Newsletter

If you are like most pet owners, you love your dog or cat and enjoy spending time taking care of it and making sure he or she is happy and healthy. In return, your pet provides companionship and unconditional love and affection.

However, what would happen if you were no longer there to care for your pet? What if you suffer a debilitating accident or sickness, or worse, die? The sad fact is that many pets each year end up unloved by unsympathetic caretakers or in shelters where they run the risk of being euthanized if a home cannot quickly be found.

Asking a friend or family member to take care of a pet if something should happen to you can provide some reassurance. However, you have to ask yourself if they really are capable of handling the responsibility and won’t simply pass the pet on to a shelter after you’re gone.

If you are concerned by what might happen to your pet, it is wise and important to include your pet in your estate planning. A good place to start is your pet’s veterinarian. This person should have some sense of your state’s laws as well as provide some suggestions of where to start and where else to find help, such as an estate lawyer with relevant experience.

My Will and My Pet

Wills can be a tricky area for ensuring your pet is taken care of because they are primarily a tool for distributing property and cannot be used to enforce demands, such as for the care of a pet.

The effectiveness of wills is also limited by the fact that in most if not all states pets are treated as property. Therefore, you will not be able to leave money or other property directly to a pet for their care because in the eyes of the law it is the equivalent of bequeathing an end-table to a couch.

You can select a trusted caregiver to whom you can bequeath the pet and assets to be used for the pet’s care. However, there is nothing forcing that person to follow through on that responsibility or to follow any care instructions you leave behind.

Also wills are not enacted immediately as they must go through probate. This could leave your pet in a legal limbo while the will is processed. If there is a challenge to the will, your pet could be in limbo for quite some time. Additionally, changes to wills are often left to the discretion of a court.

This is not to say you should not include your pet in your will. You should, but it should be buttressed with a pet trust.

Pet Trusts

This is a legal tool that helps provide assurance your pet will be cared for according to your wishes after you die or are incapacitated by illness or an accident. Basically, a pet owner creates a trust and selects a trustee either in their will or while alive. With the assets used to create the trust, the pet owner includes instructions for the care of the pet that must be followed.

The trustee then brings the pet to the appointed caregiver and ensures the money left for the pet’s care is available when needed. It is very important to select a caregiver that is willing and capable of caring for the pet as well as a backup caregiver just to be sure.

Instructions that can be left include stipulations for veterinary care, lifestyle, food, routines, cages, grooming, compensation for caregiver, liability insurance to protect the caregiver, and nearly any other aspect of the pet’s care that is important to you.

Other Alternatives

Not everyone has the financial resources to establish a trust or the ability to name a trusted caregiver. In this case, selecting an executor of your will capable of finding a good home for your pet and stipulating this in your will is a good idea. There are also organizations such as the ASPCA that for a modest donation will help find a home for your pet. Your veterinarian may be able to help you as well.

Dental care is vital to your pet's health! If you've already established a dental care program for your pet, you're off to a great start. But if your pet hasn't received a dental exam from your veterinarian, it's time to get started. February is National Pet Dental Health Month, the perfect time to schedule a dental exam for your pet and develop a home care regimen for your best friend.

Why is dental care so important for your pet? Periodontal disease is the number one diagnosed problem in pets - by the age of two, more than 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have periodontal disease in one form or another. The buildup of plaque and tartar on your pet's teeth leads to bacterial infections that can enter the bloodstream and infect other parts of your pet's body. Periodontal disease has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, osteoporosis and other problems.

The good news is that periodontal disease is easily prevented. Routine dental cleanings and a home dental care regimen can eliminate the plaque and tartar that lead to gum disease and oral infections. During a dental cleaning, your veterinarian also performs a complete oral examination of your pet. This includes screening for oral cancer, broken teeth and cavities. Spotting these problems early on makes them easier to treat and improves your pet's overall oral health.

Your pet's dental cleaning is more involved than the same process you go through at the dentist's office. Anesthesia is required to keep your pet still and comfortable during the procedure. Because of this, your pet undergoes a thorough physical examination before each dental cleaning. Laboratory blood tests, as well as other diagnostic procedures are also used to screen for potential problems and risks before anesthesia is administered. Using these results, we develop a safe anesthetic protocol specifically for your pet.

During a dental cleaning, tartar is removed from your pet's teeth with a hand scaler. Next, a periodontal probe is used to check for pockets under the gumline - where periodontal disease and bad breath start. An ultrasonic scaler is used to clean above the gumline and a curette is used to clean and smooth the teeth under the gumline and in the crevices. Finally, the teeth are polished and an anti-bacterial solution is used to help delay future tartar build-up.

Dental care doesn't end in your veterinarian's office. Brushing your pet's teeth at home is an added level of protection against gum disease. In order to be most effective, brushing must be done at least three times a week; however, daily brushing is ideal. Brushing your pet's teeth can be supplemented with antiseptic rinses. Some pet foods and treats are also effective in preventing plaque and tartar buildup. However, there is no substitute for regular brushing and professional dental cleanings.

Schedule a dental examination and cleaning for your pet today. Your best friend will thank you!

Good Nutrition

The very basic requirements for life are food and water. Good nutrition is the foundation of overall health. Since cats are natural carnivores, they require meat-based diets. Luckily, cat owners can choose from a variety of diets certified by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. These products are available from your veterinarian, your feed store or from your grocer. Pet food manufacturers spend huge sums of money touting the benefits of their products and the feeding trials conducted by the AAFCO in order to verify that their pet foods meet quality standards. It is always best to listen to your veterinarian as he or she may recommend a particular diet according to your cat's needs.

Nutritional needs vary with the cat's age and health status. Kittens should consume growth diets until they reach approximately nine months of age. At this age, young cats can be gradually weaned from kitten food to adult cat food. This should be done by gradually increasing the amount of adult food and decreasing the amount of kitten food over several days. If a food is changed too abruptly, this can lead to intestinal disturbances with diarrhea. Cats entering their golden years should transition from adult food to senior cat food in a similar manner. Specialty diets that address dental disease and hairballs are good preventive medicine diets that help avoid these health problems in susceptible cats.

Immunization

Rabies needs to be incorporated into every immunization program. Rabies is transmitted by bite wounds and vaccination protocols are often dictated by state or municipal regulations. Vaccinating cats helps prevent the transmission of rabies to humans.

Feline Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper) is transmitted from one cat to another. The virus is very resistant and can survive in the environment for more than a year. Since maternal antibodies interfere with immunizations, a series of vaccinations needs to be given.

Vaccination is highly effective for prevention of feline panleukopenia. All kittens should be vaccinated, and adult cats should be given regular booster vaccines. The vaccination series begins at six to nine weeks of age, and vaccinations are repeated until the kitten is approximately 12-14 weeks old. An adult cat should receive regular booster vaccines.

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus (Feline Respiratory Disease) are common viruses that cause approximately 90 percent of feline upper respiratory disease. These viruses are spread directly from cat to cat through respiratory secretions. Sneezing cats are known for transmitting the disease in catteries, animal control facilities and boarding kennels.

Cats and kittens are infected by contaminated material, as well as by other cats. The disease is occasionally fatal for kittens, though most cats recover. The respiratory disease organisms are extremely contagious, and cats that recover from the disease are often the principal carriers. Without showing any clinical symptoms, these cats can remain carriers for months and even years. Some cats never fully recover from the disease and show symptoms throughout the rest of their lives. Once several cats become infected, the disease is very difficult to eliminate from multi-cat households.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is transmitted through respiratory secretion through the sharing of food and water bowls or litter boxes. Mutual grooming, cat fights, and mating can also transmit the virus.

There are no symptoms that are specific for FeLV infection. Tumors, anemia (low red blood cell count), white blood cell and platelet disorders and numerous immune-mediated diseases are common conditions. The main effects of the virus are on the cat's immune system. An infected cat is extremely susceptible to any type of infection. Respiratory, oral and skin infections are common. Chronic digestive and urinary tract problems are also encountered. Vaccination recommendations for feline leukemia are based on the age of the cat and the risk of exposure.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus causes immunosuppression. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is spread primarily though bite wounds, making cats that are born of negative mothers, live indoors and never fight at low risk. Conversely, a cat of questionable ancestry that roams outdoors and participates in neighborhood brawls, is at high risk of infection.

Lymphocytes are important cells involved in the body's immune (defense) system. FIV infects and destroys these lymphocytes. Without lymphocytes, immunodeficiency results, leaving the body open to infection. Symptoms associated with FIV are generally due to secondary bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

FIV vaccination is controversial due to the interference of vaccinating with diagnostic testing. Currently available diagnostic tests do not distinguish between a truly infected cat and a vaccinated cat.

Vaccination of FIV negative cats living with FIV positive cats in an unstable social structure, or cats living outdoors that fight frequently, may be potential candidates for vaccination.

Feline Parasitology

De-worming of kittens and cats as part of a preventive medicine program is recommended. When the kittens are three weeks old, they and their mother should be treated with an oral de-worming medication. All kittens should be treated again at regular intervals and their stools should be checked for parasites. The U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends these guidelines not only to protect the kitten, but also to protect humans from possible infection.

Whether it's used for correcting vision or removing unwanted tattoos, people are very familiar with the use of lasers in human medicine. Few people, however, may know that lasers also have a place in helping keep our pets comfortable and safe during surgical procedures. Veterinarians across the country are finding out the benefits of providing this innovative service and pet owners are learning how much faster their pet recovers. Watch this video to learn more.

Seeing a deer feeding in your backyard is a special treat for many people, but as we continue to develop communities in formerly “wild” areas, are we putting ourselves and our pets at risk? Many wild animals can transmit some serious diseases. Deer often harbor deer ticks carrying Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Raccoons and skunks are important reservoirs of rabies and even deadly parasites. Dr. Jim Humphries from Veterinary News Network offers tips on how you can keep your family and your pets safe from dangers in our backyards!

The end of our pets' lives can be a traumatic event for many people. The bond that we share with our pets means we aren't just losing an animal; we are losing a family member. Pet burials, memorial services and even complete funerals are becoming commonplace across the nation. There are even many pet-loss support lines. Many pet owners are now finding that these "after-life" options help them to gain closure. Watch this video to learn more.

Barney and President Bush

The Ford's dog, Liberty, and her puppies

U.S. Presidents and their families have typically liked animals.

The following list of presidential pets is not complete; however, without doubt, many a presidential cat or cow passed through without much public notice.