Pets at the vets
Ticks
by Kulnura Veterinary Clinic on 09/28/11
Ticks are around all year. In Australia we unfortunately have the paralysis tick.
Paralysis ticks can be identified when they are adults by their silver grey appearance. They have 4 legs on either side of its body and they are close to the snout of the tick. The legs differ from other ticks as the 2 inner legs of the 4 on each side are lighter in colour from the outer legs.
Given the name they cause paralysis to all parts of the body. Once you notice that something isn't quite right with your pet it is best to contact the vet clinic.
Some signs that your pet has got a tick or has become effected by tick paralysis:
- change in voice
- vomiting
- feeling tired
- wobbly/ unsteady on feet
- can't get up when lying down
- breathing heavily
- excessive salivation (drooling)
- gagging
These are some things to look for, if you notice even 1 of these mildly it is worth giving the vet a call and checking your pet over for a tick.
The signs from ticks can be reversed however it is a delicate procedure that your vet will have to perform. It involves your pet being given antiserum that counter acts the signs present. it is not instant and it takes about 12 hours from the time your pet has been given the treatment before the serum takes effect . This can mean in the first 12 hours your pet could get worse from the paralysis in this time your pet will need to be monitored in the hospital until they are better.
The worse the signs are that your pet is showing the graver the prognosis as the toxin from the paralysis tick can be fatal.
With the tick serum and procedure involved with reversing the signs it is an expensive procedure. Prevention is better than cure so what you should do:
- Keeping the area that your pet explores neat and tidy (short lawn)
- applying a prevention that kills the paralysis tick as recommended (not 100% effective)
- Checking over your pet every day for ticks and removing them when you notice them
It has become more affordable and increasingly more popular to take out pet insurance. We highly recommend taking out pet insurance so that you are covered for treating your pet against tick paralysis.
There are so many different insurance providers available it is worth having a look at what different ones offer and the price to match up a policy that will suit yours and your pets needs. If you are finding things overwhelming please call and speak with one of the nurses so they can assist you with what some insurance policies cover.
Some questions true or false:
- Your pet can show signs of tick paralysis 3 days after the tick has been removed.
- Advantix is only to be applied to dogs as it is extremely toxic to cats.
- Ticks are only around during warm weather
- Dogs become immune to the paralysis tick after they have had a tick that didn't show any signs
- After treatment if your pet gets another tick they could be worse and have a higher chance of having a reaction to the tick serum
1. True - the toxins in the blood system can circulate and it can take a number of days for your pet to show signs.
2. True - Advantix is ONLY to be used on dogs and only as directed. The chemicals that are in the product can kill cats. There are other products available to us for the paralysis tick that can be used for dogs and cats
3. False - Ticks are around all year, there are more of them during the warmer months but your pet could still get a paralysis tick on them on the coldest day in winter and show signs of tick paralysis and will need to be treated.
4. False - Pets can build up an element of immunity but it can just take one tick with toxins higher than your pets immunity to cause them to show signs of tick paralysis. It is worked out that your pet can only hold its immunity levels for less than 12 months.
5. True - Your pets immune system is weaker and if they get another tick they can show signs quicker and they could be worse than they were the first time. If you pet needs to be treated again within a short period of time they have a higher chance of having a reaction to the serum the same way that you can have a reaction to a blood transfusion with the wrong blood type.
I hope this article has been helpful.
Stay tuned for the next article :)
Dental
by Kulnura Veterinary Clinic on 02/15/11
Does your pet have smelly breath?
Have you ever investigated this smell?
Chances are if your pet does have smelly breath they may have some form of dental disease.
You may also be looking at other signs such as: weight loss, disinterest in food, excessive tartar build up, gingivitis, brocken or angled teeth and sometimes behavioural issues such as aggression or listlessness.
How to check your pets mouth - lift up the gums and have a look at all the teeth on both sides, check for tooth alignement, colour and see if your pet has lost or fractured any teeth.
After checking your pets mouth and if you discover any of these problems or multiple problems then it is probably a good time to speak to the vets or arrange an appointment at the vet clinic.
In some cases the vet may suggest that your pet may need a dental.
So whats involved:
- your pet will spend the day at the vet clinic
- A general anesthetic as the dental machine is the same as the ones that get used on us at a dentist so they have a lot of water going into the mouth that we are told not to swollow. So we have to make sure your pet is not stressed or gets water going where it shouldn't
- A dental scale and polish and any bad teeth that require attention may need to be removed
- IV fluid therapy during the procedure.
Preventative treatment to help stop tartar build up that can be continued by you at home such as:
- treats
- brushing your pets teeth with pet toothpase
- adding a pet moth wash to their drinkiing water
- dental diets
- dental toys
Using prevention is the best way to keep a healthy mouth and if you do check your pets mouth often it will help a little problem becoming a bigger one that could make your pet feel ill.
A healthy mouth is a happy mouth!
Chocolate isn't good for dogs!
by Kulnura Veterinary Clinic on 10/06/10
We all enjoy a treat and sometimes we can't help feeding our pets a taste of what we are eating so lets look at what isn't good for our pets and why...
Chocolate: This is a big no, no. Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. The worst of all chocolates is dark / plain as it is more concentrated.
Coffee, tea including tea bags and any other caffinated drinks: these can cause similar signs as chocolate.
Grapes and raisins: These can cause kidney failure in dogs. It only takes one serve of raisins to a dog that could lead to death.
Onions: They destroy the red blood cells and can cause anemia
Walnuts and Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle shakes and paralysis. If you limit all nuts as they contain phosphorus in high levels and this could possibly lead to bladder stones.
Bones: Cooked bones become brittle and can splinter. This can cuase damage to the insides. Raw bones should be supervised they are a good way to help clean teeth. To make the bone last longer give your pet a frozen bone this can be good for tething puppies.
Tomatoes: The plant and the fruit are toxic it ca cause tremours and heart arrhythmias.
Mushrooms: Some mushrooms can cause death so it is best to never feed mushrooms to your pet or allow them to chew on them.
Avocados: the fruit and the plant are toxic. They can cause breathing difficulties also fulid accumulation to the chest, abdomen and heart.
Fruit seeds: They contain cyanide which is poisionous to dogs and if they do eat them there is the chance that they can get trapped in the intestines and this could lead to death in 24 hours.
Raw eggs: They can cause salmonella poisioning in dogs.
Nutmeg: can cause muscle tremours, seazures and death.
Salt: In excess can lead to kidney problems.
Sugars: These are bad for pets. Honey and molasses are ok in very small amounts but not for dogs with cancer.
So these are some of the most dangerious foods that we find no harm in eating ourselves yet they can be very dangerious for our pets.
So next time you decide to feed your pet the left overs try and think if this is going to harm my pet.
Its getting hot in here!
by Kulnura Veterinary Clinic on 10/05/10
Warm weather means the ticks, snakes and other critters are out and about. We treat pets all year round that come into contact with them.
Did you know that a lot of our native animals carry parasites such as the paralysis ticks?
Did you know that it is generally the female paralysis tick that causes the most problems?
Did you know that your pet can start to show signs and continue to get worse even after you have removed a paralysis tick from them?
Always check to see if there is more than 1 tick on your pet.
We can keep some of these pests away by having a tidy backyard by keeping the lawns short it can help keep some of these critters away.
Prevention is better than cure: There are so many products on the market that can make our lives easier and help our pets. It is important to know that some parasites take a lot longer than a single dose of prevention to get rid of them and in some cases it is best to keep your pet on a preventative. We understand it can be terrably troubling to get rid of a problem and we try and help to give you the best advice and choose the best preventatives that suits you and your pets as we understand that all situations are different and what works for someone doesn't always work for someone else.
What are the symptoms of tick paralysis?
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change in voice (bark/meow)
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weakness
-
wobbly
-
vomiting
-
could sound like they are gagging
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not wanting to eat food
-
difficulty breating including a cough
-
salavation
Your pet may not show all of these signs andcould show a combination of these signs.
If you start to see ANY signs or if you are concerned it is best to call the vet clinic. Sometimes your pet will need to have treatment if this is the case it is best to speak to the veterinary staff about the procedure as those that need the antivenom require monitoring and hospitalisation. Ticks are deadly so for your pets best chance of recovery it is best to speak to the veterinary staff for advice if you see any signs of tick paralysis.
Snakes love the warm weather. Some of our pets also enjoy the fun and games in chasing snakes.
What to do if your pet is bitten by a snake:
Symptoms can include:
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sudden weakness and collapse
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Disorintation
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Vomiting
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Blood in urine
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paralysis
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Shaking, twitching of the muscles
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Dilated pupils
Call the vet clinic immediately. Snake bites depending on the amount of venom and the type of snake can make your pet very ill and could be fatal. Calling us before you leave the house allows the staff time to get everything ready for your pet in the event your pet needs to have antivenom.
Identifying the type of snake is important so we can give the correct antivenom.
Critters: We have a lot of insects about including spiders and bees that sting. Sometimes these can be harmless to our pets and in other cases pets will have reactions to these stings and bites. It is not uncommon for the vet clinic to have a pet come in that has been playing outside and has been stung by a bee. In a lot of cases they have swelling where the sting was, it can be fatal if they where stung on the tongue as the swelling can stop the airflow. If you notice any swelling trouble breathing contact the vet clinic.
