agnesvet

Ringworm

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 22:51:02 GMT

This fortnight we thought we would tackle the subject of ringworm.

More correctly called dermatophytosis, ringworm is not a worm but caused by a group of fungi with the main offender being Microsporum spp. It causes a red ring lesion on the skin that often is itchy in people, but not in pets.

These fungi live on the hair shaft and feed on the outer dead layers of both animals and humans skin. They are highly contagious between humans and between humans and animals, making this an important disease within a community.

Pretty attractive huh? Kids are the most likely ones to catch the disease, because of their close contact with pets and their more vulnerable immune system, but adults that are immune-compromised due to disease or stress or similar are also prone. A lesion can take anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks to develop after exposure.

The disease is common in cats, dogs and horses, but is basically seen in any animal. Some animals show no symptoms of the disease while harbouring and shedding the fungal spores, so act as carriers spreading it to other animals and people.

The disease is important because it is a contagious zoonoses (spread between animals and humans), but it is straightforward (if frustrating) to treat and is certainly not life-threatening. Once ringworm is correctly identified it can be treated with specially medicated shampoos, creams or tablets in pets, and creams available from the chemist for humans.

The frustrating part is that all pet hair in the environment is a potential source of re-infection. So to effectively control the disease all pet hair must be removed from furniture, clothing (animal jammies included!), carpets and bedding- no small feat if you have long haired or multiple pets.

I hope this clears up some of the myths associated with the social stigma of ringworm, and although I wish you and your pets a ringworm-free existence if your family or pets are affected please contact us at the clinic so we can help.

Worms

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 22:51:00 GMT

This week we’re tackling worms – not the good ones that live in your garden, but the nasty ones that can be uninvited guests in your pets intestines! We can all be a bit blase about them but they can cause serious problems in our pets and in our families.

Round, hook, whip & tapeworm all live in an animals gut. They latch onto the intestinal wall with specialised teeth and feed both on the hosts blood and also by absorbing food from the intestine.

So not only are they blood-suckers, but they damage your pets gut and steal nutrition- not good house guests! These worms are all spread via eating of the microscopic worm eggs, which can be found in the soil, andon your pets coat or bedding. they are one of the many reasons it is a great idea to wash your hands before eating!!!

Roundworms are also passed to foetuses in the womb of infected animals, so even new born animals are a potential source of infection.

Roundworms in particular are dangerous to people as the juvenile form migrates throughout the body causing skin lesions and even blindness, with children being at highest risk because of the close contact they generally have with the family pet and their often less-than-perfect food hygeine practices!

The common tapeworm is caught by ingestion of fleas, and the harder to kill 'zipper' tapeworm is caught from catching lizards and frogs. And finally, the dreaded hydatid tapeworm, it causes massive worm cysts throughout the body causing potentially devestating organ damage where it lodges, usually the liver, kidneys or brain- pretty darn serious! Hydatids are transmitted through eating contaminated meat-which is only a problem for those animals that eat home-killed meat (or roadkill for some of the less selective pooches....) as all meat that has passed through an abbatoir (and our friendly local butcher) has been checked and is hydatid-free.

The symptoms that your pet may be carrying some unwanted guests are often mild and include ;diarrheoa, weight loss, general poor body condition, dry coat, occasional vomiting and the all time favourite, dragging of the booty along your lounge room carpet.

So a regular worming programme for your cat and dog is easy and essential, and effectively protects them and your family from these nasty parasites.

Adult pets just need a tablet or chew (check that it kills all the worms mentioned- alot of the cheaper products don't kill all the worms) every 3 months, with puppies and kittens needing worming fortnightly until 12 weeks of age, and then monthly until 6 months of age. Pregnant pets should be wormed as normal during pregnancy to prevent roundworm contamination Something to remember also – while effective in killing adult worms that are present in the intestine at the time of treatment, worming is not a vaccine against future attacks, so it is something you need to maintain.

Please note, intestinal worming preventions do not standardly prevent Heartworm – which is spread by mosquitos, but this is a whole other subject....

As for us two legged creatures, to prevent worms living in our system there are a few tips we can do also. Wash your hands after playing with your pet, wash your hands after playing and working in your yard and avoid dogs licking you about the face. Remove dog droppings from your yard, clean kitty litter trays, and clean your pets sleeping areas regularly. All very basic but effective ways to keep your family safe from yucky old worms!

Parvovirus

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 22:13:06 GMT

With summer upon us, lots of visiting dogs in the area and new christmas puppies around we thought it was a great oppurtunity to talk about parvovirus. Canine parvovirus is a highly infectious virus that obviously affect dogs, and summer is usually when we see an outbreak. It viciously attacks dogs gastrointestinal tract, causing them to shed their gut lining, causing severe bloody diarrhoea, uncontrollable vomiting, severe abdominal pain, profound cardiovascular shock and sadly often death. Pretty horrific!

Parvo Virus can affect dogs of all ages but is most common and most serious in puppies and older dogs that have not been vaccinated against the disease. Parvo is highly contagious and is spread by both direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated materials or people. It is resistant to heat, cold and humidity, and can survive in the environment for long periods of time.

The fact that it so hardy and so easily spread is what makes parvo so devestating, as this means the virus can contaminate the hands and clothing of people who handle infected dogs, kennel surfaces, food and water bowls, collars and leashes, and you can even bring it home on the bottom of your shoes if you have walked through a contaminated environment. And if wandering dogs or strays are shedding parvo then the contaminated areas can be extensive.Parvovirus is treatable but its difficult and expensive, and unfortunately not always with a successful outcome, particularly in unvaccinated puppies.

Signs that your dog may have Parvo may include vomiting and bloody diarrhoea severe abdominal pain and lethargy. If your dog is showing any of these signs seek veterinary advice immediately.

So now for some good news – Parvo Virus is easily preventable with a really effective vaccination. Puppies require two vaccinations at 6 and 12 weeks of age ( and often a third in areas with regular parvo outbreaks) and then once a year for life. This once a year vaccination also protects your pooch from other canine viruses such as distemper, infectious hepatitis and kennel cough. So if your family was lucky enough to expand by a puppy over the christmas break, then please check if it has already been vaccinated and when it is next due, because there is nothing sadder for us than seeing a desperatly ill little puppy sick with a life threatening disease that so easily could have been prevented.

Fleas again

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 06:02:16 GMT

Summer is upon us, and with the dry, dusty conditions many of our clients are telling us they are having difficulty-keeping fleas under control, so we thought it would be a timely reminder to chat about flea control again.

Our flea- friendly climate here in Agnes Water creates a perfect breeding ground for fleas. With heat, sand and dust it’s a honeymoon spot for fleas! Its important to know that 95% of a flea lifecycle occurs within the environment of where your pet lives and sleeps, so the fleas you see on your dog are only 5% of the problem! Flea’s love warm dark places and live and breed in these conditions such as dirt, dust, and pet bedding areas and even between floorboards. Yuk!

There are many products on the market for flea control but what they all rely on is consistency in your application. Dose them regularly and for their correct weight. Whether your chosen method of control is a spray on, collar or spot-on application, consistency and accurate dosage is imperative to your pets flea eradication program.

Exciting news (for us and your pets) is that we now have a new product available at the clinic called Comfortis, and its great to have a new product to offer that fleas have not built a resistance to. Taken orally with food it is a once a month tablet depending on your pets weight. It’s a brilliant option for those of you that have dogs who love swimming, as it cannot wash off and leaves no oily residue to get on kids or furniture. We have been getting great feedback from customers whose dogs are using it. At this stage it is only available for dogs. We also recommend a flea hydrobath to freshen up your pooch as well as get rid of fleas, which the ladies at the clinic can do for you.

Fleas commonly cause obvious skin conditions, but can also result in your cat or dog becoming anaemic and unwell from loss of blood from the fleas biting them, not to mention the discomfort of continual scratching and itching. Flea allergy dermatitis is one of the most common causes of what people (mistakenly) call ‘mange’, and is a dog’s allergic reaction to the flea’s saliva and bite.

Some tips for you to consider-:

As stated above, fleas love dark places for breeding. Regular washing (in water hotter than 60 degrees for 10 mins) and weekly airing in the sun of your pets bedding and regular replacement is recommended.
Keep your pet out of the dirt, sand and (if its dusty) under the house as fleas love dark places to breed, so this is where all the newly hatched fleas are waiting and ready to pounce. Young adult fleas jumping onto your pet are unavoidable but control of where your pet sleeps and plays reduces this risk. If you can’t avoid these ‘danger zones’ there are sprays available to help you control the problem. But avoidance is definitely better!
Treat all of the pets in your household. Treating just one pet if you have more will not be effective. Don’t forget the cats!
Regular vacuuming of your home will assist with removal of eggs and stimulate fleas to emerge (so you can eradicate them!)
Avoid untreated animals entering your home environment.
Consistency – whatever your choice of flea control is, make it consistent. Read the label and adhere to it.

So I hope this has given you a few tips on how to beat the unwelcome fleas, and if you have any requests or suggestions on what you’d like to read about in critter chat, please let us know at the clinic.

Wild Life Care

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 05:36:52 GMT

Practicing in such a beautiful environment means we see a lot of injured and sometimes orphaned wildlife. We work closely with our enthusiastic local wildlife carers to save and release as many as possible.

Below is some tips previously printed in one of our Critter Chats that is relevant to wildlife in our area. You can read the full article in our critter chat section of the website.

For those of us lucky enough to have wildlife visit us at our homes, the best way to enjoy visiting wildlife is to quietly view them and NOT feed them. Although it is lovely to have the close interaction of feeding wildlife, it is usually not in the best interest of the animal for these reasons:

training wildlife to feed from humans reduces their natural fear response and so puts them in grave danger of attack by domestic pets
people often feed wildlife human or pet food which isn’t appropriate for them, however the animals will happily accept a free meal even if its not good for them! For example mince is much fattier than a kookaburras normal diet and causes a coating of grease inside a kookaburras beak, this causes serious feeding and digestive problems. Similarly green lorikeets will happily eat seed you put out for them, but it permanently damages the delicate feathering on their tongue thus preventing them to feed on their natural diet of nectar. And a roos gut is designed to digest low quality Australian pastures, not the fruit & grain many people offer them.
wildlife that learn to expect food from humans show a reduced foraging instinct, so they seek out less of their natural diet than they need and so seem even hungrier when you offer them food
Australian wildlife regulate their breeding depending on the food available to them. Feeding them leads to over-breeding and over-populating and therefore starvation in poorer seasons or when you may go away

Great things you can do:

- plant the right trees and shrubs- wildlife love natives like grevilleas and callistomon (bottle brush) and other natives to feed on
provide a permanent water source where they can bathe and drink
If you are building on your rural block, clear trees selectively and with thought to the local wildlife

Many dogs find it fun chasing kangaroos, and most owners don’t realize that when a kangaroo gets exhausted from being chased they develop a muscle condition (myopathy) which is not only painful but usually fatal. Please call your dogs away from chasing kangaroos. And another obvious one is to lock your cats up at night rather than leaving them out to hunt.

And finally, slow down out there!! Reducing your speed on the roads is obviously safer for us all as well as safer for wildlife.

In the event of wildlife needing medical care, please contact us, or one of our incredibly hard working volunteer wild life carers. Yvonne 4974 9362 or Lee 4974 7738.

We moved to this beautiful area to enjoy the nature that surrounds us so please help to protect it.

Dental Disease

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 05:11:07 GMT

Dog and cat dental disease

Just like with us, your pets’ dental health is really important. Sore teeth affect our pets’ mood, appetite and general health just that as they do with us. Even though they look really different, dogs and cats have very similar tooth anatomy as we do and can suffer from all the same oral diseases as we do. But unlike us, our pets can’t tell us when something is wrong, so it is important to know what to look for and have their mouth and teeth checked at least once a year by your friendly veterinarian.

If you have noticed any of the signs below in your pet, then a dental check-up is probably a good idea:

Bad breath
Discolouration of teeth
Bleeding gums or red along the gumline
Drooling
Reluctance to eat dry, crunchy food and raw bones
Pawing at their mouth

Treatment for dental disease is sometimes as simple as a course if antibiotics, and other cases may need a general anaesthetic to undergo cleaning, polishing, and the removal of any problem teeth. Even in these severe cases your pet will on most cases be ready to go home that afternoon. Remarkably, even after multiple extractions most animals cope really well and are still keen to enjoy hard food and bones and usually the removal of a painful tooth will result in a much happier pet.

Vaccination

Sat, 22 May 2021 04:43:39 GMT

Vaccination of the Fur Babies

Vaccination is vital to protect your pet from some deadly, but easily preventable, diseases. Puppies and kittens need a course of vaccinations to generate a good immunity and then as adults it’s just a yearly booster to maintain their protection. Puppies and kittens require their first vaccination between 6 – 8 weeks of age and then their second vaccination at 12 weeks of age. Part of the annual vaccination procedure for your pet is a thorough general health check and it also provides an opportunity to discuss any health concerns you may have with respect to your pet.

Dogs and puppies are vaccinated against parvovirus, canine distemper and infectious hepatitis. These diseases are truly devastating, causing everything from life threatening diarrhoea, to chronic neurological problems. Treatment is difficult and expensive and unfortunately not always successful.

In addition, if you will be boarding your dog in kennels, it is a standard requirement of all kennels that animals are also adequately vaccinated against kennel cough, a highly contagious cough transmitted through the air when animals are in close quarters.

Vaccination of your kitten or cat is just as important as your dog. Cat vaccinations are to protect against feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleucopaenia, and chlamydia. Four more horrible debilitating diseases with big names, causing symptoms varying from a deadly diarrhoea, to pneumonia and chronic flu symptoms. Similarly to dogs, most boarding facilities insist on your cat being up to date with vaccinations.

Most animals generally don’t suffer any side affects after their vaccination but the most common side effect is a transient fever causing lethargy and your pet may be off its food for a day or two. If your pet does suffer a reaction, you should contact your vet as it may need further care, or medication to prevent a similar reaction next year.

Due to the high effectiveness of these vaccines, we are generally seeing a lot less of these diseases, which is great. However, the flip side to this is that this has led to people becoming much more lax about vaccination so severe outbreaks in unvaccinated areas are becoming commonplace again. So we cannot encourage you enough to vaccinate your pets to protect them against the chance of an outbreak in Agnes Water and 1770.

If you would like to find out more information on vaccination please do not hesitate to speak to one of us at the vet clinic.

Nutrition

Sat, 22 May 2021 04:40:29 GMT

Your Dogs Nutrition

Just like with us, feeding your pet the correct diet is an essential factor in maintaining superior long term health. A good diet contains all the essential nutrients in the right balance, and these factors change slightly as your pet matures and then ages, and that is why you are now seeing more lifestage foods available (ie, puppy, adult & senior specific). For example a puppy needs extra protein and vitamins for optimum growth and an older less active dog needs less calories & more fibre.

Busy lifestyles today means many people opt for prepared diets. When choosing a pet food choose one that is labelled ‘complete’ and ‘balanced’, these terms are regulated and the food must meet certain criteria to carry them. Foods that don’t carry these terms are often lacking in essential nutrients. Also pick one that suits your dogs lifestage, ie puppy food while they are growing and if they are older or a bit overweight pick a senior or light variety- it really does make a difference! Also be aware that price is a good indicator for quality, you often find when feeding cheaper foods that you need to feed a lot more as more fillers are used and the protein quality in the food is lower.

For those of you who prefer a home cooked diet remember that balance is the key, A lot of people make the big mistake of feeding an all meat diet thinking that’s what they’d eat in the wild. If you were to replicate a wild diet, you’d also have to include animal skin, bones and vegetable matter from the stomach of the animal eaten. Obviously this is a fairly gross and impractical option for most, so remember to add vegetables and some raw bones (never cooked) to the diet. Things to avoid include onion, garlic (as a relative to onion!), potato, sultanas and chocolate- when dogs metabolise these foods they produce by-products that can cause damage to their liver, kidneys or heart. You’ve paid for it so store it well - dry foods need to be in secure containers away from vermin and do not keep food indefinitely as this reduces vitamin potency and palatability.

If you have a puppy, I would strongly recommend that a prepared puppy food make up the majority of their diet in this vital growth stage. It is difficult to provide the right balance for growth and optimum brain development, and most people make the error of adding vitamin supplements to the food to improve it, but this usually just creates an imbalance, with too much of one thing and so not enough of others. The best calcium supplement you can give a puppy is a fresh raw bone- as well as calcium it provides many other minerals as well as protein and entertainment!

Nutrition is a huge subject and plays a key role in your pets long term health. We have kept it short today, and hopefully we will revisit this subject with some diet tips and cat reference but if you would like any more information in the mean time, please feel free to ask us at the clinic.

Heartworm

Sat, 22 May 2021 04:32:31 GMT

Facts About Heartworm

As its name suggests, Heartworm is a worm that lives as an adult in a dog’s heart and main pulmonary (lung) veins of the heart. It affects cats too, but usually lives on the outer edge of the lungs in cats. It is spread between animals by the common mosquito.

A mozzie feeds on an infected animal and picks up juvenile worms circulating in that animal’s bloodstream, it is then passed to your healthy pet when he or she is bitten by that mosquito. Its transmission is similar to malaria or Ross River fever.

The adult worms living in the heart cause abnormal turbulence and act as a blockage to blood flow, effectively causing congestive heart failure.

These signs include:

A persistent dry cough

Lethargy or depression

Exercise intolerance or excessive panting

Anaemia (pale gums and eyelids)

If your pet is exhibiting any of these symptoms please contact us at the vet clinic to arrange an appointment. Heartworm disease is treatable but requires hospitalisation and usually ongoing medical care.

However, this nasty disease process can be really easily and effectively prevented. There are either monthly or daily tablets available as an effective preventative, or there is a convenient annual injection that is both simple and effective. Also some monthly flea control products include heartworm prevention. Be warned though that if your adult dog is not currently on heartworm prevention then they’ll need to be tested, as sometimes giving already infected animals preventative medication can cause a life-threatening reaction as well! If you have a pup under the age of six months, it is safe to start them on heartworm prevention straight away.

I hope this has cleared up a few myths about heartworm disease. If there is anything else you’d like to know about heartworm please feel free to talk to us at the clinic.

Fleas

Sat, 22 May 2021 04:12:54 GMT

Flea Control

Summer time = flea control. We live in one of the most flea- friendly climates in Australia here in Agnes Water where heat, sand and dust is the norm for our pets. All of these conditions create a perfect breeding ground for fleas. 95% of a flea lifecycle occurs within the environment of where your pet lives and sleeps, so the fleas you see on your dog are only 5% of the problem! Fleas love warm dark places and live and breed in these conditions such as dirt, dust, pet bedding areas and even between floorboards.

There are many products on the market for flea control but what they all rely on is consistency in your application. Dose them regularly and for their correct weight. Whether your chosen method of control is a tablet, spray on, collar or spot-on application, consistency and accurate dosage is imperative to your pets flea eradication program.

Some tips for you to consider-:

· As stated above, fleas love dark places for breeding. Regular washing (in water hotter than 60 degrees for 10 mins) and weekly airing in the sun of your pets bedding and regular replacement is recommended.

· Keep your pet out of the dirt, sand and (if its dusty) under the house as fleas love dark places to breed, so this is where all the newly hatched fleas are waiting and ready to pounce. Young adult fleas jumping onto your pet are unavoidable but control of where your pet sleeps and plays reduces this risk. If you can’t avoid these ‘danger zones’ there are sprays available to help you control the problem. But avoidance is definitely better!

· Treat all of the pets in your household. Treating just one pet if you have more will not be effective. Don’t forget the cats!

· Regular vacuuming of your home will assist with removal of eggs and stimulate fleas to emerge (so you can eradicate them!)

· Avoid untreated animals entering your home environment.

· Consistency – whatever your choice of flea control is, make it consistent. Read the label and adhere to it.

We hope this has been useful to you and please do not hesitate to contact our clinic for further information about flea control for your best friend, your pet!