Pet Health Information

Vaccine FAQ & Gen. Info | preventative medicine|flea and tick prevention| senior pet wellness |

behavioral training | training puppies | litter training | neutering | dental exams & cleaning  

ultrasound | radiology | general surgery | prescription foods | Pet FAQs

Preventative Medicine

Preventative Medicine

Naturally, it is important to take your pet to the vet when there is a problem, but many people forget the importance of taking their pets to the doctor when they are healthy!

It is important for pet owners to remember that a dog's life span is shorter than a human's.  Going to the doctor every year for a dog is just like humans going to the doctor every 4-5 years. A lot can change for your pet in one year, and it is up to the veterinarian to monitor these changes and to watch for problems. The yearly check up is a good time for the owner to report any problems or changes noticed in the pet since the last check up.

Many of the initial changes that indicate disease are often very subtle and can be missed by the owner (i.e. the early signs of liver, kidney or heart disease). In the wild, showing signs of illness is a liability, so animals often instinctively hide signs of disease, which can make these subtle changes even more difficult to detect. Bringing your pet in for a yearly check up helps to ensure that diseases can be caught early on.

A cat or dog is considered to be middle age at around 3 years and geriatric at around 6 to 7 years of age. The ultimate goal of preventative medicine is to discover disease early and treat it before it becomes serious. This not only saves money in the long run, but it also helps to make sure that a disease can be treated before it causes irreparable damage to the animal.

"Normal" can vary widely from animal to animal which is another reason that the yearly check up is so important.  It establishes a relationship between the veterinarian and the pet so the doctor knows what the pet is like when it is "normal." If a pet comes in with a problem, and it has never been seen before, it can be difficult to determine what findings are relevant to the animal's problem and what findings are incidental and part of that animal's "normal" state. For example, a dog may normally have a rather low number of red blood cells compared to most dogs, but if no blood work has ever been done on that animal, it could be interpreted as a sign of disease. Having a baseline for what is "normal" for each animal makes the diagnostic process more efficient, saving both time and money.

In addition to watching for disease, yearly checkups give the veterinarian a chance to give recommendations about what diet is most appropriate for that animal. As a pet ages, its nutritional needs can change dramatically. Because pet nutrition has become so advanced, there is a diet available for almost every condition and stage of life.

A yearly exam is also a time when vaccines that prevent disease can be given, a fecal exam can be run to check for intestinal parasites and a heartworm exam can be done to make sure that there is no heartworm infection.

Having a yearly exam for your pet is an excellent way to avoid problems in the future. Ultimately it will save you time and money and possibly, the life of a beloved family member.

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Flea and Tick Prevention

Flea and Tick Prevention

Take the bite out of fleas and ticks.

American Fleas

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/696_flea.html

While there are more than 200 species of fleas in this country, the main troublemaker for pets is the cat flea. Happy to feed on anyone in the household--cat, dog or human--these wingless insects will most likely choose a pet, whose fur provides warm camouflage for their breeding ground.

The flea life cycle, illustrated in a 794K PDF file, has four stages: eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. Female fleas lay as many as 50 eggs a day, starting a life cycle that can be completed in as little as three weeks, depending on temperature and humidity. The eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on "flea dirt," excrement of partially digested blood. Larvae grow and molt twice, then spin cocoons, where they grow to pupae and then adults. The adult remains in the cocoon until vibrations indicate a host is nearby. This waiting can extend the life cycle. It also explains why large numbers of fleas often are seen when an empty building is reoccupied. Six-legged adults emerge and attach to a host to feed and breed, beginning the cycle all over again.

Even when fleas elude detection on a pet, their black poppy seed-like excrement gives them away.

The main problem with fleas--itching--is due not only to their bites, but also to their crawling over the skin.

Other flea bite problems and their symptoms include:

• anemia in young, older or ill pets--pale gums, weakness, lethargy
• transmission of tapeworm to pets--irritability, erratic appetite, shaggy coat, mild diarrhea, weight loss, seizures
• transmission by rodent fleas of plague to cats--fever, swollen lymph nodes, mouth sores, swollen tongue, cough, pneumonia.

Also, some pets are extremely allergic to flea bites. In these pets, fleas may cause a rash, inflammation, and hair loss. In response, cats may compulsively over-groom.

Washing the pet's bedding regularly and vacuuming frequently also helps keep the flea population down. The vacuum bag should be changed after vacuuming and the used one burned, if possible, to prevent it from serving as a flea incubator. Cats who don't go outside have the least risk of getting fleas.

Tenacious Ticks

A tick has a one-piece body. The harpoon-like barbs of its mouth attach to a host for feeding. Crablike legs and a sticky secretion help hold the tick to the host. When attempting to remove a tick, to prevent the mouth part from coming off and remaining embedded in the skin, grasp the mouth close to the skin with tweezers and pull gently.

Ticks are not insects like fleas, but arachnids like mites, spiders and scorpions. They have a four-stage life cycle, illustrated in a 794K PDF file: eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults. Adult females of some species lay about 100 eggs at a time. Others lay 3,000 to 6,000 eggs per batch. Six-legged larvae hatch from the eggs. After at least one blood meal, the larvae molt into eight-legged nymphs--in some species, more than once. Final nymphs molt into adult males or females, also with eight legs. Depending on its species, a tick may take less than a year or up to several years to go through its four-stage life cycle. While ticks need a blood meal at each stage after hatching, some species can survive years without feeding.

The United States has about 200 tick species. Habitats include woods, beach grass, lawns, forests, and even urban areas.

Ticks may carry various infectious organisms that can transmit diseases to cats and dogs, including the following (listed with possible symptoms):

• babesiosis--lethargy, appetite loss, weakness, pale gums
• ehrlichiosis--high fever, muscle aches
• Lyme disease--lameness, swollen joints, fever, poor appetite, fatigue, and vomiting (some infected animals show no symptoms)
• tick paralysis in dogs--gradual paralysis, seen first as an unsteady gait from uncoordinated back legs (some infected dogs don't develop paralysis).

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Senior Pet Wellness

Senior Pet Wellness

As our pets age, their organs gradually lose functioning ability.  Senior animals are prone to many of the same diseases that older humans experience: kidney, liver and heart disease; diabetes; cancer; hypothyroidism; and hyperthyroidism.

Regular, routine testing of older animals helps us to establish baseline values and also identify problems early. If we wait for the obvious signs of illness, a disease process may be very advanced and far more difficult and costly to treat.

A pet's senior profile can also help to avert the dispensing of medication that may be unsafe for your pet's condition or senior health status.

Your pet is considered a Senior once he or she has reached:

• Small and medium breed dogs: about 7 years
• Large and giant breed dogs: about 5 years
• Cats: about 7-8 years

It is also important to test your older pet if he or she exhibits one or more of the following signs:

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Pet Behavior Problems?

Pet Behavior Problems?

If you are seeing behavioral problems in your dog it is often because dog is not getting the sense of predictability and structure it both wants and needs. Unpredictability is frightening. Not knowing where you stand in a family is uncomfortable. Dogs react to these situations either by trying to create the structure and control they crave (taking control of the family) or act out their distress through displacement (digging, barking, chewing, destruction and self mutilation are common examples).

For additional information go to: http://www.webtrail.com/petbehavior/dogthink.html

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Training Puppies

1. Start training your puppy early on. While old dogs can be taught new tricks, what is learned earliest is often learned quickest and easiest. The older the dog is when adopted, the more bad habits will likely need to be "un-learned". When it comes to raising and training a dog, an ounce of problem prevention is worth a pound of cure!

2. Train your dog gently and humanely. Whenever possible, teach him using positive, motivational methods. Keep obedience sessions upbeat so that the training process is enjoyable for all parties involved. If training your pooch is a drudgery, try the "play-training" approach: incorporate constructive, non-adversarial games (such as "Go Find", "Hide 'n' Seek", retrieving, etc.) into your training sessions.

3. Does your dog treat you like the "hired help" at home? Does he treat you like a human gymnasium when you're sitting on the furniture? Does he beg at the table? Jump up on visitors? Demand your attention by annoying you to death? Ignore your commands? How well your dog responds to you at home affects his behavior outdoors as well. If your dog doesn't respond reliably to commands at home (where distractions are relatively minimal), he won't respond to you properly outdoors where he's tempted by other dogs, pigeons, passersby, sidewalk food scraps, etc.

4. Avoid giving your dog commands that you know you cannot enforce. Every time you give a command that is neither complied with nor enforced your dog learns that commands are optional.

5. One command should equal one response, so give your dog only one command (twice max!), then gently enforce it. Repeating commands tunes your dog out (as does nagging) and teaches your dog that the first several commands are a "bluff '. For instance, telling your dog to "Sit, sit, sit, sit!", is neither an efficient nor effective way to issue commands. Simply give your dog a single "Sit" command and gently place or lure your dog into the sit position, then praise/reward.

6. Avoid giving your dog combined commands which are incompatible. Combined commands such as "sit-down" can confuse your dog. Using this example, say either "sit" or "down". The command "sit-down" simply doesn't exist.

7. When giving your dog a command, avoid using a loud voice. Even if your dog is especially independent or unresponsive, your tone of voice when issuing an obedience command such as "sit", "down" or ""stay", should be calm and authoritative, rather than harsh or loud.
   
   NOTE: Many owners complain that their dogs are "stubborn", and that they "refuse to listen" when given a command. Before blaming the dog when he doesn't respond to a command, first determine whether or not: a) the dog knows what the owner wants, b) he knows how to comply,  c) he is not simply being unresponsive due to fear, stress or confusion.

8. Whenever possible, use your dog's name positively, rather than using it in conjunction to reprimands, warnings or punishment. Your dog should trust that when it hears its name or is called to you, good things happen. His name should always be a word he responds to with enthusiasm, never hesitancy or fear.

9. Correct or, better yet, prevent the (mis)behavior, don't punish the dog. Teaching and communication is what it's all about, not getting even with your dog. If you're taking an "it's-you-against-your dog, whip 'em into shape" approach, you'll undermine your relationship, while missing out on all the fun that a motivational training approach can offer. Additionally, after-the-fact discipline does NOT work.

10. When training one's dog, whether praising or correcting, good timing is essential. Take the following example: You've prepared a platter of hors d'oeuvres for a small dinner party, which you've left on your kitchen counter. Your dog walks into the room and smells the hors d'oeuvres. He air-sniffs, then eyes the food, and is poised to jump up. This is the best, easiest and most effective time to correct your dog: before he's misbehaved, while he's thinking about jumping up to get the food.

11. Dog owners inadvertently reinforce their dogs' misbehavior by giving their dogs a lot of attention (albeit negative attention) when they misbehave. If your dog receives a lot of attention and handling when he jumps up on you, that behavior is being reinforced, and is likely to be repeated.

12. Remain in control of your anger. Never train your dog when you're feeling grouchy or impatient. Earning your dog's respect is never accomplished by yelling, hitting, or handling your dog in a harsh manner. Moreover, studies have shown that fear and stress inhibit the learning process.

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In The Know: About Litter Box Training Your Kitten

Most kittens start litter training at about 5-6 weeks. The following will make this transition easy for you and your pet.

• Always keep the litter box clean. Cats are clean and prefer to use a clean litter box.

• It is a good idea to have more than one litter box in your home. The rule of thumb is to have one litter box for each cat in the house. Don't necessarily expect each cat to select one litter box and use it exclusively. Each cat may use one or all of the litter boxes.

• Occasionally cats or kitten's prefer one type of litter over another. Watch for those types of preferences as they will make your cat litter box more appealing to them. Cats typically prefer sand-like litters, try to avoid perfumed litters.

• Avoid ammonia-based cleaners when cleaning the litter box.

• Do NOT use clumping litter with kittens younger than 16 weeks. The clumping litter can crust onto their feet if they step into a newly wetted area.

• Make sure that you keep your kitten's litter box in a secluded area (cats like privacy).

• Keep the litter box well separated from the food and water bowls.

• Make sure that there is free access for your kitten to it's litter box (do not allow other pets or children preventing your cats access to it's litter box). If it is unable to get to the box, it will find another place in your house to go.

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What is Heartworm?

What is Heartworm?

The parasitic worm responsible for heartworm disease is called Dirofilaria immitis. The life cycle of this parasite begins when an infected mosquito lands on your pet to feed.

The larvae enter the pet's body through the mosquitoes bite and migrate through the cat or dogs tissues. The larvae develop over the next few months eventually reaching the pet’s heart and lungs.

Heartworms may be present in the heart and lungs approximately four months after initial infection. Once in the pet’s heart, the worms can grow up to 7 to 11 inches in length and cause significant damage to the heart and lungs. If left untreated, heartworm disease may result in death.

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What is an Ultrasound?

What is an Ultrasound?

An ultrasound test uses reflected sound waves to produce a picture of organs and other structures inside the body. It does not use X-rays or other types of radiation.

During an ultrasound test, a small handheld instrument called a transducer (that emits and detects high-pitched sounds beyond the range of human hearing) is passed back and forth over the area of the pet's body being examined. A computer analyzes the sound waves that are reflected back from structures inside the pet's body. These reflected sound waves are converted into a picture and displayed on a video monitor. The images produced by ultrasound are called a sonogram, echogram, or scan. Pictures or videos of the ultrasound images may be saved for a permanent record.

Ultrasound is most useful for looking at organs and structures that are either uniform and solid (like the liver) or fluid-filled (like the bladder). Mineralized structures (like bones) or air-filled organs (like the lungs) do not show up well on a sonogram.

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Why x-rays are sometimes necessary.

Why x-rays are sometimes necessary.

Diagnostic radiology, or diagnostic imaging, is the medical evaluation of body tissues and functions—both normal anatomy and physiology and abnormalities caused by disease or injury—by means of static (still) or dynamic (moving) radiological images.

The use of ionizing radiation in diagnostic radiology involves passing a localized beam of X rays through the part of the body being examined. This produces a static image on film. The image, called a radiograph, or X-ray picture, can take several forms. It may be a plain radiograph, such as the common chest X ray; a mammogram, an X-ray image of the female breast used to scan for cancerous tumors; a tomography, which produces an image of the entire depth of an anatomical structure with a series of X rays; or a computerized axial tomography (CT or CAT) scan, a computer analysis of a cross-sectional image of the body.

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Why Does My Pet Need Dental Exams & Cleaning?

a nice healthy smile!

Dental Exams & Cleaning

Could my Dog or Cat have Periodontal Disease?

Teeth are anchored in periodontal tissues consisting of gingiva (gums), ligaments, cementum, and supporting bone. More than 85% of dogs and cats older than four years have periodontal disease. Periodontal disease starts with the formation of plaque, a transparent, adhesive fluid composed of bacteria. Plaque starts forming within eight hours after a thorough dental cleaning. When plaque is not removed, mineral salts, in the saliva, precipitate forming hard calculus. Calculus is irritating to gingival tissue. By-products of the bacteria "eat away" the tooth's support structures eventually causing pain and periodontal disease.

brushing technique

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About General Surgery

General Surgery

Dog and cat surgery is a vital aspect of any animal hospital activities. Modern veterinary surgery is done under conditions designed to minimize the chances of bacterial contamination. Instruments, gowns, towels and other items such as scalpels and clamps are sterilized in an autoclave at 270 degrees and under pressure for various lengths of time to kill any microorganisms. As well, the surgeon scrubs hands and wears sterilized rubber surgical gloves and wears a gown if the surgery is more than a minor procedure. By adhering to sterile surgical techniques, postoperative infections are seldom encountered.

After any surgical procedure the pet’s owner is given a thorough description of what the surgeon accomplished and what is now expected of the pet owner in terms of post-operative home care.  Sometimes that can be a bigger challenge than the surgery! How do you make a happy and carefree dog "take it easy" for ten days? How do you make a cat not jump off the back of the couch? Nevertheless, aftercare is vital to the healing process.

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Prescription Foods

Prescription Foods

Hill's® Prescription Diet“ brand pet foods are designed to give sick and disease-prone dogs and cats nutritional support during and after therapy.

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Allergy and Food Intolerance in Dogs and Cats

Does your dog or cat vomit frequently, or have diarrhea, or show skin irritation, poor coat condition and/or hair loss? Any or all of these symptoms could point your veterinarian to allergies, and specifically an allergic response to the food you feed. Ingredients in food that your pet cannot tolerate may result in a variety of negative reactions. Allergy and food intolerance is also called an adverse reaction to food and can create ongoing problems with both the skin and the digestive tract.

There are many possible causes for food allergy in dogs and cats. However, some of the ingredients that cause the most common problems are frequently found in common pet foods.

• In dogs, the most common causes of adverse reactions are beef, dairy products, wheat, chicken and pork.
• In cats, the most common causes of adverse reactions are beef, dairy products, fish, wheat and chicken.

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Age Old Problem

Free radicals are a normal by-product of energy produced by the body. Natural defense mechanisms render most free radicals harmless, but a small percentage remains active to cause cell damage. Over time, the body produces more and more free radicals. The end result is aging.

The aging process attacks every body system and organ in the pet, including the brain. The result is a loss of brain function, and often, the appearance of behavioral changes that were not present in the pet’s younger years. Below is a list of common behavioral changes in older dogs. Check the signs that affect your pet and discuss them with your veterinarian.

• House-soiling "accidents"
• Does not "ask" to go outside
• No longer greets family members
• Does not seek attention/petting
• Does not recognize familiar people or places
• Does not respond to verbal cues
• Sleeps more during the day or less at night
• Appears lost or confused in the house or yard
• Wanders or paces
• Stares into space or at walls

These are just a few examples of health issues that may be controlled by an improved diet for your pet.

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The Decision to Neuter ...

Pet Neutering

The decision to neuter your pet is a very socially responsible decision. Millions of dogs and cats end up homeless each year. Unless you are a responsible breeder, you need to very seriously consider having your pet neutered.

In addition to keeping the homeless pet population down, below are a few examples of how neutering can be beneficial to your pet's health:

1. A neutered pet is not as likely to stray away from home.

2. A neutered pet is not as inclined to be in a "territorial" fight.

Cat spay surgery and cat neuters, as well as dog spay and neuters, are performed daily by veterinarians all across North America, and yet there still is a growing population of homeless and unwanted dogs and cats.  If you do not plan to breed your pet, consult with us about the pros and cons of surgical sterilization. These procedures are performed under general anesthesia.

Spaying and neutering does not "make a pet fat and lazy".  In a healthy dog or cat, free of hypothyroidism, endocrine dysfunction, or other medical disorders, overfeeding and insufficient exercise are the sole causes of a pet being overweight.

SPAY... the medical term is ovariohysterectomy.  In this major abdominal surgery the pet's ovaries and uterus are removed.  There is no evidence that a pet suffers from any personality or emotional harm by having their ovaries removed.  The uterus is also removed to insure that it does not become a source of infection over a period of time.  If the surgeon simply tied or obstructed the Fallopian tubes (the channel where the eggs must pass into the uterus) in order to make the female dog or cat sterile, she would still come into heat, attract males, and attempt to breed.  Experience has shown that the best procedure is to perform a complete ovariohysterectomy.

NEUTER... another term is castration.   In this surgery the doctor makes an incision in front of the scrotum and through that incision accesses each testicle.  The fibrous coverings of the testicles are incised and each testicle is removed after securely ligating the blood vessels that attach to each testicle.  The benefits of having a dog and cat neutered are well documented. And to simply do a vasectomy to render the male sterile would not alleviate the scent marking, desire to breed, territorial defense and other testosterone driven behaviors. Even in guard dogs and hunting dogs, many owners report improved behavior and manageability when the dog has been neutered.

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Pet FAQs

Pet FAQs

    Preventing a Health and Safety Crisis (click to open file)

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