What Is Chagas Disease In Dogs?

By:  Laurie Brzostowski

Well, this particular article caught my eye due to all the news reports these days on the "kissing bug" which seems to be causing problems in the some of the midwest states and most of the southern states.

One of the complications of the "kissing bug" is Chagas Disease so I thought I would do some research on this to find out what it is, etc.

According to the CDC this "kissing bug" is found in all the states shown in the map above. 

So what is Chagas Disease?
Chagas disease is an illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which may infect dogs in several ways, including through blood exposure to the feces of “kissing bugs,” the ingestion of infected kissing-bugs, kissing-bug feces or prey (e.g., rodents), or congenitally from a mother to her offspring.

Once the parasites enter the cells in a dog’s body (often the heart muscle), they multiply and eventually rupture the infected cells. This is why Chagas disease is commonly associated with heart disease in dogs.

Chagas disease is endemic in South and Central America, but it is also found in the United States, typically in in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Virginia. But the disease’s range is expanding as our climate warms.

Symptoms and Types of Chagas Disease

Two forms of Chagas disease are observed in dogs: acute and chronic. Some dogs experience an extended asymptomatic period between the two forms, which can last for months to years.

Acute Symptoms      

• Fever
• Depression
• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Enlarged liver or spleen
• Neurologic abnormalities (e.g., seizures)
• Sudden death

These symptoms may not be noticed by owners because they often resolve without treatment.

Chronic Symptoms

• Weakness
• Exercise intolerance
• Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Fluid accumulation throughout the body
• Coughing
• Death         

Causes of Chagas Disease
Although Chagas disease can only be acquired through an infection with the T. cruzi parasite, there
are a variety of ways a dog may come in contact with the organism. Illness may occur when a vector—a kissing bug (Triatominae)—bites the dog on the skin or on a mucous membrane (such as the lips) and leaves infected feces in the wound. It can also occur when a dog eats an infected prey animal (e.g., rodent) or ingests the feces from a kissing bug. The parasite can also be passed from a mother to her offspring.

Treatment for Chagas Disease
Although several drugs have resulted in somewhat limited improvement in dogs during the acute stage, none produce a clinical “cure.” Unfortunately, even those dogs that get treatment may progress to the chronic form of the disease. In these cases, supportive treatment of heart complications is of primary importance.

Living and Management
Dogs with Chagas disease and the heart disease that results have a guarded to poor prognosis. Dogs are not thought to directly pass Chagas disease to people, so euthanasia solely for this reason is not necessary.

Now that we know what it is and how it is "spread" let's try and keep an eye on our dogs when outside and keep them all healthy !

3 Tips for Monitoring your Pets Water Intake

By:  Laurie Brzostowski

Written by: Stacey Kalinnikova

The body requires water for daily functions including transportation of nutrients, digestion, toxin removal, and proper organ function.  Keeping track of your dog or cat’s water intake is essential for early identification of potential diseases.  Below are some helpful tips for monitoring your pets water intake.

1.  Determine the normal values

A base line can be determined by filling up your dog or cat’s water bowl with a measured amount of water, then coming back and measuring the amount left over after a certain time interval to calculate the consumed volume.  This should be assessed over several days to calculate an average.

Normal water intake for dogs and cats is 50 mL per kg of bodyweight each day.

2.  Be aware of varying factors

There are several factors that affect the normal values for water intake.

Diet - Canned diets contain a 70-80% water content.  This allows pets to obtain a significant amount of hydration from their food, unlike dogs and cats that are fed solely on dry food.

Weather - Since water is involved in regulating body temperature, animals will naturally consume more water when exposed to warmer weather.

Activity level - Water is also involved in energy expenditure, therefore it is normal for pets to require more water during periods of exercise.

Pharmaceuticals - A common side effect of many medications and supplements is a variation in thirst levels.  If you have noticed an increase in drinking and urination after introduction of a certain medication, you should relay this information to your veterinarian.

3.  Know the signs of dehydration and over-hydration

Dehydration will lead to inadequate water levels in the body for essential life functions.  Dehydration can cause indigestion, toxin build up, and organ damage.  Signs of dehydration include lethargy, dry and tacky gums, loss of skin elasticity, sunken in eyes, and concentrated urine.

Over-hydration can be a precursor for water intoxication leading to low sodium levels in the blood, electrolyte imbalances, and swelling of blood cells.  Signs of over-hydration include excessive salivation, pale gums, dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, bloat, lethargy, and difficulty breathing.

Deviation from normal levels of water intake can be an early indicator of disease.  Monitor your pets water consumption regularly.  If you notice the symptoms of either over-hydration or dehydration as described above, consult your veterinarian.

How To Prevent Litterbox Problems

By:  Laurie Brzostowski

I have have two cats in my household (along with my puppy Bandit).  As the owner of a inhome pet care business, we do quite a lot of cat visits and litterbox scooping is part of our jobs.  But I have noticed that cats can be finicky about their bathroom habits, so unless you want to be dealing with a regular mess at home, keeping your cat's litter box up to his or her standards is very important.

LOCATION:
Most people tend to place the litter box in an out-of-the-way spot to minimize odor and prevent cat litter from being tracked throughout the house.

• Keep the litter box in a spot that gives your cat some privacy but is also convenient. If the box is too hard to get to, especially for a kitten or an elderly cat, he just may not use it.
• Avoid placing litter boxes next to noisy or heat-radiating appliances, like the furnace or the washing machine. Noises can make a cat nervous, while heat from a dryer or furnace can magnify the litter box smell, which could make him stay away from the litter box (and make you want to change houses).
• Put the box far away from his food and water bowls. Cats don't like that smell too near their food. Would you?
• Place at least one litter box on each level of your house. That way your cat has options if access to his primary box is blocked (the basement door is closed or your dinner party has him holed up in the bedroom.)  If you have more than one cat, provide litter boxes in several locations so that one cat can't ambush another cat using the litter box.
• If you keep the litter box in a closet or a bathroom, be sure the door is wedged open from both sides to prevent your cat from being trapped inside or locked out. Depending on the location, you might consider cutting a hole in a closet door and adding a pet door

TYPE OF LITTER:
Research has shown that most cats prefer fine-grained litters, presumably because they have a softer feel. The new scoopable (clumping) litters usually have finer grains than the typical clay litter and are very popular because they keep down the odor. But high-quality, dust-free clay litters are fairly small-grained and may be perfectly acceptable to your cat.

There are several different types of cat litter on the market. The most popular ones are traditional clay litter, scooping/clumping litter, crystal-based/silica gel litter and plant-derived/bio-degradable litter.
If your cat has previously been an outdoor cat and prefers dirt, you can keep him out of your houseplants by placing medium-sized rocks on top of the soil in the pots. You can also mix some soil with your regular litter to lure him in. A cat who rejects all types of commercial litters may be quite happy with sand. Once you find a litter your cat likes, stick with it. Switching litters constantly could result in your cat not using the litter box.

HOW MANY BOXES:
The general rule of paw is one litter box for each cat in the home, plus one more. That way none of them will ever be prevented from eliminating in the litter box because it's already occupied.

It's not possible to designate a personal litter box for each cat in your household, as cats may use any litter box that's available. That means a cat may occasionally refuse to use a litter box after another cat has been in it. In this case, you'll need to keep all of the litter boxes extremely clean, and you might even need to add additional boxes. However, it's best not to place all the boxes in one location because your cats will think of them as one big box and ambushing another cat will still be possible.

KEEP IT CLEAN:
To meet the needs of the most discriminating cat, you should scoop feces out of the litter box daily. How often you actually replace the litter depends on the number of cats you have, the number of litter boxes and the type of litter you use.

Twice a week is a general guideline for replacing clay litter, but depending on your circumstances, you may need to replace it every other day or only once a week.

If you clean the litter box daily, you might only need to change clumping litter every two to three weeks. If you notice an odor or if much of the litter is wet or clumped, it's time for a change.
Scrub the box every time you change the litter. Use mild dish detergent to clean it, as products with ammonia or citrus oils can turn a cat off, and some cleaning products are toxic to cats.

HOW MUCH LITTER IN THE BOX:
Some people think that the more litter they put in the box, the less often they'll have to clean it, but that's a mistake. Most cats won't use litter that's more than about two inches deep. In fact, some long-haired cats actually prefer less litter and a smooth, slick surface, such as the bottom of the box. Adding extra litter isn't a a substitute for scooping and scrubbing (sorry!).

Happy cats = happy humans !

3 Health Reasons Why Pets Do Better at Home Than at Kennels

BY: Laurie Brzostowski, President, Snaggle Foot Dog Walks and Pet Care-Round Lake.

Written by: Stacey Kalinnikova 

Going on holiday and need to decide between placing your pet in a boarding facility or hiring a professional pet sitter?  Consider where your dog or cat will be the most happy and healthy.  Here are a few health reasons why a pet sitter may be the best option:

1.     Disease and parasite transmission

At kennels, there is an increased risk for disease and parasite transmission due to the close proximity in which animals are kept.  Bordetella (kennel cough) is an airborne disease that can be quite prevalent in such environments.  Even if a dog is vaccinated they can still be at risk.  Other potential risks include internal parasites that affect the gastrointestinal system and external parasites such as fleas and mites.

Although most kennels have a policy of only allowing healthy and vaccinated animals into the facility, even outwardly healthy animals can be carriers of disease.

2.     Less stress

The kennel environment can be stressful for pets because it is an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar sounds and smells.  It can be scary and intimidating for them to be left alone in a small cage for the majority of the day.  Stress can contribute to a compromised immune system, which in turn increases the risk for illness.  Pets will be more relaxed and stress-free at home.

3.     Potential for injuries

In addition to the above point, stress can lead to self inflicted injuries.  At kennels, pets may try to claw their way out by scratching or biting resulting in broken nails or fractured teeth.  Pets can also begin to compulsively scratch or bite themselves as a coping mechanism.

Some kennels will allow dogs and cats time outside of their individual pens in group play sessions.  This can be risky because free running animals are more likely to inflict injuries on one another.  A pet sitter will be able to individually take your dog for a walk outside or spend time playing with your cat.  If an injury does occur or something seems off, a pet sitter is more likely to notice it straight away and seek treatment immediately.

A pet sitter will be able to give your pet individual attention in the comfort of home.  Your dog or cat will experience less stress, be at a lower risk for parasite or disease transmission, and in general be more comfortable and happy.  Overall, pets do better at home.

Pet Owners: Top 5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Walker/Pet Sitter Safe in Winter

By:  Laurie Brzostowski 

As the Owner of Snaggle Foot Dog Walks and Pet Care - Round Lake, it has been a pretty awful winter here in regards to walking dogs and pet sitting.

Here in Northern Illinois, have had some pretty awful winter weather. We have had thunderstorms while snowing at the same time, melting than freezing over, minus 20 to minus 30 degree windchills, and lots and lots of slippery yards, sidewalks, etc.

During all of this awful weather, your dog walker and/or pet sitter is out there every day caring for your pets and making sure they are safe.

However, as pet owners , it is really important that you keep your homes safe not only for your pets but your dog walkers/pet sitters also.

You may not even realize how dangerous your home has become to us dog walkers/pet sitters, so this blog post is to give you some ways on how to make your home less dangerous to us so we can continue to provide you with great service.

Here are the top 5 ways to keep your dog walker/pet sitter safe during severe winter weather:

1. Try and shovel your driveway where there is lots and lots of snow. If we cannot get into your driveway each day, we may be forced to park on the street. Parking on the street may be prohibited during snow times which could result in us getting a ticket. Also, if you don't shovel your driveway, we may actually get stuck and not be able to get out.  
2. Put down pet friendly ice melt on your driveway and the sidewalks and steps leading up to any and all doors we may be entering.  This includes steps and patios in back yards.  I cannot tell you how many times I have come "this close" to falling and hurting myself.  If your dog walker does fall and hurt themselves, you could possibly be without a dog walker for quite some time while he/she is recovering from any injuries. 
3. Remove any and all icicles hanging from your house.  Some of these icicles are very large and heavy and can cause severe injuries if they happen to fall on top of your dog or your dog walker/pet sitter.   
4. Make sure that your furnace is working correctly.  If you do go out of town, and your furnace is acting up while you are gone, this could cause serious problems.  Please make sure you leave your pet sitter contact information for heating services.  It is amazing how fast your house can get dangerously cold if the furnace is not working correctly and carbon monoxide is a very serious issue. 
5. Let your dog walker know if you are going to be home during severe weather.  Keeping everyone off dangerous roads during severe weather benefits everyone involved.

If each and every pet owner follows these 5 tips you can be rest assured that your dog walker/pet sitter is safe coming into and out of your home every day.  Safety is not only for your pets but for your pet's caretakers also. 

Here is hoping Spring comes soon!!