Problems With Broth?

Here's a letter from reader "M",

First I will apologize for the long email, as my husband tells me frequently that I have alot to say.

We have 3 wonderful Boston Terriers, ages 5, 4, and approximately 3 years old (this one is a guesstimate, he's a rescue!).  All 3 are on Banfield's wellness program and have been since 8 weeks of age for my 5 and 4 year old, and since we have had our rescue, almost 2 years.  Their diet consist of Nutro Natural Small Breed and for the past couple of months, adding Blue Buffalo Small Breed, for variety. I use a little canned food (same brands) on their kibble as well.  I decided about a month ago to stop giving them store bought treats (pupperoni, beggin strips, dingo dental sticks and chicken sticks) after scaring myself to pieces reading internet reviews on different treats.  We still do the dentastix as our Banfield vet recommended them for their teeth. What I have done once a week for the past month is purchased SAMs boneless chicken breast (they are very large breast) in about a 5 lb pack, cut all the "ooey" out, cooked them for about 3 hours on 375 then in the food dehydrator for an hour or so to make homemade jerky.  They love it!  Poops have been normal, no other problems.

I just realized the package says the breast are injected or enhanced with broth.

Now I am concerned about the ingredients in the broth. I don't have the package but I would imagine it contains salt.  My 4 year old baby girl weighs 12 pounds and today she has not eaten and vomited white foam (empty tummy?).  My other 2 are boys, 27 pounds and 24 pounds.  They have not had any problems. We are out of town but I will get to SAMs immediately when we get home to check the ingredients.  I am concerned this might be related to the chicken jerky.  She hasn't had any today but it has been their main source for treats for the past month.  Of course I will continue to watch her and get her to a local vet if an emergency arises and the nearest Banfield is a little over an our away from where we are now.  My question is could I have made my babies sick using chicken breast enhanced with broth?   I understand without knowing the contents of the broth, you may not want to comment, but I would appreciate any help!

Yes, without knowing the contents of the broth it is a bit difficult to make an assessment.  However, if there was a real problem with the home-made jerky I would expect it to affect all of your pets relatively equally, despite the size difference.  It would also be more likely to have caused vomiting or diarrhea shortly after using it rather than after a month or more.  With your cooking method I wouldn't expect any bacteria to still be present, but salmonella contamination is a reason why mass-produced chicken jerky has been recalled a few times.  If this is something that persists, absolutely have your girl examined by a vet right away.  If the other dogs become affected, I would recommend talking to your vet about having the jerky tested for bacteria.

In general this kind of treat isn't a concern to me.  However, anything made at home needs to be processed carefully and all of the ingredients analyzed.  Humans and dogs have somewhat similar physiologies, but there are also significant differences.  Some things that are safe for one species aren't safe for another, and without proper knowledge you can't easily make that assumption.  When in doubt about something be sure to check with your own vet.

How Our Pets See Us

I saw this on Facebook a few days ago, and felt that it was very appropriate.  While humorous, I think it does illustrate (no pun intended) the differences between dogs and cats.  We like different pets for different reasons.  My family has two dogs, three cats, a bearded dragon, a Guinea pig, a rat, and a betta.  So we have quite a variety of perceptions and experiences!

Golden Retriever Lifetime Study

Has it really been three weeks since I posted?  Yikes!  No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, and yes, I'm doing just fine, thanks.  Chalk it up to lots of events and activities over the last few weeks combined with a bit of a lack of motivation to blog.  But let's try to get back on track!

Recently an email came through my inbox about a new study on Golden Retrievers in the US.  The study is open to just about anyone with a dog of this breed and is interesting because it will follow the participants for their entire lives.  Here's a description of the reasoning for the study....

More than half of Golden Retrievers die from cancer, and it is the leading cause of death in all dogs over the age of 2. By participating, you will help scientists:

• Identify ways in which genetics, environment and diet may affect a dog's risk for cancer
• Determine risk factors for other major health disorders in Golden Retrievers
• Learn how to better prevent, diagnose and treat cancer and other canine diseases
• Improve the health of future generations of Golden Retrievers and help create a healthier tomorrow for all dogs

The study is being supported by the Morris Animal Foundation, a well-known non-profit organization.

If you'd like more details, click below.

Golden Retriever Lifetime Study

Justifying Euthanasia

From death, to humor, back to death.  Some variety in the posts lately, eh?  Today's comes from a reader in Korea.

Hello! I am an aspiring veterinarian studying in Korea. Ever since I had to put down my dog after he got severely injured by a wild animal, the idea of becoming a vet just stuck in my head.

 However, what bothers me most about becoming a vet is how vets often have to perform euthanasia. Just by reading your blog I can get a good grasp of how many of those I have to go through each week. In no way am I suggesting that what you had to do was unreasonable, but the ethical issues regarding euthanasia bothers me to no end. I mean,

 So in what ways can euthanasia be justified? And does having to put down pets bother you much? 

Euthanizing animals isn't easy.  Doctors are trained how to preserve and extend life, sometimes through very extreme and heroic measures.  Our main motivation for becoming vets is to make sick and injured pets better.  So making the decision to end a life is often difficult.  And because it is an irreversible decision it isn't something to be done lightly.

I am 100% against "convenience" euthanasia.  Many times I have refused to euthanize a pet because a client couldn't keep it any more, was aggravated by it, was moving, and so on.  There are always other options for an unwanted pet and I'd rather an animal go to a shelter or foster home rather than be put to sleep.

To me euthanasia is completely justified when the animal is suffering and there aren't any other options.  It's a rather cold, sometimes depressing fact, but we can't fix everything.  There are some animals whose injuries are too severe for them to survive for long.  There are some diseases that we can treat and extend life, but at some point will be fatal, such as kidney failure and some forms of cancer.  The hardest cases are the ones that we're fairly certain we can help, but the clients cannot afford treatment.  Regardless of how it happens, there are pets that simply can't be helped and will die.

But most deaths aren't quick and quiet while sleeping.  Liver and kidney failure can cause a pet to linger for days or weeks, feeling sick and suffering the entire time.  Heart failure that leads to fluid in the lungs results in severe difficulty breathing.  Perhaps a dog is hit by a car and has multiple limb fractures that can only be fixed with surgery, but the client can't afford the procedure and their pet is screaming in pain.  I've seen many dogs who have such severe arthritis and joint disease that are generally healthy, but they literally cannot stand or walk and all attempts at pain relief have failed.

At these times we have to look at the best interests of the pet.  Is it the most humane, ethical thing to let them lay there, sick, painful, unmoving until they eventually die from thirst, starvation, or toxins?  I think most people would agree that this is not an ethical choice.  We want to stop suffering, not allow it to linger.  The pet can't make the decision or talk to us, so between the client and the animal we have to make the decision for them.  

When I agree to euthanize a pet, I make sure that there aren't other options.  I look at the case and think "What would happen to this pet and how would they feel or survive if we did nothing?"  If the answer is that the pet would die or suffer extensively I think the most ethical thing is to humanely end their life.  Then there is the quality of life question.  I'll ask the client if the pet is having more "good" days or more "bad" days.  If I know that the case will be terminal anyway and the bad days outnumber the good, why would I want the animal to suffer even more bad days before the inevitable outcome?

Yes, some cases bother me, but those are normally pets that I have seen for a long time and to which have become emotionally attached.  I've shed tears along with the client many times.  But the other cases don't bother me as much because I know that I'm ending their pain and suffering.  If I didn't have the assurance that I was fulfilling my oath to help illness and pain I wouldn't be able to do it.

I hope that explains some of the thoughts and justifications behind veterinary euthanasia.  As a would-be vet you'll be faced with these situations, and it might be a good idea to find a local vet and shadow them for a while to see these cases in the real world.

Not Always Right...At The Vet

I've mentioned it before, but the website NotAlwaysRight.com is one of my favorite daily visits.  After a long day dealing with sometimes difficult people, it's nice to see what other people have to put up with.  Often it puts things in perspective for me and my own cranky clients don't seem as bad.  While most of the stories are related to fields other than my own, I still enjoy them and can relate.

Every weekend they do a themed "Weekly Roundup".  This week was the first time I've seen the Roundup be veterinary themed!  Since I don't have a lot else on my mind today to blog about, I thought I'd share the link.  Everyone in the veterinary profession can absolutely relate to these clients, and maybe the pet owners have seen people like this when they visit the vet's office.

At The Vet....Clients Are Not Always Right

The Final Gift

This has been one of those "Dr. Death" weeks, where I've had to euthanize several pets.  All of them were severely ill and terminal, so it was completely justified.  But it still isn't easy for me or the clients, and I found myself teary-eyed more than once.

Euthanasia is hard.  But it allows an ease of suffering and a peaceful passing.  In many ways it's a gift, the final one we can give.  Our pets have given us so much life and joy, and we can help them end life peacefully.  This was brought to my attention in this way by one of my clients whose pet I put to sleep.  She has lost pets before and with her permission I'm sharing a poem she wrote about the experience.  I hope this can help those who have lost their own furry, feathered, or scaly loved one.

The Gift

It was Christmas of Nineteen Eighty Five

And my beloved cat Prince was no longer alive.

He'd died of pneumonia just three weeks ago

Prince was only three - it was a terrible blow.

That Christmas began just like any other -

Presents exchanged between sister, father, and mother,

But - surprise!  One final gift, sitting in Mom's lap

A teen week old bundle of fur, taking a nap.

She opened her eyes; they were a lovely amber-green,

Then, much to our delight, she started to preen.

She had a beautiful tail and long soft hair.

Cute white feet - a dainty lady most fair.

All she needed was a name, for she was all mine.

It had to be special for a kitten so fine.

Because it was Christmas, I chose Tiffany

It was appropriate, meaning "God's Gift" to me.

She was with me for many of life's trials.

My parents' divorce, a move of many miles.

A new school, new friends, my first summer job

She soothed me when all I could do was sob.

Then she had kittens - five months, two litters!

A total of ten, but they were cute little critters.

Mom said "Spay her!" so my first gift to her

Was no more worry about becoming a mother.

Then came college and yet another move

Tiffy took it in stride, like she had something to prove.

Then marriage, more moving, finally my degree.

And always Tiffany; her presence was her gift to me.

Many years passed and Tiffany grew older.

She didn't play as much, just wanted me to hold her.

Then an unexplained illness, and the dreaded answer.

My beloved gift was suffering from terminal cancer.

The veterinarian kindly explained there was no hope

After fifteen years together how could I cope?

So we took her home to love her while we could.

We gave plenty of treats, but not more than we should.

Finally, the time came, when she would no longer eat.

We took her to the vet and gave her one final favorite treat.

Never again to hear her loving, sweet purr.

No more suffering, eternal peace, my final gift to her.

The 2013 State Of Pet Health

Love it or hate it, Banfield Pet Hospital is the largest veterinary practice in the world and has over 800 locations throughout the United States.  Their computer databases can tally data from millions of pets every year and analyze it in many different ways.  For the last couple of years they have released an annual "State of Pet Health" using this data, showing how different diseases or trends affect pets.

In this year's report they break it down by state.  Now, there are certain limitations to their data as it is only from their clinics, but it's more than most other sources have so it can be educational.  Here are some highlights from my own state of Georgia.

Dogs average a lifespan of 10.9 years.

Cats average a lifespan of 12.1 years.

Dental tartar and ear infections are the most common diagnoses made in dogs.

Dental tartar and fleas are the most common diagnoses made in cats.

Bella and Max are the most common dog names.

Kitty and Tiger are the most common cat names.

Labrador retrievers and shih tzus are the most common dog breeds.

The most common pure-bred cat is the Siamese.

Other data....

Overall 1 in 4 pets is overweight or obese.  The highest rate of this in both dogs and cats is in Minnesota.

The highest prevalence for diabetes can be found in Iowa for dogs and Nevada for cats.

Louisiana and Mississippi have the highest rats of heartworm disease in dogs.

In both dogs and cats the rate of ear infections is highest in Mississippi and Florida.

All-in-all some interesting data and trends.  Though I don't find that anything here will change my personal way of practicing, looking at national trends can be helpful in seeing how well we as a profession are diagnosing, preventing, and treating given health problems in pets.