FDA Warns Pet Owners about Xylitol

On a regular basis we see dogs in our Emergency Room that have found or been given what looks and smells like a wonderful goodie, but can be a serious health threat to them. We are pleased to pass along the recent Food and Drug Administration's warning to pet owners about the risks from accidental consumption of xylitol by dogs and ferrets.

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in many sugar-free candies, oral hygiene products, and chewing gum. It is also found in many over-the-counter drugs like chewable vitamins and throat lozenges. In addition, Xylitol is now available in packaging for home baking.

Although perfectly safe for humans, xylitol can be very harmful to dogs and ferrets, causing a sudden drop in blood sugar, seizures, and liver failure. Symptoms such as depression, loss of coordination, or vomiting can occur quickly or appear several days later.

Keep all items not meant for your dog or ferret in an area where curious critters have no access, read all labels carefully, and if you suspect one of them has ingested xylitol, contact us or your family veterinarian immediately.

Canine Rehabilitation – We are back up and running!

Rehabilitation has increased in popularity in the veterinary world over the past 10 years. The goal of rehabilitation is to restore, maintain and promote optimal function, fitness, wellness, and quality of life to the patient. The potential candidates for rehabilitation are numerous and include: pre-surgical conditioning, post-surgical orthopedic patients (femoral head and neck ostectomy, lateral suture, TPLO, fractures, etc.), post-surgical neurologic patients (hemilaminectomy, ventral slot, etc.), non-surgical neurologic patients (FCE, degenerative myelopathy, etc.), chronic osteoarthritic or soft tissue injury patients, athletic patients for conditioning and also overweight patients. It is important  prior to starting a patient in rehabilitation that they have an accurate diagnosis and complete physical, including both orthopedic and neurologic examinations.

We are pleased to announce Dr. Kate Fitzwater, our surgeon, has taken over the head role for rehabilitation at Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital.  She was involved with an intensive rehabilitation program both at North Carolina State University and Ohio State University during her surgical training. New initial appointments, which are 2 hours long, are now available on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.   One hour long conditioning appointments are also available on those same days.   

Rehabilitation modalities we currently offer include:

• Complete physical examination including orthopedic and neurologic evaluations
• Massage
• Moist heat
• Cryotherapy
• Stretching
• Balance training
• Endurance training
• Underwater treadmill therapy
• Underwater jet massage therapy

If you have any questions or have a case/pet you would like to discuss with Dr. Fitzwater, please feel free to make an appointment or you can email her at kfitzwater@circlecityvets.com.

Do We REALLY Have to Sedate for This Procedure?

Many pet owners express concern when their pet faces sedation or anesthesia for a medical procedure. The primary reason animals require sedation is the need to remain absolutely still while the procedure is being performed. Movement at the wrong time can cause harm to the patient and prevent successful completion of the procedure.

Physical restraint of patients causes fear and anxiety. Animals don’t understand it is for their own good. What they see is that their owners have handed them over to strangers who are causing them more pain and discomfort! Sedation helps control this anxiety so they can relax and the doctor can perform a more thorough exam. It is also important to understand that when animals are painful, it is a normal, “Survival of the fittest”, behavior to hide what hurts. That natural instinct can make it more difficult to diagnose the true problem. Pain medications are part of almost every sedation protocol. This allows the doctor to do the necessary exam without causing further pain.

When sedation or anesthesia is in order, our veterinarians take every precaution to make sure a procedure is completed as safely as possible. Most drugs are broken down and excreted by the liver and kidneys. Blood work before sedation or anesthesia helps identify any problems with these organs and the drug protocol can be modified to account for any abnormalities.

Once a pet is sedated or anesthetized he or she is monitored continuously by one or more highly trained technicians. Monitoring equipment usually includes continuous ECG, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels. Even when the procedure is over, someone is watching over the patient until he/she is fully recovered from the effects of the sedation or anesthesia.

Procedures that usually require sedation: radiographs, orthopedic examination, oral examination, minor laceration repair, minor wound care, arthrocentesis (joint taps), skin biopsies, intradermal skin test for allergies, ultrasounds, and some bandage changes.

Procedures that require general anesthesia: invasive or painful procedures like extensive wound debridement, oral surgery (dental extractions, root canals, and dental radiographs), tumor removal, orthopedic surgeries (fractured bones, stifle/knee surgery), and exploratory surgeries

Sedation or anesthesia is recommended to help facilitate the best care possible for your pet. We want both you and your pet to have a positive experience while in our care, which includes controlling pain, discomfort, and anxiety in our patients. Every doctor at Circle City Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Hospital is happy to talk with you about the benefits and risk of anesthesia before a procedure is performed. Please do not hesitate to ask.