Category Archives: Caring for your Cat

Caring for your Cat, Caring for your Dog, Cats, Diseases of cats, Diseases of dogs, Dogs, general, Medicines & Treatments

Keeping your pets safe this Summer – Paralysis Ticks

Are you heading to the coast this summer? Tick protection is a MUST! Although most pets who are treated quickly for tick paralysis survive, ticks are capable of killing your pet within 3 to 4 days of attaching if your pet has not had any tick prevention.
REMEMBER: PREVENTION IS MUCH SAFER AND MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THAN TREATMENT.
It is possible for ticks to be carried back in your luggage etc and attach to pets that haven’t travelled to the coast themselves so if you are heading to the coast and your pet is staying home they still need protection.
Protection for dogs is now more convenient than ever and is available in flavoured chews that cover for both Fleas and Ticks! Nexgard protects your dog for one month and is perfect for that one off trip to the coast for the weekend, Bravecto covers your dog from fleas for 3 months and ticks for 4 months and is perfect for those who travel to the coast more frequently.
Prevention for cats is slightly trickier (but still essential), please phone us on (02) 6230 2223 to discuss further.
Early signs of tick paralysis include tiredness, staggering, vomiting, breathing difficulty, change in the sound of their bark or breathing, progressing to paralysis, these signs may continue to worsen even after the tick is removed.
If you notice any of these symptoms your pet should be taken to the nearest Vet immediately.
Call us on (02) 6230 2223 and we can discuss the most suitable tick prevention product for you and your pet.

Caring for your Cat, Caring for your Dog

Keeping your pets safe this Summer – Heat Stroke Warning

What is heat stroke?
Heat stroke or heat exhaustion occurs when the pet experiences a marked increase in body temperature. Normal temperature range for cats and dogs is ~38–39ºC. Other than as part of an underlying illness, pets can become overheated after being enclosed in a hot area, or due to over exertion with excessive exercise.
Heat stroke affects the entire body and can cause anything from very mild signs to very severe and life threatening illness. Those breeds with short noses like Boxers, Bulldogs and Mastiffs are at greater risk.
Symptoms
– body temperatures exceeding 39.5ºc
– excessive panting
– dark or bright red tongue and gums
– sticky or dry tongue and gums
– staggering, weakness, body tremors
– state of near-unconsciousness
– seizures
– bloody diarrhoea or vomiting
– coma
– death

What to do
Effectively cooling the pet is essential using cool water and a fan (NOT ice blocks in direct contact with the skin). Take your pet to the Vet immediately as your pet’s life is at risk and heatstroke can also cause long term organ damage.

Prevention
The best way to prevent heat stroke is by keeping your pet cool. Never leave your pet in a hot car, keep your pet’s coat short in Summer, exercise during the cooler parts of the day, ensure your dog always has access to clean cool drinking water and shelter from the sun.

Ideas to cool pets
DOGS. Spray bottles with cool water jetted on the pet’s underside, wading pools, keeping indoors during hot times of the day, ice treats like frozen kongs.
BIRDS. Frozen watermelon treats.
RABBITS. Frozen peas for rabbits to lie next to and nibble on.
RATS. Fill a small tub or container with water and then throw in some peas. They will get into the water and (depending on how deep it is) will dive for them.

Caring for your Cat, Caring for your Dog, Poisoning

Keeping your pets safe this Summer – Snake Alert

snake

We are in the grips of what has been a rampant snake season, starting early this year with our first patient presenting in late August! Snake venom kills animals quickly so if you suspect your pet has been bitten by a snake, call ahead and we can get ready for you whilst you bring your pet straight to the surgery. That way we can start treatment as soon as possible. While it is helpful to know what type of snake has potentially bitten your pet, polyvalent antivenin is available that treats all the snake venoms common to the area.

Keeping yourself safe should be the number one priority.

Also be aware that a brown snake is not always brown in colour – it can vary with age, location and sub-species.

There have been many, many snake bites already this season from juvenile snakes and their bite is just a deadly as the adult snakes.

Behaviour, Caring for your Cat, Caring for your Dog, Cats, Dogs

It’s Polite Pets month!

It is Polite Pets Month, which focuses on how to recognise and treat anxiety, fear and phobias in our furred and feathered friends. Up to 20% of our pets suffer from anxiety and this can result in behaviours that are unacceptable like aggression, separation and noise phobias and toileting where you would rather they didn’t!

Finding out the true cause of these behaviours is essential to managing them effectively. Jumping on the punishment wagon can worsen anxiety driven problems.
Behaviour issues are best treated sooner rather than later so that you can maintain a happy family! Dr Helen is available for behaviour consults. Call reception to arrange a time.

Caring for your Cat, Caring for your Dog

Beat the heat

A cocker spaniel jumping into a poolThis next week is going to be really hot, so make sure that your pets have access all day to water and shade.

Little (hard) plastic wader pools are a good idea, depending on the dog (or cat!)

If you find your dog is becoming stressed by the heat, cool them down with a hose immediately. Wet them to the skin. If they still look stressed, phone us immediately as heat stroke is potentially fatal. To learn more, check out our earlier post here.

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

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.

 

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

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)

Caring for your Cat, Caring for your Dog, Cats, Diseases of dogs, Dogs, Skin diseases of Dogs

Fleas out of control

Fleas are out in force this summer because of the warmth and humidity. People complain that flea treatments on their pets are not working, but if the fleas are jumping onto the pet as fast as the treatment is killing them, we can’t blame the treatment.

Fleas spend most of their lives OFF  dogs or cats, so we must attack them off the pets as well as on them.

Look at flea control for some suggestions on how you can get rid of the pesky pests.