Articles

North  to Alaska…..again

Dr. Otte is happy to present a program on his experiences at the Iditarod and tell stories from the Trail. If you are interested, contact him at State Line Animal Hospital (913-381-3272) or at murphyotte@aol.com

DNA  TESTING NOW AVAILABLE

Have you ever wanted  to know what breed your adorable “mutt” really is? Have you wondered  why he/she behaves the way he/she does? Now, you can have your dog’s DNA tested  to determine the breed makeup which will help you better understand your dog’s  behavior.
State Line Animal Hospital can draw the  blood sample necessary, submit it to the lab, and in a couple of weeks you will  have the answer to your questions about your dog’s ancestry. In addition to your  dog’s “family tree,” you will learn the estimated adult weight of your  pet and any medical conditions that your dog might be prone to have.

To  make this more fun, we are going to test the Ottes’ new dog, Toby. If you can  guess what breed Toby is, we will credit your account with a $25 credit. Here  is a picture of Toby, or you can come by the office to see him “in person.”

We did DNA testing for Dixie and 3 people correctly  guessed one of the three trace amounts of DNA that were identified in her. It  is a little hard to believe that she is part Great Dane.

For  more information on the DNA testing, this is their web site.
http://www.wisdompanel.com

  • By: Dr. Otte

DIGITAL  X-RAY

State Line  Animal Hospital is the first animal hospital in the Kansas City area to have true  Digital Radiography. The quality is greatly improved and we can make diagnoses  not possible before. It is also a much faster process as we don’t have to wait  for the films to develop; we can see our results in about 4 seconds. And, there  is the added advantage of clients being able to see the x-rays at home on their  computers.

Is it more expensive? For one or two x-rays,  it is a little more expensive. But most of the time, we take more x-rays than  we would with our old equipment so we can get a more accurate diagnosis; therefore,  the cost is actually much less than it was with the old equipment.

  • By: Dr. Otte

Preventing  Obesity or the Feline Version of South Beach!

While  feeding cats dry food is easy and convenient for the owner, it is not in the best  interest of the cat. Cats evolved by eating prey: mice, rabbits, birds, etc. These  animals provided a diet that contained high protein, low to moderate fat, and  minimal carbohydrates. Dry cat foods usually consist of moderate protein, moderate  fat, and moderate to high carbohydrates.
Because of the metabolic requirement  for cats to utilize protein as an energy source, carbohydrates in the diet that  are not used immediately for energy (e.g. via exercise) will be stored as fat.  This can be a major contributing factor in the development of glucose toxicity  which can lead to pancreas islet cell malfunction and, ultimately, diabetes mellitus.

Many  canned cat foods closely mimic the high protein/low carbohydrate ratios contained  in prey; therefore, we are recommending that cats be fed canned diets rather than  dry diets. Feeding canned food is a means of preventing obesity in the cat, and  ultimately, preventing the development of diabetes mellitus. Two of the best canned  food diets are Hills m/d and Purina DM. We carry both of these diets as canned  products. In the past, we used these diets as a treatment for obesity or diabetes  mellitus. Now we are recommending them as a preventive diet, to prevent the cat  from getting obese and then developing diabetes mellitus.

For  cats that have always been fed a dry food, switching them to canned food is sometimes  a problem. The cat may be uninterested in the new diet and refuse to eat. Start  the process slowly by gradually adding canned food to the diet while slowly reducing  the amount of dry food. It may take several months to complete the transition  from 100% dry food to 100% canned food.

Most small  cans (7 oz.) contain about 150 calories. This is the correct amount that a normal  10 pound cat would require daily. Feed ½ can in the morning and the other  half in the evening.

While switching from dry food  to canned may be a little more trouble for the owner, keeping your cat healthy  and svelte is well worth the effort.

  • By:  Dr. Otte

Pet  Portals

Pet Portals is a  free e-mail service provided for our clients that allows access to your pet’s  records. You can check the date of Fido’s last visit, note his latest weight,  find his vaccination status, or check on any medications we have prescribed for  him. We will even send you an e-mail reminder of any vaccinations that are due.

With  Pet Portals, you can

” request medication refills,  appointments, or boarding reservations

” request  a periodic reminder for medications such as the monthly heartworm medication or  the next allergy injection

” verify the information  on your pet…do we have the right breed, birth date, or sex?

“  verify your information…do we have your correct phone numbers or address?

” read seasonal health tips for your pet

” complete a checklist to give to your pet sitter or boarding facility that provides  your emergency phone numbers, medications given, medical problems, food used,  as well as other important information

” can  complete a survey and let us know how we are doing in caring for your pet.

Does  Pet Portals sound like something you would enjoy having?

All  we need to enroll you is an e-mail address. We do the rest, and the best part  is that it is free. If you aren’t already using Pet Portals, you are missing out  on a great opportunity.