Laws and Regulations Year 2 Pop Block 2

What are some commonly hoarded items?

• newspapers

• clothing

• food wrappers

• video games

• toys

• shoes

• animals

What is animal hoarding?

• acquire more than typical number of animals

• unwilling to find animals new homes

• inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter, an veterinary care, with this neglect often resulting in starvation, illness, and death

• denial of inability to provide this minimum care and impact of that failure on animals, household, and human occupants

• frequently living in domestic squalor

• recognized mental health disorder

What is the profile for animal hoarding?

• older, woman, lives alone, retired/unemployed

• often suffered crisis event prior to hoarding

• often looking to rescue more animals

• refusal to allow entry into home

• 
  

What does hoarding house look like?

• may see large number of animals through windows

• large number of dogs, but never seen outside

• outside area unkempt with trash, debris, or rodents

• can often smell house from distance

How can you recognize animal hoarding in practice?

• animals present in terrible condition

  • may say were just rescued or found

• severe cases of common disease

  • ask for additional meds to treat other pets at home with same condition

• willing to take heroic measures despite poor prognosis (won’t euthanize)

• rarely see animals for routine care

• rarely see same pet on repeated visits

• strong smell of decomposition/waste

• urine or fecal staining of fur

• doesn’t know or won’t say how many animals are in home

Common bacterial pathogens found in hoarding situations

• campylobacter

• salmonella

• staphylococci

• E. coli

Common parasitic pathogens found in hoarding situations

• whipworm

• roundworm

• hookworm

What is in the air of hoarding situations?

• gases (ammonia, methane)

• volatile organic compounds

• particulate matter (dust, liquid aerosols)

Why are homes condemned from hoarding?

• air quality

• infectious agents

• damaged floor/stains

What PPE should you wear in hoarding situations?

• cover all skin (clothing or Tyvek)

• gloves

• boots ± boot covers

• particulate mask ± chemical

Common presentations of animals from hoarding situations

• infectious disease

  • more common

  • more severe cases

  • often co-morbidities

• respiratory disease common

  • air quality and ammonia

• heavy intestinal parasitism

• fleas

• dermatitis

• mange

• BCS varies

  • all starved

  • some animals well, some starved

  • all well fed (rare)

• hair coat

  • matted

  • feces/urine contamination

• overgrown nails (dogs, not cats)

psychological impact on animals from hoarding situations

• emotional distress

  • overcrowding, noise, competition, often unsocialized, long-term confinement, noxious environment, boredom, unnatural light cycles

• may take long time to resolve

• what is normal for animal in hoarding environment may be undesirable in new home (peeing inside)

negative energy balance definition

intake insufficient to meet physiological needs

primary negative energy balance

not provided, adequate, or availalbe

secondary negative energy balance

needs are increased, nutrients not absorbed or utilized, or anorexia

BCS scores by species

• horse = Henneke

• cat = Purina

• rabbit

• dairy cattle

• beef cattle

• sheep

• goat

• birds

• poultry

What should a medical work-up of hoarding animals involve?

• detect underlying conditions or predisposing factors

• weight

• BCS

• CBC, Chem, Urinalysis

• fecal (parasites and non-nutritive items)

• radiographs (ingesta, abnormal materials, body fat)

What should you assess about animal from hoarding case on presentation?

• activity level

• neurologic status

• strength

  • weakness present with significant muscle atrophy

• stance

  • drooped tail and lowered head from weakness/atrophy

• hydration status

• coat condition

• ± decubital ulcers

How can hydration status be false due to starvation?

• skin turgor test can be absent in severe cases from loss of fat, sticky SQ

• pre-renal azotemia absent in severe cases due to decreased urea and creatinine production

• concentrated urine may be absent due to electrolyte imbalances

What test for hydration status is still reliable even with starvation?

mucous membrane

How does starvation cause fat loss in body?

• fat lost from expendable areas first, then in vital areas

  • external

  • internal

    • thoracic/abdominal

    • mesentery/omentum

    • deep organ (peri-renal, cardiac)

    • bone marrow

albumin with starvation

• normal in early cases

• low throughout period of starvation

• can also be affected by hydration level

anemia with starvation

• initially regenerative but becomes non-regenerative

• due to deficiency in iron, protein, and vitamins

• can also be caused or worsened by hookworms, fleas, toxins, chronic disease

• can also be affected by hydration level

CK with starvation

• elevated during active muscle catabolism

  • may exceed 8000U/L

• increased or normal with starvation

• ½ life is 2 hours, peaks in 6-12 hours

• increased with muscle injury as well

BUN with starvation

often low

Urine volume with starvation

increased with low SG

ketoacidemia with starvation

• not typical in starvation cases

• if present r/o diabetes melitus, liver failure

bilirubin, ALT, ASP, BSP-liver with starvation

increased due to gluconeogenesis

lymphocyte count with starvation

reflects immune status

glucose with starvation

• hypoglycemia common in juveniles

• hypoglycemia is seen in adults with depleted hepatic glycogen and fat stores indicating chronic or severe starvation

electrolytes with starvation

• total body K, MG, Ph reduced but serum levels may be normal

  • shifted from intracellular to extracellular

  • check often when administering fluids, they can’t compensate well

  • don’t overhyrate

  • balanced electrolyte solution (LRS or normosol) preferred to saline

refeeding syndrome

• occurs within first 5 days of reintroduction of food

• low total phosphorous, MG, and K+ during starvation (serum normal)

• taking meal causes insulin release

• K+ needed to usher glucose into cells as demanded by insulin resulting in severe hypokalemia

• shifts electrolytes from extracellular to intracellular

• signs include muscle weakness, muscle cramps, heart muscle damage and rhythm irregularities, seizures, RBC lysis, respiratory failure, and sudden death

proper refeeding program

• fluids to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalances

• avoid feeding high carb (increase insulin)

• avoid feeding only meat as it is low in phosphorus and K+

  • need to restore electrolyte balance

• monitor carefully as electrolytes can change very quickly

• initial diet should be high-fat, low carb, quality protein with adequate potassium, phosphate, and magnesium

  • moderate Na

  • recovery or critical care diet

  • can transition to commercial diet puppy food after first few days

• goal is slow gain over first 2 weeks

• can increase after 2 weeks to daily energy requirements for ideal weight

Necropsy findings with starvation

• examine for ingesta

  • none = 3+ days of no food ingested

  • none in stomach = no food in 5-10 hours

• presence of food in stomach

• presence of abnormal/non-nutritive items

• erosions/ulcers are common

Bone Marrow Fat Analysis

• femur is preferred

• can run test long after death

• normal >80%

• severe emaciation <20%

• normal doesn’t mean that there was no starvation

  • no food/water death can occur prior to depletion