|
One of the most intelligent birds ever studied, the African grey parrot has an amazing ability to imitate human speech and precisely mimic sounds within the environment (for example, ringtones and doorbells). African grey parrots can be affectionate, entertaining, and rewarding companion animals; however, owners must be knowledgeable and conscientious to fully enjoy the qualities of African grey parrots. These birds prefer a routine schedule and a stable environment within their enclosure, and they require a substantial amount of interactive time with their owners to develop a trusting, enjoyable relationship. Therefore, African greys may not be appropriate for people who work odd hours, travel frequently, or spend a substantial amount of time away from home.
Biologic Facts
Behavior
Diet
Environment
Preventive Care
Common Medical Disorders
What Is a Cardiac Exam? A cardiac examination is an evaluation of the cardiovascular system, which includes the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Many elements of a cardiac exam are usually performed (to some extent) during a routine physical examination in pets of all ages. However, for older animals, pets with a history of heart problems, or pets that are at risk for developing heart disease, more extensive testing is sometimes recommended. What Happens During a Cardiac Exam? During your visit, your veterinarian will ask you specific questions about your pet's heart health and overall health. Signs of heart disease can be vague and may include coughing, breathing problems, weakness, fainting episodes, and exercise intolerance (getting tired easily or refusing to exercise). A thorough physical exam is usually performed in combination with a cardiac exam. Your pet’s vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate, are checked to determine heart health. These signs may be checked by a veterinary technician, who reports the findings to your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will also check your pet’s capillary refill time by gently pressing on the gums with a fingertip and then removing the finger while counting the number of seconds it takes for the color of the gums to return to normal. This test can help determine how well your pet’s blood is circulating and whether your pet is dehydrated. Pale gums may indicate a heart problem, circulation problem, or anemia (low number of red blood cells). Dark or blue gums can also signal a problem. Your pet’s pulse rate and quality are generally checked during a cardiac exam. If pulses are weak, irregular, or otherwise abnormal, your veterinarian will try to determine the cause. What Tests Are Performed During a Cardiac Exam? Auscultation: Your veterinarian will listen to your pet's heart and lungs using a stethoscope, which magnifies the sounds of the heart and lungs. The scientific term for this process is auscultation. As your veterinarian listens, he or she may detect irregular heartbeats or sounds, an abnormal rhythm, or a heart murmur, all of which can be associated with heart disease. Your veterinarian will use the stethoscope to listen to the lungs for abnormal sounds, such as sounds produced by fluid buildup, which can occur in certain types of heart disease. Blood testing: Results of blood tests can provide your veterinarian with a large amount of information about your pet’s heart. For example, heart-worm disease can damage your pet’s heart and lungs, so your veterinarian may recommend blood testing to check for this infection. Other useful blood tests may include a chemistry profile and a complete blood count (or CBC). Many irregularities, such as dehydration, abnormal sodium or potassium levels in the blood, or anemia (a low number of red blood cells), can make it more difficult for your pet’s heart to perform efficiently. Electrocardiography: Electrocardiography (also called an ECG or EKG) is used to check for abnormalities in the heart’s rhythm. An ECG can determine whether the heart is beating too slow or too fast or whether there are irregular beats. An ECG detects electrical changes associated with the beating of the heart. The electrical changes are recorded by the ECG machine and then interpreted by a veterinarian. X-rays: Chest x-rays are used to determine the size, shape, and position of the heart. Because heart disease causes the heart to work too hard, the heart muscle can become thickened, and the heart can become enlarged. X-rays also show your veterinarian your pet’s lungs. Certain types of heart disease cause fluid to accumulate in the lungs. Other lung problems, such as asthma, can also be evaluated when your veterinarian looks at x-rays. The large vessels associated with your pet’s heart and lungs can also be examined using x-rays. Blood pressure: Your veterinarian may have equipment that can measure your pet’s blood pressure during a cardiac exam. Blood pressure that is too low or too high may need to be treated with medication. Cardiac ultrasound: Your veterinarian may have equipment that can perform a cardiac ultrasound examination (or echocardiogram). The ultrasound machine is connected to a small handheld probe that is held against your pet’s chest. The probe sends out painless sound waves that bounce off of structures in your pet’s chest (such as the heart and blood vessels) and return to a sensor inside the ultrasound machine. This creates an image on a screen that can tell your veterinarian a great deal of information about your pet’s heart. What Are the Benefits of a Cardiac Exam? A cardiac exam is important to assess the overall health of the heart and circulatory system. Your pet may have underlying heart issues that may not be obvious, and catching them early is important. Many heart conditions can be managed successfully, if caught early.
What Is a Cardiac Arrhythmia? A cardiac arrhythmia is an abnormality in a dog’s heartbeat. It may be associated with the rate (too fast or too slow), an irregularity in the heartbeat pattern, or a problem in the location where electrical signals are formed in the heart. Some arrhythmias may be harmless and do not require treatment, while others can be serious and life threatening. Dogs of any age or sex may experience arrhythmias. Certain breeds are predisposed to specific types of heartbeat abnormalities. Boxers, German shepherds, and cocker spaniels are among the many breeds prone to heart conditions that can be associated with changes in heart rate and rhythm. What Causes an Arrhythmia? There are many types of heart rhythm disturbances, and just as many potential causes. While heart disease can cause an arrhythmia, an arrhythmia does not necessarily indicate that your dog has a heart condition. Other causes of heart arrhythmias include:
What Are the Signs of an Arrhythmia? Dogs with arrhythmias that are relatively harmless may show no outward signs. In many cases, however, an arrhythmia can lead to heart failure, changes in blood pressure, and alterations in blood flow to vital organs. Dogs with these types of arrhythmias may show signs such as:
How Is This Condition Diagnosed? Your veterinarian may note an irregularity in the heartbeat when listening to your pet’s heart with a stethoscope. An electrocardiogram (ECG) can provide additional information to further define the type of arrhythmia present. If your veterinarian suspects that the abnormality is caused by a heart condition, he or she may recommend chest radiographs (x-rays) and/or an echocardiogram, which is an examination of the heart using ultrasound equipment. Depending on your pet’s condition, the veterinarian may refer your pet to a veterinary cardiologist (a heart specialist). Since many other factors besides heart disease can cause arrhythmias, your veterinarian will probably also suggest doing blood work to look for underlying diseases or conditions. How Are Arrhythmias Treated? If the arrhythmia is caused by an underlying condition, such as hypothyroidism, treating the underlying disease may help resolve the arrhythmia. Otherwise, the goal of treatment is to eliminate or manage any discomfort your dog may have and prevent dangerous arrhythmias from leading to sudden death. Numerous medications can help control arrhythmias. Many of these drugs may have side effects, so be sure to ask your veterinarian if there are signs you should watch for. In some cases, it is recommended that a pacemaker be implanted for long-term control of the arrhythmia. Once your pet is diagnosed with an arrhythmia, your veterinarian may recommend periodic recheck examinations to evaluate your pet’s heart rate/rhythm and assess your pet’s response to treatment. Blood work, echocardiography, and other diagnostic tests sometimes need to be repeated periodically to help protect your pet’s health.
What Is a Cardiac Arrhythmia? A cardiac arrhythmia is an abnormality in a cat’s heartbeat. It may be associated with the rate (too fast or too slow), an irregularity in the heartbeat pattern, or a problem in the location where electrical signals are formed in the heart. Some arrhythmias may be harmless and do not require treatment, while others can be serious and life threatening. Cats of any age or sex may experience arrhythmias. Certain breeds are predisposed to specific types of heartbeat abnormalities. For example, Maine Coon cats and Persian cats seem predisposed to developing cardiomyopathy (a problem with the heart muscle that can be associated with changes in heart rate and rhythm). What Causes an Arrhythmia? There are many types of heart rhythm disturbances, and just as many potential causes. While heart disease can cause an arrhythmia, an arrhythmia does not necessarily indicate that your cat has a heart condition. Other causes of heart arrhythmias include:
What Are the Signs of an Arrhythmia? Cats with arrhythmias that are relatively harmless may show no outward signs. In many cases, however, an arrhythmia can lead to heart failure, changes in blood pressure, and alterations in blood flow to vital organs. Cats with these types of arrhythmias may show signs such as:
How Is This Condition Diagnosed? Your veterinarian may note an irregularity in the heartbeat when listening to your pet’s heart with a stethoscope. An electrocardiogram (ECG) can provide additional information to further define the type of arrhythmia present. If your veterinarian suspects that the abnormality is caused by a heart condition, he or she may recommend chest radiographs (x-rays) and/or an echocardiogram, which is an examination of the heart using ultrasound equipment. Depending on your pet’s condition, the veterinarian may refer your pet to a veterinary cardiologist (a heart specialist). Since many other factors besides heart disease can cause arrhythmias, your veterinarian will probably also suggest doing blood work to look for underlying diseases or conditions. How Are Arrhythmias Treated? If the arrhythmia is caused by an underlying condition, such as hyperthyroidism, treating the underlying disease may help resolve the arrhythmia. Otherwise, the goal of treatment is to eliminate or manage any discomfort your cat may have and prevent dangerous arrhythmias from leading to sudden death. Numerous medications can help control arrhythmias. Many of these drugs may have side effects, so be sure to ask your veterinarian if there are signs you should watch for. In some cases, it is recommended that a pacemaker be implanted for long-term control of the arrhythmia. Once your pet is diagnosed with an arrhythmia, your veterinarian may recommend periodic recheck examinations to evaluate your pet’s heart rate/rhythm and assess your pet’s response to treatment. Blood work, echocardiography, and other diagnostic tests sometimes need to be repeated periodically to help protect your pet’s health.
Companion animals today have the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives than ever before. One of the main reasons for this is the availability of vaccines that can protect pets from deadly viral and bacterial diseases. Over the past several decades, the widespread use of vaccines against canine distemper, parvovirus infection, rabies, and other diseases have saved the lives of millions of dogs and driven some of these diseases into relative obscurity. Unfortunately, these diseases still pose a significant threat to dogs that are unvaccinated; so, although vaccine programs have been highly successful, pet owners and veterinarians cannot afford to become complacent about the importance of keeping pets up-to-date on their vaccinations. Why Does My Dog Need Vaccines? Vaccines are one of our most important tools against infectious diseases. Some of these diseases, such as “kennel cough,” can be transmitted directly from dog to dog. If your dog is ever around other dogs, such as at a kennel, dog park, grooming salon, or day care facility, your dog is likely to be exposed to infectious diseases. Even dogs that look healthy may be sick, so keeping your dog’s vaccines up-to-date is a good way to protect your dog from illness. Even if your dog doesn’t have contact with other dogs, some diseases can be transmitted indirectly. For example, parvovirus infection, which is potentially fatal , is spread through contact with feces from an infected dog. Even if your dog never has contact with a dog infected with parvovirus, your dog could be exposed to the virus through contact with feces from an infected dog, such as in a park or on a beach. Lyme disease—a dangerous infection that is carried by ticks—is another disease that your dog can be exposed to without coming into contact with other dogs. So, even dogs that spend most of their lives indoors or have very limited contact with other animals are not completely safe from exposure to infectious diseases. How Do Vaccines Work? Although there are many types of vaccines, they tend to work through a similar principle. Most vaccines contain a very small portion of the virus or bacterium that is the infectious agent. Some vaccines contain small quantities of the entire virus or bacterium, whereas others contain particles that are part of the infectious organism. When this material is introduced into the body in a vaccine, the body’s immune system responds through a series of steps that include making antibodies and other cells that will recognize the target organism later. When the vaccinated individual encounters the “real” organism later, the body recognizes the organism and reacts to protect the vaccinated individual from becoming sick. Are Vaccines Safe? All of the available vaccines have been thoroughly tested and found to be safe when administered as directed. Most dogs tolerate vaccines very well, although reactions can occur in some cases. Some dogs can seem a little “tired” after receiving vaccines. Notify your veterinarian if your dog develops hives, redness on the skin, breathing problems, facial swelling, or vomiting. You should also tell your veterinarian if your dog has ever had a problem after receiving a vaccine. What Vaccines Does My Dog Need? Many vaccines are available for dogs, but every dog does not need to receive every available vaccine. So how do you know what vaccines your dog should have? The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has developed a summary of vaccine recommendations to help veterinarians clarify how to best protect dogs through the use of vaccine programs. AAHA evaluated the available vaccines and categorized them to provide guidelines on how commonly they should be used. Vaccines are categorized as core, non-core, or not recommended. A core vaccine is one that all dogs should receive. The core vaccines for dogs are rabies, distemper, adenovirus-2, and parvovirus. Non-core vaccines are optional ones that dogs can benefit from based on their risk for exposure to the disease. Examples include the vaccines against Lyme disease and leptospirosis. Categorization of a vaccine as “not recommended” does not mean that the vaccine is bad or dangerous. This designation simply means that there is currently insufficient information to recommend the widespread use of the vaccine. Because core vaccines are recommended for all dogs, your veterinarian will recommend keeping your dog’s vaccines against distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus-2, and rabies up-to-date at all times. The decision regarding non-core vaccines should be made after you and your veterinarian have discussed the vaccines in question and whether your dog might benefit from receiving them. Factors to consider include your dog’s lifestyle (how much time your dog spends outside), where you live, where you travel with your dog, and how often your dog has contact with other dogs. Bear in mind that vaccine recommendations can change: if your dog’s lifestyle changes, your veterinarian may want to discuss modifying the vaccine recommendations to ensure that your dog is well protected. What Is the Recommended Schedule for Vaccines? Puppies generally receive their first vaccines when they are around 6 to 8 weeks of age. Booster vaccines are generally given every 3 to 4 weeks until the puppy is 16 weeks of age. Your veterinarian can discuss with you which vaccines your puppy will receive at your “puppy checkup” visits. Vaccines are generally repeated a year later. Although puppies are considered especially vulnerable to some diseases, it is also very important for adult dogs to be up-to-date on vaccines. Traditionally, many vaccines were repeated yearly, during regular annual checkup examinations. However, research has shown that some vaccines can protect dogs for longer than 1 year. In light of research findings, the AAHA guidelines note that some vaccines don't need to be repeated more often than every 3 years. The decision regarding how often your dog needs vaccine boosters depends on several factors, including your dog’s overall health status and risk for exposure to the diseases in question. Your veterinarian may recommend annual boosters after considering your dog’s lifestyle and disease exposure risk. The decision regarding how often to administer any vaccine (annually, every 3 years, or not at all) should be an individualized choice that you and your veterinarian make together. Vaccination remains one of the most important services your veterinarian offers, and although vaccination is a routine procedure, it should not be taken for granted. It also allows a regular opportunity for your veterinarian to perform a physical examination, which is very important for keeping your dog healthy. Protecting patients is your veterinarian’s primary goal, and developing an appropriate vaccine protocol for your pet is as important as any other area of medicine.
What Is Canine Urine Marking? Canine urine marking is a natural, instinctive behavior in dogs, but it is not appropriate inside the house. Dogs, especially sexually intact male dogs, urinate on objects to mark their territory or to leave a message for other dogs. Urine marking behavior usually begins when the dog reaches sexual maturity. What Causes Canine Urine Marking? An intact male dog is most likely to mark when there is a female dog in heat nearby. Intact female dogs are also prone to marking when they are in heat. However, any dog may mark if another dog has urinated anywhere in the house. By urinating on the previous site of urination, the dog essentially “remarks” that location as its own territory. Unless the scent of the urine is completely removed, the dog is likely to keep urinating there. In multi-dog households, dogs, especially of the same sex, may compete for dominance, which can result in urine marking. This same behavior can occur in a confident dog that feels dominant to the owner. Any anxiety-producing situation can trigger urine marking as well. Workmen in the house, the arrival of a new baby, or visiting relatives can all produce anxiety in a dog. Even the addition of a new TV or a new computer may threaten a dog so that it feels compelled to mark the packing boxes. Rest assured, your dog is not trying to get back at you. It’s just doing what comes naturally. How Is Canine Urine Marking Diagnosed? Your veterinarian will start by discussing when, where, and how often the behavior occurs. A workup should be conducted to rule out medical disorders that may be causing the problem. If there are no medical causes, your veterinarian will need to determine if incomplete house training or other behavioral conditions are causing the problem. How Can It Be Treated? In most cases, overcoming urine marking requires multiple steps: Neutering. If the dog is sexually intact, neutering is the first step. In many cases, male dogs that are neutered stop urine marking within weeks to months of the procedure. Female dogs that are spayed almost always stop the behavior. However, behavior modification is often needed as well. Scent elimination. It is important to remove the scent of previous urine marks with a good enzymatic cleaner. Camouflaging the odor with another scent is not effective. An enzymatic cleaner can help neutralize the scent to prevent recurrences of the behavior. Many dogs won’t urinate where they eat, so you can also try feeding your dog in the location it used to mark. Positive reinforcement. Never punish a dog for urine marking. Punishment can create more anxiety, which may only exacerbate the problem. Instead, you need to supervise your pet closely. If you see the dog starting to eliminate inside, interrupt him or her with a firm “No,” and bring the pet outside. When the dog urinates outside, reward him or her with praise and treats. Make sure to bring your dog outside frequently, always providing rewards for appropriate urination outdoors. Confinement. During retraining, it helps to limit your dog’s access to frequently marked areas. You may need to confine your dog to a room or small area by shutting doors or by using baby gates or a crate. As your dog’s behavior improves, you can gradually increase his or her freedom in the house. Be careful to frequently exercise your dog outside, so your dog does not become agitated with long periods of confinement. Minimize anxieties. If you can identify the factors that are causing your dog anxiety, remove them or minimize their importance. With a new baby, for example, you can desensitize your dog by gradually increasing the amount of time your dog is exposed to the new baby. At the same time, use counterconditioning tactics, such as praising, petting, and rewarding your pet for calm behaviors around the baby, so it has positive associations with the child. You may also consult your veterinarian about a D.A.P. Dog Appeasing Pheromone diffuser. By mimicking the pheromones produced by a mother dog to give her puppies a sense of calm and well-being, this product can help ease anxieties in dogs. Establish dominance. Some dogs need to be gently reminded that you are the boss and that they need to work for rewards. Ask your dog to sit or lay down, then provide a reward such as a treat or a walk and TLC! Medications. As a last resort, you can consult your veterinarian for medications. In most cases, dogs are given a type of antidepressant. These drugs often take 4 to 6 weeks to make a difference. However, behavior modification is always the first choice and should continue, even with medications.
When Is a Dog “Senior”? With many dogs living well into their teens, many owners wonder: When is a dog truly senior? The answer is that there is no specific age at which a dog becomes senior. Individual pets age at different rates. However, most dogs become senior at 7 to 10 years of age, and most large- and giant-breed dogs become seniors earlier than small-breed dogs. Knowing the general age of your dog can help you monitor him or her for early signs of any problems. Health Issues in Senior Dogs As dogs grow older, their bodies become less able to cope with physical or environmental stress. Their immune systems become weaker, and they are more prone to developing certain diseases or conditions, including:
This is why regular senior wellness visits with your veterinarian are important for the long-term health of your dog. The Senior Dog Wellness Exam Just as with people, it’s important for dogs to see their doctors more often as they age. Most experts agree that healthy senior dogs should see their veterinarians every 6 months. A thorough senior wellness exam is designed to:
During a senior wellness exam, your veterinarian will ask you questions to obtain a complete medical history for your dog and to determine if there have been any changes in health or behavior since the last visit. During the physical examination, your veterinarian will assess your dog’s overall appearance and body condition by listening to his or her heart and lungs; feeling for signs of pain, tumors, or other unusual changes in the neck and abdomen; checking joints for signs of arthritis or muscle weakness; and examining the ears, eyes, and mouth for any signs of disease. A routine senior wellness exam should also include the following tests to check your dog for signs of disease and to assess your dog’s kidney and liver function:
Most veterinarians recommend that this baseline laboratory testing be conducted at least once a year in adult dogs aged 2 to 7 years, and more frequently in senior dogs. Dogs that have an existing medical problem may need testing more often. Additional tests may be required depending on the results of routine screening tests. Which tests are necessary and how often they are performed are different for each dog, but, in general, the ones listed above will provide your veterinarian with a good “snapshot” of your senior dog’s health. Over time, these test results can be tracked and compared to help your veterinarian detect any developing health trends. Monitoring Your Senior Dog Dogs age much more rapidly than people do. Therefore, they may appear healthy for a long time and then seem to become suddenly ill. You can help your veterinarian by keeping a close eye on your dog between exams. If you notice any unusual signs of trouble, don’t wait for your regularly scheduled checkup to see your veterinarian: call right away. Signs to watch for and quickly report include the following:
Unexplained weight loss or weight gain can be an early sign of underlying disease. Weight management itself can also be an issue: Many senior dogs are obese, and obesity can contribute to the development of diabetes, arthritis, and other conditions. Keeping Up With Basic Care Along with paying more attention to your dog’s health as he or she ages, you should continue routine wellness care such as parasite prevention, dental care, nutritional management, and appropriate vaccination. Maintaining proper routine care becomes even more important as your dog’s immune system ages. Take steps to ensure your dog’s comfort, such as making sure that food and water bowls are still easily accessible to your old friend and that you give him or her plenty of attention and affection. Foods for senior dogs should be lower in fat but not lower in protein. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation. Size is used to determine when it’s time to feed your dog a senior diet:
Smaller, more frequent feedings are easier on a senior dog’s digestive system. You might need to give your senior dog more opportunities to urinate and defecate. Because senior dogs can’t regulate their body temperature as well as young dogs, senior dogs should be kept warm, dry, and indoors when not outside for exercise. Senior dogs are also more sensitive to heat and humidity, so they should be protected from conditions that could cause heatstroke. Arthritic dogs may appreciate ramps instead of stairs, extra blankets on their beds, and an orthopedic bed. If your dog is losing his or her sight or hearing, remove obstacles and reduce your dog’s anxiety by keeping floors free of clutter. Regular toothbrushing (only with dog toothpaste) will help reduce plaque that can cause problems, but many senior dogs require professional cleanings under general anesthesia. |
AuthorDr. Carlson is an avid contributor to her blog, make sure you check out her articles! Archives
March 2019
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
