look out for leptospirosis

     The midlands has been the recipient of some heavy rainfall recently, so we wanted to remind everyone about a somewhat forgotten disease called leptospirosis.  Leptospirosis is a disease caused by the microscopic spirochete Leptospira.  This organism is typically found in standing water.  It is transmitted through intact or cut skin surfaces or via mucous membranes.  Rodents and other wildlife are the typical hosts.  This spirochete enters and spreads rapidly throughout the body, causing fever and lethargy.  It typically targets the liver or kidneys.  Although infrequently diagnosed, the disease can make pets quite ill, and the spirochete poses the risk of transmission to humans as well.  Prevention of leptospirosis is through minimizing access to standing pools of water; excellent cleansing/disinfecting if in a kennel situation; and routine vaccination.  Leptospirosis is typically included with other puppy vaccinations and because it has a short duration of immunity pets must receive yearly boosters.  If your pet is not current on its leptospirosis vaccination, call our office today for an appointment.

That darn dog

     Last week we discussed Feliway and its use in some problem behaviors our felines may exhibit.  This week, we focus on a similar product intended for our dogs.  D.A.P. (dog appeasing pheromone) is a chemical copy of the pheromone produced by the mother dog at birth that helps to calm puppies.  The effect of this pheromone lasts throughout the dog's life.  D.A.P. may be useful in several situations:  excessive barking; inappropriate elimination (either urine or feces); chewing; anxiety; or to help adapt a new puppy/canine to a home.  D.A.P. comes as a diffuser, a spray, as well as a collar.  As with Feliway, results vary.  Dog owners should give the product at least a month long trial, and should still practice other behavior modification techniques, as D.A.P. is not intended as a stand alone answer to all behavior problems.  Call our office today for more information!

That darn cat

     Cats are important members of the domestic pet household, but too often they garner negative attention due to inappropriate behaviors such as clawing furniture, aggression, and urine marking.  Many pet owners have experienced this situation, either with their personal cat, or through word of mouth.  There are numerous ways of approaching the treatment of these behaviors.  One important component to consider is the use of the product Feliway, which is a synthetic analog of the natural feline facial pheromone.  Facial pheromones are important for cats to feel safe and secure in an environment or situation.  Feliway comes as both a plug in diffuser as well as a spray formulation.  Not every cat responds to Feliway, and responders may take several weeks to begin showing results.  However, due to the ease of use and lack of any toxicity, as well as the added benefit of not trying to administer an oral medication to a cat, Feliway is a viable and easy product to use.  Cat owners should understand and remember that there are a multitude of causes of inappropriate feline behaviors, and that Feliway is not an answer to all problems.  Owners who are interested in using this product with their cat should contact our office and set up an appointment to have a physical examination performed and to discuss whether Feliway is a product that may be of use.

Is it snack time yet?

     Pet owners love their furry friends and as a result often we are looking for things to give our pets as treats or snacks.  We wanted to focus on the idea of treats and snacks and make sure that pet owners are utilizing appropriate and healthy choices for these important parts of our pets' lives.  We will focus primarily on dogs for this discussion.  There is a common misconception that bones are appropriate treats/chew toys for dogs.  This is an exceedingly dangerous misconception.  Dogs certainly used to eat bones in the wild, but the important thing to remember is that these bones were raw, not cooked; and these bones were chewed thoroughly, not swallowed whole.  Our domesticated dogs, however, are not very tolerant of bones.  It is our firm belief and recommendation that no bones of any sort ever be offered to a pet.  The probability of negative consequences is high.  Our pet owners should also exercise caution when offering their pets any appropriate chew item or treat, and monitor the pet during eating that item to ensure that it is chewed thoroughly and swallowed without incident.  We also want to remind pet owners that any treat can be used or given in excess, even something innocuous like milkbones.  We strive to maintain the most healthy population of pets possible.  Our recommendations for treats and snacks for most pets involve the use of common vegetables such as baby carrots or green beans.  We highly encourage any and all pet owners to check with us prior to using treats, snacks, or chew toys with their pets.  An ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure.

Disaster preparedness

     We recently had a hurricane scare when Irene moved through.  Fortunately, our area was spared, but as we enter hurricane season, it is important to be prepared for disasters.  Planning is the most important aspect of dealing with a disaster or evacuation scenario.  Pet owners should take steps to find alternate housing, either with  friends, pet friendly motels, or boarding facilities in the event of emergency.  Additionally, find veterinary offices in the same areas in case your pet needs medical care.  Have a copy of your pets' medical records and vaccination history readily available.  Keep a list of these phone numbers in an easily accessible place.  Make sure that you have a properly functioning crate/kennel for each pet in the household so that you may safely transport them in the event of an emergency.  Make sure you have enough food (dry food is recommended) and water (make sure the bottles are shatterproof) for your pets.  If your pet requires a prescription diet or medication, be sure to have ample quantities on hand.  Pets should have identification tags with current information and/or be microchipped.  Make sure all family members are familiar with the emergency preparedness plan.  With careful planning you can minimize the impact a disaster or emegency has on you and your pet.

Online pharmacy now offered through MVP

     There are numerous internet pharmacy options available for our pets.  You may have even used one in the past.  Standard online pharmacies such as 1800PetMed offer many, but not all products that your pet may need.  The issue with these pharmacies is that product is diverted through a third party and thus manufacturer guarantees are minimal to non existent.  In order to better serve our clients, Midlands Veterinary Practice has partnered with the veterinary direct online pharmacy VetSource.  VetSource will offer our clients the ease of home delivery; competitive pricing with standard online pharmacies; a reminder system for the next dose your pet needs; the option of single dose purchasing (something not availabe through other online pharmacies); and full manufacturer backing of product guarantess (also not available through other online pharmacies).  We will begin our foray into this online pharmacy world slowly, of course, and will initially offer heartworm and flea medications as well as several additional items.  We will be expanding these offerings with time.  Clients interested in signing up should go to http://midlandsvetpractice.vetsourceweb.com/index.pml.

Heartworm disease

     The southeast a hot spot of a multitude of pests and diseases.  One of the most important issues facing our pets is heartworm disease.  Heartworms are, literally, worms that reside in the heart and associated vessels of both dogs and cats.  Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos.  The life cycle begins in an infected dog with circulating immature forms of the heartworm that are taken up into the mosquito along with a blood meal.  Inside the mosquito these go through several larval cycles.  The mosquito then feeds again and injects these larval stages into your pet.  These larval stages migrate through the body until they reach the heart and finish their maturation process into adult worms.  These worms interfere with the heart and associated blood vessels, leading to a host of consequences including potential death.  One of the most common clinical signs of active heartworm disease is coughing.  The only way to diagnose heartworms in dogs is a simple blood test (diagnostics for cats are much more difficult).  Should your pet test positive for heartworms, treatment is availabe.  All dogs should have yearly heartworm testing, and a current (within one year) negative heartworm test is required to refill heartworm prevention for dogs.  In our geographic location, heartworms are considered endemic, and monthly prevention should be given each month throughout the entire year.  There is a misconception that only outdoor dogs are susceptible to heartworms; this is a fallacy.  Every dog is susceptible, as there is no such thing as a mosquito free environment.  We also recommend monthly heartworm protection year round for cats, but to due to species differences cats do not require yearly heartworm testing.  There are a multitude of products available on a prescription basis that are extremely effective for the prevention of heartworms in your pet.  It should be noted that there several holistic methods purported for heartworm prevention, none of which have any scientific basis of support.