Pet Health: Generic drugs for pets

What are generic drugs?
Generic drugs are copies of patented, original medications. The original medication is called a “proprietary” medications For example, Heartgard is a proprietary medication that treats heartworms, roundworms and hookworms. and Iverhart is a generic equivalent. Both drugs come in a similar range of doses according to your pet’s weight. Usually proprietary drugs are more expensive than generic drugs, and this is the case with heartworm medications so that Heartgard Plus is more expensive than the generic Iverhart Plus.

Generic drug efficacy
Are generic drugs less effective than proprietary drugs? It depends. Drugs are composed of active medicine and of additives. The additives give the medicine its consistency, flavor, color, etc. Generic drugs have the same active chemical as proprietary drugs, which means they have “pharmaceutical equivalency.” However, additives in generic drugs may be different than those in proprietary medications. Although additives may be a tiny proportion of the medication, they can markedly affect pets. For example, cornstarch additive can cause allergies in pets allergic to corn. Beef flavoring can cause allergies in pets allergic to beef. Because of additives, the effect of generic and proprietary medications is not identical with all pets. However, the effect is identical with the vast majority of pets.

Generic drug packaging
Packaging of generic drugs can also be different than packaging of proprietary drugs. With a drug like aspirin, packaging may make little difference, but with a drug like S-Adenyl methionine (SAMe), packaging makes an incredible difference. If SAMe is not packaged in foil and kept sealed, it loses potency. Thus, proprietary SAMe, such as Denosyl is more effective than generic SAMe. Take care when buying SAMe because many internet pet pharmacies sell both and do not know the difference. Ask your veterinarian before you purchase supplements to ensure you're sepnding your money wisely.

Buying generic drugs for your pet
Trust your holistic veterinarian to have researched the difference between medications and to suggest those that are effective. Internet pharmacies, whether ostensibly run by veterinarians or not, are in business to sell medications. Your veterinarian is in business to keep your pet healthy. That's the best place to buy your medications.

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Pet Health: nutrition and metabolic programming

There’s a big emphasis on early nutrition because it affects health throughout life. American and European researchers are stressing the association between early nutrition and health—called metabolic programming. Among the proven long-term benefits of metabolic programming are:

• immune system strength with fewer allergies and fewer infections,
• healthy bones and joints with less arthritis and hip dysplasia,
• healthy hearts,
• improved digestion, and
• improved cognitive ability.

To ensure your pet is as healthy and as smart as possible, feed it the best you can when it’s young. If possible, see that your pet’s mother receives a healthy diet when pregnant.

The healthiest food is not necessarily the most expensive and many “premium” store-bought foods are not highly nutritious. What we see on the package was written by advertisers, so discount the claims of "natural" and "100% complete" and look at the ingredients. The first ingredient should be meat or fish. Suspect subterfudge if ingredients are split into component parts, such as wheat flour and wheat gluten because this allows the company to weigh the wheat as two separate ingredients and list them lower than the meat. Often this means your pet gets more grain than meat although you may think there is lots of meat in the food. Read labels and you'll know what your pet is truly getting.

Once you begin reading about nutrition you might feel overwhelmed because there’s so much to learn, but don’t feel discouraged. You can trust some companies to make products that will be ideal for your pet. Among the most trustworthy pet nutrition companies are Azmira, Nordic Naturals, and Missing Link.

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Pet Obesity and Cholesterol

About ¼ of our pets are overweight. Many of these tubby pets, especially those with hypothyroid disease, have high cholesterol levels. Research in humans has shown that Omega 3 fatty acids help lower cholesterol. Because it’s likely pets experience the same cholesterol-lowering benefit from fatty acids, many veterinarians recommend giving supplements that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids to:

• obese pets,
• hypothyroid pets, and
• pets with high cholesterol.

Among the Omega 3 fatty acid supplements that have been proven to help lower cholesterol are eggs high in Omega and fish oils. Consider supplementing your pet with Omega 3-enriched eggs. For pets that don't tolerate eggs or fish, provide Omega 3 fatty acids in organic flax seed.

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Pet Health: Fever and Infection

Increased temperature (hyperthermia) is a method used to fight infection. Hyperthermia is so successful in helping control infection that immune systems of a wide range of creatures evolved to use it—from warm-blooded animals, such as humans, dogs, cats, horses, and birds to cold-blooded creatures, such as worms. Hyperthermia is triggered by many different diseases and infections, including E. coli, salmonella, clostridia and streptococcus bacteria.

As useful as an increased temperature is in fighting infection, when the temperature is too high, it damages the brain and can cause seizures. When pets have an infection that appears overwhelming and the temperature rises more than 2-3 degrees above normal, it’s best to use antibiotics that kill bacteria and antipyretics that lower fevers. Cool water baths and fans also help lower fever. It is also important to encourage pets to drink more water or broth because fever causes dehydration.

Among the signs and symptoms we see when pets develop infections are
Fever (warm dry nose),
listless behavior,
pain, and
loss of appetite.

Pets may also become constipated as water that normally passes into the feces is reabsorbed to cool the body. When pets develop these symptoms, contact your veterinarian and discuss the best treatment.

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Cloned Cats

Because there wasn’t enough demand for $50,000 cloned cats, Genetic Savings & Clone lowered the price of a cat to $32,000. Even at a discount, there has not been enough interest in the cats to keep the company open. Genetic Savings & Clone will close.

In contrast, horses are being cloned. In Italy and the United States by companies like ViaGen and Encore Genetics, equines are being cloned. Equine cloning is much more expensive than cat cloning, and reports are that horses cost $150,000.

Any animal we come to love—cat, cow, dog, horse, or bird—there is no limit on the deep affection we feel for them. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the money to clone our pets. What we can do is give each pet the best life it can have while it is with us. Feed the best food—as close to natural and holistic as possible, provide supplements, play hard together, and provide for a comfortable night’s sleep.

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Pet Health: brushing teeth

Brushing teeth helps prevent dental disease and keeps breath fresh. It makes good sense that a pet company would develop a toothbrush and toothpaste and call the combo “Kissable” Unfortunately, the product is not as good as the name. And, that’s the way with many pet products—the advertising is superior to the product.

So what is wrong with the Kissable product?--it’s a potential breeding ground for bacteria. The brush has three sides that come together so that it cannot dry out. When a toothbrush stays moist, bacteria proliferate. This makes the toothbrush a health hazard.

The best toothbrushes clean easily and dry easily. Human toothbrushes will work for pets if you choose the right size, and use SOFT. Unfortunately, human toothpaste won’t work for pets. Pets don’t spit and human toothpastes are not meant to be swallowed but to be spit out. Use pet toothpaste and brush. Taking a wipe to the teeth is doesn’t help the breath much, or the teeth, because the bacteria that cause odor and gum disease are just under the gum line. Brushes do a much better job of reaching these bacteria than wipes do—and that’s why human dentists tell us to brush our teeth and not wipe them off.

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Workers' compensation for veterinary staff

Workers’ compensation of nearly 8 were million dollars was paid to veterinary staff for 2005 and 2006. The single most common claim was for:

• Attacks, bites, kicks and scratches.

Workers’ compensation was also paid for:

• Slips and falls
• Sprains and strains, usually due to lifting
• Struck by or caught by objects, such as falling boxes or moving gates.

To help decrease injuries to veterinary staff, warn the staff that your pet may be aggressive when making the appointment so the appointment can be scheduled when the clinic is calm. Ask if your pet can enter and exit by a rear door. Take your pet to the clinic in a carrier or secured with a leash. Put a muzzle on your dog if you know it is aggressive.

In addition to taking precautions, you can also help your pet feel less anxiety at the vet's office by using aromatherapy, such as lavender essential oil on your pet’s harness or collar. (Essential oils should not be applied directly to the skin without being diluted.) Or, use these anti-anxiety products:

• the flower essence calming product for stress from www.SpiritEssence.com,
• the pheromone Feliway for cats, and
• the pheromone DAP for dogs.

If your pet does not behave well and there is a good chance you, the veterinary staff, other pets, or your pet may be hurt, instead of visiting the clinic, use a house-call veterinarian.

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Pet Health: Solutions for Pet Medication Difficulties

Here are suggestions to help with each of the problems described in the yesterday's blog:

1. Write it on your calendar and put the calendar on the refrigerator door.
2. Ask your veterinarian or pharmacist if the medication is available in a once-a-day form.
3. Confirm with your veterinarian that the medication must be given long-term and reward yourself for continuing to provide it. Get yourself a new book, plant, car polish, CD, or something meaningful each time you fill the prescription.
4. Get all medication and supplement instructions in writing. See that these instructions coincide with what is on the label. If not, ask for clarification.
5. Discuss side effects with your veterinarian immediately. No one wants your pet to suffer and there may be alternatives. For example, nausea can be reduced if medications are given with food. Other medications may be equally effective. Chinese herbal medications may be ideal because they are less inclined to cause side effects.
6. Confirm when the medication should be stopped and put that on your calendar. Many medications bring about an improvement rather quickly but must be given for a longer period to prevent problem from re-occurring.
7. Discuss what the product will do for your pet and how soon the changes will appear. Joint supplements with glucosamine and chondroitin often take several weeks to become effective. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids can also take some time to create positive changes.
8. Discuss products with your veterinarian. There’s no point spending any money on these “token” products. It may be possible to buy cheaper medication online, but unless your veterinarian thinks this is wise, stick to purchasing from someone you trust.
9. If your pet hates the medication, either change the way you give the product or change products. Ask your veterinary pharmacist if you can put the product in food to disguise the taste. Ask if the product can be formulated as a transdermal gel that you rub onto the skin. Ask for help in giving the medication. (Previous blog entries have given lots of tips for medicating so you and your pet will enjoy it.)

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