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| a great place for pets - www.thevets.com.au | |||
March 2005 edition
1. After hours service 2. Wellness Testing what is it? 3. Jack's hormone shock 4. Aquadog Health and Fitness. 5. FLUTD - what does it mean? 6. Getting ready for Easter 7. Orientation Week for new cats 8. Heartworm hit for 6 - twice |
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1. Wellness Testing what is it? Our pets can't tell us how they feel. That's why it's important to thoroughly examine our pets at least once a year. Owners sometimes ask us how we can tell whether a pet is healthy on the inside. A pet that appears healthy on the outside may be hiding internal problems. From February onwards we'll be adding a note about Wellness Testing to all vaccination reminders for pets over 7 years of age. Wellness Testing is a simple blood test that can help detect disease early. It's around 7 years of age that we consider most pets enter their senior years, though Wellness Testing can be performed at any age. Our team can give you more information on Wellness Testing. Back to top |
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2. After hours service Weekdays we are open from 7.30am 6pm. On Saturdays we are available at Helensvale 8am until 1pm and at Nerang until 3pm. If your pet needs care outside these hours call either of our clinics and you'll be given the number for the vet on call. We share our after hours roster with Southport Vet Hospital and have done this for 7 years. After 10pm at night our phone system will direct you to an emergency centre at Robina. We do this so that our vets are fresh and well rested to provide in hour care. Back to top |
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3. Jack's hormone shock Jack's a normally bouncy black terrier-cross who came to the vet with sore eyes and little energy. The eyes were treated but there was something else going on, he was just a bit too sick for a case of conjunctivitis. A couple of days later, there was no improvement and so blood and urine tests were conducted to find out what was causing him to feel out of sorts. The results of the tests, which included the highly specific ACTH stimulation test, showed he had Addison's disease, an uncommon but treatable disorder. In Addison's disease, the adrenal glands which are found at the tip of each kidney cease to produce enough natural cortisone which leads to a variety of signs that can include: Lethargy, weakness Poor appetite Vomiting Diarrhoea Excessive thirst and water intake (polydipsia) Low body temperature, low heart rate and in extreme cases, shaking and collapse Cortisone plays an integral role in managing the salt balance in every one of the body's cells without it, the body ceases to function. Treatment involves 2 different tablets daily for the rest of Jack's life. He responded almost immediately to the medication and after adjusting the dose to fine tune his requirements, he hasn't looked back. Back to top |
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4. Aquadog Health and Fitness. Building can be a slow process and this is proving to be slower than expected. The pool has been poured and awaits water and dogs. At present we have experiencing delays with plumbing requirements well beyond expectation. We'll keep you up to date via our email newsletter and will let you know as soon as we are ready for action. Hopefully this will be in April. Back to top |
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5. Getting ready for Easter Easter is a great time for pets and families everyone's home and it's good just to spend time together. During the festivities, keep an eye on: Chocolate it's toxic for pets. It contains theobromine and caffeine which act to over stimulate the central nervous system which can cause your pet to be restless, have diarrhoea and vomit. Severe cases need to be hospitalised. Lilies - are very popular at Easter, they look beautiful but beware that some varieties are poisonous for cats and can cause kidney disease. Cats only have to chew on a lily to become unwell and this can be fatal. Toxic lilies are: Tiger lily [Lilium tigrinum] Easter lily [Lilium longiflorum] Rubrum [Lilium speciosum] Day lily [Hemerocallis species] Glory lily [gloriosa superba] Stargazer lily [Lilium orientalis] Japanese show lily [Lilium lancifolium] Asian lilies [lily asiatic delicious and montreux] Peace lilies [Spathyphyllum spp] Calla lilies [Zantedeschia spp] In addition to lilies, other plants can also be toxic. If you have a question about one in particular, please ask us. Cat's love to chew plants - it's good for their state of mind. Good plants to chew are cat grass and cat nip. Available from most nurseries, a pot in the house or garden will make for some very satisfying chewing and head rubbing. If you're travelling this Easter and are boarding your pets, make sure they are up to date with vaccinations, worming and flea control. Back to top |
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6. FLUTD - what does it mean? An inflammed urinary tract, or UTI is something that happens commonly with cats as it does with people. The condition is painful and in some cases can be life threatening for cats. The good news is that you can prevent this condition to a great extent with the correct diet. FLUTD [Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease] as it's known, covers a range of conditions that cause inflammation in the lower urinary tract from the bladder to the urethra. Bacteria and crystals that form in the urine can both be involved resulting in an irritated and swollen urinary tract. This makes urination difficult and, if the swelling is severe, can block urine flow. Complete obstruction can lead to irreversible damage to the kidneys this is an emergency situation and requires immediate attention. Signs of urinary disease include straining to urinate [as depicted in the diagram at left], blood in the urine, urinating more frequently and urinating in unusual places. The key risk factors leading to FLUTD are: Food certain minerals in food, such as magnesium and phosphorus can form crystals in the urine Behaviour lack of exercise, reduced water intake and dirty litter trays can cause a cat to urinate less encouraging the onset of FLUTD Body Condition once again, overweight cats are in trouble; they are more predisposed to FLUTD Gender both sexes can develop FLUTD but desexed males are more likely to have complete urinary obstruction Hill's Science Diet foods are specially formulated to minimise the risk factors that influence the development of struvite-related FLUTD. For more information please click here. Back to top |
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7. Orientation Week for new cats Arriving in your home for the first time, a new cat will feel nervous and potentially overwhelmed remember your first day at school? To make the transition as positive as possible, doing a couple of things to take into account your new friend's feelings will go a long way to a successful life with you. Here's how: Health before introducing your new cat, have a health check done to ensure she or he is in top shape. A blood test may be recommended to rule out any infectious agents. Ensure vaccination is current as well as flea and worm control. Your new cat should be held in one room, such as the laundry, for about one week in order to adjust to the new surrounds. Gradual introduction to the rest of the house can then take place. If you already have a dog: give your cat plenty of places to hide. Cubbies made from small cardboard boxes are ideal up on bookshelves or out of the way where the dog can't reach. Ensure the new cat has time by his or herself, especially early on, to relax and recoup. Allow the pets to come together in their own time never force them and, especially with dogs, be present in early introductions and have your dog under control which means on a lead to avoid any rushing at the cat. If you have another cat: the same principle applies but you may also enforce some separation time as it's harder to stop one cat harassing the other without separate rooms. As much as the pets will come together, feed at the same time in the same vicinity to reinforce a positive message about the other's presence. Back to top |
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8. Heartworm hit for 6 - twice The control of heartworm, a serious threat to dog health, has been made simple with the introduction of an annual heartworm injection. The once a year injection has been embraced by pet owners who prefer not to have to remember a monthly preparation to prevent the illness. The injection uses smart technology to allow the preventative medication to be released into the body slowly over the 12 month period.  Heartworm is a worm that resides in the blood stream after being injected into the body by a mosquito. The immature heartworm then migrates through the animal's body tissues finally ending up in the heart where it lives and breeds. The presence of heartworms in the heart significantly impacts the function of this vital organ and its associated major blood vessels. Untreated dogs will eventually die of heart failure so prevention is strongly recommended. Back to top |
The Vets Nerang Unit 5/90 Spencer Road Nerang 4211 ph 5596 2322 fx 5596 0549 Helensvale Unit 7/14 Sir John Overall Drive Helensvale 4212 ph 5529 8011 fx 5529 4133 www.thevets.com.au |
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