August 2005
The Newsletter of Dwight – Pine Bluff – Lakewood Animal Hospitals

 
 
Case of the Month:
Little Miss Kitty
    When Little Miss  did not come home one evening, the family feared the worst.  But nothing could have prepared them for the horrible sight they found the next morning. Little Miss was home, laying on the porch.  She had been shot through with an arrow.
                                
     On her arrival at Pine Bluff Animal Hospital, Little Miss was in stable but shocky condition.  Her breathing was shallow and she was unable to stand.  The arrow shaft protruded from her chest several inches on both sides of her body.
 After carefully cutting the arrow close to her skin, Dr. Schmidt was able to obtain radiographs, which showed, miraculously, that the arrow had penetrated the lungs but had somehow missed the heart and major blood vessels.  Little Miss was given antibiotics, pain medication, and IV fluids, then sedated.  The arrow was carefully removed, then the entrance holes on each side were sutured.  A chest tube was placed to allow suction of air and fluid from the damaged lungs.
 Little Miss spent 3 days in the hospital.  She has made an amazing recovery and is now completely healed!
 


The Amazing Immune System

    The body wages a continuous war.  Every day, our pets are bombarded with bacteria, viruses, chemical toxins.  They cut a paw, swallow rotten garbage, share a kennel with a sneezing pup.  Only the immune system stands between your pet and death.
     The immune system is designed to recognize dangerous “invaders” in our body and destroy them.   The immune system’s major component is white blood cells, which release inflammatory chemicals that eliminate these “invaders.”  Many of these chemicals are histamines.  Sometimes, these products of the immune system affect the body as well.  This is why, as our  cat’s immune system fights off a respiratory virus, he may get a fever or runny nose.  If he did not have an immune system, that simple cold might turn into a life-threatening infection!
 

Allergies:
The Immune System Gone Bad

     What about the dog who sneezes and itches all summer long?  An allergy is an over-reaction of the immune system to a normal environmental stimulant.  In short, the immune system views a pollen granule as a life-threatening virus and wages an attack against it.  Hence, many allergy symptoms mimic signs of true infection – runny eyes, sneezing, rash, and generally feeling lousy.  For an allergy sufferer, the daily world can set off illness.
     The first treatment for many allergy sufferers is an antihistamine (such as Benadryl).  Antihistamines block the inflammatory chemicals that cause many annoying allergy symptoms. The major side effect of anti-histamines is drowsiness.
 Unfortunately, while antihistamines work well for people, they are not as effective in pets.  Therefore, veterinarians often turn to corticosteroids for severe allergies.  Corticosteroids (such as prednisone) suppress the immune system, thus “turning off” the allergy.  The result is usually quick relief.   Unfortunately, corticosteroids have many side effects.  The most common side effect is increased thirst and urination.  Pets may also have increased appetite, weight gain, and panting.  If corticosteroids are used in high doses or long-term, liver and adrenal gland damage can occur.  Because corticosteroids suppress the immune system, pets can be at risk for infections.  Therefore, veterinarians try to limit steroid use as much as possible.
     For chronic allergy sufferers, desensitization shots may be the answer.  The goal of desensitization is to teach the immune system to ignore the allergy-causing substance.  Small amounts of the allergen are injected into the pet.  Over time, the amount of the allergen is increased.  Ultimately, the immune system recognizes the allergen as a normal, non-threatening substance, and the immune reactions subside.  Desensitization is a long, slow process, but it can bring better results without the side effects of drugs.



Autoimmune Disease

    If allergies result from an overreaction of the immune system to the normal environment, what is autoimmune disease?  This very serious condition is when the immune system treats a part of the body as a foreign invader.  Essentially, the body destroys itself.
     In humans, one of the most common autoimmune diseases is rheumatoid arthritis – the immune system attacks joint cartilage.  In pets, a common autoimmune disorder is autoimmune hemolytic anemia, in which the immune system attacks red blood cells.  Life-threatening anemia results.  Other autoimmune diseases seen in pets include pemphigus, involving the skin and sometimes the internal organs; and autoimmune thrombocytopenia, a platelet shortage.
     Treatment for autoimmune disorders is similar to treating allergies, only much more aggressive: high doses of immunosuppressants to shut down the immune system.  Once the disease is under control, the pet is slowly weaned off drugs.  Frequent rechecks are needed to ensure the condition does not return.  Unfortunately, relapses are common.  In some cases, the immune system cannot be controlled and the pet succumbs to its disease.
 The immune system…an amazing and very complex body function.  When it works as designed, it keeps our pets healthy and happy.  But when things go wrong, the results can be disastrous.
 


 
 

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