Xylitol is increasingly used as a sweetener in sugar-free chewing gum and other confectionary; it is used in dental hygiene products and is also found as an excipient in many medicines. Of particular concern are the sugar substitute products that contain Xylitol which are used in home baking as well as in manufactured goods. Cakes, biscuits and other goodies made with it are toxic to dogs. Owners may not be aware of these dangers and may not associate clinical deterioration with ingestion of these foodstuffs.

Other animals such as ferrets and cats may be similarly affected and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is monitoring all referred cases.

BVA Past President Nicky Paull commented:

“While most dog owners are now aware that foods such as chocolate and grapes can be toxic to their pets few are aware of the dangers if their dog eats a cake or muffin containing Xylitol.

“If you think your dog may have eaten chewing gum or a sweet or cake containing Xylitol and appears unwell, perhaps vomiting or lacking coordination, then contact your vet for advice immediately and be ready to provide information on what’s been consumed.”

The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) have produced an easy reference guide to keeping pets safe from harmful substances. The ‘Pets and poisons: keeping your animal safe’ leaflet can be easily downloaded from the BVA AWF website at www.bva-awf.org.uk or you can request a copy from the Foundation.

Alexander Campbell, Head of Service at VPIS, added:

“With the increasing number of products containing Xylitol on the market the VPIS recognises the extreme importance of raising awareness of the danger to dogs of ingesting this substance, particularly in the light of a case we handled the other evening which involved a dog eating a muffin made with this sugar substitute.

“This is yet another instance where a food or food additive deemed safe for human consumption proves to be dangerous for other species. Pets should really only be given foodstuffs formulated for them.

“It is possible that other animals such as ferrets or cats might be affected similarly, but few cases are yet documented. The VPIS continues to monitor all referred cases in all animals with the aim of clarifying the situation in other species as and when more data become available.

“The VPIS would like to see manufacturers of these products provide some visible warnings and information on the packaging and to inform the retail outlets they supply of the potential risks to dogs.”

Bryony Singleton, aged 12, has yet to decide which puppy she will shortly be taking home with her – but when she does, she will submit the Labrador Retriever’s details into the Dogslife project via the internet. Her puppy will be one of a litter of 10 in Peebles. Bryony is able to choose from two that have not yet been allocated homes. “Seven years of asking my mum and dad for a puppy have finally paid off,” she said. “The puppies are too young to take home. We are waiting to see them when they are a bit older before choosing which to take. We’ve not decided on a name yet, so hopefully that will just jump out.”
“I think it is really good to input details of the puppies to learn more about their health, and it also gets across the message about how important it is to exercise the dog.” The puppies, from Kennel Club-accredited breeder Ian Mitchell, weighed one pound at birth and have only recently opened their eyes. Bryony, who has the pups’ birthday written on her calendar, will be allowed to take one home at the end of July when the litter is eight weeks old.
Her mother, Jean Singleton, 52, of Peebles, said: “I think the Dogslife project is a great idea as it will not only help these dogs but also other dogs in the future. “People tend to feed dogs all different types of food and have different ideas about what you should and should not do, as well as different approaches to exercise. I would be quite interested to find out the statistics from the project and see what emerges at the end of the day.”
Bryony is eager to invite friends around to introduce them to her puppy, although her mother says that, when the puppy first comes home, they will need to limit the number of visitors. “Bryony is really excited about introducing the puppy to her friends, but we want to make sure the dog gets used to us and the house first. My husband and I are probably just as excited as Bryony – but we’re trying to pretend we’re not.”

For more information please contact: Tara Womersley, University of Edinburgh Press and PR Office, tel 0131 650 9836 or 07791 355 804 email Tara.Womersley@ed.ac.uk

Toby Khanna, a full-time father from Poole, Dorset had already reported recent sightings of the fox in his garden to the local council several weeks before the incident happened. They told him that they did not deal with foxes and needed to contact the RSPCA.

Mr Khanna had just returned from taking his oldest child to school when he let Princess into the garden. The Daily Mail reports that Princess was snapped up by a large fox who tried to flee the garden with Princess in his jaws.

His young children witnessed the attack and Mr Khanna quickly tried to chase after the fox. He climbed over a 4 foot fence and managed to prize Princess from the fox’s jaws – she was already dead.

In The Daily Mail, Mr Khanna said ‘We heard this yelp and suddenly the dog was gone – I couldn’t believe how quickly it happened. I ran after it into my neighbour’s garden, and managed to grab Princess by the legs. After a bit of a tug, the fox let go and I took Princess back into our garden. She was totally lifeless. It had broken her neck.’

He added: ‘It was heartbreaking to see and the children were obviously very upset.’

When Florence, a normally healthy 18 month old bitch became lethargic and developed a fever that didn’t respond to antibiotics, her owners Amanda and Martin Hemsley, from Hertfordshire, became alarmed. Blood tests and X-rays of her chest and abdomen didn’t identify any problems so their vet referred Florence to Davies Veterinary Specialists, a highly equipped small animal veterinary hospital based in Hertfordshire, for further investigations.

As Florence’s condition continued to deteriorate, a complex series of further tests and scans confirmed the dreadful news that she was suffering from polyradiculoneuritis. This rare and devastating condition is similar to Guillain-Barré syndrome in man and is poorly understood. It is believed to be caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking components of the nervous system because the molecular structure is similar to those in bacteria or viruses recently present in the dog.

Dr Laurent Garosi, neurology specialist at DVS who has previously treated patients with the disease, explains: “Cases of polyradiculoneuritis may not survive because of respiratory paralysis or complications such as aspiration pneumonia. If they do recover, it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to months, with physiotherapy and owner compliance playing vital roles in the outcome.”

Amanda Hemsley said: ‘’We have had Flo and her brother Zebedee since they were nine weeks old. Seeing her transformed from a bouncing bright eyed Retriever to a pitiful tetraplegic in the space of 24 hours was a complete shock. She was wired up to various machines, had no mobility at all and she looked so pathetic and ill – it was truly heartbreaking.”

Florence stayed in hospital for two weeks and the Hemsleys visited her every day. Once she could eat and drink without tubes and move her head and neck, the Hemsleys bravely decided to take her home, where it was hoped that familiar surroundings and physiotherapy would help her recovery. Looking after her was a round the clock job for Amanda, who slept beside her on a sun lounger every night, so that she could make sure she was OK and turn her every couple of hours, to prevent sores developing.

Flo made slow but steady progress with weekly physiotherapy and hydrotherapy playing a vital role in her recovery. Veterinary physiotherapist Brian Sharp, who runs Canine Physio in Uxbridge, was unstinting with his care. He treated Florence on a weekly basis at her home for the next six months and once her feeding tube had been removed he introduced a weekly hydrotherapy at Dipping Dogs hydrotherapy centre in Cowley, West London.

By week 15 Florence could briefly stand independently and attempt small steps. With Brian’s advice an ingenious member of the Hemsley family constructed a special support frame with wheels to help her stand and move independently. Regular use of this helped to build Florence’s muscle and after several weeks she became able to walk into the hydrotherapy pool with only minimal support.

Brian recalls: “After five months Florence could sit normally and move from lying to sitting to standing. She could also walk from the house into the garden unaided and was ready for some short lead walks. By 32 weeks progress was so good that I no longer needed to see her.”

‘’Looking at her now, it is hard to believe she was ever as ill as she was,” said Amanda. “There are still a few things that she can’t do, like jump into the back of the car, but I have every reason to believe will manage it one day soon. We are so grateful to Davies Veterinary Specialists and to Brian Sharp because if it were not for them we wouldn’t be lucky enough to have her now.’’

The practice of tail docking to remove most of the tail to prevent this type of injury in dogs was banned in Britain in 2007, although some exemptions apply for specific breeds of working dog.

Among the 138,212 dogs seen by vets at the 52 practices during the study period, 281 were treated for a tail injury – a rate of 0.23%, adjusted for sampling.

The owners of 224 of these injured dogs, as well as a random sample of 799 owners whose dogs had not been treated for tail injury were sent a questionnaire on dog tail injuries and docking.

Only 97 of the owners whose dogs needed treatment and 227 of those whose dogs had not been injured replied.

But their responses indicated that around one in three tail injuries (36%; 35 cases) had occurred at home as a result of the dog knocking its tail against a wall, kennel wall or other household object.

A further 17.5% (17 cases) were sustained outdoors, while 14.4% (14 cases) were caused by the tail being caught in a door. In 15 (15.5%) other causes were cited; and in 16 (16.5%), the cause was unknown. Almost half of the injuries (44%) were recurrent.

Over half the cases were treated with drugs and dressings, but in almost one in three cases, amputation was required. Eleven dogs did not need any treatment.

Certain breeds seemed to be more at risk, with springer and cocker spaniels almost six times as likely to sustain a tail injury as labradors and retrievers.

Greyhounds, lurchers, and whippets were almost seven times as likely to do so, possibly because of the lack of protective hair on their tails, say the authors. Dogs with a wide angle of wag were also almost four times as likely to be injured in this way, while dogs kept in kennels were more than 3.5 times as likely to sustain a tail injury.

Only 35 owners said their dogs had had their tail docked, and on the basis of their overall findings, the authors calculated that tail docking would reduce the risk of injury by 12%.

But in absolute terms, 500 dogs would need to have their tail docked in order to prevent one tail injury.

“Tail docking remains a controversial issue,” say the authors. “The debate is centred on whether non-therapeutic tail docking reduces the risk of tail injuries sufficiently to justify the ethical concerns regarding this [preventive] intervention.”

Source: Veterinary Record

Now veterinary scientists at the University of Liverpool are undertaking a large scale study to compare the effects of two common licensed treatments for osteoarthritis in dogs. The study needs dogs who are older than one year, weigh more than 10 kilos and have either been diagnosed with arthritis by their vet or whose owners believe they are suffering from arthritis. Signs that dogs might be suffering from osteoarthritis include stiffness or a limp after rest, reluctance to go for walks, or slowing down while on walks or a noticeable limp.

Ben Walton, from the Small Animal Teaching Hospital, said: “We need around 100 dogs for this study which will be examining the effectiveness of two well-known treatments for canine osteoarthritis. The dogs will take part for a twelve week period, and during this time medication will be dispensed at no charge to the owner. The dog will need to visit the University of Liverpool’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital at Leahurst on the Wirral four times during the twelve week period for an evaluation by an orthopaedic vet. The risk of side effects from the medication is low.”

If you are interested in taking part in this study then please contact Ben Walton at the Small Animal Hospital at the University of Liverpool’s Leahurst campus on 0151 795 6329 or by email ben.walton@liv.ac.uk

The 22-year-old said: “I devised a questionnaire which was given to owners as their animal was admitted for an operation on the same day. This asked general health questions as well as three questions about the owner’s smoking habits.

“These were then used to compare the anaesthetic records using the SPO2 and ETCO2 readings to see if there was a difference between those exposed to smoking, and those not.”

Steph Driscoll

SPO2 is a measurement of the amount of oxygen attached to the haemoglobin cells in the circulatory system, while ETCO2 is the concentration of CO2 at the end of an exhaled breath.­­

Steph, who is due to graduate in September with a BSc (Hons) in Veterinary Nursing with Practice Management, added: “I used three veterinary practices to trial the experiment and the results show that one of the practices found that these methods are good indicators.

“I’ve decided to continue my research for a year once I have graduated, with guidance from my tutor at Harper, because although people realise the effect of passive smoking on themselves and children, they rarely consider the effect on their pets.”

Steph is due to begin work as a Veterinary Nurse at the Haywood Veterinary Centre where she hopes she will be able to continue her experiment. She intends to investigate the differences between caged animals, and those that are able to move further away from the smoker, after noticing a significant difference between lap dogs and larger dogs.

She said: “Owners with lap dogs tend to smoke with the dog under their arm and this showed in my results. Public awareness is key, we need to increase the awareness of these results because passive smoking in companion animals is definitely something that needs to be considered.”

The procedure was carried out in March this year, and now, nine weeks later, Roly is able to walk again, thanks to the insertion of a unique metal implant that mirrors the original femur and boasts a tendon in-growth attachment, so that effectively tendons and muscles have been fully re-attached to the artificial limb.

When Roly, an American Bulldog from Farnborough in Hampshire, started lifting his left hind leg in the air, yelping and walking on his other three legs, owners Dennis Hoy and his wife Sue were naturally quite concerned. The diagnosis of a malignant bone tumour, osteosarcoma (cancer), was heartbreaking. But the family did not want to give up on their pet: “Euthanasia was not a consideration,” said Dennis, “as Roly is a young dog and very much a part of our family. Nor was amputation realistic in our opinion, given the fact that he weighs around 50 kilos and has arthritis and ligament problems in lots of joints – so limb salvage seemed the only practical and compassionate solution.”

Roly the American Bulldog photograph taken by Noel Fitzpatrick

They were referred to Noel Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Referrals, a specialist veterinary clinic in Surrey, who offered them the option of the experimental procedure. “This truly remarkable achievement was made possible through the convergence of biomechanics, biology and surgical innovation,” explains Noel Fitzpatrick.

“We tapped into the evidence provided by the CT and MRI scanners we have in place at the practice, so that the data collected about Roly during clinical diagnosis was used to design and construct an artificial femur which exactly mirrored his original limb. It has been constructed rather like a telescope – one section fitting inside the adjoining section, so that we get maximum flexibility and traction during motion.”

The prosthesis was designed jointly by Dr Fitzpatrick himself; Professor Gordon Blunn, Head of the Centre for Bio-Medical Engineering at UCL’s Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science; and Jay Meswania from specialist implant manufacturer OrthoFitz. Their three year collaboration is a perfect example of the benefits that can result from developing partnerships between experts in separate but related clinical disciplines.

The procedure itself involved a highly complex two-hour operation, during which Dr Fitzpatrick replaced the cancerous femur bone and hip joint with the specially constructed artificial prosthesis, while reattaching the musculature and realigning the relative position of the joint to restore perfect movement to the dog.

Osteosarcoma of the proximal femur. Fitzpatrick Referrals

As Professor Blunn explains: “What is significant about the design is the way in which it sandwiches tissue and metal together overlaying the gluteal muscles onto the top of the endoprosthetic femur – alternating tendon, synthetic Dacron mesh, tendon, synthetic Dacron mesh, tendon and finally trabecular metal – which has a honeycomb surface resembling a series of small chambers. In this way, the hope is that the Sharpeys fibres which attach tendons of muscles to the bone will grow into the trabecular metal surface and permanently adhere to it.”

The endoprosthesis with the first ever tendon in growth attachment. Fitzpatrick Referrals

Though Roly will still have to have regular chemotherapy treatments to stop the cancer spreading, and will probably not live to his full life expectancy, what the operation has done is allowed him to live his remaining days to the full. Video footage was released of him running and playing happily after his op. Owners Dennis and Sue Hoy were delighted with the results: “I was confident that Noel and his team knew exactly what was clinically possible and most of all in Roly’s best interests,” they said. “The results of the treatment have confirmed our trust. My vet has been amazed at the result and we cannot wait to get back to the hour-long walks we take three times a day together!”

Dr Fitzpatrick says: “This technology is equally applicable for dogs and cats affected by trauma who will likely live longer. My job is to look after my patients as best I can and to be honest with their guardians and give them options.”

While Roly’s experience has been a triumph for the dog and his owners, it undoubtedly has potentially ground breaking implications for both animals and humans. This breakthrough is especially important for human accident victims, such as motorcycle accidents where a key challenge to recovery may be successfully re-attaching the kneecap tendon onto the top of the tibia in the lower leg. Another example would be repairing ruptured tendons in the shoulders of human tennis or cricket players. It has long been part of Dr Fitzpatrick’s underlying philosophy that veterinary and human medicine are closely interdependent and advances in either field have profound implications for the other. Let’s hope that Roly’s brave foray into new techniques and advances will benefit us all in the future.

For further information visit www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk

Many people know that we should brush our pets’ teeth regularly, or at the very least give them plenty to chew on to do the job themselves. But how many of us actually invest the proper time and dedication to our pets’ teeth and gums? Not enough, apparently. Leading veterinary charity, PDSA, has reported a worrying rise in dental disease among dogs over the last two years.

PDSA health checks of more than 13,000 dogs across the UK in 2007 and 2009 show a worrying 5% rise in the number of dogs suffering from dental disease, with the figure now standing at 24% in total. When this figure is applied to the entire UK dog population (8.3 million) it means nearly 2 million dogs could be suffering from dental disease. (Cats don’t fare much better either: a staggering 8% of cats seen by the charity needed some form of dental surgery.)

Northern Ireland and Wales are the worst offenders, with 30% of their respective pet populations suffering from dental decay. In Northern Ireland, this figure has doubled in the last two years. Only Scotland and London saw a decrease in the number of pets needing attention (of 6% and 7% respectively), but not enough to stop the overall figure rising. The best area in England for healthy pet gums is the North East, where only 20% of pets needed treatment. However, this is still too many, says the PDSA.

Pets with dental disease can develop painful tooth decay and risk losing some, if not all, of their teeth. Dental disease can also trigger inflammation of the gums, making it difficult for animals to eat, and health problems in other parts of the body, such as the kidneys and heart valves.

The key reason for this rise, according to the PDSA, is poor doggie diets, and lack of proper dental care or awareness on behalf of the owner. Owners have admitted to feeding their pets inappropriate, sugary treats including sweet tea, biscuits, cereal, peanut butter and chocolate intended for humans (which can be poisonous to pets) on top of their recommended pet food. As well as being bad for their waistlines, this food, if left on the surface, develops into plaque. Sean Wensley, PDSA’s Senior Veterinary Surgeon, adds: “Plaque is caused by a mix of food, bacteria and saliva that sticks to the teeth. If this is left on the surface, the gums can become inflamed very quickly – in as little as four to five weeks. This can lead to infection, tooth decay and the loss of otherwise good teeth.”

Tell tale signs of dental disease include: bad breath, yellow/brown teeth, red or bleeding gums, pain or swelling of the jaw or face, lack of interest in food, face rubbing, and excessive salivation and difficulty in swallowing. If you think your dog’s teeth are in bad shape, do book him in for an appointment at the vets to get them checked out – or simply start a tooth care regime for your animal, today!

PDSA would always encourage dog and cat owners to clean their pet’s teeth daily. However, it’s not always possible, as some pets can find the process quite stressful and are far from willing to let their owner clean their teeth; the best way to avoid this is to get your puppy used to having his mouth handled from day one. Owners’ shouldn’t despair though, as specially formulated dental chews and dental diets are available to help. The greatest benefits are achieved when these products are used alongside daily brushing.

Millions of UK dogs could be suffering dental pain and losing their teeth unnecessarily due to poor diets and lack of routine dental care. Sean Wensley, says: “It’s wrong to assume that pets will lose their teeth as they get older. In reality, with a good diet and oral hygiene, there is no reason why their teeth shouldn’t last a lifetime.”

Researchers have found that dogs over the age of seven suffer a decline in brain cells because they lose the ability to use energy-boosting glucose as efficiently as when they were young. This affects their everyday functioning, leading to small changes in a dog’s behaviour, such as becoming slower and less alert.

Due to advances in veterinary care, nutrition and disease prevention, dogs are effectively in old age for about half their lives. It means that like the human population, the number of senior dogs is on the increase, with an estimated 29 per cent being classed as senior. Dogs traditionally age at the rate of about seven years for every one human year.

The study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, was carried out at Toronto University. Dogs fed a diet containing special dietary fats found in some natural vegetable oils such as coconut oil, were found to have improved their memory and learning skills. The special dietary fats are contained for the first time in a new brand of pet food called Purina Pro Plan Senior 7+ Original.

Dr Jill Cline, senior research nutritionist at pet food brand Purina, said: “Cognitive decline is usually a slow and gradual process with owners not noticing any changes until their dog is about 12 years old. But by the time your dog has changed in behaviour it may be hard to do anything about it. Prevention is always better than cure so therefore it’s best to start feeding a senior diet with anti age from around seven years of age.”

Veterinary surgeon Barton Stephen, who has practised for more than 25 years, said the first step to combating old age in dogs is to accept that a pet is becoming elderly. He said: “Owners often live in denial. They know their dog is displaying signs of ageing, like unusual behaviour, sleeping more and becoming slower and less alert, yet they choose to ignore it. But the fact is, a medium-sized dog like a Labrador at the age of seven is in his mid-fifties in human terms. The right diet at this stage can have a dramatic effect and help them stay younger, for longer.”