June is here and thankfully the tree pollen counts have fallen. Aventis
Pharmaceuticals must have had a great last quarter due to my consumption of
Allegra in the month of May alone.
We are not the only ones who suffer with allergies this time of year - many
of our pets also exhibit allergy symptoms. Instead of the typical human
allergy symptoms, (runny nose, runny eyes, and sneezing), dogs and cats
develop itching, scratching, and licking. We typically will treat mild pet
allergies with antihistamines such as Benadryl or Hydroxyzine. The doggy
dose for Benadryl is 1mg/pound of body weight every 8-12 hours as
needed. Use the caplets, (which are scored) , not the capsules or
liquid. For example: a 25 pound dog would receive a 25 mg caplet as
needed. Never give more than 50 mg, even to a large dog. Remember
Benadryl causes DROWSINESS.
For moderate and severe cases we use anti-inflammatories like Vetalog,
Temaril-P, and Prednisone. Patients that do not respond to medications
should be tested and have regular injections, customized for their
particular allergies. Remember that pet food allergies are year round,
while pollen and mold allergies are seasonal.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Anyone who has seen Animal Planet knows that the pace of veterinary medical
care is rapidly approaching that of human medical care. One of our
favorite pet owners posed a great question to me this week....how do the
doctors at Priest Lake keep up with advances in medical care?
To provide your pets with superior health care, the doctors at Priest Lake
attend 60 total hours of continuing education each year. In addition to
continuing education, we subscribe to 10 monthly veterinary journals and
continually add to our extensive pet health care library.
All three doctors are now utilizing VIN (Veterinary Information Network) ,
a subscription online veterinary website for medical research and
consultation. VIN employs over 35 specialists in a variety of fields such
as dermatology, cardiology, internal medicine, oncology (cancer
specialists), dermatology, neurology, hematology, ophthalmology, behavior
medicine, and exotic animal medicine.
When we encounter a difficult or challenging case, we will e-mail
specialists for advice on diagnosis and treatment. We are able to transmit
case histories, lab work, as well as images online and generally have
answers within 24 hours. This is a tremendous benefit to your pet - to be
able to get the latest medical recommendations from specialists in a very
short period of time. In many cases we are able to save our clients a
visit to Knoxville (UT College of Veterinary Medicine) by receiving
differential diagnosis and treatment protocols very quickly.
We consider VIN part of our regular health care service for your pets, so
we do not charge you extra when we utilize this fantastic medical resource.
BEWARE OF ONLINE / MAIL ORDER PHARMACIES !
A number of our clients have requested prescriptions for medications to be
filled through online and mail order pharmacies. We will be happy to fill
your medications in house, or give you a written prescription for any
medication that your pet needs. We do not fax or mail written
prescriptions, nor do we authorize prescriptions by phone or fax (except
for local pharmacies).
Here are several points to consider before utilizing online / mail order
pharmacies:
1. A number of these businesses are, or have been under investigation by
state and federal agencies for engaging in illegal and unethical
activities. Some have been found to be selling pet owners medications
obtained illegally and packaged for use in other countries.
2. Many of the products may have been shipped multiple times, through
multiple distribution points in various countries, thus compromising the
medications potency. Some medications are inactivated by storing at cold
or hot temperatures. Some may be removed from their original package then
re- packaged, thus eliminating the true expiration date.
3. The prices offered from online pharmacies may be higher than your
regular veterinarian. We discovered that a bottle of Rimadyl costs $12
more from an online pharmacy when compared to the same product through an
average veterinary clinic. These pharmacies may offer a few loss leaders
to lure consumers, but then charge higher fees on non shopped medications.
4. Most people do not factor in shipping costs when comparing medication
prices. Some companies offer next day service, but then add an additional
$15 to the bill.
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH
My website pick of the month is the AVMA's "Care for Pets" home
page. This is the American Veterinary Medical Associations site providing
info on pet health, safety, pet selection and other topics of interest to
pet owners: www.avma.org/care4pets/
FELINE FACTS
Why do my cat's eyes contract to a vertical slit?
Cats evolved to be nocturnal hunters, and they can see well in very dim
light. Because of this extreme sensitivity to light, cats require precise
control over the amount of light reaching their eyes. Being able to reduce
the pupils to slits, rather than tiny circles, gives the cat greater and
more accurate control of how much light enters their eyes; this ability is
particularly important in bright sunlight.
Vertical slits also have an advantage over horizontal slits. Because the
cat's eyelids close at right angles to the vertical pupil, the cat can
reduce the amount of light even further by bringing its eyelids closer and
closer together. This combination of the vertical slits of the pupils, and
the horizontal slits of the eyelids, allows the cat to make the most
delicate adjustments of the light reaching its eye compared to any other
animal.
NOTABLE KITTY QUOTES
As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat - Ellen Berkeley
In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats - English Proverb
There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast - Unknown
Dogs come when they are called, cats take a message and get back to you
later - Mary Bly
People who hate cats will come back as mice in their next life - Faith Resnick
