Category Archives: Caring for your Dog

Caring for your Dog, Diseases of dogs, Dogs, general, Skin diseases of Dogs

Flea allergy

What is flea allergy?

Some dogs are allergic to fleas and react with non-stop scratching and biting. Normal dogs are only mildly irritated by fleas. The flea allergic dog is allergic to flea saliva. Just one flea bite causes intense and long lasting itchiness.

The dog chews, licks, or scratches over the rump, on the belly and down the legs. This causes hair loss and damage to the skin. Breaks in the skin allow bacteria in and infection to develop.

What is the proper treatment?

We must eliminate all fleas on the dog and in the environment.

Capstar or Comfortis kill the fleas and paralyse flea mouthparts preventing deposition of saliva.

Every month treat your dog with Advantage, Advocate, Advantix, Frontline, Revolution, or Comfortis to keep flea numbers as low as possible.

Fleas spend most of their life cycle off the dog as larvae and pupae in bedding, carpet, dirt and leaves. Wash bedding in hot water and dry in the sun.  Vacuum carpets and furniture often. Rake up leaves in shady places and provide outside kennels or hidey holes off the ground.  Call a professional to fumigate your house.

Flea control depends on knowing the life cycle of fleas.

Cortisone products like prednisolone block the allergic reaction and give relief from the intense itching.

If your dog develops a bacterial infection in the skin, your vet will prescribe antibiotics.

Caring for your Dog, Dogs, general

Dogs are good for you!

The doctors and scientists have confirmed what pet owners have known for centuries – dogs are good for you!

Pet ownership increases physical activity and reduces obesity, but also reduces stress and builds community.

Owning and walking a dog significantly increases the amount of walking a person does. Young girls who own a dog spend 29 minutes more per day in physical activity than their friends without a dog.

Scientists proved some years ago that obese people who diet and exercise with their obese dogs are much more likely to lose weight and keep it off than people who diet and exercise alone.

Recent studies of school age children have shown that just incidental play and interaction with the dog were enough to prevent obesity.

Children of dog-owning families were in better physical condition even if they did not personally walk the dog.

Dogs owners report that their dogs are a strong source of motivation, companionship and social support – that is great mates!

Dogs have social benefits and build community networks because owners interact with other people on walks and at dog related activities like obedience classes.

Caring for your Cat, Caring for your Dog, Cats, Dogs, general, Today's News

Snake repeller

Protect family and pets with a solar powered snake repeller. Makers of the Sentinel snake repeller claim that it repels all snake species and is safe to use around children and animals.

The repeller emits a pulsing vibration that makes snakes retreat immediately. A solar charged power cells operates the unit so you can place it away from power sources and head snakes off from sheds and homes.

The Sentinel repeller is available locally from Andrew Ochiltree on 0418 631 909.

More information on www.stop-snakes.com

(Hall Vet Surgery has no experience with this product and passes on the information for your interest)

Caring for your Dog, Diseases of dogs, Dogs

Itchy bottom?

Dogs scoot their bottoms along the ground when they have anal gland problems, tapeworms or allergies.

If you catch your dog rubbing along on the carpet, worm him with a good quality wormer such as Drontal or Milbemax that covers all worms, especially tapeworm.

If he is still irritated or if he seems off colour then bring him in to the surgery. Many small dogs suffer from anal sac problems. The gland fills up with material too thick to empty through the small ducts in the anus. Usually we just express them and all is well.

Sometimes the material gets infected and the glands become swollen and painful.  Your dog might have trouble defecating or lick the area a lot. The glands may break through the skin and discharge foul smelling fluid. At the surgery we clip and clean them as well as starting antibiotics and pain relief. If your dog has repeated anal gland infections we recommend surgery to remove them.

In spring and summer many allergic dogs rub, lick and scratch all over including their bottoms. Some dogs allergic to food proteins also rub their bottoms on the ground. Treatment for the allergies usually stops the rubbing and licking.

Cancer in Dogs, Caring for your Dog, Diseases of dogs, Dogs, Today's News

Sunloving pooches beware!

We have seen an upsurge in dogs with sun induced skin cancers in the last month or so.  Most of these are on the bellies of  Staffies or Jack Russells that love to lie on their backs in the sun.These cancers can be difficult to remove completely if they are not caught early and will recur if the sunbaking continues.

The types of skin cancers include squamous cells carcinomas which look like scaley skin in the early stages and cancers of the tiny skin blood vessels which look like bright bruises or red areas in the skin.

If you find a suspicious area on your dog’s belly ask us to check it out earlier rather than later.