We're right in the middle of Pet Dental Health month! So far the response has been great - we've been cleaning up a lot of teeth for healthier pets! Remember, during the month of February we're offering 10% off the cost of a canine or feline dental cleaning!
When your pet comes in for their cleaning, they'll be checked over by the doctor and blood work will be run if elected. We put them under general anesthesia and use an ultrasonic scaler to clean the teeth, just like your dentist would use on you. Finally, the teeth are polished and pets are ready to recover from anesthesia. Within just a few hours, they're ready to go home!
Dental care for our pets is just as important as it is for us. Poor dental hygiene can lead to bad breath, infections in the gums, loss of teeth and even organ damage.
Veterinarians classify dental disease in pets in stages.
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This image shows a healthy mouth. Obviously these shiny, white teeth are well taken care of!
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This picture indicates Stage 2 dental disease. Notice the redness around the gums where bacteria has started to cause inflammation. Also notice the brown buildup of tartar on the teeth themselves. It's time for a cleaning!
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At Stage 3, these teeth are in trouble! The gums have started to recede from the teeth and there's a lot of buildup of plaque! Some of these teeth might have to be extracted!
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Stage 4 is about as bad as it gets - there is so much bacteria and plaque some of the teeth have come loose and there are pockets of infection in the gums. All of that bacteria can pose a danger to the pet's internal organs as well as causing terrible breath and mouth pain for the pet.
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Luckily, there are ways we can prevent dental disease in our pets. The best way is brushing - if you start early with your puppy or kitten, it is possible to train them to tolerate (and even enjoy!) having their teeth brushed. It's important to use a toothpaste specially formulated for dogs and cats - human toothpaste can be harmful to pets. Chewing is another great way for animals to keep their teeth clean - they even make chew toys for cats! Special dental diets like Hills T/D are designed to help clean the teeth as your pet chews the food. A popular option is Oxyfresh Solution, which is added to the drinking water of pets and helps prevent tartar and plaque buildup.
Even with our best efforts, sometimes a dental cleaning by a veterinarian is necessary. This routine procedure is a great way to turn back the clock and prevent further dental disease and painful conditions like loose teeth and abscesses. It's important to schedule an appointment to have your pet's mouth checked if you notice any of the symptoms of dental disease - bad breath, excessive drooling, or reluctance or difficulty eating.
This February, make sure your pet has a clean, healthy mouth - it makes those kisses much more enjoyable!
The holiday season is fast approaching! Festive decorations, food and plants are a big part of our celebrations, but can be dangerous to our pets. Lucky, injuries and illnesses can be prevented with just a bit of extra care and attention.
Christmas trees adorned with lights and decorations are a staple in many homes. Some hazards to be aware of around the tree include:
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Christmas tree water may contain fertilizers or other chemicals that can be dangerous to pets. Additionally, standing water can be a breeding ground for bacteria that can make a pet very ill. It's best to make sure your pet is not able to drink the tree water.
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Electric cords should be covered - if chewed, your pet could be electrocuted or burned.
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Ribbons or tinsel can be extremely dangerous, especially to cats that may think they're great toys. Sadly, they can get caught up in the intestines if ingested, leading to a life-threatening situation that requires emergency surgery to fix.
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Batteries are necessary for all those new toys, but need to be kept away from pets. They contain corrosives, which can cause ulceration on the tongues, mouths, and digestive tracts of pets.
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Glass ornaments and decorations can cause cuts and lacerations if curious pets decide they look like fun. They're especially dangerous if ingested - they can cut your pet's digestive tract.
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Liquid Potpourri is dangerous, especially to cats, who may lick it off their fur if it gets on them. It can cause severe skin, eye and oral damage through contact with those areas. If used at all, it should be placed absolutely out of reach of cats and dogs.
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Candles should always be placed on stable surfaces away from pet's reach - cats can easily set themselves on fire by brushing against the flame, and pets can start fires by knocking candles over.
Most people have heard that poinsettias are poisonous to cats and dogs. It's true that if eaten, they can cause mild stomach upset, but there are much more dangerous plants to be aware of. Mistletoe and holly are two holiday plants to make sure your pets don't get hold of. One of the most deadly (and common) holiday plants is the lily - many types of lily, including Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Easter, Stargazer, and the Casa Blanca, can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested.
I know my favorite part of the holiday celebration is the food. We do not recommend that any people food be given to pets, but we also know some folks just can't resist, especially around the holidays. However, some foods are potentially toxic to pets and should be avoided, including
Even foods that aren't toxic can cause a very painful, potentially fatal condition in pets called pancreatitis. Click here for a detailed explanation of pancreatitis. Unfortunately, the amount of table food that it takes to cause pancreatitis varies from pet to pet. Even small amounts of table food can cause stomach upset, vomiting and diarrhea. For that reason, it's best to avoid giving table food to pets.
This is certainly not a complete list of all the hazards the holidays can pose to our pets, but hopefully it's enough to get you thinking. Just take an extra few moments to make sure that your decorations and celebrations are pet-friendly so that you and your pet can enjoy a wonderful and safe holiday season.
This is a flea:
The fleas are terrible right now. We're getting a lot of calls about flea infestations. Some symptoms of fleas on your dog or cat include increased itching/chewing and fur and skin, hair loss around the base of the tail, gritty debris in the haircoat close to the skin.
Example of flea allergy hair loss on a cat:
You may not see live fleas running around - they're very good at hiding. If you suspect your pet may have fleas, you can schedule an appointment to have the technician check for signs of fleas with a special comb (the combs are also available for sale at the front desk). There is no charge for a flea check. If signs of fleas are found, it's important to start treatment right away.
Our recommended course of treatment for fleas has a few steps:
1. Come down to PAH and purchase at least 3 months of flea preventative for each pet in the house. The flea life cycle from egg to adult is about 3 months long, and so it's important to continue treatment until all the fleas that are currently eggs have grown into adults and been caught by the flea preventative. Every single pet in the house needs to be treated for at least three months. We recommend continuing the monthly preventative even after that to prevent future infestations.
A side note: We are aware that there are many stores that sell flea and tick preventatives. Please, be cautious when purchasing any product anywhere but a veterinarian's office. Products with official brand names like Advantage on them may be counterfeit or expired or imported from foreign countries and not handled properly during shipping. Budget products like Sargeant's and Hartz cause toxic reactions and topical sores in many pets, and for the most part they do not work. Flea shampoos are not ideal and don't work continuously for a month the way the topical medications do. Flea collars will only kill a flea if he happens to get caught underneath it and suffocate. The best course of action is to purchase an approved medication with a proven track record of safety and effectiveness from your veterinarian.
2. Vacuum everything in the house you possibly can. Every nook, cranny, and speck of upholstery and carpeting. If you have a bag vacuum, throw away the bag (outside) right away. If you have a canister, empty it (outside) and wash it with very hot water.
3. Treat all of the carpets and upholstery with a flea-eliminating spray. We carry and recommend Siphotrol Spray. We do not recommend bombing - there's no sense sending poison into the air of your home when the bugs live in the carpet. Wash everything that can be washed (bedding, throw blankets, etc.) in hot water.
All of these things should be done at about the same time to eliminate as much of the flea population from the home as possible. Remember, just because you're not seeing them doesn't mean they're not there.
Happy September!
With all the excitement of going back to school and getting ready for the colder weather, we at Pembroke Animal Hospital wanted to draw attention to another important September event.
September is National Senior Pet Health Care Month. It's commonly said that pets age about seven pet years for every human year. Studies have shown that this isn't quite true - it's a little more complex than that. So how old is your pet in "human years"? The chart below can provide a rough idea:
Routine care is important for pets of any age, but as pets enter into their "senior" years (over 7 years old for cats and small dogs, 6 for medium sized dogs and 5 for large breeds) it becomes even more so.
Just like people, pets are likely to develop more health problems as they age. These problems can include thyroid disorders, arthritis, decreased organ function, diabetes, heart disease - the list goes on and on. Early detection and treatment is key to the successful management of most of these conditions. Unfortunately, animals are masters at hiding pain and discomfort - this is a survival mechanism left over from their wilder days when showing weakness could be deadly.
Cats are particularly good at hiding when something is wrong. That's when good observation of your cat may help spot a problem. Symptoms of a problem may include changes in appetite or water intake, unexplained changes in weight, hiding more than usual, not jumping up the way they used to, vomiting, urinating/defecating outside the litterbox, and changes in personality.
Dog owners should watch for changes in personality or energy level, changes in appetite and water intake, unexplained weight loss or gain, vomiting, or any other signs of illness.
If you notice any of the above in your pet, or anything else that concerns you, it's important to call and schedule an appointment as soon as possible - again, early diagnosis allows for early treatment and a better outcome in many cases.
However, there are many illnesses that are fairly advanced before our pets start showing obvious symptoms. This is why we recommend bringing your pet in yearly for a complete physical exam. As your pet ages, your vet may recommend urine and blood screening in addition to the exam, or may recommend that you increase the frequency of visits to allow them to more closely monitor your pet's health.
The long, happy, healthy life of your pet is our goal at Pembroke Animal Hospital. Please remember to take time this September and all year round for your senior pets.
It finally feels like summer outside! Bright days, warm nights, school vacation... But with all the great things that summer brings, the hot weather also can be dangerous for our pets. We at Pembroke Animal Hospital want to help make sure you're aware of some of the most common summertime hazards.
Heatstroke -
In the hot weather dogs can easily become overheated. They can't cool themselves as efficiently as people can, and their internal temperature can rise to dangerous levels, causing heatstroke. Heatstroke is a medical emergency and can be fatal. Luckily, it is fairly easy to prevent.
Firstly, never, never leave your dog in a car. The car acts like an oven, trapping heat inside (even with the windows open!). The temperature in your car can quickly exceed 120 degrees, creating a very dangerous situation for anyone or any pet inside.
Next, keep in mind that dogs love to have fun and they don't always know when to stop and take a break. On hot days, keep the running and playing to a minimum. We've seen dogs that have played fetch on hot days until they collapsed from heatstroke, and by then it's a grave situation. Use your common sense - if it's too hot for you to be running around, keep your dog close by your side and enjoy a shady tree together instead.
Dogs should never be left outside unsupervised, no matter what the season.
Pugs, bulldogs, and pekingese have adorable little smooshed-faces. Unfortunately, those cute faces mean that those breeds and similar breeds don't breathe as easily in the summertime, especially on humid days. A dog's #1 cooling system is panting, and because their breathing is affected, smoosh-faced ("brachycephalic" is the technicial term) dogs can overheat more easily than other breeds. The safest thing for them is to avoid exposure to the heat - take walks early and late when the temperature is coolest, and keep that air conditioner running on the hottest days.
Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting, anxiety, staring, warm, dry skin, rapid heartbeat and increased temperature. If you think your pet may have heatstroke, call the office as soon as possible.
Dehydration -
Fresh water is extremely important for all living things, especially when the sun is blazing. Make sure that your dogs and cats have access to plenty of clean drinking water to help stay hydrated.
Antifreeze -
Antifreeze is a year-round concern, but these hot days may make your dog or cat more likely to sample water from puddles that may be contaminated with Antifreeze. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that pets love, but it is highly toxic. For your own home, consider an alternative that doesn't contain ethylene glycol - the toxic compound in antifreeze.
Other Animals -
In the nice weather, wildlife is active and more present than ever. The safest place for cats is inside, where they're safe from predators and other cats who may want to pick a fight (not to mention traffic).
Parasites -
Fleas, ticks, black flies and mosquitoes are just as much a threat to our pets as they are to us. Make sure your pet is protected with a monthly flea and tick preventative, and all dogs should be on monthly heartworm preventative. We also carry a great insect repellent to help protect your dog from mosquitoes and black flies.
We know you're concerned with your pet's safety and health. It's important to remember that the summer poses unique dangers. However, with awareness and planning, your pets can enjoy a safe, healthy summer with you.
