Corner Animal Hospital : Online Pet Pharmacy and Veterinary Service

With the summer upon us, we want to provide you with information on how to prevent certain problems.

All pets, especially dogs and rabbits, are susceptible to overheating. Several dog breeds, which include flat-faced dogs like bulldogs and pugs, heavily pigmented dogs, overweight, older, and thickly hair coated dogs are especially susceptible to the effects of heat.

Be especially careful when your pet is in your car. On a hot summer day, the inside of a car in direct sun can heat up very quickly! On an average 85 degrees Fahrenheit day, for example, the temperature inside your car, with the window slightly rolled down, can reach 102 degrees Fahrenheit in approximately 10 minutes. In less than 30 minutes, the temperature can rise to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. On warmer days it will go even higher.

A dog’s normal body temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees. A dog can withstand a body temperature of 107 to 108 for only a very short period of time before suffering irreparable brain damage, or even death. The closed car interferes with the dog’s normal cooling process, that is, evaporation through panting, and sweating through the pads on their feet.

If your dog is overcome by heat exhaustion, you can give immediate first aid by placing the pet in cool water until the body temperature is lowered, along with immediate veterinary attention.

One of the ways to prevent your dog from overheating is to take your dog for its walk early and late in the day when it is cool. Keep fresh water available at all times. Keep your dog indoors during the hottest part of the day. If it needs to be outside, provide shade and plenty of water. Apply sunscreen to the nose of dogs with light pigmentation.

The majority of skin conditions occur in the summer in most of our pets. This is because pets are outside more and exposed to potential allergens that cause skin allergies along with parasites like fleas.

In almost all these routine cases your pet will itch uncontrollably and cause some type of secondary skin infection. The best treatment is prevention.

Keep your pet’s hair trimmed very short in the summer for both dogs and cats. They will be substantially more comfortable and will get less hot spots and hairballs. Contrary to popular belief, they will be cooler even in the thickly coated dogs and cats.

Bathe approximately once per week with a high quality shampoo made for pets. Use a rinse afterwards to prevent drying of the coats. Its is advantageous to rinse your dog’s feet off before coming indoors to remove grass pollens that are the source of allergies. Check for ticks daily if they are in your locale, and any time your pet goes walking with you in woods, etc.

Always keep your pet on topical flea and tick prevention medication. These products are highly effective, convenient, and safe. Many of them also treat parasites and prevent heartworm.

Cushings disease, technically called hyperadrenocorticism, is a hormone problem in which the adrenal glands produce to much cortisone. Even though it can appear in other animals, it is primarily a disease of middle aged and older dogs.

The small size of the adrenal glands, located at the top of each kidney, does not do any justice to their importance in regulating many body functions. In this disease an excess of the hormone called cortisol is released into the bloodstream. This hormone circulates throughout the body and has a profound effect on many of the internal organs.

In most cases the cause is a very slow growing tumor in the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal glands to produce and excess of cortisol. In a much smaller number of cases the adrenal glands themselves ban have an benign or malignant tumor that causes the excess secretion of cortisol.

Many of the symptoms of this disease are subtle, and can wax and wane. Things to watch for are excessive appetite or panting, drinking or urinating more than usual, a pot bellied appearance to the abdomen, or skin changes.

A routine physical exam with a blood panel can give us an indication of this problem. Specialized hormone tests are needed for a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes we even perform an ultrasound to try to visualize the adrenal glands.

Several different medications are used to treat the usual form of Cushings. Your doctor will tell you which one is appropriate in your pet’s case. Surgery is not commonly utilized and can lead to post operative complications. To learn substantially more about this problem follow this link: http://www.lbah.com/canine/cushings.htm

Dog lovers will enjoy the pictures, but the words that follow are pretty powerful…

A Dog’s Purpose (from a 6-year old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolf hound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ‘I know why.’

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, ‘People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?’  The Six-year-old continued, ‘Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.’

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Arthritis literally means inflammation of the joint, but the term is used more generally to describe several different processes. Many people use the term arthritis synonymously with osteoarthritis (OA), a complex, slowly progressive, and degenerative arthritis that is characterized by the gradual development of joint pain, stiffness, and a decreased range of motion.

This is a prevalent disease as pets age, especially the larger breed dogs. The signs can be subtle and easily missed early in the course of the disease. This is especially true in the larger breed dogs that can be stoic and not show overt signs of pain even though the pain is present.

Signs to watch for a slow rising in the rear quarters after resting, slowing down after a period of time on routine walks, limping on any leg, and lethargy after returning from a walk.

Cats get this problem also, commonly manifested as reluctance or inability to jump routinely, and sensitivity when petting the spine along the lower back.

There have been tremendous advances in recent years for the treatment of this painful condition. We use a balanced medical approach in our treatment of arthritis, using the body’s natural healing process with judicious use of medications used to directly decrease pain in increase comfort for your pet.

Signs that your pet may have arthritis include:

• Favoring a limb
• Difficulty sitting or standing
• Sleeping more
• Seeming to have stiff or sore joints
• Hesitancy to jump, run or climb stairs
• Weight gain
• Decreased activity or less interest in play
• Attitude or behavior changes
• Being less alert

Shop for Pet Arthritis Medication at the Corner Animal Hospital’s Online Pet Pharmacy here

Some of our pet arthritis medications include:

• Cosequin DS Chewable Tablets for Dogs
• Cosequin for Cats
• Glyco-Flex (GF 600) for Dogs
• Synovi G3

With Spring soon upon us, it’s time to start preparing for the upcoming heartworm season. Heartworm is caused by a parasite called dirofiliaria immitis. It is spread to dogs, and recently cats, by a mosquito. The mosquito is a necessary part of the life cycle.

Traditionally this disease only occurred in hot and humid states that were essential to mosquito breeding. The disease occurs throughout our country now, although heatworm preventive medications have had a significant effect in lowering the incidence of heartworms.

Dogs and cats of any breed can be infected, although we tend to see it more in large male dogs. Since it takes at least 6 months from the time a mosquito injects microfilaria into a dog until these microfilaria become adult heartworms, puppies must be at least 6 months of age before adult heartworms are present. Most dogs are diagnosed at middle age. Many dogs do not have any symptoms until heart failure progresses. This emphasizes the need for yearly testing.

Many products are available to prevent heartworm (some of them also treat intestinal worms so they can be of great value). These products are inexpensive, easy to use, and effective. They should not be used routinely unless your dog has a yearly heartworm test to make sure it is negative.

Heartworm infestation can lead to heart failure. Treatment can be hard on a dog, so it is of utmost importance to plan on preventing the problem with the low cost and readily available medications used for prevention, as opposed to taking a chance and treating only if the problem occurs.

At the Corner Animal Hospital, besides providing tests for heartworms, we also carry a full line of heartworm prevention medicine including:

• Interceptor
• Sentinel
• Heartgard

Contrary to popular belief, dogs and cats are not natural enemies and can actually become very close friends when living in the same home together!

Dogs bury bones in order to ensure that they will always be able to find food even if it is not readily available.

Like wolves, dogs dig because of an ingrained genetic behavior to excavate dens, look for prey, or create a cool place to rest. Excessive digging can also be a response to boredom.

If you have to travel on a plane with your pet, be sure to bring him into the cabin with you. Be sure to check with the airline in advance for their rules before you make reservations. Make sure that both your pet and his carrier have proper identification. Never fly your pet in the cargo hold of the plane.