Pet Dental Health Month

February is National Dental Health Month and Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital is celebrating by offering free dental checkups and 10% off all dental treatments during this month only.

How do you know if your pet needs to take advantage of this special? The answer is pretty simple: you probably do. Eighty percent of all dogs and seventy percent of cats over 3 years of age have some form of dental disease.  If one of our veterinarians has mentioned that your pet would benefit from some form of dental care, now is the time to follow up.

If you aren’t sure if your pet needs dental work, call to make a free appointment with one of our nurses today.  He or she can help determine if you simply need to start a dental care regimen at home or if you need to schedule a cleaning, periodontal treatments or even extractions.

Remember that dental disease doesn’t affect just your pet’s mouth. Periodontal disease is a silent killer that starts with a bacterial infection in the mouth. The bacteria then sneak through the blood stream to the heart, lungs or kidneys where they exacerbate existing disease or cause disease by themselves.

The first sign of periodontal disease is bad breath, and it shouldn’t be ignored.  If plaque is present as a brownish staining of the teeth, your pet has stage I periodontal disease and it is time to initiate an aggressive brushing or dental chew program.  If there is a black line where the teeth meet the gums, your pet has stage II periodontal disease and bacteria has made its way under the gum line.  You won’t be able to get this off with brushing or chews, so you need to schedule a professional dental cleaning now.

Your pet has stage III periodontal disease when calculus had formed.  When this happens, you have missed your opportunity for a simple cleaning.  These teeth need to be x-rayed for disease under the gum, cleaned and if pockets of detached gum are forming around the teeth, then we will need to perform some form of periodontal treatment and you will need to maintain an aggressive home-care regimen to save the affected teeth.  Unfortunately, once calculus has formed, it is hard to tell how bad the periodontal disease is until the pet is anesthetized.  Sometimes we find stage IV and V periodontal disease under the calculus.  These pets will require tooth extractions or root canal therapy.  So, when you bring your pet in to have that mouth cleaned up, be available for us to call you in the middle of the procedure if we find periodontal disease beyond stage III.  Treating these bad teeth immediately brings instant comfort and relief to your pet.

Whatever stage of periodontal disease your pet has, it should be treated now.  Call us today so we can help.  843-769-6784.

Running with your dog

OK, it is time to start working off those holiday pounds and your canine pal should probably do the same.  Dog running partners are much more motivating than humans.  Unless they are sick, a dog will never say “I just don’t feel like it this morning” and they will probably roust you from your bed even if you don’t feel like it.  A dog will not make fun of your lycra or criticize your form.  He will not mind running the same boring route everyday.  And, a dog that exercises is a happy dog all day long.

Before you head out with your new jogging partner, you need to make sure that he or she is up to the task.  The ideal running dog weighs 30-70 pounds and has a short to medium length hair coat.  Giant dogs like Great Danes do not have appropriate body proportions to support long distance running.  And, believe it or not, Greyhounds are not great for long distance either.  They can sprint like the wind, but long trots are not really their forte.  Obvious breeds that cannot become running partners include small or miniature dogs, those with squashed noses like Bulldogs and Pugs and short legged dogs like Basset hounds and Daschounds.

Young growing dogs should not be considered a good long distance partner either.  At this early age, it is best to begin training the puppy to obey commands so he or she will heal, stop, slow down and respect traffic.  My dog even understands “right” and “left”.  This is very helpful when I decide to make a sudden turn or if she is out ahead of me.  All this obedience training can be done within a couple of blocks of your home while you are waiting for the dog to mature.  Most are ready for long distance training by the time they are 2 years old.

Once you have determined that your age and breed of dog is going to make an appropriate running partner, go see the vet.  He or she will check out the dog’s heart, joints, muscle and weight.  If all goes well, he’ll get a clean bill of health and you can begin training.  If your dog has been enjoying the couch as much as you have over the holidays, you should probably start very slowly.  Start with half a mile every other day.  Increase the distance by 10% each week and give the dog a day off for every day of running.  In no time you will both be enjoying the spring for an hour or so at a time.

Always keep your dog on a leash.  Some people like the waist leash attachments and others think they are dangerous because the dog could pull you over if he sees a squirrel or another dog.  Know your companion and his habits when making a decision about what type of leash to use.  Stay visible.  Use reflective vests, collars and leashes.  Flashing lights around the dog’s collar are very effective.  If you must run near traffic, remember that your dog’s nose is the same height as automobile exhaust pipes.  Try to keep him away from these nasty pollutants.  Check your dog’s paws before and after the run.  If you are running on the beach, where sand can clump between the pads, you might want to do this more often.

In general you cannot enter running races with your dog.  Some runners are terrified of dogs and under crowded circumstances, leashes can be a source of trips.  However, there are some races that encourage canine participation, and these can be great fun and a source of bonding with your canine companion.  As my friend, who is not an avid runner, ran across the finish line of our local Reindeer Run with her dog Scup, she said couldn’t have been more proud of her pal and running partner.

Dog-Runner

When is it time?

Four years ago I thought it was all over for my Border Collie Makeba. She sat under my desk shaking in pain and her back legs were weak and she was stumbling. Something was compressing or damaging her spinal cord. X-rays didn’t reveal much. I was able to control her pain with medications and rest and my colleague, Holley Cone, DVM helped her with acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments, but she still wasn’t quite right. Like most veterinarians, when my own pet is the one in trouble, I become a complete idiot. So, I sought second and third opinions. Local surgeons were hesitant to attempt surgery without the benefit of an MRI to localize and identify the problem, but this was before Charleston had its two veterinary MRI facilities. So we travelled to NC State in Raleigh for an MRI. The diagnosis: twenty one herniated disks of varying severity. Dogs only have 28, so you can imagine my dismay. The worst ones could be surgically managed, but there were so many affected. Meanwhile, just with medical and physical therapy, Makeba was getting better and stronger.
Everyone I consulted with agreed; no need for surgery if she was getting better. And better she got. She never resumed her previous activities like pulling my husband on his bike or running the length of Sullivan’s Island, but she could walk and trot and play with her toys. And after we laid wool carpet on our stairs, she could even go up and down on her own. Life was good again.
To everyone’s amazement, this lasted four years. But in the last few weeks she suddenly lost all she had gained. Now she was 15, and my husband and I had to make the decision that I have helped so many of my clients make over the years. At what point do you say goodbye to a long loyal friend? I’ll share with you some of the things to help you make such a decision, but ultimately, you just know. My husband and I knew that if Makeba lost her ability to get up on her own and if she lost her usually voracious appetite, then it was her time. We said our tearful goodbyes when all she would eat was cat food and she had to be carried outside to eliminate. She was tired.
But, I have clients who decide to euthanize a pet long before and long after these stages. It is such a personal decision that there are no rules.
When discussing this issue, I like to point out two things. One is that age itself is not a disease. We all get lots of diseases when we reach a certain age, but it isn’t age itself that is a disease. So, if your aged pet is slowing down, be sure to have your veterinarian assess him or her to see if there are treatable disease processes going on before you decide to euthanize a pet. Once you know what disease you are dealing with, it is easy to remember that you are not making the decision for your pet to die. The disease process decided that. You are simply helping decide how your pet is going to die. Once you reach this point, you have two choices: euthanasia or hospice care. It is making the decision to discontinue treatment and move into hospice care or euthanasia that is so hard.
The quality-of-life parameters that we use to help us determine if a pet is ready for hospice or euthanasia include his or her appetite, willingness to eat a favorite treat, ability to get to an appropriate place to eliminate, pain, nausea, interactions with others, weight, mentation (stupor or seizures) and playfulness. You can use a scorecard to rank these parameters from 0 (worst) to 10 (normal pet). If most of these parameters are less than an 8, then an end of life decision is warranted. Another way to do this is to start a diary of your pet’s quality-of-life by simply using a frowny face or a smiley face for each day that passes. At the end of 10 days or 2 weeks, if there are more frowny faces than smiley faces, then we must admit our defeat. The disease process is going to overwhelm our pet and we need to help make decisions about his or her dying process.
If you are really stuck, think of three things that make your pet distinct and special to you. For example, Makeba was an intensely loyal dog. She always had to be in the same room as my husband or myself. She was an amazing athlete and could jump through hoops and run with me while training for a marathon. She was also ridiculously smart. She loved training and learning new tricks. Make your own list for your ailing pet. If two of these three things are missing from your pet’s life, then it may be time to make an end of life decision for him or her.
Since we usually outlive our pets, it is likely that we will grieve their loss. I agree with a colleague of mine who pointed out that it is not fair to let our pets suffer longer because we don’t want to suffer sooner. Our pain (grief) is inevitable, but theirs (suffering from a terminal illness) is avoidable.
Even though I am crying as I write this, I know I made the right decision at the right time for my beloved “Sheepdog”. Maybe this will help you when the time comes for you and your lovely pets. May it be eons!!

The Basotho Pony

The trip of a lifetime, thanks to the Basotho pony.

“I have never been so dirty as an adult” my husband accurately reflected after our second full day in the Lesotho mountains.   We had been riding atop the agile Basotho ponies to remote villages where the children have never seen a motorized vehicle and the babies shied from our white faces.  It was on this trip that I fell in love with the Basotho people and the remarkable animals that support their livelihoods.

We arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday the 18^th of November.  There we rented a car and drove over deeply potholed roads to the South African-Lesotho border.  Lesotho is a small  mountainous country that is completely surrounded by the country of South Africa and is the home of the Sotho-speaking  (Basotho) people.

Although few Americans have heard of it, pony trekking in Lesotho is a “must do” in Southern Africa.  My husband, an expert on African development, has known this for some time, and we were finally taking the time to make our own trek.  I knew that we would be riding ponies that were born and bred to handle the mountainous ascents and descents, but I was picturing something like the donkeys that carry people into the Grand Canyon.  I had no idea .

“Nerves will be tested on the first day as you descend into the river gorge” was the description in the Xeroxed informational booklet that we found in our rustic base-lodge.  And they were not kidding!  The Basotho pony has evolved from the South African Cape horse, the Arabian horse and the Connemara ponies from Ireland .  The result is a small horse with ferocious strength, agility, and unlike the donkey, this animal is patient and fearless.  With 100 to 200 pounds of human or gear on their backs, they climb and hop up and down rocky faces that only sheep and goats would traverse in any other part of the world.

Now, I grew up riding horses.  My childhood companion was a hot-blooded Arabian that tested my riding abilities, but even I was shocked and hanging on for dear life as my pony took me down into this gorge on sheer chalky faces and over steep uneven rocks.  I leaned back as far as I could and squeezed tightly with my out-of-shape thighs, and yes, closed my eyes sometimes.  Somehow we made it down to the river – and that was just in the first hour.  There were a lot more rugged mountains ahead.

Alex was the name of my pony, I think.  It seemed like our guide made up names when I asked what the horses’ names were.  They may not really have names, as they are regarded truly as vehicles.  Naming your horse would be like naming your car.  Some people do it, but it isn’t the norm.  Consequently, these horses don’t seem to bond with their human. That isn’t really true, they just aren’t bonded like our spoiled animals, who run for attention to anyone who might feed or pet them.  There is a different kind of bond here, and it results in an animal that is incredibly easy to be around.  These horses don’t kick or bite like most donkeys I know.  They respond quickly to commands and could be trusted with a small child running under their legs.

So, the stoic Alex carried me for seven hours on that first day.  We finally made it over the most rugged mountain pass to the village of Sekoting.  There we were greeted by children and the village sangoma (traditional healer), who lived next door to the Basotho hut where we were to stay.  Our hut, leased from the village chief, was round with hard mud-dung floors, adobe walls and a thatched roof.  It was stocked with a gas burner, a bucket of spring water (to which we added purification tablets) and mats for sleeping.  The red dust was everywhere, but we settled in and began to watch the end of a day in the life of a remote African village.

Large herds of white angora goats and sheep were shepherded into twig-fenced enclosures.  It seems that all the boys are shepherds and the older ones brought in the family’s small herd of cattle.  The cattle in this region are the symbol of wealth and are worth a lot, so owning 4 or 5 cows is a big deal.  The cows spend the night in stone enclosures with the donkeys.  The village appeared to own one Basotho pony, who was blanketed for the coming storm.  My husband and I joked about this truly being a “one horse town”.

The next day we again rode to another village near a spectacular waterfall.  Because we arrived earlier, we were able to see more of how the villagers and their animals survive in these arid mountains.

A pig was nestled up against the rondavel of our host family.  Tiny baby Angora goats wandered around the village bleating for their mothers.  Apparently, the babies cannot handle the rugged terrain, but the mother goats must be taken into the mountains to graze, so they leave their babies behind for the day and are reunited at night.  The grandmother and village elder, seemed to take pity on the tiniest ones, as they rested at her feet in the shade of her hut.

One thing I learned is that there is no organized feeding or watering of any of the animals.  Everything must make it on its own. Herding dogs didn’t beg from people because they know they aren’t getting anything from them.  They make due with the legs, feet and heads of cows that have been slaughtered for food.  So, as you walk out of the villages, you find large cow bones just lying around.  Chickens and their chicks strut around picking up grass seeds and bits of corn leftover from the corn that is ground by the villagers as their main staple.  While on the trail our horses grazed at night and drank from rivers that we crossed during the day.  (Back at the base lodge, these hard working horses were fed grain and corn)

What a perfect way to spend the Thanksgiving holiday.  We met joyful children, caring elders  and enjoyed stars so bright and dense that the sky seemed one mass of light.  All the while, we were getting dirtier and dirtier from the red dust that permeated the air, our horses’ blankets and even our sleeping bag.  Sometimes you have to let go of social norms and just let yourself get really, deeply dirty to remind you what to be truly grateful for.  I love that about Africa

Stem Cell Therapy Saves Dog’s Lives

This holiday season, consider giving your pet relief from arthritis pain. Millions of dogs suffer the aches and discomfort of arthritis. Millions more may be hurting without any obvious signs. Now, a new science, using cells derived from the pet’s own fat, may bring relief to many or our painful pet companions.
When your pet has arthritis, you can almost feel the pain he is suffering. You watch as he struggles to rise from his bed, cringe as he slowly ascends the stairs, and you can even hear the creaks and groans as he stretches out before his morning walk.
More than 15 million dogs in North America suffer some form of degenerative joint disease, better known as arthritis. Unfortunately, many dog owners are completely unaware of the pain their pet is experiencing, chalking up the slow movement to the effects of “old age”.
Some dogs may receive daily doses of pain relievers and oral joint care supplements. Still others might find their way to physical therapy or rehabilitation. Some lucky pets even get ramps built in their homes, sparing them the need to climb the dreaded stairs.
But for some, any or all of these options are not enough to relieve the pain. Sadly, many owners decide to euthanize their faithful companion, because of the severity of the pain or the continued high cost of treatment.
But a new helpful treatment is finally here called stem cell therapy. Vet-Stem and Medivet are two companies focused on bringing regenerative medicine technology to veterinarians. They have developed a therapy to treat arthritis in dogs using the pet’s own fat tissue. The Medivet technology even allows the veterinarian to process the cells in-house, meaning that your pet does not have to wait a week for cells to be sent to an outside lab, processed and sent back. With Medivet technology, your pet can have the fat cells harvested and injected into the affected joints in one day.
Stem cells are precursor cells that have the potential to develop into a variety of specialized cell types. Most people may equate this technology with the controversial use of embryonic stem cells. But this new technology uses adult stem cells derived from the fat of the pet. Since they are the pet’s own cells, there is no ethical debate.
This technology was developed from research and techniques used in equine medicine. Scientific and anecdotal evidence from more than 2,500 horses establishes that fat derived stem cells are quite helpful for tendon and ligament injuries. Furthermore, no significant side effects were reported. Stem cells appear to moderate the inflammatory response and actually create a healthier healing environment in the joint.
Recently, a detailed study on the use of fat-derived stem cells in dogs showed that animals receiving the treatment demonstrated a significant improvement in lameness when compared to dogs in the control group. We have definitely seen this effect on our own patients at Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital. Dogs that couldn’t climb stairs or jump on beds are back to their old mischievous selves.
All of this seems pretty miraculous and for some pets, the results are truly nothing short of a life-saving miracle. Unfortunately, not all pets are good candidates for this therapy. Since anesthesia is involved in both the harvesting step and the reintroduction of the cells, this may not be ideal for patients at increased risk for anesthetics. Any dog with serious systemic disease, such as cancer, might not benefit from these treatments.
Some pets need to return regularly for follow-up treatments, but we are seeing improvement in arthritic dogs for 6 months to 3 years before repeat injections are needed. Some pets do so well, that they over-exert themselves and injure other muscles and ligaments that have not been used in a while. You can minimize these complications by limiting your pet’s activity until he is fit again.
Arthritis can be painful and even debilitating in any dog. If you suspect your dog suffers from this disease, talk with your veterinarian about testing to confirm arthritis and then discuss the many treatment options. Your veterinarian will recommend a multi-modal approach, combining appropriate medications, controlled exercise, weight loss, and environmental changes to make your dog’s life easier. In some cases, new technology, like stem cell therapy, might be beneficial. To learn more about this high-tech solution to an age old problem, visit bfvh.net and go to our arthritis page.

Halloween Pet Safety

      Lots of people like to have fun during the Halloween festivities, but our pets can truly be “spooked” by all of the noises and costumes.   Halloween is a holiday with many dangers for our dogs and cats.  The two biggest concerns for pets during the holiday are injuries and poisonings.

Keep your pet away from the Halloween candy.   As you probably know, chocolate can be toxic to pets and even small amounts can cause heart problems and vomiting. Candy that is artificially sweetened with Xylitol® can cause low blood sugar in dogs and has been implicated in liver failure as well. Lollipop sticks and foil wrappers can become lodged in your pet’s digestive tract,   causing painful obstructions.

Some Halloween decorations can be unsafe as well.   Fake cobwebs or anything resembling a string can be tempting to cats. String-like objects can become lodged in your cat’s intestines and cause a deadly obstruction.   Candles inside of pumpkins are easily knocked over, burning your pet or even starting a fire.

Dressing up is fun for people, but may not be very fun for our pets.  If you are thinking of dressing up your pet this year, there are some things to keep in mind.  Your pet must be comfortable at all times.  Avoid any costumes that use rubber bands or anything that might constrict circulation or breathing.  Likewise, avoid costumes with toxic paints or dyes.  If your pet appears uncomfortable in any way, allow him to dress up in his “birthday suit”.

You might not realize it, but costumes on people can be scary to pets.   Masks, large hats, and other costume accessories can confuse pets and may even trigger territorial instincts.   It is not unusual for pets to act protective or be fearful of people in costumes, even if they normally are very social with that person.

Remember, you are responsible for controlling your pet and insuring that he does not bite any of the neighbourhood ghosts.

The excitement of the day may be too much for even the best-behaved dog.   Constant visitors to the door as well as the spooky sights and sounds may cause some pets to become fearful. These pets could run away and become injured in a variety of ways.  Consider allowing your dog to spend Halloween in his own special place inside with special treats, safe and secure from the goblins.  Even if you have a fenced yard, Halloween is definitely not a good night for your dog to be outside without supervision and restraint.

Although the threat is probably minimal, many people are concerned about black cats during this time of year.   If you live in a very rural area, it might be wise to keep all cats indoors during this holiday.

If your pet does tolerate costumes, post a picture of him or her to facebook.com/beesferryvet.  We’ll vote for the best costume.  The winner gets a credit on their Bees Ferry account.

Music Therapy for Dogs

My grandparents were awakened one night to the sound of their piano.  Someone was playing their piano downstairs!  And Schnapps, their dachshund, was howling away like he always did when Grandaddy played.  Grandad grabbed a baseball bat and crept downstairs while Grandma called 911.  But, what Grandad found when he entered the music room was quite a surprise.  Schnapps was standing on the bench, playing the keys with his front paws and howling away quite happily.  My grandparents encouraged the activity, and Schnapps became something of a star in their hometown.

With the invention of You-Tube, one can observe many animals playing the piano voluntarily.  Animals seem to enjoy music much as we do.  But, it turns out that they don’t only enjoy it; music can also be therapeutic and calming to animals.

Recent studies show that music can profoundly influence animal behavior. Music therapy for pets is one way to help a dog with behavioral or anxiety problems.  “Music is one way to control and mediate the sound environment,” said sound researcher Joshua Leeds, who co-authored a new book and CD set called Through A Dog’s Ear: Using Sound to Improve the Health & Behavior of Your Dog with veterinary neurologist Susan Wagner.

And, get this, dogs prefer classical music to any other genre.  Leeds applied psychoacoustic principles of tone, rhythm and pattern identification to handpicked, modified, and rearranged traditional classical pieces to create canine music of simplified sound. The results were dramatic. Researchers found that 70 percent of dogs in kennels and 85 percent of dogs in households showed a reduction in stressed-out behavior when listening to Leed’s CD, including thunderstorm trembling, excitement with visitors and separation anxiety.

Harpist Alianna Boone conducted her own study in 2000 to gage the effect of harp music’s effect on animals. She played for hospitalized canines at a Florida veterinary clinic and found that during her hour-long sessions, the heart rate, anxiety levels, and respiratory rates of the dogs decreased. Just as in humans, this is beneficial to the health and well-being of pets. She has also produced a CD called Harp Music to Soothe the Savage Beast.

You also may have heard of the music therapy CDs for babies that feature classic lullabies recorded to the beat of the human heart.  Many a parent has used these to help their babies sleep through the night.  Some of these parents began to report that their pets were also showing less anxiety while these CDs were played.  When the CDs were put to the test in a noisy kennel, the dogs settled down and went to sleep in 15 seconds!

If your dog has thunderstorm or separation anxiety, be sure to pick up a Lullaby Heartbeat CD today.  The next time you and your pets are stressed out by all of the sounds around us.  Put on a classical CD and chill out.

 

Paws In The Park

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge advocate for the stray and abandoned animals in our community.  And, I served on the board of the Charleston Animal Society for a decade in order to help put my money where my mouth is.  Now it is your turn to help the less-fortunate animals in the Charleston area.  Both the Charleston Animals Society and Pet Helpers have their biggest fundraisers in October and both organizations would love to have you attend and/or sponsor their events.  Here are the details:

If, like me, you would enjoy spending a few hours in a gorgeous park surrounded by your pets and animals of all kinds, then save the date for the Charleston Animal Society’s PAWS IN THE PARK on October 15^th from 9am to 2pm at Park Circle, North Charleston.  This informal event is a blast. It features a fun walk, games, food, live music and activities for pets and their families.  800 people of all ages join this family fun day every year.   This year there will be local animal experts and veterinarians on hand to answer questions related to animal health, a variety of educational exhibits, vendors from all around the Lowcountry, and lots of treats for animals and their owners.  The costume contests and kissing contests cannot be beaten for laughs.  The agility demonstrations are amazing.  Years ago, I got my dog certified as a Canine Good Citizen at the event.  (Between you and me, she has misbehaved ever since.  She was good as gold in front of the judges, she got her special tag, and it was all over.  Go figure…)

Anyway, this year, she and all of us at Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital will be walking in the fun walk.  Why don’t you form a team and join us?  If you own a business that could use a little exposure, consider sponsoring this event.  Sponsorships start at only $100, but I think the “My Team Will Raise $500” level is the no-brainer of the year.  This level gets your business a booth under the big tent and, hopefully, you got your friends and clients to actually cough up the money, so you are out nothing except great exposure and lots of fun.

Sign up, form a team or become a sponsor all at www.charlestonanimalsociety.org

The Pet Helpers Furry Affair is always the talk of the town.  And, this year, you can even bring your pet!  How fun will that be?  You all dressed to the nines and your pet in tow.  The event takes place October 29^th at 6:30pm in the Crystal Ballroom at the Marriott on Lockwood.  I cannot wait to see the professional pictures taken at the event this year.  There will be dog walkers and special activities to entertain your dog, including a “disco dog park”.  For the humans there will be silent and live auctions, live entertainment, served dinner and dancing.  Tickets are $150 per person and $75 per dog.

If you want to be a sponsor of this event, you better get hopping.  Many of the major sponsorship options are already spoken for.  Also, consider donating an auction item.  To check out the event, get tickets, become a sponsor or donate to the auctions, simply visit www.pethelpers.org/news.php.

Get out there and  have some fun this fall and help out the stray and abandoned animals at the same time!

Why Microchip Your Pet

Everyone loves the amazing stories of dogs and cats who travel long distances to find their way back home.  Unfortunately, these happy tales are the rare exception to the rule.  For every pet that makes it back after leaving, there are tens of thousands who never live to see home again.

I know, I know.  You are thinking: “Roxy couldn’t possibly get lost or disappear.  She is with me all the time.”  But, then how does it happen that more than 5 million pets will be lost by the end of this year?    In fact, one pet in every three will be lost at some point in his or her lifetime!

When California Assemblyman Ben Hueso came home from a family holiday to find that his pet Coco, who had been left at a boarding facility, was simply “gone”, he set out to do something about the lost pet problem in the USA.  Coco was recovered 350 miles away because he had been implanted with an identifying microchip.  Without that microchip Hueso knows for certain that Coco would have never been found.  That is why he is now supporting legislation in California to require that all shelter pets are microchipped and he would make it mandatory for owners to agree to implantation of a microchip before their lost pets are returned to them from shelters.

According to the American Humane Association, of those pets that roam away from home, less than 17% of dogs and only 2% of cats ever make it back to their owners!  Sadly, most of the rest will be euthanized in over-crowded animal shelters.  Hueso’s legislation would be the first microchip law of its kind in the nation, but many feel that it is a way to reduce the unnecessary killing animals.

Here, on our barrier islands, we run a higher than average risk of losing our pets.  This is entirely due to hurricane evacuations.  During such evacuations, pets become disoriented, they bolt when allowed out of the car to relieve themselves, or, God forbid, they are left behind and escape through broken windows or fences.  Collar ID tags, although very, very important, are often lost during these disasters. This is why it is so important that our pets bear permanent identification like an implanted microchip.

A microchip is a small computer chip about the size of a grain of rice.  They have unique ID numbers that can be read by electronic scanners.  These chips can be injected under your pet’s skin.  It is kind of like getting a “big” vaccination.  We do it to awake pets all the time, but I really like to do it while they are under anesthesia for any reason, ideally when the pet is being spayed or neutered.

There are four different frequencies of microchips in use in the US today and not all scanners can read all chips, which can lead to some confusion.  Fortunately, South Carolina has been at the forefront of scanning for lost pets . All of our shelters have universal scanners (can read all chips), and the shelters in the state of South Carolina are required to scan all lost pets.   So, if your pet has a chip of any kind and somehow winds up in our shelter system, he can easily be returned to you. That is, if you keep your information up to date.

So, do three simple things for your pet this hurricane season.  1) Get your pet microchipped by your veterinarian and 2) REGISTER your pet with the online database provided when your pet is chipped.  A chip that has not been registered with your name and contact information is virtually worthless.  3)Finally, keep your contact information up to date for the life of your pet.   You’ll rest easier for it.