Valley Veterinary Associates

647 State Highway 7 Unadilla, NY 13849 (607) 563-1345

Jonathan H.F. Davis, DVM Matthew Dulka, DVM Emily Oelker, DVM Jennifer Hamblin, DVM Mathew Zeh, DVM Lauren Butch, DVM

SUMMARY
To Whom It May Concern: From January 8th, 2014 through January 11th, 2014, Valley Veterinary Associates examined and collected data to assess general health of thirty Border Collies (9 intact males and 21 intact females). The summary of findings is as follows: 10 dogs emaciated (33%) 13 dogs thin (43%) 7 dogs as ideal body weight. In addition, qualitative and quantitative fecal analysis confirmed 83% of the dogs examined have an extremely heavy endoparasitic burden. Furthermore, fecal matter was pasted to the perineal and/or ventral aspect of their hair coat in 90% of the cases. These observations confirm a heavily contaminated environment. The emaciated patient represent a minimum of 20 % weight loss from ideal body weight. As Border Collies, the hair coat hid the weight loss. On palpation, there was prominent skeletal structures, an absence of body fat, muscle mass and severe abdominal tuck with extreme hourglass shape. The thin animals represent approximately 10% loss in ideal body weight. To have dogs with an emaciated body condition means skeletal structures that are prominent as a result of the loss of fat and muscle mass. Fat is stored energy, muscle is not. Muscle is a structural tissue. When weight loss proceeds to the point of muscle tissue being used for energy needs, an extreme abnormal state of metabolism exists. At some point, the emaciated dog runs out of body tissue to use and the dogs dies. The emaciated line dog is one step away from death. This was the case in 33% of the dogs evaluated. It is universally agreed that pain is difficult to measure in animals. An applicable assessment in animals is deviation from a state of comfort. This occurs when a dog is exposed to physiological, psychological, or environmental stressors. For example, the stressor for a starved dog is lack of food. In the thirty canines evaluated from Flat Creek Kennels, it is unquestionable that multiple stressors are involved leading to tremendous deviation from a state of comfort. Specifically severe winter conditions, dirty contaminated environment (soiled hair coat and heavy endoparasitism) and severe malnourishment were involved. In my professional opinion, 76% of the animals are malnourished because of prolonged inadequate nutrition due to either inadequate quality or quantity of food. The presentation of the emaciated body condition indicates the patients had experienced a prolonged period of inadequate nutrition. No illness was observed to explain reduced appetite. The heavy endoparasitic burden suggests further neglect but does not explain the emaciation observed (i.e. endoparasitism was a subclinical medical problem). In conclusion, no illness has been identified to explain the presenting emaciated and thin body conditions of the evaluated dogs leading to the diagnosis of malnourishment as the primary problem.