There are a few things to remember if facing that difficult choice. First and foremost – animals don’t fear death like humans do.  They live in the here and now. Second, each situation is unique. Well meaning friends and family may offer suggestions – but it’s important to take into account all your personal factors and do what your heart tells you. Only you know what is best for your pet, especially at this time in their life.

One way to do make the decision is by using the HHHHHMM method.  HHHHHMM is a quality of life scale written by oncology veterinarian Dr. Alice Villalobos.  The five h’s and 2 m’s mean:

• HURT: Adequate pain control, including breathing ability, is first and foremost on the scale. Is the pet’s pain successfully managed? Is oxygen necessary?
• HUNGER: Is the pet eating enough? Does hand feeding help? Does the patient require a feeding tube?
• HYDRATION: Hydration  Is the patient dehydrated? For patients not drinking enough, use subcutaneous fluids once or twice daily to supplement fluid intake.
• HAPPINESS: Does the pet express joy and interest? Is the pet responsive to things around him or her (family, toys, etc.)? Is the pet depressed, lonely, anxious, bored or afraid? Can the pet’s bed be close to the family activities and not be isolated?
• HYGIENE: The patient should be brushed and cleaned, particularly after elimination. Avoid pressure sores and keep all wounds clean.
• MOBILITY:  Can the patient get up without assistance? Does the pet need human or mechanical help (e.g. a cart)? Does the pet feel like going for a walk?  Is the pet having seizures or stumbling?  (Some caregivers feel euthanasia is preferable to amputation, yet an animal who has limited mobility but is still alert and responsive can have a good quality of life as long as caregivers are committed to helping the pet.)
• MORE (as in, more good days than bad) When bad days outnumber good days, quality of life might be compromised. When a healthy human-animal bond is no longer possible, the caregiver must be made aware the end is near. The decision needs to be made if the pet is suffering. If death comes peacefully and painlessly, that is okay.

Each letter is given a value of 1-10, with one meaning poor and ten being the best. A score of greater than 35 is required for the quality of life to be considered acceptable.

It’s never an easy decision, but the HHHHHMM scale can be tremendously useful in making an emotion-free decision.  When making a decision as important as this, as emotional as this, as gut-wrenching as this, please remember – it’s better to make the choice a day too early than a day too late.  No one wants their beloved pet to suffer, and in this case, less is a far better choice than more.

• Arthritis: Senior cats, like humans frequently suffer from the pain and physical limitations of arthritis. 
• Dental Disease: Aging cats often have dental issues, so have your cat’s teeth checked frequently.
• Cancer: This disease is found frequently in senior cats.
• Pancreatitis: Can become an issue as your cat ages.
• Renal Disease: Yet another disease commonly found in senior cats.
• Mental Changes: Senior cats become confused, forgetting where their litter pan is, sleep patterns can alter and your cat may cry out during the middle of the night. The fear resulting from the confusion can cause your cat to become more aggressive, or to withdraw. Patience is needed.

What can be done to improve the life of a senior cat?

First and foremost – patience. There will be changes as your cat ages. They cannot be avoided.

• Vet care is imperative. Have your cat checked so pain can be monitored, blood work can keep you aware of what is going on inside your cats body, and do things that will aid your cat as well as you.
• Add a couple of extra litter boxes with low sides. Older cats can have a difficult time getting into and out of a high-sided litter box.  Memory can fail her, and she may not remember where the litter box is. Help her maintain her dignity as well as cleanliness of your home by providing extra boxes.
• Ramps can help a cat with arthritis pain get onto furniture.
• Avoid obesity. Extra weight is as bad for your cat as it is for you.
• Prevent dehydration. Cats easily become dehydrated, and most do not drink an adequate amount of water. As your cat ages, feed softer foods, and add a tablespoon of water to increase their intake of fluids. A cat fountain is often a favorite too, and also helps increase fluid intake.

Take the time to enjoy the senior years. Silly kitten antics are long gone, but the years you’ve spent together have formed a deep bond. Your cat trusts you and depends on you. Let those seniors years be a time that you can look back on as a time rich in togetherness and companionship. Time goes by so quickly, the years fly by and your kitten is now an aging cat, with new problems and new behaviors, but there is one constant – love.

The big question is this – what is the exact number of pets that switches you from an avid pet lover into the dark realm of pet hoarder?  And is there a difference?

Pet Owner vs Animal Hoarder

There is indeed a difference. Pet owners (no matter how many pets there are in the household) are responsible. The animals are fed and housed appropriately, and the housing is not filthy.  Animals are vetted when the need arises, vaccinated according to the owner’s beliefs, kept on heartworm medication, and dewormed. They are altered unless the owner shows and breeds the animal. The animals are healthy, well fed, socialized and happy.

Then there is the animal hoarder.  This is a mental illness, not just a behavior.  The animal hoarder collects animals, not out of malice – they do have good intentions.  Typically, they start “rescuing” and as the number of animals increases, the level of care decreases.  They simply cannot afford to provide the proper care, and feel overwhelmed.  As a result, the animals suffer.  Most are in poor health, kept in unsanitary conditions, not fed well, left to reproduce at random and receive little to no veterinarian care.

That is not to say that the hoarder doesn’t love the animals – they would protest vehemently if you said otherwise! Unfortunately it’s not only the animals that suffer, there is human suffering as well.  Families see an increase in stress and financial difficulties as the number of animals grows and gets out of control. Loved ones suffer as well, both physically and emotionally.  When the animals are housed within the family home of an animal hoarder, the home often becomes filthy and living conditions deteriorate.  The chance of disease and infection rises rapidly, as does breathing problems such as asthma and allergic reactions.

Helping the Animal Hoarder

There are many things you can do to help a friend or family member who is an animal hoarder:

• Reach out to the hoarder, offering your help – remember, hoarders often feel overwhelmed and isolated.
• Contact the local animal control office and make them aware of the problem.
• Find a social services agency to obtain help for the hoarder.
• Get the animals help – they need proper care.
• After the animals are removed help the shelter housing them – share information about the adoptable animals by word-of-mouth or a social media site.
• Check out “The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium” – it’s a website dedicated to finding solutions to the animal hoarding problem for humans and animals alike.

The key difference between multiple pet owner and  animal hoarder is that feeling of being overwhelmed, both mentally and financially.  The actual number of animals doesn’t define the person.  There’s far more to it than that.  Stop and take a look at the overall picture and you’ll be able to make the determination.  Loving care or haphazard care?  Frazzled or doting?  Sanitary or filthy? The answer will be clear.

Periodontal disease begins with gingivitis. Gingivitis starts when saliva and bacteria mix and form plaque, which sticks to the teeth and hardens, resulting in calculus and tartar. It is very noticeable at this stage – swelling, inflammation and infection can be seen just by looking in your pet’s mouth.

Pet Periodontal Disease Warning Signs

There are warning signs – trouble eating or chewing, bleeding gums, and bad breath are the first indicators. If not treated at this early stage with a dental procedure done by your veterinarian, it will progress into periodontal disease which is NOT treatable. Teeth will be damaged and your pet will suffer irreversible bone loss. Teeth will become loose, and may fall out. Weight loss can occur, and your pet can suffer from malnutrition.

But that’s not all …  As the condition worsens, the bacteria and infection in your pet’s mouth increases and can spread throughout the body, attacking and causing damage to various organs such as the heart, kidneys or liver. Any of these can cause a premature, preventable death.

Avoiding Pet Periodontal Disease

To help avoid periodontal disease, routinely check your pet’s teeth and gums. If there is anything unusual, get to the vet for a dental exam.

There are several ways to help avoid dental issues:

• Brushing the teeth (with toothpaste made specifically for pets!) is an excellent way to prevent problems. It is not something your pet will love, and can take as long as 4 months for them to accept. Just start slowly and don’t expect miracles in the beginning – patience is required, and sometimes a lot of it.
• Another option out there is an oral hygiene solution. These are simply added to the pet’s drinking water, and as your pet drinks, the solution works on eliminating bacteria and slowing down the formation of plaque.
• There are also dental treats, but be careful; many contain sugars which can exacerbate dental problems instead of helping, so read labels.
• Avoid feeding your pet sweets made for humans – sugar will increase the likelihood of dental disease developing.

Note: There is no truth in the old school thinking that dry dog food cleans teeth and is better for the animal than canned food. Dogs and cats fed either type of food can develop dental issues.  To help maintain good dental hygiene, be proactive.

February is National Pet Dental Health Month and many vets offer dental services at a reduced rate during February. It is well worth having a check-up. It will save your dog or cat from pain, poor health and possibly even death. A small price to pay to have your furry companion healthy, pain free and with you for years to come.

Great song, but the reality of buying a pet as a holiday gift is a bad idea. If you are planning on buying a new puppy or kitten for a loved one or friend, please reconsider.  There are several reasons not to give a pet as a gift.

Time to Get Personal

Many times when asked how someone chose their pet, the response is “he chose me.” It’s a very personal thing and requires a bond between human and animal. As a third-party, you can’t guarantee that bond. Another sound reason is allergies you may not know about. Just because the intended recipient isn’t allergic doesn’t mean other family members within the household aren’t – so far better not bring in a furry little creature if you’re not sure.

Hectic Holidays

Think of the puppy or kitten itself – with all the holiday chaos, households are typically noisier, busier and there are food and decorations unsafe for pets. Puppies and kittens are babies – they get stressed out in normal situations when brought into a new environment – imagine how these tiny little beings feel when brought into a home with a lot of noise, movement and blinking lights.

Pay the Price

Pet ownership can be expensive. Sure, you paid for the puppy, but that puppy will probably live 15 years or more and the expense required over its lifetime is substantial. Within a few short months of bringing a kitten or puppy into your home, it will need various vaccines, worming, and a spay/neuter surgery. The total costs can be several hundred dollars depending on location.

When a pet is brought into a home without careful planning and consideration, the results can be disastrous for the pet. Check shelters a few months after the holiday season – they are overflowing with “gifts” that are unwanted, and many of these poor animals are killed simply because there are not enough homes for all of them.

A great alternative is to give a card with a picture of the type of animal you will be giving, and the promise of a trip to your local shelter so a pet can be chosen at your expense, when the recipient is ready for a pet. Another option is to give a leash, collar, pet bowls and perhaps a gift certificate for a future vet visit for the pet you will be gifting in the near future.

Don’t make the choices for someone else when it comes to a living creature – they pay the price when they aren’t “right” or allergies develop, or they “get too big” or “chew things.” It’s fun to get a new puppy or kitten, but it comes with a life time commitment – and you, as the gift-giver, simply cannot provide that commitment to the pet. The future owner must be in on the decision-making. When carefully planned and chosen, the gift of a pet can provide a lifetime of mutual love and be the best gift ever for both pet and new owner.

Most “people” food is not harmful to our four-legged friends, but moderation is the key! Small amounts of turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes and green beans are fine – large amounts can cause anything from stomach upset and vomiting, to diarrhea or worse. What can be worse?

Pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas and is very painful. If not treated promptly, it can even be fatal. There are a number of factors that can increase the likelihood of your pet developing pancreatitis, but during the holiday season, the typical reason is being too generous with the holiday feast, as high levels of fat are a trigger. Other factors include: age – middle-aged animals are more prone, obesity, a high-fat diet, some medications, and past cases of Pancreatitis.

Symptoms to look for:

• Refusal to eat
• Dehydration
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea (often yellow)
• Distended stomach
• A hunched posture when standing or walking

If you suspect Pancreatitis, rush your pet to the vet, don’t wait. It is extremely painful and can be fatal.

If it’s suspected your dog is suffering from Pancreatitis, your vet will diagnose by doing blood work, an ultrasound and/or x-rays and a physical examination. Typically, liver enzymes are elevated. Treatment includes I.V. fluids, withholding food, and pain medications. Expect your pet to have to stay at least overnight, and possibly for a couple of days. Once recovered, future prognosis is fairly good, but there may be further complications – diabetes can develop as a result, and your pet will now be more prone to developing Pancreatitis, so will need to be on a low-fat diet for the rest of its life.

It’s up to us to protect our pets, even from our own kindness. It’s fine to share the goodies – just do it in moderation and spread it out over a few days rather than giving a huge feast at once. Mix it with your pet’s normal food instead of giving a bowlful of food your pet is not accustomed to eating. Your pet will appreciate the change of pace, and you can rest assured that your pet will get through the holidays without a medical emergency.

No Sweets

Care should be taken to keep candy out of the reach of pets. It can make them sick, and in some circumstances can even kill them. Chocolate contains Theobromine which can kill dogs, especially smaller dogs. Sugar-free candy has an artificial sweetner called Xylital, which can be deadly for dogs as well. It lowers the bloodsugar to dangerous levels and worse, it can cause liver failure in high enough concentrations.

Beware The Jack-o-Lantern

Seeing a jack-o-lantern with its flickering candle light is one of the fun things about Halloween, but cat owners take note. Cats and kittens are curious by nature, and the flickering could have them pawing at the jack-o-lantern. This could cause the pumpkin to tip over – a very real fire hazard. Keep your cats inside and your jack-o-lanterns outside for safety’s sake.

Keeping Black Cats Safe

Speaking of keeping cats inside, it’s the safest practice at all times for your cat, but especially for black cats on Halloween. Some people are known to steal or “sacrifice” black cats during this time of superstition. Don’t let your cat end up in the hands of someone with evil intent – keep them inside.

Fear of Costumes

Costumes are fun, but dogs don’t understand that these strange looking creatures are just humans dressed up. You don’t want your dog to bite someone out of fear, so keep them locked safely in another room away from the trick or treat activity. Fear can cause your dog (or cat) to dart out that open door and run away. Keep I.D. tags on all your pets, and again, keep them locked safely in a different room. Far too many get lost on holidays. Don’t let your pet become one of the statistics.

Yes Halloween can fun and safe – just take a few precautions to keep your pet happy and stress-free too.

Most people are familiar with breeds like the Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Shih tsu, Pekingese, Boxer Pug. They are characterized by their smooshed face. These breeds have another thing in common – they can all suffer from ailments typical for this type of head. Some seem funny, such as the snorting noises the dogs make, but others are very serious, even deadly. If you own a brachy or are planning on getting one in the future, you should be aware of potential health risks.

Heat Stroke

Brachy’s are far more likely to suffer from heat strokes than other dogs. Panting helps a dog cool off when overheated, and brachy’s are not efficient panters. This can lead to heat stroke or even death if not caught soon enough. Always protect your brachy from the heat.

Anesthesia Problems

Tracheal Stenosis is a fancy way to say narrow windpipe. Tracheal Stenosis creates an anesthetic risk, so prior to any surgery your brachy should have x-rays so your vet can determine if any extra precautions are in order.

Eye Issues

Due to the shape of the head, brachy breeds have very shallow eye sockets, which is why their eyes appear to bulge out of their face. Any sort of blow to the back of the head, or pulling on a leash fastened to their collar, can actually make their eyeball pop out of the head. This would require surgical intervention to replace it. For this reason, brachy’s should wear harnesses, rather than collars, when on leash. Occasionally a brachy dog has eyelids that don’t completely cover the eyeball, which results in dry eyes. Your vet can correct this quite easily with surgery.

Skin Folds

Many brachy’s have skin folds on their face and extra care must be taken. Clean the skin folds with a damp cloth so irritation and infection doesn’t develop. If you start cleaning the folds at an early age, your dog will sit calmly through the process.

These are a few of the special needs that are common in any brachycephalic breed. But don’t let these concerns deter you; the brachy breeds are delightful, fun-loving dogs with a lot of personality and that cute smooshy face is hard to resist. With awareness and caution your brachy will be a healthy, valued member of your family for years to come.

Realities of Declawing

Declawing your cat is a major surgery and is extremely painful. Declawing isn’t just removing the nail – it is an amputation of the tips of the cat’s foot. The procedure is like having each of your fingers amputated at the first knuckle – so in effect, your cat endures 10 amputations (assuming you only do the front feet) and has been mutilated for life.

Your cat not only suffers immediately after the surgery. He has to walk, stretch, and use the litter box while healing, which takes time and every movement is very painful. Other problems include:

• An altered gait. Cats are “digitigrade”, which means they walk on their toes.  After the amputation, your pet’s gait is altered – possibly leading to joint pain and arthritis.
• Litter box problems. Cats that had previously used their litter box faithfully may begin to associate the pain caused while digging in litter to the litter box itself. Your pet may stop using it completely, choosing the nice soft carpet which doesn’t hurt their feet.
• Outside dangers. Declawing can be dangerous if your cat gets outside as he no longer has the primary defense weapon of all cats.  He can become easy prey to larger cats, dogs or other predators, and he’s basically defenseless.

Alternatives to Declawing

If you decide that declawing is not an option for your beloved cat, what are your other options for protecting your belongings? There are other options that are humane.

• Exercise is a large part of the solution.  So how do you exercise a cat you ask?  Through play!  Those toys that dangle off a wooden or plastic handle are an easy way to  provide entertainment and exercise – and a tired cat is a lot less likely to get into trouble.  Take 15 to 20 minutes and play.  Your cat will enjoy it, and your bond will deepen.
• Provide places for you cats to scratch.  Get different shaped scratching posts and place them in various rooms around your house.  There are vertical as well as horizontal scratching posts and using different shapes will encourage your cat to use them.
• You can trim their nails too, much as dog’s nails are trimmed.
• Last, but not least, there are nail tips out there made just for your cat.  Yes, nail tips. Called “Soft Paws” these are artificial vinyl caps that cover your cat’s natural nail, and come in clear or colors. When they come off, you replace them – and no more worries about scratching.

Thankfully, declawing isn’t the only option for protecting you, your children and belongings from the claws of your cat.  With far more humane solutions, you can solve the problem and have a healthier, and happier cat.

Let’s start by defining what exactly a phobia is. The word phobia comes from the Greek word “Phobos” – meaning morbid fear.  A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder which can be described as an irrational, persistent fear of a situation or object.  In this case, the sound of thunder.  Quite often, dogs with a thunder phobia end up with a generalized loud sound phobia, and can’t tolerate anything really loud.

There are a wide variety of suspected reasons for a dog having a storm phobia; ranging from a trauma in his past,  poor socialization skills, or even genetics.  No one can be really sure, and the reasons can vary from dog to dog.  Bottom line is, if you have a storm phobic dog, you have a problem on your hands, not just because of the possibility of disruptive behavior, but it can truly be a life-threatening issue, as dogs have been known to go into cardiac arrest and die from the stress of being so terrified.

There are many solutions to try – just know that they don’t work for all dogs and you may have to test several of these before finding one that works. All items can be purchased online, at a health food store, and of course from your veterinarian.

Storm Defender: The storm defender is a cape and has a lining of a light-weight metallic-type material.  It works by grounding the dog from the higher levels of static in the air that occur before and during a storm.

Thunder Shirt:  This one works by “hugging” the dog in a snug embrace which helps calm them.

Herbal Remedies:  Phermomones can often induce a calming effect.  Some of more well-known herbal products are Comfort Zone, Rescue Remedy and Bach Flower Remedies.  It would be wise to talk with your vet before giving your dog anything ingested.

Sound Therapy:  There are CDs made for storm phobic dogs.  Typically there are 2 types.  One is to help desensitize the dog to the fearful sound gradually, the other is soothing music to play while the storm is raging.

Prescription Drugs:  You can speak with your vet and ask him to prescribe something for your dog.  Xanax and Clomipramine are two that are often used.

Behaviorist:  An animal behaviorist can help train both you and your dog to handle the problem.  It is money well spent if nothing else helps calm your dog.

Having a dog that is terrified of storms or other loud noises is not fun for you or the dog.  It can be life-threatening and it is most certainly disruptive.  No one should have to live with the deep, gut-wrenching fear these dogs live with.  As the owner, it is up to you to find a way that works for your dog.