As the snow deepens in the Adirondacks, deer will soon be moving toward their winter “yarding areas.” As you may already know, deer leave their summer feeding range as snow depth approaches 15 inches and begin moving toward their wintering areas. Too many deer, however, will not be moving toward their traditional “yarding” areas but rather to human-populated areas. Some deer have learned to raid backyard bird feeders. Some have learned to wait around, eating the homeowner’s lawn trees and shrubs, until they get a free handout.

As a caretaker with a long history of winter deer feeding, I am concerned that “backyard” deer feeders may be doing more harm than good to the deer they are trying to help. Until banned by the Department of Environmental Conservation, the property I caretake for had a 75-plus-year history of winter supplemental deer feeding. I have spent more than 20 years feeding and learning from the wild deer under my feeding charge.

Over the many years of winter feeding, we learned better ways to meet our deer’s nutritional requirements. Some of our learning was through trial and error. But much of what we learned was from our close relationship with Syracuse University and the two graduate students who completed their field study on our property. The first study began as a winter survival and spring dispersal study. The second evolved into a nutritional and feeding behavioral study. Both studies were conducted in the 1990s when we were allowed to winter-feed. Because we had the financial resources to feed responsibly, both in quality and quantity of feed, we also had the manpower to feed large numbers of deer every day from December until spring dispersal. Because of our exceptional feeding program and the large number of deer we were feeding, Syracuse University felt this property was a near-perfect laboratory for deer research. For more than four years, we worked closely with Syracuse U. to gain mutually wanted deer information.

As strange as this next statement may sound, we learned deer can die, will die and do die with a full stomach. You may already know that deer, like cows, are ruminants. They have multiple-chambered stomachs. What you may not know is that deer rely on microorganisms to break down their foods. Because of their microorganisms, deer are browsers, not grazers. Within a given year, from the spring season to the next season and so on, deer will browse on a variety of new seasonal vegetation while still feeding on some older vegetation. This allows the microorganisms within their stomach to adjust slowly from one food source to the newer food source. It may take weeks, however, for the microorganisms to adjust completely to new foods. We soon learned it was best to feed every day once our feeding program began. Feed consistently with the same feeds and in the volumes needed for each deer, every day. I can personally testify that to abruptly change deer foods puts their digestive system into a dilemma, causing problems from bloating to diarrhea.

I have seen deer arriving to our feeding station in late winter that would not survive because their stomach microorganisms could not adjust to our feed quickly enough to prevent starvation. After their deaths, a check of their femur marrow always showed depleted stored fat. Deer rely on stored fats to get them through our long winters when natural browse (or supplemental feeds) is not available. When their stored fat is depleted, there is most often not sufficient time for the deer’s microorganisms to adjust to new foods. So deer can, indeed do, die of starvation with a full stomach.

That is my concern with “backyard” deer feeders. They are unknowingly doing harm, out of uninformed kindness, to the deer they are trying to help. The people I am most concerned about are inconsistent with the foods they feed and inconsistent with the frequency they feed. They may feed apples one day, carrots another, bread and lettuces another day and then go days without feeding. These people need to be informed; the deer they are feeding inconsistently and with inconsistent feeds are most likely the deer to die with full stomachs. And in the meantime, deer will be browsing on any tree or ornamental plant they can reach. Backyard feeders draw deer too close to roads and vehicle traffic, domestic dogs and other human-associated hazards.

The DEC presently prohibits winter supplemental feeding of wild deer, by regulation. The regulation does permit, however, summer food plots and winter cutting of brush and trees, with some restrictions. The regulation specifically bans the feeding of any processed feeds. You should know, some processed feeds may contain mammalian parts from animals with chronic wasting disease (CWD). And processed feeds may be a source for spreading CWD. The regulation unfortunately also bans locally grown corn, alfalfa and all other feeds deer may like.

Until there is winter feeding compromise from Albany DEC, backyard feeders should desist. There is a proper way to winter-feed deer, but it should be legal to feed. Make your feeding concerns known to Sen. Betty Little and DEC Director of Division of Fish and Wildlife Pat Riexinger. Let them know, if you could feed deer, you are willing to feed properly, you are willing to be a volunteer information collector, and you are willing to be a watchful monitor of backyard deer health.

P.S. My friend feeds her deer whole corn and is consistent in visiting them in the winter.

 1/ Although an incision from a laser is less painful than an incision from a scalpel, studies show that only lasts 24 hours.  At Hespeler Animal Hospital, our pain management protocol offers 4 days of pain control (more below…).

 2/ It costs the pet owner more.  A surgical laser costs anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000.  That’s an expensive piece of equipment.  The hospital has to charge more for the surgery in order to pay for that.  Most clinics in the area charge $50 to $100 in addition to the usual surgery fee when they use their laser.

 3/ I think it’s a lot of hype.  The sales reps do a great job trying to convince doctors that this surgical tool is the latest and greatest thing since sliced bread.  I don’t know about you, but I usually take what sales people tell me with a large grain of salt.  I think the fact that most board-certified surgeons, including those at university hospitals, do NOT choose surgical lasers over a scalpel speaks volumes.  One specialist once told me “A cut is a cut, whether it’s made by a piece of steel or by laser”.

 4/ There’s some controversy about the thermal damage to the tissues as a result of the laser beam.

So what do we do at Hespeler Animal Hospital to ensure our feline declaws are as pain-free as possible?
 

1.  We give pain medication before we start the surgery.  That’s called pre-emptive analgesia.  Giving it early prevents wind-up pain, where the nerves get “angry” and therefore are more reactive post-op. It means we don’t need to give as high of a dose post-op, because the nerves never had a chance to get irritated.  Lower doses of drug translates into fewer side effects for the pet.  And, given pain meds pre-op means the patient wakes up with the medication already on board, so recovery is as comfortable as possible.
2. We use local anesthetics via nerve blocks to numb the area.  We choose bupivicaine because it lasts 6-8 hours. The cat wakes up with no sensation at all in the surgical area. 
3. We add a narcotic to the local, because studies in humans have shown this can extend the duration of analgesia to as long as 3 days.  It does not block muscle function, just the ability to feel pain. 
4. We administer a dose of hydromorphone immediately after anesthetic induction, before the patient is taken to surgery.  Some vets like to give the narcotic to an awake animal, but because it can make them vomit, we prefer to give it when it cannot cause this side effect.  (We thank Dr. Nancy Brock, a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist, for that suggestion!)
5. We give an injection of Metacam, an anti-inflammatory, at the end of the surgery, if the cat’s blood pressure has been stable during the entire surgery.  Metacam can be hard on the kidneys if the patient experiences hypotension, so giving it at the end is safer because we’ve been monitoring the blood pressure through-out the entire procedure.  That’s another reason we highly recommend pre-anesthetic blood tests, to make sure it’s safe to give Metacam as a pain-killer.
6. We sent the cat home on two, not just one, pain medications.  Metacam for its pain-killing and anti-inflammatory properties, and buprenorpine because it is a narcotic that is 30 times as potent as morphine. 

                                             
What can you do to make sure your cat gets a pain-free declaw and no post-op complications?
 

1. Ask questions when you decide on who is going to operate on your baby!  What do they do for pain control while your kitty is in the hospital?  What do they prescribe for your kitty at home?
2. Make sure your cat is healthy.   Sick animals are more likely to develop more post-op inflammation.  Bring your kitty in for a physical exam before the surgery.  You want to meet the person who is going to operate on your cat, right?  And, a thorough check up means that you can feel sure your cat is a-ok for an anesthetic.
3. Make sure your cat is up to date on all of its inoculations. Kitty will be going into an environment where there may be patients hospitalized with infectious diseases! 
4. Say “yes” to pre-anesthetic blood tests that screen for silent diseases than can affect how your cat handles the anesthetic, and dictate what pain medications are safest.
5. Follow the surgeon’s post-op care instructions closely.  Some exercise restriction is in order after any surgery, to make sure the patient doesn’t hurt the incisions!
6. Don’t shop for the lowest price. There may be a reason it’s so low, and that might be because they’re not offering a good pain management protocol.
7. Choose a hospital that believes in pre-emptive analgesia.    Many veterinarians only give pain meds post-op.  By then it’s too late, the animal is already sore!  And, I know of a few older vets who choose not to give any pain medication at all.  No, I’m not kidding! They think that animals don’t feel pain like humans do, or they believe that being in pain means an animal won’t use the limb and hurt itself.  At Hespeler Animal Hospital, we strongly feel that animals do feel pain just like we do, and we believe there are better options than withholding pain medications to limit self-trauma after a surgery.

Here’s we you can read more about pain management for feline declaw surgery:

http://www.ehow.com/about_5379005_laser-surgery-better-traditional-declaw.html
http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.2002.221.651
http://www.avma.org/reference/backgrounders/declawing_bgnd.pdf

We’re located in Cambridge, Ontario and  your cat’s well-being is very important to us.  If you’re looking for a vet in the Cambridge, Kitchener and Guelph area, please give us a call!

A: Yes, indoor cats need to go see a veterinarian on a regular basis. It is just as important for them as it is for an outdoor cat, or for a dog.

All dogs and cats should have an annual physical exam. This allows for early detection of disease. If caught early, most diseases can be successfully treated, and the prognosis is much better than if the animal is presented once it is showing clinical signs of illness.

In some ways, indoor cats are more prone to disease than outdoor cats. Yes, they are at lower risk for infectious diseases and getting attacked by other animals, but they have a more sedentary lifestyle than outdoor cats. This makes them more susceptible to obesity, diabetes, urinary tract disease, heart disease, and arthritis. Indoor cats are also more prone to behavioural problems and housesoiling. It’s important to identify any of these issues while they are still easy to treat.

And, whether they go outdoors or live inside all of the time, all cats can get dental disease. As many as 70% of cats have periodontal disease by age three. And many cats suffer cavity-like tooth disease called Tooth Resorption or Resorptive Lesions. Dental disease hurts! Most animals do not show signs of oral discomfort, but rather suffer silently. They have the same dental structures that we do, and need dental treatment just like we do. And, not only will they feel better, but they’ll live longer too! Statistics show that dogs and cats who receive regular dental care can expect to live an average of 3 years longer than those who do not!

Most cat owners find it difficult to examine the teeth near the back of their cats’ mouths. That’s just one of the things we will check when your kitty comes in for an exam. We’ll also assess your cats body score (is it at an ideal weight?), listen to the chest with a stethescope, feel the spine and joints, look in the ears and eyes, and examine the skin.

Dogs and cats age approximately 6-7 years for each human year. Taking your cat to the vet every 3 years would the same as you or I getting a check-up once every 20 years. Once a year is the bare recommended minimum, and twice a year preferred for older pets.

In addition, booster vaccinations at prescribed intervals help protect your cat by maintaining a strong resistance to disease. Many of the diseases we inoculate against are very serious and prevention is the only way to avoid death or disabling illness. Many are so contagious that even indoor pets are at risk. They can be exposed to respiratory viruses carried in the air or germs carried on your clothing or shoes. Cats do not have to go outdoors at all to be at risk.

Rabies is a significant human health hazard. Rabies is a frightening disease because it is 100% fatal for humans and for pets. There is post-exposure treatment for exposed individuals before they actually come down with the infection, but once an animal or human is showing clinical signs, there is no cure. Why take a chance with your family’s and your pet’s life with a disease as scary as rabies! That’s why rabies vaccinations are mandatory by law for all dogs and cats in Ontario . That includes indoor cats too. Indoor cats usually get exposed to rabies when a bat gets inside the house, or when they accidentally get let outdoors.

Your indoor cat is an important family member. Why not ensure it gets the very best medical care, and help ensure it lives a long and happy life.

I am writing to you about a recent, disturbing sight that has been occurring to a neighbourhood dog, regarding the use of electric fence/electric collar training.

A friendly neighbourhood dog occasionally sits out at the top of his driveway. As soon as he sees my dog (or any other dog for that matter) and I walking down the street, he starts howling and comes running down towards the bottom of his driveway. After crossing the street the first time, I was impressed that it responded to my hand-command, “stay” and remained there. Not noticing this dog sitting out there at another time, we walked right in front of the house, and again the dog ran down to the bottom end of the driveway. Then as it squawked and yelped, it’s front paws began to jerk and shake with its body in spasm. Realizing that the dog had been held back because of an “electrical training tool”, I was shocked and ended up crying on my way back home with my own dog. Now whenever we go for a walk, I check to see if the dog is out on his driveway and try to avoid passing directly in front of its house; however, when unavoidable, we cross over to the other side of the street. By doing so, the dog doesn’t reach and “touch” the invisible electric fence and shock itself unnecessarily into spasms.

I had looked on internet to read about invisible electric fence and electric collar “training” tools and was dismayed with of some of the testimonials: the “tickling buzz” does not harm the dog and the “dial” is never set at the “optimum” level. However in this case, within the last few weeks of seeing this habit, the extremely excitable dog has never learned anything by such “training” method, and still occasionally yelps when in spasm, during its “shock” training. When the dog yelps and howls too much, the young parent comes out to call the dog back.

I feel that the owner must not really realize that every time their family pet receives “shock” training, these several, electric shocks look as if might possibly be damaging the dog’s heart and shortening its lifespan.

My question is: Is it really possible to damage the dog’s heart and shortening its life upon receiving too many electrical shocks?

I do not want to confront this young, (seemingly responsible in all other respects) neighbourhood owner. Although the cost of a dog-run fenced area or even a reasonably small fenced area might be a slightly costlier alternative, it might be kinder to the family pet rather than having it suffer spasms.
Also, other animals and humans are able to cross into and through this invisible electric fence and enter the property without harm; the family pet may end up in danger. If out of excitement, the family dog does run past the electronic fencing in order to chase a squirrel (for example), it can do so. However, because the dog would receive another “shock” when trying to re-enter, it may be unable to return to its own property. Also, after seeing various comments on ”U-tube” about some controversial dog-training methods, we as owners should be more discriminate and become more knowledgeable about our choices of whether or not to use various controversial tools, and about choosing reasonable trainers with humane, non-aggressive training methods.

As you are sometimes a guest columnist for our local Cambridge Times, I wondered if you would write something about this kind of situation for all to read. I think some of us are not aware of the possible damage we are doing to our family pets. In the near future, I hope that a positive outcome might result in informing pet owners about this “training tool” method.
Thank you for letting me “air” my concerns.

A. I couldn’t have said it any better!  You have described a very sad yet not uncommon situation. I am NOT a fan of invisible fencing. Although I don’t think invisible fences or shock collars can damage an animal’s heart, I do agree that they are not an ideal way to confine a dog, and should only be used as a last resort.

I have personally seen two cases where a dog has “taken” a shock to get out of the yard but been too afraid to get it on the way back in. As a result, both dogs were running on the road in a state of panic and were almost hit by several cars.

I know I would not want to wear a collar that would give me a shock if I misbehaved, even if it was a mild shock. And I’m a reasoning human being who would understand an explanation as to what was happening and the reasoning behind it. So, if I wouldn’t choose that form of learning for myself, why would I want to do that to an animal who does not comprehend what is going on?

I will then deliver the donations to the shelter in time for Christmas.  (The shelter cannot divulge its location to the general public, so I have offered my clinic as a convenient drop-off location).

Thanks for helping make this difficult time of year a little easier for the families who have experienced abuse and who have to spend the holidays in a shelter.

Louise

The AAA recently did a driver survey. Here are their findings:

Motorists frequently bring dogs along and engage in distracting behaviors.   Nearly 56 percent of respondents drove with their dog at least once a month in the past year. Fifty two percent petted the dog while driving, 23 percent used their hands or arms to hold their dog in place while braking, and 19 percent reached out to keep their dog from climbing into the front seat.

Drivers admit dangers of unrestrained pets, but most don’t use pet restraints.   Eighty-three percent of respondents knew that a dog loose in a moving car can be dangerous, but only 16 percent currently use a pet restraint system.

Calm dogs and lack of awareness top pet owners’ reasons for not using a pet restraint.  More than 42 percent of respondents say they do not use a pet restraint because their dog is calm and they do not think he or she needs a restraint. However, any dog will be thrown with the same amount of force in the event of a crash or sudden stop. Whether the dog is calm or hyper, it will still be hurt, and it might injure you too! According to AAA, an unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at only 30 miles per hour will exert roughly 300 pounds of pressure, while an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 miles per hour will exert approximately 2,400 pounds of pressure.

Our advice:  restrain your dogs in the car and refrain from engaging in distracting behaviors while driving. We want you both to arrive safe and sound!

 Excess weight will put a strain your pet’s heart, liver, spine and joints. Overweight animals are at risk of developing diabetes mellitis.

Your dog is near or at their ideal weight if you can feel its ribs without having to press hard;dogs should have very little fat over their ribs. Cats are slim if they do not have a pendulous abdomen or a round shape. Dogs and cats should have a “waist” behind the ribcage when viewed from above, and an abdominal tuck in front on the hind limbs when viewed from the side.

For drawings to see what I mean by that, click here

There are 3 basic ways to get a pet to lose weight: …

1/ You can cut back on the food already being fed by 1/3.   This can be a good way as long as the pet does not start mooching or stealing food due to the hunger.  However, there’s a risk that if you cut back on food, you’re also limiting nutrients important to your pet’s health.

2/ You can switch to a light diet in mildly restricted amounts. The disadvantage of this method is that it rarely works, as Light diets are formulated to prevent obesity (i.e. maintain the current weight) rather than achieve weight loss. I see tons of pets on “light” diets that are still fat!

3/ The best way to achieve weight loss is to feed a prescription diet that has been formulated for weight loss. These are available from veterinarians, not the pet store or grocery store. You will need to feed measured amounts rather than free choice. Splitting the recommended daily amount into 2-3 (even more for cats) daily meals will help prevent hunger and will help keep the metabolic rate higher.

Reducing diets are designed to help your animal feel “full” and satisfied, so are usually better tolerated than cutting back to 2/3 of the “old” diet.

Make sure any treats you give are low calorie. Medi-Treats, raw vegetables and air-popped popcorn are a few good choices. To prevent your family giving too many treats to your pets, I advise you place all the day’s treats in a reusable container every morning. When the container is empty, no more treats are allowed for the rest of the day.

You might even want to pre-weigh the daily ration and put in Ziploc bags labelled Mon, Tues, Wed, etc. 　

Make sure your pet gets exercise every day. For dogs, daily walks, and playing fetch. For cats, laser pointers shone onto the floor (not the cat’s eyes), fishing pole-style toys, and playing fetch with kibble (vs eating from a bowl). You can also divide your cat’s meals into 8 portions and place 6 of them onto a shallow dish. Hide the six dishes around the house so your cat has to “hunt” for them, thus getting exercise and play every day! Try for 10 minute play sessions 2-3 times/day.

We also recommend you bring your pet for weigh-ins every 2-4 weeks, to monitor progress and optimize chances for success.  That way, if your pet isn’t losing weight, the veterinary team can tweak your program and give you helpful suggestions!

 1/  Keep candies and chocolates out of reach of Fido and Fluffy.  Candies can cause upset stomachs or can be choking hazards.  If your pet eats candy wrappers, they can cause intestinal obstructions.  Chocolate can be toxic to pets.  Dark chocolates pose the highest risk.  The approximate toxic dose for pets is 1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight for Milk Chocolate, 1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight for Semi-Sweet chocolate, and 1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight for Baker’s chocolate. 

 2/  Watch your pet does not run outdoors and escape when you open to door to greet trick-or-treaters.  You may want to confine the pet to a room away from the front door, or keep your dog on a leash.  Pets that are potentially aggressive towards children should be kept under your control at all times.

 3/  Make sure your dog or cat has some I.D., either a microchip or a tag, preferably both (collars can break and tags can be lost, not an issue with microchips).  Now might be a good time to call your veterinarian to ask about having your pet “chipped”.

 4/  Some pets might be stressed by the sound of the doorbell going off every few minutes, or by the sight of all those scary costumes!  Plan ahead so your companion isn’t frightened by all the commotion.

 5/  Dressing pets up for Halloween can be a lot of fun, but make sure your pet is okay with the idea.  You may want to have Fifi wear the costume for short periods of time before the big night, in slowly increasing time intervals.  Give her plenty of rewards for tolerating being dressed up.

 6/  If Fido is going trick-or-treating with you and the children, keep him on a leash at all times.  Put some reflective tape on his costume, as well as those of the kids.

7/  Watch out for cords that can obstruct breathing, or buttons that can be chewed off and swallowed., if you choose to dress up your pet.

8/  Keep all electrical cords out of reach of your pets.

 9/  Watch your dog or cat can’t get at the pumpkin and burn itself on the candle, or knock it over and start a fire.

 10/  Keep kitty indoors on October 30 or 31.  Black cats are especially at risk for cruel pranks.

Here’s hoping for some good weather on October 31, and a safe night for all!

 http://www.hespeleranimalhospital.com/2011/09/25/what-is-a-fecal-and-why-is-it-so-important/

 There is one exception to this, however, and it’s the tapeworm.  The adults are very long and they also live in the intestine and don’t want to come out into the poop. So you won’t see the adults of these worms either.  You CAN see immature tapeworms, however, also known as “segments”. That’s because rather than laying eggs, they pass small pieces of their body into the environment.  These contain eggs, so when they dissolve, the eggs are released.

 I think tapeworms are amazing, even if they are gross.  The top segments in the body contain both ovaries and testes.  Each segment is a reproductive machine!  As the segments mature and move down the worm’s body, the gonads dissolve and a uterus develops.  The fertilized eggs are inside this uterus.  Then, as the segment gets closer to the worm’s “tail”, the uterus disappears and all that remains are the egg packets.

 The tapeworm passes these eggs into the host’s feces by shedding pieces of it’s body.  These segments look almost like flat inchworms when they’re fresh, and like rice or cucumber seeds when they’re dry.  That’s what you can sometimes see on the dog’s or cat’s feces, or on the fur near the rectum.  You can’t see the eggs themselves; like those of other worms, the eggs are microscopic.  

 The other fascinating thing about tapeworms is that they require an intermediate host to reproduce.  So, for example Taenia taeniaeformis, a common tapeworm in cats, needs to develop inside a mouse before it can infect a cat.

And Dipylidium caninum uses the dog and cat flea as its incubator, before it infects its final host (your pet).  So, a dog or cat cannot become infected if it eats tapeworm eggs.  It needs to eat the intermediate host.

So, when I see someone’s pet with tapeworms, I know it either hunts, or it has recently been infested with fleas.

 Fortunately, tapeworms are easy to treat.  You can get some prescription de-worming medication from your veterinarian that is safe and very effective.