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Valdo's Photo was taken by Danny Clark Photography!
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 Dermatology
& Allergy
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Internal Medicine &Critical Care
Oncology
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Well, it is officially the "hot" season in Texas! Spring always brings new changes and lots of fun. Stay tuned, we have some exciting things happening at Gulf Coast! This month - we are so happy to introduce you to Valdo, he is just amazing! And don't forget to see what our Nutritionist has to say about Fish Oils in your pet's diet! |
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Meet Valdo- Our Patient of the Month | |
 Valdo presented to the Gulf Coast Critical Care service in January after he was attacked by a dog in the neighborhood while on a walk. He was immediately taken to the local emergency clinic where he was not responsive. The emergency clinic treated Valdo for shock and pain as there was a lot of soft tissue injury and a lot of concern about fractures. He was then transferred to the Critical Care Service for more intense and around the clock 24 hour care.
On presentation to Gulf Coast, Valdo's condition was very critical. He was still in shock and had a large amount of injury over his back and shoulder area. No one had seen him stand or even move his legs since the attack. Chest x-rays showed some pretty significant bruising on his lungs as a result of the attack and so he was immediately placed on nasal oxygen. An ultrasound confirmed that there was no internal bleeding and there did not appear to be any injury to the organs in the abdomen. He was in a lot of pain and so we were able to start a constant infusion of pain medication which seemed to help him a great deal. By the next morning, he was in need of a blood transfusion and we planned on surgical repair of the lacerations. The laceration we were most concerned about extended from armpit to armpit across his back and we did not know if it would be able to be repaired in one surgery or if he would need several reconstructive surgeries down the road.
The soft tissue surgeons at Gulf Coast were able to close the wounds and place drains to collect any fluid which we anticipated would build up due to the extent of his injuries. They also noted that BOTH of his shoulder blades had been pulled from their attachments and we sutured those back into place as best as possible. The good news was that the brachial plexus - the big nerve trunk responsible for sensation and movement to the front legs was intact and so there was at least some hope that Valdo would regain function to his front legs. During his procedure, Valdo also had an NG tube placed so that we could get him calories which would play a very important role in his recovery and improve his ability to heal.
Slowly but surely, we started to see improvements in Valdo. At first, it was rolling over for a belly rub and then it became him trying to jump out of the cage! He was definitely heading in the right direction. He required another blood transfusion prior to heading home, but after 18 days in our ICU, Valdo went home! He returned daily for bandage changes and currently is working with our rehabilitation specialist, but Valdo is walking on all FOUR legs - and getting around pretty well!
Valdo is just an amazing boy with amazing parents who allows us to do everything needed to get this little one through a life threatening attack! Way to go Valdo!
Valdo's photo was taken by Danny Clark Photography. |
Canine Hip Dysplasia and PennHIP Evaluation
By Michelle Fabiani, DVM, Dipl ACVR
Board Certified Veterinary Radiologist at GCVS | |
The hip joint is a "ball-and-socket joint" with the ball of the thigh bone (called the femoral head) fitting into the hip socket of the pelvis (called the acetabulum). Hip laxity refers to the degree of "looseness" or moveability of the ball in the hip socket. Dogs with hip dysplasia have looser or more moveable hip joints. Hip dysplasia is the most commonly inherited orthopedic disease and is problematic especially in medium and large breed dogs. Hip dysplasia ultimately leads to arthritis of the hip joints, which is painful and diminishes quality of life.
 Hip dysplasia can be diagnosed by careful examination of radiographs (x-rays) of the hips. Routinely a single radiograph (x-ray) was obtained while the dog was lying on his or her back. This type of radiograph (x-ray) is called an extended ventrodorsal radiographic projection. For 40+ years, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has been screening for hip dysplasia using this technique. Once an animal is 24 months of age or older, this type of radiograph can be obtained by a veterinarian. This radiograph (is then graded by three board certified veterinary radiologists. If the dog is "passed", then they are deemed "OFA certified free of hip dysplasia". The passing grades for OFA certification are excellent, good, and fair. In countries other than the United States, pets must only be 12 months old to be tested for hip dysplasia. However, identifying hip dysplasia in 12 month old animals using this technique is more difficult than at 24 months. The result of earlier testing however is that at 12 months of age, some dogs which actually do have hip dysplasia (loose hip joints) are falsely "passed" as free of hip dysplasia.
In order to reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia in our canine friends over time, we need to identify dogs that are going to pass on tight hips and breed those individuals, while also identifying dogs with loose hips and spay or neuter those pets. The question is then - Is OFA certification doing enough to get rid of hip dysplasia? Using only the above described extended ventrodorsal radiographic projection, OFA can identify patients with moderate to severe widening of the hip joint (called subluxation) and mild to severe arthritis. Pets with abnormalities identified on this radiograph (OFA grades borderline, mild, moderate, and severe), do not become OFA certified. However, this single radiograph (x-ray) does not fully evaluate joint laxity (looseness) and therefore there are a relatively large number of patients that will develop arthritis that are not identified with this technique. The result can be breeding dogs that will have puppies with hip dysplasia.
 A procedure (called PennHIP) was developed at the University of Pennysylvania School of Veterinary Medicine to help better identify dogs with hip dysplasia. The PennHIP method uses 3 radiographs (x-rays) to assess the amount of hip joint laxity (or looseness) as well as arthritis. One of the radiographs is the extended ventrodorsal projection described above. The other two radiographs compare movement of the ball from the hip joint socket. The distance that the ball (femoral head) moves is a measure of joint laxity (looseness) and is called a distraction index (DI). A DI of zero (or no movement) indicates very "tight" hips. A DI close to 1.0 indicates a high degree of laxity/movement (very loose hips). Dogs with tighter hips are less likely to develop hip dysplasia than dogs with looser hips. One advantage of PennHIP is that it can be performed as early as 4 months of age! Thus, selection of animals for spaying and neutering can be made prior to an age when accidental matings could even occur.
PennHIP has proven to be the most accurate and precise method to measure hip laxity. Every patient radiographed for PennHIP must have those films submitted to PennHIP. PennHIP compiles information on all breed's submitted for hip evaluation. Therefore, breeders can determine which animal's should be bred compared to other animals of the same breed across the world. Additionally, in those dogs identified to be at risk of developing osteoarthritis, veterinarians can advise pet owners on lifestyle adjustments, preventative measures (diet, medications, surgical procedures), and strategies to minimize the pain and progression of the disease. In the end, however, this is not about pet owners or breeders. It is about dogs and reducing pain now and in the future.
A veterinarian must be certified to perform the PennHIP procedure, which requires the use of a special distractor device. Veterinarians must complete specialized training and quality-control exercises before becoming certified to perform the PennHIP procedure. PennHIP screening includes three separate radiographs: Distraction, Compression, and Hip Extended. The hip extended view obtained for PennHIP can also be submitted to OFA for certification, if additionally requested. Heavy sedation or anesthesia is required for this examination. The radiologist at Gulf Coast Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging, is certified to perform these procedures.
If you have any questions about hip dysplasia or the PennHip procedure, please don't hesitate to talk to your family veterinarian or one of the specialists at Gulf Coast. |
What Are They and What Can They Do?
by Catherine Lenox, DVM, Diplomate ACVN
Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist at GCVS |
 Omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil are a commonly discussed topic both within the nutrition community and among pet owners. Many pet owners wonder what omega-3 fatty acids actually are, and what they can do.
Fatty acids are characterized by a long chain of carbon molecules with or without double bonds in the chain. Omega-3 fatty acids have multiple double bonds (3 or more) and are called omega-3 because of the location of the double bonds. Omega-6 fatty acids are similar to omega-3 fatty acids but have their double bonds in different places within the chain. Both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential for dogs and cats, meaning that pets cannot produce them. In order to use omega-6 or omega-3 fatty acids in the body, they must be consumed in the diet or as a supplement.
In general, omega-3 fatty acids are considered "anti-inflammatory" because when they are used in the body, the body produces molecules that are less prone to causing inflammation than normal. Omega-6 fatty acids are considered to be more "pro-inflammatory" than omega-3 fatty acids because they lead to production of inflammatory molecules like cytokines.
Despite this distinction, both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are required for normal body functions. Inflammation can be considered a good thing for some animals, especially when fighting off an infection or during wound healing. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are used for other things in our bodies aside from inflammation, including skin health, nerve development, and reproduction in animals that are not spayed or neutered. For this reason, it is important that pet foods contain both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Providing both in the diet allows essential body functions to take place. However, manipulating the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial in some animals.
Manipulating the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio means that relatively more omega-3 fatty acids are fed compared to normal. This dietary change can be helpful to modify inflammation, and can be helpful for other conditions that are not considered inflammatory as well. Omega-3 fatty acids can be used for some conditions when there is too much inflammation in the body, which can lead to disease and clinical signs of illness.
Conditions for which omega-3 fatty acids are used include cancer, arthritis, heart disease, hyperlipidemia (high triglycerides), inflammatory bowel disease, skin problems, and others. While there is not hard evidence that omega-3 fatty acids make a difference in patients with these all of these diseases, there is some evidence that they may be beneficial. Omega-3 fatty acids can also be beneficial in management of cachexia, which is a condition seen in cardiac or cancer patients characterized by loss of muscle mass and weight loss and increased energy needs.
Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in commercial diets or used as a dietary supplement. Some diets contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and supplementation is not necessary. Other patients may benefit from a supplement when their diet does not contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements do have side effects, so be sure to consult with your veterinarian before starting a dietary supplement. In addition, different supplements contain different omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil is generally the one that contains high levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed oil also contains an omega-3 fatty acid, but this one is usually not as useful in management of chronic diseases.
If you have any questions regarding your pet's nutrition,
Dr. Lenox is available for consult upon referral by your family veterinarian.
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Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists strives to provide you with the most compassionate and advanced veterinary care possible. Thank you for trusting us with your pet's care!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists
1111 W. Loop South, Suite 120 Houston, TX 77027 713-693-1155 fax- 713-693-1145 Cardiology ~ Critical Care ~ Dermatology & Allergy Diagnostic Imaging ~ Internal Medicine ~ Nutrition Medical & Radiation Oncology
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