, cloth, grass, paper, etc.
• parts of flea collars

Toxic substances causing diarrhea include:

• gasoline, kerosene, oil or coal tar derivatives
• cleaning fluid, refrigerants
• insecticides
• bleaches, often in toilet bowls
• wild or ornamental plants, toadstools
• building materials: cement, lime, paints, caulks
• fireworks containing phosphorus

Many of these are equally as irritating to the stomach and will cause vomiting.

Treatment
Diarrhea is a symptom. The first step in treating it is to identify and remove the underlying cause, if possible. If the diarrhea is caused by overeating, cut back the food intake and feed 2-3 times a day in controlled portions. If unfamiliar water is the problem, carry an extra supply with you. In the case where irritating or toxic substances have been ingested, an effort should be made to identify the agent as specific antidotes may be required.

Food allergies can be cleared up by removing the problem food. Sometimes changing a dog’s food can trigger diarrhea. The new food should be introduced slowly over a couple weeks to avoid this kind of diarrhea.

Most cases of diarrhea can be treated at home:

1. Withhold all food for 24-48 hours. If your dog appears thirsty, give a small amount of water or ice cubes to lick.
2. Administer lomotil at a dose of one tablet per 25 lbs of dog, three times a day. Or Kaopectate at 1/2 – 1 tsp per 5 lb, to a maximum of 2 Tbsp every 8 hours. Or Pepto-Bismal at 0.5 ml per lb or 1/2-1 tsp per 5 lb, to a maximum of 30 ml or 2 Tbsp.
3. As the dog starts to respond, feed an easily digested diet that contains no fats:
   • boiled hamburger (1- to 2-parts cooked rice; discard the broth)
   • cottage cheese
   • cooked macaroni or soft-boiled aggs

   Prescription diets are available from your vet.

4. Continue the bland diet for three days, even if your dog seems better.

A diarrhea that persists for more than 24 hours, a bloody diarrhea and diarrhea accompanied by vomiting, fever and other signs of toxicity should be checked out by your vet immediately.

Source: Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook

To add insult to injury, it’s exceedingly difficult to arrive at a decision as to whether the tumor you’ve just removed has been cured by your surgery…or whether it’s just going to come back bigger and badder than ever (usually in the same location but sometimes in a local lymph node or internal organ).

Apart from surgically removing a wide swath of skin, fat, muscle (and sometimes bone!) from around the mass (at least one centimeter in all directions but for higher grades, as much as three centimeters), treatment can also include radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Radiation is especially helpful should the tumor be diagnosed as a high grade malignancy (mast cell tumors are graded on a scale of I-III, III being the worst)…or should it appear in an area where a complete surgical excision is impossible (as on the face or a lower limb). Chemotherapy is indicated for some high grade tumors (Grade III), some incompletely resectable tumors or when metastatic disease (spreading to local lymph nodes, for example) is present.

The trials and tribulations of mast cell cancer is frustrating for veterinarians and confusing for pet owners. That’s especially true when your oncologist disagrees with your general practitioner who also disagrees with your internist. Yes, even among specialists mast cell cancer is hotly debated and subject to many internal disagreements––particularly with respect to the right way to treat them.

The various grades of mast cell tumors and the many modalities we can apply to treat them makes for a perfect storm of confusion. Add that to the tumor’s ubiquity (it’s the second most common tumor type in dogs), and you can begin to understand why mast cell tumors give veterinarians headaches and sleepless nights.

Take, for example, one of my recent MCT patients. She was diagnosed with a Grade II, but margins were “dirty” (not completely free of tumor). One oncologist wanted to irradiate immediately. Another general practitioner suggested injecting the area with prednisolone (a steroid) and a surgeon wanted me simply to go back and get clean margins. A radiation oncologist at the University of Florida finally ratified the surgeon’s opinion, discrediting the injections and stating that radiation was unnecessary for a surgically resectable Grade II. So you know, I ultimately went with the latter, well-informed approach. But what a mission!

That’s why the news of a new cancer therapy specifically for mast cell cancer is both exciting and stressful. Hooray for my more severely affected patients with recurrent disease! But what’s that going to mean for my recommendations? It’s no stretch to say that I’m a tad confused––as seems to be the case with some of my colleagues on VIN (the Veterinary Information Network), too.

So I did some research. This drug is called Palladia. Manufactured and marketed by Pfizer, the drug (oral) is in a class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors. They work by blocking the activity of receptors important for the development of blood vessels supplying the tumors, as well as for receptors critical to tumor survival. Its stated use is for canine mast cell tumors that recur after surgical excision, with or without local lymph node involvement. It shrinks these tumors and extends the comfortable life of these patients.

Side effects? I don’t have the percentages, but many dogs apparently experience gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea and inappetance. Lameness, too. They appear to be reversible. Death is possible, however––though very rarely with careful attention to side effects.

The other side effect worth considering is the price. A similar drug marketed by Pfizer for humans, Sutent, goes for $5,000 (for 28 pills!). Who knows what Palladia will cost, but it’s safe to assume it won’t be that expensive. Nonetheless, I bet its price will best radiation’s priciness but come in well over what standard surgical techniques would cost.

For now, Palladia will only be in the hands of oncologists and internists (as Pfizer decides how it’s going to market the drug and accumulates more data through this select group of professionals). But the common nature of this tumor likely means that Palladia will be coming to a veterinary hospital near you. I guess then it’ll come time to implement the new drug. As it stands, I’m not so sure its benefits outweigh the risk of its side effects when you consider that another surgical resection might be just as curative (if there’s no evidence of metastasis)––statistically speaking, anyway.

Yes, it’s clear that lots of confusion still reigns. But one thing I do know is this:

It’s about time veterinary medicine had a drug FDA-approved for use against cancer. This is where oncology is headed––away from invasive surgery, stressful radiation and indiscriminate chemotherapy…and more towards vaccines (like the melanoma vax), gene therapy––and, of course, drugs like this one.
………………………………………………………………..
reprinted from Dolittler website