ADVICE, TIPS & INFO FROM YOUR VET- Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
FLEA AND TICK CONTROL
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HEARTWORM AND PREVENTION JUNE 09 |
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| THE STING OF SPRING MAR 09 | |||
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news hounds & more...news BY Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M. Dogs Help Doctors Detect Cancer july 2010
If dogs are able to smell the presence of a person buried under tons of rubble or find crumbs of hashish hidden in some obscure corner of an automobile, is it unreasonable to think that they may also be of use in medicine?
In 2004 a small study published in the 'British Medical Journal' demonstrated that dogs could precisely detect bladder cancer by smelling urine samples. Since then various foundations around the world have investigated this further and have trained dogs to do this! It should be noted that despite the results achieved dogs are still a long way away from being considered oncology consultants.
There is a foundation in Hungary (Fundación Perros contra el Cáncer para la Vida) that has trained four dogs, of different breeds, (two of which are proven for their work in disasters) to successfully detect, by smelling, cancer in patients. Their results are not yet published but have a 99% success rate in a study involving 35 patients with lung cancer and 45 individuals in the control group.
The same success rate was achieved in 2006 by a group of Polish and American Scientists, working with five animals, able to identify patients with breast or lung tumours. This work has been published in 'Integrative Cancer Therapies', carried out by the Pine Street Foundation located in California.
In this study, as in the majority of earlier research, the dogs do not smell the patients directly, rather the air they exhale into special hermetically sealed containers. This represented one of the largest studies carried out with 86 cancer patients (55 with lung tumours and 31 with breast tumours), while there were 83 individuals in the healthy control group. Following the success of this experiment the foundation announced on their web page that they were recruiting patients for a study on ovarian tumours.
The studies by the foundation, until now, are comparing the animal detection studies with results from traditional biopsies, which is what they will continue to do. They do not pretend to offer the dogs as a substitute to traditional methods rather as a complimentary test. The dogs are not available to patients to be smelled directly, rather they are attempting to determine if they can smell and detect an anomaly in the exhaled breath of the patients. They stress that for the present time this is not a first line diagnostic tool, rather to determine if there is a substance that may be able to be detected by an electronic nose, that could be incorporated into a clinic, as opposed to having a dog sitting next to a patient on an exam table in an oncology clinic. There is a lot of work to be done yet to understand what substances are produced and emitted from cancer cells that are able to be detected by dogs.
Summer, Hot Temps, Cars & Dogs Do Not Go Together.
Many well meaning owners leave their dogs in their cars with the windows slightly open when they do errands only to come back & find their dog dead. It happened to a contestant auditioning for the “American Idol” singing talent show. The terrier dog was left in the car in Denver on a 91 degree day. By the time the owner came back, the dog was dead.
Even opening the windows is not enough to ventilate a hot car where the inside temperature can increase by 30 degrees in just half an hour. And it only takes a matter of 5-10 minutes on a hot day for a dog to wind up organ-damaged or dead.
DO NOT ABANDON YOUR PETS WHEN YOU GO ON HOLIDAY THEY DEPEND ON YOU FOR FOOD AND LOVE!!!
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The Sting of Spring & Summer & dog roots june 2010
We are all too aware of the reality that there has been a lot of rain these past few months. This will mean that there should be lots of wildflowers blooming this Spring, unfortunately they are not the only benefactors of the abundant water. This will be a record year for lots of other organisms in the countryside, many of them less desirable like mosquitoes to name but one. This is a warning about external parasites including of course fleas, ticks, and sand flies, as well as the internal parasites that may accompany them. There will also be an increase in the populations of leeches around lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. It’s also time to think once again about the Procession Caterpillar and the danger to us and our animals it represents. Animal owners and carers should be aware of this reality and institute the necessary control and preventative measures best suited to their particular pets and their environment. If you have any doubts or questions as to how best to proceed you should consult your Veterinarian for guidance in your particular case.
Leishmaniasis is an important disease and the parasite is transmitted by blood-sucking sand flies with approximately two million new cases every year and one tenth of the world's population at risk of infection. When the sandfly bites the parasite is passed on to the dog. It attacks the immune system which leaves the dog unable to fight infections and disease’s as well as a healthy one. The maximum risk of infection in our part of Spain is between May – September. At the moment there is no cure for canine leishmaniasis as the parasite continues to live in the bone marrow but there are drugs available to manage the disease. The main drugs used in Spain are Glucantime, Alopurinol and Levamisol.
Glucantime – An injection given into a muscle in the back leg – Kills the parasite
Alopurinol – Tablet – Given to protect the kidneys
Levamisol – Tablet – Antiparasite and increases the dogs defence’s
There are ways to protect your dog although none are 100% effective. A Scalibor collar seems to be the most effective, they are still active when wet and also control tick and fleas. Care should be taken when fitting a new collar as some dogs can have a reaction to them.
Symptoms of leishmaniasis can include – severe weight loss, lethargy, depression, hair loss, lesions, dermatitis, distended stomach, nose bleeds.
Dog Roots. The domesticated dog started out along the banks of what is now known as the Yangtze River in China some 16,000 years ago. A recent study has revealed this fact, the existence of only one place of origin but not just one wild ancestor, according to a joint study carried out by a team of Chinese and Swedish scientists. This study was based upon an analysis of DNA from dogs all over the world. The first dogs of eastern Asia ended up in the stomachs of their owners. One of the principal authors of the study, Peter Savolainen from the Stockholm Institute of Technology, believes that the dog was first started on the road to domestication from several hundred wolves. This implies that they played an important part in the culture of human beings. In a previous study, published in Science in 2002, the research carried out by Carles Vilà, put forth the idea that humans used dogs to hunt. This serves as the explanation as to why they migrated together some 13,000 years ago from Asia to America. According to P. Savolainen, in his paper published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, surprisingly concluded that the first dogs found in eastern Asia ended up in the stomachs of their owners, unlike their European descendants that were used as guards or for shepherding
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Taking your pet home...Pet Passport - May 2010
The recent financial crisis has effected almost everyone in one way or another, and a lot of us are innocent victims, left with no job, no money and in some cases no home.
When these things happen the most innocent victims of all are our pets. They are totally dependent on us for all their needs and don't understand financial matters, however grave.
For this reason you must plan ahead for every eventuality when you take on a dog or cat. They can live for 15 years or more and are your responsibility for the whole of this time.
Over the past few years thousands of ex pats have returned to the UK due to financial problems, among other things, and because of the strict laws on importing animals, their pets have been left behind here in Spain. Some are rehomed with friends, but most are abandoned. I use this word to include the thousands of dogs and cats left in rescue kennels. They feel this abandonment just as much as if they are left to fend for themselves in the campo.
The good news is that this situation is preventable. If you plan ahead as soon as you acquire an animal you need never have to make this heartbreaking decision.
PET PASSPORT
The first step to take when you get an animal is to take him to the vet to have him microchipped and ask the vet for a passport. He should also be vaccinated against all the usual diseases as well as rabies. Once you have the passport all future vaccinations should be noted in it instead of the green book. If you already have a green book with previous jabs in, keep it safe with the passport.
The rabies vaccine costs about the same as a normal jab and can be given alone or in a combined injection with the annual vaccination.
Once the rabies jab is given you must wait 21 days for antibodies to develop. Then take him back to the vet to have a blood test. This will be sent away for analysis. If the results are positive for antibodies you’re almost there! All you have to do now is wait for six months and your pet will be allowed to travel to the UK.
All vaccinations MUST be kept up to date, if his rabies jab is not up to date you’ll have to go through it all again!
The final thing required to enter the UK with an animal is to visit the vet between 48 and 24 hours before you are due to arrive, where he will be wormed and treated for ticks and the passport signed and stamped as proof. Any approved vet will do this so if you’re driving and intend to take several days you can visit a vet in France for this service.
Obviously all this has a cost, but prices vary so it’s worth asking a few vets what they charge for these services.
These steps should be taken as soon as you get your dog or cat, don’t wait till the worst happens and it’s too late.
Don’t let your pet become another innocent victim. DO IT NOW.
Information provided on behalf of A.M.P.A.R.E. protectora d'animals de la Ribera d'ebre
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Why chocolate poisons dogs and how to treat chocolate dog poisoning.. APRIL 2010
A handful of chocolate drops should kill a small dog like a chihuahua, as it is often said.
But many owners offer chocolate to their canine pets, so: Is chocolate truly poisonous to dogs?
Dogs have similar tastes to humans, and like us, they have a sweet tooth.
But while humans can ingest safely large quantities of chocolate, dogs metabolize theobromine more slowly, that's why chocolate triggers theobromine poisoning.
The theobromine will remain in the dog's bloodstream for up to 20 hours.
"The hazard, however, is probably overblown," says Tim Hackett, a veterinarian at Colorado State University.
Chocolate's effects are linked to its quantity and quality and the dog's size.
The chocolate's poison is the alkaloid called theobromine, whose molecules bind to receptors on the surfaces of cells and block the natural compounds that normally attach there.
In humans, theobromine provokes the release of the euphoria hormone, serotonin but in dogs low doses trigger vomiting, nausea, increased urination or diarrhoea.
If a large amount of theobromine or caffeine is ingested, some dogs will show symptoms such as muscle tremors, cardiac arrhythmias, epileptic seizures, internal bleeding, heart attacks and can even die.
Theobromine can make a dog's heart race up to twice its normal rate, and some dogs may run around as if they have drunk a gallon of espresso, according to Hackett.
Bitter chocolate contains six times more theobromine than milk chocolate, but theobromine's levels also varies with cocoa beans strain as well as different brands of chocolate.
Less than 100gms (a small bar of chocolate) of milk chocolate is potentially deadly for small dogs. A 20 kg dog will normally present intestinal distress after eating less than 240 g of dark chocolate, but won't necessarily present heart impairments unless it consumes at least half a kilogram of milk chocolate.
Just 1.3 g of bitter chocolate per kilogram of a dog's body weight is enough to trigger poisoning (so just 25 grams of unsweetened chocolate will poison a 20 kg dog).
In 16 years, as an emergency and critical care veterinarian, Hackett has witnessed just one dog death from chocolate poisoning, and he suspects it may have had an underlying disease rendering it more vulnerable to chocolate's effect.
Poisoned dogs are generally treated by inducing vomiting within two hours after ingestion and administering activated charcoal to absorb any theobromine remaining in the gut or that may be circulating through the dog's digestive system.
Charcoal should always be in your pet emergency kit because it also is effective in adsorbing other poisonous substances eaten or drunk by dogs or cats.
Remember to take to your veterinarian as soon as possible if there are any signs of poisoning!
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Feline Infectious Peritonitis... March 2010
The Veterinarians in the area of Murcia have recently detected an increase in cases of Feline Infectious Peritonitis. This is a contagious and potentially fatal disease of cats. There is no effective treatment against this disease, at the present time prevention, primarily through vaccination is the only tool available, besides attempting to avoid spreading the disease among cats, by either direct (saliva, faeces...) or indirect contact, shared food bowls or litter trays.
This is not a new disease that has become "popular", as pointed out by Professor Juan Diego García Martínez, from the Veterinary Clinic at the University of Murcia Veterinary School, it may have previously not been properly diagnosed, or mistaken for other diseases because of the clinical similarities with other diseases, the only true diagnosis is either with a blood test or definitive findings in a post mortem examination! It is also pointed out that this vaccine may not be as effective as the other vaccines for the other major feline diseases.
There are two forms of this disease -wet and dry. The symptoms are primarily lethargy, weight loss, abdominal swelling, difficulty breathing, intermittent fevers, and/or lack of appetite. For example, the cat may develop difficulty in standing up or walking, becoming functionally paralyzed over time. Loss of vision is another possible outcome of the disease.
Cat owners should consult their veterinarian to set up proper vaccination programs for their cats and especially for those that live rough, as they are more susceptible and your cats may come into contact with them, directly or indirectly being exposed to the spread of certain diseases.
Cat owners should be aware of two other important areas of concern, intestinal parasites or worms and fungal infections or ringworm. Cats (and dogs) should be wormed every 3 months if they have contact outside. Cats though that live in a dog free apartment and never go outside could get by, by being wormed only every 6 months. Ringworm infections should be treated by your vet as they could be contagious to us and are generally identified by circular shaped areas of hair loss, most frequently in young cats.
Those of you looking for a cat, adopting from a local refuge or shelter is always a great idea as there are lots of cats wishing to bring joy into a home making it even more purrrrrrrfect than it already may be. Choose a cat that is awake, happy, alert, playful, that is neither too fat or too thin. You should also take your newest family member as soon as possible to a veterinarian for a check-up and take advice as to the best health program to follow so that it can become a welcome addition to your family.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
Warning- Procession Caterpillar
The procession caterpillar should never be touched without protective clothing and gloves as their hairs contain a very strong necrotizing toxin. This toxin causes a devastating reaction when coming in direct contact with the skin. If it comes in contact with a mucous membrane, the effects are devastating and may be fatal! Dogs that pick them up in their mouth in the best of cases, lose a piece of lip and/or tongue while more invasive contact could bring about their death. They are found around pine trees where their collective nest is found, appearing as white candyfloss high up in the tree. When they leave their nest they form a long line, which may exceed well over 100 individuals, of black hairy caterpillars with reddish orange stripes moving along the ground head to tail in what is likened to a procession, hence their name. When dealing with the procession caterpillar the best method is to spray the affected trees thus preventing the cocoons, which are really nests from forming.
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The Cost of Keeping a Pet... Feb 2010
Keeping a pet means an increase in the family budget of approximately anywhere between 60 to 120€ a month, according to a recent study in Barcelona. A measure of this cost increase in the pet care market may be attributed to the growth of 174% in less than 10 years. The increasing costs of professional grooming services and the sale of pet accessories are cited as leading factors in this surge. Vast changes have come about in the development of specialized new businesses related to pet care and maintenance, despite the economic crisis. Experts in business predicted this based on the growth potential in Spain with a population of 23 million pets.
Taking advantage of this there was a recent trade fair in Barcelona which included a fashion show with presentations from known companies, including a new collection for animals by Adolfo Dominguez. According to some of the latest data available, from 2007, principle areas of interest in the pet animal care sector that take the lions' share of the market are nutrition, health, accessories, services, and breeders. The data compiled by the organisers of the fair speak of the movement of 1.909 million euros, Catalunya being responsible for 30% of this business followed by Valencia with 13.4% and Andalucía with a 12% market share.
Raincoats and Sunglasses!
The area with the greatest demand is fashion accessories for animals, such as: clothing of all types, complimentary items like leads, carriers, hats, raincoats, footwear, sunglasses, or jewellery. According to the marketing research company this sector, which includes designer firms, accounts for the movement of over 269 million Euros annually which represents a 13.6% market share!
Health is the other great commercial area. At the present time Spain has some 27,000 veterinarians, only one third of these, however, specialise in small animal care. According to data compiled by Veterindustria, veterinary hospitals/clinics bill on average about 250,000 Euros annually, while the sale of pharmacological products, vaccines, nutritional supplements, additives, and premixed medications reached a figure of about 368 million Euros in 2007.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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news hounds & more...Japan and Canine Blood Banks...
BY Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M. JAN 2010
The Japanese are looking for blood donors, canine blood donors! This is according to one of the countries largest animal care centres.
Japan is a nation of dog lovers with over six million registered dogs as pets and they are crazy for their canines, many of which are company for an ageing population serving as child substitutes in a country with one of the lowest birth rates.
Many peoples' wish for their pets, as for themselves is that of a long life. This implies a greater need for blood for operations and medical treatments that may be required in an ageing population become more demanding and frequent, according to the executive director of the Animal Referral Medical Centre PN Kawasaki, outside of Tokyo. The most common need for transfusions there are due to an increase in cases accompanied with blood loss as well as an increase of treatments of patients with cancer.
Many pet owners will spare no expense in the quest for proper medical care for their pets, even if the donations of blood are complicated and unusual. There is no equivalent dog blood bank in Japan (or in many places in the world), as there is for a human blood bank; private hospitals and clinics then have to type and classify any blood required for an operation or replacement treatment. Canine blood can only be stored for about a month and a dog may only be able to donate once a year, bigger dogs of course can donate greater quantities. The average donation is about 200 ml. There are 13 different blood types, more than with us, which therefore necessitates a greater variety of donors.
In Japan there is not a recognized blood bank, so there is not the capacity to store blood. Individual hospitals may have their own donor dogs and stores but they can not resell or distribute this blood.
Here in Spain, as may well be the case in some other countries, there are blood banks available although many hospitals maintain their own donors, properly vaccinated, parasite free, and blood typed. To the authors knowledge, there is a blood bank in the Malaga area. There may well be others and one would expect to find that in the Barcelona area there is another besides that which is connected to the Veterinary School there.
The best way to find out is to ask your veterinarian, as well as having your dog tested and blood typed for future reference. You might also be able to have your pet tested for free if you are prepared to allow them to be a potential donor.
Most of what has been covered here is also true for cats, only they have fewer blood types than dogs.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
Pet Turtle Danger. A recent study published in Paediatric magazine deals with a link to salmonella infections in children with pet turtles. It also refers to the danger of swimming in pools or ponds where they are kept. In many places the sale of these little animals is now prohibited as they are endangered, so take heed!
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Working with Dogs-Therapeutic Effects: Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease and Other Benefits...DEc 09
The therapeutic effect of pets is well known, since some of the earliest documented work unofficially done at a York asylum in 1792, officially in the U.S.A. in 1953, and in Spain in 1993 with impetus from the Affinity Foundation.
A dog or a pet may not have the ability or capacity to cure an ailment but they facilitate many treatment programs and help socialization just by their very presence. They help improve self esteem, self control, increasing feelings of affection, decreasing feelings of loneliness. Depending upon whether they are working one on one or with a group varied results may be observed. The increasing expressions of empathy, a patients discipline, sense of responsibility or increasing communication skills.
There are many studies demonstrating that working with trained dogs may bring about a reduction in amounts of medication a specific patient may require, thereby reducing the risk of coronary disease and hypertension. It is thought that this happens as a direct benefit of the simple act of petting an animal.
Interaction with an animal allows professionals to work with a patients habits or emotional states. They also help with work in prisons. An animal, just by its very presence, installs confidence and is not judgemental. A dog would not necessarily understand a prison and would certainly not distinguish between a convict serving time for murder from a petty thief, an arsonist or a cat burglar. They would, for the most
part, greet any of these inmates the same way.
A child with cerebral palsy tends to relax around a happy dog with a waggy tail, which is key to reducing muscular tension. In the U.S.A. much work has been done with patients suffering from cancer, requiring the vigour's of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy or other terminal conditions helping to reduce the stress. Working with patients in mental hospitals and those suffering from autism has also yielded positive results as has working with drug addicts. Those unmotivated youthful inmates in drug detoxification programs were aided by the companionship of a four legged friend which also helped them better support the vigour's
of abstinence.
Dogs are not alone in their ability to lend themselves to these types of therapeutic situations. Cats have also proved useful, they are more manageable in many instances because of their size, being litter trained and in demonstrating affection hence more manageable in situations with people in retirement or nursing homes.
Work has also been done successfully with horses, mules, and donkeys sometimes with people suffering from partial paralysis or with autistic children. Other animals that have helped us out are turtles, goats, Vietnamese Pot-bellied Pigs, and fish, how many dentist surgeries have an aquarium because of the relaxing effect this has been shown to have.
Many geriatric centres have birds which serve as something lively, pleasing to see and cheerful in an ageing environment. These animals require attention and provide motivation to interact with them and to get up every morning.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
The holiday season is fast approaching, with it lots of savoury delights, just as we need to take care in what we indulge in so should we be aware of what treats our four legged family members are feasting on as well! Be careful with overdoing the table scraps, there is a tendency to be generous with turkey skins, cracklings or other fatty cast off bits, they may lead to serious pancreatic problems. Meat, poultry, and fish bones are definite items to avoid. A carnivore is a meat eater not a bone eater; sooner or later their consumption will cause problems that could be fatal. Bones are definitely a bad idea and now there are substitutes, commercially available which will do no harm. Eating grass or other plant material may make them sick or could even be poisonous. Think about some of those gifts that keep on giving. Please consider carefully the concomitant care required in animal gifts for the holidays - they are for the life of the animal, not just a few weeks, months, or years! The shelters are overcrowded with abandoned pets without passports whose families had to leave Spain, due to the hard economic times, and did not have the forethought to consider the need of having up to date passports or who had the passports but could not afford or be bothered to cover the costs of a ticket!
Rock and Roll Pets A new calendar
Thanks to the creativity of a British company, Takkoda, your pet can be changed into your favourite rock star and maybe converted into part of the Pets Rock Calendar 2010! The photos are taken by their owners in the comfort of the home environment and then matched with the celebrities they most resemble! www.takkoda.com
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Canine Intelligence-150 Words and Maths... by Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M. Nov 2009
Anyone who has shared their life with a dog will have stories to tell about how smart
their dog is and how they understand what is being said to them.
Recent investigations by Stanley Coren, a psychologist and researcher in animal behaviour at the University of British Colombia, has led him to conclude that some of our pets can count up to five, understand up to one hundred and fifty words and may try to trick their master for their own benefit!
These are conclusions he reached and explained at the last annual meeting of the American Psychologic Association, when he gave a talk, “On How Dog's Think.”
S. Coren is the author of books on dogs and their behaviour as well as having revised other studies on the subject which led him to conclude that man's' best friend has the capacity to resolve complex problems bringing these canines closer to man and other primates than is traditionally believed. He postulated that the mental capacity of a dog may be comparable to that of a child of about two to two and a half years of age! "Their impressive moments of brilliance and creativity may not make them Einsteins' but they are certainly closer to humans than we think", Coren points out.
He further postulates that this intelligence varies according to the type of dog and that breed is also an influential factor.
That there are three types of canine intelligence: instinct, adaptive (the ability to learn from the environment they are in and to resolve problems confronted with), and that of work and obedience (schooling). He states that in the case of work and obedience learning the Border Collie is number one followed by the Poodle and in third the German Shepard, basing these conclusions on work done both in the USA and Canada with 208 dogs.
The list of the most intelligent dogs is completed by the Golden Retriever, Doberman, Shetland Sheep Dogs and Collies, and the Labrador Retriever. Coren assures that a normal dog could learn 165 words and the most intelligent ones can understand about 250! The idea of such a large number of word understanding is based on work done with a dog named RICO who distinguished 200 words with
a great capacity to learn quickly.
If that's not enough some of our four legged friends have an understanding of numbers and maths, although this may not be sufficient to let them manage the household budget, they can count to four or five, being able to detect errors like 1+1=1 or 1+1=3.
While playing they try to play tricks deliberately or like their human counterparts to get prizes/rewards, with almost the same success tricking us as we have tricking them!
The top Ten dogs ranked:
Border Collie: No. 1
Poodle: ranked No. 2
German Shepherd: ranked No. 3
Golden Retriever: ranked No. 4
Doberman Pinscher: ranked No. 5.
Shetland Sheepdog (also known as a Sheltie): ranked No. 6.
Labrador Retriever's, Black and Yellow: ranked No. 7.
Papillion: ranked No. 8.
Rottweiler: ranked No. 9.
Australian Cattle Dog: ranked No. 10.
These next 10 dogs were ranked by judges as having the hardest time learning and responding to commands and instructions.
Bassett Hound: ranked No. 70
Mastiff: ranked No. 71.
Beagle: ranked No. 72.
Pekingese: ranked No. 73.
Bloodhound: ranked No. 74.
Borzoi: ranked No. 75.
Chow Chow: ranked No. 76.
Bulldog: ranked No. 77.
Basenji: ranked No. 78.
Afghan: ranked No. 79.
Stanley Coren owns a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They rank as No. 44.
BY Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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Excessive Grass Eating In Dogs & more...oct 2009
Q. Why does my dog eat grass all the time?
A. There are many common opinions about why dogs eat grass, and unfortunately most of them are ill-founded. For example, most people think dogs eat grass to intentionally make themselves sick. In most cases when a dog eats grass, however, the dog is not sick, nor does he have any underlying symptoms that may lead you to think he would want to be sick. Some dog owners will witness a specific correlation between eating grass and being sick but unfortunately there just is not enough evidence for this as a primary, common reason.
Studies have been carried out to try and link grass easting with illness, vitamin or mineral deficiencies and lack of roughage in the diet, none of which found any significant evidence. In some cases, you see dogs only eating grass from specific areas, suggesting these might just taste better or have higher mineral deposits. Other ideas include that these are areas where other dogs have scented, or other animals have urinated.
In most cases, routinely eating small amounts of grass will do no harm, and is perfectly normal. The dangers exist where this consumption is excessive. Apart from not being easily digestible, there is a danger where vomiting occurs that pieces of grass are deposited in the nasal cavity, which can lead to infection.
In your case, if this excessive consumption has occurred suddenly, check his stools and urine for any changes. Also monitor his behavior. If you don't notice any other changes in his health or behavior, it is probably safe for you to wait and see if this is a temporary habit, or if it only happens in a specific place which you can avoid. However, if it continues, is affecting his consumption of his regular diet, or you notice any other minor health problems you should take him for a thorough medical examination.
Q. My five year old daughter wants to know if her dog can watch TV.
A. Many people claim that their dogs watch TV. A lot of these dogs will actually follow the movement of objects moving around the screen and may also bark. However, the dog does not interpret the television the same way we do. The dog cannot determine what any object on the screen actually is. For example, if we can see a video of a dog running around a field, your dog will see a dark object moving around the screen and this may grab his attention and make him "watch".
The sounds of the television are also likely to gain the attention of the dog, and because they can pinpoint the directional origin of any sound they hear, they will naturally look at the TV. Most dogs, however, will differentiate between the sounds of, for example, a dog barking on TV and a real dog barking. Although unapparent to us, there will be a distinct difference which will render the TV version unimportant to your dog. Remember also, that the dog's most important sense, that of smell, is not present in television and may affect his reaction to stimuli such as the TV that is lacking any scent.
Q. My cat loves to lick my bowl after eating mint chocolate chip ice cream. I just heard that chocolate can kill cats and dogs. Is this true?
A. Even in relatively small amounts chocolate is poison to cats and dogs. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, two different types of stimulants that affect the central nervous system and the heart muscle, as well as increasing the frequency of urination. For a cat or dog to lick the remains of an ice cream from a bowl is unlikely to cause any harm at all unless the animal has a specific medical condition already. However, if the animal was to eat a larger quantity of chocolate he may become very sick indeed and develop vomiting or diarrhea. When the amount of chocolate eaten is excessive, symptoms can include restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination and/or excessive panting. White chocolate has the least amount of stimulants and baking chocolate or cocoa beans have the highest. A better idea is to buy chocolate drops which are made specifically for pets, as they will not harm your pets' teeth or their health.
Q. How long will my cat stay in heat?
A. If your female cat does not mate, she will go into oestrus as often as every two to three weeks, for several months each year, until she either mates or is spayed. Cats as young as 4 months old can go into the heat cycle, and they should be spayed as soon as possible unless they are pedigreed and you wish to breed from them. If spaying is not immediately possible then your vet may be able to give her hormones to stop the cycle. After all, the cycle is extremely uncomfortable for her, even if it does not inconvenience you. Your cat will be in heat for one or two days, but won't really come all the way out of it until you have her spayed.
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NEWS ODDITIES SEPT 2009
This month will cover some recent curiosities found in print from around Spain and the world.
Cats cry as a call to action
Anyone who has ever had a cat knows how difficult they are to ignore when they want to get our attention. According to a recent issue of "Current Biology" the sound a hungry cat makes when it wants to be fed, a purring sound mixed with a type of a high frequency cry, provokes an unpleasant sense of need in humans!
The researchers recorded the sounds emitted by 10 cats and reproduced these sounds for 50 volunteers who participated in the study. The found that the sounds the cats made when the cats were hungry were less pleasing and transmitted a greater sense of urgency to the listeners.
Those volunteers who had a cat as a pet were more sensitive to the different sounds emitted by the cats, which demonstrates a type of training to the sound emitted by the person who is the object of the cats vocalization. The researchers also concluded that cats that were not fed regularly by the same person did not make this sound!
Fish Hotel
This summer has not posed a dilemma for Dutch vacationers as to what to do with their pet fish, when it was not possible to have someone else to feed or look after them while away on vacation.
On the main floor of the Schipol Airport, Amsterdam has opened a specially commissioned fish hotel. Each fish has its own independent tank to avoid any cross contamination or conflict between guests. The guests tanks are accommodated to house either fresh or salt water guests. The only requirement to take advantage of this service is to book your vacation through the travel agent responsible for the running of this special hotel. According to a spokesperson for the agency running the special Inn, many people thought this was a joke but the demand for the service reflects differently. The first guest was Joe, a goldfish.
There is a Dutch political party with parliamentary representation which defends animal rights and one of their representatives in the Parliament attempted to have the hotel closed. Their claim is that the movement of these fish from their usual environment to this Inn at a busy airport may be too stressful for the animals and may prove to be fatal. The agent running the hotel has the owner sign a contract which frees the agency of financial responsibility in case of the pets death.
Planes For Pets
A Florida couple have created an airlines exclusively for pets because they suffer when travelling by air and are treated as just another suitcase. No bipeds(humans) allowed aboard, except of course for the pilot and the other members of the flight crew. The new airline known as Pet Airways, with their own website. The passengers are transported aboard in their own individual cage, the small aircraft that once had a capacity for 19 people has been modified to comfortably contain up to 50 cages accommodated for dogs or cats. Flights are once a week with one way tickets available for a modest fare of $149.00 and have stops in New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association 70 million dogs and cats travel every year with their families, most of them by automobile. The San Francisco Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that of the 2 million pets that travel annually in cargo holds of aeroplanes about 5,000 are injured in one way or another. This would not happen on Pet Airways as the pets are monitored by a member of staff during flight. The passengers have to check in 2 hours before take off but they may check in as much as 72 hours ahead of flight time. They proceed to the passenger lounge where they are made comfortable and are checked by the airline staff every 15 minutes. Upon arrival at their destination they are taken to the lounge to relax and recover from their journey, it is also made clear that they are provided with ample opportunities for rest (pee) stops. www.petairways.com
Ice Cream for Doggies and Moggies
The first ice cream in the world 99% lactose free, sugar free and without dangerous additives is being marketed and sold in clinics and special stores in Malaga, Sevilla Granada and Córdoba. The Malaga based company has treated the milk with lactase, an enzyme which makes the milk easier to digest, the sugar is maltitol, a natural sweetener. The pet population as adults is 200 times more lactose intolerant than people.
The ice cream is available in three flavours: Vanilla, Cream, and Ham, in half litre containers for about 5€ each. The company responsible, Vital Ice Cream, is planning to start marketing their product in blocks and frozen cakes as it is becoming more common to have pet birthday parties. At the moment there are only three flavours but the family run business located in Malaga has been making Ice Cream for over 50 years and has a web page where you can suggest new flavours. They also are devising a new line of ice creams for other groups of people with special dietetic considerations.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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THE SUMMER WARS AUG 2009
It is summertime again, time for those enjoyable outings to hike in the hills or bathe at the beach; beware though, all that glitters may not be gold! While enjoying this warmest time of the year be wary as the time is also wonderful for fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and biting flies, to name a few ectoparasites, whose life cycles are also in full bloom these days and will continue to do so until the autumn.
These pests not only bother our pets but may also pester us at times as well. If you have not yet instituted flea and tick control it is time to revise and re-evaluate the products that have worked for you in the past, hoping that the fleas did not develop resistance this year to last years products, which with regard to some of the commercial preparations is all to frequent a phenomenon. If this has occurred then the best solution is to find a couple of different products and alternate their use to stay ahead of the defence mechanisms of these interlopers. Remember that it is important to control the environment first and your animals second, otherwise you may find the war lost prior to the first shot being fired.
When we bathe in the ocean or in a pool we rinse the salt or the chlorine off afterwards with fresh water, this is the least we can do for our animals as well. This will help to reduce the all to frequent summer eczemas. Over shampooing, even with the mildest medicated prepared shampoos, rather than resolving skin problems may aggravate them by reducing the natural defences in the skin and it's secretions. When in doubt consult a professional
.
The drought we are experiencing has it's effects on our animals as well. The increase in ectoparasites, as discussed above, may be coupled with an increase in diseases or conditions they may cause secondary to their presence. If the water isn't fit for us to drink we ought to be giving our animals the same bottled water we drink.
Make sure in the heat they have abundant water available as well as a shady spot to take refuge. They should be in a well ventilated area.
Remember, if travelling with your dog and having to leave him in the car for a short while, think twice. Even leaving the windows partially open may not provide sufficient cooling properties as shown in the sad case of the two police dogs in England that died recently although only being left unattended for just a few minutes. Should you be concerned that your dog is overheating or showing signs off distress immediate action can be taken to help him. Firstly, cool his feet by hosing him down or placing his feet in a bowl of cold water and secondly, seek professional advise because heat stroke can be fatal.
Dogs "sweat" or thermoregulate (as we say in the trade) through their feet and by panting and therefore cooling the feet is the fastest way of alleviating their heat distress.
Happy Holidays
Ronald J. Rosenfeld D.V.M.
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common veterinary dermatologic condition in the world. It begins with the bite of a flea. The saliva of the flea contains amino acids, aromatic compounds, fluorescent materials, polypeptides, and phosphorus. The main thing that dog owners notice is scratching, chewing, licking, biting, and other signs of pruritus. Sixty one percent of flea allergic dogs develop clinical signs between 1 and 3 years of age. As animals age, with continued exposure to fleas, the degree of hypersensitivity may wane. FAD is uncommon in dogs less than 6 months of age. Patients usually have papules, crusts, salivary stains, excoriations, and erythema in a wedge-shaped pattern over the lumbosacral region, caudal thighs, proximal tail, ventral abdomen, and around the umbilicus. With chronic itching the areas become alopecic, lichenified, and hyperpigmented and the dog will develop an odor related to secondary infections with Staphylococcus intermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis. Some of those patients will have recurrent tapeworm (Diplydium caninum) infestations from ingestion of the fleas.
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THE LONG HOT DAYS OF SUMMER
The warm weather has arrived and with it we see an increase in skin problems. The skin is the body's protective cover, it is in direct contact with the environment and disease causing agents. The skin may suffer various types of diseases. The primary function of the skin is to protect and isolate the body and its parts from injury. The layer of fat, just below the skin helps the body to maintain its temperature and by altering the blood supply, protect us from extreme temperature changes in the environment.
Skin disease or dermatitis, initially it may be reflected in reddening, small pustules (acne), hair loss and may or may not be painful. These signs may be located in one circumspect area or may affect the entire body, scratching, itching, and/or biting may aggravate the problem. Dermatitis may be due to many diverse causes such as: allergies, bacteria, fungi, parasites, burns, hormonal or nervous or psychological problems or other less common causes.
In our animals allergies or parasites are the most guilty parties. When the condition becomes advanced a problem localised in one area may spread and be further complicated by a secondary infection, which in some cases may become chronic. A veterinarian ought to be consulted before a small problem gets out of hand.
Allergic Dermatitis is characterised by itching and redness, the animal licks, bites, or scratches itself excessively ( as in other types of dermatitis ), initiating a vicious cycle of itching and scratching/biting. Treatment, as in most skin problems, is twofold: first is to break the itch-scratch cycle and second is to get at the primary cause of the problem. Many times allergic problems are tedious to sort out, pollen based allergies being some of the most difficult to resolve, followed closely by food based allergies. In breeding has caused the existence of some dogs to be allergic to some if not all types of meat protein. This is pretty odd considering that dogs are carnivores or meat eaters! The majority of these cases are cured by changing them to types of meat that they are not allergic to or in those more extreme cases they have to be put on a soy based protein diet, effectively becoming vegetarians. This is different to those cases where some of the owners of some dogs and cats may themselves be vegetarians and wish their animals to prescribe to the same dietary habits, they should take care as dogs and cats by the basis of their digestive tracts are meat eaters.
Fungal infections are common, more so in cats, and some times they may be contagious to one or more other member of the family, they are, generally speaking, relatively easy to identify and cure.
Mange is caused by microscopic "bugs", the most common of these found affecting our pets are not generally contagious between species. Mange when diagnosed early is also easy to control although it may require 2-3 months of treatment depending upon how advanced a specific case may be!
Over-bathing often reduces the skins natural defences and as a result may open the door to disease causing agents. Many of the treatments for these problems may include medicated baths, one should never use human shampoos on animals as their skin pH (acidity level ) is quite different to ours!
Skin diseases often require patience in achieving a cure.
Dermatology has become an area of specialised attention in Veterinary Medicine in the past 10 - 15 years and sometimes it may be necessary to search out a specialist.
Remember the skin is the mirror of health.
Ronald J. Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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HEARTWORM AND PREVENTION JUNE 09
Heartworm or Dirofilariasis is a potentially fatal parasitic disease that primarily affects dogs, ferrets and cats are also very rarely affected. It is transmitted from an affected dog by the bite of a mosquito. The parasite is a roundworm, which as an adult lives in some of the blood vessels around the heart and in the heart itself. The mature female produces free-swimming larvae, which the mosquito picks up when it bites an affected animal. This larva develops in the mosquito and in 2-3 weeks becomes infective for other dogs bitten by said mosquito. This larvae, back in a dog, travels through the blood stream to the heart where it matures and completes its life cycle. This process takes about six months; one infested dog can be a reservoir for an entire neighbourhood, no breed is immune.
Your veterinarian would suspect this disease if you live and/or have travelled to a mosquito infested area and bring in your pet with some of the following symptoms: laboured breathing, coughing, tires easily, listless and/or weight loss. These may be symptoms of other problems as well. The only definitive diagnosis is reached by a blood test that most veterinarians can carry out in their surgeries. If the test is positive, a treatment program should be initiated as soon as possible. Over 90% of dogs treated for this disease survive. If the dog is negative or once an affected dog is cured preventative measures should be instituted.
This is one disease your dog may be affected by even if you do not live in an area identified as having heartworms, your pet could bring this home from a holiday or an outing to an affected area.
Presently, much research is being done with many phases of this disease. Up until only recently, within the last few years, the only preventative measure available was an oral medication, which had to be taken on a monthly basis. We now can offer an annual vaccination against this disease, which has its advantages here due to our climate and seasonality of the mosquito vector. By discussing this disease with your veterinarian and instituting the optimum preventative measures in your case, heartworm need not be a problem for you or threaten your pet.
MEDIA MESSAGES
There is something new on the internet for when you leave your dog home alone! DOG RADIO THAILAND has been started by a Thai businessman who runs a pet grooming academy that the dogs who came in seemed more at ease and happier when they listened to music! It has been demonstrated that cows milk production increases when listening to classical music, particularly Beethoven and Mozart. This is not the music on the Thai station, however, which features local popular music and the founder of the station is considering having a DJ who talks to the animals, if this is to be the other Beethoven it has not been divulged!
This is not the pioneer in its field as in the United States there already exists Lucky Dog Radio and Dog Cat Radio. The latter of these has a programming schedule, which consists of tunes such as the Elvis Presley rendition of Hound Dog, as well as the advice to the listeners like don’t attack the Mailman and be careful not to chew things they shouldn’t. This is a bilingual station, due to the demographics of the majority of its listening audience, being based in Los Angeles, California so one hour a day is broadcast in Castellano. The programming is completed with information related to animals, their needs and events, as well as interviews with their owners. The idea came about in this case form the station director observing the relaxing, calming, and soothing effect of his cats to music.
Ronald J. Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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SIN BICHOS MOSCA NEGRA JUNE 09
With the arrival of the Mosca Negra again after a peaceful winter, we have to once again look for ways to reduce the impact they have on our lives, those of our family, pets and animals. After speaking to a couple of people with horses and dogs in and around the Ebro Valley I came to realise what a terrible problem they are even for our animals. Once the Mosca Negra bites a horse, depending on how allergic the animal is, it can break open the skin. The Mosca Negra then lay some eggs in the wounds which cause painful sores and can result in the horse having to be rested for a lengthy periods of time to allow the sores to heal. This causes a loss of time being able to ride the horse (for those with stables), an escalation in vet bills and not to mention the discomfort of the animal.
By spraying the area around the stables and paddocks where the horses are kept, especially early in the morning and in the evenings with Sin Moscas, you can reduce the occurrence of the horses being bitten substantially. It will also reduce the fly population to an absolute minimum throughout the summer allowing you and the horses to have a more pleasant summer. 
The horses can be rinsed in a dilution of Sin Parasitos and water to reduce the chance of Mosca Negra bites as well. It can also be fed to them on a daily basis which will help control internal parasites. This product is a completely natural mixture of natural herbs and fossil shell flour (approved food additive for animals, E551), which has been tested extensively in Orlando, Florida. In their trials they found that horses who have been fed this for a one year period looked healthier and their coats had a definite sheen. They had an absence of internal parasites, better feed conversion and a reduction in the manure odour. Sores also cured easier where other medications failed and it improved the appetites of “picky eaters”. Dogs can also be treated in a similar way to control fleas, ticks, internal parasites and the bites of mosca negra. As these products are a completely natural they will not harm you, your animals or plants and have been found highly effective by many people in the area.
For further information contact Charlotte on 622 553 446 or email : sin_moscas@yahoo.com.
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abusive pet owners
There is a connection between domestic violence directed against a spouse or children and animal abuse. In a recent study, carried out by an Animal Welfare Foundation, of complaints against perpetrators of animal abuse in 2008, it turns out that 7 out of 10 people denounced for mistreatment of animals were also implicated in attacks against another member of their family! It was shown that 47% of aggressors were between 30 and 50 years old while 29% were over 51.
Often this violence is a way to channel the impotence of problems faced in the home and is directed towards our pets. This pattern of behaviour is learned in the home by the children from the parent or parents as a means of trying to identify with them. A psychologist involved with the study made these reflections, stating that the violence is a reflection of the perpetrators’ inability to express them self verbally.
Families With Pets
In Spain, six out of ten households have at least one pet, according to a study carried out by Propet, an organisation of pet professionals, who just had an exposition in Madrid.
There are about 20 million pets in the country, 5,500,000 dogs, 4,000,000 cats, 7,000,000 birds, 4,500,000 fish and some 2,000,000 exotic animals – small mammals and reptiles.
According to Veterinarians opening up your home to a pet helps reduce stress, builds self-esteem, instils responsibility to the younger members of a family, improves communication, and increases affection among members of the household. This is also stated by 80% of families that have either a dog or a cat, they affirm that their pet is a source of well being and is considered a member of the nuclear family. The average annual cost to a family budget of keeping a pet here is estimated to be around 1,500 €, a figure lower than the calculated outlay for households in other countries where more is conscientiously spent on pet care.
The other side of the coin is the unfortunately high number of abandoned animals that is still a problem here. According to the protective societies involved in Propet there are some 200,000 animals abandoned here yearly. As high as this estimate is, some sense of accomplishment may be gleaned from the knowledge that this figure is almost half of what it was some 20 years ago.
Snacks, Treats, and Stolen Hidden Treasures
Some of you may have read or heard about a recent case of a dog in the U.K. that had to be rushed to the veterinary hospital for having found and eaten a hidden cache of chocolate Easter eggs. Chocolate ingestion can be very dangerous to your pets as it contains a substance known as theobromine, which is toxic to them! The purer or richer the chocolate the higher the theobromine concentration is. The symptoms usually start to appear six to twelve hours after eating the chocolate and may last as long as seventy-two hours. The severity of the symptoms depend upon the amount consumed, they may range from simple discomfort to vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal tenderness, restlessness, increased heart and breathing rate. More severe cases may lead to fits, heart beat irregularities coma and in the most severe cases left untreated or treated too late death may occur! There may also be secondary lasting effects in the case of some animals that either recover or are asymptomatic having eaten small amounts over long periods of time, due to the excess sugar consumption which leads to diabetes. Be careful where you hide that box of chocolates or those sweet treats you give as rewards as they may be doing more harm than good.
This case was about a dog in the U.K. that was able to receive the life saving treatment it needed, for free, through the P.D.S.A., which is a charity that accepts donations for fees. This is a service available in the U.K., which is not yet available in Spain and the Veterinary fees here for such life saving treatments might run into several hundred Euros, depending on the care required. This may not be covered by pet insurance plans if owners’ negligence can be shown, so please take heed. Veterinarians need to work but as the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, whereas there are jobs we are trained to do some we would rather avoid especially if they may have fatal results! This especially includes the feeding of meat and fish bones, it matters not if they be cooked or raw. The mouth of a carnivore is designed to eat meat not bones, and these will, sooner or later, cause problems, from a mild upset tummy to a life threatening intestinal blockage or worse still a puncture. This may require emergency surgery to an animal in an already weakened condition or in shock. Please make educated choices about what you give your pets to eat.
Ronald J. Rosenfeld D.V.M.
"Harley is a little puppy with an all too common problem. When he came in to see us he wasn't his usual self and was having problems eating. When he did manage to eat a meal he would just vomit it back up. Before these changes, Harley had recently decided to steal a cooked chop bone and swallow it whole before some one could take it away from him. Given his symptoms it was suspected that Harley's treat had become trapped in his intestines.We certainly didn't expect to see one big bone sitting in his stomach shown in the xray (pictured above). In fact, the bone turned out to be 12cm long, about twice the length of his neck and just barely able to fit in his very over-stretched stomach."
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Easter Travel
Easter break is nearing and with it some good news for pet owners. The British low cost hotel chain Travelodge is making it possible for clients at its hotels in Spain to ask for a pet bed! According to the chain the pet beds are available at its hotels in Las Rozas and Torrelaguna, near Madrid as well as L'Hospitalet near Barcelona. These have been available since last year at a supplemental cost of €14.
RABIES THREAT APRIL 09
A group of veterinarians from the provinces of Cádiz and Malaga have issued a rabies alert! Thousands of dogs in the area around Gibraltar, within an area of an approximate radius of about 80 kilometres, have been certified – with properly stamped and signed rabies vaccination booklets – as having been vaccinated against rabies without ever having seen a veterinarian or having been vaccinated! These are primarily hunting dogs, as the hunters have the misconception that the vaccine against rabies alters or destroys the dogs’ sense of smell! This is a particular danger because it is at the centre of an area of high transit to and from North Africa, Ceuta and Morocco, where there are cases of Rabies. There is a veterinarian in the Algeciras area presumably implicated in this fraud who sells vaccination books signed and stamped without vaccinating the dog cited in the book.
Rabies is a fatal infectious disease transmitted in the saliva of an infected carrier, most often by biting a healthy non-infected individual. At the present time, it is eradicated in Spain but not in Ceuta, Melilla, or Morocco. In 2004 preventative measures were stepped up due to a case of infection in Morocco of an Austrian citizen, and an outbreak was detected in France, caused by a dog that came from Africa via the area around Gibraltar.
The complaint against the implicated veterinarian supposedly perpetrating this fraud is under investigation. It was first brought to the attention of some authorities as far back as 1993, however, the Prosecutors Office of Algeciras has only recently taken the matter under more serious consideration, and some headway is finally being made through the bureaucratic and legal quagmire. This hopefully will put an end to the fraud and thereby avoid the potential threat of a Rabies outbreak at best or an epidemic at worst!
Animal Protection Laws
Last December a dog was found near death, in a plastic bag in a dustbin in the San Cugat area of Barcelona. According to a local judge, armed with the Catalonian Animal Protection Statutes, this is a serious crime and not just a minor offence.
The dog, Buc a 5-year-old Boxer, was diagnosed with an incurable open sore over its rib cage and was suffering. The veterinarian told the owner that euthanasia was the only solution and would cost 180 Euros. The owner being a pensioner felt that was more than he could afford and took Buc home. A neighbour offered to help by killing Buc and burying him, to which the owner agreed, despite the sorrow of losing his companion. A few days later and due to Bucs’ microchip, the town police were able to locate the owner to inquire how Buc was in a dustbin in such a state. The neighbour confessed to his part and took responsibility for the 350 Euro cost of treating and finally euthanizing Buc.
The prosecution is seeking proper application of the animal rights laws for the trial scheduled for 27 April. A guilty verdict could mean 3 months to one year in prison.
The owner insists that he really loved his dog. It was not his intention that Buc suffer, but that he felt that the solution offered by his neighbour was the only realistic one for him and for Buc, he felt betrayed by his neighbour.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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Reading Dr Rosenfeld’s article in the March 2009 issue has just once again highlighted the problems we all experience in this beautiful area, the spring sun has only just started to warm up and already the mosquitoes ( mosca Negra) and other unwelcome bugs have already made their appearance.
Having moved to the area just on 5 years ago, I enthusiastically started clearing our land just to be confronted with so many bites from the mosca negra, that I could hardly see out of my eyes on occasion. My father also found that he was allergic to the bites which were swollen red and extremely itchy, if you dared scratch the itch would just get worse and drive you crazy. My cat also came in every day covered in ticks and fleas. Asking in the village what can be done to resolve this problem, I was continually told to use chemical products that were so offensive to use that I had to find something that would solve this massive problem.
Being a Medical Microbiologist, I knew that there must be a product that can be used which will deal with the insects and yet be more animal and human friendly. After lots of research I came across a product which is completely natural and yet is extremely effective to control the ticks, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, mosca negra and other unwanted insects.
These products are a combination of fossil shell flour, a selection of herbs and essential oils. There is a spray to use around the outside of the house which kills off the flies, mosquitoes & mosca negra and makes outdoor living a joyful experience again. Then there is a powder which is sprinkled in the animal kennels, stables or pens, this kills off the fleas, lice, red mite etc. This powder can also be rubbed into the coats of the animals or put into their sand baths. There is also a powder which can be fed to your animals on a regular basis which will help control internal parasites and improve the condition of the animal. As all these products are completely natural they will not harm your pets, animals or yourselves and truly make living in this beautiful area a pleasure again.
I also came across an Anti-Bite preparation which is a combination of essential oils in an alcohol base, which when sprayed onto the bites of the mosca negra or other insects, reduces the swelling and the itching within minutes.
All these products have been thoroughly tested by numerous people over a full season and all have found it very effective and easy to use. Armed with these products, my life in the Spanish summer has once again become a wonderful experience.
For further information on any of these products please contact Charlotte on 622 553446
or email me sin_moscas@yahoo.com .
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THE STING OF SPRING MARCH 09
Springtime is just around the corner with its warmer weather. The increase in temperature finds us enjoying the hills and beaches around us more. Beware! For all that glitters is not gold, but can become expensive! The warming winds will arouse the abundant external parasites of these latitudes; fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitoes and procession caterpillars to name a few. These pests require our attention to try and keep our animals (and to some extent ourselves) healthy and happy. They can cause problems in their own right. Their simple presence produces from itching and local irritations to more severe allergic reactions due to a bite or sting. They can also produce anemia in cases of massive infestations. These pests can also transmit other parasitic diseases some of which are difficult if not impossible to cure. Knowing ahead of time, preventative measures ought to be initiated to limit, if not eradicate the problem before it gets out of hand. Insect control is an on going battle which needs to be dealt with conscientiously.
To effectively contain fleas, several simultaneous methods may be required, by treating the environment as well as the animal. The environment is as important (if not more so) as the animal. In attempting to control these pests, most external parasites live in the environment and only use animals to eat, meet, and procreate. Insecticides and repellents must be used with great care as they are potentially dangerous to our animals, our environment, and to us when used improperly. Proper programs of control, products to employ and methods to adopt can best be established by consulting a professional, creating a program suited to each individual case. This is particularly so when dealing with the procession caterpillar (see below) as the best method is to spray the affected trees thus preventing the cocoons, which are really nests from forming. Controlling flies and/or fleas in a barn or stable differs from control in a doghouse or garden flea control and the remedies against fleas on a dog or a cat in a flat; mosquito control, on the other hand, may be similar in all three cases. Some products suitable for one species may be toxic for another. Care must be taken in container disposal to prevent contaminating our surroundings. The idea that bathing alone will solve the problem may lead to other skin problems. The skin produces substances needed to protect itself and the animal. Most shampoos (especially those not designed for use on the species in question) destroy this protective barrier. With an increase in the biting fly and mosquito populations it is time to remember sand fly fever/ leishmaniasis and canine heart worm, easier and safer to try to prevent than to have to cure when there is one. By taking a series of relatively painless measures earlier on, we can limit if not prevent, the sting of smelling the flowers this spring.
Procession Caterpillar
The procession caterpillar should never be touched without protective clothing and gloves as their hairs contain a very strong necrotizing toxin. This toxin causes a devastating reaction when coming in direct contact with the skin. If it comes in contact with a mucous membrane, the effects are devastating and may be fatal! Dogs that pick them up in their mouth in the best of cases, lose a piece of lip and/or tongue while more invasive contact could bring about their death. They are found around pine trees where their collective nest is found, appearing as white candyfloss high up in the tree. When they leave their nest they form a long line, which may exceed well over 100 individuals, of black hairy caterpillars with reddish orange stripes moving along the ground head to tail in what is likened to a procession, ence their name.
Effects of the Crisis
The animal shelters are reporting an increase in abandoned animals as a result of the present state of economic affairs. This fact unfortunately is reflected upon pets that can no longer be afforded or are being left by people or families that are forced to relocate and cannot take their furry family members along. This one shelter has been forced to house 50 more animals than its installations are designed to house!
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
Open the New Dog Shelter, Tortosa
Please help the Arca Tortosa Dogs home
The new shelter is almost complete, but something is holding up the process. therefore the following petition has been started to urge them to open it up - as the existing sheltar is leaking, infested with rats and generally not a very happy place for the dogs. Please sign the petition, and spread the word to as many dog loving friends that you can. The petition can be found by the link on my web site or visit
http://www.petitiononline.com/tortosad/petition.html
-Many thanks,they will appreciate it.
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FELINE FOES FEB 09
Curiosity killed the cat; unfortunately, it did not act alone! Our feline friends have 7-9 lives depending on whom you ask or where you live. Not all of these lives are enough when faced with one or more of the often fatal or chronic (mostly viral) diseases of cats. Fortunately there are vaccines available for some of these diseases such as those falling into the feline respiratory disease complex: Feline Viral Rhinotracheiti (a Herpes Virus), Feline Calicivirus, and Feline Pneumonitis (a Clamydial infection), as well as Feline Distemper/Panleukopenia, and the Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) which may all be combined into a single vaccine injection.
FeLV is a viral infection among cats that can produce the leukaemia cancer in the blood and lymph systems, it requires fairly direct contact among individuals. There is a vaccine against Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) but there are some doubts as to how effective a vaccine it is, compared with the other vaccines currently in use. There is no vaccine against Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) also known as Feline AIDS or FAIDS, which often shows clinical signs similar to an upper respiratory ailment, it is not contagious to people. It should be pointed out that this disease is not as contagious as the other diseases we vaccinate against in the feline respiratory disease complex, which can be spread by air borne infection. Feline AIDS is most frequently transmitted by direct contact, for example: in saliva, or sharing a common water bowl in a relatively short time period. It also may be dormant for a long time, weeks to years, and stress or another health problem may provide the opportunity needed for it to develop into a clinical problem. There are blood tests available to test for this and FIP, as well as some of the other diseases mentioned, however, there are no specific curative remedies for FAIDS, FIP, or FeLV.
The existence of the virally produced FeLV and FAIDS has helped medical research in understanding HIV/AIDS. These are referred to as slow viruses because of the long time from infection to illness. FIP on the other hand is not a slow virus so the disease becomes evident or symptomatic sooner. It is passed on orally through contact with infected saliva or faeces. In all three of these diseases (FAIDS, FIP, or FeLV) the immune system is affected and some studies show that 40-50% of cats with FIP also have FeLV. 
Feline Leukaemia and Immunodeficiency Virus infections are on the increase in our area and because of the slow nature of these diseases it can only get worse.
The symptoms are varied and generally non-specific, (with exceptions to the trained eye), which may reflect another secondary disease process as they tend to suppress the immune system, although, many times they start out as flu-like or allergic, for example, watery eyes, coughing and/or sneezing, lethargic state, with a lack of interest in food. As they affect the immune system and open the door to other disease processes in different parts of the body may be implicated and other diseases will take hold. The only method of determining if the cause of the illness is one of those three is with a blood test. Treatment of infected animals is aimed at symptomatic treatment for the disease condition they are suffering from to make them more comfortable, they are not always fatal diseases and often there will be a recovery from the secondary illness. There are no specific anti-viral treatments, other than some experimental treatments of questionable efficacy for any of the three, and there is only a means of prevention for FeLV by way of the vaccination mentioned earlier.
The other disease cats may get is Rabies and vaccination against Rabies is required by law in Spain. This law requires that concomitant to the Rabies vaccination a microchip be implanted. The reason for the requirement of a Rabies vaccine is that this is a disease that can be passed on from our pets, and other mammals, to us. It is this potential human health hazard and the proximity to Morocco, where there have been recent cases of domestic (as opposed to feral) Rabies reported! The microchip is also a protection device designed to discourage theft - pet-napping - as well as an aid in controlling uncared for populations of domesticated animals against cruelty.
Bulletin: Aspirin and Paracetamol may be good for you but never for your cat.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT JAN 09
This month’s article attempts to answer some of the most common questions or doubts about feeding and nutrition.
Nutritional needs vary with age, activity level, temperament, environment, state of health and reproductive status. We invest hours daily, directly or indirectly, securing a balanced diet for ourselves. The animals that are dependant upon us for their food ought to be extended at least a modicum of forethought in planning what we give them to eat.
It’s important to tend to their specific nutritional necessities, carnivores or meat eaters differ from herbivores or plant eaters, and there are differences within these groups. Cats require more protein than dogs. Our meals and leftovers do not satisfy the dietary needs of our pets, many of the seasonings we enjoy may upset them, some table scraps may be given as only an occasional extra! Their nutritional needs may be met by home cooking for those with the time to prepare meals for them. Your Veterinarian should be able to provide you with recipes to meet their specific needs. The easiest alternative is providing a commercially prepared diet, biscuit and/or tins are widely available. They provide a convenient well formulated balanced diet. These foods are prepared to fulfil the nutritional needs of the animal they are designed for.
There are special diets prepared to treat a whole range of medical conditions with certain nutrients added or removed depending upon the condition and how supplements may facilitate in the treatment and help to cure these ailments.
Those pets that get home cooked diets should also be accustomed to eat commercial preparations, for those times when there is not time to prepare the home cooked meal. This is to avoid their rejection of said food or that by eating something they are not used to causing a bowel upset.
This same argument applies to the fact that they should be accustomed to more than just one commercial brand. It is also a misconception that they need variety. Extensive studies have been carried out which have shown that like us, they are creatures of habit and will go for their old favourites. It has also been demonstrated that they will eat, albeit begrudgingly at times, what they are given and not starve themselves to death!
The best way to determine their proper weight is to use the rib test as a guide. The rib cage should not be easily visible as that is a sign of being underweight (long hair breeds may need to be wet), while if you have to apply pressure to feel the ribs as you run your hand over the rib cage, the animal is overweight.
Litter mates, with similar activity levels in the same environment, may have very different energy requirements. Feeding two meals a day instead of one will lead to better behaviour, generally help to inhibit begging, and is recommended in deep-chested breeds which are prone to gastric torsion, like Setters, Shepherds, and Danes among others.
Kittens and puppies (as well as adults) should learn to eat their food in a time limit within which to finish and not to have food left out all day (or night), limiting picky eaters, as well as unwanted pests. Working dogs, hunters, and brood bitches have greater caloric needs and their diets should reflect this. Lack of Calcium to a brood bitch prior to whelping may lead to convulsions and even death if not corrected quickly, which is easy for your Vet.
An animal receiving a properly balanced diet generally does not need vitamin or mineral supplements. Treats like candies, cookies, or leftovers should never exceed 10% of their diet, these may lead to weight gain, even diabetes (from giving chocolate) as well as unwanted begging behaviour. Meat, poultry, and fish bones are definite items to avoid. A carnivore is a meat eater not a bone eater; sooner or later their consumption will cause problems that could be fatal. Bones are definitely a bad idea and now there are substitutes, commercially available which will do no harm. Eating grass or other plant material may make them sick or could even be poisonous.
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Be careful with overdoing the table scraps, especiallly in holiday seasons as there is a tendency to be generous with turkey skins, crackling or other fatty cast off bits, they may lead to serious pancreatic problems. A variety of different diets is not essential but helps by permitting easier acceptance to changes in diet due to a lack of availability or for medical reasons. Watching what our animals eat is good common sense on our part, besides being good for them. You will be rewarded with the very least, by a wag of the tail or a purr, as well as saving otherwise avoidable and unnecessary trips to the Veterinarian.
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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A. M. P. A. R. E. The society for the protection of animals Ebro region. Based in Mora La Nova. We desperately need to re-home dogs to make room for more! We have over 200 dogs for adoption.
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Trio is a year old and has one leg amputated due to an accident. He's very affectionate and loves to play. He needs space to run as his lack of a leg is no handicap! He is sterilised.
Suzi is 9 months old and was abandoned as a three month old puppy. She loves attention and is intelligent and obedient.
Do you know this dog? He was found wandering in Mora de Ebre in December. He was wearing a collar and was in very good condition. He is obviously someones dog He is confident with people and very inteligent. We would much rather he were re-united with his owner than go to a stranger. If he is yours or you think you know his owner please contact me. Or if you would like to adopt this or any other dog call now. Lynn 638 731 434
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If for some reason this holiday season you are thinking of giving some one a new pet make sure before hand that it will be appreciated. This is a life and in the case of a kitten or a puppy could keep on giving for 15-20 years, which carries with it a responsibility that lasts a lifetime! An alternative could be adopting an adult from one of the many over supplied shelters. Why not give a thought to those left in the shelters over Christmas and donate some food !___________back to top of page_____________
AUTUMN LEAVES? DEC 08
Summertime is over and with it vacations. Getting ourselves back to a routine should also include some considerations for our animals. The measures could range from a simple bath to a trip to your veterinarian. This depends upon the summer vacation your pets may have had, if they have travelled with you, if they stayed at home or if they went to a kennel, while you were travelling. If your pets travelled with you they may have specific needs resulting from their travels. For example, they may need a follow-up visit, addressing a problem that arose whilst away from your regular veterinarian to make sure everything is back to normal. If there was some type of intoxication a check of liver and kidney function might be needed. If they had an allergic reaction of any kind, previously undocumented by your regular veterinarian that should be brought to their attention so it may be added to the pets’ clinical health records.
For those families whose pets stayed at home or went to a kennel, they may not need anything more than a good end of summer haircut and or bath, combined with proper flea and tick control measures. The weather is starting to cool off now so the number of these pests will start to diminish now out of doors but they like us will start to look for places indoors that are heated!
Along with a diminished appetite due to the summer heat, those pets that have been boarded or left at home with a neighbour or friend looking in occasionally to feed them they may also have been less active and therefore eaten less. Now that the cooler weather is coming, our animals’ caloric needs increase and their coats visibly change, so a little extra attention to their diet may be warranted.
This is also a good time for their periodic treatment for intestinal worms; remember in this area this should be done every three months, at least.
This area, along with the entire Mediterranean coast, is plagued by sand fly fever (Leishmaniasis), and by heartworm as well as other parasitic diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and ticks. The only way to determine if these other diseases have been transmitted by these pests is with a specific blood test, when suspected by your Vet.
A few simple measures can help ease the transition to winter and protect our pets against that “cold cruel world outside”.
A bit of a reminder, hunting season has returned and with it the annual parade of groups of hunters and their dogs traipsing through the underbrush, yet again. Many of the dogs they have with them are untried and some are either gun shy or simply not good hunters, so what will be their destiny? All too many just get (in)conveniently left behind. If you witness anyone engaged in such cruelty please remember that it is now against the animal cruelty laws in Spain and is a punishable offence, get an automobile registration number and report it, you can make a difference. You do not have to report it to the law enforcement authorities if you are wary to get involved. Simply find out where the local area hunt club is and point out to them that you have witnessed said neglect or abuse, where it occurred etc., plus take the registration numbers of the hunters’ vehicles around at the time and if it happens again be prepared to carry your complaints further. All dogs are required by law to be microchipped and cannot be legally abandoned! Hunters must be affiliated with a local hunt club for the area they are using.
Oh and by the way if you and your pets are out for a countryside stroll on the weekends, and not hunting, wear bright colours and keep your head down!
Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
Clinical Signs of leishmaniasis.
Some of the more frequently reported clinical signs of leishmaniasis include listlessness, fatigue and exercise intolerance coupled with anorexia and weight loss that eventually culminate as wasting disease. These signs may or may not be accompanied by fever, local or generalized lymphadenopathy (90%) and/or hepatosplenomegaly. Articular involvement is also fairly common and may present as lameness with swollen joints or simply as a stiff gait. Less common findings include ocular lesions (<5%), chronic diarrhea (30%) and long, deformed brittle nails (20%) referred to as onychogryphosis.
Cutaneous lesions are present in up to 89% of infected dogs, with or without overt signs of visceral involvement. However, it should be noted that any animal presenting with apparent lesions should be presumed to have disseminated leishmaniasis because involvement of the integument often occurs late in disease progression. Cutaneous lesions are often dry, alopecic areas that are rarely pruritic. They usually begin around the head, especially on the pinna or muzzle, but can originate on the footpads before spreading to the rest of the body.
CALL ARCA TODAY TO PROVIDE A HOME TO ONE OF 200 DOGS NEEDING A LOVING HOME or IF YOU CAN VOLUNTEER ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE DOGS
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George, brought in by English after he was left in a property. He is 2 years old and has a good character for a cocker spaniel can be wary of new people, although he behaves well here. 
Perlina, left by the family after her owner died. She is 8 years old. It gives us great sorrow because she is very lovable, like caramels and requests sausages from us. She is a very agreeable dog and sterilized. ___________back to top of page_____________
IS THE PETS PASSPORT VALID? NOV 08
This is a bit of a reminder to all those of you who have pets and may want to or in these times of economic crisis have to return to the U.K. with them. Some recent cases have arisen of discrepancies in the DEFRA (formerly MAFF) regulations and what measures some private veterinarians are employing in an attempt to comply. It is important to remember some important points which will be summarized below, the best thing to do is to discuss this with your veterinarian who should be able to clarify those doubts or explain the use of non approved vaccines or passports not properly validated by official state veterinary officers. You may also find out the latest information on the program by going to the DEFRA website:
www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets.
This will tell you the names of the approved vaccines and the latest air and ferry routes into the U.K.
In Summary:
1 Microchip.
2 Vaccinate against rabies and wait 1 month.*
3 Blood is taken, if results are acceptable, travel is possible 6 months from the date of the blood test.**
4 Veterinary pre-travel certification from anywhere in the E.U. not less than 24 or more than 48 hours prior to embarking to the U.K.
*There are only 4 approved vaccines; these are Canigen, Nobivac Rabies, Quantum Rabies, and Rabisin/Imrab. Check your pets´ passport and verify that the rabies inoculations that have been given are one of these approved ones or you may encounter problems at the point of attempted entry.
**The blood test has gone to a laboratory approved by DEFRA and that the page in the passport for the results of the Rabies Serological Test has been signed by an official state veterinarian and includes an official state stamp.
There are examples of inspectors spotting these discrepancies and rejecting your pet for entry. There are cases where pets have been smuggled in. Where either incomplete or improper passports get through because of inexperienced, uninformed inspectors not spotting these lapses, only to arrive in the U.K. to have to subject your pet to forced quarantine at your added expense, after having gone to the trouble and expense of this 6-7 month process before heading to the U.K. only to find that somebody you entrusted and paid did not follow the instructions.
Remember and this can’t be overstated, check that the rabies vaccinations are from one of the 4 approved vaccines, that the blood test has been done by an approved laboratory, and that the page of the passport that corresponds to the rabies serological test is signed by an official veterinarian and has the accompanying official state stamp, otherwise you could be in for a very unpleasant surprise! Sods Law – What can go wrong will go wrong, and if you have been experiencing a run of misfortune this could be the last thing you need to happen to you!
If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of the process or any of its steps check with your veterinarian. Remember you are paying them to do this properly for import into the U.K. The requirements for travel into most other European countries are not as strict. There are special requirements for travel into Sweden and Norway. It is the responsibility of your veterinarian to be informed and to comply with the regulations.
As an alternative to the lenghty quarantine in the U.K., you may wish to investigate long term boarding at a local kennel that may offer a discount for an extended stay as well as helping to arrange transport back to the U. K. for you. There are overland agencies that also help with the final certification health check and anti tick and worming procedures. They go door to door, are often less traumatic than air transport on your pet and less costly for you. This will certainly be less expensive and traumatic than quarantine in the U.K. and many of the boarding facilities here allow visiting, or at best are more accommodating and cater more to your pets comfort. Look into your local facilities and the people who run them, what kind of attention do they offer?
Once again to avoid any problems or unnecessary surprises make sure all the T’s are crossed and I’s dotted look over the passport, if you can check out the DEFRA website and/or question your veterinarian, that’s what they are there for!
GOOD NEWS Blacky from last months issue has been homed!
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AMIC: Pretty sheepdog of 5 years. He is calm and very pleasant and was left tied to the door. He has been neutered
PILI: Precious dog, type podenco. They left her as a puppy. She is very docile and likes to play. We have sterilized her and she is 2 years old.
BLANCA:
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OVERPOPULATION
Over population isn’t just a problem for the number of people on this planet, with its limited resources. Animal birth control and unwanted pets are also becoming worthy topics for our consideration and attention, especially in areas where stray dogs and cats abound.
Many families are concerned not only with birth control, but also modifying, what are deemed as unacceptable manifestations of the reproductive cycle, in a household pet. Government and Humane Societies worldwide spend billions annually addressing this problem. Veterinarians are called upon to kill healthy young animals – this is not synonymous with euthanasia of infirm or suffering ones – the opposite of what they are educated and trained for.
The reproductive or heat cycle in female dogs starts between 6-18 months of age, lasts about 1 month and repeats every 6 months. The most fertile period of about 10-14 days occurs in the second half of that month. It is during that time that they are looking to escape and it’s when the neighbourhood males come calling. Females not bred, can undergo a false or psychological pregnancy, based on a hormonal imbalance that can be treated medically.
Males mature at about the same time as females. When and where there is a female in heat nearby they’re looking to go courting, this often leads to fights with rivals or being hit by a car. These details vary little for cats, (there is a larger stray problem in urban areas) and the end result is often the same. The owner has a pregnant and/or injured pet to attend to now.
There is the problem later of what to do with the newborn puppies or kittens, added to the unwanted abandoned list in this disposable society. There are medical and surgical methods available to control the pet population (the author prefers surgical methods, given the side effects of medical treatments). This, however, is a personal matter that should be discussed among the family and in consultation with your vet, to best adapt to each individual case. This is not a question to be taken lightly. There are too many animals that end up as road pancakes!
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
Too Many Animals, Not Enough Homes
The overpopulation of animals is an issue each of us must face daily. Every day 10,000 humans are born and 70,000 cats and dogs are born. Each day approximately 22,000 cats and dogs are euthanized. To end the homelessness of cats and dogs, each man, woman, and child would need to adopt 7 animals each. That would mean a family of 4 would have 28 animals!!
Here are just a few benefits of spaying or neutering your pet.
* Increase the opportunity for a healthier pet by reducing or eliminating the risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and/or uterine cancer, prostate disease, and testicular cancer
* Reduce the number of unwanted cats and dogs
* Increase the desire for the pet to stay at home and not roam
* Reduce aggressive and territorial behavior
* Increase your bonding time by eliminating the mating behavior – crying and howling incessantly, spraying, attempting to run out the door
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Angie: They left her pregnant. I She has been traumatised and is scared. She is 3 years old and is now sterilized.
Blacky: They found him the park at 2 months of age. For being so young it did not affect him and he is very playful and has a lovely character.
Nina: She was left in the train station. She is very sweet and sociable. She is 3 years old and sterilized.
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Oh Give Me A Home!
Every year about 100,000 dogs and 200,000 cats are abandoned here in Spain. Every summer, with its giving way to autumn, brings on the neglect and the slaughter. Ten thousand are victims of automobiles, which may cause as many as 3,000 traffic accidents and over 1,000 personal injuries as a result. Over half of these victims are created in summertime. These little cute, fluffy, playful puppies or kittens grow up and as adults their needs and attitudes change, requiring more attention.
This is just one of the justifications, (if you need one) to visit one of the local protective societies when looking for a pet, and adopt from any number of their many orphaned or abandoned animals. It also affords you the opportunity to reflect on your motives in acquiring a new family member before buying one from a pet shop or a breeder.
If you feel saddened by this seemingly neglected feral feline population, rather than just putting some scraps or proper food out, properly adopt one or two, or convince your community to adopt some. To have them properly cared for, including worming, flea and tick treatments, vaccinations, micro-chipping and spaying or neutering. They will help to contain the unwanted rodent population, rats and mice, as well as, by their presence, the arrival of new unwanted strays, being territorial animals as they are.
Visitors and or vacationers come out for a month or less and see these cats coming around to the place they are renting and they start to feed them. These animals then start to come around regularly and they continue to feed them until that date arrives that they have to return from whence they came and the cats are, in the best (situation) of cases, abandoned again or the worst case scenario, which has happened, that they take this more or less healthy animal to a veterinarian to be killed, not euthanized which is the painless taking of a life of a terminally ill or dying animal, as they are no longer going to be around to feed it!
Why did they not think about this before they started to feed the animal(s) in question? There are now healthier unwanted cats about that are more prone to breed. This reproduction cycle when left unchecked, may in only five to ten years, from just one pair of cats having only 2 litters a year of just 3-4 kittens per litter, produce hundreds of thousands to millions of cats, if not more!
These are just a small sample of animals looking for a good home from Alberg D'Animals. Please call TODAY!
The community may call an agency out to round up the strays for their culling. This often leads to cases of mistaken identities where animals with families are collected and confused as strays are caught and may be killed! Another even more desperate solution has been reported. In many cases the presence of unwanted cats leads to the illegal placement of poisonous substances in an attempt to reduce the feral feline population. This indiscriminate placing of poison may affect cared for pets or even children!
Your stay here is over but their lives continue, please look into the possibility that one of the local protective societies may be of help in placing them into a new, more permanent home. Inform yourself as to what options are available through your local town hall to care for abandoned animals. If your reason for turning this friend out on its luck is because you have to leave the area temporarily, try to find a friend or a boarding kennel to care for your pet until you return and are able to be reunited.
Above: Bobie, his owner died & left this 14 year old dog behind so he requires a nice home to spend his last days. Right: Cindy, 4 years old found loyally with her owner 4 days after he had died. Please contatc Arca if you can provide a home for these or one of the many others
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Hot Summertime Blues
It is hot and the dogs are panting, they must be thirsty! Yes it is hot and all of us should have access to plenty of fresh drinking water, the dogs’ panting however doesn’t necessarily reflect thirst, it is one of their ways to control their body temperature as they don't have sweat glands the way other animals have. They do have sweat glands in the soles of their feet which is the reason why you may see them standing in water when it is hot, their feet also have a vast supply of superficial blood vessels which help facilitate heat exchange. 
Domestic cats have a similar physiology and response to heat as dogs, not so with horses as they are able to sweat and may do so profusely. Heatstroke or sunstroke (hypothermia) which is an increase in the body temperature up to or beyond normal physiological regulation is something that all domestic animals are susceptible to. This may be due to high environmental temperature, high humidity, or inadequate ventilation. Direct exposure to the suns´ rays may also be a contributing factor, as transporting or movement of a number of domestic cattle, horses or other livestock as well as keeping dogs in confined quarters without proper ventilation. Heat cramps are common in working horses in the intense heat, as they sweat and may also suffer from a lack of salt.
In the cases of heatstroke you will observe rapid breathing and sometimes they may pass out, vomiting and/or diarrhoea may also occur. An attack of heatstroke requires urgent attention, such as a cold water bath is the most immediate response while seeking out professional help. Think twice about taking the dog or cat for a ride while running errands, or if you are travelling with them this time of year do not leave them unattended in a closed car in the sun, even in the shade with the windows cracked open a bit these days may be a bit much for them! Where ever you and your animals may be make sure they have access to fresh water and shade. If you wish to find where the coolest spot in the house or garden is, locate where the dog or cat may be stretched out!
While on the subject of abandoned animals, hunting season has started and with it the annual parade of groups of hunters and their dogs traipsing through the underbrush. Many of the dogs they have with them are untried and some are either gun shy or simply not good hunters, so what will be their destiny? All too many just get (in)conveniently left behind. If you witness anyone engaged in such cruelty please remember that it is now against the animal cruelty laws on the books in Spain and is a punishable offence, get a automobile registration number and report it, you can make a difference.
Oh and by the way if you and your pets are out for a countryside stroll on the weekends, and not hunting, wear bright colours and keep your head down! .
Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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Summer time blues
"Summer is here and with it vacations for us and our families. The decision of where to go is often complicated when it is not possible or practical to take our animals along. We are faced with the dilemma of what to do with them. Those horse owners whose animals are stabled with qualified attendants know that the best solution is to leave them there.
Leaving our dogs and cats at home, also the best for them, is not often easy to arrange. Even if they do not have special needs, someone coming around daily may not be able to provide sufficient care and/or attention. It is at times like these that other avenues need to be explored, a house sitter is one possibility, but the most frequent option is a boarding kennel. This is where the hunt begins, to find a suitable kennel that will attend to you and your pets’ particular needs. Here are a few things to be conscious of when making a selection. 
How are the cages and runs – indoors/outdoors, covered? Is there enough room for them to get proper exercise? Are they made of material easily cleaned and disinfected? What kind of insect control measures are employed? How often are they fed and watered? Are there grooming facilities available? What are their contingency plans in case of a veterinary emergency? Do they have any prerequisites, i.e. vaccinations or reservations? For your pets protection their vaccinations should be current- within the last year, if not they should have a booster prior to entering a kennel.
If your plans include your animals then there are other considerations to be aware of for those hikes in the hills or jaunts on the beach. All that glitters is not gold and with this heat be aware of the threats from ectoparasites – fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and biting flies. 
The clipping down, very short as opposed to thinning out, of long haired breeds of dogs and cats does not necessarily make them cooler; it may on the contrary make them more susceptible to the heat. It certainly makes them more available to the many biting pests (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, sand-fly, horse-fly and other biting flies) we all confront, more abundant in the warmer weather.
They do not have sweat glands in their skin, panting is one of the most common methods they rely upon to control their body temperature.
That fur coat could be helping insulating somewhat against the sun. A dog pants when it is hot as a means of controlling body temperature, sweating, likewise it does not always mean that they are thirsty. 
There are many types of weeds and dry plant seeds that stick to fur and can cause all sorts of problems between the toes, up the nose, down the ear, or in the eye.
If a dip in the sea or the pool is in order remember that we rinse the salt water or chlorine off afterwards, it follows then that our animals get the same treatment. This may help in reducing the all too frequent hot spots or summer eczemas. Over shampooing, even with the mildest of medicated shampoos may cause skin problems rather than resolving them. Make sure in the heat that they have abundant water available and a shady spot to take refuge in. If the water isn’t fit for us to drink we ought to be giving our animals the same bottled water we use. Keeping these few things in mind should make for a more relaxed vacation for all concerned.
Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
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The heat is on
This is a photograph of the sand-fly (Phlebotomus spp.) which causes Leishmaniasis/Sand-fly Fever.
Summer is almost upon us and with it we should be aware of potential dangers, besides the heat, our animals may have to confront. They should, of course, have abundant cool water, ventilation and shade available. Beware of running them free on the beaches as there is also an increase of discarded fish hooks which the dogs w/out muzzles could encounter when scavenging. If your pet gets hooked do not cut the fishing line, it could help to locate the hook. This time of year has also been known as a time when there is an increase in the loss of disoriented vacationing pets or the abandonment of pets, when it is time for the family vacation.
Private non-profit Animal Protective Societies are found scattered around our area. It was pointed out once that in the U.K. and the States these societies exist out of a need to correct conscious acts of cruelty, while in Spain much of what has gone on was out of lack of knowledge and understanding, custom from an essentially agrarian society where pets were rarely kept except by some big city dwellers. There has been a rapid evolution of attitudes with regards to animal welfare, which can be witnessed in the media, just by seeing the animal related advertisements in the print media or on Spanish Television, as well as programs with segments on pet care or entire programs about pets and animal welfare. There have been recent laws passed, on a national and regional level, regarding animal rights and responsible ownership of all domestic animals. What needs to be done now is that pressure needs to be applied on the local police and town councils for compliance with these new statutes on the books. The more pressure applied by the public the sooner the townships will realize that it is in their interest to comply. Towns are required to have at least some public shelter/housing facilities available for abused and/or strays, including emergency care if they are injured. In the recent elections, promises were made – again – to create such facilities, long overdue and still non-existent. Some towns have agreements with local non-profit protective rescue societies. Whatever the case may be, these organisations serve an important function providing a very necessary and commendable service. They need all the help and support that we can give them, so if you wish to help them out they are always in need of funds and volunteers.
Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
In collaboration with www.theresident.eu
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"My dogs must have worms; they are dragging their rear along the ground".
This is a comment heard all too often in veterinary offices and isn't necessarily true, whereas they may have worms that may not be what is causing the behaviour, which might also be seen with biting or scratching their rear, back or base of the tail area. What they are doing is most likely trying to empty their perianal glands - often referred to simple as anal glands or sacs. 
These are glands as the name suggests around the anus and they are present in dogs, cats, ferrets and other mammals the most famous being skunks. The substance produced by these glands is an acrid oily liquid, pale brown in colour with a very strong odour. Fortunately our domestic pets don't have the capacity to project the substance as skunks do. 
These glands normally empty at the end of each motion to mark territory giving the animal its identity. When they do not empty the liquid becomes thicker and the glands can become blocked causing localized allergic type reactions, discomfort, hence the "scooting behaviour", scratching or licking themselves, they may also become restless or agitated.
If left unchecked an infection can arise which may cause impaction of the gland producing pain and could lead to a perianal fistula. This needs to be attended to by a veterinarian as manual emptying of the gland is required.
Anti-biotic and anti-inflammatory therapy is introduced many times at this point.
It’s like mother used to say "stay regular" and it is the same for our pets. A regular diet is best and you should not introduce rich food or give "treats" too frequently that are seen as a kindness but like us that "treat" alters our bowel movements which upsets the balance of the intestinal contents.
Under no circumstances should bones (cooked or raw) be given as they can seriously constipate or irritate the animal preventing the gland from emptying properly.
Another contributing factor can be the presence of tape worm segments so...Worm regularly (every 3 months minimum in this climate which can also exacerbate the problem) and if in doubt consult your vet before medication is needed. He can't but your pet should thank you for your close attention.
Dr. Ronald Rosenfeld D.V.M.
In collaboration with www.theresident.eu
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