Thursday 1 21, 2010

New Beginnings

It's that time of year again to make resolutions and promise to do better in 2010. Awareness of your pet's health and welfare is an easy one to keep.  Many pet owners have been hit hard by the recession causing an apparently healthy pet's veterinary care to be postponed due to limited finances.  Unfortunately, many pets who seem fine to owners often have significant problems which are being overlooked and going untreated.  

We highly recommend that all cats and dogs receive a physical exam at least annually, and vaccinations determined by your pet's unique needs. During this exam, we often find significant weight problems and dental disease that need timely care.  As pet's age, symptoms of disease may be overlooked by pet owners assuming aging is the cause of a change in their pet's behavior, when in fact, there are underlying medical conditions that need attention. Proper parasite control is also very important as internal and external occupants can adversely affect your pet to a great degree.  We are committed to helping keep your pet healthy and avoiding a medical crisis whenever possible.

If your pet is overdue for preventative care, take this month to schedule that exam and get your pet back on track.   Call 763-493-9080 for an appointment.

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Hospital News

Dr. Lisa Carpenter and Rhonda Noetzelman, CVT both have new puppies!  Dr. Carpenter's drop-eared Papillon bitch, Abby, had a litter of puppies and Lisa selected one, Katie, to join her agility family. Rhonda saw a photo of a Collie/Yorkie(!!) mix-breed puppy on an internet rescue site and fell in love with Rolo.  Both puppies are doing well and enjoy puppy play dates from time to time.

Dr. Carpenter's six year old Papillon, Mellie qualified for the AKC National Agility Championship trial in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in March.  She and Mellie will be competing against some of the country's "best of the best" agility dogs.  

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Featured EPHC Website Link: Check out our Pet Health Information Handouts

Be sure to check out some of the resources available on our website. We have posted numerous health care topics in our hand-out section and these can be downloaded as pdf documents and printed. If you have questions about your pet's health or behavior issues, this is just one more place to find answers.  

We are always available for phone consultations for our clients regarding ongoing pet health problems.

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February is Pet Dental Health Awareness Month

Every February veterinarians spread the word to remind pet owners about the dangers of dental disease in dogs and cats.  Most pet owners do not lift the lips of their companion pets to see the problems that lurk there.  Even if they did, most significant disease lies below the gum line and is not found unless the teeth are explored during an oral exam or if intra-oral x-rays are taken.  

Dental disease affects the majority of our pets over three years of age. Small breed dogs are most often affected with periodontal disease, but all dogs are prone to tooth fractures and dental disease.

Cats develop a unique problem known as resorptive lesions, which are commonly referred to as kitty cavities (see accompanying article). They can also have periodontal disease that leads to tooth loss from untreated infection.

Dental disease affects your pet's quality of life.  Treating their oral pain will result in happier, more active pets.  Schedule an oral exam today and be sure your pet is not suffering unduly from untreated dental disease.

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Kitty Cavities

Over 65% of cats will suffer from resorptive lesions of their teeth. The premolars are primarily affected, but the canine teeth and molars are also at risk. Often the only sign of trouble is that the gum tissue is a bit more red and covers over part of the tooth. These are typically found by the doctor on physical exam because many cats will not show any symptoms at home.

The cause of this disease is unknown.  The body starts to attack the enamel of the tooth, causing painful cavities leading to the nerves in the root canal of the tooth. Many cats show NO outward signs of pain, but when the tooth is touched with a q-tip, the jaw will chatter, even while under anesthesia. These are very painful to the cat.  

Diagnosis is made while the cat is under anesthesia when an explorer probe catches on the rough surface of the tooth.  An intra-oral x-ray will show resorption of part or almost all the tooth.  Treatment involves extraction of any involved roots or a crown amputation if the roots have already resorbed.  Pain control after extraction allows these cats to have a comfortable mouth immediately post-treatment. Cats that develop this problem often will have multiple teeth affected over the course of several years.  Research is ongoing to determine the cause of resorptive lesions in the hopes of preventing their occurrence.  

If your cat has any signs of reddened gums, significant tartar build-up or oral pain, please make an appointment for an oral exam soon.

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Vaccine Update

We follow the AAHA, AAFP and AVMA joint task force's vaccination guidelines when determining how often to vaccinate companion pets.  Yearly vaccines were commonly given in the past.  After much research, it has been determined that yearly vaccines are unnecessary for most pets.  However, the need for ANNUAL exams is still present.  Vaccinations are just one part of a preventative health care program.   Many owners mistakenly skip important veterinary visits thinking that if a vaccine isn't needed, then the pet is ok.  This is a common mistake. Many pets have health issues that come to light only during the physical exam. Your veterinarian will work with you to help your pet stay healthy.

For adult dogs , the vaccination guidelines suggest a three-year vaccine frequency for core vaccines, such as distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis.  The non-core vaccines are generally given annually for those pets at an increased risk of exposure.  Kennel cough vaccines are recommended for boarding dogs, and those regularly exposed to other dogs.  The Leptospirosis vaccine is given to dogs with exposure to wildlife and water sources such as lakes, streams and ponds.  Lyme vaccination is recommended for dogs exposed to deer ticks along with a good tick control.  Other vaccines may be indicated as well.

For adult cats, the vaccination guidelines suggest a three-year frequency for the core vaccines, calicivirus, herpesvirus and panleukopenia.   Feline Leukemia vaccine is given annually only for "at-risk" cats.  

More frequent vaccination boosters are given to kittens and puppies. We will set up a tailored vaccination schedule that meets your pet's needs.

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Benefits of Canned Cat food

There are many brands and forms of cat food that will give your cat complete and balanced nutrition. Commercial cat food is available in dry, canned and semi-moist forms.  

Dry food contains minimal moisture and although many cats find it very appealing, they often do not drink enough water to make up for the lower moisture content in the diet. Cats were originally desert animals and they don’t drink a lot of water in general. Our cats may not be getting enough water throughout the day if fed only dry foods. Cats may even vomit their dry food because it’s hard for their stomachs to moisten the food enough to start digesting it. 

Consider providing your cat with different forms of food. Canned foods have a water content very similar to the prey a cat would eat in the wild. One concern pet owners have about feeding canned food is that it will contribute to dental disease. Although it’s true that having something solid (dry food) to scrape against the teeth is good, most cats don’t chew their dry food enough to have that benefit. If you watch your cat eat dry food, you may hear a crunching sound occasionally, but for the most part, the kibbles are swallowed whole.

We suggest giving your cat canned food occasionally or even every day. If you have a kitten, it is great to get them used to canned food now. If your cat is not used to eating canned food, please call us to learn how to introduce it to them.  We are discovering that canned food can help keep a cat's urinary and digestive tracts healthier.

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Sago Palm Toxicity

Sago Palms are commonly found in the southern states, especially Florida and Texas.  Consumers in Northern states import the Bonsai version of the Sago Palm as household plants,  not realizing how toxic they are.

All parts of the Sago Palm are toxic, especially the seeds.  The toxic compounds can cause birth defects, are very harmful to the liver, and are carcinogenic.  Just one or two seeds can cause liver injury and death in dogs.  Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea with or without blood, trouble walking, seizures and coma.  Liver failure can occur within just 72 hours.  Many pets will die if they ingest this plant.  

If you have inadvertently brought this plant into your pet-occupied home, we recommend removing it from the home or placing it completely out of reach of pets.

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Forbidden Foods

Many owners like to give their pet a special treat from time to time. Often, it comes straight from our plates or our refrigerators and pantries.

There are many "people foods" that are ok for most pets, but there are also many foods that may cause mild-severe problems for our furry companions.

The following foods should NOT be fed to pets:  alcoholic beverages, avocados, chocolate (all forms), coffee, fatty foods, macadamia nuts, moldy or spoiled foods, onions and onion powder, raisins and grapes, salt, yeast dough, garlic and xylitol-sweetened products.

Many dogs will tolerate and enjoy modest amounts of green beans, carrots, and apples.  If you are involved in dog training, high value reward food such as bits of hot dogs, cheese, chicken breast, steak, pork roast, and liver can be acceptable if your dog does not have a sensitive stomach and if you do not over-indulge them with these foods.  Rewards are generally very small bits of food, and not a serving size!

If you have any questions about your pet's diet, supplements, treats or weight issues, please call and we would be happy to help address your concerns.

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Human Drug Hazards for Pets

Many prescription and over-the counter drugs taken by humans are hazardous to our pets.  It is extremely important to keep these out of their reach.  Most people are aware that Ibuprofen, Advil, and Tylenol can be harmful and already take precautions.  

Some other drugs have an unusually high risk to pets.  One example is the anti-depressant Effexor XR-time release capsules. The formulation appears to be uniquely attractive to our feline friends.  Symptoms of ingestion include dilated eyes, vomiting, high respiratory and heart rates, difficultly walking and agitation.  This toxicity can be treated if brought to your vet's attention immediately.

It is important to pet-proof your home, just as you would child-proof it. Keep all drugs out of reach of kids and pets.

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