Having started a rehab therapy center for animals, I often get calls from friends–and friends of friends–about sudden-onset health problems their pets are having.  In the last month, though, I’ve had a run on those calls, all from people whose dogs suddenly couldn’t stand or walk.  They all wanted to know what to do.  And to be honest, I want to scream into the receiver:  TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VETERINARIAN!

If your spouse or parent or child suddenly couldn’t walk, what would you do?  Would you call a friend to ask what she or he thinks you should do?  Would you just “wait and see” because maybe it’ll get better on its own?  No, I don’t think you would.  I think, at the very least, you’d call a doctor, who would probably tell you to call 911 as it would clearly be a medical emergency.

Likewise, it is a medical emergency when your dog or cat suddenly can’t stand or walk.

There are any number of reasons for sudden paralysis in pets, but I’m here to tell you, none of them are good.  And for most of those issues, time is critical.  If it’s a disk rupture, for example, you have a 24-hour window to have a surgery performed that may give your pet a chance to walk again.  And if it’s a saddle thrombus, your pet is in excruciating pain and needs to be treated immediately.

So if your dog or cat suddenly can’t walk or use even just one of his or her legs, please call your veterinarian immediately.  I guarantee you, it will save you money, time, and heartache in the long run.

For those of us who live with special needs pets, especially geriatric or paralyzed dogs or cats, we understand the dangers of urinary tract infections, or UTIs.

According to an article published in the May 2010 issue of Clinician’s Brief, UTIs develop when the pet’s natural defense mechanisms break down enough to allow virulent microbes to attach and multiply within the urinary tract. In dogs, these microbes are most often E. Coli, a particular nasty bacteria that can be especially problematic for dogs who are paralyzed (such as from degenerative myelopathy or disk disease, or IVDD), dogs with diabetes mellitus or hyperadrenocorticism, dogs who have been on long-term courses of steroids, and dogs who have had indwelling urinary catheters. The risk of getting an E. coli UTI also increases as dogs get older.

Veterinarians often combat E. coli UTIs with antibiotics, repeatedly if a dog suffers from recurring UTIs. But the reality is no one really likes having a pet on antibiotics longterm. As our clients have often asked us at Scout’s House, is there a more natural remedy? Turns out, cranberries just might be the answer.

One cranberry-based product that supports urinary tract health in dogs is Crananidin from NutraMax Labs (the same people who created Cosequin and Dasuquin). As a veterinary researcher from NutraMax recently explained to me, Crananidin uses bioactive proanthocyandins, or PACs, to minimize the ability of the E. coli bacteria to adhere to the bladder wall. She described it as “putting boxing gloves” on the bacteria so that they can’t grab onto the bladder epithelium and are instead flushed out in the dog’s urine. A NutraMax Labs study showed that by Day 7, a once-daily dose of Crananidin increased the bioactivity, or anti-adhesion, of the urine by over 78%.

My understanding is that Crananidin is best used in dogs who get recurrent E. coli UTIs, not for first-timers who really do need antibiotics to knock out the infection. But if your dog suffers from recurrent UTIs, talk to your veterinarian about Crananidin or other cranberry-based remedies. You might be able to avoid that next round of antibiotics after all.

Next up:  What about cats?