KINDNESS KORNER NEWSLETTER
Fall 1997 Page 1
FROM THE MANAGEMENT
As mentioned in our last newsletter, we have started a few new programs which include:
our puppy and kitten program for those of you with newly acquired pets under the age of 12 weeks;
Referral program where we credit the accounts of the referring party $5.00 for each referral; and
Geriatric program for detecting age related problems in our older pets.
Those of you whom we feel your pet will benefit from the geriatric program will receive an information packet with your reminders for your annual exams. You can evaluate the benefits of the program before coming in for your annuals and if you decide to go with it, it can be performed at that time. As always, if you have any questions, we can try to answer them over the phone or we will answer them when you come in for your pets annual exam.
I would also like to mention a new service that we now have available. This is the microchip identification implants made by Avidâ . If you are not familiar with these, it consists of a small microchip implanted at the back of the neck with a unique identification number. The number is detected using a scanner that many Veterinarians (including us) and all Humane Societies across the country have. If your pet ever gets out or lost and brought to the Humane Society or to a Veterinarian with a scanner, the identification number can be determined and the owner tracked down.
You may not think that your pet will ever get out without an identification tag but it does happen. Since we have received the scanner, we have had two dogs brought to us with no tags but fortunately they did have a microchip. We were able to find the owner and happily reunite the two.
FROM THE DOCTOR
by Dr. Rose Eger
Because animals live a shorter life span than people, one year is a significant part of that life. An annual exam done by a veterinarian can find changes that have been gradual enough to be missed by the owners who see the pet every day. The condition of internal organs cannot be determined by a physical exam so sometimes it is necessary to do labwork to check on the kidneys, liver and thyroid glands.
Preventive health care when young is in the form of wormings and booster vaccinations. Preventive healthcare for our older pets requires a watchful owner and more thorough exams to look for slowly progressing or even hidden-to-the-naked eye changes.
KINDNESS KORNER NEWSLETTER
Fall 1997 Page 2
TECHNICIAN’S TURF
by Lisa Johnson
Hello again. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. As you all know we had a very hot summer. So as fall approaches and all those afternoon storms & water tables rise, I would like to take this time and talk about mosquitoes and your pets.
Each year thousands of dogs die from Canine Heartworm Disease. This deadly yet very preventable disease puts every unprotected dog at risk. With one bite the mosquito transmits a parasite into your dogs tissues. The parasites then move through your dogs tissue to the heart. There the worms grow and start to reproduce. As the worms start to reproduce they release immature worms into your dogs bloodstream. It is at this stage that the dog becomes infectious and if bitten by a mosquito, the mosquito can transmit the worms to other dogs in the area.
As the adult worms start to multiply, they affect the flow of blood from the right side of the heart to vessels serving the lungs. It is at this stage that you might notice your dog becoming listless, may tire easily, and may start to cough. In advanced cases, dogs often suffer from congestive heart failure.
Even dogs that are housed indoors are at risk, as are those with long fur. It has been noticed that mosquitoes bite the nose of the dog first, leaving even the longest furred dogs unprotected. Puppies under the age of 6 months should be started immediately on a heartworm preventive. Other dogs over 6 months of age should be tested. So it is up to all of us to protect our dogs and the lives of other dogs. With a simple blood test and very effective preventative, we can protect the furry members of our family and lead them to a long and happy life.
New information has been made available to us on heartworm disease in cats. Although it is rare, if you have question about your cat, we can supply you with all the latest literature on this disease.
FRONT DESK FORUM
By Gail & Beth
The holidays are once again almost here, a time for us all to celebrate with family and friends. Sometimes in the rush and bustle, our four-footed family members get lost in the shuffle, and safety is not always foremost in our thoughts. Here are a few suggestions for a healthy and happy holiday season.
Halloween: CHOCOLATE IS BAD FOR DOGS!! Chocolate contains a drug called Theobromine, which can cause an accelerated heart rate, cardiac arrythmias, hyperactivity, vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, chocolate has a half-life of seventeen hours, which means that these symptoms can last a long time in the body.
KINDNESS KORNER NEWSLETTER
Fall 1997 Page 3
Thanksgiving: You may be tempted to allow your pet to indulge in a holiday feast, but this is almost always a bad idea. Serious bouts of colitis, pancreatitis, or other gastrointestinal disorders can result from rich food your pets are not used to. Please DO NOT give your dogs bones! Even though you may have done this successfully in the past, you are risking the possibility of the bones splintering and causing blockages or fatal tears in the intestines. It just isn’t worth taking the chance.
Christmas: What a great time of year! What with family and friends gathering for feasts, gifts, and decorating-especially the tree!-what comes to mind is our furry companions. There is much that they can get into. When trimming the tree this year, pay special attention to what is being used; such as tinsel, which can be dangerous if swallowed, or ornaments made of fragile glass. We know what can happen here! Putting plastic or wooden ornaments along the bottom of the tree and placing the more easily broken ones around the top makes for a safer tree. Watch your animals closely around the Christmas lights when they are turned on. Unplug them when you leave the room if possible. Most importantly...spend a few extra moments with each pet each day during this very busy season.
New Year’s: Please don’t give Rover any champagne to toast the new year! The bubbles always seem to go to his head!
As Always: Thank you for letting us be part of your pet’s life this year!
HOSPITAL GENERALITIES
Just a few generalities on the 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
Surgeries: We perform surgeries 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.
FLEA & TICK CONTROL
In Florida, flea and ticks are a real problem. They now have a number of products on the market which do work. Because of the number of on the market, determining which product is best for you can be confusing. Therefore, this information bears repeating to help sort through the confusion.
KINDNESS KORNER NEWSLETTER
Fall 1997 Page 4
The first flea control product to come on the market is called Programâ . This 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 under control and, when used consistently, it will greatly reduce the number of fleas your pets will have. It is a little less expensive than other flea control products and is best used when fleas are not a serious problem.
The makers of Programâ have come out with a new product which combines the heartworm medication Interceptorâ with Programâ so you have only one pill to give on a monthly basis. This is also a little cheaper than buying both separately.
Advantageâ is another flea control product but it is a liquid and it is applied to one or more spots on the skin of your dog or cat once a month. The product migrates over your pet’s skin and will kill nearly 100% of the fleas on your pet within 24 hours. This is a very good product and works well when there is a flea infestation or for flea allergic dogs and cats. The product will not be washed off if your pet gets wet from rain or jumping into a pond, however frequent bathing with harsh shampoos can reduce the length of time it remains effective. We recommend bathing at most every two weeks with a mild soap free shampoo (the shampoo should say soap free or detergent free on the label) and applying the product monthly after a bath.
Another product is Frontlineâ and it 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. The spray is applied using a pump and requires one to two pumps per pound of body weight and is rubbed into the skin. For large dogs, this can become time consuming but it is the most effective method for spreading the product over the pet. The spot on is applied like Advantageâ but the results we have seen would indicate that it does not spread over the body as well. We recommend that it be applied to a number of spots along the back to help it spread easier. When it spreads over the body well, it does a good job in killing both fleas and ticks.
The manufacturers of all of these products guarantee that they will work so if you feel like they are not working for you, return them for a refund.
Finally, for the control of ticks alone, there is a tick collar out called Preventicâ (it can be used on dogs only) and unlike flea collars, it does seem to help repel and kill ticks. It can be used in conjunction with Advantageâ but if you are using Frontlineâ , there is no need to use a tick collar.
If you are still confused, our Receptionists or our Technician will be glad to go over the advantages of the different products with you.
