articles

Pain Management:
Like us, animals experience pain. Unlike us, they do not reveal their discomfort due to their evolutionary need to be secretive about disabilities for survival. Invasive procedures such as spaying, neutering, declawing, and orthopedic repairs will result in some degree of discomfort and can therefore add to his or her stress, delaying the healing process. By following our recommendations for pain management through medication (if indicated), you can help protect your pet from the temporary pain accompanying many surgical procedures.

For the ultimate in pain management, we suggest making an appointment with us for your pet the day before surgery is scheduled. A technician will apply a pain relief patch to the skin that will completely control the pain from surgery for 3-4 days.

Microchip Identification:
Microchips are a permanent, lifelong method of identifying your pet with a device which, unlike tags, cannot be lost. Each microchip has a unique ID number registered with a national data bank. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is placed under the skin in the same manner in which a vaccine is given.

If your pet is lost and is taken to any animal shelter anywhere in the country, they will scan over the skin for an ID chip and will then contact you or us to bring your pet home safely.

How Current is the Information?

Web sites should be reviewed and updated regularly. It’s particularly important that medical information be current and that the most recent update or review date be posted. Even if the information hasn’t changed, it’s helpful to know that the site owners have reviewed it recently to ensure that it’s still valid.
 

How does the Web site choose links?

Reliable Web sites usually have a policy about how they link to other sites. Some medical sites take a conservative approach and don’t link at all. Some link to any site that asks or pays for a link. Others link only to sites that have met certain criteria.
 

How does the Web site manage interactions with users?

There should be a way for you to contact the site owners with problems, feedback, and questions. If the site hosts a chat room or other online discussion areas, it should tell you about the terms of using the service. Is the service moderated? If so, by whom and why? Before you participate, spend some time reading the discussion without joining in.
 

How Does the Website Manage Interaction with Users?

Any e-mail messages should be carefully evaluated. Consider the origin of the message and its purpose. Some companies or organizations use e-mail to advertise products or attract people to their Web sites. The accuracy of health-related information may be influenced by the desire to promote a product or service. It’s important to carefully consider the source of e-mail and other Internet-based information and to discuss the information with your veterinarian.

This form is adapted from information provided by the Cancer Information Service, part of the National Cancer Institute.

If your patient is here for hospitalization or intensive care (ICU), you will be called with updates at least once daily, and as changes occur in their condition. The patient will be medicated and monitored throughout the day by our technicians and doctors. In addition, a staff member will be able to provide you with a daily financial update.

Occasionally, a sick patient may require intensive monitoring overnight or after normal hospital hours. In certain unusual situations, this may also be necessary after an elective procedure such as a surgery or dental procedure. As we do not have 24-hour staffing available, we can facilitate transferring your pet to the Capital District Animal Emergency Clinic, which is fully staffed and always open the hours that we are closed. They are a Level 1 emergency and critical care facility. If a transfer is recommended, you will need to pick up your patient at our hospital and transport your pet to CDAEC. This is because the critical care center will need to have you there to expedite admission and meet with the doctor. We will foreword all necessary medical records and be in direct contact with them throughout your pets stay there.

Electrolytes:

Na (sodium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney and Addison’s disease. This test helps indicate hydration status.

K (potassium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive urination. Increased levels may indicate kidney failure, Addison’s disease, dehydration, and urethral obstruction. High levels can lead to cardiac arrest, low levels can cause profound weakness.

CI (chloride) is an electrolyte often lost with vomiting and Addison’s disease. Elevations often indicate dehydration.

Cortisol is a hormone that is measured in tests for Cushing’s disease (the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test) and Addison’s disease (ACTH stimulation test).

LIP (lipase) is a pancreatic enzyme that may indicate pancreatitis or kidney disease.

T4 (thyroxine) is a thyroid hormone. Decreased levels often signal hypothyroidism in dogs, while high levels indicate hyperthyroidism in cats.

Plan to spend time with your pets. Let them know they have not been replaced in the household. Pets may fear abandonment or rejection when the focus is switched to the new baby. Plan to take regular walks or have a game of fetch with your dog, or play favorite games with your cat. Give them personal time, just you and them.

Even with these precautions, some pets may never get used to children. Like people, they either accept children or they don’t. If a pet is raised around kids, generally there will be no great behavior problem. If the pet has not seen a “little person” before, you may have to closely supervise the interaction for awhile. Also, if you have a pet that has been teased or mistreated by a child in the past, there will be significant obstacles to overcome.

As your children get older, it is imperative they learn how to respect and treat the family pet. They should know that pets feel pain and get lonely when no one is around – just like people do. Praise your children for gentleness and correct them for rough and unkind behaviors toward your pets. Children should also learn that dogs naturally chase, herd, catch, and fetch. Playfully grabbing a tail or running in the yard may be a dog’s invitation to chase and jump-a very natural response for a dog.

Remember, in many instances, your pets were your “babies” first. They don’t really understand what is happening. Find ways to show them you love them just as much as always. Take quiet walks or hang out in the yard on a cool summer evening. Make meal times special times to be with you. A little bit of affection goes a long way toward making your furry family members happy.

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables, vitamins E & C, fatty acids DHA and EPA, carnitine and alpha lipoic acid appear to be very beneficial. These can be added as supplements, or purchased as a ready to feed dog food by Hills called canine B/D, this is available through us

A general guideline to total daily dosage in dogs would be…Vit. A 5000 iu as Beta Carotene, Vit. C 250mg, Vit. E 200 iu as alpha tocopherol, Zinc 7.5 mg, Selenium 15 ug, Copper 1 mg, and Manganese 1.5 mg. Cats would require about ¼ of these levels. These work in harmony so it is important that most or all be given. We carry multivitamins that contain these recommended dosages.

The effects of brain ageing can be subtle and often progress slowly. It is important to pay attention to your pet to see the early signs. We have a checklist that we can use to help decide if there is a problem. Diet supplements and medication can help significantly, ask us for more information.

Ideally, your puppy should come for his or her first visit between 6 to 8 weeks of age. At this time, he/she will get a complete examination by the veterinarian and will receive the first in a series of three immunizations against distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, and parainfluenza (fortunately, these vaccines are combined into one injection). He/she will also receive a bordatella vaccination (against kennel cough—required by most grooming and boarding facilities). We strongly recommend that you bring in a stool sample from each of three consecutive days at this time so that we can determine if your pup has intestinal parasites and treat him/her if necessary before your property becomes infested with parasite eggs. This is particularly important if you have toddlers in your family, since roundworms and hookworms can be transmitted to humans and cause serious health problems. A highly informative “puppy talk” is given by our staff if you feel the need for some pointers on basic training.

The next visit, at 10 weeks of age, is for the second distemper vaccine. The third is at 12 weeks, at which time we vaccinate your pup against rabies (required by law, for licensing, and for interstate travel in many areas). We will offer you the choice of immunizing your pup against lyme disease at this visit, and discuss with you whether your pup may be at risk for contracting this disease which is carried by the deer tick in the northeast, and is particularly prevalent in suburban or wooded areas. The fourth and final puppy visit is at 16 weeks of age: your pup will receive the third distemper vaccine and second lyme booster. At this point, we consider your pup to be properly immunized against the most serious canine diseases, so he/she can join puppy classes and socialize with a more extensive circle of canine fThe final visit in your pup’s first year is for the surgical procedures of ovariohysterectomy (spaying) for females and neutering for males. We highly recommend that you have your pet spayed or neutered since these procedures help to prevent many illnesses and complications as your pet ages. They also help to make your pet less likely to develop undesirable behaviors which will be harder to eliminate if the neutering is done once they are adult. We recommend spaying females before their first heat, at 6-7 months of age, and neutering males between 6-8 months of age, depending on behavior patterns such as sexual activity or aggression. At this time, your pup will receive his first blood test for heartworm disease.

At all visits, we encourage you to ask any questions about physical or behavioral problems you may be having. Behavioral issues in particular should be addressed as soon as problems arise in order to correct undesirable behaviors before they become entrenched.riends.

How Can my Dog Pick up Ticks?

Ticks wait for host animals from the tips of grasses and shrubs. Ticks are not commonly found in trees. When brushed by a moving animal or person, they quickly let go of the vegetation and climb onto the host. Ticks can only crawl; they cannot fly or jump. Some species of ticks will crawl several feet toward a host. Ticks can be active on winter days if the ground temperatures are above 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees Celsius).
 

What are the Different Types of Ticks?+

There are two groups of ticks, sometimes called the “hard” ticks (Ixodidae) and “soft” ticks (Argasidae). Hard ticks, like the common dog tick, have a hard shield just behind the mouthparts (sometimes incorrectly called the “head”); unfed hard ticks are shaped like a flat seed. Soft ticks do not have the hard shield and they are shaped like a large raisin. Soft ticks prefer to feed on birds or bats and are seldom encountered by dogs or cats.
Although there are at least 15 species of ticks in North America, only a few of these species are likely to be encountered.

They include the:
1. American dog tick
2. Lone star tick
3. Deer or Blacklegged tick
4. Brown dog tick

Other tick species may be encountered in various regions. Your veterinarian will consult with you if you needadditional information of specific species.

1. American Dog Tick:
The American dog tick attacks a wide variety of hosts, including humans and dogs, but rarely infests homes. Adults are chestnut brown with white spots or streaks on their backs. Unfed adults are about 1/8-inch long. Engorged females become slate gray and may expand to a length of 1/2-inch. Larvae and nymphs feed mostly on small rodents, while adults feed on dogs, cattle, other animals and humans. These ticks are widely distributed throughout the North America and are especially prevalent in the southern United States and in coastal and other humid areas. They are attracted by the scent of animals, and humans most often encounter them near roads, paths, trails and recreational areas. Although present the year round, American dog ticks are usually most numerous in the spring.

The female dog tick lays 4000-6500 eggs and then dies. The eggs hatch into seed ticks in about 36-57 days. The unfed larvae crawl in search of a host and can live up to 540 days without food. When they find a small rodent or mammal, the larvae attach and feed for approximately five days. The larvae then drop off the host and molt to the nymphal stage. The nymphs crawl in search of a rodent host, attach to a suitable host, and engorge with blood in 3-11 days. Nymphs can live without food for up to 584 days. That’s over a year-and-a-half!

Adults crawl in search of dogs or large animals for a blood meal. Adults can live for up to two years without food! American dog tick adults and many other species can be found along roads, paths, and trails, on grass, and on other low vegetation in a “waiting position.” As an animal passes by, the tick will grasp it firmly and soon start feeding. The males remain on the host for an indefinite period of time alternately feeding and mating. The females feed, mate, become engorged, and then drop off to lay their eggs.

The American dog tick requires from three months to three years to complete a life cycle. It is typically an outdoor tick and is dependent on climatic and environmental conditions for its eggs to hatch.

2. Lone Star Tick:

Adult lone star ticks are various shades of brown or tan. Females have single silvery-white spots on their backs and males have scattered white spots. Unfed adults are about 1/3-inch long, but after feeding females may be 1/2-inch long. Larvae and nymphs parasitize small wild animals, birds and rodents, while adults feed on larger animals such as dogs and cattle. All three stages of the Lone star tick will bite dogs and humans. These ticks live in wooded and brushy areas and are most numerous in underbrush along creeks and river bottoms and near animal resting places. Lone star ticks are present throughout the year, but peak adult and nymphal populations may occur from March to May. A second nymphal peak may occur again in July or August, while peak larval activity is reached in mid-June or July.

3. Deer or Blacklegged Tick:

All three active stages of the deer or blacklegged tick will feed on a variety of hosts including dogs and people. After the eggs hatch in the spring, the very tiny larvae feed primarily on white-footed mice or other small mammals. The following spring, the larvae molt into pinhead-sized, brown nymphs that will feed on mice, larger warm-blooded animals and people. In the fall, they molt into adults that feed primarily on deer, with the females laying eggs the following spring. Adults are reddish-brown and about 1/8-inch long (or about one-half the size of the more familiar female American dog tick).

These ticks are usually found in wooded areas along trails. The larvae and nymphs are active in the spring and early summer; adults may be active in both the spring and fall. The deer or blacklegged tick can transmit Lyme disease and possibly ehrlichiosis to dogs and humans.

4. Brown Dog Tick:

The brown dog tick (also known as the kennel tick) is found through most of the United States. This tick feeds on dogs, but rarely bites people. Unlike the other species of ticks, its life cycle allows it to survive and develop indoors. The brown dog tick is found primarily in kennels or homes with dogs where it may be found hiding in cracks, behind radiators, under rugs and furniture, and on draperies and walls.

The adult is reddish-brown and about 1/8-inch long, and usually attaches around the ears or between the toes of a dog to feed. After feeding, a female may engorge to ½-inch long. She then drops off the dog and crawls into a hiding place where she may lay as many as 3,000 eggs. This tick is tropical in origin and does not survive long, cold winters outdoors.
 

How Can Ticks be Prevented?

There are many different types of tick preventatives available in the marketplace. Some require less effort on the part of the owner than others. Some products are available over the counter, while others are only available through your veterinarian. There are effective monthly preventatives that are applied to the skin at the back of the neck and represent a convenient method of control for these ectoparasites. Your veterinarian will make specific recommendations to keep your pet parasite free.

What Should I do if I Find a Tick on Me or My Dog?

Use blunt tweezers or disposable gloves to handle the tick. If your fingers must be used, shield

them with a tissue or paper towel. Infectious agents may be contracted through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin simply by handling infected ticks. This is especially important for people who “de-tick” pets because ticks infesting dogs and other domestic animals can carry Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis or other diseases capable of infecting humans.

Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible. This reduces the possibility of the head detaching from the body upon removal.

Pull the tick out straight out with a steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick as this may cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin, increasing the chances of infection. Continue applying steady pressure even if the tick does not release immediately. It may take a minute or two of constant, slow pulling to cause the tick to release.

After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite area and wash your hands with soap and water. Home remedies such as applying petroleum jelly, grease, or a hot match to the rear of the tick are not recommended and do not work. These practices cause the tick to salivate and can actually increase the chance of getting a disease.

After removing the tick, you may wish to preserve it in rubbing alcohol. Be sure to label the container with information about the time and place where the tick bite occurred. This activity will help you to remember details of the incident if the rash or other symptoms associated with Lyme disease appear later. This information will also be of help to a veterinarian or physician diagnosing an illness.

This client information sheet is based on material written by Ernest Ward, DVM.
© Copyright 2005 Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. February 24, 2012

C.E.T.® Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Dogs, featuring the exclusive Dual-Enzyme System, are made from select beefhide to combine a natural antiseptic plus an abrasive texture that works with the dog’s chewing action to loosen tartar and provide clinically proven plaque control. Helps clean teeth and freshen breath and has an appealing poultry flavor.

Tasty poultry-flavored chew may be given daily.

Available in petite, medium, large, and extra-large sizes and in 15-count and 30-count bags, depending on size.

Generally, treatment of senior animal weight loss is very similar to recommendations for humans seeking to lose weight. Program steps include:

Limiting the amount of calories consumed,

Feeding two or three small meals (vs. one large meal) daily to increase the amount of energy used to digest food,

Increasing exercise to burn more calories, and

Modifying behavior to prevent regaining the lost weight.

A daily or weekly log of exercise duration and dog weight yields the best results. Selecting a food for your senior dog has been made easier thanks to recent advancements in senior nutrition. Dog foods are now available that have been formulated with fewer calories, and more protein, antioxidants and vitamins to meet the specific nutritional needs of senior dogs.
 

Don’t Forget Exercise

Then begin slowly, by walking your dog on a leash for 10 minutes per day. After a week, increase the daily walks to 15 minutes. Depending on your dog’s condition, you can increase the daily walk length each week until you are up to 30 minutes a day.

And don’t forget, your dog’s exercise program can reap health benefits for you, too!