All Valley Animal Care Center

     You have done everything right.  Your pet received all their vaccines and preventative care.  You nursed them through all the normal ups and downs – occasional bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, sniffles, sneezes and just not feeling well.  Maybe you’ve been managing a chronic disease for a while now – thyroid problems, irritable bowel disease, heart disease, kidney failure, arthritis.  Now things have changed, that manageable disease isn’t manageable anymore and your best furry friend is suffering.  When do you decide that the kindest thing you can do is let go?  This is the biggest dilemma in a pet owner’s life and the hardest decision you will have to make for your pet.  The choice is never easy but sometimes all the signs are clear and you can make your decision knowing there was no other option.  Other times the choice is less clear cut; you don’t want to cut a life short but you don’t want your pet to suffer just because you are not ready to say goodbye.  There are a few guidelines that you can use to help to make the right choice for you and you’re family. 

     First, make a list of all the things your pet has always loved.  Whatever they enjoy, whether going for walks, playing fetch, swimming, or sitting on your lap for a good petting session, all of these things need to go on the list.  Don’t forget eating and drinking, they need to be there too.  When your pet can no longer do any of the things they used to enjoy, when they eat poorly or don’t drink then it is time to consider euthanasia.

     Second, use your calendar.  At the end of each day write whether your pet had a good day, a bad day or a so-so day. At the end of the month look back and see what the trend was.  Are the days mostly good?  Then it is not time yet.  Maybe the month started well and got worse and worse until most of the days were bad.  In that situation it is probably time to let go.

     Finally talk to your veterinarian.  They have seen it all and can help guide you through the painful end of life decisions that happen to all pet owners eventually.   Remember, euthanasia is not killing your pet.  Euthanasia is the last kindness that you can do for the animal that always loved you unconditionally.  Please speak to your veterinarian with any questions you have on this sensitive subject, they will help guide you through this difficult time.

Dr. Laura Marji, Emerald location

Heartworm disease is a potentially devastating condition caused by a worm that lives in the chambers on the right side of the heart.  This worm can be up to a foot long and cause irreparable damage to your pet’s heart.  This parasite is transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitos.  The baby worm then travels around in your pet’s fat for a period of time before finding its way to a blood vessel and from there it travels to the heart.

While most people have heard of this disease, many are still not providing protection to their animals.   This can be for a variety of reasons, so I want to take a moment to clear up some of the common misconceptions about this disease.

1. “We don’t have heartworm around here.”      Many people in this area believe their pets are not at risk because of environmental factors like cold winters and shorter summers but the fact is that heartworms are present in all fifty states and the number of infections is rising each year.   Heartworm is found in wild canids such as wolves and coyotes which provide a constant reservoir for infection of our pets.
2. “My pet is indoor only. He never goes outside.”      It is very rare to find a dog that is truly indoor only.  Most pets go outside to urinate and defecate.  They take trips to the groomer, or kennel or vet.  Every time your pet is outside there is a chance of a mosquito bite.  In addition, many bugs, mosquitos included, find their way into the house so even a pet that doesn’t go out may be exposed to an infected mosquito.
3. “My dog is so hairy that mosquitos can’t get to him. ”     Length of hair provides no protection – a Chow or Husky or Pomeranian is just as likely to become infected as a lab or boxer or other short haired breed.
4. “My dog can’t take those drugs. He’s sensitive.”     Heartworm preventions are very safe and rarely cause any problems.  Take your concerns to your veterinarian, they can help you navigate all the choices out there to find one that your pet can tolerate that will keep him safe.
5. “What is a heartworm test and why do I have to have one every year?”     A heartworm test involves taking a small amount of blood from your pet and looking for a substance produced by the female worm.   It takes about 10 minutes and is quite accurate.  We always test because we do not want to give prevention to a dog that is already infected.  A different course of action is needed in those cases.

In short, heartworm disease is potentially devastating, difficult and expensive to treat and entirely preventable.  Talk to your veterinarian today about testing your pet and starting on prevention.

Dr. Laura Marji (Emerald location)

Any veterinarian will tell you that we would LOVE it if all our clients had pet insurance.  The chance to do what is best for our patients, instead of only what can be financially afforded out of pocket, is every vet’s dream come true.  But, which company should you choose?  And what type of policy?

I thought I’d share with you what I have learned as a veterinarian about pet insurance, and all the things I think owners should know when choosing a provider.  I am by no means an expert on this topic, but have managed to pick up a few tidbits of knowledge on the topic along the way.

First, it’s important to know that most of the time an owner will still have to pay veterinary costs out of pocket, at the time of service, and then wait to be reimbursed by their insurer.  This is partly because there is a lot of variance in the amount of coverage for certain problems, and by various companies.  It is difficult for a clinic to determine what will be covered and what will not be, or to give advice to owners about it.  Therefore, it is usually left to the owner to sort out with their provider.  This is important to know because some people buy pet insurance with the idea that they will therefore not need a ready supply of funds in an emergency.  Since this is unfortunately not the case, it may be wise to have a credit card designated for pet expenses, which is readily available to use with the plan of paying it off once the insurance company sends you reimbursement.

This leads me to another important point:  When looking for a policy, investigate thoroughly the typical amount of reimbursement for various problems and how it is determined.  For example, I have come across several policies that pay very well for emergency surgeries such as fractured bones and bloat ($1500 -$3000), but pay only a small amount for other illnesses such as kidney failure ($500, which is almost nothing for a pet that needs several days in the hospital and ongoing care after returning home).  Make sure to select a policy that pays well whether the problem is a “sure fix” or is a more guarded, long term illness.  A more helpful policy might pay a fixed percentage of all bills, no matter what the illness, instead of adjusting reimbursement based on type if illness.

In consideration of the above point, I thought I would list some of the more common illnesses and emergencies I see as a veterinarian in dogs and cats.  This list is not all inclusive, of course, but is intended to give you a starting point for discussion with potential insurers.  You can ask what they would cover, as an example, for such illnesses.

DOGS:  pancreatitis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, “dietary indiscretion” or gastroenteritis, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, fracture repair, trauma/bite wounds/hit by car,  GI obstruction, bladder stones, hypoadrenocorticism, atopy (seasonal skin allergies), otitis externa (ear infections), splenectomy, GDV (“bloat”), arthritis, torn cruciate ligament, periodontal disease, lymphosarcoma, congestive heart failure/heart disease

CATS: acute or chronic kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, trauma/bite wounds/abscesses, hepatitis/liver disease,  uretral obstruction, Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease/cystitis, periodontal disease/Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions, diabetes, cardiomyopathy/heart disease, upper respiratory infection

Lastly, if you are interested in being able to provide the best care for your pet as it ages, you may want to inquire about an oncology rider, or riders for other illnesses.  About 50% of dogs over the age of 10 will eventually die of cancer.  Cats have a very high incidence of kidney insufficiency as they age.  In addition, coverage for preventive care or “disease screens” such as annual bloodwork, abdominal ultrasounds, and x-rays may be provided by bonus coverage that can help you provide top quality care to your pet.

If you do get pet insurance, and are not reimbursed as much as you thought you would be for an incident, it may be wise to ask your veterinarian to call the insurance company.  Sometimes there can be additional reimbursement for items listed separately from the presenting problem,  such as “abdominal ultrasound” or specialty consult.

Hope this was helpful and informative.  If you know all the facts, pet insurance can be a wonderful salvation for a pet in an emergency, as well as a tool to help provide your beloved furry friend with optimum care its entire life.  Your pet– and your vet– will love you for it!

Andrea Sparzo, DVM