The obvious benefit to spaying or neutering you pet is to prevent breeding. Without reproductive organs there is no chance of unwanted litters. This helps with the massive problem of pet overpopulation in this country and prevents owners from the surprise of unintended expenses associated with raising puppies or kittens that were not planned.

There are also multiple health benefits associated with spaying and neutering. When a female is spayed prior to her first heat cycle it significantly decreases her chance of breast cancer as she ages. With every heat cycle she has, the chances of breast cancer slightly increase. While this is certainly not a cancer seen in all older intact females, it is easy to help decrease your pets chances of developing this disease. Another benefit of spaying a female is that you can prevent pyometra. Pyometra is a potentially life threatening uterine infection that often requires emergency surgery to remove the infected uterus. With a spay surgery, the ovaries are completely removed with the uterus thus preventing heat cycles and ovarian cancer. Even female dogs that are used for breeding will benefit from being spayed after their breeding days are over.

Neutering male dogs can prevent testicular cancer. It also decreases the incidence of benign prostatic hyperplasia (benign enlargement of the prostate) which is hormone driven. Intact male dogs also seem more prone to prostate inflammation and infection. Any prostate enlargement, if significant, can lead to problems with urination and defecation. Males that have been used for stud benefit from neuter once they are done breeding.

Altering your pet can also decrease their urge to roam and find mates, so you may have less problems with pets that run away and/or fight. Because of this, spayed females and neutered males (in particular) seem to have less incidence of contagious disease simply due to their decrease in exposure to other animals.

Spaying or neutering your pet is almost always recommended at some point in their life - while young for pets not being bred and for those that are used in breeding programs, once they are done with breeding. Please speak with your veterinarian to discuss each particular procedure in more detail.

On a recent episode of Good Eats - a cooking show hosted by Alton Brown on the Food Network - the host feeds his dog Matilda left over onion, garlic and salt pork! Now this is intended in jest but in real life could be disastrous. Onions and garlic can be toxic to dogs and cats and salt pork may cause another set of problems.

Onions and garlic can lead to damage to red blood cells which in turn can lead to severe anemia. This includes raw, cooked and dried versions of these plants. Individual animals appear to vary in how susceptible they are to the toxic effects. When the anemia is severe it can lead to lethargy, weakness, organ failure and death. In severe cases treatment may require blood transfusions and significant hospital time.

Salt pork is problematic due to its fat and salt content. The fat could lead to severe gastritis/enteritis or pancreatitis. Clinical signs would include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and not eating and these diseases range from mild to life threatening. Salt can also cause significant intestinal upset and be even more problematic for an animal with underlying kidney or heart disease.

Moral of the story is do not feed your pets people food because even seemingly harmless vegetables can be toxic. If you pet ingests onions, garlic or salt pork, contact your veterinarian for advice immediately.

Size matters. How much room do you have for this new pet is the obvious first question. Other things to consider are activities with the pet. Very small dogs with young children can be dangerous for the pet as small dogs break bones easily when accidentally dropped or stepped on. On the other hand, smaller dogs may be less frightening to a child. Do you want a pet to carry around and dress up or a larger one to rough house in the park with? Also consider cost since veterinary care is often related to the pet’s size. Obviously food, heartworm prevention and medications cost much more for a 100 pound dog than a 5 pound dog.

Do you want an adult or puppy? There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Adult dogs often don’t need to be house broken and may already have some degree of training. Of course you may also have to untrain some unwanted behaviors that they have picked up. If you are interested in an adult dog but are concerned about any unwanted behaviors, consider adopting a dog already placed in a family such as one from a rescue organization that uses foster homes. The foster family can give you a report of how the dog handles his temporary home environment. An adult dog may have been given up because it was escaping from the back yard but may be the perfect dog for you if you have a high fence and do not intend to leave it unattended for long periods of time. With puppies, you get to start from scratch but this means the commitment of doing all the house training, socialization and teaching manners yourself.

Purebred or mix-breed? Purebreds may be more predictable in both their strengths and weaknesses. You know what the breed’s intended job is (hunting, herding, guard dog, lap dog) and what its intended traits are. A good breeder’s goal is to produce dogs as close to the ideal breed standard as possible. They will have excellent records of a dogs family history - good traits and bad as well as health history. Inherited diseases are hopefully avoided by careful breeding but since that is not always possible, despite best efforts, you can at least have an idea of what to monitor for - hip dysplasia is an example here. Remember that even the best breeding in the world can not predict what any particular dog will be like both in temperament and health. If your goal is to breed your new dog you will obviously want a pure bred. It is imperative that you purchase a quality dog so do your research. You can find a wealth of breed specific information from the American Kennel Club, local breed organizations, purebred rescue groups and breed specific web sites. With mix-breed dogs you tend to have less chance inherited disease, often referred to as hybrid vigor, though these problems are still possible. With a mix, the hope is to get the best from the contributing breeds while eliminating any undesired traits.

Other questions to ask when picking a dog is how much time you have to devote to the dog and what its purpose in your household will be. Do you want a calm and quiet dog or one that requires abundant exercise? Energetic dogs can be a joy for someone with an active lifestyle but the same dog can be a disaster without the proper exercise, attention and training. A similar question is do you want a dog that was intended to hunt, herd, guard or simply be a lap dog/companion? Will your dog need to spend time with an activity specific trainer (hunting, agility, etc)? Do you intend to spend time daily brushing the dog’s hair coat or do you prefer one with minimal grooming requirements?

This article is certainly not all encompassing since there many factors that go into choosing a dog. Make a list of the traits your perfect dog would have and then begin research. Even if you opt for a mix-breed, these dogs often show traits of their component breeds. By knowing what you want and what you are realistically prepared for you will increase the chance that your new dog will fit in well with your family.

The toxic components of chocolate are caffeine and theobromine. The fat in chocolate can cause problems as well. Caffeine and theobromine are methylxanthines and are typically in highest concentrations in bakers chocolate followed by semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.

The first noted clinical signs are often vomiting and diarrhea. Dogs may also be restless, hyperactive and wanting to drink large amounts of water. Dogs may have an elevated temperature and fast heart rate. In cases of severe intoxication signs can include tremors, heart failure, seizures and death.

Treatment may involve making the dog vomit the chocolate (not appropriate in every case - proceed only under veterinary supervision) and symptomatic treatment as indicated. In cases of mild intoxication a bland diet and medication to address stomach upset may be all that is indicated. In cases of severe intoxication it may be necessary to place animals on IV fluids, anti emetics, stomach protectants, anti seizure medications and heart medications. Diagnostics that may be appropriate in severe cases include complete lab work, blood pressure checks, and an ECG to check heart rate and rhythm.

Another consideration with chocolate intoxication is other compounds the dog may have ingested - wrappers, containers, fat, etc. These can cause their own problems so be sure to give your veterinarian an accurate as possible account of what was eaten.

A good resource for information on all types of intoxications is the ASPCA web site.

The two types of demodex presentations are localized and generalized. Localized demodex lesions are typically mild with several patches of hair loss on the body. Sometimes these areas have some crust or scale present. Localized demodex will often resolve on its own or with topical treatment over a period of several months. This is the most common form in young dogs. It is suspected that puppies are susceptible to this form when their young immune systems are not fully functional or stressed from other issues in their environment.

Generalized demodex is more severe with lesions covering a much larger area of the body. This can be found in puppies who’s localized demodex has progressed or in adult dogs. Treatment for generalized demodex involves topical shampoos with benzoyl peroxide to flush the hair follicles and medicated dips every 2 weeks until multiple skin scrapes do not show any mites. Treatment typically takes at least 3 months. These dogs are often also placed on oral antibiotics to address secondary bacterial infections. In some refractory cases oral medications to address mites are needed. Adult onset demodex can be difficult to cure. It is necessary to evaluate the dog for possible underlying systemic disease that could be suppressing the immune system but in some cases no underlying cause is found. The mechanism for the immune system being susceptible to the mites is unknown. In some adult cases, the mites are controlled but infection is not completely cured.

The most notable clinical sign is a severe pruritus. Unlike itching due to allergies, it is minimally if at all responsive to steroids. Dogs typically also have hair loss on the ear tips, elbows and hocks. With chronic, untreated infestation, hair loss may also be seen on the trunk. The hair loss can be severe with crusts, thickening of the skin and secondary skin infections.

The mite is transmitted by dog to dog contact. The mites do not live in bedding or on surfaces as fleas do. Infected dogs will develop clinical signs several weeks to over a month after contact. Dogs are the preferred host but the mite can temporarily cause problems with humans leading to a pruritic rash that usually resolves after treatment of the infected dog. A physician may need to be contacted in cases of human infestation.

A positive diagnosis can be made by finding the mites or their eggs on a skin scraping. The mites and eggs can be very difficult to find so in cases of suspected infection these dogs are usually treated even with a negative test.

Treatment is most often application of several doses of selemectin which is the main ingredient in a common monthly heartworm prevention. Since some dogs can be asymptomatic carriers, all dogs that the infected dog is in contact with need to be treated. A response to treatment is usually noted in 1-2 weeks. Secondary bacterial skin infections need to be addressed as
well.

The outcome of exposure to the virus varies widely. This is dependent on both viral and host factors. The viral strain, dose and length of exposure affect the chances of infection as does the cats age, immune system and concurrent disease status. Young cats are most susceptible to infection. Once infected, cats either clear the infection completely or remain infected. For cats that do not clear the infection there are two courses the disease may take. One is for the virus to become latent in some cells during which time all routine FeLV tests will be negative. This infection can be reactivated in times of stress. The other course is for cats to become immediately and persistently viremic. Tests on these cats will come up positive and they are infectious to other cats.

Clinical signs of FeLV infection are extremely variable, usually nonspecific and depend on the type of disease process present. These processes can be either neoplastic (as the name implies) or non-neoplastic. The two most common forms of cancer caused by the virus are lymphoma (lymphosarcoma) and leukemia. Non-neoplastic disease is typically due to immunosuppression and includes gastrointestinal disease, upper respiratory disease, skin problems, and dental disease. Often cats initially present for not eating well, fever, weight loss, lethargy or depression.

Testing for Feline Leukemia virus is readily available and easily performed with a blood sample. Testing is recommended on any at risk cats (outdoors, new cats being introduced into environment), sick cats and kittens. A single positive response indicates exposure and retesting in 12 weeks is recommended to confirm persistent infection. There is a vaccine available and it does not interfere with testing.

There is no treatment for FeLV infection but good preventative health care can allow these cats to lead long healthy lives. They do best indoors in a closed environment to prevent infecting other cats and limit their exposure to other infectious agents. It is recommended that infected cats have exams every 6 months to monitor weight and catch any problems early. They typically take longer to clear infections so it is recommended to begin treatment sooner and continue longer than would be done with a non infected cat. They should have year round parasite prevention and deworming as well as good dental care. These cats should also be spayed or neutered.

There is a vaccine available to protect from Feline Leukemia virus. It is typically recommended for cats that are at risk - living in a house hold with a known infected cat or access to the outdoors. This vaccine has been implicated in association with vaccine associated fibrosarcomas (a very rare but potentially deadly tumor) so it is typically only used in cats that are at risk as stated above. Vaccine protocols should be discussed with your veterinarian and established on your cats particular needs.

This disease typically occurs in older, large breed dogs. Clinical signs are usually vague, affecting multiple organ systems and slow to develop. The changes that appear are often initially attributed to “old age” by owners. Affected dogs tend to be less active, less interested in their surroundings, intolerant of cold and prone to weight gain.

Changes in the skin and hair coat are often noted including dry flakey skin, thinning of hair, dry coat, loss of coat luster and an increase in skin infections. In rare cases some dogs will develop edema in the face causing puffy eyelids, forehead and cheeks.

Reproductive problems and decreased fertility can occur in both males and females if dogs are intact.

Hypothyroidism can also affect the nervous system. Neuropathy can occur leading to weakness, exercise intolerance, ataxia or paralysis. Changes to the vestibular nerve which controls the vestibular system in the ear can cause “stroke like” episodes where the dogs are having trouble righting themselves and are unable to stand. They may have drooping of one side of the face and drooling if the facial nerve is affected.

Congenital hypothyroidism, also called cretinism,is very rare in dogs and leads to failure of these pets to grow properly.

Diagnosis of hypothyroidism is made based on clinical signs and changes on blood work. The most commonly evaluated value is the total T4 which is a good screening test for hypothyroidism. In some cases where the total T4 level is low normal and hypothyroidism is still suspected it may be necessary to evaluate additional thyroid hormone levels.

Treatment is supplementation with a synthetic form of thyroid hormone, usually given twice daily in pill form. Side effects are rare but can include excitability, nervousness and panting if the dose is too high. Activity levels often increase after 1-2 weeks of therapy. Improvements in weight, skin condition and other clinical signs take longer to appear - often 4-8 weeks or longer. 4-8 weeks after starting dogs on supplement, a recheck of thyroid hormone levels is needed to ensure they are at the proper dose. Form there levels are typically checked every 6-12 months or as clinically indicated.

Signs seen with this disease are consistent with those expected in other peripheral vestibular diseases - peripheral meaning not involving the brain but the vestibulocochlear nerve in the ear. Patients may be unable to stand, fall to one side, tilt the head to one side or have an abnormal flicking of the eyes called nystagmus.

Diagnostics involve ruling out other potential causes of peripheral vestibular disease that can be treated. The most common being middle or inner ear infection. This involves an otoscopic exam - in some cases anesthesia is required. X-rays of the skull may be indicated to evaluate the inner ear. Lab work is evaluated to rule out hypothyroidism as a possible cause.

Treatment is supportive as the clinical signs will typically resolve on their own over a few days to several weeks. Some patients are nauseated so anti-emetics are indicated in these cases. Intravenous fluids can be given if the patient will not eat.

The virus is spread most commonly by bite wounds and as a result intact male cats are most prone to infection. Outdoor cats are also at higher risk than indoor cats in stable populations. There appears to be wide variability in the ability of queens to pass the virus on to kittens though the placenta or milk depending on the mothers immunity, blood levels of virus and the strain of the virus.

Clinical signs after initial infection may include fever, low blood cell counts, and infection though this phase often goes unnoticed. Most infected cats are asymptomatic carries who will not show signs of illness for months to many years after infection.

Because the virus suppresses the immune system, infected cats are susceptible to secondary infections and cancer. It is complications of these secondary diseases that tend to be most problematic. These can include chronic skin disease, gastrointestinal disease, respiratory disease and dental disease (gingivitis, stomatitis, periodontitis). These cats may also have recurrent eye problems.

Diagnosis is by an antibody test called a serum ELISA test. This test looks for antibodies produced in response to the virus and can be quickly performed at most veterinary hospitals. While these tests are very reliable, a positive test needs to be confirmed with a Western Blot assay that can be run at most commercial laboratories. Cats that should be tested include any new cat or kitten prior to introducing into the household, any sick cat or any at risk cat (outdoors, fights). It is important to note that FIV antibodies are passed from mother to kittens and they will persist for up to 6 months. Therefore any positive test on a kitten under 6 months of age needs to be repeated after 6 months as the test will likely be negative after antibodies clear. The FIV vaccine will also interfere with testing as it will cause a positive antibody response. There is currently no way to differentiate an infected cat from a vaccinated cat.

Treatment for infected cats is supportive and involves environmental management as well. These cats do best when kept strictly indoors in a stable house hold. This prevents them from spreading the disease to cats outside, prevents fighting in the house and decreases these cats exposure to other infectious diseases. Routine dental care needed to help keep the mouth healthy and prevent serious periodontal infection. Any type of infection (urinary, respiratory, skin, dental, etc.) needs to be treated aggressively - more so than with an uninfected cat. These cats need to be examined every 6 months with full lab work and urinalysis every 6-12 months with the goal being to catch any problems early. They need year round flea and heartworm prevention and regular dewormings as well. These cats should also be spayed or neutered.