Quarry Hill Park Animal Hospital – Rochester Minnesota

What is a heart murmur?

A heart murmur is an abnormality heard with a stethoscope when listening to the heartbeat.  Murmurs are graded on a 1-6 scale.  A murmur rated a level of ‘1’ indicates a mild, soft change.  Anything ranging from ‘4’ to ‘6’ signifies a loud, serious abnormality.  Heart murmurs can reflect heart valve changes or rare congenital abnormalities in the heart structure.

The presence of a heart murmur does not always indicate disease.  X-rays, ultrasound, or clinical signs of heart disease (coughing, weight loss, exercise intolerance) can help determine the presence or severity of disease.

Ways to evaluate heart disease:

1) Chest X-rays – detect fluid buildup in the lungs and show general heart size

2) Clinical signs of heart disease – coughing, exercise intolerance, weight loss, rapid/irregular breathing, abdominal swelling, lack of energy, loss of appetite

3) Blood work – determines if the kidneys are healthy enough to metabolize heart medications

4) At home measurements of Resting Respiratory Rate (RRR)

5) Ultrasound/echo – looks at the inner workings of the heart muscle and valves

6) EKG – used to evaluate heart arrhythmias

How to calculate a Resting Respiratory Rate (RRR)

Recent research indicates that a simple, accurate way to monitor heart disease is by monitoring a Resting Respiratory Rate.  The normal breathing rate (at rest) for dogs is less than 35 breaths/minute.

First establish a “baseline” by measuring your dog’s resting breathing rate once daily for one week.  Pick a time when everything is quiet in the house and your pet is sleeping.  Each time the chest rises counts as one breath.  Count this for 15 seconds, then multiply this number by 4 to calculate the rate.  Average the RRR over the week to obtain your baseline number.

Monitor the RRR once weekly thereafter.  Call us if the RRR is over 35, or if a dramatic increase from baseline occurs (for example, if the RRR is usually 15 and it suddenly goes up to 25, this is also a significant change).

What can be done about heart disease?

1) Medications

a) Lasix- “water pill” – used to help the patient urinate off any excess fluid buildup apparent in the lungs in the chest X-rays

b) Enalapril- increases heart output and decreases resistance and pressures in the lungs and blood vessels

c) Vetmedin/pimobendan- helps the heart contract and dilates blood vessels, often used in combination with other drugs in more serious heart disease

2) Diet modifications

a) Feed a quality dog food that with a lower salt content

b) be careful about what human food is used as treats or to “hide” the medications in – avoid things high in salt (such as cheese and peanut butter)

3) Exercise/environment modifications/considerations

a) gentle exercise only – walks, not runs

b) less tolerant of weather extremes, such as higher humidity and low temperatures

(This article will be saved in the “dog care” section for your future reference.)

Please call with any questions or concerns – Quarry Hill Park Animal Hospital

Since my newspaper articles often emphasize the canine population, this time around I’m focusing on the finicky felines.  Here is an article on litter box care:

http://ww2.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=31&a=516183

And, just in time for Halloween, here is this year’s ASPCA Halloween tip list:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/halloween-safety-tips.aspx

Happy Halloween! – Dr. Ann M. Anderson

Here’s another Pet Vet article I wrote for the local newspaper:  http://postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1471337.

This potty training article was inspired by my new pup, Daphne, who likes to pee and poop under my piano.

If you have any puppy house training questions, or if you want to tell me I’m a fool for trying to potty train a child and a new pup at the same time, please call – Dr. Ann M. Anderson

After reading the unfortunate story of a pup that died after eating a sago palm plant (http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kent_county/Some-houseplants-deadly-to-pets), I thought it would be good to remind everyone of the VERY EXTENSIVE toxic/non-toxic plant list on the ASPCA website (http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/).  The best idea is to keep plants (when possible) up out of reach of your pets.

-please call with any questions or concerns- Dr. Ann M. Anderson

I’m not sure whether this finding makes me any more hopeful for a cure, but any increase in knowledge of the disease must be considered beneficial.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20111004/Alzheimers-may-originate-in-a-form-similar-to-that-of-infectious-prion-diseases.aspx

- Dr. Ann M. Anderson

Here is another article I wrote for the Post Bulletin, this time on puppies:

http://ww2.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=31&a=511846

Also, please note the correction to the previous tick article at the end of this article.

Thanks, Dr. Ann M. Anderson

The last two Wednesday nights, Daphne and I have been educating ourselves in Amy Stern’s puppy class.  Last week, Amy stressed the importance of making a puppy obey the ‘sit’ command before meals.  She also gave us the ‘lay down’ command as homework.

Back at home, my older dog, Daisy, always gets in the way whenever I try to teach Daphne.  Ironically, she has been the easier of the two to train at both these new commands.  This is because her mind runs on this mantra:  “Food, food, I’ll do ANYTHING for food.”  Daphne’s mind runs this way:  “Just keep jumping.  Just keep jumping.  Oh, look—FOOD!”

Now, led by Daisy, both of my pooches drop their butts down the second their bowls are full.  (Maybe it doesn’t count so much if they’re not following a spoken instruction…whoops)

On to the next lesson:  with a full bowl of popcorn as a special learning treat, I started in on Daphne’s training.  Daisy figured out what I wanted in two seconds (make that two kernels) and slammed herself down to the ground every time I said ‘lay down’.  Daphne had to be pushed down.  Over.  And over.  And over again.

Maybe she’s a slow learner.

(Of course, this points out my failings in not teaching Daisy any of these things when she was younger.)

But the real lesson here is that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks…and sometimes it might be easier!

- Dr. Ann M. Anderson

Here is another article I wrote for the Post Bulletin on Ticks:

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1467881

Here is my correction on this article:  While I noted that some sources recommend using a hot needle, blown-out match,
alcohol or turpentine to remove ticks, I do not recommend the use of burning
objects or caustic substances as a method of tick removal.

My online “shelter stalking” finally caught my husband’s attention.  Either that, or the sweet cat I recently attempted to bring home until it aggravated his allergies made him propose getting a puppy last week.

Our little Daphne came in for her first healthy puppy check at Quarry Hill Park Animal Hospital, and went home with a delighted veterinarian–me.

Her favorite place to sleep is on top of a pile (yes, a pile) of my kids’ shoes by the front door.  Her least favorite place to sleep is inside her kennel at night, but she’s getting progressively better at it—with the help of Benadryl, my Norah Jones CD (based on the theory that her singing makes me feel very, very sleepy), and taking her for a “drag” (that is, a walk) right before bed.

Little Daphne has been very good about the house training.  I don’t know why, but puppy potty training has always been so much easier for me than a child potty training.  Wait, I know why—it’s called “biscuit-treats”.  I’ve been blessed with dogs that are incredibly food motivated and kids that are just as stubborn as I am.

Now that I’ve got four ‘kids’ to watch over (two dogs, a boy, and a girl—and, no, I’m not counting my husband).  I feel like I’m saying ‘no’ and ‘don’t’ every single minute of the day.

“Daphne, don’t yank on Daisy’s tail.  Stop going after Daisy’s rawhide.  Find one of your own to eat.  Don’t annoy Daisy.  Don’t bite my fingers, Daphne.  Here’s a stick.  Put that in your mouth, you little land shark.”

Of course, I praise her, too.  “Good potty outside.  Here’s a treat, Daphne.”  (Sigh.)  “Here’s a treat for you, Daisy, for standing there and staring at me, with that string of drool dangling out of your mouth.”

I hear my son instructing her as well.  “Don’t eat my man-man’s.  Don’t eat my tator head.”

I inform Fred that if he doesn’t learn to pick up his toys, the puppy will destroy them.  Hey, maybe I can use this to my advantage!

At night, the version is:  “Kennel up, puppy.  Good dog.  Here’s a treat.  Stop barking.  Stop barking.  Stop barking.”  (Sigh.)  “Where’s my earplugs?”

Another problem with the night time pottying is that I hate going outside in the dark at 3 a.m.  It’s not the sleep deprivation that gets to me, it’s the fact that every single horror movie I’ve ever watched haunts me when I’m surrounded by the empty darkness.  It’s silly, but as my dogs frolic and play I scour the shadows for freaky people wearing masks.

I know my dogs are too friendly to defend me against any Boogeymen.

– Dr. Ann M. Anderson, ‘mom’ to Daisy and Daphne

Cute story about a dog that ATE $10,000 worth of diamonds.  Good thing she didn’t eat the bag.  Guess how they got those diamonds back?

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44254505/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals/t/dog-eats-worth-diamonds?gt1=43001

-Dr. Ann M. Anderson