Q: Our kitty cat, Bippy, grates her teeth a lot. She has some
dental tartar, but I really wonder if this is the only reason. The
noise she makes is very disturbing and she can’t be comfortable. So
I’m worried, could there be any other possible problems?
Q: Our kitty cat, Bippy, grates her teeth a lot. She has some dental tartar, but I really wonder if this is the only reason. The noise she makes is very disturbing and she can’t be comfortable. So I’m worried, could there be any other possible problems?
A: It’s very unusual for a cat to grind her teeth, and it usually indicates a serious problem in the mouth. If Bippy has significant tartar buildup, she also probably has gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums. Gingivitis can become very serious because gum disease damages the roots of the teeth, causing the teeth to loosen. Loose teeth might be the cause of the noise you hear when Bippy chews. But there also might be a different problem. Whatever the case, it sounds as though she needs immediate veterinary help because gingivitis is a progressive disease. Have her veterinarian see her right away.
Q: My horse had an infection and our veterinarian gave him a shot of Penicillin. He was doing OK but started to get worse, so the vet came out and treated the wound again. Ten minutes after he gave another shot of Penicillin, my horse fell over and and had a heart attack and died. Several people have told me that the vet should never have given that second shot within a week of the first injection. They say horses need time to develop an immunity to the drug. Is this true?
A: We were so sorry to hear about what happened to your horse. Based on your description of the circumstances, it sounds as though he may have had an anaphylactic reaction to the penicillin. This is an uncommon, almost rare occurrence, but anaphylaxis can occur when antibiotics or other medications are given to animals (or to people). This reaction has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the second injection was given less than a week after the first one. In fact, even if the second injection was given a month later, the same reaction probably would have occurred. Here’s why:
Anaphylaxis is caused by an abnormal immune response to a drug or other substance. It occurs very, very infrequently. And it develops in two stages.
The first time the drug (like penicillin) is administered, the body becomes sensitized. This means it starts to build up antibodies. The next time the drug is given to the patient, these newly-formed antibodies initiate a response, sometimes a deadly one where respiratory and cardiac arrest occur (much like a heart attack). This reaction can be devastating, as it was for you and your horse.
Anaphylaxis also can occur as a reaction to bee stings, insect bites, vaccinations and even some foods when they are eaten (some people cannot eat peanuts for the same reasons). Most of the time, there is no way to know if and when this unusual reaction might occur.
Occasionally, people ask us why we use vaccinations or medications like penicillin, knowing that there is a risk for reaction. The answer is simple. The risk of anaphylaxis is extremely small. Anaphylaxis and other aberrant reactions to vaccines and antibiotics are very rare. But the risks of not using these medications is much greater. Without antibiotics, your horse would have been at risk for a toxic, possibly life-threatening infection. Without vaccinations, our world would be much less healthy. Collectively, the medical professions believe the best choice is to use these medications.
How very sad you lost a good friend. We all send our sincerest condolences.
