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NEW: Dog stabilized after beign shot with arrow
ALTON – The seriously wounded dog that had her abdomen punctured by an arrow not only has survived surgery but appears quite alert Friday after being transferred to a 24-hour care facility.
Read more on The Telegraph
Every year, veterinarians brace for a disease that has seriously affected our pets for many years. However this affliction is easily preventable using affordable and safe medications. Occurrences of Heartworms both in dogs and cats continue to escalate and the fee for treatment of (when recognized soon enough) is much more that the expense to prevent. So, how will you offer protection to your furry friend from the dangerous repercussions of this now widespread parasite?
Flash back to 150 years ago when a researcher very first detected the heartworm parasite in a dog. Then the parasite evolved and was then recognized in our cats 80 years ago. Even though heartworm prevention is available for both cats and dogs you would believe that we would experience a decrease in the number of cases, nonetheless every year hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are diagnosed and frequently die too soon from this dreaded parasite. A number of authorities estimate that in North America alone, cases of heartworms in our pets may possibly be in the millions.
The disease attributed to this heartworm residing inside of your pet’s heart is disastrous. Your pet could be infected with the solitary bite of only one mosquito. The worm can then migrate through your pet’s body finally taking up residence in your pet’s heart chamber and the blood vessels leading to the lungs. This leads to your pet’s heart being forced to pump harder to circulate the blood through his tiny body. The consequences to the lungs is even more severe with many pets gasping for breath as the lungs fill with fluid and tiny blood clots clog the vessels. Early warning signs can include coughing and exercise intolerance that some owners just attribute to the dog being lazy. Frequently, warning signs usually do not surface until the disease is well advanced and the dog is struggling with heart failure, fluid accumulation in the lungs and abdomen which could eventually lead to death.
In cats, it only takes one heartworm to cause harm. The first signs are asthma like symptoms and oftentimes vomiting that the owners will attribute to hairballs. Once that heartworm lodges in the lungs, it can result in the sudden death of the cat.
Treatment for heartworms is costly ranging from $500 for the smaller sized dogs, to well over $1500 for the larger breeds. Complicated heartworm disease with cardiac failure is even more expensive and oftentimes there is only a 10% chance of recovery in the severely affected dogs. As of yet, there is no remedy for cat heartworm disease, just supportive care.
Amazingly, veterinarians do have a remedy to this problem. Safe, effective heartworm preventatives are available in a variety of easy to use applications. What is even more amazing is that the cost of a lifetime of prevention for most pets is significantly less that a one-time treatment for the disease. So, why do pets continue to suffer and die from such a avoidable malady?
With all internet myths, two major hypotheses think that either the heartworm medications are failing or that the parasites are developing a resistance to the medications. While conspiracy theorists love these ideas, scientific evidence for either explanation is absent. Heartworm preventives possess a failure rate of less than 1 in 1 million doses. In addition, the complex life cycle of the heartworm does not lend itself to creating a natural resistance to the medications. The truth very likely lies in the memory of the owner to dispense the dose in a monthly manner and the warmer climate.
Rising temperatures in our climate has resulted in a prolonged mosquito season and a greater chance of transmission to our pets. Here in Houston, our mosquito season is all year round. Some places are currently experiencing more mosquitoes in previously mosquito-free locations. Irrigation of dry areas and expanded plantings of trees in certain locations might actually increase mosquito population. With a bigger number of mosquitoes, there is a greater risk of transmission of heartworm disease.
When all of the facts are reviewed, the simplest reason behind our failure to manage this dangerous parasite falls on the humans themselves. We simply do not give the preventive as we really should. Perhaps it is due to forgetfulness, or maybe one partner thought the other one administered it or even it might be because of the economic conditions as well as monetary limitations imposed on the family. Regardless of the cause might be, it can bring about serious repercussions for the health of our pets.
Thankfully, as pet owners, you do have powerful allies to help fight the war against heartworms. With the help of your veterinarian, you are able to find the ideal heartworm medication for your pet and your spending budget. Oral prescription drugs, like Heartgard, Sentinel, and Iverhart can be purchased. Additionally, there are topical medications for instance Advantage-Multi and Revolution that are formulated to also provide protection to your pet from both heartworms and fleas. Proheart 6 is additionally available as a long lasting injection. The prevention of this illness rests entirely on the pet’s owners to make sure the pet receives the prevention prior to the pet is actually exposed to the parasite. That means that this prevention should get started in puppy-hood and be administered each month, all year long.
Trifexis is now available and is a chewable tablet that covers heartworms, fleas, and intestinal parasites. I now use Trifexis on my own dog.
You should not waste time looking for “natural” or organic ways to defend against heartworms; they simply just do not exist. Some people believe they can formulate ivermectin to give to their pets, but improper dilution and storage can cause overdosing or underdosing. Adhere to recommendations by your veterinarian and the American Heartworm Society (www.heartwormsociety.org). Your pet is counting on you and prevention is far better and less expensive ın comparison to the treatment.
There is not much of anything in the world than the sight of a child who is grieving a lost dog. Teary-eyed and depressed, yet hopeful, she goes around the neighborhood tacking Xeroxed signs to telephone poles, pleading for the safe return of her beloved pet, all the time knowing that the odds are stacked against her and her dog.
Over the years there have been various methods enacted to try and raise the number of lost pets that are reunited with their owners. Dog licensing and tag laws are one way that local governments have tried to help, but they don’t work very well at all. If a lost dog has lost its identification tag it is nearly impossible for anyone to find the dog’s owner.
For many years the owners of show dogs have used tattoos to put permanent identifying marks of their dogs. The tattoo is placed on the skin of the inner thigh, near the abdomen and contains a unique number assigned by the American Kennel Club. The tattoos aren’t readily visible to the average person, however, and shelter employees seldom check for tattoos on the “strays” that are brought to them on a daily basis.
A newer method of dog identification hopes to put an end to the number of lost dogs that can’t be reunited with their owners, or at least reduce it significantly. A microchip is inserted under the dog’s skin near the shoulder. This chip contains encoded data about the dog and its owner that may then be read by a scanner. It is a more permanent method than a simple metal tag, less painful and inconvenient to the dog than tattooing, and has a higher success rate than any other method when it comes to getting lost dogs back together with their owners.
The method isn’t perfect; some microchips may shift over time and become unreadable to scanners and there is the possibility, however remote, that the microchip can become demagnetized. It is the best method developed so far and is now being used all over the world.
Insertion of the microchip is a simple and nearly pain free process for the dog. Unlike tattooing, which requires the dog to be restrained and often shaved, implantation of the microchip is similar to an injection. After a tiny pinprick, its over and the dog can now be identified at any shelter equipped with the scanning device. The information on the chip is unique to the dog and the owner and makes a reunion a high probability instead of a remote possibility.
Thanks to microchip technology, we may have seen the last child crying over her lost dog and that would be a Very Good Thing.
As pet owners, we all hope that our dogs never have to experience disc disease. However, this is a fairly common condition in some breeds and in many geriatric pets. Discs are essentially cushions that help to absorb tension and pressure between the vertebrae. Humans have this same mechanism and can also suffer from disc disease. By acting as shock absorbers, discs help to protect the very delicate nerves found within a dogs spinal column.
There are several reasons that may cause your dog to develop disc disease. In many cases, disc disease occurs due to a trauma, such as falling, jumping off of furniture, being struck by a car or even rough-play. Discs can also degenerate as a pet becomes geriatric. Obese dogs are very prone to developing disc disease as well due to the extra pressure on the back caused by the fat. Certain breeds, such as Dachshunds, Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels and other breeds with long backs can be more prone to developing disc disease especially if overweight.
The symptoms of disc disease are normally rather obvious. These signs will vary; however, depending on which disc is affected as this disease can occur anywhere on the spinal cord. For example, if your dog leaps from the bed and a disc in the middle back becomes slipped (known as a slipped disc), they will have greater pain in this area and the rear legs may be more affected. The abdomen may become rigid, the dog may tremble and in some cases they may even lose control of their bowel and bladder. In cases where a disc in the upper vertebrae around the neck is affected, the dog will likely have difficulty holding its neck and head up. In any case, the dog will be weakened and often lethargic. In severe cases, disc disease can also lead to paralysis.
If you notice any of the above symptoms in your dog, you should seek immediate veterinary attention. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough exam and will likely need to take X-Rays to further assess the health of your dogs vertebral column. If caught early, disc disease can be successfully treated with medications. Anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, pain medications or a combination can be used to treat this condition. Be sure to closely follow your veterinarians instructions on how to administer these medications.
Treatment does not just involve giving medications. Your pets activity may need to be restricted and jumping and rough-play are definitely prohibited. This means no more leaping from furniture! If your pet is overweight, it will also be very important to begin a high quality diet that promotes weight loss. Your veterinarian will recommend a diet that is right for your pet. Once your pet has been cleared for increased exercise by your veterinarian, regular walks will greatly benefit your dogs weight and overall health.
Currently, Texas A & M is conducting a new study on disc disease in dogs.
The occurrence of bladder stones is not uncommon in our canine friends and can lead to serious discomfort and even secondary problems if not treated. These stones are rock-like minerals that form in your dogs urinary bladder. There can be several small gravel-sized stones or large single stones in the bladder. In this handout, we will discuss the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of bladder stones in dogs.
It is normally not difficult to detect that your dog is experiencing discomfort related to their urinary tract. The two most common signs of bladder stones are hematuria and dysuria. The former symptom involved the presence of blood in your dogs urine while dysuria is a term to describe when your dog is straining to urinate. If you notice that your dog is having difficulty urinating, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian. If possible, try to collect a fresh urine sample in a clean plastic cup to bring with you to the veterinary practice. Although these symptoms are good indicators, dogs with bladder infections (without stones) can exhibit hematuria and dysuria.
The build up of bladder stones can lead to serious pain and your pet may even cry out when trying to urinate. It is important to catch this condition early, so that surgery or secondary infections can be avoided and additional stones will not form. Your veterinarian will want to perform a laboratory evaluation of your dogs urine and will also palpate the urinary bladder to see if stones can be felt. In many cases, your veterinarian may want to take x-rays or ultrasound your dog to search for bladder stones.
If it is determined that your pet has bladder stones, your veterinarian will recommend the appropriate treatment. In serious cases where larger stones are involved, or stones that are unlikely to dissolve with other therapies, surgery may be necessary. Removing bladder stones involves opening the abdomen and urinary bladder and it will take your dog several days to recover. Certain types of bladder stones can be dissolved with special prescription diets and your veterinarian will notify you if this is an option. If diet therapy is chosen, it is very important that you follow the exact diet regiment as outlined by the veterinary staff. It can take several weeks to months to fully dissolve bladder stones and your veterinarian will want to follow-up with your dogs treatment until the stones are eliminated.
Once you have eliminated your dogs bladder stones, there are steps that can be taken to prevent future occurrence. Maintaining your dog on a special diet may be indicated and your veterinarian may want to perform follow-up urinalysis, x-rays or ultrasound to detect recurrence. Non invasive investigation and careful monitoring can detect this problem early helping to avoid surgery!
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Dr. Debra Garrison
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Treaschwig Veterinary Clinic
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22732 Cypressswood Dr
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Spring, TX 77373
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281-443-2626
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