All posts by KK

Heat stroke

(We published this back in 2011, but with the coming very hot days at the end of the week, we thought it best to mention again…)

Death from heat stroke is common in dogs in hot weather, especially if it is humid as well. Every summer we see dogs that overdo it in the heat.  When heat generation exceeds heat dissipation, body temperature goes up to dangerous levels.

Some animals are more likely to develop heatstroke than others. Working dogs who don’t know when to stop or who are not allowed to cool off in a trough or under a tree overheat rapidly on a hot day.

Flat-faced dogs with breathing difficulties, like pugs, boxers and Staffordshire bull terriers, cannot lose heat as quickly as they generate it in hot weather. No matter how much they pant, their temperature continues to go up.

Sometimes obese or overweight dogs over-reach their fitness levels and collapse in hot and humid weather.

Dogs or cats confined in poorly ventilated areas without water and shade on a hot day risk developing heatstroke, also.

Early signs of heat stroke are high body temperatures, often over 40 degrees centigrade, excessive panting and rapid heart rate. Many dogs vomit and develop diarrhoea, often with blood in it. They soon collapse, bleed and fit. The gums are dark and red but towards the end become pale and ashen.

Heat stroke is an emergency. Wet your dog to the skin to start getting the temperature down and phone your vet. Most dogs require treatment with a drip and drugs to prevent shock.

Prevent heat stroke by making sure your dog has plenty of water and shade at all times.

Avoid mustering or running on hot days. Early morning or late evening is safer for stock and dogs.

Flat-face and overweight dogs should never exercise in the heat of the day. Know your pets’ limits of fitness and retreat into the cool before they reach them and overheat.

 

 

Parvo epidemic

Little sad dog. Used under license from iStockphoto.comCanberra is in the middle of a nasty parvovirus epidemic. If your dog is less than 1 year old please check that he or she has had 3 puppy vaccinations, with the final one at 14 weeks of age or older.

Older dogs should have had a distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus booster at 15 months of age and then one every 3 years.
Please call us if you have any doubts about your dog’s vaccination status.

Parvovirus causes vomiting and diarrhoea. Often the diarrhoea is bloody. Infected dogs feel really sick and usually need a drip to keep them hydrated and antibiotics to prevent infections from escaping the bowel and entering the body.

Are your pets disaster ready?

 

Used under licence from iStockPhoto.com

The 10th anniversary of the fires that devastated many parts of the ACT in January, 2003, reminds us that we should always be prepared for the unpredictable. Storms, fires and floods can come at any time and affect pets as well as people. Many pets were lost in the fires of 2003. Some were injured or died, others never found their owners and were re-homed or euthanased.

Make sure that your pets are microchipped and that your contact details on the ACT register are up to date. If you have time attach a tag with your mobile number and address, and your vet’s phone number to your pets’ collars so that if someone without access to a microchip scanner picks them up you can be contacted.

Have an emergency kit packed in advance. Include non-perishable food like dry dog kibble, water in spill proof containers, collars, leads, harnesses, cat carrier, litter tray, blankets and treats as well as a first aid kit. The first aid kit should have gauze swabs, bandages, disinfectant, cotton wool, scissors and the appropriate size muzzles for your dogs. Even the most placid animal may react unpredictably when in pain.

Decide where your pets will go if you have to evacuate. You may have family or friends outside the danger zone who would look after them. Kennels or shelters may be available in an emergency.

If you leave your pets at home leave them in the safest enclosed room in the house, usually the bathroom, with food and water. Don’t ever tie animals up as they will injure themselves trying to escape. Leave a notice on the gate or door of the house with your contact details and saying that there are pets inside.

 

Free Dental check

Bring your pet in during August for a free dental check and advice on keeping your pet’s teeth clean and healthy. The vets are already busy checking pets’ mouths. Some pets have had a scale and polish to give them a fresh start. Find out the most effective way to keep your pet’s teeth sparkling and gums healthy with a good diet and lots of chewing.

Phone us on 6230 2223 to make an appointment for your pet’s free check.

Senior health screening program

Have you booked your older pet for a senior screen yet? Coco has been reading about the advantages of 6-12 monthly checks for pets over 10 years of age and is worried that some of her friends might miss out on the Hills senior screening program.

Hills are offering a $20 discount on the cost of a check up and any tests that have to be done. Just go to Hills senior screening to print your voucher out. Book a check up with us and bring the voucher with you.

(No worries if you haven’t got access to a printer – just ask our receptionist to print a voucher out for you)

High blood pressure

 Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure, a silent killer of older cats.

 What causes hypertension in cats?

Hypertension is usually secondary to another disease. Kidney disease is the most common cause of hypertension but cats with adrenal gland tumours or treated for hyperthyroidism also develop high blood pressure at times. Sometimes no underlying cause is found.

Most cats with hypertension are older than 9 years of age.

What are the effects of hypertension?

Hypertension damages all body organs but we notice it most in:

  • the eyes. The small vessels in the retina break under pressure. The bleeding detaches the retina and the cat becomes blind.
  • the brain. Ruptured blood vessels cause ‘strokes’, fits, twitches or unusual behaviour
  • the kidneys. Increased blood pressure damages the delicate filtration system of the kidney.
  • the heart. The heart has to work harder to push the blood out into the body and the heart muscle thickens and becomes less efficient. Sometimes the heart goes out of rhythm or we hear a murmur with the stethoscope. Affected cats may show signs of heart failure such as breathlessness, lethargy, weakness or fainting.

How do we detect hypertension?

We measure the blood pressure of all cats over 9 years old as part of the regular seniors’ examination. We also check the blood pressure of all cats with kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, or with any signs of eye, brain or heart disease.

Most cats tolerate the cat sized cuffs we put on their arms. Some don’t like the feel of the gel or the sound of the amplifier we use to hear the pulse. We try to put them at ease so that we get an accurate reading.

How do we treat hypertension?

A daily dose of amlopidine as a fragment of tablet (Norvasc), or as chicken, fish, cheese or beef flavoured drops to put on the food, brings the blood pressure down rapidly.

After a week on amlopidine we recheck the blood pressure to see if it has come down to normal. If all goes well we recheck it every 3 months.

Sometimes other medications like benazepril (Fortekor or Vetace) are added in, particularly if we detect kidney disease.

Coughing cats

At first Gus’s carer thought he had hair balls. So did the friends she asked. He gagged and convulsed and brought up froth. She gave him some laxative paste.

Everything in the litter tray seemed normal and for a while Gus seemed OK.

When she rushed off to work he was curled up on the lounge in the sun room as usual.

But the gagging started up again, especially at night. She noticed that he wasn’t eating all his dinner and sometimes he stopped in the middle of the gagging and breathed heavily.

One night he crept on to the end of the bed and wheezed and gasped for breath until she was sure he was choking to death.

Next morning she rushed him into us. We X-rayed his chest and found a very hazy lung and signs of chronic bronchitis.

We took samples from Gus’s lungs and found he had pneumonia. Gus had developed an airway and lung infection on top of the chronic bronchitis.

Cats get asthma and bronchitis, just like humans do. For some it is worse when there are lots of pollens blowing about, for others being cooped up inside with the stagnant air and dust mites in winter set the wheezing and coughing off.

His carer remembered that he had always had a bit of a wheeze, especially in spring and early summer. She hadn’t thought much of it.

It is very easy to confuse coughing with vomiting or regurgitation. Usually food or bile will come up at some stage with vomiting. Vomiting cats often lose their appetite or have diarrhoea as well. Coughing cats don’t go off their food unless they develop an infection as well.

Some asthmatic cats have life threatening breathing difficulties if they are not treated adequately. If you notice your cat coughing, gagging, breathing with difficulty, especially with the mouth open and the neck extended, contact your vet.

Check out Fritz the Brave for reliable information and support if your cat has asthma or bronchitis in cats.

Gus is back to his irascible self after a long course of antibiotics. He’s getting used to a puffer and spacer, and quite likes all the attention we give him.