“Papi” is an 8 year-old poodle mix who presented for a number of problems.  The most pressing issue to his owner was his aural hematoma, which is a painful condition in which the flap of the ear fills with blood.  His other issues included a severe and chronic flea allergy, fleas and discharge from both eyes. 

The owner had been using Frontline monthly but it was not controlling his condition.  For those of you in Belize with flea allergic dogs, never use Frontline.  It will not be effective enough to control your dog’s skin condition.  Promeris is the only effective topical product I have found for flea allergic dogs in Belize. 

Papi’s treatment plan was a little complicated.  Originally, we planned to perform surgery on the ear.  But upon listening to his heart it was evident that he may not be a good anesthetic risk.  He also suffered from a heart murmer as well as a slight arrhythmia.  Papi’s owner gives him and her other four dogs heartworm preventative, but heartworm disease is still a possibility.  Other heart conditions are a possibility as well.  For Papi, our goal was to get him as comfortable as we could with as little risk as possible, as cheaply as possible.  Papi’s owner had expected to be able to go to the humane society for help, but they no longer have a vet on staff.  She was a little distraught because she wanted to help her dog who was clearly suffering, but she did not have a lot of money. 

Papi was very itchy, scratching constantly during his exam.  He had multiple bald areas of skin showing where he had chewed out the fur from his flea allergy.  In addition, his eyes appeared painful.  Further tests showed that his right eye suffered from a condition called “Dry Eye” or keratoconjunctivitis sicca.  His left eye contained a corneal ulcer.  Both of these conditions can be quite uncomfortable or even painful.

Due to Papi’s multiple conditions and obvious poor quality of life, I discussed using donation money to treat him.  Papi’s owner recognizes that she has too many dogs and she cannot afford them all.  She has done the responsible thing and had them all spayed and neutered.  She also says that after these dogs she will not be getting more because they are just too expensive to care for.  A large amount of her income goes just to pay for their food every month.  I told her maybe in the future she could afford to have one dog only.  I think this is a big issue for many of San Pedro’s residents.  I know we love dogs, but we have to limit ourselves to those we can adequately care for.  Many residents have 2, 3, 4, or 5 dogs, and they are in tact, breeding with each other to produce even more.  This is where education needs to come in.

Since Papi’s owner was being as responsible as she could she qualified for funding from SPAF.  SPAF does not have a lot of resources to draw on, so we have to be very choosey about who we give our funding to.  I made up an estimate for the owner.  She had brought 70 dollars and it was agreed that if she could come up with 80 more we could treat all of his ailments.  She was able to do this and the next day we went to work!  First on the agenda were the tests on his eyes.  His tear production was tested and the stain which found the ulcer on his left eye was performed.  He also has a cataract in his left eye, but alas, we have no laser for cataract surgery!  He will have to live with this condition, but it is not painful.  Next in the plan was a flea and tick bath followed by a soothing oatmeal shampoo and conditioner.  Promeris was applied for flea and tick control.

Next we addressed the actual problem he presented for, the ear hematoma.  We sedated him and placed a drain instead of performing a full anesthetic procedure and surgery.

Then we placed an E collar on him so that he could not scratch at his drain and medicated his eyes.  For the eye with Dry Eye I am recommending artificial tears over the counter.  There are better medications, but they are too expenisve.  Artificial tears should keep his eye comfortable if applied often enough.  For his left eye an antibiotic ointment.  He was sent home with a good allergy medication for his skin to make his skin comfortable as well as an oral antibiotic called doxycycline.  Many animals with corneal ulcers in Belize are carrying a tick-borne disease called Ehrlichia, which the doxycycline will treat.  Ear ointment was dispensed to treat the underlying ear infection which often accompanies aural hematomas.

All of this was done for a cost of 150 Belize dollars for the owner.  (For U.S. dollars divide by two.)  San Pedro Animal Hospital offers a 30% discount for animals who receive SPAF aid.  The amount of SPAF money used to treat him will be 171 Belize dollars.  Due to the number of Papi’s ailments and the expense of the treatments I waived his exam fee of 50 Belize dollars.

All of us in veterinary medicine hate to see an animal that is suffering not receive the care he needs due to finances.  Due to the generosity of those who have donated to SPAF we have so far been able to avoid this situation.  Thanks again so much for your support.  A full financial report for 2010 and up to the present will be coming soon from our Board Member and Registered Accountant.  Please give if you can. 

Thank you!

Article from Chapel Hill News, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

BY DEBORAH MEYER, Correspondent

CARRBORO – Seventeen years ago Zandra Talbert’s son Patrick got some goldfish. Three years later he added some more.

Patrick is now a vet tech at Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic, and one fish, a comet named Frank, is still swimming in his 55-gallon tank in Talbert’s Chapel Hill home.

“He is cute and has big googly eyes. He comes up and says hi if you come to look at him, and he knows when suppertime is,” said Zandra, who also has a dog, two very old cockatiels and three cats along with a husband, Richard.

In September Zandra noticed a dime-sized bump on Frank’s left side.

She contacted veterinarian Erik Dorsch of The Animal Hospital of Carrboro who had advised her in the past on how to transfer Frank into new tanks.

Dorsch is a lifelong fish hobbyist.

“I’ve always had an aquarium and when I went to Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, I entered with the intention of becoming an aquatic veterinarian,” he said.

He spent his fourth year shadowing aquatic veterinarians at Baltimore’s National Aquarium and other places. Along the way he also learned from N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Greg Lewbart, who specializes in aquatic, wildlife and zoologic medicine.

Dorsch told Zandra that Frank’s growth could eventually affect his swimming and quality of life.

“When she asked what we could do about it I told her we could try and take it off,” said Dorsch, who had never operated on fish but learned in his internships how to anesthetize them.

Surgery was scheduled for Oct. 15.

Dorsch called N.C. State and Shane Christian, the aquatic animal medicine technician, sent him an article on anesthetizing fish. He and Lewbart donated the anesthesia for the procedure, a powder put it in the water containing the fish. The fish falls to the bottom as the anesthesia takes effect.

“It is trial and error since different species have different sensitivities,” Dorsch explained. “There are a lot of factors. But once the fish is on the bottom and its respiration rate slows, you have to feel how anesthetized it is.”

Per Dorsch’s instructions, Zandra carried Frank the day of the surgery in a 5 gallon bucket lined with a plastic bag partially filled with his aquarium water. Dorsch sprinkled the powder in a bit at a time until he knew Frank would not flop or wiggle on the operating table.

Before cats and dogs go into surgery, blood tests ascertain whether they will have problems with anesthesia. This was impossible with Frank.

“My greatest fear going into the surgery was that Frank wouldn’t wake up,” Dorsch said. “I didn’t have any worries about the surgery as it was very straightforward.”

Once Frank was sedated and safely removed from the water, Dorsch used a carbon dioxide laser, which has a beam of invisible light, to remove the tumor. It cuts tissue like a scalpel.

“But it cauterizes as it goes so there is less bleeding and it cauterizes nerve endings so it doesn’t hurt as much as a scalpel,” he said.

Dorsch cut the tumor off at scale level, flush with Frank’s body. He didn’t want to cut into the fish’s body cavity because he wouldn’t be able to stitch him up afterward.

Technician Taylor Kennedy helped Frank breathe by squirting water from his travel bucket into his mouth.

“Frank was out for two minutes at the most,”‘ Dorsch said.

The three-quarter inch tumor turned out to be a fibrosarcoma, which is a malignant tumor in people, dogs and cats. Dorsch asked Lewbart about Frank’s prognosis. There is little data, but Lewbart said some fibrosarcomas are superficial and fish do well for a long, with only a recurrence on the outer surface.

When Zandra’s friends heard of the impending surgery, they were amazed fish could be operated on. Some teased her about the expense, even though in the end it cost just $260.

“I said if all you are thinking about is the money, you get far more bang for your buck with a fish that lives longer than most dogs, she said. “I’m fond of him even though I can’t pick him up and hug him. People behave as if when animals get smaller they are less important. That seems wrong, doesn’t it?”

Before the surgery, Zandra had a speech prepared for the operating room, in case Frank didn’t make it. “I knew I must not cry. I must be brave.”

Dorsch checked to see how long goldfish usually live and found the oldest one on record was 42.

Frank now has a chance to break that record. 

One of the most common infectious diseases of cats in San Pedro is also the most dangerous – feline leukemia virus. 

Most people think of leukemia as a cancer, but this is an infectious disease which causes illness by suppressing the immune system.  The name ‘Leukemia Virus’ comes from the tendency of infected animals to die of leukemia, the cancer, but this is not the only illness that typically develops.  Cats and kittens infected with leukemia virus have difficulty fighting routine infections such as upper respiratory infections or urinary tract infections.  But most importantly, infected animals have a life-span of only 2-4 years.

Feline Leukemia virus has historically been difficult to address in San Pedro due to the costs involved.  Testing and vaccination have been prohibitively expensive to attempt to carry out on a large scale.

In order to help bring attention to this common but deadly disease, San Pedro Animal Hospital is offering 50 free inoculations of leukemia vaccine to any individual or organization who brings in a cat or kitten.  Kittens are especially susceptible to this disease, which is spread primarily through cat bites.  San Pedro Animal Hospital recommends that all cats be vaccinated, but those at highest risk for the disease are kittens who go outdoors.  The first vaccination is proceeded by a booster 4 weeks later, and then yearly.  Initial vaccinations, as well as boosters, will be supplied free of charge while supplies last.

Help decrease the incidence of feline leukemia virus in San Pedro and protect the health of your kitty -  FOR FREE!!  

From the Saga Humane Society website – www.sagahumanesociety.org:

There are far too many dogs in Belize that are not being cared for. If you are reading this, you obviously care about your dog and your community. Dogs are domestic animals — they depend on humans to care of them. When anyone decides to keep a dog they are promising to care for the dog properly, and to not allow the dog to become a nuisance.

In return, dogs guard our property, protect and play with our children and are loyal companions. Right now, in Belize, neutering and spaying is the most important thing any dog owner can do for their dog and their community, but some owners are worried. They hear stories that stop them from doing the right thing. This pamphlet has information about spaying and neutering so that you can make the best decision.

What is neutering and spaying?
Neutering and spaying are small surgeries done on male and female dogs to remove their reproductive organs.

But I want my dog to have puppies?
Why? Research shows that female dogs spayed before their first heat are healthier and have fewer medical problems. Having puppies is hard work and expensive if you do it right. There may be life threatening complications when the puppies are born, and if your dog needs a c-section it is very expensive. You’ll need to buy more food for the mother dog while she is pregnant and even more when she is feeding her puppies. Think about the cost. Also, if you care about your and your neighbour’s children, all those puppies must be seen by a vet and given worming tablets.

Did you know that all puppies are born with worms and that those worms can cause illness in children? You’ll also have to buy extra food for the puppies until you find them good homes.

Did you know that each of those puppies can have their own puppies 7 months after they are born? Does your neighbourhood need that many new dogs?

But don’t male dogs lose their personality if they are neutered?
Just like you wouldn’t want a bull or a stallion running around your neighbourhood, you don’t really want un-neutered male dogs doing that either. Most dogs that bite children are un-neutered male dogs. Un-neutered male dogs like to urinate everywhere, they wander and cause dog fights, which bothers everyone that lives near them. They are a big responsibility

Neutered male dogs live longer, they are healthier and they won’t catch deadly sexually transmitted diseases, which are very painful and very expensive to treat. If you put all the time, money and effort into feeding and raising a dog, wouldn’t you want it to be healthy and live a longer life?

I don’t want to hurt my dog. I’m afraid it will be painful?
Did you know that veterinarians study for as long as human doctors do? The dogs are completely under anaesthetic and can’t feel a thing. Male dogs recover by the next day and don’t notice anything. Female dogs take a few days to recover completely, but they do not suffer – they just need a quiet couple of days until everything heals up.

Let’s look at the pain and suffering that IS caused by not neutering or spaying your dog:
One of the major causes of sickness and death for dogs in Belize is a painful sexually transmitted disease called TVT. Fixing your dog will stop it from being sexually active and catching this disease.

Another major cause of death and injury is road traffic accidents. Dogs that are not fixed will wander more often, leading them to be hit by cars and run over. Neutered male dogs are more likely to stay at home and protect their property than go out looking for females.

Female dogs that are not spayed before the age of 6 months have a very high risk of getting breast cancer. This is a painful and deadly disease and is very expensive to treat. Spaying can eliminate this risk.

Male dogs that are not neutered can suffer from testicular cancer and prostate infections. No man would want to put his dog through that sort of torture. Neutering your dog will eliminate these risks.

Male dogs that are not neutered can become very frustrated and unhappy. They are more likely to fight with other dogs and can smell a female in ‘heat’ for up to six miles. This can lead to behaviour problems such as aggression, destructive behaviour and excessive barking. They will form packs at this time and become a major nuisance in your community.

I want to be a good owner but I don’t want my neighbours and friends to laugh at me because I’ve had my dog neutered?
Your neighbours and friends won’t be laughing when you have a healthy, obedient and loyal dog that doesn’t cause a nuisance, turn over garbage cans, fight with other dogs and bite children. Your dog will look better, behave better, cost you less to care for and live a lot longer.

For more information regarding spay and neuter procedures in San Pedro contact San Pedro Animal Hospital at 610-DOGS (3647) or Saga Humane Society at 226-3266.