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Tips
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Threats to pets - Lyme disease is a tick-borne bacterial disease that can cause lameness, kidney damage and death in pets.
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Lyme disease. A tick-borne bacterial disease that can cause lameness, kidney damage and death in dogs.
Heartworm disease. A preventable, mosquito-born disease in dogs and cats that eventually affects multiple organs
and causes death if untreated.
Ehrlichiosis. Also spread by ticks, ehrlichiosis can cause chronic weight loss, lameness, bleeding disorders, seizures and other
neurological problems in dogs.
Rabies. A fatal viral disease transmitted by saliva, typically through bite wounds, rabies is a threat to both people and pets.
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Spread by direct contact between cats or through shared food bowls and litter boxes, FeLV attacks the immune systems, leaving cats vulnerable to secondary diseases.
Leptospirosis. A bacterial despise shed in urine, “lepto” is the number one infectious cause of acute rental (kidney) failure in dogs. May also affect other organs.
Distemper. Highly contagious disease that can cause fever, weight loss, coughing, vomiting and diarrhea. May cause paralysis and seizures
in later stages.
Parainfluenza. Spread by nasal secretions, this virus produces a respiratory tract infection. It may also make the dog more susceptible to other, more serious infections.
Bordetella (Kennel Cough). A severe chronic cough, often accompanied by inflammation of the respiratory tract. Can lead to severe bronchitis
Parvovirus. A highly contagious intestinal disease that can cause dehydration, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, depletion of whit blood cells and death.
Coronavirus. This disease mainly affect puppies. Corona can cause diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration, and sometimes sudden death.Giardia. A microscopic protozoan found in pounds and other source of standing water, giardia can damage the lining of the small intestine.
Cross section of skin and common skin disorders.
Toxic Table Scraps.
Onion and garlic in any form-even powdered-contain chemicals that can endanger you pet’s health.
Chocolate. The sweet stuff contains a chemical that is highly toxic to dogs and cats. Anything containing cocoa or chocolate should be kept away from pets.
Grapes and raisins. Just a few grapes or raisins can damage your pet’s kidneys or even prove deadly.
Caffeine. Coffee, tea, energy drinks or anything else containing caffeine should never be given to your pet, as it can affect the heart and nervous systems.
Artificial Sweeteners. Many sugarless gum and candies contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is acutely toxic to dogs.
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Protect Your Pet - Because dogs and cats age so rapidly, major health changes can occur in a short amount of time.
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Brush your pet after each outing.
Use tick/flea treatments or medication as recommended by your veterinarian.
Ask your veterinarian how you can protect your pet from Lyme disease through vaccination.
Cut or mow tall brush or grass where your pet plays.
Do daily tick checks on yourself, pet and children.
Use tweezers to remove any ticks you find, and apply antiseptic to the affected area.
Vacuum your house and wash your pet’s bedding regularly to remove flea eggs and larvae.
Keep your pet healthy with twice a year exams.
Pets age faster them people. By age two, most pets have already reached adulthood. By age seven, many pets are entering their senior years.
Because dogs and cats age so rapidly, major health changes can occur in a short amount of time.
Today’s pets are living longer then ever, increasing the chance they will experience a potentially serious illness during their lifetime.
Twice-a-year wellness exams can help your veterinarian diagnose, treat or prevent problems before they become life threatening.
Twice-a-year wellness exams provide an opportunity to discuss nutrition, pet behavior and other concerns with your veterinarian.
Twice-a-year wellness exams can help your pet live a longer, healthier and happier life.
Warm weather is when disease-carrying mosquitoes, ticks and wildlife become active.
The risk of your pet encountering a disease-carrying vector is most likely to incise during summer time.
Protracting your dog or cat from these warm-weather threats can be difficult, especially if your pet enjoys playing outdoors.
That’s why your veterinarian may recommend a prevention program to protect your pet before it encounters a disease threat.
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Heart Disease - It surprises some owners that heart disease is common in cats and dogs...just like in humans. And just like in humans, the heart is a mechanical-electrical pump made out of living tissue and is prone to not only to all the biological hazards affecting cells
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It surprises some owners that heart disease is common in cats and dogs...just like in humans. And just like in humans, the heart is a mechanical-electrical pump made out of living tissue and is prone to not only to all the biological hazards affecting cells, but also to all
kinds of mechanical, stretching, leaking, and electrical mishaps, pressure problems, clogs, and disasters that affect non living tissue.
Unlike with diarrhea or skin problems, most pet owners don't know or even suspect their pet has heart disease, but veterinarians often detect the problem during routine physical exams early enough to make a wonderful difference to the longevity and well being of the pet.
This is one of several major reasons for making sure your pet has a good check up at least once a year. Your veterinarians will also
suspect or detect heart disease when your pet is brought in for
* Coughing or hacking
* Wheezing
* Decreased energy or stamina
* Edema
* Abdominal bloat
* Fainting
Sometimes your vet will pick up on early heart disease even when there are no obvious symptoms yet because you're the wonderful
type of pet owner that allowed your vet to spend a little extra for pre-anesthetic blood work and/or EKG monitoring prior to and
during a surgery or dental cleaning procedure that was needed.
And, of course, heartworm disease ... the most common type of heart disease... is frequently detected long before obvious symptoms
occur because of the routine testing done in just about every clinic in those parts of the country where heartworm is prevalent. One last introductory comment: Just like in humans, heart disease is associated with genetic factors but also with
* Obesity
* Lack of Exercise
* Poor Diet
What To Expect When You Take Your Dog To The Vet For Heart Disease
Exam and History:
There are lots of clues on history such as being tired after a little bit of exercise, coughing after exercise and so forth.
We will be giving your pet a good general exam that will include listening carefully to your pet's heart and lungs, feeling the quality
of the pulse, checking the color and nature of the mucus membranes, checking the tiny vessels in the eyes, palpating the abdomen,
and maybe rechecking everything after exercise.
We will also be asking a lot of questions that will help us with the diagnosis and hopefully prevent us from going down some
expensive false trails. (such as mistaking indigestion for heart disease and vice versa) It's interesting that certain breeds are more likely to have certain types of heart disease:
Murmers: Cockers, Poodles, Schnauzers, Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, and Min. Pinschers
Myocarditis: Boxers, St Bernards, and German Shorthair Pointers
Cardiomyopathy: large breeds of dogs
Heart base tumors: Boston Terriers, Boxers, and English Bulldogs Various Congential Heart Problems: Poodle, Collies, Poms, Sheperds, Eng. Bulldogs, Schnauzers, Pointers, Keeshonds, Fox Terriers, Irish Setters, and Weimaraners.
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Dental Care -There are two critical components of your pet’s veterinary dental care: oral examinations and dental cleanings. Veterinary dental care begins
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Dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of pet health care. In fact, a recent study showed that approximately two-thirds of pet owners do not provide the dental care that is recommended as essential by veterinarians. What’s more, the American Veterinary Dental Society reports that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three.
Dental disease doesn’t affect just the mouth. It can lead to more serious health problems including heart, lung and kidney disease, which makes it all the more important that you provide your pets with proper dental care from the start.
Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats were designed to provide veterinarians and their teams with a working framework for small animal dentistry practice, including dental examinations and cleaning and surgical procedures. Your pet’s dental health isn’t just in the hands of your veterinarian though. Pet owner education regarding treatment options for optimum dental health and the importance of home care are emphasized throughout the guidelines.
Periodontal Disease
Fido’s dog breath and Tabby’s tuna breath aren’t something to be ignored – they could be indicative of an oral problem, and the sooner you have it treated by your veterinarian (and learn to care for it yourself), the sooner you and your pet can smile proudly.
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissue surrounding the teeth that takes hold in progressive stages. It starts out as a bacterial film called plaque. The bacteria attach to the teeth. When the bacteria die they can be calcified by calcium in saliva. This forms a hard, rough substance called tartar or calculus, which allows more plaque to accumulate. Initially, plaque is soft and brushing or chewing hard food and toys can dislodge it. If left to spread, plaque can lead to gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums, causing them to become red and swollen and to bleed easily.
As plaque and calculus develop below the gum line, professional cleaning will be needed to help manage it. If the plaque and tartar buildup continues unchecked, infection can form around the root of the tooth.
In the final stages of periodontal disease, the tissues surrounding the tooth are destroyed, the bony socket holding the tooth in erodes and the tooth becomes loose. This is a very painful process for your four-legged friend, but these problems can be averted before they even start.
Dental Care at the Veterinary Practice
There are two critical components of your pet’s veterinary dental care: oral examinations and dental cleanings. Veterinary dental care begins at the puppy and kitten life stage. AAHA recommends that veterinarians evaluate puppies and kittens for problems related to the deciduous (baby) teeth, missing or extra teeth, swellings and oral development. As your pet ages, your veterinarian will look for developmental anomalies, the accumulation of plaque and tartar, periodontal disease and oral tumors.
Veterinarians can perform a basic oral examination on patients that are awake. However, a short-lasting anesthetic is required in order to provide a complete and thorough examination as well as dental cleanings.
The AAHA Dental Care Guidelines recommend regular oral examinations and dental cleanings, under general anesthesia, for all adult dogs and cats. AAHA recommends these procedures at least annually starting at one year of age for cats and small-breed dogs, and at two years of age for large-breed dogs.
The guidelines further recommend the following:
Pre-anesthetic exam — Whenever anesthesia is needed, special considerations are taken to help ensure the safety of your pet. Your veterinarian will thoroughly examine your pet to make sure she’s healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. Depending on your pet’s age and general physical condition, your veterinarian may also run blood, urine, electrocardiograph, and x-ray tests to check for any dangerous heart, kidney, or other conditions. Though there is some risk associated with any medical procedure, modern anesthesia is usually safe, even for older pets.
Anesthesia monitoring — During anesthesia, the monitoring and recording of your pet’s vital signs (such as body temperature, heart rate, and respiration, as well as other important factors) is important. This helps ensure the safety of your pet while undergoing anesthesia.
Dental radiographs — Radiographs (x-rays) of the teeth are needed periodically in order to completely evaluate your pet’s oral health. X-rays aid the veterinarian greatly in detecting abnormalities that cannot be detected under examination alone. In some cases, x-rays can confirm the need for extraction of teeth that are loose or badly infected.
Scaling & Polishing — Veterinarians are advised to use similar instruments as human dentists to remove plaque and calculus from your pet’s teeth. To smooth out any scratches in the tooth enamel, polishing with a special paste is also recommended.
Fluoride/sealants — The application of an anti-plaque substance, such as a fluoride treatment and/or a barrier sealant is also advised. This can help strengthen and desensitize teeth as well as decrease future plaque.
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Flea Control - Many pet owners are aware that fleas bite on their pets causing itch and discomfort, but not many know that there are many more health problems that fleas can cause.
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Why Control Fleas?
Many pet owners are aware that fleas bite on their pets causing itch and discomfort, but not many know that there
are many more health problems that fleas can cause.
Here is the list of health concern associated with flea infestation in pets:
Fleas live by sucking blood from your pet. In heavy infestation, this can result in anemia and if left untreated, your pet can die from
anemia. Fleas have the potential to transmit parasites to your pet. Tapeworms are one of them and also a blood parasite call Haemobartonella felis that can cause hemolytic anemia in pets. Flea’s bites can cause allergic reactions in pets resulting in intense itch and irritation leading to constant scratching and balding. Secondary skin infection may occur.
Plan For long term flea control for your pets.
There are many flea treatment medicines and products available. To name a few, there are the flea combs, flea powder, flea
sprays and the spot-on topical solution. There are also growth regulator pills for the fleas to interrupt the flea life cycle. Importance lies
in your choice of a right flea treatment medication or product.
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Wellness Exams - Regular wellness exams allow your veterinarian to evaluate your pet’s general health and become aware of any health problems before they become serious
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Regular wellness exams allow your veterinarian to evaluate your pet’s general health and become aware of any health problems before they become serious illnesses. Since your pet cannot vocalize his feelings, you must rely on regular physical examinations by a veterinarian and your at-home observations to assess your pet’s health. Your veterinarian may also wish to perform diagnostic tests, including blood tests and/or x-rays, to evaluate your pet’s health.
Routine blood testing, urinalysis (urine testing) and other tests are recommended for all pets in their “senior years.” Your veterinarian may recommend routine blood testing and urinalysis for younger pets to establish baseline values, which can be used for comparison as pets age.
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Hookworms - Hookworms have a direct life cycle meaning that they do not necessarily need a host to be transmitted. In pets, hookworm ova (egg) are passed in the host's feces and develop
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Hookworms have a direct life cycle meaning that they do not necessarily need a host to be transmitted. In pets, hookworm ova (egg) are passed in the host's feces and develop to the first larval stage if the temperature and humidity are adequate. Ova can hatch in 10-12
hours at 30 degrees centigrade and in 9 hours at 37 degrees centigrade. Infection can occur via ingestion or skin penetration (commonly infested thru the feet) followed by a pulmonary migration, a developmental stage in the gastric glands, or an arrested state in the
muscular tissue in older animals. Migration and maturation occur in 17 days. Transport hosts, especially rodents, may play a role in the transmission of this parasite.
Clinical signs may be one or more of the following:
* Intestinal blood loss causing anemia
* Bloody diarrhea
* Weight loss
* Poor hair coat
* Young dogs and cats are affected more severely, since they are less able to cope with depleted iron reserves.
Hookworms are diagnosed by fecal flotation (Veterinarian). The ova are unembryonated and must be taken from a fresh specimen since they hatch rapidly in warm weather. Therefore, unless you are going to the veterinarian quickly it is best to refrigerate stool samples or better yet have the vet extract the stool sample at the office. Your pet may not like that idea but it will yield the more accurate result.
There are many de-wormers available over-the-counter but they contain medications that are designed to "flush out" the parasite. But
as the name implies, Hookworms hook onto the intestinal wall and "do not come off without a fight". Many pets experience mild to severe distress because of these de-wormers. These de-wormers were used by veterinarians decades ago, but veterinary medicine has come
a long way since then.
Today, many anthelmintics are effective against hookworms in both dogs and cats. An aggressive treatment and prevention program as defined by your veterinarian normally entails two initial treatments 2 weeks apart (killing the hatched eggs and before they can hatch
again and reproduce administering a second dose), plus an aggressive preventive program. Since the medication can only kill what’s in
the system monthly checkups for 3-4 months are needed until a pattern of negative tests results are established. Because of the life
cycle of the hookworm, monthly combo preventative can help control but not usually eliminate the problem.
Also, it is extremely important to thoroughly clean and disinfect the affected areas. If this is not feasible walk your pet in a different area
and if possible away from where other pets go. ALWAYS, pick up after your pet goes to the bathroom to minimize the chance of reinfection.
The most important aspect of hookworms is that they could pose a health hazard to humans. Especially if you have children, it is imperative
to keep on top of the situation and have your pet regularly tested. In humans, hookworms cause cutaneous larval migrans. The parasite can penetrate human skin and cause a linear, tortous, erythematous, and pruritic dermatitis (kids are more susceptible). Therefore, if you own a pet good hygiene, prevention and management of stool area should be number one on your list.
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Rabies - Rabies is an infection caused by the rhabdovirus. It is typically transmitted through bite wounds from an infected animal, though cases of human infection have been reported as a result of
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Rabies is an infection caused by the rhabdovirus. It is typically transmitted through bite wounds from an infected animal, though cases of human infection have been reported as a result of inhaling aerosolized bat urine when visiting bat-infested caves. Common carriers of rabies include skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes.
Following a bite from an infected animal, the virus in the animal's saliva enters the victim's tissues, attaching to local muscles cells before penetrating local nerves and eventually progressing to the brain. There is an average of twenty to thirty days between the bite and a detectable virus in the brain.
Symptoms of rabies occur in stages. During the first one and a half days after symptoms begin, known as the prodromal stage, infected animals exhibit a change in personality, such as a once friendly animal becoming shy. A voice change may also be noticed as the larynx starts to spasm. The classic mad dog stage occurs during the next two to three days, in which animals suffer from hallucinations and show no fear. Further, drooling and foaming of the mouth occur as the larynx becomes paralyzed and result in an inability to swallow. The next two days is known as the paralytic or dumb stage in which weakness and/or paralysis set in. Death occurs when the intercostal muscles controlling breathing become paralyzed. It is during this stage that most human exposures from animals occur.
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Pets care
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