Ben Williams
Your vet may go in for any of the tests mentioned in the last chapter, depending on the need; but make it a priority to treat some of the severer symptoms first. Here are some useful treatments that can be used for some (but not all) pets with bruising and bleeding.
By and large treatments for bleeding or bruising are carried out on an inpatient basis, till the root cause is isolated and treated. Here are some useful treatments and health management strategies that can give some relief to your pet. A word of caution though, the following treatments should not supplement the actual one for the specific bruising and bleeding disorder your pet is suffering from.

Some Vital Tips

• A blood transfusion may be necessary, if your pet has become anemic and weak from excessive bleeding or bruising. If you suspect this is the case, then get the blood transfusion now and the diagnosis, later
• Stop the use of any medicine that may cause bleeding or bruising immediately.
• Reduce all activities as far as possible, to reduce the risk of any minor trauma affecting your pet. Any dog that bleeds due to a hereditary disorder runs a lifelong risk of suffering at any moment from a bleeding crisis.
• Treat or remove any root cause as soon as you zero in on it.

Transfusion Therapy-

Transfusion Therapy aims at replenishing the lost functional platelets or specific plasma factors. The earlier the treatment- the more successful it is likely to be.  A high-end dosage is also given after profuse bleeding to prevent intra-operative hemorrhage.

Dosage and frequency

The amount and frequency of the blood transfusion will depend on whether your pet has received a minor or major wound. If it is minor, he/she will require a single transfusion of platelets or plasma. For more serious requirements, your pet may just need multiple transfusions, spread over one to three days.

• The transfusion rate for puppies is one to two ml/min
• For full grown dogs it is three to six ml/min

Non-transfusion therapy-
“Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot about puppies.”
Gene Hill
Other treatment options for bleeding, apart from blood transfusions include-

• Cauterization, sutures or pressure wraps to stem the flow of blood from focal injuries.
• Trying to avoid surgery if your dog is prone to profuse bleeding
• Not giving your dog any drug that could worsen the condition.

These include-
-Sulfonamides
-Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
-Heparin
-Dextrans

Control of hereditary bleeding disorders

• Your pet’s parents and siblings should also be evaluated if your pet has been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder
• A hemophiliac dog will transfer his gene to his daughters, and not his sons.
• The female dog can transfer the gene to half her sons –(who will have bleeding tendencies)- and to half their daughters. As carriers, females give birth to the severest hemophiliacs.
• A pet with a milder version of this disease can become an adult and also reproduce.

Beware of Dog!
Upon entering the little country store, the stranger noticed a sign saying “DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG!” posted on the glass door. Inside he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor besides the cash register.
He asked the store manager, “Is THAT the dog folks are supposed to beware of?”
“Yep, that’s him,” he replied.
The stranger couldn’t help but be amused. “That certainly doesn’t look like a dangerous dog to me. Why in the world would you post that sign?”
“Because,” the owner replied, “before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him.”

Breed dispositions:

“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.”
Robert A. Heinlein

Some breeds and genes are more prone to hemophilia. So always try and rule this out in case of any unexplained bleeding or bruising. As discussed earlier, you should see the possibility of the unexplained bleeding and bruising being due to a rat or mouse poison.

Here is a list of the kind of blood disorders and the type of breeds most likely to have them-

Signal Transduction defects # affect Collies, Spitz and Basset Hounds

Type 1 Von Willebrand’s Disease # usually affects breeds like- Akita, Dachshund, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Golden Retrievers, Greyhounds, Irish wolfhounds, Manchester Terriers, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Airedale, Poodles, Mixed breeds as well as Himalayan cats.

Type 2 Von Willebrand’s Disease # mostly affects breeds like- German Wirehaired Pointer and German Shorthaired Pointer

Type 3 Von Willebrand’s Disease # this disease mostly affects , Shetland Sheepdogs, Dutch Kooikerhondje, Scottish Terriers and some mixed breeds

Thrombasthenia # affects breeds like Great Pyrenees and Otter Hounds

Storage pool defects # mostly found in Cocker Spaniels, Collies and Persian cats

Hemophilia A (factor VIII) # affects Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and German Shorthaired Pointer,, Labrador Retrievers as well as Himalayan, and Siamese cats

Hemophilia B (factor IX) # affects Labrador Retrievers, Cairn Terriers, mixed breeds, and Siamese cats

Fibrinogen (factor I) # affects breeds like Collies, Bichon Frise and Borzoi

Prothrombin (factor II) # mostly affects English Cocker Spaniels and Boxers

Factor X # affects Jack Russell Terriers and American Cocker Spaniels

Factor XI # affects Springer Spaniels and Kerry Blue Terriers.

Hageman trait (factor XII) # this disease affects Miniature Poodles as well as Siamese cats

Vitamin K-dependent factors (II, VII, IX, and X) # Affects Devon Rex Cats

“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.”
-Mark Twain

First Aid for Canines

If the canine in your life suddenly gets sick or hurts himself-what do you do? This is where, ‘A stitch in time really saves nine.’ Make sure that you are well prepared with appropriate first aid equipment and take timely action since this can save your canine’s life.

First aid-kit-

Make sure you have the following items close at hand, since you never know when it may just help your dog or save his/her life-

• Latex Gloves
• A Blanket
• A Muzzle
• A Slip lead
• Extra large -Kotex type-sanitary napkins
• Bandaging tape
• An Ace bandage
• Karo Syrup
• Bandage Scissors
• Roll Gauze
• A small and large feeding syringe
• Tweezers
• An eye flush
• Benadryl, 25 mg capsules or pediatric solution
• Alcohol
• Hydrogen peroxide
• An instant cold pack
• Medical records
• A Thermometer
• Band-Aids

Vital do-it-yourself tips-

• Keep a clear head
• Use a muzzle, nylon leash, gauze or belt to make sure you do not get bitten
• Do not take chances in dangerous situations by climbing down cliffs, entering burning buildings, or swimming in fast water with your dog.
• Ensure that you let the clinic know you are on the way, when you need emergency care for your dog.

SOS contact numbers-

For the ASPCA Poison Control call: – 1-888-426-4435
To contact local Emergency Clinics dial-

• 360-697-7771 for AETC, Poulsbo
• 360-692-6162 for AHCK, Poulsbo/Silverdale
• 360-377-3801 for All Creatures AH, Gorst

MORE SELF-HELP TIPS

If your pet just ate poison

• Get on the hotline to your emergency vet or poison control
• Transport your dog as fast as you can.
• Bring a sample of the suspected poison
• Induce vomiting with Hydrogen Peroxide taken orally
• Do not encourage vomiting with the use of solvent or petroleum products
• Read label, and check with your vet

If your pet is suffering from severe trauma

• Wear gloves before stemming bleeding wounds. Employ absorbent materials to stop the bleeding. Hold in place with a vet wrap, ace bandage or with tape
• Wrap your dog in a blanket and transport him/her as soon as possible.
• Apply some Karo Syrup on the gums
• Use kotex for major bleeding and an ice compress for minor bruising or bleeding.
• Get your vet’s help to clean wounds and prescribe the right antibiotics

Minor first-aid

• Remove ticks by using a tick snare, disinfect or alcohol
• Remove Foxtails as soon as possible before they migrate. They may also need antibiotics and surgery
• For bleeding toe nails- Use ‘Kwik stop’ or corn starch

Homeopathic cures for bleeding-

ARNICA # if there is oozing, and hemorrhage

ACONITE, PHOS # If the blood is bright red and from on the surface vessels

IP # if there is profuse, gushing of bright red blood

ARNICA MONTANA # For minor cuts and abrasions

HEPAR SULPH # loss of blood with weakness and anemia

Armed with the knowledge in this book you are sure to be able to treat bleeding and bruising in your canine friend. Here’s wishing you all the luck and know-how for treating your pet against all kinds of bleeding and bruising problems, to ensure that your furry friends lead a long and healthy life.

Endocrine testing

This test includes —

An ACTH stimulation test

A thyroid profile

Endocrine testing-

Endocrine testing consists of a series of blood tests that can be carried out at your local veterinary hospital. Both Cushing’s disease and hypothyroidism are associated with bleeding or bruising. And here’s the surprising part, both are quite rampant amongst canines.

Endocrine testing can detect or rule out-

Hypothyroidism

Hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing’s disease

Protein electrophoresis Testing

This blood test helps to diagnose disorders in pets with elevated protein levels in general and globulins in particular. It also detects-

Multiple Myeloma

Chrlichiosis.

Platelet function tests

This test rules out plate function disorders and should be carried out on the relevant vistims

Von Willebrand’s Factor Assay

You should put your canine or pet through this blood test in order to find out whether or not your dog is suffering from Von Willebrand’s disease.

Tests to Track Nasal Discharge

Laboratory tests carried out on the blood and urine samples of your pet play an invaluable part in diagnosing the general condition of your pet or other animal; particularly before giving anesthesia. But these preliminary tests don’t pinpoint the actual reason behind the nasal discharge.

No access!

It is not easy for your vet to examine the nasal cavity. The disease may also be lurking undetected in the ‘turbinate’ passages. A tumor, fungal infection, or foreign matter can easily hide and get missed in these passages, even after vigilantly examining the nostrils.

Other probable causes for your pet’s leaky nose could be-

ü     Nasal mites

ü     Allergies that show an increase in some white blood cells

If these tests fall short of information for a proper diagnosis, then the nose may need to be further surgically explored.

Microscopic examination…

The nasal discharge may also be scrutinized by a microscope for bacteria and dead cells. But it does not always provide an answer and you may have to take a number of other tests to get at the root cause of the discharge.

These tests include: -

v    Skull CT scans

v    Biopsy through the nostrils

v    X-rays of the skull

v    You can looking into the nostrils of larger dogs with a flexible tube called a rhino scope

v    Examining the back of the nose with a small mirror placed in the throat

v    Flushing fluid through the nose

Skull X-rays and CT Scans Detect-

Damage to the turbinate bones in the nose can be detected by Skull x-rays and CT scans. Out of the two, a CT scan is far more capable of detecting damage before an x-ray can. Damage in the turbinate bones in the nose can be due to…

1. Fungal infection

When the turbinate bones show damage, the most likely cause is fungal infection or cancer.  X-rays or CT’s can also detect the increase and spread of the fungus from the nasal passages into the air-filled sinus cavities.

2. Infection of tooth roots

An infection of the root of your dog’s tooth can also be detected by an X-ray and CT scan. This infection can result in the formation of a hole-(called an oral-nasal fistula)- from the top of the mouth and the nasal passages.

Getting cells for fungal culture

Your vet may try to forcibly flush fluid through the nose, or insert a plastic tube in to the nostril in order to collect cell samples, that can be evaluated under a microscope, for a fungal culture.

Blood tests for fungal infection

To find out whether or not your pet has been exposed to a fungus, you also have the option of taking a blood test from your dog. But these blood tests can prove difficult to analyze since uninfected pets can also prove ‘positive’ for fungal exposure.

Treating nasal disease

How you should deal with or treat health concerns in and around the nose of your dog depends on the kind of problem your canine is suffering from.

ü     If the problem is nasal mites—then there are certain drugs that kill them.

ü     Holes in the nasal passage that are due to infections at the root of a tooth can be treated by dental cleaning or by extracting the tooth.

ü      Fungal infections in dogs are due to ‘Aspergillus’ and ‘Cryptococcus’ in cats. There are many anti-fungal drugs you can choose from, but the treatment is lengthy and can extend to many months. If you find your cat suffering from nasal fungal infection, get him/her tested for ‘feline leukemia virus.’

Treating nasal Tumors

It is difficult to treat Nasal tumors by removing them surgically. The next best bet is radiation therapy, as this can slow down the growth of nasal tumors.

A word of caution-you will need to look hard for venues that offer radiation therapy. Since it’s only available in large metropolitan areas with Veterinary Schools.

Nasal tumors do not get cured easily with anti-cancer drugs. What’s worse, nasal tumors, can grow in your pet’s brain. This can result in seizures or behavioral changes. Sometimes tumors can grow unchecked and even infiltrate your pet’s facial bones–resulting in facial distortions.

This test will assess any signs of for the presence of anemia, inflammation or systemic infection. It will also assess the white blood-cell count to detect the presence of blood cancer and other maladies.

A urine analysis

The urine analysis will assess-

• The kidneys
• The hydration status of your dog
• It also affirms or denies the presence of blood.

Thoracic & abdominal radiographs

Thoracic means chest and radiographs are kinds of x-rays. These will detect evidence of -

• Enlarged lymph nodes known as lymphadenopathy
• Liver enlargement
• Enlargement of the spleen

Abdominal ultrasound

Abdominal ultrasound is a noninvasive test, that that can be carried out by a referral hospital as it requires the expertise of a specialist. This is an excellent test to evaluate the extent of damage to abdominal organs like-

• Liver
• Kidneys
• Lymph nodes
• Spleen.

While getting the diagnosis it also vital that you rule out other disorders or diseases, that may be associated with bruising or bleeding.

A biochemical profile

This test will evaluate important parameters that will assess the reasons your dog is bruising or bleeding, along with any signs of disease. The biochemical profile will assess the extent of damage to-

• The kidney
• Liver
• Electrolytes that include-

-Potassium

-Calcium

-Complete protein levels

-Blood sugar status

APTT, PT, platelet count

This is a ‘coagulation or clotting’ study to find the underlying cause of bleeding.

A bone marrow aspirate

A bone marrow aspirate is usually taken to determine if your pet is suffering from thrombocytopenia or hyperglobulinemia (high globulin part of the protein fraction). This is a comparatively noninvasive test of marrow samples that are responsible for the production of –

• Red blood cells
• White blood cells
• Platelets.

Method

In order to examine how efficient your dog’s bone marrow is; it is necessary to extract it from the core of the bone with a small needle. This procedure will need the help of a local anesthetic, before a tiny bit of marrow is extracted, to be sent for analysis.

If the vet detects …

Once a thorough analysis of your dog’s bone marrow is made, this test will rule out any other disorders while detecting whether or not there are any noticeable symptoms of ehrlichiosis.

The bone marrow and health

This test does a thorough analysis of your pet’s bone marrow, to show up any signs of Ehrlichiosis or of any other blood diseases like-

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Multiple myeloma

You can ask your local veterinarian to carry out this test in a specialty hospital.

One day you may find your dog bruised and bleeding for no apparent reason. If this happens, take your pet to a vet pronto. Your pet may be suffering from one of the many kinds of bleeding disorders that effect canines. These disorders are usually due to a lack in the blood’s ability to clot.

Clotting problems

The inability to clot blood can be rather scary. As a result of this inability, minor wounds and small cuts can become major worries by bleeding terribly. To diagnose your dog early you should be observant and alert enough to quickly detect the abnormalities.

Warning signs

There are some warning signs of anemia or a lack of red blood cells that carry oxygen. You should be on the lookout for unexplained discoloration, as these are warning signs that indicate that your dog could be suffering from a blood disorder. Frequent signs of bruising and bleeding that have no apparent explanation require swift attention…

• Does your dog suffer from frequent nosebleeds?
• Do you see blood in the stools or urine often?
• Are your dog’s gums unusually pale?
• Can you spot minute red spots on the whites of your dog’s eyes or gums?
• Does your canine get easily tired?

Complete medical history + physical examination

There are some standard tests that are routinely taken for bruising or bleeding. Here is a list of the most common preliminary tests that are taken, starting with a complete medical history of your dog.

• Including travel history
• Toxin exposure
• Environment

* Develop a deep, dry cough typical of pulmonary edema
* Be a victim of unprompted hemorrhaging
* Cough up blood
* Bleeding from the nose
* Show severe signs of bruising
* Sometimes even the diarrhea turns bloody

Dr. Brad Fenwick describes the symptoms…

“Rapidly, spontaneous hemorrhaging typical of disseminated intravascular coagulation develops which is associated with coughing up blood, bleeding from the nose, severe bruising of the skin, and in some cases bloody diarrhea. Profound hypotension and toxic cardiomyopathy may develop. At this point, antibiotics and even with aggressive shock therapy are generally not sufficient to save these dogs….

…It looks very similar to a poisoning — similar to what can happen when a dog gets into rat poison. It’s more of a toxicosis than many other bacterial infections,”

Dr. Brad Fenwick, veterinarian Kansas State University

Consistent and important clinical finding

Dr. Fenwick notes that nearly all canines with Canine Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome have a high temperature of over 105 degrees F. If your dog gets this disease, it is vital that he/she be treated immediately with antibiotic injections as well as clindamycin or crystalline penicillin-G. Timely intervention with these medications will increase the likelihood of your pet’s recovery.

A high mortality rate

A dog that shows the above symptoms and receives shock therapy and antibiotics may still not recover. According to Fenwick, the mortality rate for dogs that do not receive timely treatment is as high as 70-80 %. So if your canine shows the above symptoms don’t delay, rush him to your nearest and best vet as quickly as you can.

Catching the disease early enough and acting promptly, will greatly improve your pet’s chances of recovery.

Caused by a toxin

The cause of this disease is a toxin called ‘Toxic Shock Toxin’. This super-antigen short-circuits the immune system.

How it is diagnosed

You need to get a tissue sample from your dog to diagnose Canine Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome.

A novel canine hereditary bleeding disorder

The Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, recently came across another rare hereditary bleeding disorder of dogs caused by a deficiency of platelet pro-coagulant activity.

“We have discovered a novel canine hereditary bleeding disorder with the characteristic features of Scott syndrome, a rare defect of platelet pro-coagulant activity.

Affected dogs were from a single, inbred colony and experienced clinical signs of epistaxis, hyphema, intramuscular hematoma, and prolonged bleeding with coetaneous bruising after surgery.

The haemostatic abnormalities identified were restricted to tests of platelet procoagulant activity, whereas platelet count, platelet morphology under light microscopy, bleeding time, clot retraction, and platelet aggregation and secretion in response to thrombin, collagen, and adenosine diphosphate stimulation were all within normal limits.

Washed platelets from the affected dogs demonstrated approximately twice normal clotting times in a platelet factor 3 availability assay and, in a prothrombinase assay, generated only background levels of thrombin in response to calcium ionophore, thrombin, or combined thrombin plus collagen stimulation.

While platelet phospholipid content was normal, flow cytometric analyses revealed diminished phosphatidylserine exposure and a failure of microvesiculation in response to calcium ionophore, thrombin, and collagen stimulation.

Pedigree studies indicate a likely homozygous recessive inheritance pattern of the defect. These findings confirm the importance of platelet procoagulant activity for in vivo hemostasis and provide a large animal model for studying agonist-induced signal transduction, calcium mobilization, and effector pathways involved in the late platelet response of trans-membrane phospholipid movement and membrane vesiculation.”

Brooks MB, Catalfamo JL, Brown HA, Ivanova P, Lovaglio J.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca

Dogs love to dish out plenty of love and admiration. The least we can do in return is to take good care of them. Read on to discover two rare and pretty recent diseases out there that hardly anyone knows about…

Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome

Racing greyhounds were first seen to have this rare disease when it was first discovered as far back as 1979. Mistakenly thought to be ‘a brand new disease’ it is still pretty rare though it is now suspected of being more wide-spread then it was first thought to be (probably because no one knew how to recognize it).

According to Dr. Brad Fenwick, veterinarian of Kansas State University, this is a disease that you should in no way ignore. You can also hope that your vet is aware of it since very little is known about the transmission and prevention of this disease…

“Typically, dogs that develop Canine Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome are healthy prior to being found very sick only a few hours later…The course of the disease from initial recognition of disease to death can be as short as six hours. Typically, infected dogs are found lying down, on their side, either too weak to move or experiencing rigidity with mild convulsions. At an early stage vomiting may occur. The dog also may have rapid, uncontrolled fine muscle twitches.”

Dr. Brad Fenwick, veterinarian Kansas State University

The blind man and the dog finally reach the safety of the sidewalk on the other side of the street and the blind man pulls a cookie out of his coat pocket, which he offers to the dog.

The blind man turns partially in his direction and replies, “To find out where his head is so I can kick his ass!”

How do I know whether my pet has flea Bite Dermatitis?

Flea allergies are seasonal and cause the worst symptoms in the summer and during fall –when fleas are rampant. If your dog or cat is suffering from flea Bite Dermatitis they will show signs of:-

• Thinning of fur due to
• Repeated and frantic scratching and biting of the skin and tip of their tail.
• As a result of this trauma the skin becomes red and inflamed.

Treatment

To get to the root cause of fleas you have to rid your pet of all of them. There are a number of flea-control products available in pet-stores to enable you to do this with-

ü     Flea Collars

ü     Sprays and shampoos that are effective with regular use

ü     Topical hydrocortisone products

But be warned that the last of these can result in severe side effects, more so with regular use.

Ringworm

The name can be misleading because ringworm is not caused by a worm but rather a fungus. Cats and dogs suffer the most from this infectious skin ailment. Ringworm results in ring shaped skin lesions. Your pet may frantically scratch at inflamed spots that have a scaly look. In time your pet’s coat will show loss of hair.

Where ringworm strikes most…

Ringworm is widespread on the face, ears and paws; but in severe infections, it can affect your pet’s entire body.  Persian cats in particular and any pet with a weakened immune system in general, are most likely to get this fungal infection.

Difficult to diagnose

Diagnosing ringworm is not easy, since it looks the same as many skin ailments like allergies. To make sure you need to ask a competent vet to make a diagnosis.

To detect ringworm your vet will take a sample of hair from the inflamed area and send it to a lab to be cultured.

Ringworm is infectious

The bad news is that ringworm is very catching and can take the same ring shaped form on you, or appear as a dry, odd shaped red patch. Ringworm can cross easily from a pet to the owner and vice versa-(especially so if the concerned immune systems are weak!)

A step in time…

If you get Ringworm ask your health care professional to immediately put you on the right treatment -normally a topical cream. It is also a good idea to boost your dog’s and your own immune system by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

Other causes of ear bleed

Your dog may also have a blood clot in the ear lobe due to Hematomas. It could be that your dog is suffering from ear mites or some other ear infections that is aggravating your dog to itch uncontrollably, resulting in blood clots on its ear lobe. It’s easy to find out if your dog is suffering from ear infection, by observing whether or not he vigorously scratches and shakes his/her head. This can result in bleeding when a blood vessel ruptures in the external ear.

Why do clots appear?

You have to treat blood clots in the ear on a war footing, or else they can develop into a more serious condition. Clots in the ear are mostly due to the fact that the ear cannot create enough pressure to stop the bleeding.

Common Ear Infections

Ear infections are most common in dogs with droopy ears because they do not dry easily. This is why droopy ears are a breeding ground for fungus, ear mites, yeast and other infections.  The last of these can lead to your canine manufacturing an added amount of wax, which you will need to clean out, since wax is a breeding ground for all kinds of ear infections.

Effective ear management

Regular cleaning is the best remedy for a majority of ear infections. But cleaning needs to be followed up by home cures for ear mites-(try vinegar and water or vitamin C and mineral oil.)

More chronic ear infections require a complete ear flush to zero in on the exact reason your dog is feeling uncomfortable, or bleeding from his ears. Hematoma or clotting of the ear can be treated in three ways:

1. Surgery # in which the blood clots are removed after making tiny incisions that are later joined by stitches or sutures.
2. Teat Cannula # a procedure in which a small flexible tube is placed inside the inflamed vessel to drain the liquid.
3. Aspiration # drains the fluid with a syringe. But here there is always the risk of the blood vessel re-swelling.

Basic preventive measures against clotting

Surgery can alter the way your pet’s ears look forever, so it is a good idea to prevent ear infections and blood clots by: -

• Regularly grooming and cleaning your pet’s ears. Neglecting this vital chore can result in some real discomfort for your canine friend
• Blood clots can develop if ear mites in a cat are neglected and the area is not cleaned on a regular basis. Neglected, this ‘Haematomas’ can completely block your dog’s ear.