Titus. A Book in the Bible was addressed to him “The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus”. Shakespeare penned a tragedy about “Titus Andronicus”. The “Urban Dictionary” states that “Titus” is an “awesome” name , though uncommon. Among other gifts, the dictionary says that bearers of the name “Titus”   are smart thinkers, courteous, and once a friend, will stay a good friend. Phew. That’s a lot to live up to. The furry mound in front of me didn’t seem a match for “Titus”. “Nondescript” is what came to my mind. The kitten was greyish, dirty, and crawling with fleas. He weighed in at 1.4 pounds.

 

The little lump looked up and meowed. I took in the fact that his lower lip had been peeled down, away from jaw bone and teeth and was just hanging where his tiny chin should have been. You could see where the right and left sides of the mandible met in the middle. We refer to this as a degloving injury, when the skin is completely torn away from the underlying tissue. (The damage is likened to how one might peel off a long pair of gloves.). Degloving injuries are most common to legs, arms and tails.

 

I looked up at the owner. A slender young man, he had remained quiet so far. The chart stated that he had found the kitten. As I scooped Titus up I felt something sticky and immediately turned the kitten on his side. I was horrified to note a pus-encrusted open wound that covered over a third of the kitten’s underbelly. What I had mistaken for litter on his feet were also deep crusts embedded in his paw pads. I set “Titus” back on the table and the scrawny little thing pounced in play at my fingers! I found my voice. “Is he actually eating for you?” I asked.

 

“Oh, yes!” his young owner answered eagerly. “Will he get better?”

 

I walked him through the long road to recovery this kitten faced. Surgery to paste his lip back onto his face. Surgery on the belly wound. Possible internal injuries or infection from what had probably been a dog attack. A poor surgical candidate given his low weight, malnutrition, and probable weakness from anemia caused by blood-sucking fleas. The very real possibility of an underlying infection from the Feline Leukemia or Feline AIDS viruses, as so many cats in the feral cat colonies around Merced are infected. The odds were stacked against Titus. The young man who found him didn’t have other pets and had not been looking for one. Would he be interested or prepared to take on the medical needs of a high risk, straight-off-the-streets kitten? He said yes.

 

Titus donated a tiny amount of blood and tested negative for Leukemia and the FIV virus. We anesthetized him with a safe gas anesthetic, allowing him to breathe himself to sleep. Anesthesia was necessary to fully examine and treat his wounds. We did not want to cause any additional pain which might provoke shock in such an already over-stressed patient.

 

To reattach his lip onto his face tiny suture on a tiny needle was threaded right through his jaw. The wound on his abdomen was ugly. Pus oozed around the edges of the large scab. The abdominal wall was exposed and so transparent we could see through his belly button. But the wall was intact. All four paws were damaged, with parts of the pads sheared off.  Lucky for Titus (again!) there was no evidence of broken bones.  We gently cleaned out the debris and bandaged each little paw.  Closing the large gaping would over his belly wasn’t possible – when I attempted to suture the skin together it looked like a cartoon character whose belt has been cinched so tightly the rest of the body will burst. We removed that stitch. Finally I just took a tiny pad of skin dressing used in people for bed sores and covered the hole.

 

We saw Titus back every 3 days, then every 5, and finally 10 days apart. Youth and love worked its magic and together we marveled as his paws healed, his lip reattached to his face and slowly his skin regrew to cover his tummy. In my experience, the average kitten gains about a pound a month. Imagine my delight when I saw Titus back for his last vaccinations and realized that in just 9 weeks he had grown to be a 5.4 pound kitten, with a beautiful silver shaded grey coat and always, always that mischievous kitten pounce that put a smile on all our faces.

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com

 

Myrtle lost 8 pounds. I was most impressed. A middle-aged Australian Shepherd, she had never had puppies and couldn’t excuse her midlife spread by pointing at some handsome offspring to blame for the extra weight. She had been spayed young (with the added benefit of almost guaranteeing no breast cancer in her life time) and as such, did not undergo the burden of hormonal changes late in life, so again, no excuses for the added pounds.

 

Like so many before her, Myrtle would garner no awards for discovering the mystery behind unwanted weight gain : too many calories in, not enough calories out (see definition “exercise”).  In short, Myrtle over-ate and slept in.

 

When you understand that she weighed 73 pounds stuffed into a 50 pound body frame you may begin to understand the concern. A young dog that is overweight can usually bear the extra pounds with grace. They are active, if perhaps less agile than a truly fit play friend. But looking ahead, after many years of joints and body parts groaning under those extra pounds, you will find the portly pet to be suffering from arthritis at a much younger age than a healthy-weight dog. The overweight dog faces their senior years plagued with creaky knees and groaning hips. Yes, there are plenty of medications available to decrease the inflammation of arthritis, to mask the pain and alleviate suffering. But I have NO PILL that will help a suffering overweight pet as much as taking that extra weight off your pet! Though weight loss cannot reverse the damage already done to the joints, it will significantly reduce the everyday burden and muscle strain required to move the body.

 

Veterinarians are seeing obesity in pets with increasing frequency. We are seeing diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) more frequently. Exercise intolerance, heat stroke, and heart disease are not far behind.

 

We feed our dogs too much, too often. I would like to think they don’t down a bag of chips every day with their corn dog. I would like to think that the man who assured me that his dog ate only doughnuts (I’m not kidding, he said earnestly) was joking. I understand the desire to share food with those we love. At our veterinary clinic we stock a low calorie treat in the exam rooms, each treat about 3 calories. No, you wouldn’t choose it over bacon – but most dogs like them. Since my patients don’t feel rewarded with a Disney sticker, we save those for the kids and offer the pets a treat, hoping to create a pleasant experience for our furry friends.

 

When meeting a pet who desperately needs to lose weight, I try to review the actual diet as fed at home. There have been some surprises over the years. Dental chews help keep teeth healthy, important for so many dogs that do not get their teeth brushed. Many of those chews have almost 50 calories per chew – which for tiny dogs leading “lapdog” lives, can account for 1/5 of their total daily required caloric intake! Whoa! Dog food companies rarely publish the calorie account of their foods. If found, it will be reported as a “Kcal” or kilocalorie, which is the same as “calorie” to the rest of us. Obtaining the calorie count of your pets’ food may be harder than going undercover for the CIA, and you will feel as paranoid as a double agent. We have specialty foods that are guaranteed to help your pet lose weight.  They work – if you feed them as directed.

 

Nowadays I always include a familiar treat or two in the daily food plan. Many times one treat can be broken onto 3 or 4 pieces and stretched out over the day. We count the gummy bears and the cocktail peanuts. We strive for balance. Because at the end of the day, the real reward is when Myrtle has lost 8 pounds and her owner says in wonder : “It’s as if she’s 2 years younger. I’m getting my dog back.”

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com

 

She said it was a personal call.

 

I looked across the room, towards the little squawk box that was relaying this information to me. I knew my receptionist was somewhere up front, trying to triage this phone call while handling the needs of several clients in the waiting room. My receptionist was trying to reach out to me. You see, I don’t receive many PERSONAL calls at work. A few folks call up and ask for “Christine”. It is almost 100% guaranteed that these are salespeople who have never met me. My husband calls so rarely that he has to re-introduce himself each time. “I’m her husband”, he mutters. The startled receptionist still double checks. Is it true? This is her husband? I hear about it over dinner.

 

Most people calling by telephone get right down to business and schedule an appointment to see their pet. Some call to give updates on their pets’ medical progress. And every so often, every 2 or 3 months, somebody calls and requests to speak to me “personally”. When pressed to tell the receptionist which patient/pet they are calling about (So a chart can be pulled. So my memory can be refreshed. So I can enter appropriate notes into your pets’ medical record) they answer “It’s personal”.

 

My receptionist does not want to interfere or be nosy about my personal life. So they take the name and page back. The “back” meaning usually the surgery suite. Which is where I was at that particular moment. “She says it’s personal”.

 

My hands were encased in a pair of sterile surgical gloves and beneath them an anesthetized patient waited for me to sew up the cut in her side. Chasing the neighbor’s cat had not ended well for Daisy. In the dogs’ enthusiasm she misjudged the tail gate of the pickup truck the cat darted under, resulting in a nasty gash across her left shoulder and down her chest, about 6 inches long. Bits of tissue stuck out through the matted, bloodied fur.

 

I looked down at my patient and back at the box. What was her name again? A complete blank. I didn’t recognize the name. I am not applying for any kind of anything – no book club, no credit card, no once-in-a-lifetime-just-for-you deals. My children are out of school for the summer and they are not signed up for anything. My husband is golfing and on his own. My patient needs my attention. Shaking my head, I pick up the suture and needle holders. “Doesn’t ring a bell. Find out why she’s calling and tell her I won’t be returning her call if it doesn’t make sense.” Case dismissed.

 

I carefully begin to re-appose the torn muscle bellies over the ribs and slowly the body is knitted back together, layer by layer until the sleek skin edges (jagged pieces carefully excised so smooth clean edges present for improved healing) are pieced back together. No crazy quilt here, the skin is smooth. Daisy should make a good recovery.

 

I had completely forgotten about the “personal” call by the time I found my way back to my desk. The note taken by the receptionist was mildly alarming. The personal call was about a woman from Social Services. Huh? I racked my brain. They had actually called at my house, knocked upon my door. They told the babysitter they were looking for my husband. He of course, was nowhere to be found because he was off enjoying the thick bacon and Bloody Mary’s they serve at “senior” golf tournaments around the Valley. I don’t think he’s missed one yet.  He claims to put in a 5 mile walk around each course so I don’t complain. But what in the world? I called him on Hole 11 and passed on the information.

 

Within 15 minutes he called me back, barely able to speak for laughing. He had sustained credit card fraud earlier that year. In reviewing the case, the card company worried that he might be a victim of elder abuse and sent out Social Workers to investigate that his caretakers were honorable. For a moment I worried that he’d agreed with them and told them to cut me off his cards…….I guess he didn’t think of that angle.

 

Daisy, I’m happy to report, healed beautifully and is back to chasing cats. So much for mending our ways.

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com

Chart in hand, I glanced down the page. Hmmm, “caution, may bite”. Duly noted. A few lines more, blah, blah, blah, no vomiting, no diarrhea, blah, blah. Standard questions on a health exam.  Owner is requesting a refill on a combined flea and heartworm medication, has been used for years. Ok. I finished scanning the page and turned my attention to the family.  The flea medication they were using is applied by spotting a few drops of liquid on the skin of the dog’s neck once a month. Personally I have always preferred oral formulations. I am lazy and don’t want to think twice about small children petting that area when playing with our dog. Did I get it on the skin (yes, correct) or only the hair (a no-no)? I trust that the original topical formulas work well. I see too many flea ridden, suffering pets whose owner has applied a cheap generic to trust generics at all. We find live fleas on more than half of the dogs and cats we see on an average summer day. There is absolutely room for both topical and oral medications and both I and my clients appreciate having choices.

 

The common dog and cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (yes, that “felis” means they blame the cat for this one) is going to be here long after we’re all gone. Some facts about this enemy :

An adult flea lives about one month. Two days after a blood meal is sucked from your dog or cat, the female flea lays about 40 eggs a day. They like to burrow in your carpet. They prefer warm weather and warm homes.

 

The dog needed vaccinations and to have an ear problem addressed. We covered his diet, the condition of his teeth and his weight. It was simply in an effort to be thorough that I noted their choice of an older topical flea preventative and mentioned that perhaps they’d like to switch to a pill form that offered the same protection. You’d have thought I suggested cutting off his leg.

 

There was exactly a one dollar difference in price for a year’s supply of either medication. Both killed fleas (and heartworm, which we aren’t discussing here). Both acted upon the insects only. The topical one claims to be waterproof, the oral med didn’t care since it was meant to be eaten. The oral med claims to kill fleas within an impressive 30 minutes after the flea has bitten your pet and ingested a blood meal – too soon for it to lay any eggs. The topical product doesn’t mention minutes.

 

I read all this stuff, you know. There are a bewildering number of choices out there for flea prevention. It’s boring but necessary to stay on top of, because so many of my patients here in the Valley suffer from flea bites. Without active prevention, they are bedeviled by little flea bodies running over them. They scratch like crazy and over time many pets become sensitized to the flea saliva and break out in painful allergy hot spots and open sores. And let me just go on record here that antihistamines do nothing for flea allergy dermatitis in dogs and cats.

 

You do not live in a bubble-like sterile environment. The flea happily enters your yard on stray cats, various wild life, even hitching a ride on human pants legs. They can jump several feet! It’s not a question of a dirty home or an embarrassment. The flea has existed for so many years maybe they infested the dinosaurs! One female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in its short life. An insect that feeds on blood is defined as “hematophagous”. Now there’s a word for you! Vampires must be hematophagous, too. (Vampire bats ARE).

 

I had gone on to another patient but was called back into the room. Fixing me with a glare, the woman’s eyes bored into me. Exactly WHY had I suggested they change to another flea and heartworm product? I’ve heard it said that you should pick your battles and quite frankly I had no interest in this one. I told her truthfully that I liked the oral products and I thought this product might be more effective, but either choice would be good. She asserted her right to stay with the topical. I remain mystified as to the excitement this brought to her life, but it was enough energy expended to remind me to remind YOU to please, protect your pets from flea infestations by staying on top of preventative action plans. And honest, I don’t care if you prefer a topical or an oral product.

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com

The body is messy. Eyes tear, mouths drool. Snotty noses, hair dandruff, ear wax, sweaty armpits. The body is messy. Veterinary medicine can proudly compare complaint for complaint with its human counterpart, and then some! Dogs and cats have anal glands. Beat that, huh? Talk about one-up-man- ship! Humans lack these anal sacs or glands. As with any other body part, if it exists it can become diseased, break down, suffer infection, get cancer. Cats are less frequently afflicted by anal sac disease, so we will continue our focus on the dog.

 

The anal glands are tiny tear-drop shaped sacs lined with glandular tissue. They sit at about 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock around the anal sphincter, if you imagine the anus in the shape of a clock and the tail stands at 12 (Noon or midnight, your choice). These tiny glands produce a thin brown fluid. Two ducts, or holes from the sac, open onto the anal sphincter and every time your dog defecates a tiny amount of fluid is expressed with it. Considered a scent marker unique to each dog, the fluid is best described as having a pungent, “fishy” odor. Ideally they are emptied on a regular basis.

 

Sometimes the fluid thickens and won’t pass easily. Like an impacted wisdom tooth that gets blocked as it tries to push through the gum, this thickened fluid becomes “impacted” in the sac. The resulting pressure hurts, and dogs will often drag their bottom or “scoot” trying to relieve the pressure. If bacteria gain entry, pus and blood add to the misery. I have seen dogs barely able to walk as their entire thigh becomes swollen and poisoned with an infected, impacted sac. The skin may rupture under pressure and the whole mess drains to the outside. Usually on your couch.

 

That’s where we come in, your family veterinarian. Definitely reason for a visit, your veterinarian will examine both anal sacs and appropriate medication will be prescribed. Occasionally surgery for abscess care is required. Should your pet have recurrent problems with their anal glands then they can be removed in a surgery called an anal sacculectomy. Anal glands are routinely “expressed” from the outside by dog groomers before bathing. For impacted glands your veterinarian is trained and equipped to drain the sac more effectively.

 

Of course, the discussion of medical or surgical management of these ailments becomes a bit dry. Perhaps boring? A shift in focus would be to question other uses for the anal gland fluid, which brings us straight to …. The perfume business. Whaaaat? Of the five (5) major senses : sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, scientists believe that SMELL is the main determinant of flavor in food. Your sense of smell is powerful. Perfumes are constructed with layers of fragrance. Start with a flower like a rose. By itself that might be overly sweet. To add complexity, you could balance the sweetness with a spice or perhaps with musk. “Musk” in its strictest definition refers to a substance found in male musk deer but today “musk” is used in a more general definition to include similar secretions from other animals. The anal sac secretions of Civets (a small cat-like wild animal) were and are valuable in the perfume industry for producing a “warm, base note” in many perfumes. A single drop of essence of tom cat urine may provide the counterpoint to an otherwise floral perfume that benefits from this addition in much the way we balance sweet and salty tastes. Modern chemists struggle to replicate these complex scents synthetically for the perfume industry. It is said that our “animal nature” is expressed most keenly in our response to the sense of smell. I must confess, it’s been a hard sell at the office.

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com

 

 

 

Perhaps it is time to raise the subject of foxtails. Not the prize at the end of a successful hunt in Britain, but a fork-tailed little weed pestilence that sticks to animal fur and people’s socks. The end of our drought is surely here, as the foxtail weed is flourishing throughout the Valley. It looks a bit like that oat symbol they display on bags of bread at the supermarket. The grass head waving atop high stalks in a field. Pretty rippling in the wind, from a distance. Green or dried to a faint tan color, it is the seed head of a very successful weed. Successful because it spreads its seed far and wide by breaking off and clinging to passing animals, there to be dispersed to new fields far away. More foxtails. Conquer the world. Deadly to our pets. Call in the Superheroes! That’s you and me, pet owners.

 

Although its goals may appear modest, the foxtail weed is trying to take over the world. Yup, yup. Your dog trots across the meadow. The foxtail attaches to his paws, burrowing in between toes and tunneling up his leg. Your dog stops to sniff the flowers (or an interesting doggie scent), when a foxtail works inside her eyelids or falls into her ear canal. The hunter snorts one up his nose.  Some dogs develop a taste for foxtails and attempt to graze upon them. This is a real disaster, as the weed heads embed in the crevices between teeth, stick in the tonsils at the back of the throat, or are swallowed. They do not digest, but may actually pierce the intestinal wall and travel around the abdomen. A serious infection ensues, often death.

 

How do you know they’re there? The foxtail is a “foreign body”. In Latin it was called “corpus alienum”  – Alien! Invading your body! Fight back! The body has built-in defense mechanisms to stay healthy. It will try to dissolve it. Doesn’t work. It will try to reject it. A pool of white cells throw themselves into the job, forming a pocket of pus around the offending object. Sometimes this helps to suspend the foxtail and make it easier to find and remove. Sometimes the foxtail burrows deeper into the soft tissue. Picture in your mind the tiny foxtail inserted into a pound of hamburger (instead of flesh). Talk about finding a needle in a haystack!

 

Calling all Super heroes! Superman!

 

How to know the Foxtail Invasion has begun? Limping with a red swelling between the toes. A closed, puffy eye. Your dog shaking his head like a mad man or she is sneezing so hard your dog’s nose almost hits the ground. Faster than a speeding bullet you call your veterinarian to make an investigative appointment.  During the office visit your veterinarian will examine your pet. If your dog does not want to hold still while we try to fit an otoscope into an ear already crowded with foxtails and your dog protests “more powerful than a locomotive” and appears to be “able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!” then your veterinarian will recommend anesthesia to successfully probe and remove the offending foxtail. As they look, many a vet has muttered “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no …. It’s Super foxtail!” (well, maybe not).

 

Most of the time the Good Guys win. Most of the time we find the foxtails and remove them. You, the Superhero Pet Owner, can go home and use a weed whacker to take down those back corner-of-the-yard weeds. Walk your pet on paved pathways, not empty lots filled with weeds. Brush your pet after every walk, paying special attention to the feet and face. Discuss a Summer Strip haircut with your Groomer to remove thick fur (foxtail traps).  As a Superhero you are fighting the good fight… “The never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American Way!” Not to mention you and your dog will enjoy a foxtail-free GREAT summer!

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com

 

Picture: dog. running. athlete. Without another word many of us conjure up an image of a dog, running joyously over a long lawn, ears windblown, feet stretching, reaching in a great gallop. Are you smiling? There is beauty in the motion of rippling muscles. I have always admired an athletic dog. I have patients who ride jet skis, catch Frisbees, and dive under water to retrieve balls. Several have entered competitions of Flyball racing. There are field trials for hunters, Search and Rescue dogs, Agility competitions and Herding trials. Police dogs and those who train in Schutzhund (protection dog) hold awe inspiring competitions to showcase their talent.

One of the greatest tests of endurance, however, is the Iditarod Sled Dog Race of Alaska. It is the ultimate marathon for man and dog.

 

I do not consider myself an athlete – active, yes, but not particularly skilled in any sport. So it might surprise you to learn that I recently completed a half marathon. Certainly it astonishes me.

 

Dog or human, we all undergo a process called “training” to achieve our goals. Training involves education in a course of exercise and diet to prepare for a sporting event. Hmmm. Similarities?

 

The Iditarod covers 1,150 miles from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Travel is by dog-pulled sled, with a human “musher” to guide along the trail. It honors the days when dog sleds were used as transportation for work and village to village through the Alaskan wilderness. The winner has often completed the race in 8 – 10 days. The dog breeds allowed to enter are the Alaskan sled dog, the Siberian Husky, and the Alaskan Malamute. They are best adapted to the conditions. The race begins with 16 dogs and at least 6 dogs must finish to qualify. Do the dogs love this? Yes, as a pack animal, Puppy wants to be with you, please you, and do as you do. Their reward is positive attention. Only athletes need apply to the Iditarod. These dogs aren’t interested in half marathons – why would any dog want to run 13.1 miles to be rewarded with a Tinkerbell medal?

 

I wanted to join some people I love doing something they love. Not much different than Puppy, huh? I signed up before Christmas (I’m never in my right mind then), bought an expensive watch which I wore faithfully both times I trained, and found some bright turquoise scrubs which subbed in for those tight black running pants worn by every single other of the 11,406 women running that day. I’d have stood out if we hadn’t been nested together like sardines.

 

The Puppy in the Iditarod will have spent over two years in training. Puppy will roll over for protective booties to be secured to their paws and stand to be harnessed. Most have a personal veterinarian. Sixty to 100 teams usually enter.

 

Since my training was at best incomplete, I set my sights as low as possible : I hoped simply to finish. I knew I could keep pace with a 13 minute mile, IF it lasted less than 3 miles (in runners’ parlance we prefer the 3 mile distance measured as “5 kilometers or 5K”. You see the superiority of the metric system demonstrated here?). Coached by seasoned marathoners, I was prepared. Sunscreen, check. Hat, check. Sneakers, check. I left the watch at home.

 

They recommended carb loading the day before. This I triple checked. “Carb” is short for carbohydrates and includes many fine foods: pastry, desserts, really anything with sugar. The list also includes whole grains and legumes. Who even knows what a legume is? I checked : Alfalfa is a legume. Cows eat it. People legumes include peas, beans, lentils and peanuts. Peanuts are double winners, a source of both carbs and protein source. Every athlete knows that you need protein to build strong muscles. The day before the race I sacrificed my natural preference for lentils and bravely consumed two limeade mint juleps (non-alcoholic. Athlete! Stay focused!) and downed a few beignets coated in powdered sugar. I could almost hear the cheers from the stadium.

 

High performance dogs require the double calories found in a high fat diet. Each sled dog may burn over 10,000 calories a day. They are fed high quality kibble and A LOT of high fat salmon. Chunks of frozen salmon are canine energy bars on Race Day.

 

I paid close attention to the stuff that mattered for my Race Day: stay hydrated and carry food. Exhibit halls hawk high protein bars and gummy candies or high caffeine supplies to keep you moving. I pondered the science of balancing electrolytes, proteins and carbs. I sampled their wares. I will never understand the beauty of carob over fine dark chocolate. I struggled with this part the longest. On Race Day, I came equipped with a king size PayDay candy bar : salty and sweet (electrolytes, yes?), protein AND carbs!

 

The Iditarod has a tradition of “The Red Lamp”. It is kept burning brightly throughout the race and awarded to the last team to cross the finish line (even 32 days later)- recognition for perseverance. Three hours and 22 minutes later I crossed my finish line. I ate my PayDay. Success is sweet.

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com

 

Confession : I always over-fill my muffin tins and then they rise too high and the tops over- brown and stick. I chastise the owners of overweight dogs about their feeding habits as I offer treats from the huge jar of Pupcorn we keep in every exam room. I want my patients to enjoy their visits and stickers just don’t cut it. Right?  At home I poured the cat food into a handy repurposed plastic carry jug (the label read “Orville Redenbacher”) and my daughter Nicole squealed in amazement : “OHHH! The cat food comes in popcorn flavor?!” Bad, bad, bad.

 

Last week our weather did a belly flop straight into summer. The temperature soared up to 97 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, dropping back to 67 by Saturday. The hot flash was over so quickly we barely had time to complain, but…. a guinea pig suffered a heat stroke and nearly died. This little piglet was named Gyarados, after a dragon from the Pokemon Go! game.

 

He would have been adorable if it wasn’t obvious that the little guy couldn’t stand up straight and was breathing in rapid, shallow breaths. I counted over 100 breaths per minute. His owner explained that they had several piglets maintained in an outdoor shed. With heat lamps and their natural thick coats the Guinea pigs had been toasty and comfortable throughout the rainy winter. (There is no consensus on the need to provide additional heat for a guinea pig acclimated to being outdoors. In the wilds of South America, from which they once hailed, the guinea pig must adapt to temperatures that dip to freezing. I suspect they are well underground in a cozy burrow with the body heat of other piglets to keep them warm. Our guinea pigs are domesticated and may be less hardy. The true domestic guinea pig, cavia porcellus, no longer occurs in the wild.). The change of weather was so sudden that it hadn’t raised any alarm bells. After school the family went out to feed and play with their guinea pigs and found Gyarados passed out. “We thought he was dead!” they cried. They had the presence of mind to start his revival by administering a cold water bath. This method of immersion was frowned upon in the past, many believing that a too rapid decline in body temperature might lead to the heart stopping (cardiac arrest). Medical experts argued that a rapid drop in body temperature would cause shivering, which INCREASES the body core temperature. That said, evidence by experts today suggests that it is best to lower the body temperature of a heat stroke victim within 30 minutes. This is best accomplished by immersion in cold water, bringing it down to near 102 degrees F. Dropping the temperature further and faster with ice might throw the body into another kind of shock. Rapid treatment dramatically reduces the risk of death.

 

We continued his cooling and administered sub-cutaneous fluids under the skin. Gyarados was treated for shock and started on antibiotics. His skin was bright red from vasodilation, as his blood vessels enlarged to get rid of the extra heat instead of being cooked. Within the first hour his respiratory rate dropped to 60 / minute.

 

Guinea pigs have been popular pets for thousands of years. During the Inca Empire they were used for food and religious sacrificial ceremonies to the gods. Good natured, they became pets in many South American countries and were popularized throughout Europe after the Spanish conquistadores brought them home.

 

There is a world famous painting of “The Last Supper” found in the Cathedral Basilica of Cuzco, Peru. Painted by Marcos Zapata in 1753, it replaces the traditional serving of lamb with the native cavy, or guinea pig. This made sense to the native peoples. Paintings served to teach stories during a time that many people did not read.

 

 

Once recovered, Gyarados was typical of the average guinea pig. They are personable, making a variety of squeaky noises to express satisfaction or concern. An herbivore, they feed upon loose leaf timothy or grass hay and must be supplemented with vitamin C -enriched guinea pig pellets. Greens and vitamin C-rich vegetables complete their diet. A girl guinea pig is called a sow and a boy guinea pig a boar, just like “real” pigs! We don’t know why they’re named after pigs. They are not related to pigs and are really rodents. A guinea pig Mom can start having babies after 2 months of age. They like living in communes of 5 to 10 piglets. The average guinea pig lives to be 5 or 6 years old.

 

Christine B. McFadden, DVM

drmc@mcmenagerie.com