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Dr. Roy Madigan, D.V.M., is not just a veterinarian. He is one of the leading experts in canine Chagas disease in the United States.
<br><br>
• Founder of Vida Pharmacal, focused on breakthrough parasitic disease treatments
<br>• Filed the first veterinary drug patent for anti-T. cruzi activity in dogs
<br>• Principal scientist for the U.S. military working dog Chagas treatment study
<br>• Veterinary lead for the Texas Chagas Task Force alongside the CDC and UT Health
<br>• Pioneer in developing diagnostic and treatment protocols for infected dogs
<br><br>
Your pet is being treated by the same expert helping shape how Chagas disease is understood nationwide.

Get In Touch

Chagas disease progresses in stages. The earlier it is identified:
<br><br>
<br>• The more treatment options are available
<br>• The better heart damage can be managed
<br>• The higher the chance of improving quality of life
<br><br>
Waiting can mean irreversible cardiac damage.

<b>Early Detection. Advanced Treatment. Led by One of the Nation’s Top Experts.</b>

<b>Do not wait for symptoms to appear.</b>

Chagas disease is often silent early on, but warning signs may include:
<br>
<br>• Lethargy or decreased activity
<br>• Fainting or collapse
<br>• Irregular heartbeat
<br>• Difficulty breathing
<br>• Unexplained weight loss
<br><br>
If your dog spends time outdoors, lives in Central Texas, or has been exposed to insects, they may be at risk even without symptoms.

If your dog may have been exposed to kissing bugs, do not wait. Chagas disease can silently damage the heart before symptoms appear. Early diagnosis can make the difference.

At Central Texas Vet, we go beyond standard testing.
Dr. Madigan is actively developing advanced serologic testing methods to improve detection accuracy.
<br><br>
Your dog’s evaluation may include:
<br>
<br>• Comprehensive physical exam
<br>• Cardiac screening
<br>• Specialized blood testing for T. cruzi
<br>• Advanced diagnostics when needed
<br><br>
Early detection allows for better management and improved outcomes.

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted by “kissing bugs” commonly found in Texas.
Once infected, dogs may appear normal while the parasite attacks the heart and other organs.
<br><br>
Without intervention, Chagas can lead to:
<br>
<br>• Heart disease
<br>• Arrhythmias
<br>• Sudden death

Questions? We Have Answers

If your dog may be at risk, schedule an evaluation today and get answers from one of the leading experts in the field.

chagas-disease

<p dir="auto">At The Animal Hospital of Smithson Valley, we go beyond standard testing.</p><p dir="auto">Dr. Madigan is actively developing advanced serologic testing methods to improve detection accuracy.</p><p dir="auto">Your dog’s evaluation may include:</p><ul><li><p dir="auto">Comprehensive physical exam</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Cardiac screening</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Specialized blood testing for T. cruzi</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Advanced diagnostics when needed</p></li></ul><p dir="auto">Early detection allows for better management and improved outcomes.</p>

<p dir="auto">Dr. Roy Madigan, D.V.M., is not just a veterinarian. He is one of the leading experts in canine Chagas disease in the United States.</p><ul><li><p dir="auto">Founder of Vida Pharmacal, focused on breakthrough parasitic disease treatments</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Filed the first veterinary drug patent for anti-T. cruzi activity in dogs</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Principal scientist for the U.S. military working dog Chagas treatment study</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Veterinary lead for the Texas Chagas Task Force alongside the CDC and UT Health</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Pioneer in developing diagnostic and treatment protocols for infected dogs</p></li></ul><p dir="auto">Your pet is being treated by the same expert helping shape how Chagas disease is understood nationwide.</p>

<p dir="auto">Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted by “kissing bugs” commonly found in Texas.</p><p dir="auto">Once infected, dogs may appear normal while the parasite attacks the heart and other organs.</p><p dir="auto">Without intervention, Chagas can lead to:</p><ul><li><p dir="auto">Sudden death</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Heart disease</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Arrhythmias</p></li></ul><p dir="auto"></p>

<p dir="auto">Chagas disease progresses in stages. The earlier it is identified:</p><ul><li><p dir="auto">The more treatment options are available</p></li><li><p dir="auto">The better heart damage can be managed</p></li><li><p dir="auto">The higher the chance of improving quality of life</p></li></ul><p dir="auto">Waiting can mean irreversible cardiac damage.</p>

<p dir="auto">Chagas disease is often silent early on, but warning signs may include:</p><ul><li><p dir="auto">Lethargy or decreased activity</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Fainting or collapse</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Irregular heartbeat</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Difficulty breathing</p></li><li><p dir="auto">Unexplained weight loss</p></li></ul><p dir="auto">If your dog spends time outdoors, lives in Central Texas, or has been exposed to insects, they may be at risk even without symptoms.</p>

chagas-disease-ahsv

Chagas disease progresses in stages. The earlier it is identified:
<br><br>
<br>• The more treatment options are available
<br>• The better heart damage can be managed
<br>• The higher the chance of improving quality of&nbsp; life
<br><br>
Waiting can mean irreversible cardiac damage.<div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Chagas disease is often silent early on, but warning signs may include:
<br>
<br>• Lethargy or decreased activity
<br>• Fainting or collapse
<br>• Irregular heartbeat
<br>• Difficulty breathing
<br>• Unexplained weight loss
<br><br>
If your dog spends time outdoors, lives in Central Texas, or has been exposed to insects, they may be at risk even without symptoms.<div><br></div><div><br></div>

chagas-disease-ctv

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<h3 dir="auto" style="line-height: 1.2"><strong>Let's Talk About Stress</strong></h3><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">Have you ever felt stressed? Did you ever pig out on your favorite treat to help “cope” with the stress? What does your pet do when he or she is stressed? For a lot of pets, their coping mechanism for stress is acting out. For dogs, this may mean <strong>destructive behavior</strong>, and for cats, it often means inappropriate urination.</p><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">Pets can become stressed for many different reasons. For example, there are many dogs that become stressed from thunderstorms or fireworks because of the loud noise that they make. These dogs are often very anxious, will shake, and sometimes have destructive behavior.</p><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">Cats tend to handle stressful situations by either hiding or urinating inappropriately. Cats also tend to be much more sensitive to subtle changes in their environment than dogs are. Something as simple as having a guest stay at your house can upset some cats.</p><h3 dir="auto" style="line-height: 1.2"><strong>So, What Do You Do For Your Stressed Pet?</strong></h3><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">First, call your veterinarian. We are here to help. Depending on the situation, it will depend on the situation. For example, if you have a dog with a thunderstorm phobia, I would discuss the Thunder Shirt with you (works for some pets and not for others), pheromones, and <strong>herbal/neutraceutical remedies</strong>, and then if all else fails, we would discuss drug therapy.</p><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">In the case of inappropriate urination in cats, it’s a bit more complex. First, your veterinarian will probably check a urine sample to make sure it’s not a urinary tract infection. Assuming everything checks out ok, there will probably be a discussion about possible changes in your environment. In most cases, the stressor, such as a new pet, can’t be removed from the situation. Next, a long discussion will probably ensue about litter boxes. Cats can be very particular about what type of litter box they have, the location of the, the type of litter used, etc. Most cats tolerate their litter boxes despite what their human chooses; however, all it takes is one stressful event to set them over the edge. If everything checks out and/or environmental changes don’t improve things, then the next step may be a pheromone. I personally like to use Feliway diffusers, which need to be refilled once a month. The cat pheromone is calming to many cats and helps relax them. A lot of my inappropriate urination patients respond to this step. For those particularly tough cases, <strong>drug therapy</strong> may need to be used.</p><h3 dir="auto" style="line-height: 1.2"><strong>Let's Talk About Autumn</strong></h3><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">Take Autumn, our clinic cat, for example. She came to us because she was stressed. I don’t know what exactly stressed her out in her previous home, but her coping mechanism was to urinate on her previous owner’s new couch and bed. Her previous owner couldn’t handle this anymore, so we took Autumn in. In this case, the previous owner just didn’t want to deal with Autumn urinating all over her furniture, which is understandable since cat pee stinks.</p><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px"></p><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">We had never met Autumn prior to her being surrendered to us. The first thing we did was get a urine and <strong>blood sample </strong>from her to make sure everything was ok. When that checked out normally, I decided to just wait and see what happened. We have a futon and a couch at the clinic, which she has access to. If she started urinating on one of those items, we would try Feliway.</p><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">Autumn has lived with us for over six months. Since the day she moved into the clinic, she has never urinated anywhere but her litter box (except the one night we accidentally locked her in reception and she used the potted plant—oops!). Autumn's case is extreme in the sense that she was taken out of the environment that caused her stress, and the symptoms resolved. Most people are willing to try other steps before giving their pet away, and if Autumn was urinating all over the clinic, we would have tried the other things mentioned above.</p><p dir="auto" style="line-height: 27px">For Autumn, a new home worked out just fine for her. Our original plan was to adopt her out, but after a couple of months of her living at the clinic and making sure her issues didn’t show up again, we all became attached. So now Autumn spends her days greeting clients, lounging in her bed on the reception counter, trying to help everyone type, and most importantly, using the litter box like a good girl.</p>

Have you ever felt stressed? Did you ever pig out on your favorite treat to help cope with the stress? What does your pet do when he or she is stressed? For a lot of pets, their coping mechanism for stress is acting out. For dogs, this may mean destructive behavior, and for cats, it often means inappropriate urination.

Inappropriate Urination In Cats

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