KINDNESS KORNER NEWSLETTER

Spring 1998                                                                                       Page 1

FROM THE DOCTOR

by Dr. Rose Eger

When owner’s come in for their pet’s annual exam, their expectations are different from mine. Owner’s see an annual visit as a time to get their pet’s shots. I look forward to seeing a patient that I may not have seen for a whole year. One year to a dog or cat is like five to ten years in our life (on the average one people year equals seven years to a dog). When I see a patient after 12 months, I frequently notice things that have been slowly happening and because they have been developing slowly, they have been missed by the owner. Dental disease, heart disease, lumps, bumps, and limps all can go unnoticed until someone asks the question..."How long has this or that been ...?" Sometimes I ask clients to forego some vaccines in an attempt to fix some other health problem that has arisen in the past 12 months that really is a more immediate problem.

Previously people did not care how long a pet lived as long as it served a purpose. Today, we consider our pets as surrogate children and companions. We want them to live as long as possible with the best quality of life possible.

Vaccines are important for youngsters, for travelers and for pets who come in contact with other pets such as during grooming, boarding or just being out and about. As the pet gets older vaccines become less important but yearly exams become more important. Having a doctor’s exam and hopefully following a doctor’s advice can make lives last longer and more fun for both the pet and the client.

So when you bring your pet in for it’s annual exam, notice and pay attention to the exam part and just take the vaccines as a side dish to the entree of a yearly feast.

FROM THE MANAGEMENT

By Mike Eger

People are always asking if there is any insurance for pets or if they could claim their pets for income. I don’t think you will ever be able to claim your pets (too bad) but there are some pet insurance's out there. When we have called up to inquire about the insurance's available, typically the coverage is not that great. For instance, if your dog or cat gets hit by a car, they will not pay for it because you were negligent in letting your pet out unsupervised. In addition, these insurance's will not pay for yearly physicals, vaccinations, heartworm medication etc. There is one type of insurance that we have looked into and it seems to be better than most. It will cover hit by cars and all trauma problems. It will also cover many of the problems we see and treat for and they boast an 80% renewal rate.

However, many breeds are predisposed to having problems and it will not cover

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these. For instance, hip dysplasia is common in larger breed dogs but since this is considered an inherited problem, it will not cover it. Cockers tend to have eye and ear problems and the insurance will not cover these.

Pet insurance is not for everyone but it will benefit some people. If you are interested, we do have some information at the front desk. I would suggest that you read the information. Before you get the insurance, ask us what types of problems are common to your breed and then call them up and see which if any of these problems they will cover.

TECHNICIAN’S TURF

by Lisa Johnson

Hello and Happy New Year to all. I hope everyone had a great New Year. I would like to talk about Pet Dental care. February is Pet Dental Awareness month. As pet owners we know our four legged best friends have teeth. It is important to keep your pets teeth and gums clean and strong. The key to good dental care is prevention. Home dental care can be the best gift you can give your pet. Daily brushing is first advised. If this is not possible then at least once to twice a week is advised. There are several ways to brush your pets teeth. From toothbrushes to finger brushes. We will be happy to discuses all the possibilities. Some pets will not accept either. For our difficult (spoiled) furry friends there are several very effective dental sprays. Most dogs and cats will be happy to let their owners peek inside their mouth. First you should look at the side of the face. Each side of the face should look the same. Note if you see any abnormal swelling. Next pick up the lips and look at the teeth and gums. Note any inflammation (redness), swelling, and broken teeth. Cats are prone to have redness in the gum area. This is called marginal gingivitis. Gingivitis if treated early can be cured. If left untreated the plaque and calculus can irritate the gumline leading to periodontal disease. At these moments you might find that your pets breath may smell foul. This is one important note to let us know. Bad breath can be your first sign of severe gingivitis or periodontal disease. There are some other natural remedies that are useful for animal dental care. Please see me and I will be happy to go over some of them with you. Pet dental care is becoming a top priority of veterinary care. We are finding that teeth that are neglected are a leading cause of heart, kidney and liver disease. More recent studies have indicated that preventive dental care can indeed add years to your pets life. If you have any questions or problems checking your dog’s or cat’s teeth we will be glad to assist you.

SPECIAL NOTE

I would personally like to thank all our clients that helped on our 2nd annual Christmas food drive. Without all of your generous donations it would not have been possible. This years drive was a huge success. All the folks and the animals could not thank us enough for the donations. I hope that the food drive will continue to grow every year. Special thank you to Sandy and Gary

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Higgins. Sandy, your efforts and those of your neighbors are greatly appreciated. Though it does not solve the over population of unwanted animals-it sure does help. And knowing that all of you helped, in some way, brings new meaning to the word kindness.

FRONT DESK FORUM

By Gail  & Melanie

Growing old isn’t all bad, even though it happens all to quickly for our animal friends. Advances in veterinary care have increased the chances of dogs and cats living comfortably into old age. If your pet is getting up there, you’ll want to do what you can to make their older years some of the best ones.

Start with a trip to your veterinarian for a complete exam. Diagnostic tools such as blood panels and urinalysis are useful at this stage to pinpoint developing problems as well as to develop a baseline reference for the future. Here are some of the areas to discuss with your veterinarian:

Diet Older pets need a different diet than young ones. Some diets are specially developed to help control disease and are available only from veterinarians, while others are more generally formulated to meet common nutritional needs of older pets. Obesity is a problem for many pets, but old dogs and cats seem especially prone. Ask if your pet would benefit from a change of diet or portions.

Lumps and Bumps Older pets all seem to develop their share of tumors (most are benign) but all need to be checked out. Grooming your pet regularly will help you spot tumors and keep track of their growth. Your vet can help you decide if any need to be removed.

Teeth and Gums Veterinarians now believe the risk of anesthesia is secondary to the debilitating effect of infections of the mouth or gums, or the pain caused by broken or abscessed teeth. Your veterinarian will probably suggest your pet’s teeth be cleaned, rotting teeth removed and infections treated. These alone can make a pet seem years younger; left untreated, dental problems can wear them down before their time.

Aches and Pains Older dogs are often blissfully unaware that their bodies don’t work as well as they used to. That means it’s up to you to keep exercising regularly but not excess. Talk to your veterinarian about what to give your pet when cold weather and over-exertion make life miserable.

Remember always to watch your pet closely for areas in which you can help them get along better.

HOSPITAL GENERALITIES

Just a few reminders on our general hospital operations.

Hours: 8:00am-5:30pm Monday - Friday

9:00am-1:00pm Saturday

Please make an appointment if you would like to see the doctor. The order in which we see clients is as follows:

Emergencies

Scheduled Appointments

Walk-ins

 

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Surgeries: We perform surgeries and dentals on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. We normally do not take appointments at this time but if the surgery load is light, we may be able to schedule some late morning appointments.

Pharmacy: To avoid delays in getting your prescriptions refilled, please call ahead and we will get it ready for you. We understand that your time is valuable and sometimes it is difficult for us to fill your prescriptions in a timely manner on a walk-in basis.

Fridays: We have Dr. Diana Alexander here on most Fridays and she also sees birds.

NEW PRODUCTS

CATS THAT SPRAY

Some of you may have cats that have started to spray in your house marking their territory. We know this is a major problem and until now there was not much that could be done with any great degree of success. A new product called FeliwayÒ has come on the market and it is a cat pheromone. You spray it on the areas that the cat has been spraying and it makes the cat think that it has already marked the area. It may take one to two weeks till you see progress but people who have tried it say that it does work.

FLEA & TICK CONTROL

Although not new, the number of these products on the market make it necessary to review what each does.

Programâ is a pill which is given once a month and it sterilizes (but does not kill) the fleas that bite your pet. This product is useful in keeping the flea population in your yard or house under control.

SentinelÒ -The makers of Programâ combined the heartworm medication Interceptorâ with Programâ so you have only one pill to give on a monthly basis. It is also a little cheaper than buying both separately.

Advantageâ is a liquid which is applied to one or more spots on the skin of your dog or cat once a month. This both kills and repels fleas and works well when there is a flea infestation or for flea allergic dogs and cats. We recommend that when using this product, bath your pet at most every two weeks with a mild soap free shampoo (the shampoo should say soap free or detergent free on the label) and apply the product monthly after a bath.

Frontlineâ comes in two forms, a spray and a spot on like Advantageâ . It is designed to kill both fleas and ticks and will not wash off with most shampoos. Our experience has shown that it does not spread over the body as well as Advantageâ but when it does spread, it does a good job in killing fleas and reducing the number of ticks.