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Heartworms
Are in San Diego...We Have Seen Them!
We recommend heartworm prevention for your dog all year. Heartworms
are as horrible as they sound. They are transmitted by mosquitoes
and are fatal in most cases. You may be thinking we don't see many
mosquitoes on the beach so heartworms are not a problem. In fact,
they are. San Diego is seeing more and more positive cases each
year, especially in dogs that have traveled or left the beach areas.
Even the beach is not safe. We have had a positive heartworm case
here at Sunset Cliffs Animal Hospital, and many other positive cases
have been reported by other veterinary hospitals in the area as
well. Some believe the large military influx in San Diego is one
reason. Another reason is dogs that are being brought here from
states affected by the recent hurricanes. Southern United States
has a lot of heartworm disease. We have recently treated 2 dogs
from Louisiana that were heartworm positive. If your pet hasn't
been on prevention we would need to perform a test to make sure
that your pet is negative. Preventive medication can begin following
this test. Infected dogs are coming to San Diego from other parts
of the country, a mosquito bites them, and heartworm disease spreads.
Whatever the reason, heartworm disease is a horrible diagnosis that
can be prevented before it takes your pets life. |
We
have 3 types of heartworm preventative here at Sunset Cliffs Animal
Hospital. Interceptor and Sentinel are once a month flavored tablets
that not only prevent heartworms, but they prevent roundworms,
hookworms, and whipworms too. For those of you with children,
roundworm protection is especially important, as children can
go blind if infected with roundworms. Sentinel takes it one step
further by adding insect growth regulating flea control as well.
Both products are easy to administer in a once a month flavored
pill.
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Our Position on
Raw Meat Diets
Many new non-traditional diets have
been promoted recently in lay publications and on the Internet.
Proponents of these diets claim numerous benefits from reduction
in fecal odor to a decreased incidence of allergies, arthritis,
and parasitism. Food is something that is easy to relate to
for all people because it is one of the most basic necessities
of life. Raw diets are viewed as "natural" and are
therefore believed to be safe, although data on the effectiveness
of these diets is scarce. Few well conducted clinical trials
have been performed to show the health benefits or potential
risks of these unconventional diets.
Not all raw food diets are
the same. There are a few commercially available raw food diets
(typically sold in frozen form) and many different homemade
diets made by well intending pet owners. It is extremely difficult
to formulate a balanced homemade diet. Nutritional imbalances
in homemade diets can cause health problems in pets, especially
young growing animals and older or immune compromised animals.
Problems with these diets include: gastrointestinal obstruction,
rupture or perforation, various nutritional deficiencies, fractured
teeth, and complications due to bacterial contamination from
E. Coli or Salmonella. Proponents of raw meat diets argue that
dogs are more resistant to bacteria than people although this
claim has yet to be proven true. Here at Sunset Cliffs Animal
Hospital we have seen many pets that have become sick after
being fed a raw diet, whether it be from pathogenic bacteria
or ruptures in the gastrointestinal tract from bones. If you
do not eat raw meat your pet should not either for the very
same reasons. Some will argue that animals eat raw meat in the
wild. Not all animals in "the wild" are healthy; most
have parasites and are not as well nourished as our domestic
friends. Not to mention that the raw meat non-domesticated animals
eat is fresh kill, not meat that is greater than 24 hours old.
Please also remember that our pets are domesticated animals,
not "wild" animals.
Owners who are interested in feeding high quality diets, both
traditional and non-traditional, have the best intention of
enhancing the health of their pets. However, the limited research
that has been performed has indicated that many raw food diets
have nutritional deficiencies or excesses that may lead to health
problems in long-term feeding programs. For owners who insist
on feeding raw diets, we recommend feeding a high quality formulated
diet as a base and supplement with fresh fruits and vegetables.
We strongly recommend that all meats be cooked (just as you
would not eat raw meat, neither should your pet) and that all
pets on homemade diets be carefully monitored, as deficiencies
can develop when these diets are fed long term. We are in no
way saying that commercially formulated diets are perfect. Most
companies that produce high quality pet diets are continuously
researching to improve their diets. When it comes to raw diets,
otherwise healthy pets may take years to show clinical problems
from deficient diets. These nutritional deficiencies can lead
to many illnesses including anemia, skin problems, endocrine
disorders, and orthopedic conditions.
Your pet's diet is
very important and it is also important that you feel comfortable
with what you are feeding your pet. If you have any questions
related to your pet's diet, please do not hesitate to ask us.
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Maintain Dental Health with a Non-Anesthetic
Dental
Sunset Cliffs Animal Hospital now offers
non-anesthetic dentals the fourth Friday of every month. Veterinary
Dental Services comes to our office and their specially trained
technicians clean, scale, and polish your pets teeth without anesthesia.
They do a wonderful job on both dogs and cats. You may have seen
"non-anesthetic dentals" advertised elsewhere, but more
often than not this is just a more involved brushing. Veterinary
Dental Services only works with veterinarians and they do a complete
and thorough job. By working only through veterinary hospitals,
they are able to send home antibiotics if needed, get more detailed
if they need to, etc. This procedure is not for every pet however...if
the mouth is in really bad shape, teeth need to be pulled, there
is severe tartar and gingivitis, etc, your pet would be more of
a candidate for a dental with anesthesia. The non-anesthetic dentals
are great for animals that have mild tartar and they are also
a great way to maintain your pets dental health after an anesthetic
dental. Veterinary Dental Services visits our hosptial routinely
every fourth Friday of the month...please call our office at (619)
224-0773 for more details .
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HEAT STROKE:
The Importance Of Keeping Your Pet Cool This Summer
While San Diego is warm year around,
summer can be especially hot for all of us...especially for
our furry friends who keep their coats on! While common sense
plays a big part in keeping your pet healthy and happy, here
is some information that you should keep in mind this summer
while you and your pet enjoy the hot summer months.
Heat stroke is a potentially life threatening
condition that results from a dramatic, prolonged elevation
inyour pets core body temperature.
Your dog does not sweat, he or she pants instead.
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In the summer months if your dog
gets to hot the body gets overwhelmed and panting can no longer
cool your dog down. One of the most common and preventable ways
that this can happen is by leaving your pet in your car. Even
if the windows are cracked, the temperature still rises dramatically.
It only takes a few minutes for heat stroke to develop. Temperatures
in a car parked in direct sunlight can rise to greater than
120 F in less than 20 minutes even if the temperature outside
is a pleasant 75 F. Not to mention that dogs and cats have a
higher body temperature (100.5-102.5) than we do and on top
of that they have all of that fur! Being in a hot car is not
the only way that your pet can suffer from heat stroke; hiking,
playing and being in direct sun for a length of time without
shade or water can overheat your dog too. Even going to the
beach can overheat your dog, especially if he or she is afraid
of the water and does not cool off frequently. Chances are if
you are hot or uncomfortable, your dog is too. So if you plan
to include your dog in summer activities, plan ahead. Do not
assume that your dog is a strong, healthy, active dog and that
he/she will do just fine. Always be sure your dog has access
to plenty of water and take breaks allowing your dog to pant
in the shade for awhile. If you cannot bring water or are unsure
of the amount of shade in the area, do not bring your dog.
If you think your dog may be suffering from heatstroke, look
for the following signs: rapid heart rate and rapid, shallow
breathing, disorientation, grey mucous membranes (gums), and
heavy panting. In the later stages of heat stroke signs include,
weak pulses, bloody vomiting and/or diarrhea, collapse, coma,
and sometimes death. It is important that animals suffering
form heat stroke be cooled as quickly as possible and get transported
to a veterinarian immediately. The most effective way to cool
an animal down is to spray him or her with cool water, place
ice packs in the area of the groin, belly, head and neck and
then wrapping cold wet towels around the dog. If possible, try
to do this immediately or on the way veterinarian's office,
but do not waste any time...it is so very important that your
pet gets medical care as soon as possible. Immediate veterinary
attention may be the difference between life and death as animals
suffering from heat stroke can go into shock and often experience
multi system organ failure.
A cool and comfortable dog is a healthy
dog. Remember the following: beware of leaving your dog in the
car even if you are "just running in" somewhere, always
have plenty of water, look for shade often, know your dogs limits,
and look for signs of heat stroke. Have fun this summer with
your dog, but do so responsibly and keep cool!
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Sunset Cliffs Animal Hospital Now Has
a Senior Pet Wellness Program Called "Senior at 7"
Senior at 7 is a health maintenance plan that helps us to help
you keep your aging pet as healthy as he or she can be. While
we notice a little gray under the chin, it is the changes occurring
inside the body that are of concern. The Senior at 7 program is
for pets that are 7 or older (5 and older for large breed dogs).
It is meant to catch diseases before they become a problem...it
is for this reason that it is for healthy pets only. When you
come in we draw a sample of blood and also get a sample of urine.
These samples are then sent to an outside lab for a full analysis.
The results may come back completely normal giving you the peace
of mind that your pet is healthy. If the results come back abnormal,
we can catch that particular problem (kidney disease, liver disease,
etc.) early so that we can start treating it. Please call our
office (619) 224-0773 for more details.
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Dogs Don't Have To
Suffer From Arthritis
Just like humans, dogs can suffer from
arthritis. It is estimated that 1 in 5 adult dogs suffers from
this painful, degenerative joint disease. Although the incidence
of arthritis tends to increase with age; just like in people,
it can affect dogs of any breed, age, or size and can seriously
reduce their mobility and quality of life. Because your dog
cannot easily explain his or her symptoms to you, it is up to
you to recognize the signs of arthritis pain.
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Common signs of arthritis
include:
• Limping -Reluctance to climb stairs.
• Falling behind on walks. -Difficulty getting up after
resting.
• Stiffness after exercise. -Repeated licking of a joint.
• Loss of appetite. -Worsening of symptoms in winter.
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The good news is that, as
your veterinarian, there is a lot that we can do. While there
is no cure for arthritis, we can prescribe medications that help
your dog lead a more active and comfortable life. We have nonsteroidal,
anti-inflammatory drugs made especially for once a day dosing
in dogs, that help to take down inflammation and ease pain. We
also have an injectable medication that is given once a month
which helps to stop the loss of joint fluid. This lubricates the
joints over time, making them less painful. We have seen both
types of medication work really well, making both dogs and owners
very happy. We also recommend using Glucosamine and Chondroitin,
the same supplements that your physican may recommend for you,
which help to promote joint health by slowing the process of joint
erosion. When you are in our office, please ask either Dr. Berg
or Dr. Acosta about the correct dosage of Glucosamine and Chondroitin,
or better yet we have a product here called Restore-A-Flex which
is specially formulated (and flavored) for dogs. If you feel that
your dog is suffering from arthritis, please make an appointment
to come and see us so that we can get him/her feeling good again!
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Flea and Tick Control
Year Round Is Very Necessary in Southern California
We sell 3 different types of flea control
that are very effective. Frontline Plus is a topical monthly preventative
that protects against fleas and ticks and is waterproof for those
dogs that go swimming often. We well Frontline Plus for dogs and
cats. The other monthly topical flea control we have for cats
is Advantage. Advantage is a fast acting flea control that works
great on cats. Capstar is the third product we have that comes
in a pill form given orally. Capstar begins killing fleas within
30 minutes. It kills all adult biting fleas but doesn't protect
against the larvae stage. Capstar lasts 24 hours as opposed to
Advantage and Frontline that last for 1 month. Capstar is a great
product to use if you take your pet to the parks or beaches where
they can easily get fleas.
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Harmful Flea Control
Products
We want you to be aware that not all flea
control products are the same. Some products can be harmful,
such as the ones sold at the grocery store, pet stores, in pet
order catalogues or on the Internet. These products are not
manufactured by Merial or Bayer, the companies that produce
Frontline and Advantage. They are no guaranteed and could possibly
be a fake product. We have seen cats at our hospital come in
with adverse reations to bad flea products.
Below is an article from the September 2005 issue of Cat
Fancy Magazine:
HARTZ TO DISCONTINUE
TOPICAL FLEA AND TICK PRODUCTS FOR CATS
The Hartz Mountain Corp. announced in June that it will discontinue
its Advanced Care topical cat products because of adverse reactions
reported by cat owners using the product line. By March 31,
2006, the Hartz Advanced Care 4 in 1 Flea and Tick Drops Plus
for cats and Hartz Advanced Care 3 in 1 Flea and Tick Drops
for Cats will be removed from distributor and retail shelves.
Following discussions with the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), the company signed an agreement to voluntarily cancel
these product registrations.
Reported adverse
reactions included skin irritation, hair loss at the application
site, salivation, muscle twitching and full body tremors. If
signs of sensitivity occur, cat owners are advised to bathe
their pet in mild soap, rinse with large amounts of water and
consult a veterinarian immediately.
For questions,
call the Hartz Consumer Relations Department at (800) 275-1414
or for more information, visit www.hartz.com.
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