Dr. Tina’s Answer: No.

General Information: Dogs are the only species in which toxicity has been well described to date. It is uncertain whether or not it is toxic in cats and ferrets as there have only been anecdotal reports and data are lacking to confirm this. To err on the side of caution, avoid feeding your cats/ferrets any grapes/raisins.

What does it do? The toxicity damages the kidneys leading to severe Kidney Failure and death.

How does it cause Kidney Failure? The mechanism of toxicity are currently unknown. Amounts (estimated as low as 1/3 oz of grapes per pound body weight and 0.05 oz of raisins per pound of body weight) and type of raisins or grapes to cause toxicity is variable.

The Signs of Toxicity: Signs can develop within 24 hours to several days: Vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance, lethargy, abdominal pain, dehydration, decreased urine production to no urine production. *NB: If you know your pet has ingested grapes/raisins, it is always better to have him/her treated rather than wait for these signs to develop!!

Immediate Action: Seek veterinary assistance and induce vomiting.

Veterinary Care: Induction of vomiting, gastric lavage may be performed, and activated charcoal administered. Supportive care for monitoring and treatment for kidney failure with hospitalization, intravenous fluid therapy, diet change and medications will be initiated.

Prognosis: Variable and can depend on how quickly supportive care is initiated.

 

This video is the introduction to Toronto Mobile Vet Services new product line called Mon Chou. Dr. Tina and the team at TMVS have been working hard to put together this beautiful and delicate collection. Enjoy! (more…)

Crystal Healing is one of the oldest forms of healing. Learn about different gemstones with Dr. Tina as she explains how our pets can share in their beauty and supposed healing properties as well. This video is an intro to the gemstones Dr. Tina will be incorporating into her new pet charm product line that will be launched over the next few weeks so be sure to stay tuned!

This beautiful purple to lavender stone is believed to: Strengthen the cleansing and eliminating organs and the immune system. It’s an excellent cleanser for the blood. Amethyst boosts production of hormones and tunes the endocrine system and metabolism. It can also relieve physical, emotional and psychological pain or stress, headaches and tension. This stone reduces bruising, injuries, and swellings, and treats hearing disorders. It heals disease of the lungs and respiratory tract, skin conditions, cellular disorders and diseases of the digestive tract. It is beneficial for the intestines by regulating flora, removing parasite and encouraging reabsorption of water. It is also know to heal tumours and viral disease. Amethyst brings about restful sleep.

Bonded with gold, this beautiful stone is believed to: Help with lung disease such as emphysema. It is also a stone that strengthens the heart muscle, thymus gland and immune system. This crystal heals, cleanses and calms the aura of the wearer and of those closely bonded to the wearer. It bestows peace and when used in conjunction with other crystals, Aqua Aura enhances their healing properties.

 

This beautiful pink stone is known as the “Love Stone” and is believed to: Strengthen the physical heart, circulatory system and release impurities from body fluids. It aids in chest and lung problems. It heals the kidneys, adrenal glands and alleviates vertigo. Rose quartz increases fertility, soothes burns, blistering and smoothens the complexion. It is also helpful in senile dementia. The soothing energy of Rose Quartz fosters empathy, reconciliation, and forgiveness of others. It encourages camaraderie in group-settings.

This beautiful and sunny stone is believed to: Support and enhance healing of the spine, the digestive, elimination organs, and the healthy function of metabolism. Citrine can facilitate detoxification and stimulate circulation. Often used for chronic fatigue, Citrine has a reputation of being able to increase energy and drive. Because Citrine is an excellent stone for energizing and recharging, this property can also help those who are trying to lose weight. It helps transmute illnesses involving the eyes, balances the thyroid, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, bladder and thymus. It is also helpful for those with diabetes and also is a reliever of constipation. It fortifies the nerves. Citrine has a sunny, joyful vibration that transmits outward to those nearby, making it ideal for any setting. It is well known as the stone of abundance, prosperity and success.

This beautiful and special stone is believed to: Aid in regeneration of mucus membranes and ameliorates disease caused by glaucoma (a particular eye disease).It enhances the immune system. It stimulates the flow of lymph and banishes edema, has an anti-inflammatory effect and lowers temperature and blood pressure. It heals the lungs and clears the respiratory system of disease. Soothing, calming Chalcedony is great for promoting a sense of peace and joy and group stability by improving relationships and camaraderie in group-settings. It helps with the health of the eyes, gall bladder, strength of the bones, spleen, blood and circulatory system. Chalcedony is a powerful cleanser of the body and helps to cleanse open sores. It fosters the maternal instinct and increases lactation, improves mineral assimilation, and combats mineral buildup in veins. Chalcedony lessens the effects of senility. This stone also increases physical energy.

This beautiful and powerful stone is believed to: Increase physical vitality. It is a very potent purifying and detoxifying stone, helpful in cleansing the body. Black Tourmaline can help specifically treat heart disease. It stimulates the adrenal glands, helps to treat and soothe pain, boosts the immune system, strengthens and tones muscles and helps with epilepsy. It also defends against debilitating disease, treats arthritis, provides pain relief and realigns the spinal column. This special stone also cleanses electromagnetic pollution emitted from electronic devices around the wearer (such as cellphones, microwaves, radio waves).

Download this PDF for a simple one page healing crystal reference for yourself. 

View below or click here for a downloadable .PDF (6.45MB)

We all know that our pets need to have veterinary physical examination at least once or twice a year. Conducting at-home physical examinations does not replace a professional veterinary examination. It is meant to complement this veterinary visit, add more structure, help with accuracy and increase appointment flow during the visit.

Every vet knows that the most important part of your pet’s vet visit is the annual/bi-annual consultation and physical examination. Because our pets do not speak words to us, an important component of your pet’s physical examination is what you, the guardian noticed (both subjective and objective) in your pet over the year. The health of your pet depends not only between you and your pet, but also between you, your pet and your family veterinarian. This is called the guardian-pet-veterinarian relationship. My hope is that this talk will help strengthen this bond and in so doing, allow for more accurate understanding of issues that may need to be addressed to ensure your pets stays happy and healthy.

An at-home pet examination is conducted monthly by you and is an easy tool to provide you with a more objective approach to the progress of at-home care of your pet. The importance of this examination is at least 3-fold:

1) It helps to make the best use of your usually 15-20 minute annual veterinary visit—you will have an outline of questions/concerns you have noted in your pet over the year that you can have your family veterinarian address at the appointment. A good understanding of your pet’s health can depend on how you’re your family veterinarian can understand your description of your pet’s problems.

2) 1 year in our pet’s years is approximately 7 years in our human years, this is an oversimplified calculation, but the point is, if you can conduct a pet examination ONCE a month, you will be able to pickup subtle changes that may warrant veterinarian attention sooner than the 6 month or yearly examination.

3) It will help you develop a stronger bond with your pet as you will be able to pickup and notify any subtle changes in their behavior/emotional state, daily routine and changes to their physical bodies that may guide your veterinarian to investigate further during their vet visit.

At-home pet examinations are easy to do and although we may not have fancy equipment, we can utilize our own human senses as well as other home tools to help us get a cursory understanding of our pet’s health status.

The pet examination is divided into two parts: The first part entails assessing our pet’s emotional state or daily routine and our pet’s gait or movement through observation. The second part of the pet examination entails more a hands-on evaluation and using other senses besides observation such as touching, smelling and listening. Both parts of this examination are equally important.

Getting Started:

This is Roly and he is going to be our demonstration kitty for this talk. When conducting your monthly examination on your pet, pick a time and place that is relaxed for both you and your pet—especially for the second part of the examination where you will need to handle your pet. So for example, if you have a rambunctious puppy, it may be best to conduct an examination in a quiet room and after the puppy has been tuckered out from play.

 **Part I: Starting with the first part of the pet examination:

MENTATION/EMOTIONAL STATE/DAILY ROUTINE: As all other days, Roly is bright, happy and alert today. Relaxed at the moment, but did not deviate from his regular routine licking and patting my face at 4:30am this morning, eating his food, defecating and urinating. I know that when Roly eats, he will always leave a few bites of his food in his bowl for a later snack and that he poops and urinates at least once every 12 hours.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Roly was very active since this morning at 4:30 am. No difficulty in jumping up onto his favourite spot on a high shelf in my bathroom or onto by bed and has been racing around. I did not notice him limping.

 

**Part II: This is the hands-on part of the examination and we will start at the tip of Roly’s nose end at the tip of his tail. You can use the printable PDF version of our body chart at www.tomobilevet.com/blog to document any changes you may need to bring up to your family veterinarian. At your pet’s vet visit, bring your filled out body chart to your veterinarian to review. Guaranteed, your vet will be impressed with how organized you are with any questions/concerns that you would like he/she to address!!

HEAD AND FACE:

Starting with the head and face, look at your pets eyes make sure they are both opened up equally, no squinting and the pupils are symmetrical (cats have vertical shaped pupils, dogs’ are round and similar to ours) there is no eye discharge. Abnormal yellow or green discharge could signify an infection. Squinting could signify pain or discomfort of the eye. You can also pull back the eyelid (dogs and cats have very movable skin so this does not hurt them) to visualize the sclera, the white portion of our and their eyes to make sure it is not red or appears irritated. While manipulating with their eyelids, if a slightly pinkish membrane starts to cover the eye, do not be alarmed, cats and dogs have a modified caruncle the red prominence we have at the inner corner of our eyes. Cats and dogs have it modified so it acts as a third eyelid. This should not normally be up. If it stays covering the eye, there may be concern for illness.

Next look at the nose—any discharge? There should be none. The nose can be slightly moist to dry depending on the time of day, but it should never appear cracked or have anything dripping or clogging from the nostrils. Roly’s natural nose colour is pink and it is pink today and appears clean and dry.

Next look into each ear and see if it is clean and free of discharge or scabs from scratching. Smell the ear to ensure there is no malodour.

Looking inside your pet’s mouth—it’s a good idea to learn how to do this. For kittens and puppies, this is an opportune time to get them trained and used to you handling their mouths, but for our adult pets who are not used to this handling, take it slow as they may find it offensive if you force open their mouths if they are not used to you doing this. A way to start is to give them plenty of cheek and chin rubs. Eventually rubbing the outside of their teeth and gums with your finger. Again the pet skin is very loose so you can pull back the lips quite far to visualize the teeth and gums. So you can pull their cheeks right back to see the molars and premolars. When I am doing this I am checking that Roly’s gums are a nice healthy pink colour, there is no redness signifying inflammation of the gums, there is no bleeding or abnormal bumps in the mouth. The teeth should be white, browning of the teeth could signify tartar (calcified plaque) buildup. If your pet is comfortable with this step, you can next try to open their mouth (again you may need to take this part slow and try at a later time). Place your index and thumb just behind their upper canine teeth and applying firm but gentle pressure, then take your free hand and with your index finger gently pull down the lower jaw by pushing down on the lower incisors.  You may have to try this several times and/or on different occasions before your pet is comfortable with this step, but you eventually want to be able to look inside the mouth, back of the throat and on the tongue to see if there are any abnormal growths, bleeding gums. The tongue roof of the mouth gums should all be pink. Smell the breath and ensure there is no foul odour

 NECK AND THROAT:

Gently massage the throat region and under the chin on either side paying attention to any bumps or scabs or sores in this area. Cats and dogs also have an “Adam’s Apple” so gently feeling a small hardened bump over the throat like ours is normal.

 FORELIMBS AND FINGERS:

Pet over the neck and shoulders and then down each of the forearms. Take a look at the nails. Press down on each of the toes and look at the nails. You are checking to ensure there are no nails that need trimming or evidence that they are curling in towards the toe pads that could cause potential problems in the future such as ingrown nails, infection and pain. The average cat has 5 fingers on the forepaws. The average dog has 4 fingers (there can be 5 if there are dew claws—the thumbs), but some of them may still have dewclaws which are the thumbs.

BACK:

Massage gently over the back and along each side of the spine. Your pets should enjoy this. Anytime you feel there is muscle tension or if there is whimpering or growling from your pet, this may suggest your pet is uncomfortable in this area and you should take note of this and seek veterinary assistance if you feel this cannot wait for their yearly checkup.

 ABDOMEN/BELLY: Gently massage over the back and then down towards the abdomen where this should feel soft and supple. Almost like a water balloon that is partly filled with water. Not rock hard or tense. There should not be signs of discomfort yelping or growling when touched in this area. The abdomen generally covers the area behind the rib cage and in front of the hind legs.

 HINDLIMBS AND TOES: Continue your gentle massage over the hips and down to the hind toes. Again, press down on each of the toes and look at the nails. You are checking to ensure there are no nails that need trimming or evidence that they are curling in towards the toe pads that could cause potential problems in the future such as ingrown nails, infection and pain.

The average cat has four toes. The average dog has 4 toes (there can also be 5 if there are dew claws the big toes), but some of them may still have dewclaws which are the thumbs.

 TAIL/REAR: Stroke the tail from the base to the tip making sure you do not feel any lumps or bumps or scratches that you may need to take note of.

 SKIN/COAT: Finally, look through the fur (starting from the head and working to the tail) by combing the fur backwards in general spots, looking to see the skin underneath. The skin should not appear red or flaky. There should not be any specks of dirt and should be clean. The fur coat should be shiny and smooth with minimal odour.

Don’t forget to reward your pet with a treat, kisses or extra pats and words of love at the end of their examination.

If you would like to schedule a phone consult with me regarding this topic, please visit the Toronto Mobile Veterinary Services website at www.tomobilevet.com and book online.

View below or click here for a downloadable .PDF (124KB)

Have a wonderful day

 

 

QUESTION:

I just adopted a 2-month-old golden-doodle puppy.  I started house-training her yesterday using a crate, but it is harder than I thought! She whined for hours after I placed her in the crate for the night. I even took her out for a long walk to do her business prior to placing her in the crate. Are there any tips on making crate training easier ?

 ANSWER:

THE BENEFITS: Crate training is a wonderful tool when used properly to aid in housetraining i.e. preventing destruction of furniture, house soiling and separation anxiety (such as the whining your puppy exhibits when she is left in her crate).

GENERAL INFORMATION: The goal of crate training is that your puppy learns to love resting in her crate. A crate should be like her den, as it provides a safe-haven during times of stress she can retreat to and/or comfortably rest in when she is tired.

In general, during the day puppies can be crated the same number of hours as their age in months and then throughout the night when they are sleeping. For e.g. a 2 month old puppy can be crated 2 hours at a time during the day, but she can be crated throughout the night for sleeping if she has not had a huge drink of water just before going in.

TIPS TO TRY AND WHAT TO DO: It is normal for puppies to whine the first few times they are crated as they are not used to having restricted access to their family. However, it is important that puppies learn that being separated or confined is okay and routine.

The crate should never be used as a punishment tool and should be introduced gently with many good things associated with it such as placing a favourite blanket and toys inside. Provide your puppy with something positive while she is in her crate. You can place treats and some of your puppy’s meal in the crate every time you put her in, so that she associates being in the crate with positive experiences.

If she starts whining when she is in the crate, it is important to IGNORE the behaviour. Each time you respond in any way, you are in fact rewarding the behaviour you are trying to eradicate and she will learn to whine as a way to grab your attention. When you IGNORE the whining you are sending a message to your puppy that whining is a fruitless exercise. If the crate is in a room with a door, shut the door (if it will help attenuate the noise and/or prevent you from reacting to her whines) and leave the vicinity.

Avoid letting your puppy out of her crate when she is barking or whining as this rewards the barking/whining behaviour and it will get worse. Instead, wait until she is quiet to let her out.

You can also reward your puppy for quiet behaviour by tossing treats into her crate when she is quiet or opening the door and giving her attention when she is quiet.

If you are diligent about the crate training early on, the whining should stop within a week. If you reward your puppy by letting her out when she whines, the whining could develop into serious anxiety or barrier frustration that prevents you from being able to leave your dog alone in another room or alone in the house.

REMEMBER: Never reward and therefore reinforce undesirable behaviour—always reward desirable quiet time.

Puppy training in general can be challenging at times, but successful training allows for a more fulfilling relationship between you and your puppy/future dog.

If you are unsure whether the amount of whining is normal. Consult your veterinarian before the whining develops into an expensive and noisy problem.

 

QUESTION:

Does my indoor cat need to be vaccinated?

ANSWER:

Yes. If your cat leads a totally sheltered life with no exposure to other cats or no chance that you might bring infection from your hands/clothes from other cats directly or indirectly from fomites, some vaccines may not be needed.

Both the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association have published guidelines for vaccination. Vaccines are divided into “core vaccines” that every pet should have, and “non-core vaccines” that a pet should have depending on exposure risk.

For cats, core vaccines are the combination distemper virus/respiratory disease group (FVRCP) and rabies vaccine. Pet owners are often surprised that rabies is a core vaccine. It is a core vaccine because of the lethal health consequences of rabies exposure (which can and unexpectedly happen to indoor pets) and the legal consequences of owning a pet that has bitten (what happens to the pet generally is dependent on its vaccine status). In Toronto, the rabies vaccine is a bylaw (Regulation 567, Health Protection and Promotion Act). Rabies is a detrimental disease not only to our pets, but also to people in contact with them.

Your veterinarian should discuss a vaccine protocol for your pet that ensures he/she remains healthy, but also ensures that safe ownership is practiced for the benefit of you and the rest of society.

 

 

QUESTION:  What are the different dental home care options for pets? If using these options, is it necessary to still have a professional cleaning performed?

ANSWER:

GENERAL INFORMATION: Dental disease is common in our pets, as well as humans.  The most common form of dental disease in people is cavities. In our pets, the most common form of dental disease is tartar buildup. This causes irritation of the gums around the base of the teeth, resulting in exposure of the roots. Ultimately, this leads to infection and tooth loss and can be a source of pain, causing a plethora of other health problems.

Whether a person, dog, cat, horse or some other animal, plaque is a gummy substance that forms on the teeth within a few hours after a meal. Within 24 hours, plaque starts to harden into tartar. Plaque removal can be performed using home care techniques, however once tartar forms, a professional cleaning is necessary. It should not be surprising then, that dental health requires periodic professional cleaning regardless of whom the mouth in question belongs to.

It is important to note that home care of the teeth is never perfect and it does not remove tartar buildup. Periodically this tartar must be properly removed and the tooth surface properly polished and disinfected. The professional cleaning performed at the veterinarian’s office is similar to what a person receives at their dentist’s office. Upon evaluation of your pet’s teeth, your veterinarian should discuss when professional dental cleaning is recommended for your pet. This may be every few years, but could be once, twice a year or even more frequent.

Home Care Products—these are effective aids in removing plaque, preventing the onset of tartar formation.

1) Tooth brushing and toothpaste—Brushing of the teeth is the most effective at-home means of removing plaque before it turns to tartar. Use an enzymatic toothpaste recommended for pets (Do NOT use human toothpaste on your pet as it is toxic to them). This needs to be done at least twice weekly (preferably daily), but we know not all our pets will tolerate it. Special brushes are made that make this task easier.

2) Water Additives—For many people, doing anything inside their pet’s mouth on a regular basis is simply never going to happen. Fortunately, all is not lost: using a “mouthwash” that is added to your pet’s drinking water is effective. This type of product reduces the bacterial count and plaque deposits from the surface of the tooth in the mouth. These products are best used daily.

3) Dental Diets—This is a food that has been shown to greatly reduce tartar buildup. It is formulated as a dry food and is composed of large pieces. Because the pieces are too large to be swallowed whole, your pet has to chew them. The food contains fibers that scrape the plaque off of the teeth without damaging the enamel. By removing plaque as it forms, tartar formation is greatly diminished.

4) Dental Treats—Chewing on a proper dental chew can reduce plaque by up to 69%. This may not be as good as brushing but it certainly is better than doing nothing.

Using any or combination of the above home care options as part of preventative dental care will help to delay onset of dental disease between scheduled professional cleanings. It is important to note, however, these options still do not replace the need for a dental cleaning if your veterinarian recommends one needs to be performed.

 

<3 !!

DID YOU KNOW?

While humans may sleep in marathon eight-hour (or longer) sessions, cat sleep more commonly consists of short and long naps throughout the day. Habits vary between cats but very old and very young kittens sleep more than robust adults. Sleep time increases on cold, rainy or cloudy days.

Happy Friday and Weekend !!