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SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2008

The currently melting snow and visible earth gives us hope for new and regrowth of Mother Nature and possibly blessings for better weather to come?! We hope to welcome warm weather, sunshine, green grass, leaves budding on trees and flowers opening to this new season. We will be closed for the July 1st (Canada’s Birthday) and August 4th (Civic Holiday) and September 1st (Labour Day). We will also be renewing our American Animal Hospital Association Certification in July. Our membership with the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the Veterinary International Network and our support of the Companion Animal Parasite Control has been helping the welfare, medically and preventatively of all of our pets.

Our laser surgical facility has been benefiting hundreds of pets over the past 7 years. Owners have been very pleased with the diminished pain and faster recuperation time for their pets. We have been working for some time now with our new Digital Ultrasonography and Digital Radiography to our betterment of all your and our pets.

Our traditional and homeopathic and certified chiropractic medical approach to your pet’s care has made a wonderful difference for our furry (and otherwise coated) friends.

ONGOING NEW VACCINE IMPROVEMENTS FOR YOUR CAT!

The first one is a feline Bordetella Bronchiseptica vaccine-intranasal. This disease has been recognized in dogs for years as one of the main instigators of Kennel Cough. In cats it causes chronic cold like symptoms that may or may not respond to antibiotics. In catteries it can cause abortions and sickly kittens with chronic upper respiratory problems that can be very frustrating to treat both for the cat, owner and veterinarian. The vaccine has been in the United States for years and we initially had to get special permission to import it at great expense. It is now approved since December 2003 in Canada. Cats that spend time outdoors are susceptible to this disease; they can also get it from their canine friends as it is the same bacteria causing the problem (but please note the cat vaccine is NOT the same as the dog vaccine since each one needs their own special protection against this bacteria). It is also a good idea to vaccinate your cat if he/she will be at a boarding facility since the dogs and cats can spread it. The bacteria can survive several days outside the body and is mainly air borne for its transmission. We are very excited that we can now offer to protect our cats as well as our dogs from this disease! Please note that Bordetella Bronchiseptica is also considered a zoonotic disease, thus humans can also catch this respiratory disease from their furry friends.

The second new vaccine that has been approved in Canada in the last 6 years is for FIV or feline immunosuppressive virus (sort of the equivalent feline version of AIDS). We have been very saddened for years that we could only protect cats for two of the three deadly untreatable viruses-feline leukemia and feline infectious peritonitis-but not for FIV. This disease can be transmitted by the mother cat or through breeding or bite wounds. (Once again similarly to AIDS) The disease wipes out over time the cat’s immune system causing them to die of routine infectious agents that other cats with treatment would survive quite well. Many cats with severe gingivitis or dental problems have this disease since they cannot fight the normal bacteria in their mouth. We now have enough data to have the confidence to use it in our feline friends to protect them from this deadly untreatable disease. We recommend testing your cat for FIV prior to starting the vaccination just to make sure we are not vaccinating a cat that may already be carrying the disease for not. (Please note that the development of this vaccine has made possible the human vaccine now being tested for AIDS-our pets ultimately help their people!)

Now for the best news of all! Schering Plough/Intervet has come out with a 3 year indoor cat vaccination and a 4 year approved rabies vaccination within the past year. This will not diminish the importance of annual examinations for the younger cats and biannual examinations for the older cats. Remember as adults each human year becomes 4 years for our cats and dogs thus when they are younger they get examined only the equivalent of every 4 years and every 2 years as they get older!

Please contact us for more information if needed and we will discuss these vaccines with you then or when your pet is due for its annual examination.

scrapbook page featuring Buster and Sputnik - made with smilebox.com

ONGOING NEW VACCINES IMPROVEMENTS FOR YOUR DOG!

We have been using as much as possible the 3 year vaccines for our dog friends. This includes for the Distemper, Adenovirus Canine Disease, Parvovirus and Rabies. We will continue to do so to minimize what our beloved canines need to receive with their annual examination and keep them healthy!

APRIL AND MAY ARE FLEA, TICK AND HEARTWORM PREVENTION MONTHS

As the weather is improving, our not so friendly Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitoes and Mites are also enjoying the spring. We will be sending out reminder notes to you for your canine and feline friends to help prevent these pests and the diseases they cause. Getting a head start in April for the Fleas and Ticks is a great idea to avoid household problems early (Fleas only for our cats and ferrets but Ticks as well for the dogs-mainly due to the disease processes but also there are currently no safe preventative medications for Ticks for cats and ferrets due to their different internal workings of their liver as opposed to Dogs that the preventatives are currently made for). Many safe monthly medications are available, topical and oral. Tick season also goes from April until November but is at its worst during April, May, October and November. The pets often need an early start with topical medications around April 1st, 15th and May 1st then monthly there after until November 1st. Our Staff is well versed to go over the choices of medications, their safety and efficacy for your cat and dog. We will be trying to make it easier for your schedule by having our Registered Veterinary Technicians available for appointments on Tuesdays and Saturdays to help you with these issues and heartworm testing. Dr. St.Pierre and Dr. Stroia will be available for regular appointments and any additional help you or your pets may need Mondays to Saturdays. 519-747-2020.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SINCE THE KATRINA DISASTER, THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS NEEDED TO BE TREATED FOR HEARTWORM HAS INCREASED EACH YEAR. PLEASE PROTECT YOUR DOG, CAT AND FERRET AGAINST THIS DEADLY DISEASE! HELP US HAVE FEWER PETS TO HAVE TO TREAT AFTER THEY GET INFECTED!

Also the number of Tick transmitted diseases in the cities in Canada, have increased exponentially from their migration due to the Hurricane and migratory birds. This makes it currently four times more likely your dog will catch Lyme Disease in the city than Heartworm, in spite of the numbers of the latter we are currently treating!

SUMMER SAFETY ISSUES

Please be careful as the weather warms up for your pet’s health and safety. As with humans they need to get gradually used to the weather changes and increased activity that Summer brings. We see more hot spots (skin infections), sore feet, ear infections, bladder infections with the changes in weather and swimming activity. As well our pets playing in the backyard and cottage will forget how their burst of energy while they are playing can hurt their backs and legs jumping happily through the grass, dirt and waterways. Dry off and check your dogs feet if they are prone to foot problems is the best preventative.

Please take care of your pets at this time of year when picnics are more abundant (and some foods are toxic to your pets). The ants may be appreciate the left overs but they can be very unkind to our furry buddies. Easter Lilies even out of season in minute quantity can kill our cats by shutting down their kidneys. Along the same line as antifreeze which is very sweet tasting to our cats and dogs but lethal as well. Please do not leave it laying around the garage or other easily accessible areas as it is toxic to humans as well and a child won’t know he/she is drinking a sweet lethal drink. Without immediate treatment their kidneys shut down permanently very quickly.

Many safe medications for humans have adverse effects on cats and dogs. Please contact us immediately if your pet eats any human medications. (An is acetaminophen in cats will shut down their respiratory system, kidneys etc and without the appropriate medication ASAP to reverse it will cause death) Recent data has shown that dogs not only have toxicities to chocolate, onions, portions of raw eggs but xylitol (used often in schools for “home made” silly putty recipies, grapes and raisins as well. The small quantity that can cause their liver and kidneys to shut down in certain cases is surprising. Please avoid trying to be kind by giving your pets any food substance or medication that is not made specifically for your pet. It saves lives!

Once again if you exercise (running, swimming) with your pet, please start off slowly when the warmer weather arrives. They, as we do, get out of shape in the winter and need a slow start to avoid sore muscles, pain and even heat stroke.