Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital Newsletters

May 2007 News Letter

 
Do you hear it?   The sounds of the night........  lick, lick, lick.......scratch, scratch, scratch,.........shake, shake, shake.........thump, thump, thump, is it a burglar?.......a boogie man?.........something in the attic????    No, it is probably your favorite four legged friend suffering from allergies.   You may not realize it but May is Allergy month.  Humans are not the only ones that suffer from this malady.   A dog's symptom is usually a skin irritation or maybe even an ear infection.  Cats usually exhibit more of the human like symptoms such as nasal or respiratory problems.

In cats there are 4 known types of allergies In dogs there are 5 known types of allergies So if your pet is scratching, sneezing, shaking their head, loosing their hair, has hot spots, has scabs, chewing on their feet, wheezing or pawing at their head or ears, they may have allergies and should be seen by your veterinarian to get some relief.  Then maybe everyone can get to sleep without all the sounds of the night. There are tests available to determine which allergies your pet suffers from.  Ask your veterinarian if these tests are indicated for your pet.

Lost Pets
  Almost everyone has read or heard of the Siberian Husky that was found in Tennessee and was lost in Texas. We just recently found out that there was a Boston terrier (Mickey) that was lost in Missouri 4 years ago and had recently turned up in Montana.  Mickey was reunited with his original owners, who were sure they would never see him again.  The Montana vet clinic found his owner by tracking the microchip that was scanned upon his discovery, after he was picked up running down the middle of the road.  Micro-chipping is an inexpensive way to register your pet.  It is a small chip that is injected into the pet with a needle.  It can be done to any pet, bird, cat, dog, etc.  Most humane societies, animal controls and veterinary hospitals possess a scanner.  There are several different brands of chips and scanners, but they can all be cross scanned to determine if the pet has been chipped. If it is a different brand of chip, it may not give the number but it does detect a chip.  It is a definite advantage to have your pet micro-chipped.  In cases of hurricanes, tornadoes, etc, the microchips have reunited many owners with their pets.   The makers of the chips do recommend that when you fill out the registration, you put in a person that lives in a state other than the one the pet resides in.  If more pets were micro-chipped, there would be a lot more happy endings to pets that have ran away or have been stolen.  Ask your veterinarian for information on micro-chipping.

AHHHHH   Spring!

 Spring is here and  it brings flowers, green grass, warmer weather, and (CPV) canine parvovirus.  Parvo you say?  Yes, cases are already coming into the clinic.  It is a serious virus that generally attacks puppies and younger dogs but older dogs are not immune to the disease.  It is so important to vaccinate your puppies and dogs.  Even if it has been vaccinated once, there is not enough immunity present to prevent CPV.  The virus is shed in the feces of infected canines.  It invades the intestinal wall and causes inflammation.  It is resistant to heat, detergents and alcohol.  It has been stable in feces even after three months at room temperature.  Direct contact between dogs is not required to spread the virus.  The virus can be spread via the hair or feet of infected animals.  Clinical signs usually develop in 7-10 days of the initial infection.

Symptoms:
Diarrhea that may or may not contain blood, depression, lack of appetite, fever, vomiting.

Diagnosis:
There is a CPV test that can be done at your veterinarian's office.  A tentative diagnosis is often based on the present of a reduced white blood cell count, (leukopenia).

Treatment:
Hydration is the first mode of treatment.  IV Fluids are given with electrolytes.  Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are given to prevent and control septicemia (infection in the bloodstream). Antispasmodic drugs are used to inhibit the diarrhea and vomiting that perpetuate the problem.  There is no treatment to kill the virus once it infects the dog, however, the virus does not directly cause death.  CPV causes the loss of the intestinal lining which results in severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, infection in the bloodstream.  When the bacteria that normally lives in the intestinal tract are able to get into the bloodstream, it becomes more likely that the
animal will die.

Survival:
Most dogs with CPV recover if aggressive treatment is used and therapy is started before severe dehydration and septicemia occur.  Rottweilers and Pitt Bulls,and a few other breeds, for some reason have a much higher fatality rate.

Prevention:
The best method of prevention is vaccination.  Puppies should receive a series of vaccinations starting at 6 weeks of age, and every 3 weeks after, until four vaccinations have been received.  Adult dogs should be vaccinated yearly. The vaccination schedule should be determined by your veterinarian.  If you are unsure whether your pet has been vaccinated or not, it is always best to vaccinate.  Over vaccination is safer than NO vaccination.

Killing the virus in the environment:
It is important to disinfect contaminated areas.  The best and most effective thing to do is to clean food bowels, water bowels, and other contaminated surfaces with a solution of 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water.

There has been no evidence at this time that CPV is transmittable to humans or cats.


Cat Box News

Is your cat litter affecting your cat's asthma?  It could be.  There are several choices when it comes to kitty litter.  I have listed a few of them that may benefit the asthmatic cat.

1. Crystal litter:   Absorbs waste and smells, non-toxic

2.  Pine wood:     Good absorption, no tracks or dust left behind

3.  Recycled Paper:    Eco friendly, good absorption, dust free, bio-degradable, and flushable

4.  Whole Kernel Corn:   Bio-degradable, flushable, the protein and fibers bind to the cat urine, absorbs odor, forms clumps, minimal  tracking, and dust free

In addition:  The elimination of cigarette smoke, fireplace smoke, air fresheners, and lit candles, can help the asthmatic cat to breath better.  These are not to be used in place of medical attention.

We have a new product in stock:

Many of you currently use the advantage or advantix products.  The manufacturers have come out with a new product that we think is going to be a real asset to our clients and patients.  It is Advantage Multi, a topical medication the treats several different things.

For the canines...... It kills fleas, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and prevents heartworms for a month.  It also carries a heartworm guarantee that states that if your pet uses advantage multi year round and has a heartworm test yearly, if the animal develops heartworms the company will reimburse you for the heartworm treatment.  You may need additional tick prevention with this product. 

For the felines...... It prevents heartworms and kills roundworms, hookworms and ear mites.  It is a topical and lasts for one month

Many of us at the clinic use these products on our own pets.  Let us know if you are interested in these products.  The cost is just about the same if you are using advantage and a heartworm preventative.  We will be discontinuing the advantage line for canines and only carrying the advantix and the advantage multi.


Bits about Bunnies

Life with a rabbit:

What is quieter than a dog, playful as a kitten, cuter than a puppy?  A rabbit!  They can be litter trained, less demanding, and they don't have the odor of cat litter pans.  They have individual personalities and become responsive to their owners.  Offer a stress free and safe environment and your rabbit will make itself at home.  Rabbits do, however, need space to hop around and explore.  It also requires some work to make your home safe.  Rabbits love to chew and dig.  If someone is vain about their home, a rabbit may not be the pet for them.  Rabbits can rip wallpaper,
chew on moldings, wire and furniture, not to mention your shoes, baskets or anything else that is on the floor.                                           

DID YOU KNOW?

Baby rabbits are called kits and they only drink mothers milk until they are three weeks of age.  After that they will also nibble on hay and pellets. They usually stop nursing at around 8 weeks of age.

Rabbits reach puberty at 4 1/2 to 8 months of age.  Smaller breeds and some females may mature earlier. A spayed or neutered rabbit makes the best pets.

Determining the sex of a rabbit is rather difficult.  The male's testicles are evident between 8 and 16 weeks of age.

Take Your Rabbit To The Veterinarian Immediately When or If  It:
1. Shows any sign of pain
2.  Appears to be in shock (cold ears or extremities, pale gums), glassy or closed eyes, weak pulse, increased heart rate or breathing
3.  Has a dangling limb or one held at an odd angle
4.  Received a bite wound from another animal
5.  Was burned
6.  Ate something toxic (signs are hyper salivation, pawing at the mouth or unusual bruising of the skin)
7.  Hasn't eaten in 24 hours
8.  Shows signs of heatstroke (pale gums, shallow or rapid breathing, or lying flat or stretched out
It is important to monitor and watch your rabbit for any of the above signs, and know if something is not normal.  You should also call the area emergency clinics to see if they see rabbits on an emergency basis.

Staff News
We now know that Christine is leaving us for Knoxville, but our dilemma was the search for someone to fill her position.  Well, we solved that problem. Megan Davis, a soon to be graduate from Columbia State, School of Veterinary Technicians, will be coming on board after her graduation this summer. Megan and her husband live in Murfreesboro. Megan has been doing her rotation through here for several weeks now and rotated through here last fall.  You may have met her on a Monday or Wednesday this winter/spring.  We are all very excited to have her working with us.  We are sure that she will bring some fresh ideas and skills to our hospital.  We hope you will like her as much as we do.