Ask the Vet
Ask the Vet
44. Pet Loss and Caregiver Support with Veterinary Social Worker Jamie Cohen
Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Jamie Cohen, LCSW, AMC's new Veterinary Social Worker. Jamie brings more than a decade of experience in supporting trauma survivors and helping individuals and families navigate grief. At AMC, Jamie leads our Pet Loss Support Program and our Caregiver Support Group, offering both practical and emotional support to pet owners facing the loss or illness of their beloved animal companions.
Tune in as they discuss:
- How Jamie came to work at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center
- Jamie's biggest adjustment to working at an animal hospital
- Helping clients when they are making decisions about treatments
- The influence of Jamie's dogs on her work
- How the Pet Loss Support Programs and Caregiver Support Group at AMC help pet parents
- How the loss of a pet compares to, and differs from, the loss of a human
- Jamie's suggestions for people coping with the death of an animal companion
- How friends and family can support someone who has experienced pet loss
Also on this month's show:
- Viral trending animal story of the month, featuring Sphen, one half of the famous “gay penguin power couple” at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, who has died at the age of 11
- Animal news, including Dr. Hohenhaus' concerns about Fefé, a new perfume designed for dogs by Dolce & Gabbana
- Pet Health Listener Q&A
Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.
We want to remind our listeners that this program is for informational and educational purposes only, and not intended to substitute for professional veterinary medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. The Animal Medical Center does not recommend or endorse any products or services advertised by Sirius XM. Welcome to Ask the Vet with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus. This is the place to talk about your pets and get advice for the top veterinarian from the Animal Medical Center in NYC. Hear from the leading authorities on animals and ask your questions. Now here's your host, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus. Hello everyone and welcome to Ask the Vet. It's a podcast for people who love their pets and want the latest in pet health and animal news. I'm your host. I'm Dr. Ann Hohenhaus. I'm a senior veterinarian here at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center and director of pet health information. And we've got great information for you today. First, I'm very excited to welcome my guest, who's Jamie Cohen. She's a licensed clinical social worker. But most importantly, she's AMC's new veterinary social worker. She will join us to discuss her role in helping pet owners navigate the emotional challenges of coping with the loss of a beloved companion. We're really happy to have her with us here at the Animal Medical Center, and I'm thrilled she's on our show today to share her expertise and insights with all of you. The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is the only level one veterinary trauma center in New York City, and with our 114 years of being the very best place for pets, it's where you want to come. When your pet has a problem. If you want just advice on maintaining your pet's health, then I'm here to help. I'm here this month and every month all you have to do is send me your questions. And we have an email, which is really easy to remember. It's AskTheVet@amcny.org and I'll answer your questions on next month's show. If you don't have a pen and pencil, I'm going to give it again later in the show. But once again, it's AskTheVet@amcny.org and now it's time for the trending animal of the month. It's time for the internet's most talked about animal. Sphen one half of the famous gay penguin power couple at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium has sadly died at the age of 11. Spend gained internet fame in 2018 for his same sex partnership with magic, with whom he successfully raised two chicks. Their relationship inspired a float in Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, and was featured in the Netflix series atypical. After Sphen's passing, magic was taken to Sea Spends Body, where he immediately began singing, a behavior often associated with mourning among gentoo penguins. Remarkably, the entire penguin colony consisting of 45 penguins joined in the mourning song of Magic. Gentoo penguins have unique vocalizations, allowing partners to identify each other's voices, even among a large group of tuxedoed birds. The Sydney Aquarium staff is now focused on supporting Magic as he prepares for his first breeding season without Sphen. the world are mourning the loss of Sphen and one touching tribute read spend is going to be having fun surfing the rainbow waves up there. Penguins superstar spin. Thank you for being you. We will miss you. And now I'd like to welcome my colleague Jamie Cohen, AMCs new veterinary social worker. Jamie brings more than a decade of experience in supporting trauma survivors and helping individuals and families navigate grief. At AMC, Jamie leads our Pet Loss Group and our Caregiver Support Group, offering both practical and emotional support to pet owners facing the loss or illness of their beloved animal companions. Before joining AMC, Jamie worked in the Victim Services Unit at the Kings County District Attorney's Office. So for those of you not from New York, Kings County is Brooklyn, and she provided crisis interventions and support to crime victims and their families. On September 17th, Jamie will be one of the speakers at AMC's seventh annual Celebration of Life Pet Memorial event, and I'll share more details about this event later in the program. Welcome, Jamie. Thank you so much for joining me here on FS event. Thank you so much for having me. So the first question I think that has to be on my mind and every listener's mind is what inspired you to take on the role of being a veterinary social worker at AMC? Meaning how come you left the DA's office for Doctor Doolittle's office? well, so first, I would say I didn't even know that veterinary social work was a thing. When I went to grad school, it never came up from my grad school program for social work. I happened to be at AMC with one of my dogs and saw a brochure for veterinary social work and was like, what? That's a thing. And I remember taking it with me and thinking, maybe I'll ask if they have any openings, because I'm an animal lover and I just the idea of being able to do this work with pet owners through these difficult moments around pet care and pet loss sounded amazing. I never did anything with the brochure and then I ended up. Fast forward, I see a posting and the rest is history. I was like, I love animals. I, I really am passionate about grief and bereavement work and this just seems like a perfect job and I'm sure it is going to be a perfect job. So talk about your adjustment from the DA's office to here at AMC. What kinds of things have you had to rethink or what's translated? Well? I think the biggest challenge. So for both settings, I had a big learning curve for my previous job. I had to learn the criminal justice system and specifically Brooklyn. here I have to learn vet med, and learning how this hospital functions and what it means to be on the second floor, who's who, all are the players on that floor and on each different floor, learning the different lingo. There's a lot of acronyms that are being thrown at me, and I'm like, I have no idea what you're talking about. So I'd say the the veterinary world is near to me. and that's the big adjustment. Again, the providing support, the crisis work, the trauma, the loss, all stuff I've done before. But the understanding what's going on for that pet is what I'm learning. Well, and and I've always relied really heavily on the social workers. Not not so much about pet loss, but about decision making. Because most of my clients know that because their pet has cancer, they know it's ultimately going to die from that disease. But what they struggle with the most is what is the right thing? What is the best thing that they can do for their pet? And I'm not I'm not so good at helping people do that. So I think that I've used the social worker a lot when people are trying to sort through some different options. Is, is treatment even right for their particular pet and their, their family? So that's why you need to know the lingo is to understand. I'm pretty sure that we could carry we meaning the veterinarians at AMC could carry on an entire conversation and not speak a word. But like, is, the, and and, and the pet's name, because we have enough acronyms to cover just about everything that we talk about. So it's really hard. And, as somebody has an acronym list around here, we need to we need to hunt that down for you so I can see in your background. So for our listeners, we're on zoom. You're just not getting the video aspect of this, conversation. But I can see a little two sided frame behind Jamie, and I think I see a dog in each frame, for sure. There's a dog on the right. I don't I'm not as clear as what's on the left. Are those your pets and can you talk about them? Yes. they are my pets. I have two dogs. a Shorkie so a Shitzu Yorkie mix that is 14 years old, and she is Izzy. And then I have a German Shepherd that’s 6 named Josette. And I absolutely adore them. And I've always had dogs in my life, so I think. What is the question? Sorry, we've gone off, but one of the questions I get from clients that I did not get in the dog's setting is, do you have pets? Like, it's like this unspoken, like, if I, if I'm doing this work, you must have had pets, right? Because if you don't have pets, you don't understand. And while I think people can still provide support if they have not had pets, I do think that that's something I have going for me, that I do have pets and I have had pets and I have had pet loss before, and in my previous job, people wanted to know if I had human kids, but here that doesn't matter. I want to know if I have them. I, I've been at AMC a while and I think you're, oh, maybe the fourth or fifth social worker that I've worked with. And I can't think of a one that didn't have pets. I don't think you would take this job if you didn't have pets. I don't think you would. People don't always understand, and I think that's an important point for our listeners is the the reason I think that clients ask Jamie if she has pets is because people who don't have pets don't always understand why you're so upset when your pet dies. And I have a lovely couple who are older now, and they when one of the pets was sick, they confessed to me that their family and friends were not being very supportive because they said things like it's just a cat, get over it. And so I, I think you hold much more, much more credibility having pets. But I also can't imagine a veterinary social worker not having pets, you know, so, pets. Pets are good. So how do your pets then influence your work at AMC? I mean, I noticed as soon as I got home from a tough day where there was a euthanasia I like, squeezed them tighter than I normally do, and I got home. I think there's I've always appreciated them, but there's just this. It's part of my everyday is hearing these stories and and hearing about pet loss and just being reminded. Pets die just like humans do, and unfortunately they have a shorter lifespan. And, just reminded that to enjoy those moments, to enjoy all the moments you have with your pet because. Things happen even when you don't expect it. Yeah, yeah. I, I keep thinking that we need a pet that lives for 50 years. Would that be better? You know, you could get it when you were 20. You'd have it. You were 70. You could take care of it, enjoy it. I maybe maybe that would be what, you know, a 50 year old dog might be a good thing, and then you wouldn't have that experience. Pet loss. Because if you're a pet lover, you experience pet loss a bunch of times in your life. you think that would help? well, don't they have, like, birds that live that love? Oh, I think birds can be, like, 75 years old. Yeah, we we will frequently have birds come into the animal medical center that are older, than, like, everybody that works here. So I'll have to look. We have the information on what the oldest pet that came to AMC last year was. I'm just not. I think it's about 75 and it's always a bird because they do live a very long time. So do you want to talk a little bit about our pet loss programs here at AMC? Yeah. So we have two, pet loss support groups, one that's for acute grief for those who lost an animal companion in the last three months. And then another group that's for those who are further out in their grieving process. It's from four months to a year after the loss. the pet loss support group, that's the short term, but the more acute, meets twice a month. And then the other group that's for people who've had a loss further out, is, once a month, and we meet virtually on Tuesdays at 6”15,
and it's open, 6:15 p.m.. And it's open to the public. We just do have, a waitlist because there's such a high demand. So people would sign up for these groups. How? Through our website. If you go to if you search AMC Social Work, you'll find the social work website. I can also give you the link after so that you have it. But, they would go through the social work website and then you'll find pet lost part. Also, if you google AMC pet loss support group, it comes up very quickly. okay. Let's let me just look. So it is yeah, here it is. If you just go to amcny.org and put social work in the search bar at the top, you will get, the social work pages. And then you can sign up for one of these groups. It fits your particular needs. I just checked to go back a minute. last year, the oldest pet scene at AMC was a bird named Jerry, and he was 69 years old. Wow. Yeah. So you're. You're absolutely right. Birds can live a very long time. And that that's an important thing is that you need to have a plan for what will happen to your bird, because depending on how old you are, when you get your bird, your bird could very easily outlive you. And that's a topic for another day. But just just keep that in mind. So AMC also offers a pet caregiver support group. And so these are for owners whose pet has not died, but they have a sick pet that is being taken care of at home. So why do caregivers need a support group. so it's actually I actually had the first one last night that I facilitated. And it's extremely powerful. The emotional and financial impact of caring for a pet with a chronic or terminal illness, is very intense. But just like with pet loss, people don't necessarily understand, and that don't have a pet or even people who don't have a pet with high needs. So I think the space to be able to talk to other people, it's very powerful just how you could have very different circumstances. A pet that has a condition that requires lots of medical appointments but is not terminal, but still is draining and emotional, and all of the things that you need to do as a caregiver to help support your animal. Well, even just thinking about something like, mobility, maybe they, are unable to walk, but you're having to carry them everywhere, or you're having to use the wheelchair with, like these different things that have such high needs that across the board, it's really, powerful to have other people to talk to about it. And if if our listeners think that taking care of a sick pet is not a lot of work or not emotionally exhausting, I can tell you it is. I have a couple of kittens right now, and they're in the in-between stage where they sometimes remember to use a litter box, sometimes don't they sometimes remember to eat off their plate, and sometimes they just kind of lay in their plate. And so yesterday I had to do kitten baths. They trashed their pen here. There was like little bits of kitten food everywhere. They trashed their bed. Then they went home. They trashed that pen too. And at the end of the day, I was like, oh, it's good thing you guys are really cute, because if not, I would put you back out on the street because yesterday they were an awful lot of work. Today they've eaten nicely off the plate and they haven't trashed the pen sort of only once. But but at the end of the day, I was like, I am really tired of this and I hope you guys grow up really soon because this is hard work. So I completely understand. These are foster kittens, so they're temporary. This is not forever. And so I can't imagine what it must be like to have a really sick pet that needs a lot of care all the time. Yeah, so, signing up for the caregiver support group, is it the same deal for people who want to do that? that is through the same link that you just talked about. You'll find, it's for specifically for AMC clients. So the other ones are open to the public. The caregiver Support group is for AMC clients. Okay. All right. Very good. So now, when a pet dogs are the elements of grief that people go through, similar to those as to when a human dies, or and are there any really important differences? So I've been thinking a lot about this, and I think that the if, you know, the five stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, it's all there. What is very unique and what takes, a lot to think out of people, especially for pet loss, is this topic of euthanasia and the guilt that comes with that that's unique to animals. Unless you are in a state that allows for physician assisted, dying and even then, I don't know what those conversations are looking like. It's not as common, obviously, as euthanasia and I haven't had experience with physician assisted dying and maybe there would be conversations like that, but, the intensity of guilt that comes with the decision to euthanize, I wish I could remove it from people like I wish I could say something that would just be this magic switch that makes people feel better, but it just takes time. And there's a that's the difference, I think, in the bargaining stage of grief is that bargaining has to do with the what ifs. And I feel like there's all of these what ifs. Should I have done this? Should I have been in the room when I, when the pet was put down, like, or, just all of the what ifs and things that are out of our control. And I think that is very unique to pet loss. I find it is a much more difficult topic to discuss now than it was when I first started as a veterinarian. And I think some of the difficulty comes in that pets are more important to us now than I think they were when I started as a veterinary. They for some people they've always been really important, but I think they are more important today. And the other possibilities, maybe they're more important in New York City, where we live a bit differently. You know, I don't know my neighbors very well. And so when I get home at night, it's not like I'm chit chatting over the back fence or anything with the neighbors. It's me, me and my kittens, you know, hanging out for the evening. And then I also think we have more options to treat pets, but that is also complicated by it. We have more options to do things, but it then becomes more complicated for the family to make a decision to pursue treatment. Because it complicates their life in in many ways, it's not. These decisions are not always just about the pet. They can also be about the family situation. And and that makes it hard, for people to decide what the right thing to do is. And I guess the other thing is, there's not always a right thing. Yeah. And the other thing I wanted to say is, you made me think about when we're talking about, like, versus human loss, a lot of people, and they'll feel guilty about it, too, or they won't want to say it. It'll be very, like, whispery, but like this idea that, like, this loss is harder than the loss that they had of another important, whether it be a parent or a spouse, that this loss of this pet is more intense for them and harder they would describe than what they've had for other really significant people in their lives. which I think makes it hard to talk about if you feel this discomfort around being real about that. I don't doubt that pet loss is more intense for people than their mother or their grandfather or someone like that. But why do you why do you think that is? The relationship is simpler, less complicated? I've been wondering about this. I've been reading some things out there. I think that part is I think one aspect is this like your pet doesn't judge you, never questions what you do, never like you have this like unconditional support and love from that pet. I think certain people so you can have a special bond with your pet. But there are also people who have like a very unique bond with their pet, like a way that they communicate with each other. That is as if they were. There's like human like characteristics of it. And I think that adds a layer that, that, people who have already described to me this connection they have that's like they were like soulmates. And I think, I think about like people who they may have other family members, but maybe they may live in different states or they may, they don't live with them anymore. They're not like, if they're if it's their parent. And this is the constant in their life, this pet is with them 24 seven if they're not I mean, obviously not 24 seven if they're at work. Well, sometimes people will bring them to work too. so sometimes I got Nixon Jade right here with me. So, I mean, I guess for some people it is really 24/7 but I don't know all the answers to that. I hope that with work, with clients, I might get a better understanding of that. But I think, I think if people have that reaction, it's very normal. I'm seeing it very common, and I'm glad that people admit it. And yeah, I think that I think the pandemic may have intensified that, too, because there are I, I saw a client this morning and he's been working at home since the pandemic, and he said, you know, this is really the best dog I have. And I said, I've taken care of three of your dogs now. And I think you said that every time he goes, no, no, really, this is the best one. And I said, you don't think it's because you spent more time with Sammy than you've spent with any of your other dogs? Because before that, you went to the office every day and he was like, no, this is really a special dog. But it it calls into question a lot of things, like home with the dog all day during the pandemic. So that dog becomes a more special dog because it was like you and the dog at home sort of thing. So, I think it'll be interesting to see. I mean, we definitely see more dogs with separation anxiety and dogs that are clinging to their owners post-pandemic. somebody was having a breakdown this morning because they wanted their, they were anxious about. The dog was sitting in front of the door waiting for their owner to come back for them kind of thing, in the oncology area. So do you have any suggestions for how people might cope with the loss of a pet, either people who recently lost a pet and are feeling a little down, or maybe people who are anticipating the loss of a pet? My biggest thing is being nice to yourself. I feel like people start especially with the guilt, like putting themselves down like they did something wrong. give yourself grace. talk to yourself the way that you would someone you love. Because I feel like some people will blame themselves. But if it was someone else that was going through it, they would give them a different response. They would give them grace and be like, no, you did everything you could. You made the decision based on the information you had and what was best for your pet in that moment. or and not just about euthanasia, but because that's not the only way that pet loss happens, but also just, allowing yourself to feel your emotions. It's okay if you're having really intense reactions. You might at times want healthy distractions so that you're not constant like so that you're able to do other things. unfortunately, I keep thinking about this idea of bereavement leave when you have pets and that a lot of jobs don't have it. and so sometimes you may have to jump back into work. And so that is a challenge to navigate. But I think that's also where if you're having trouble, it might be helpful to consult with like a therapist or clinician to get through, especially in that really acute time when it might be particularly intense. Yeah. Do you recommend that if people have lost a pet, they get a pet right away? That's a common question. I know. I think that I think you have to be mindful of what's going on in your thought process as to why you're getting that pet. So if you're like, I need a pet right now because I don't. I always use Fluffy as an example. But, because I, I'm having such a hard time and I need something to fill that void that that fluffy that is there because of Fluffy being gone. Well, that doesn't seem like a right fit because you might end up feeling really, disappointed in that pet for not being just like, fluffy. and it might not be a good fit, I think. Not acting on impulse, but instead acting on really figuring out if you're ready for that. So would I necessarily suggest right away? No, but that's also because I wouldn't necessarily suggest making any big decisions right after a such a big event that's happened. But I think there is in time that you can get a pet, but I think there's a lot of room for disappointment and additional kind of feelings around guilt and and grief that will be complicated. What are your thoughts on that? you know, I think it I think it depends like one of my really good friends, when their dog died, she was working from home. He was traveling on business, and she was just lonesome and bereft. And so, you know, in comes the next in a series of doodles in that household and she was so happy when the next doodle came and never looked back from, from that experience at all, you know. So one day email. I'm very sad. And then like three days later. But the breeder had a doodle for me, so it was. I've seen it work, but yeah, I don't think I but I also know people that have gotten another dog and it's been a disappointment like you described because they especially when they're special dogs, if it's one of those really dog of a lifetime, those are much harder, I think, for people to replace because the new dog just doesn't quite ever live up to the, the grandeur of the, the old dog and maybe, maybe no dog. And I've had some people who've never gotten another dog, you know, this was the dog in their life, and they just decided their life was going to take a different direction, and they wanted to travel and not feel bad about the dog being home alone. So, I, I've seen it go both ways. but it's, it's it's a really common question. I think the other problem that people have is most of the pets I see are older that die. And then the people say, we're getting a puppy or we're getting a kitten, and then they call me like three weeks later and like, we're so tired and people forget how much work a puppy is. or a kitten for that matter. You know, they're hanging from your drapes, they're hanging from your pants, they're running around, they're underfoot. You're they're little and you're worried about stepping on them. So I think that, it that that's another challenge for people is the puppy or the kitten. so we just have another minute left. Can you give a suggestion as to how people can support friends or family who've lost a beloved animal companion? I think the key is acknowledging the significance of the loss. I think a lot of times there's what's called disenfranchised grief. So people don't understand the loss, don't think it's as important because it's a pet quote, unquote, just a pet. Also, don't say it's just a pet. I think you mentioned it too. so just acknowledging the significance of the loss, letting the person know that you're there if they want to talk and that it does, like you're there now and in the future, because it's not going to just go away. And in a few days, and to check in on these people in your life because it's going to continue to be difficult, just like grieving of humans. that is a great line to end with. I want to thank Jamie so much for joining me today. And if you'd like to learn more about AMC Pet Loss support programs and caregiver group, please go to amcny.org/socialwork. Thank you. I know that keeping your pet healthy is very important to you, and with that, I hope you'll reach out to me. If you have a question about your pet's health and I'll respond next month on Ask the Vet podcast, just email me at AskTheVet@amcny.org, we have a short break coming up, but please stay tuned because there are lots of interesting animal news. When we return. We're back with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus on Ask the Vet. Welcome back to Ask the Vet. It's now time for the animal news. It's time for animal headlines, the biggest animal news from across the world. We've all been there. Your dog rolls in something questionable and suddenly you're dealing with a very smelly situation. But what a splash of luxury perfume. Really solve the problem. Designers Dolce and Gabbana seem to think so. They recently introduced to Fefe a fragrance designed specifically for dogs with notes of sandalwood and musk and a gold plated pour on the bottle face priced at $99 a bottle. But do dogs really want or need a luxury perfume? I was recently interviewed on NPR about this, and I'll share with you what I told them. First, dogs experience the world primarily through their nose, and they have about 30 million smell receptors compared to our paltry 5 million. So what smells nice to us maybe is overwhelming to a dog or potentially even unpleasant. And who knows if they even consider musk and sandalwood an appealing smell. So that's one thing to consider before spritzing your dog with any fragrance. I also see some potential health concerns. The instructions for Fefe suggest spraying the perfume on your hands or a brush before applying it to your dog, and that way you can avoid getting the spritz of perfume in their eyes. This is really critical because AMC often sees dogs who come into our E.R. after getting soap in their eye at a grooming session and they develop an ulcer on the cornea, the clear part of their eye because of a splash of shampoo. So you don't want a splash of perfume to cause a problem with your dog's eyes. Another concern that I have is if, remember, we take a shower if we want to clean ourselves off, dogs lick themselves. So I don't really know how this fragrance is going to sit with your dog's stomach, and maybe it will have a funny taste and they will be drooling, or their mouths will get irritated, or they'll have a little upset stomach. And one final medical thing, because that's how my mind works. I want you to know that if your dog has a bad smell and you're thinking of using a perfume to cover it up, maybe your dog actually has a health issue such as bad teeth, diabetes, cancer in the mouth, or maybe a skin infection. Perfume won't address any of these problems. And so if your pet's really smelly, it's probably a good idea to check with your veterinarian before you hit the perfume counter. So while luxury perfumes like buffet might sound appealing, the best way to keep your dog smelling fresh is to ensure that they're healthy, clean, and sometimes all they really need is a good bath. Our second story today it's about your dog's happiness. How can you tell? Well, many might say that tail wagging is means your dog is happy, but I know that that's not always a foolproof sign that your dog is content. Veterinarians Kate Anderson and Christy Flynn, who've been on this podcast before, suggest looking for six key signs of a happy dog. Make sure all your dog's basic needs are met not hungry, not thirsty, not painful, not fearful. Then check their body language. Dr. Anderson describes a happy dog as having a loose noodle like movements. Another sign would be relaxed facial expressions, especially around the eyes and mouth. Think about it. If your dog's got its ears pulled back, you know it's not a happy dog. And another thing to keep your dog happy would be a routine. Dogs don't like change. They also don't like surprises and so keep things kind of the same, especially during holidays, occasions, or as everyone heads back to the office in school after summer. Enrichment is also an important thing to keep your dog healthy and happy. And this might be physical activities like walks and ball chasing a trip to the dog park. But you could also do things like using puzzle toys to keep your dog engaged. And finally, if your dog is shy, be sure that you set boundaries among friends and family and their dogs so that your little guy isn't overwhelmed with a pushy dog. By keeping these six signs in mind, you can feel confident that your furry friend is living a happy and contented life. We have avian influenza in the news. Avian influenza, which is sometimes called H5N1, is not only affecting birds like its name, you'd think it would be for birds, but now we've seen it in cows, humans and cats. There have been at least 36 cats nationwide reported. We've confirmed with the infection, and most of these cats live on dairy farms or roam outside. But there are two interesting cases, and these cats are indoor cats, so it's not quite clear right now how the avian influenza is cropping up in these indoor cats who don't hang out with cows. Maybe they picked it up for an infected mouse in the home. Maybe they picked it up from a human who wasn't showing symptoms. In either case, it suggests the virus is more pervasive than we originally realized. While it's concerning, the best way to protect your cat is to keep them indoors and away from birds and cows, which in New York City, the cow part is really easy, the bird part not so much because cats will have access to birds on fire escapes, window ledges and terraces. Also, you want to avoid feeding your cat raw milk or any raw food because we know that those raw substances can contain things that are dangerous for your cat to consume and might make them sick. And if your cat loves the outdoors, consider providing an outdoor environment such as a patio or using feathered toys to satisfy your cat's desire to hunt for food. And our last news item comes from the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board. And I really like this because Jackson Hole is a wonderful place on close to fabulous national parks and great things to see. But they can be dangerous because people want to have a picture with a buffalo, and so they get too close. And then the buffalo goes crazy and then the people are hurt or even worse, killed. So this new Instagram filter by the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board is called Selfie Control, and it helps visitors keep a safe distance from the wildlife in Wyoming's national parks. The filter shows icons for animals like bison, bears, elk and moose, along with the recommended distances that you're supposed to stay away from them, which is 25 yards for most animals and 100 yards for bears. If the animals in your shot look bigger than the icon than it, then you know the animal is too close. How do people think of these things? So just incredible. This filter was created because more and more tourists are getting too close to wildlife and putting both themselves and the animals at risk. The filter is free on Instagram and works within a 200 mile radius of Jackson Hole, but you can use it in other areas with similar wildlife. Since it's lost, selfie control has been downloaded thousands of times and is getting a lot of buzz around Jackson Hole. And now it's time for listener questions. We have a first question from Nancy M. Nancy asks my 15 year old cat. Chloe has been loudly howling at all hours and pacing the room. She doesn't seem to be in pain, has good eyesight and hearing, and knows her routines. She was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease ten years ago and is on a special diet but no medications. This behavior has worsened over the last six months. Despite giving her attention and trying to get her to play when I tried to ignore her, it only increases the noise, which upsets my neighbors. What could be causing this and how can I help her? This has got to be one loud cat. Let me tell you if the neighbors are complaining. So one of the things that goes along with chronic kidney disease is high blood pressure. And when cats have high blood pressure, sometimes they act a little crazy. So, I would think that Chloe should have her blood pressure checked. Older cats rarely have just one problem. They usually have multiple problems, and a common problem that older cats get is an overactive thyroid gland. And then those cats act really crazy, too, because they're metabolism is just on overdrive. So a trip to the veterinarian can help sort out hypertension and hypothyroidism both. One other thing though, I'm thinking, is that Chloe is an older girl, and sometimes cats kind of get a version of Alzheimer's disease, which is we don't really call it that in veterinary medicine. We call it cognitive dysfunction. And these cats and dogs that have it lose their normal sleep wake cycle, they have abnormal behaviors like howling and yowling at all hours of the day and night. And so that would be another thing to investigate if the thyroid and the blood pressure are okay on Chloe, then maybe she's got a little bit of kitty dementia. So good luck to Nancy and Chloe, and thanks for sending in. Your question. Our next question comes from Linda in New Jersey, and Linda wants to know the tip of my 14 year old dog's penis has recently been remaining out after he urinate, and it takes a while to retract. Why is this happening? Is it dangerous and what can I do about it? So Linda doesn't say if her dog is neutered or not. But one thing is, perhaps there is a female dog nearby and he and he's hoping for a date. And so the penis is out, because there's a dog in season nearby. I think that the dog really should get examined and make sure that there is nothing wrong, like some sort of infection or a mass that will cause the penis to be out of its sheath. And it's really not dangerous if if there's not an underlying cause for it, unless the penis stays out of the sheath a long time and gets dried out. but it sounds like ultimately this goes back into the sheath. So, I think that Linda needs to have her dog checked out by her veterinarian, but it might not be anything serious. And our last question of the day is from Julia F. She asks if my dog has a seizure. What should I do in the moment, and how can I keep him safe and comfortable? So I think Julia's question is missing a part, and that is, how can I keep him and myself safe and comfortable? So first, you want to take away anything that your pet could crash into that would topple over or in any way injure your pet and just let that seizure happen. And in a safe environment, what you don't want to do is like, handle your pet because you don't know what this seizure is going to cause your pet to do, and there's a possibility that you could get seriously scratched or bitten during a seizure because dogs chomp with their jaws uncontrollably and flail their front and back legs. which could result in a scratch injury or the chomping can result in a bite injury. What you really should do is after you clear out anything dangerous to your pet having a seizure, you want to set the timer on your watch. And if the seizure lasts for more than 3 or 4 minutes, then you need to find a way to safely scoop up your dog, put it in the car, and take it to the veterinarian because it might need a medication to stop that seizure. So, Julia, I hope your dog doesn't have a seizure because they are really scary to watch. And I hope that you and your dog are both safe if it happens. And now we are going to take another short break and be back with important information from AMC's Usdan Institute. We're back with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus on Ask the Vet. Hi, everyone. Welcome back to Ask the Vet. I have important information from AMC's Usdan Institute to share with you today. Keep in mind that September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, which is makes it a good time for you to learn about how to spot pain in your dog or cat. Some signs are obvious, like limping or yelping, but other signs of pain can be more subtle for dogs. Watch out for decreased social interaction. Your dog might be painful and just hunkered down in its bed. Might be sleeping more than normal. If your dog is looking anxious or hesitates to move or struggles to get out of their bed, that might be your clue to pain. Sometimes painful dogs pant, even at rest, so your dog is sitting in its bed and panting, panting, panting and ache is on and it's not too hot. Might be a clue that your dog is painful. Other things we see are dogs who won't go up the stairs or won't go down the stairs anymore, or pets who are acting differently, such as being aggressive or licking a body part a lot for cats. Cats. I think the major sign of all illnesses and cats is hiding. so if your cat's hiding, it could be its kidneys, it could be its liver, or it could be painful. Cats again, are less active. Some cats will have changes in their litter box habits. Meaning they they're painful and they can't lift their legs high enough to get into the litter box. So they go outside the box. Or cats that are painful might not room in. This can lead to a cat who's really mad, so a cat in pain might also hiss, puff themselves up or scream when you pick them up, or they'll flick their tail, which indicates they're angry about something and they might just be in a bad mood because they're painful. You can also see a change in their facial expression, where they will point their ears outwards, kind of looking like the Flying Nun. or they might squint their eyes. It's important to recognize these signs of pain early, since pets can't tell us that something is wrong. But if you notice any of these signs, check with your veterinarian. Because we have more and more good medications to control pain in pets than we've ever had before. But you really don't want to do is to give your pain medication to your dog or cat, because that can end you up in the emergency room. For more information, the Usdan Institute for Animal Health Education. It has an excellent resource on pain, and you can check out the Pet Health Library at our website, which is amcny.org/pethealthlibrary one word. We've got two great upcoming events online. First, I already talked a little bit about and that is on Tuesday,
September 17th at 6:15 p.m., the Usdan Institute will host its seventh annual Celebration of Life. This is a pet memorial event and is a special time to remember pets that we have lost and the lives we shared. This virtual event will include speakers, a candle lighting ceremony, and a pet memorial slide show. You've already met one of the speakers today. That's Jamie Cohen, AMC social worker, and we will also have Craig Grossi. Now, Craig is a really unique individual. He is a marine and the author of Craig and Fred, a marine, A Stray Dog and How They Rescued Each Other. But Craig and Fred were client and patient here at the Animal Medical Center. And so they hold a special place in our hearts here. And then on Thursday, October 17th, I'm going to lead a webinar entitled How to Be Your Pet's Best Nurse. So as a pet owner, we've already talk today about how you end up being the caregiver for your pet. And I'm going to try and make some of your job easier by giving you tips and skills that you can use to take better care of your pet after surgery, giving medication, or being their recovery room nurse while they get better after and a seizure. This webinar will equip you with the skills you need to excel in your new role as your pet's nurse, and ensure that your pet makes a full recovery for more information on both events, just go to amcny.org/events. You can also get free and timely access to relevant health articles, upcoming pet health events, video tutorials, and other pet parent resources, and you can check those out at AMC's Institute for Animal Health Education at amcny.org/events. I want to thank Jamie Cohen today for joining me. For more information on pet loss and caregiver support groups. Just put social work in our search bar at amcny.org And don't forget to email me your questions about pet health at AskTheVet@amcny.org, and I'll answer your questions on next month's Ask the Vet show. You can access this podcast on Sirius and across all major podcast platforms, and also on AMC's website. All of this thanks to our longstanding partnership with Sirius XM. Don't forget to check us out on social media. On Facebook, it's the Animal Medical Center, Twitter and Instagram, it's @amcny. I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to give the Ask the Vet podcast, a review and don't forget to like and subscribe so you receive new episodes of the show as soon as they drop. I hope you'll join me next month for another Ask the Vet podcast. Thanks so much everyone, and we'll see you next month.