Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital, P-LLC
August 2010 News Letter
It won't be long and the kids will be back in school. Where has the summer
gone? Wait a minute, where did the spring go? It felt like we went from winter
right into summer. I hope you have enjoyed the time and was able to get away
for at least a small vacation. What a spring and summer we've had, the flood
and then the above normal temperatures. Hopefully this month will be cooler and
more comfortable. Some will be taking their vacations this month as a last
hooray. Whatever you are doing or wherever you are going, be safe and enjoy
the rest of your summer. Fall is right around the corner and I am one person
that is looking forward to it.
Oil Spill Help
Pets are helping to
secure the oil spill. Groomers and pet retailers across the country donate pet
hair to help in the clean up in the Gulf.
Hair is an absorbent and can be used to create oil-absorbing mats. Oil clings
to the hair rather than being soaked by it. The inventor of the hair mats, Phil
McCrory, spearheaded the hair and fur collection. Mr. McCrory discovered that
hair is very efficient at gathering oil in several ways. Hair can clean skin
oil off the face and remove oil pollutions from air and water. Thus it can help
a lot with oil spills.
Camp Bow Wow, a pet service company, asked its more than 200 North American
franchises to collect fur for the cause.
Pet groomers, pet retailer, beauticians and even alpaca farmers are donating
hair, fleece, feathers and fur to mop up the million gallons of oil in the gulf.
The San Francisco-based non-profit organization formed by McCrory has organized
volunteers to stuff donated hair into long tubes of nylon to replicate his boom
design in an attempt to separate the oil.
Flea Collar Hazards
The Environmental Protection
Agency's radar screen is reviewing certain flea collars. The Natural Resources
Defense Council (New York) released an April 2009 study showing that certain
collars leave residues of two carcinogenic neurotoxins up to 1000 times higher
than the EPA says is acceptable. The first study of it's kind by co-author Dr.
Gina Solomon, an NRDC senior scientist, showed that high levels of pesticide
residue can remain on a dog's or cat's fur for weeks after a flea collar is put
on the animal. They found that two pesticides used in flea collars,
tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) and propoxur, are among the most dangerous pesticides
still legally on the market and are high enough to pose a risk to children and
adults who play with their pets. It has been only recently that it was realized
that kids can get a hefty dose from touching their pets, then putting their
fingers in their mouths which is normal behavior for them. Children are more at
risk as their metabolic and neurological systems are still developing. More
research is being done by the NRDC to determine the actual concentrations of
residue on a pet's fur over several weeks time.
Not all collars contain these chemicals. Be sure to discuss which products are
best for your pet with your veterinarian.
More
information from pets.webmd.com.
Relief from RA- People with rheumatoid arthritis derive benefit from movements
like walking and throwing a Frisbee with their pet. Pets provide a distraction
that can help take your thoughts off of your own condition. The best help comes
from those dogs or cats that seem to be super sensitive to people who aren't
feeling well. Sometimes just their presence can provide a relieving comfort.
Partners in Better Cancer Care- Cats and dogs both get cancer and both benefit
from research on human cancer. More and more the opposite is also true. Humans
are benefiting from research on animal cancers. Dogs and cats can get the same
kinds of cancers that humans do. For example, studies of prostate cancer in
dogs have led to a better understanding of how it develops in older men.
Preventing cancer in pets can lead to new prevention strategies for their human
owners.
Keep Blood Pressure in Check- You still have to watch your weight and exercise.
Having a pet can help you manage your blood pressure. In one study of 240
married couples pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower heart rates during
rest than people who did not own a pet. That held true whether they were at
rest or undergoing stress tests. Another study showed that children with
hypertension actually lowered their blood pressure while petting their cat or
dog.
National Homeless Animal Day
August 21st is National Homeless Animal Day. If it
is not in your plans to adopt an animal at this time then you can do your part
to help these animals by donations of food or money.
After the May flood many animals were displaced and
unable to get back to their owners. Humane Societies and shelters have done the
best they can to find room for these lost pets. Many have been adopted and many
face a less hopeful end. There are still many pets that are running loose and
searching for their owners. Please help these animals as well as the shelters
and rescues that are trying to give these pets a safe haven. This should also
be a lesson on micro-chipping your pet. If a pet was micro-chipped and on the
loose then a shelter would scan to see who the owner is and hopefully return the
pet to them. We have also noticed an increase of lost pets due to the storms
and the 4th of July fireworks. Many pets are frightened by the loud noises and
run away. If you lose your pet be sure and contact veterinarians in the area,
shelters, animal control agencies, and humane societies.
Precautions
August is still a very hot and humid month and
precautions still need to be taken for heat exhaustion. Rabid animals are still
a threat so it's important to keep your pet's vaccinations up to date. Make
sure you safe guard your pets against storms. Many pets are terrified of storms
and loud noises. We have been notified of quite a few pets that have escaped
during the fireworks and the storms. During these times it is best to bring
your pet indoors and put them in a room with a radio or television that is on to
mask some of the noise. If your pet is an outside pet or an inside pet that
dreads the oncoming of storms, there are medications that can be prescribed by
your veterinarian to take the edge off of their fear.
"Natural" and "Herbal" doesn't mean safe
There are about 180 botanical herbs marketed for animal health in the U.S. As a
pet owner when we hear "herbal or natural" , we assume they are healthy.
Veterinarians warn that not everything natural is good.
For example, pennyroyal oil is sometimes suggested as a flea repellent
but it is highly toxic and can cause death. Comfrey was suggested as a
supplement for healing bones in dogs. It is a carcinogenic and contains
compounds that can cause liver damage. That is the reason that many countries,
including the U.S. regulate it. Other seemingly harmless herbs such as tea
tree oil, dandelions, garlic, parsley, motherwort, kelp and
barberry, can cause life threatening and long term maladies for your pet.
Wondering what you should do and how to avoid making a mistake? Prepare
yourself by investigating further. The National Library of Medicine's PubMed at
www.ncbi.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi as well as the Medline Plus at
http://edlineplus.gov are endorsed by the National Institutes of Health.
You can also ask your veterinarian what he thinks of this line of treatment. He
may be aware of another option rather than the sometimes dangerous "Herbal
Method".
Fact, not fiction
Spay
An ovariohysterectomy (spay) prevents
the female cat or dog from unwanted pregnancies, heat cycles and a serious
infection of the uterus called pyometra. Spaying also lessens the chance of a
pet getting mammary tumors (breast cancer). Many people think that letting
their pet go through one heat cycle before spaying is better for the pet. That
is false. If a pet goes through one heat cycle, her chance of getting breast
cancer goes from 0% to 8% and almost triples to 26%, if she goes through 2 heat
cycles. Females that are 2 years or older before getting spayed have no
protection against breast cancer, which 25% of non-spayed females develop.
Neuter
Neuter (castration) involves the
removal of the testicles in male pets. This procedure can be done at around 6
months of age. Benefits can include fewer behavioral issues such as aggression,
no unwanted puppies, and no testicular cancer. Neutered pets roam less which
reduces the chance of getting hit by a car while looking for a mate.
Occasionally one or both of the testicles do not descend this is called
cryptorchidism. The missing testicles can be in the abdomen or the flank and
should always be removed. This prevents the undescended testicle from becoming
cancerous.
Having your pet spayed or neutered does not necessarily mean that they will gain
weight and get fat. It will slow their metabolism slightly so their diet should
be watched and regulated so weight gain is not an issue. Plenty of exercise and
a low fat diet can help this condition as well. If you have any questions
concerning either of these surgeries be sure and ask your veterinarian.
If you would like to removed from this mailing
list contact me at 615-361-4646 or email me at plvh@bellsouth.net