General Pet Advice: Health
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Vaccinations are such an important part of maintaining a healthy, disease free lifestyle for your pet. Often the infections that animals contract can be easily avoided by following the standard vaccination programme co-ordinated by your vet. Vaccinations are a necessity when it comes to pet health as they stimulate and promote immunity, enabling your pet to fight off infections. As a pet owner you will need to visit your veterinarian with your pet for a series of general vaccinations over a specified period of time. Primary vaccinations for puppies will generally be at 7, 13 and 16 weeks.
Later in life boosters are necessary as vaccinations may decline to non-protective levels. Boosters are generally an annual exercise. For kittens primary vaccinations will generally be at 6, 12 and 16 weeks. Like dogs, boosters are also required in the later stages of life to ensure levels of resistance to infection are maintained.
When your animal has been vaccinated by a veterinarian you will be issued with a vaccination certificate. This will show what vaccinations have been administered and when the next one is due. It is very straight forward and easy to understand so always remember vaccination means eradication.
You may be surprised to learn that ringworm is actually not a worm. It’s a fungus that can be quite common from time to time. Both dogs and cats can contract it, and it can be easily transmitted from animals to humans. The name ringworm actually has nothing to do with the disease. It was thought in the past that it was caused by a type of worm curling up in the tissue of skin but that is not the case. It is an infection affecting areas such as skin, nails and hair. You may notice that your pet is losing hair as it invades and weakens the hair follicles causing them to fall out. You may also notice lesions over your pets body, that resemble worms which is how it got the name ringworm.
There are a few ways to treat this condition such as anti–fungal creams, baths with anti-fungal shampoo, shaving the hair off your animal and medications. Remember if you see anything remotely like this on your pet get it checked out as soon as possible by your Vet and take yourself and the family to the doctor as a precaution.
If you’ve just taken your dog camping, this would be a great time to check for Ticks.
Ticks are those nasty little blood suckers that can do a surprising amount of damage. Ticks can cause paralysis, so by the time you spot one, it could be too late. Basically the female tick will attach herself to the skin of your pet "the host” and burrow its mouthparts into the body, while injecting a neurotoxin.
The tick will keep sucking the blood from the host and grow in size every day. A neurotoxin has a few side affects that contribute to muscle damage and can also be damaging to the respiratory system. You may see your pet having trouble breathing. The most likely place to pick up a tick is in natural bush land areas and the danger period is inthe warmer months of spring and summer.
You can protect your pet from ticks by using a good flea control treatment. Exelpet® products offers protection from flees and ticks for up to six months www.exelpet.com.au, However, if you find one of these blood sucking vampires on your pet or start to notice any symptoms of tick paralysis, get to your vet immediately as the sooner the tick has been discovered, the better chances your pet has of recovery.
Chronic Renal Failure aka CRF is one of the leading killers in the animal world. You can be the best carer in the world, but it’s just one of those unfortunate "that’s life" diseases.
CRF affects the kidneys by effectively stopping 75% of all cells in the kidneys from functioning. Renal disease is fairly common. A pet that is drinking to excessive levels may be a sign of CRF. This occurs because the malfunctioning kidneys are trying to regulate water balance in the body, so the animal will try to compensate by drinking more to prevent dehydration. Other symptoms that you may notice are loss of appetite, weight loss, depression and diarrhoea. Your pet may also develop ulcerations in the mouth, which are extremely painful.
The sad thing is that there is no cure for CRF. Treatment is focused on taking the work load off the kidneys, and reducing signs of the disorder. If your pet has been diagnosed with CRF, regular check ups with your veterinarian are a must to ensure your pet can be as comfortable and pain fee as possible.
Despite claims on the packaging that says it’s “safe to use around pets”, rat bait poisoning is a fairly common occurrence.
There are two types of rat bait poisoning;
1) Primary poisoning
2) Secondary poisoning
Primary poisoning is when your pet eats the rat bait directly and secondary poisoning is when your pet has eaten a poisonous rat. Death by rat bait poisoning isn’t pleasant and depending on how much your pet has eaten, could be fatal. It is an anti-coagulant which means that the blood is not able to clot properly. It has a very inviting taste, one that lures an unsuspecting hungry pet. Be careful with using any products with such a toxic nature, it’s just not worth the risk of losing your beloved pet. Speak to your local rat exterminator if you have a pest problem and ask for safe alternatives.
Pet therapy, also known as animal assisted therapy, can be an amazing thing. It’s basically a different way of using trained animals and their handlers to help people with disabilities, illness, emotional problems, visitation services in hospitals and to generally assist in recovery.
There are many organisations that aid this cause.
Research has shown that using pets as some what of a treatment has reduced things like stress, blood pressure and can even increase life expectancy. Animals have a way of touching us and potentially healing us thanks to their devotion and companionship. All they want is some love and attention and they will stand by us forever. If you have not thought of using pet therapy as an avenue of healing, give it a go because it could do wonders for you or a loved one.
Did you know that acupuncture is not only a therapy for people, but is also a therapy used on pets as well? Acupuncture is a Chinese therapy that taps in to pressure points to increase healing properties and to boost immunity in the body. Tiny little needles are used and are applied to the appropriate pressure points on your pets body.
Acupuncture has been around for centuries and there is a lot of evidence supporting that it was practiced on animals from the time that the therapy was invented. The Chinese found that animals have a lot of similar meridians as humans. Meridians are fields in the body in which energy flows. These fields are connected to internal organs, muscular structures, joint structures and also the nervous system.
If your pooch or puss had any mobility problems or just general ill health, acupuncture could help. A lot of people think that natural therapy is garbage but give it a go, who knows what could come out of it.
Animal shelters help to nurture and care for lost and injured animals. They have saved many animal lives and given families renewed hope when they feared their pet was lost or hurt beyond recovery. Animal shelters are facilities that take in strays, re-home animals and provide temporary homes for pets until their owners come forward to re-claim them. If you have lost an animal you should visit all animal shelters in and around your area to look for your beloved pet. Also look outside your local area as pets have been known to travel far, far away.
Animal shelters also play a great part in the re-homing of strays or surrendered animals. Initially, the animal will go through a temperament test to see if they are aggressive and going to be a danger to humans. Once they have passed the test, they are vaccinated and quarantined for a limited amount of time. If the animal is not re-claimed by their owner in this period of time the animal goes up for adoption and a new family can take he or she home as a pet. It’s a great way to rescue lost animals and helps to support a very worthy cause.
Have you ever found your pet chewing on something that they shouldn’t be chewing on? Have you ever had a toy go missing and never found again? If that’s the case then you may have found out the hard way….at the vet. Sometimes pets ingest foreign items that cannot pass through their digestive system, such as toys, rope, bones or even corn cobs that become lodged in the gastrointestinal tract.
Dogs are naturally curious animals and will chew on anything they can get their paws on. If you have a Labrador, be aware….they tend to be the biggest culprits of this behavior. Although some objects will pass through the gut naturally, the bigger ones can cause serious gastrointestinal problems. You may notice your pet vomiting, not eating, drooling and they may have abnormal bowel movements. If you notice this sort of behavior, visit your vet immediately as your pet may require emergency surgery. If not treated, foreign bodies may be very damaging and cause your pet pain, so be very careful to keep an eye on the objects around your pet and hope that nothing goes missing.
Do you feed your pet lots of naughty snacks under the table? Do you get those “I’m hungry” eyes? If so, read on…. Along with humans, pet obesity is a “big” problem in Australia. Incredibly, about 20% - 30% of all dogs and cats are overweight! You may think that giving your pet what they want is the right thing to do but obesity can lead to even greater health problems such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and joint disease such as arthritis.
The best way to help your pet maintain a healthy weight is to ensure you feed your pet a balanced healthy diet. Exercise for pets is also just as important. Every animal should either be walked or have some sort of exercise that gets the heart pumping every day. When your pet is obese it is hard for them to exercise and they eventually stop trying all together when it gets too hard. Implement an exercise regime and the weight should drop off really quickly. If you have any concerns or questions about how much or how often to feed your pet make an appointment with your vet so you can sit down and work out a schedule to shed those extra pet kilos.
OPTIMUM Healthy Weight Management comes in both wet and dry varieties, and has been developed to reduce the weight of your pet naturally. Find out more about OPTIMUM Healthy Weight Management.
Would you leave your young child in the car on a hot day? I think not, so when it comes to our pets the same rule applies. Within 10 minutes of leaving your pet in the car on a warm day, (it doesn’t necessarily have to be a scorching hot day) heatstroke can set in. Heatstroke is when the body reaches an abnormally high temperature. Aside from leaving your pet in the car, heat stroke can also occur result from lack of water, exercising in hot weather and being outside in the sun on a hot day.
Heat stroke can be very damaging to the health of your pet, potentially causing hemorrhaging, kidney failure and even death in extreme cases. Some signs that your pet may have heat stroke are rapid panting, wide eyes, salivating from the mouth and/or collapse. There are a few things that you can do to try to minimise the chances of your pet getting heat stroke. These include:
• Always having access to fresh water
• Never leave your pet in the car (even if it’s just for a minute)
• Walk your dog in the mornings and evenings during hot weather
• Provide shade if you leave your pet outside during the day
Think smart when it comes to hot weather and give treat your pet as you would like to be treated. If you do think that your pet may have heat stroke take them to your veterinarian as they will require medical attention.
At some point in their life, your pet will probably undergo an anaesthetic for a procedure. It could be a simple spey or castration or more serious surgery such as a lump removal, but whatever the case, your pet will need just as much care as we would. Just like us, pets need post operative care. Your pet may be drowsy and sleepy after a procedure so it is important to keep the environment around them quiet. After bringing your pet home, it’s a good idea to have a dark room with a comfortable bed set up in a nice, warm place. Noise should also be kept to a minimum to help keep the stress levels down.
Once your pet is feeling a little better they may think that they are ok to exercise, but make sure they take it slowly. After most procedures your vet will probably advise to keep exercise to a minimum for a certain period of time. Wound checks should also be done everyday to check on how the surgery site is going. If you notice any swelling or redness around the wound, it is wise to re-visit the vet for a check up. Another important issue is medication, follow the instructions and you should be fine. It’s very important to listen and follow through with the instructions that the vet gives you after surgery. If you do not understand or become concerned that your pet is not recovering properly, call your vet and ask for some advice.
