Message from our Oncology Department:

Welcome back, Dr. Vazquez!!!!!!

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Irene Vazquez, returns from maternity leave on Tuesday, September 7th to resume her full schedule of appointments and procedures Monday- Thursday.

 We are very excited to have her back and look forward to sharing with you some of the newest treatments she is implementing in her cancer care service.

As always our Emergency Service is open 24/7/365.
Our Specialized Veterinary Care is available Monday-Saturday!

We understand the unique impact this year has had on all of us and we are grateful to be your source for emergency & specialty pet care.

Learn more about Pet Cancer Care and the vast resources that are available through your local VCA Hollywood Pet Cancer Care Center.

February Patient of the Month- Kaya!!!

This month’s Patient of the Month highlights a common tale of a pet that ate the wrong thing! However, this time with potentially devastating consequences unrelated to the more common issue of obstruction. 

Kaya, a 10 month old Yorkie ate a penny. 

When little Kaya began showing signs of lethargy and inappetence her parents immediately brought her in for a check-up. Dr. Cappe was her Vet and after a thorough exam and complete history, Dr. Cappe immediately suspected anemia and that a foreign body was present. 

She ordered radiographs and lab work to include a complete blood count. The complete blood count would confirm the anemia and the radiographs would hopefully rule out a foreign body. Well half of that was true!

The diagnostics confirmed a foreign body as well as anemia due to high levels of zinc-related destruction of Red Blood Cells (RBCs). Due to rapid destruction of red blood cells, Dr. Cappe evaluated Kaya's packed cell volume (PCV) to calculate the number of viable red blood cells Kaya still had left. That number was low and Kaya need a blood transfusion.  

While a life saving transfusion was critical, the issue of her foreign body was ever present. Radiographs showed a clear object in her stomach that was easily identified as a coin. Zinc toxicity was the most likely diagnosis.

While zinc is one of the most important minerals in the maintenance of a healthy body in both pets and humans, too much zinc can cause serious health problems. Once a penny starts to corrode, the zinc is released into the bloodstream and causes anemia and liver damage.  It could take a few hours to a couple days before signs of toxicity start to show up but the damage begins immediately. 

Luckily pennies are just heavy enough that they tend to stay in the stomach so a non-invasive procedure with a scope was immediately performed by Dr. Cappe to pluck the penny right out. 

Once the penny was removed Kaya received her blood transfusion to correct the anemia and was maintained on IV fluids to flush the liver and help rid her body of the zinc. Supportive care was needed to comfort her upset stomach and ease her nausea.With days Kaya was on the mend.

This month we are please to share that Kaya is home with her brother Yoki and back to being simply the sweetest yorkie in town! Her pet parents credit Dr. Cappe’s expertise, professionalism and overall sweet disposition for not only saving their little girls life but helping them get through this tenuous time. 

As always we love to be able to share the stories of our patients and are happy to recognize Kaya as our February Patient of the Month!!  

June Patient of the Month- Max!!!

***images attached to the end of this blog may be too graphic for some***another warning is present on the scroll prior to images***

Max, a one year old French Bulldog was discovered by Jamie’s Rescue at Miami Dade Animal Shelter after being abandoned. A regular client of Dr. Shapiro, Jamie brought Max to the clinic for a full evaluation. As his photos indicate, Little Max was a bit worse for wear when he came to our door.  In addition to other ‘expected’ challenges that we anticipate with abandoned animals, little Max had many other things going on. After his exam (and a some extra love from Dr. Shapiro’s technician, Dalila) Max was diagnosed with demodex (mange), a deep ulcer in his Left eye and viral papillomas. 

Demodex is a collection of tiny parasitic mites that live in or near the hair follicles of mammals. It is a common infestation for dogs and diagnosed by analyzing a small skin sample under a microscope. A dip, which includes a highly concentrated insecticide, is most often used to treat demodex however in some cases drugs like Ivermectins can be used. In each case, supervision by a veterinarian is highly recommended because of the potential for side effects.

For Max’s demodex, Dr. Shapiro prescribed oral medication which, while treatment would span several weeks, started the healing process immediately. However the ulcer in Max’s right eye would prove to be more challenging. The viral papillomas growing on his face were too close to his eyes and were obstructing the ulcer and causing additional irritation. With no room for medication to access the area, no healing was possible.   Max was in need of some intensive care.  But, before that could begin, the papillomas had to be addressed. 

One treatment for papillomas, is to remove the growths and begin antibiotic treatment; such as azithromycin which has been shown to hasten resolution of papillomas. Since the ulcer in Max’s eye was covered by the papillomas removing them was the necessary next step. Additionally, Max was an intact male so a routine neuter was on the list. Since the demodex was localized primarily to his head and upper body surgery was possible sooner rather than later. 

Dr. Shapiro and Jamie decided to hospitalize Max to begin treatment. After a day of medical treatment, surgery was scheduled. Dr. Shapiro performed a simple neuter and then went to the task of removing all of the papilloma masses from his eye, his mouth and his face. His recovery from surgery was smooth and for the next 2 weeks Max was our guest, undergoing intensive isolated care which included hourly medications for his eye, intense antibiotic therapy and pain medications. 

 After 14 days of treatment by our dedicated day and night crew, Max looked like a new dog. While his spirit stayed high throughout his stay his skin and eyes were now on the mend. His outside were now more reflective of his puppy like attitude.

 Today, Max is nearly fully healed. He has continued treatment for the demodex and continues to stay away from other dogs while the papillomas resolve but he is by all other accounts: back to normal and looking for his fur-ever home.

It is always a pleasure to be able to see the recovery of a pet that just needs some TLC. Time, love and compassion paired with great medical know how works wonders. We are so pleased with his progress and so happy to highlight him as our June Patient of the Month!

 

**images below are of Max before treatment of the Viral Papillomas***They may be too graphic for some****

Papillomas covering the ulcer in his eye.

Demodex is visible around his eye as well.

December Patient of the Month- Cagney!!!!!!!

This month’s Patient of the Month is really a story of bad luck. Cagney, a 5 month old yorkie has certainly giving his pet parents a reason to celebrate this year. His family, having a history of rescuing and caring for animals did everything right but still have a tough story to share.  

Earlier this year, after rescuing and treated a German Shepherd with Parvovirus his family took the necessary precautions to treat the family areas and linens with bleach.

Many months later, they rescued another dog that surprised this family with 3 puppies; Bogart, Cagney and Chaplin. Being acutely aware of the realities of treating disease in pets they were diligent in ensuring their home was safe and that the pups received the appropriate medical and vaccine care. However, what our owners were not aware of was just how persistent the Parvovirus can be.

Parvovirus is a hearty viral disease that is life threatening to dogs and puppies.  It is transmitted from one animal to another through contact with infected feces.  While bleach is the only thing that will kill the virus it can live in the ground for several months. Shaded areas are considered contaminated for seven months whereas areas with good sunlight exposure should be considered contaminated for five months.  In order to remove Parvovirus from your yard there needs to be no living material, such as grass or plants left. The ground must be saturated with a solution of one part bleach to 32 parts water or one-half cup of bleach per gallon of water.

 

Before our owners knew it, their puppies had picked up the Parvovirus from their yard. All three pups were hospitalized in our intensive care and one by one fought their fight. Sadly, not all were successful.

After a week of care, Cagney, the largest of the pups was sent home.  Perhaps it was his early vaccine boosters that helped him battle this bug or perhaps simply his size but now, 5 months old Cagney is doing well.  Since the incident, the family's 2 acre yard has been treated to the roots and the Parvovirus and is believed to be clear.

This holiday season will certainly be one to celebrate. Cagney’s is a story to educate on the voraciousness of the Parvovirus and the importance of understanding all we can do to protect our animal community. Thank you to Cagney’s family for letting us share this story and for partnering with us in the care of your pets.

Happy Holidays!!

For more information about Canine Parvovirus: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/parvovirus