Side effects of steroids.

When steroids are recommended?

Steroids are recommended mostly in two big issues:
1. Antiinflammatory
2. Immunosuppressive.

Lower doses as antiinflammatory and higher doses as immunosuppressive.

Who can recommend for your pets?

Your regular Veterinarian.

Is there any side effect of use of steroid?

Yes.

Short terms side effects:

1. Increased hunger.
2. Increased thirst and more urination
3. Panting in dogs.
4. Lethargy.

Long terms side effects:

1. Cushing disease (thin skin, more hunger/thirst and more urination, blackheads, poor ability to heal wound).
2. Diabetes mellitus.
3. Opportunistic infection (fungal, demodicosis etc.).
4. UTI is common in some animals.
5. Muscle weakness and obesity.
6. Calcinosis cutis (hard plaques of diseased skin).

How we can avoid these side effects?

To follows the instructions given by your Veterinarian.

Can we suddenly stop steroid after the symptoms recovered?

No, because sudden stop can lead to disasters. There could be chances of development of Addison diseases.

Diabetes Mellitus in Yours Pets

How diabetes mellitus develop?

Glucose is regulated by hormone (insulin) produce by pancreas. If there is either deficiency or dysfunction in this hormone then glucose concentration increase in blood and once it cross the threshold glucose can pass in the urine.

The cells of body need sugar in the form of glucose but glucose can’t not absorb and utilize unless the insulin is present in the beta cells of pancreas. If animal does not take food, the body started to breakdown fat, protein and stored starches to provide energy to the hungry cells. Protein and starches can convert into glucose but the fat can converted into ketones rather than glucose.

Types of diabetes mellitus:

Type 1: most common in dogs and is insulin dependent i.e. this kind of diabetes develops either due to insulin dysfunction or due to deficiency of insulin.

Type 2: most common in cats and is insulin independent i.e. not due to insulin dysfunction or due to deficiency of insulin.

Type 3: is not very common and mainly due to other hormones (produced during pregnancy) interfering with the action of insulin.

Reasons:

Dogs: most common cause is immune mediated destruction or damage to the insulin producing cells of the pancreas (beta cells).

Cats: most common cause is obesity, inflammation of pancreas and immune mediated damage of the pancreatic cells.

What are the main signs?

1. Excessive water consumption and excessive urine production.

2. Increased appetite but weight loss and dehydration.

3. Blood in urine.

4. Dry skin.

5. Cataract (dogs) which is irreversible.

Who can help u?

Veterinarian.

Diagnose:

1. From blood.

2. From urine.

Treatment:

1. Injection of insulin.

2. Diet.

3. Regular monitoring for blood glucose.

Client Education:

1. .

2. Always give insulin after feeding. Never ever give insulin before feeding.

3. Better keep calendar and mark on it.

4. Always keep insulin in refrigerator and shake very gently before injecting and avoid air bubbles in syringe.

5. If you are not sure that whole dose of insulin goes inside body or not then don’t repeat it.

6. If animal half of the diet then only gave half of the insulin.

7. Provide high fiber and low carbohydrate diet because high fiber always digest slow and remain in body for long time and keep the blood glucose level constant while carbohydrates digestion just start from mouth and go high soon and insulin works slowly.

8. If your pet is very lethargic and not eating then don’t give insulin and consult your veterinarian.

Management/Follow up:

1. Follow the instructions given by your veterinarian.

2. Routine check up of blood glucose as recommended by your veterinarian.

Behavioral modification for cats that urinate inappropriately

1. Try and determine if the cat has experienced a recent stress in its life. i.e. changes in weather, the cat’s environment (a recent move, addition of a new pet or new family member), change in diet or feeding schedule, change of litter type etc.
2. Provide at least one litter box/cat.
3. Keep the litter boxes in quite areas of the home (avoid high noise or high traffic areas). Try placing one litter box in a spare room for the affected cat (room that other cats/pets in the household do not have access too).
4. Don’t use covered litter boxes.
5. Use unscented, fine grained type litters (different cats like different litter types). Play with the depth of the litter to determine the cat’s preference.
6. Change the litter frequently.
7. Keep food and water bowls in a quiet area of the home, away from windows, heat vents, exhaust fans, etc. keep the food and water bowls away from the litter box location.
8. Allow the problematic cat more space and a chance to be a cat. Don’t forget cats are independent creatures that like to be in control. It would be great if the cat could have its own room complete with its own scratch post, food and water bowls and litter box. Provide toys that allow the cat to chase and catch, and adequate surfaces for scratching behavior. If you use a laser pointer, there must be a toy associated (cat must be rewarded with a capture).
9. Make any changes in the cat’s routine, including diet changes, very slowly.
10. There are sprays that your veterinarian may recommend in an attempt to decrease environmental anxiety. Such sprays can be used in the environment close to the litter box.
11. Your veterinarian may recommend drugs in highly stressed cats.

Control of Stress/FIC

Control of stress/feline idiopathic cystitis:

1. Facial pheromones (Feliway) a synthetic analogue of a naturally occurring feline facial pheromone may help decrease anxiety related behaviors in some cats. This product can be used in the cat’s environment (spray about 15 minutes before the cat goes into the environment or use a room diffuser that lasts about 30 days).
2. Diet is an important aspect of therapy to drop the urine specific gravity in cats with high urine specific gravity. These cats need to get more water down the urinary pipe. Canned food will help dilute the urine of any noxious substances, cause more frequent urination which will help decrease bladder contact time with urine and remove any excess crystals. Many cats with FIC have an acidic pH which may be irritating to the bladder mucosa. Highly acidic urine increases sensory nerve fiber transmissions that increase pain perception.

* Ways to encourage water intake:

· Increasing water consumption by feeding increased amounts of canned food or feeding a dry diet formulated with additional salt.

· Multiple small meals may help.

· It is important to provide easy access to provide fresh water at all times. Cats are nocturnal and may prefer to drink in the evening.

· Don’t sweeten the water as cats lack sweet taste receptors (have defective Tas Ir 2). Flavoring the water or providing ice cubes flavored by tuna of clam juice may help encourage water consumption.

· Some cats prefer a source of running water (water fountains are available for cats).

· It is important to keep food and water bowls away from the litter box area. The water bowl must be clean (cats have a very keen sense of smell and are easily turned off by odors on the edge of the bowl).

· Some cats prefer a clear glass bowl; other stainless steel or ceramic. Some cats prefer not to share bowl (especially with dogs).

3. Drugs, are not recommended unless environmental enrichment and diet change are not enough. Don’t use on the first or second episodes. For example: amitriotyline or GAG replacement therapy (cartrophen i.e. pentosan polysulfate, 3 mg/kg SQ once weekly every 4 treatment then every 6 weeks), elmiron i.e. pentosan polysulfate, 2-10 mg/kg PO every 12 hours or maximum 50 mg/cat). * but monitoring of cat is much important because it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, alopecia, abdominal pain, epistaxis, gingival bleeding, prolongation of prothrombin time.

Sequelae to FIC:

Vasicourachal diverticula, urethral stricture and/or urethral blockage (from inflammatory swelling of the urethra, urethral muscular spasm, intraluminal accumulations of sloughed tissue, inflammatory cells and red blood cells, formation of matrix crystalline plug).

Follow up:

It is critical. The owner should be contacted within a couple of days of the hospital visit and again within 3 weeks, 3 months (even if by phone just to make sure everything is going well).

Stress and Feline Idiopathic Cystitis

Reasons for stress:

1. presence of other cat
2. changes in daily routine
3. changes in environment
4. changes in litter type or location
5. changes in weather

Presence of multiple cats in a household is a significant risk factor for idiopathic cystitis. A dominant or a submissive cat may be affected. It is important to provide each cat with a safe domain, hiding spots and opportunities to express their natural predatory behavior (climbing posts, scratching post, toys that can be chased and caught).

A dominant cat may need a bell on its collar to allow a submissive cat to hear it coming. Give the cat space to do its own thing. Affected cats may benefit from having their own litter box (with unscented, fine grained type litter depth to be determined by individual cat preference), placed in a quiet area. They may prefer to have their own food and water bowls in a calming environment. In a single cat household, management of separation anxiety may be necessary.

Florida Univ. Videos for NAVLE

These videos are available on Vetvideos.com 

In addition to these, there are a lot of videos available for free for various veterinary subjects. 

Click here to visit www.vetvideos.com

best wishes.

Dr Banga

Viral Diseases

ZOONOTIC

• Smallpox (Variola)
• Contagious Pustular Dermatitis (Orf; Parapoxvirus)
• African Horse Sickness (Reoviridae)
• Equine Encephalitis (WEE,EEE,VEE)
(Alphavirus; Togaviridae)
• West Nile(Flaviviridae)
• Japanese Encephalitis (Flaviviridae)
• Swine Influenza
(Influenza; Orthomyxoviridae)
• Equine Morbillivirus (Paramyxoviridae)
• Rift Valley Fever
(Phlebovirus; Bunyaviridae)
• Foot and Mouth Dz
(Apthovirus; Picornaviridae)
• Vesicular Stomatitis
(Vesiculovirus; Rhabdoviridae)

REPORTABLE:

• Smallpox (Variola)
• Contagious Pustular Dermatitis (Orf; Parapoxvirus)
• African Horse Sickness (exotic dz outside Africa)
• Sheep and Goat Pox (Capripox)
• Foot and Mouth Dz
(Apthovirus; Picornaviridae)