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As a second-year veterinary school student, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that veterinary school has a funny way of warping your priorities in life.

With the high volume of information and stress that students are typically under, it’s very easy to let things like sleep, self-care, and maintaining relationships fall to the wayside in favor of reviewing just one more lecture or finishing just one more assignment until you look up to find that it’s midnight.

This was the unfortunate cycle I found myself in just two weeks ago as I tried to catch up on school after missing a week because of the flu. I likely would’ve continued this way until at least Spring Break.

However, life had other plans.

Friday, Feb. 21, found me not carefully following my meticulous study schedule like I had planned for the weekend but holding the hand of my best friend in the emergency room.

She had been experiencing shortness of breath for a couple of weeks but, as we all do, decided to attempt to manage her symptoms the best she could until we had a break in exams. If she was still experiencing issues at that point, she would go to the doctor to see about getting treatment, since it was more likely something like bronchitis rather than allergies.

Neither of us could have ever been prepared when the doctor informed us they had found a mass roughly the size of an orange sitting in the center of her chest and the cause for the shortness of breath she was experiencing was likely cancer.

In that single instance, my priorities completely rearranged.

No longer was I worried about the upcoming assignment that was due or catching up. My No. 1 priority became doing anything and everything I could to support my best friend.

The next 48 hours were a blur of family, meetings with doctors, discussing hospital possibilities, and developing a plan of action. As we progressed through the week, faculty members and our classmates were informed of the events of the weekend.

I am still in awe of the response. I watched as my classmates completely reorganized their lives, and the hours that were normally spent secluding ourselves in a study bubble were readily forgotten in favor of organizing events to support my best friend, which became top priority.

The way our CVM family has come together to support one of our own has been an amazing reminder that we are all here for the same dream, but we can’t accomplish that dream alone. Dreams and goals are so important, but they are nothing compared to the people beside us.

May you all remember to look up from the books once awhile and take in the life around you…because life comes at you fast.

Bath time is usually a stressful occasion for both pets and their owners, leading many to wonder—is bathing cats really necessary?

To the relief of many a cat owner, the answer is typically “no,” according to Dr. Alison Diesel, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

“In general, cats do not need to be given a bath by their owners,” she said. “Their fastidious grooming behavior makes this a non-necessary task, which most owners are quite thankful for.”

Some cats may not groom themselves appropriately because of obesity, arthritis, or an underlying medical condition. If an owner notices any change in their cat’s normal grooming behavior, a veterinarian can help determine the cause.

But even if these kitties need some help getting clean, a true bath is usually not necessary unless the cat is especially dirty.

“A good brushing may be sufficient unless there are fecal/urinary incontinence concerns,” Diesel said. “I rarely recommend bathing for my feline patients. There are certain topical products that I may consider for cats, like a leave-on antiseptic mousse if they have a skin infection, but a true bath is typically not recommended or indicated.”

For many medical conditions, from fungal infections to allergies, a bath with a medicated shampoo can be a treatment option, but Diesel said owners should be confident in their ability to safely bathe their pet first.

Beyond cats’ ability to clean themselves, Diesel usually recommends not bathing cats because of the damages it can cause to a cat-owner relationship.

“The act of bathing cats can cause behavioral trauma, which may affect the human-animal bond if this is not something the cat is used to,” she said. “For an adult cat that has not had a bath previously, the experience can be quite traumatic. They may lash out, bite, and scratch; this obviously introduces safety concerns for the owners.”

Although most cats rarely need baths, one major exception is for hairless Sphynx cats, which require bathing as part of their routine skin care.

“For cat breeds like Sphynx in which there are known genetic conditions that cause them to produce and secrete an excess amount of skin oil, routine bathing can help decrease the extra debris and the chance of secondary skin infections,” Diesel said. “In general, though, this doesn’t need to be more than once every one to two weeks.”

Owners of Sphynx cats can make the bathing process easier and less stressful by introducing it when the cat is young.

“Getting a Sphynx kitten used to baths early in life is imperative for managing this breed,” Diesel said.

She recommends using lots of treats and making the experience as fun as possible to help the cat feel safe and stay calm.

For most cat owners, however, bath time is, thankfully, a rare experience. As long as your fastidious feline spends plenty of time on hygiene, like most cats tend to do, you should not have to worry about bathing your water-fearing friend any time soon.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

Whether they want it to bark, purr, slither or squawk, there comes a time when a pet appears on nearly every child’s birthday wish list. For most parents, this decision can be a bit daunting. Is your child ready to take on the responsibility of caring for a pet? Will the new animal negatively affect his or her health? Though your child may think your wary attitude is unnecessary, these are valid questions for every parent to ask themselves and their family before welcoming a new pet into their home.

“The first thing that you need to think of is if your children are old enough and responsible enough to handle a pet around the house,” said Dr. Mark Stickney, Clinical Associate Professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “You also need to be aware of the temperament of the new pet that you’re bringing in.” Low maintenance animals, such as hamsters and fish, prove to be great starter pets for children. They require minimal amounts of time and care, introducing the child to the responsibilities of pet ownership without giving them more than they can manage.

Of course, puppies and kittens are always crowd pleasers as well. Their high energy level and love for attention makes them the perfect child companion. But what about when little Bobby begs for that snake at the pet store? “With animals like lizards and snakes, their care and feeding requirements can be a bit tricky as far as humidity, temperature etc.,” Stickney said. “These animals also eat other animals for food, which may be upsetting to some children. Depending on their age and maturity, that might be something beyond a child’s ability to handle.”

When choosing a family pet, it is also important to take into consideration your children’s sensitivity to various allergens. “One of the first things that you need to do is consult with your physician,” said Stickney. “If your child is allergic to pollen or some sort of grass that an animal could track into the house, an indoor animal such as a cat would be a non-issue.”

However, if your children still have their heart set on that fluffy puppy, there are certainly ways to accommodate their desires.  “Some dog breeds, such as Poodles and Yorkies, are considered to be less allergenic than others based on the amount of fur that they shed,” Stickney said. “And there is even evidence to support that infants exposed to animals earlier in life are less likely to develop allergies later on.”

Allowing your children to care for a pet is not all risk. Having a pet in your family has shown to be equally beneficial for both the animal and child. “Dogs especially really enjoy having someone to play with them, teach them tricks, and do some basic obedience training,” said Stickney. “It’s mentally stimulating for both the dog and child, which can improve discipline on both ends.”

Research has shown numerous health benefits of owning a pet, including lower blood pressure and elevated mood. There is even evidence to support that interaction between pets and children with disabilities, such as Down’s syndrome or Autism, is extremely beneficial. “The key is that you need to have a nice, docile pet,” Stickney said. “One that isn’t too active or rough, but that just wants to be loved on and to love right back.”

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

One of the worst things about this time of year is the increase of fleas on pets, outside, and, possibly, in homes. Flea prevention is crucial since adult fleas cause the most problems for pets. In order to become adult fleas, the blood-sucking creatures need warm weather, between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and about 70 to 80 percent humidity, said Dr. Alison Diesel, lecturer in dermatology at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM).

“Those ideal conditions are exactly what we are experiencing during this time of the year, which is why we generally see more fleas coming out in the spring,” Diesel said.

She added that fleas can be present year-round in Texas because there is not usually a “true winter.”

Fleas can cause various problems for pets.  Some animals, for example, are allergic to an allergen in the flea saliva causing the animal to have an allergic reaction.  This causes the animal to scratch, which could lead to a secondary bacterial skin infection.  If there is a large flea problem, anemia could be a potential problem, especially among small animals that do not have large amounts of blood.  Fleas can also carry diseases such as tapeworms or Bartonella, and infect both pets and humans.

Amanda Friedeck, a veterinary technician at the CVM, said there is no way to completely prevent fleas, but a key factor to controlling fleas is breaking the life cycle.

“The best way to control fleas is to break the cycle.  More fleas lay more eggs.  … The best treatment either kills the adults or kills one of the juvenile stages,” Friedeck said.

Diesel said the flea life cycle has four phases: the adult fleas lay eggs, the eggs hatch into larvae, the larvae turns into pupae, which, eventually, turn into adults.

“Ideally, targeting several phases of the flea lifecycle is best, particularly when dealing with an infestation.  The easiest stage to target is the adult flea since these lives on the pet.  The other stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) are present in the environment,” Diesel said.

Both Diesel and Friedeck said the best way to determine treatment of an animal’s flea problem is to take them to a veterinarian to discuss the best options and medications.

“Your pet’s veterinarian can help recommend the most appropriate product to help prevent fleas based on other factors (e.g. other skin conditions, food allergies, etc.) as well as discuss the appropriate way to administer the product (e.g. orally or topically),” Diesel said.

Diesel suggested using a flea prevention that lasts the entire month and is still effective if the pet gets wet.

“Using flea prevention every 30 days, or more frequently in some situations, can provide the best protection from fleas biting your pet, can kill adult fleas rapidly, and can prevent a flea infestation from being established in your pet’s environment,” Diesel said

Diesel and Friedeck agreed that it is important to minimize an animal’s exposure to fleas by avoiding infested areas and pets coming in contact with animals that have fleas such as wild animals.

“There are some things which can be done to minimize exposure to fleas: avoid known infested areas, do not allow your pet to come into contact with wild animals or burrows, and protect areas of the house where wild animals may enter to minimize wild animals from establishing residency in the first place,” Diesel said.

If fleas become a problem inside the house, Diesel and Friedeck suggested vacuuming once a week.

“Vacuuming is a very good way to rid of fleas in the house, but the bag must be thrown away and removed from the house,” Friedeck said.

She added that if there is a large flea presence, there are in-house treatments and exterminators.

“There are some in-house treatments and bombs, but they should only be used in heavily burdened environments,” Friedeck said.

Diesel suggested focusing on places where the pets spends most of their time inside the house when bombing because that will contain the most concentrated area of fleas.

“Don’t forget under beds and furniture, behind curtains, and along hallways connecting rooms when treating the house for fleas.  Again, it may be best to contact a professional exterminator when there is a large flea burden present,” she said.

In addition to treating animals and inside of homes, it may be necessary to treat the outside environment.  This can be done by spraying areas of the yard that are high in flea population.

“This includes shaded areas, under trees and bushes, in dog houses, under porches and decks.  As with indoor control, when the burden is high, a professional exterminator may be the most help,” Diesel said.

Diesel said the best strategy against fleas is to practice year-round prevention by treating all pets with flea medicine as well as treating inside and outside the home if an infestation is suspected.

“It is much easier to prevent fleas than to treat fleas,” she said.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at /pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to cvmtoday@cvm.tamu.edu.

Dandruff may be a cosmetic inconvenience that many people dread, but cats can suffer from this condition as well.

Dr. Lori Teller, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, shares with pet owners the diverse causes of this condition and how to treat dandruff in a feline friend.

“The causes of dandruff in cats can range from relatively simple—such as obesity that limits a cat’s ability to groom, allergies, or the build-up of the undercoat—to more serious issues—such as fleas or a skin infection—to very serious issues—such as cancers like cutaneous lymphoma,” Teller said. “There is also a condition called ‘walking dandruff’ that is caused by the Cheyletiella mite. This mite is usually prevented by flea control products.”

Other potential causes of feline dandruff include other external parasites (such as ticks and demodectic mange), bacterial or fungal infections, malnutrition, or an interrupted ability to groom (caused by factors like kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis, or even discomfort from arthritis).

“If an owner notices dandruff, it is certainly worth having the cat checked to rule out an underlying problem, especially if the cat has other concurrent problems,” Teller said. “If the cat is itchy; losing hair; vomiting; has a change in appetite, water consumption, or litter box use; or if the owner notices skin lesions or parasites, it is worth a visit to the veterinarian.”

Teller also advises that cat owners who are allergic to their pet may be bothered by cat dander and that a veterinary visit may allow for treatment of the cat that can help alleviate allergy symptoms in their owner.

“The treatment for feline dandruff will depend on the cause,” Teller said. “Some parasites may be treated with good flea control. Infections may require topical or systemic antibiotics or antifungals. Certainly, any underlying systemic disease should be treated. If obesity or arthritis is part of the problem, weight loss or pain control may be recommended.”

If no underlying problems are determined, an owner might be advised to brush their cat daily to distribute their pet’s natural skin oils throughout the coat and remove existing dandruff. If a cat has long hair or a thick coat, the cat may need to be brushed several times a day.

Cat owners should consult their veterinarian to determine which grooming practices are best for their pet.

“If the dandruff is more than just a few flakes, if the cat is itchy or is not acting normally, or if anyone else in the family (human or animal) develops skin lesions, it is worth a trip to the veterinarian,” Teller said.

Although it is important for pet owners to practice their due diligence and check in with their veterinarian to rule out the more serious causes of feline dandruff, Teller says that in many cases, dandruff is a minor condition.

“Most of the time, dandruff is a benign problem for the cat,” she said. “Fortunately, other cats don’t judge them for flaky skin, so if your veterinarian gives your cat a clean bill of health, don’t get too bothered by the dandruff.”

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

Lumps and bumps are a normal part of life, but what do we do when we notice a new lump or bump on our furry friend? 

When we take our pet to a veterinarian to examine a mass, the doctor may recommend diagnostic testing, which includes any medical screenings used to determine the cause of a pet’s symptoms, according to Dr. Sarah Jacobson, a clinical pathology resident at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. 

“One of the first ‘diagnostics’ that a veterinarian performs is obtaining a medical history of the animal and performing a physical exam,” Jacobson said. “Because an animal cannot tell us specifically what is wrong or what is bothering them, we have to rely on what clues they can give us, such as changes in energy, weight, eating habits, or other clinical signs.” 

Locating Masses Through Diagnostic Testing

Diagnostically testing a pet through a physical exam can be especially useful for narrowing down causes of abnormal masses, which present themselves as small lumps or bumps on the body or under the skin. 

“There are many reasons an animal might have a lump, bump, or mass, and there are many places on the body where masses can exist,” Jacobson explained. “It could be an enlarged lymph node, joint swelling, cyst, inflammatory process, or even malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous) tumors, but the location of the mass clues us in as to what the most likely tissue growth is. For example, when it comes to a mass in the nasal cavity or a tumor on the spleen, we have two completely different lists of what the most likely tumors are going to be in those locations.”

Additional Tests For Reaching A Diagnosis

Oftentimes, additional forms of diagnostic testing will be necessary in order to determine the exact cause of a pet’s ailment.

“There is a lot of information to be gained from a history and physical exam, but if this alone does not provide an answer, then the information is used to decide what diagnostics to perform next,” Jacobson said. “Forms of diagnostic testing can include performing blood work or an analysis of the urine, taking X-rays, collecting samples to view under a microscope, or testing for specific infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites.”

For masses that have been located, veterinarians can narrow down the list of possible causes by using a form of diagnostic testing called cytology, a field of medicine focused on examining cells from bodily tissues.

“When it comes to testing a mass using cytology, veterinarians may perform a fine needle aspirate, which involves poking a needle into the mass and collecting cells to put on a slide for microscopic analysis,” Jacobson said. “Analyzing the cells can help veterinarians determine if the cause of a mass is because of an inflammatory reaction to irritants or a neoplastic process (when cells grow abnormally and lead to tumor growth).”

Inflammatory processes typically involve treating the cause of inflammation, but treating neoplastic processes can require more extensive treatment methods, including surgery or chemotherapy. 

“If it is an inflammatory process, we can see what inflammatory cells are present, signaling what the cause of the inflammation is, whether it is fungal, bacterial, allergies, or something similar,” she continued. “On the other hand, if it’s a neoplastic process, we can attempt to determine what the main cell type is and if the mass is part of a benign or malignant process.”

Next Steps After Testing

Jacobson emphasizes that testing these masses does not always give an exact answer as to what it is, yet it can help veterinarians either rule out a diagnosis or guide further diagnostic testing. 

Until an appropriate diagnosis is reached, Jacobson encourages owners to practice patience.  

“Finding a diagnosis is not always easy,” Jacobson said. “It takes veterinarians knowing what diagnostic step they want to take next, having a specific reason for that test, and being able to communicate next steps with owners. It also takes owners understanding that this can be a lengthy process, but they should still ask questions about the diagnostic tests their vet wants to run and how it will help their animal.” 

If you notice any pesky lumps or bumps on your pet, talk to your veterinarian about the diagnostic testing options that can help rule out possible concerns and, if necessary, get them on the road to recovery.

Having a stressed or sick pet is concerning, especially if diarrhea, gas, and digestive issues are present. A probiotic could ease those digestive issues, but there are some considerations that an owner should be aware of before choosing one.

Dr. Emily Gould, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, explores reasons for using probiotics and what makes a probiotic more effective.

Probiotics are supplemental, live bacteria found in certain foods or pills that generally improve gut health when there is too much harmful bacteria present. This irregularity of bacterial imbalances can be caused either by an intestinal disease or following the use of antibiotics.

For example, when a pet visits the veterinary clinic because of an illness, a veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics to treat an infection. In addition to eliminating the bacteria making your furry friend sick, the antibiotics can also decrease beneficial bacteria, causing an imbalance in the digestive tract. Your pet may experience diarrhea as a result.

“The purpose of administering a probiotic would be to replenish ‘good bacteria’ in the pet’s gut in order to restore a healthier intestinal gut ecosystem, correcting the imbalance,” Gould said.

Because there are limited studies on probiotics in veterinary medicine, it can be difficult to decide which supplements are beneficial. The range of probiotics available offer different varieties, types, and amounts of good bacteria; while researching the best probiotic can take time, it will also benefit your pet in the long run.

“There are a few products that either have studies to show it benefits our veterinary patients, or veterinarians have enough experience with them to know they provide benefits,” Gould said. “For example, we think of probiotics with more different types of bacteria as being more balanced and in general ‘better’ probiotics to give. Increased diversity of good bacteria is associated with a better product.”

Probiotics should not cause any side effects as long as they are purchased from a reliable company that is known to be safe for pets, explained Gould.

For those whose pets are going through an elimination diet trial, a strict diet that slowly reintroduces foods to determine a pet’s allergies, Gould recommends looking at a probiotic’s label to make sure there is no flavoring. Probiotics from a reputable company will be of good quality and not have flavoring contamination.

“Many probiotic products will have animal protein flavoring or just not have good quality control during product manufacturing which can result in contamination,” Gould said. “This can definitely confound the effects of your food trial.”

Gould pointed out, however, that probiotics are supplements and will not treat other health issues. If there is chronic or severe vomiting, diarrhea, or changes in appetite, pet owners should take pets to their veterinarian to discuss the best solution.

“Although cats and dogs with chronic intestinal disorders might have symptoms that benefit from the probiotic, owners should know that probiotics are usually not a sole treatment,” Gould said. “Other diagnostics and therapeutics are usually necessary to find the root of the problem and treat it.”

Nevertheless, Gould says probiotics are great for pets with tummy troubles.

In the event your furry friend is having a tough time with their gut, talk to your veterinarian about different types of probiotics as a possible solution so that your pet can get back to feeling like themselves sooner. They might even thank you with a wagging tail!