Each day, pets enter pet care facilities with pre-existing medical conditions or they become susceptible to various diseases during their stay. It is important that not only you, as the facility owner or manager, understands these medical conditions and that you are able to provide the highest level of care for the pets in your facility, but that your staff be prepared too! Knowing the signs and symptoms of potential problems will allow you to provide the best care for these pets and may even save a pet’s life.

Ear Conditions
Localized infections are the most common problem seen in ears at a pet care facility. The pet may be developing a problem or be prone to infection prior to arrival, but living in a damp environment may exacerbate the infection. Ear problems can be caused by improper cleaning, self-mutilation, animal bites, a foreign body (object lodged in the ear canal), bacterial, mite or yeast infections, or allergies.

Symptoms of an ear problem may include violent head shaking, scratching at the ears or neck, rubbing the head on the floor, and tilting the head or carrying it at an angle. Infected ears are red, may ooze debris or pus, have a foul odor, and can be quite painful.

Prevent any excessive moisture from entering the ear canal during bathing or swimming by plugging the ears with cotton. It is important to remember to remove cotton balls after the bath or swimming session.

Other common ear conditions are scratches or tears to the earflap, or a hematoma of the earflap. The ear canal and earflap both have a large blood supply, so even small tumors or nicks can cause a lot of bleeding. Use basic first aid to control bleeding from a cut by applying pressure and a bandage.

A hematoma is usually caused by a self-inflicted injury. Infection or allergies are often underlying causes. The dog ruptures a blood vessel inside the flap of the ear (pinna) by scratching or by shaking its head against the wall or its skull. Bleeding inside the pinna (between the two layers of cartilage) causes a blood clot and swelling. The pinna fills up and feels like a water balloon. Surgery to remove the clots and drain the ear is usually required, as well as treating any underlying infection.

Eye Conditions
Symptoms of eye conditions include the eyelids being closed tightly or the animal squinting, a sensitivity to light, excessive tearing, white or yellow discharge from the eye, pain (head and eye may be painful and animal will resist handling), redness of the sclera (“whites” of the eye) or inside the eyeball, noticeable cloudiness of the cornea and/or iris, rubbing and pawing at the eye, swelling of the eye and/or eyelids, and bleeding.

Possible conditions include:

• Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”): allergy, irritation or infection of the conjunctiva (the lining of the eyelids). Infection could be contagious to other pets and humans in close contact.
• “Dry eye” or Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS): lack of tear production. Lodging pets with this condition may have medication to help keep their eyes moist (artificial tears) and stimulate tear production (Tacrolimus, Optimmune®).
• Ectropion: eyelids that roll outward and appear baggy.
• Entropion: eyelids that roll inward, causing eye irritation that may result in ulceration of the cornea as the eyelashes and fur rub the eye.
• Glaucoma: increased pressure and fluid within the eyeball. Medications are used to control pressure and to help prevent blindness.
• Ulcers: a scrape or puncture to the cornea (the clear front layer of the eye).
• “Cherry eye” or prolapsed gland of the third eyelid: the tear gland that normally stays on the back of the third eyelid pops up and out, where it looks like a pink or red mass.

It is important to remember and remind staff that it is not their job to try to diagnose the various eye conditions, but to know what is normal and what isn’t. If the pet’s eye looks strange or painful, a veterinarian should be consulted as soon as possible to prevent the situation from becoming more serious.

If the eye looks normal and the pet is comfortable, you can wipe away discharge with gauze or cotton balls moistened with water. A sterile saline solution may be used to wash the eyes, especially if dirt or other debris is evident.

There are also diseases that affect the vision of pets. Older pets or dogs with diabetes are especially prone to cataracts (a cloudiness of the lens of the eye). In some cases, pets may be totally blind and may find the lodging environment upsetting. Take some time to help acclimate these pets, and give them warning of your presence before approaching them in the cage or run. Rattling the door, stomping your feet, clapping your hands, or even rapping on the enclosure with your knuckles will all cause vibrations the pet can feel. It will alert them to your presence, and they can be waiting for you, rather than being startled.

Short-nosed breeds with bulging eyes (Pugs, Shih Tzus, or Chihuahuas, for example) are prone to Proptosis of the eye. This means the whole eyeball pops out of the socket. It can happen as a result of trauma (such as fights with other dogs) or simply by pushing too hard on the side of the eye or face, or squeezing the throat. Never tightly grip or pull back the hair above the eyes of these breeds. Proptosis occasionally happens during the grooming process because of actions like these. If Proptosis occurs to a pet in your care, cover the eye with damp, saline-soaked gauze pads and transport to a veterinarian immediately.

Skin Disorders
Skin infections can be caused by a variety of factors, including external parasites such as fleas, ticks or mites, inherited conditions, exposure to irritating substances, and food or environmental allergies. You will find that many breeds, such as Shar-Peis, Labrador and Golden Retrievers, Schnauzers, Bull Dogs and West Highland Terriers, are predisposed to skin problems.

A pre-entry screening exam is the best way to help determine if an animal has a pre-existing condition and to help you be proactive in handling it during the pet’s stay. By doing so, you may be able to help the condition to get better or prevent it from worsening while the pet is in your care. Be aware and note any lesions, sore spots, hair loss, or oily skin so it can be reported to the pet parent. If you find open sores that appear raw or bleeding, these should be seen by a veterinarian immediately to prevent further spread or infection.

It is helpful to use a flea comb to check for parasites during your pre-entry exam. If any parasites are found, treat the pet immediately following your facility’s protocol. Since some skin conditions or parasites are communicable to other pets, equipment should be disinfected after use on a pet with any skin problems. It is always a good idea to wear gloves when handling a pet with a potential severe skin condition because ringworm, scabies, and some other infections can affect humans.

Occasionally a customer will provide special shampoos or skin treatments prescribed by their veterinarian. Follow the instructions provided; keep in mind most medications, to be effective, must sit on the skin for a minimum of 10 minutes.

Hot Spots
One common skin disorder that will be seen in a pet care facility is moist Dermatitis; commonly referred to as “hot spots.” Typically, a hot spot will appear in certain areas – for example, behind the ears or on the legs and feet. It may appear to be a moist, red, irritated, and sometimes oozy sore. Since it can be irritating to the pet, you may observe the pet scratching or licking the area excessively.

A hot spot can surface in a very short period of time. There is no known cause, but the thinking is that allergies, external parasites, change in diet, nervousness, and warm or moist weather can be causative factors. Because of the severe itching, the dog complicates the healing process by excessive attention to the area through licking or scratching, which worsens the problem.

If a pet in the facility has a hot spot, clean the area of skin thoroughly and keep it exposed to the air. If the dog has a heavy coat, the hair may need to be trimmed or shaved away from the region. To prevent further trauma by the pet to itself, it is helpful to use an Elizabethan collar or a similar preventative to stop additional scratching or licking. In many cases, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications are needed, so a veterinarian should see the pet.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Foreign Bodies

A “foreign body” refers to anything abnormal that the pet has eaten. (It can also refer to a foreign object anywhere in the body, such as a piece of grass inhaled up the nose.) Cats may try to eat things like string or twine, needles and thread, rubber bands, cotton balls, plastic, or wool. Dogs can also eat very strange items, including rocks, underwear, socks, pantyhose, corncobs, toys, balls, bones, plastic bags, etc., and no doubt you may have found some odd things passed in their stools.

The danger lies in the fact that not all things eaten can pass through the digestive tract. At a minimum, a foreign body usually causes some gastrointestinal distress. In the worst case, it gets stuck in the stomach or intestines.

Symptoms of a foreign body gastrointestinal obstruction include loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, possibly diarrhea, and occasionally weight loss if the problem is chronic. Most of the time the owner has not seen the pet eat an item and is not aware the pet has eaten anything abnormal. Occasionally they will remember that an item is missing if asked, or perhaps they found pieces of something on the floor.

It may take a few days for the foreign body to cause enough discomfort or abnormal signs to cause concern. Pets may require veterinary attention and surgery during a lodging stay because of something they ate prior to arrival. In the pet care facility, monitor all pets for loss of appetite or vomiting. If a pet is vomiting and dehydrated, it should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Foreign body obstructions can be life threatening.

• Gastric Dilatation/Volvulus (GDV, also known as Bloat or Gastric Torsion)

A gastric torsion, or bloat, should receive emergency medical attention as soon as it is noticed. A dog that is bloating needs immediate attention. This is a true emergency situation and time is of the essence!

Gastric (stomach) Dilatation (enlargement) / Volvulus (twisting) is when the stomach fills up with air, causing it to swell to the size of a basketball, and twist around itself. When the organ twists, it cuts off the blood supply to the stomach and spleen so that the tissues start to die from lack of oxygen. Bloat is a painful, life-threatening condition that is a true emergency. It is imperative that this condition be recognized early and acted upon.

The majority of bloat cases occur in large dog breeds with a narrow, deep-chested conformation such as Great Danes, German Shepherds, Standard Poodles, Dobermans, St. Bernards and Bernese Mountain Dogs. Although these breeds may be more prone to the condition, no breed is immune to GDV. In years past, a diagnosis of bloat almost always meant death for the dog, as only 25% survived. Today the survival rate is better than 80% when detected early.

Risk Factors for Bloat:

• Large-breed dog
• Family history of another related dog having bloated
• Feeding only one meal per day
• Exercising immediately after eating
• “Gulping down” food
• Being thin
• Middle-aged to older
• Stress/anxiety

Although some of these factors may potentially be seen in the pet care facility (exercising after eating, anxiety), there are other factors that are not understood. Bloating can and does happen in the home environment. A dog that is predisposed to bloating is probably safer in a quality pet care facility with observant staff than it would be unattended at home or in the care of inexperienced acquaintances.

The common symptoms include heavy drooling, panting, frequent retching and attempts to vomit (usually not bringing up much in the vomit), anxiousness, restlessness, and pacing. As it progresses, they show depression and shock, rapid heart rate, pale, dry gums, and distension of the front part of the abdomen. Sometimes the belly feels like an air-filled volleyball.

If you feel a dog has the symptoms of bloat, get him to a veterinarian immediately. Every minute that a dog is bloated increases the likelihood of the stomach tissue dying. Dogs will go into shock and can die within a few hours.

The pet owner should be contacted about this emergency unless clear emergency instructions have been left in advance. The care and surgery costs of a GDV case can be quite expensive.

The conditions highlighted here are the most common you might see at your facility, but are only a few of the diseases with which you might be presented. To provide the highest level of care, it is important that staff is trained and prepared to identify health issues, regardless of the severity of the condition. When in doubt, contact or take the pet to a veterinarian immediately. Pet parents seek the utmost quality in care when making their pet care decisions. Being proactive and prepared for these situations will allow you to provide the best care, environment, and experience for the pets as well as the highest level of customer satisfaction.

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• Delivers necessary pet care training in the convenience of your facility,
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• Can increase health and happiness of the pets in your care
• Protects you, your staff, and your bottom line

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