Fireworks + Pets = Anxiety!

A time for fun and exciting traditions, such as 4^th of July, can cause anxiety to dogs. Several dogs have anxiety problems when it comes to fireworks because they are loud and unpredictable.  As 4^th of July approaches, owners should make sure their dogs have on an updated tag in case they get lost.  On 4^th of July, there are several ways to help calm your dogs.

·         Keep your pet inside with distractions such as playing, chewing on rawhides, or peanut butter in a kong.

·         Place your pet in a dark confined area with loud music or TV, such as bathroom or a crate.

·         Buy a thunder shirt to help reduce anxiety

o   Must be placed on dog early in the day

§  www.thundershirt.com

·         Can try hormones such as Adaptil D.A.P. collar to help reduce anxiety

§  Holly tree website

To help you reduce your pet’s anxiety, you may have to try one or several of these ideas to comfort your pet.  For extreme anxiety, you need to make an appointment with your local veterinarian. Your veterinarian might prescribe ant anxiety medications or an oral sedative.  The main thing to remember is to keep your pet safely inside at all times during this fun celebration.

~Elizabeth Lockwood - LVT

Why you should spay or neuter your pet

Why should I spay or neuter my pet?  The first, and most obvious, answer is to prevent pet overpopulation.  According to HSUS and ASPCA, between 6 and 8 million pets enter shelters in the US each year.  Half of them, 3 to 4 million dogs and cats, are euthanized every year.  There are also many health benefits to your pet from these procedures.  Spaying a female prior to her first heat can reduce her lifetime chances of breast cancer by up to 85%.  Also, as females age they become much more likely to develop infections in their uterus (pyometra), a very dangerous disease which is fatal if not treated.   Neutering a male dog will not only reduce roaming and marking behaviors (as well as some aggression problems) by up to 50%, but it will virtually eliminate prostate enlargement and infections.  Be sure to discuss any concerns you have with your veterinarian.

Links: http://www.aspca.org/
http://www.humanesociety.org/

Flea Prevention

With the recent warm winters, fleas populations have boomed in our area. Even indoor-only pets have been seen with fleas this year. In many cases, pet owners are needing multiple strategies to combat fleas in their homes and yards. For dogs, we recommend a combination monthly oral heartworm/flea prevention called Trifexis. This can be combined with topical treatments such as Frontline Plus or Advantix (both sold over the counter) or a Scalibor collar for full flea and tick prevention. Cats have several topical options, such as Advantage Multi, Revolution, ( both prescription only) or Frontline Plus (over the counter). There is also a new oral prescription treatment approved for cats called Comfortis. Please avoid over the counter products containing pyrethrins in cats- these can cause a neurologic reaction. Also, consider having your home or yard professionally treated for fleas and ticks if you are having a particularly challenging infestation. We recommend Sargents or Gregory's Pest Control. ~ Susie Powell, DVM

Dentistry and Your Pets

Can you guess what the most common disease of dogs and cats is? If you guessed dental disease, you’re correct. It is estimated that up to 85% of dogs suffer from some degree of oral disease ranging from mild tartar and gingivitis to severe periodontal disease and tooth loss. This can lead to much more than just "doggy breath". Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums and tissues surrounding the teeth and appears as redness and swelling of these structures. Tartar is a calcification of bacteria on the teeth that can spread under the gum line and then enter the bloodstream, causing infections of the liver, kidneys, and heart. These bacteria cause gingival recession and bone loss which will result in pain and tooth loss. What can you do? Have you pet’s mouth checked to determine what stage of oral disease is present. Treatment may be as easy as starting a brushing or dental chew regimen. It may require a complete dental prophylaxis under general anesthesia. Don’t forget that Holly Tree Animal Hospital has dental month specials of 20% off on all services associated with a dental prophylaxis during January and February. Call us today for your appointment. ~ Steven R. Shrum, DVM.

Heat Stroke in Dogs

This is a very timely subject in that we lost a patient to heat stroke on Thursday. And the temperatures have gone up since then! Dogs have sweat glands only on their paws, so their only means of effectively cooling themselves off is with evaporative cooling from their lungs as they pant. If the relative humidity is high they lose the evaporation portion and rely only on heat dissipation from their lungs and extremities. On hot, humid days dogs can overheat very quickly. Other risk factors include geriatric or other disease changes that may decrease the efficiency of the lungs and the relatively smaller airways of brachicephalic (smush-nosed) breeds like Boxers or Boston Terriers. Our patient Thursday was an 11-year-old Boston Terrier, and the heat index was 105 degrees.

If your dog is overheating, immediately wet him with cold water. Then get him to the nearest veterinary hospital. Once the body temperature climbs above a certain point it will continue to climb and can quickly result in permanent organ failure or death. Don't take any chances with this emergency situation if you think your dog is overheating. Please! It is much better to prevent heat stroke in the first place. Limit your dog's activity during hot, humid periods. If your dog wants to go out repeatedly on these days be sure she has cooled sufficiently indoors before going out again. Don't ever leave your pet unattended in a car for ANY length of time.

Heat stroke is a terrible but preventable situation. Let's work to prevent more cases.

Ginny's Top 10 Resolutions 2011: #7 & #6

Resolution #7: Spend more quality time with my owner.
Resolution #6: Go on long walks.

OK. So maybe you think Dr. Shrum is combining these two so he can get further down the list. Maybe. These two can actually be very complementary for dogs. One of the best ways to spend more quality time with your dog is going on long walks together. Now first be sure your dog understands how to walk appropriately on a leash so the walk doesn't turn into a battle. Good quality basic training classes will help with that. If he still won't listen to you, see us about fitting him for a Gentle Leader head harness. That's another blog, though. Other ways to spend quality time with your dog are to play ball or frisbee with her or maybe spend a day at the lake together. And there's always the cat's favorite method: curl up on the couch with a good book.

In any case spending quality time with you pet not only strengthens the bond you have together. The time together helps you understand your pet's normal behavior better so you'll recognize abnormal behaviors that may indicate a health problem. And your pet will much happier to boot!

Ginny's Top 10 Resolutions: Number 8

Getting better dental care is Ginny's number eight resolution. Why is this important? Eighty-five percent of all dogs and cats in the US have some level of dental disease making it the number one illness veterinarians see. Most pets will not exhibit any overt signs of pain unless a tooth abcesses or breaks, but periodontal disease can be very painful when your pet is eating. That means that not only does their breath smell pretty bad, but they are hurting to some extent, as well. In dogs there is a strong correlation between eating dry food and improved dental health while this isn't necessarily the case for cats. Dogs usually have plaque and tartar build up on their teeth that is composed of bacteria that then leads to peridontal disease of the gums. Left unaddressed this disease complex will lead to gum recession, bone recession, and tooth loss. In addition to possible tartar build up, cats can have one of two clinical syndromes: periodontal disease of varying degrees or a resorptive lesion disorder where the body actually begins to eat away the enamel of the teeth. These are both very painful. In both species there can be a strong genetic predisposition for poor dental health. What can you do? Start with a good oral exam to determine where your pet's oral health stands. Your veterinary health care team can then help you choose the best method for treating and preventing oral disorders.