Our veterinarian explains how to fix a bodily gas leak.

Courtesy of iheartit

When gas gets excessive, it not only harms innocent sniffers nearby, but it can also harm you – burping (eructition) or farting (flatulence) sometimes come alongside serious pain and bloating. Rarely associated with a serious disease, this problem causes both embarrassment and annoyance. So let’s look to see if there is anything you can do about it. First, let’s divide it into body areas.

1. Burping. Mostly swallowed air. Sometimes associated with anxiety and migraine headaches. Less frequently with acid reflux. May cause nausea and decreased appetite.

Solution: Eat slowly. No soda pops. Try simethicone capsules (Gasex) or, if there is stomach discomfort, try some Zantac 150mg for a couple of weeks to see if it makes a difference. Ginger tea may also settle the stomach.

2. Abdominal gas. Painful as it can get trapped and cause bowel spasm.

Solution: Drink peppermint tea, or even better, try peppermint oil capsules three times a day which have proven benefit with abdominal cramps. Use a heating pad or hot water bottle on your stomach to ease the spasms. If this is an ongoing problem, ask the pharmacist for Buscopan tablets (10mg) and take 1-2 three times a day. This is a smooth muscle relaxant and can relieve the pain, however, you may wish to check with your doctor to make sure it is just gas.

3. Farting. How much is too much? It seems that we all do this more than you would think. The problem is with smells. This is due to overgrowth of gas producing bacteria on undigested food.

Solution: Make sure you are not constipated so the bacteria don’t have time to multiply. If you are eating vegetables in abundance then these cause lots of smelly gas. (beans, peas, broccoli, onions, cabbage, etc.). There are Beano tablets to reduce the impact but you may have to switch to a soluble fibre like psillium (Metamucil) or bran to deal with the issue. You can also add in a stool softener like Docusate quite safely.

Courtesy of iheartit

If you have diarrhea and gas then several other possibilities exist and deserve more attention.

There seems to be some connection between the brain and the gut and those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) frequently complain of excess gas. The abdomen is distended and there is pain. Doctors get frustrated with their inability to help and patients get frustrated with their symptoms! Often things resolve without really knowing why they started but if this is a longer term issue then ask for help from your friendly vet (M.D.).

–The Veterinarian.

Our Veterinarian explains how to spot a problematic mole from a moley-mole.

Courtesy of Iheartit.

So you’ve been staring at that mole for a while now and wondering if it could be cancer. Should you be worried? Do young people get melanoma? Well, maybe and yes. The Canadian Cancer Society reported 5000 new cases of melanoma last year and 940 attributable deaths with the numbers continually rising – and yet – the general advice about using sunscreens and avoiding tanning beds isn’t really changing behaviours. But now that you’ve got the mole, what are you looking for? Our analysis is performed using a simple mnemonic as follows:

A: ASYMMETRY. Is the mole symmetrical? Could it be divided into two equal halves that look the same?  Asymmetry indicates concern.

B: BORDER. Is the border smooth or irregular? Are the edges irregular, blotched or blurred which may indicate a problem.

C: COLOUR. Is it uniform or a mixture of brown, black, red, while or blue?

D: DIAMETER. Is it greater than 6mm or larger than a pencil eraser? Increase in size is an increase in problem. Very few melanomas are under 6mm. Any single parameter that applies would be relevant.

A change in a mole is always worth checking out with your doctor (e.g. bleeding or pigment change). Also, new moles that don’t fit the above criteria that are worrying you are worth getting a second opinion, but bear in mind that it is common to get new moles as a young adult.

If you were born with a mole that is larger than 1 cm and perhaps has irregular pigment or hair in it, then ask about possible removal as these moles have a higher incidence of becoming malignant.

Always look out for the ‘ugly duckling’; the mole that looks different from all the rest. It probably wont grow into a swan and needs to be removed from the nest.

Remember these ABCD’s and start checking out other people’s moles besides your own. Maybe you could save a life.

– The Veterinarian.

Our Veterinarian explains why HPV is that much scarier than you think.

Courtesy of IHeartit

From my experience testing for STI’s in young adults, I’ve noticed that most don’t realize they’re not being tested for the most common one: HPV. Women can be screened for HPV effects by getting a PAP smear done, however, the damage caused by the virus to the cervical cells can occur years later. Most people are now aware that cervical cancer is an STI caused by the HPV virus, but few are aware of the prevalence of that virus.

A recent study at McGill published in January 2010 found that more than half (56%) of young adults in a new sexual relationship were infected with HPV. Of those, 44% were infected with an HPV type that can cause cancer. Other studies have shown that 75% of sexually active Canadians will have at least one HPV infection during their lifetime with the highest prevalence being in women age 20-24.

Sobering, right? Have you ever had sex without a condom? How many partners have you had? Are you one of these statistics?

HPV Virus Courtesy of Medicine World

The health ramifications are enormous, and thus the Government of Ontario has decided to provide the vaccination to prevent HPV infection in Grade 6 students prior to sexual contact (along with the Hepatitis B shots). This is a series of 3 shots costing about $175 per shot. It gives protection against 4 strains (6,11,16,18) of the virus that have been strongly implicated in cervical cancer. However, it should also be said that there is also vulval cancer, and less frequently, anal and penile cancer that can be prevented. What is interesting are the new studies that implicate HPV in a large number of head and neck cancers; although the present vaccine has not been proven to be effective in this area yet.

Besides the cancer risk, nobody wants to deal with genital warts (men or women). The treatments with liquid nitrogen or creams can be uncomfortable, requiring numerous doctor’s visits – and that’s excluding the difficult conversations with partners where blame is thrust back and forth resulting in a considerable psychological toll.

The vaccine, Gardasil, (or the new one called Cervarix which covers 2 viral strains) can be given up to age 26. University health plans often give some coverage for the costs, but otherwise, you may have to pay for it yourself. It’s your call.

– The Veterinarian.

Our veterinarian explains how to control your serious sweats.

Courtesy of Flickr

An unspeakable problem: sweat. Damp hands. Dripping underarms. Soaked socks. You shower every day, tried all the deodorants in the drugstore and only wear absorbent fabrics like cotton next to your skin. But it’s not enough. Hyperhydrosis, or excessive sweating, affects a few sad souls who wish they didn’t have it. They risk embarrassing handshakes and problems with odour & wetness that cramp their style. So how is it treated?

First, the obvious: antiperspirants, which contain aluminium chloride hexahydrate. They should be applied at night on dry skin covering the affected areas (armpits, hands, feet) then washed off in the morning. Start with Secret Clinical strength or Drysol Mild but if not effective enough move up to regular Drysol or Certain Dri (ask the pharmacist). If they are irritating your skin then reduce the frequency of use.

Next there are methods that require more investment.

You won’t believe it, but you can actually electrocute your hands with an Iontophoresis machine every other day for 5-10 treatments (then every week or two). These machines are sometimes found at physio clinics, dermatologists clinics or you can invest in your own if you have $1000 to spare. (West Woodbridge Surgical)

You can also try Botox injections to the area that is causing concern. This can last for 4-12 months and is often available on drug insurance plans. (OHIP won’t cover the fee of the doctor to inject it though). This is good for armpits but can be painful for hands and feet.

Lastly, those armpit sweat glands can be surgically removed – a last hope but permanent solution to a sticky problem.

***If you’d like a free sample of Perspirex, contact us at cowgirls@mushypony.com and we’ll ship one over to ya!***

– The Veterinarian.