You are here: Home / Archives for Veterinary Practices

The Dog Owner’s Responsibility to Prevent Worms in Dogs

July 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The term ‘worms in dogs’ is used to describe many different internal parasites which can infect our pets. Owners can buy treatments for worms in dogs from pet shops and veterinary practices and should use them regularly. Responsible pet care and regular worming treatments go hand in hand.
There are two types of infections of worms in dogs which are common in the UK. These are roundworms and tapeworms. Unfortunately many puppies are born with a roundworm infection so they are very hard to avoid. This underlines the importance of worming our dogs regularly, especially during puppyhood.

As worms in dogs go, roundworms can have serious consequences, despite the fact that many dogs which are infested will show no outward symptoms. The adult roundworm lives in the intestines of the dog, feeding on the intestines’ contents. This effectively means that the roundworms eat your dog’s food! In severe cases, there can be several roundworms inside one dog. This explains why dogs with severe infestations are malnourished, have dull coats and lack energy.

Roundworms can remain dormant in cysts inside the muscles of adult dogs. They then awaken in times of stress. Very commonly, pregnancy awakens them and the larvae migrate around the body, infecting the unborn puppies. Treatment for worms in dogs administered to the pregnant bitch cannot rid the unborn puppies of their worms. This explains why treating worms in dogs is such a priority for puppy health care.

mature worms release eggs which are passed in the dog’s feces leading soil to become contaminated. Then the dogs pick up the eggs from the soil. The most common roundworm in the UK is the Toxocara Canis and it can infect humans, especially children who come into contact with the eggs playing in contaminated soil or sand. The larvae can migrate through the child’s body, potentially causing permanent eye damage if they end up behind the retina. It is therefore very important to regularly treat worms in dogs.

Filed Under: Dog Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Importance of Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth

June 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

For many people, dealing with their pet’s bad breath is just part of pet ownership. But, unfortunately, dogs with dental disease are at a higher risk for heart disease. How can you help to make sure your pet is not one of those destined to be on heart medication?

Most of us understand the importance of good oral health for ourselves and visit our dentist at least twice a year. But only a small percentage of people would do the same thing for their pets. Studies in human dentistry and medicine have shown that there appears to be an association between heart disease and dental disease. Is this true for our pets as well?
5316790789365768 Importance of Brushing Your Dogs Teethplay Importance of Brushing Your Dogs Teeth
In a recent nationwide veterinary study, more than 45,000 cases of dogs with serious dental disease were reviewed. These dogs were compared with another 45,000 dogs of similar gender, age, and breed that did not have any dental disease. Their report shows that there appears to be a strong association between the health of your pet’s mouth and the incidence of other health issues, such as heart murmurs or even infection of the lining of the heart.
Dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of pet health care. A recent American Animal Hospital Association report on compliance within veterinary practices showed than less that 35% of pets who need a dental cleaning ever receive one. The reasons for this level of non-compliance are many, but often, pet owners will report that they just didn’t know their pets needed dental work or even that their pets suffered from periodontal disease.
Just as with people, periodontal disease in our pets starts the same way. It begins when food particles, saliva, and bacteria attached to the teeth produce a filmy matrix called “plaque”. If this matrix is not disrupted, “calculus” forms. More commonly known as tartar, the calculus makes the surface of the tooth rough and provides a better hold for more bacteria and helps to protect the bacteria from being dislodged. These bacteria will then infect the gums, causing a condition known as gingivitis. If not treated appropriately, gingivitis can progress into periodontal disease, destroying the bone that supports the tooth. It’s hard to believe, but there may even be an association between dirty teeth and other serious diseases. The same bacteria that cause dental disease have been found in the hearts of dogs with heart disease.

To help prevent dental problems from becoming a serious health issue, veterinarians recommend that oral health care start early. Your new puppy or kitten should become comfortable with you examining its mouth. Early training will help the pet to learn to tolerate brushing and other preventive measures and will help you recognize abnormalities. Simple awareness of the health of your pet’s mouth can help you to provide better health care for your pet. As your pet ages, a weekly check of the mouth may also help to find issues before they become dangerous. You should take time to look for plaque and tartar, especially on the large canine teeth in the front of the mouth and the big shearing teeth in the back of the mouth. Other potential areas of concern include fractured teeth, gum tissue that is overgrown or does not appear to be a healthy pink color, bleeding from the gums or any ulceration in the mouth. In addition to using your eyes, your nose can be an important tool as well. Pets are not supposed to have bad breath! If you can detect any foul odor, or if you see any problems in your pet’s mouth, your pet should be seen by your family veterinarian.

petdentalstarter Importance of Brushing Your Dogs Teeth

Pet Dental Starter Kit for Puppies

Pet Dental Starter Kit for Puppies come with a long handle toothbrush and sample packet (0.3 oz.) of the PetDental Toothpaste. Helps reduce plaque, tartar build-up & bad breath No rinsing necessary Soft bristles

Importance of Brushing Your Dogs Teeth

There is a great advancement you should know about. After you have done your weekly exam, you can further help to protect your pet by using a barrier sealant called OraVetTM. This product has helped to revolutionize at home dental care for pets. In less than one minute per week, your pet’s teeth can be protected and the effects of plaque and calculus can be minimized. By adhering to the surface of the teeth, OraVetTM gel actually helps to repel plaque causing bacteria. Without plaque formation, dental disease is much less likely to begin or get worse. For optimal results, see your veterinarian to have your pet’s teeth cleaned, followed by an initial application of OraVetTM applied after the dentistry. You then simply continue weekly applications with a home care kit.

oravet Importance of Brushing Your Dogs Teeth

OraVet 8 x 2.5 mL Treatments

OraVet is a breakthrough oral healthcare system that is clinically proven to significantly reduce plaque and calculus, to key factors in the onset and persistence of periodontal disease. This system has been developed to facilitate pet owner compliance and improve the oral health of pets everywhere. OraVet Plaque Prevention Gel contains the same patented polymer as OraVetBarrier Sealant, but in a less concentrated gel formulation for easy application. OraVet Plaque Prevention Gel is odorless, tasteless and invisible once applied. The gel is compatible with tooth brushing, dental diets and dental chews.

Importance of Brushing Your Dogs Teeth
You are an important part of the fight against dental disease. Working with your veterinarian, you can learn to identify potential problems earlier and help your pet lead a, healthier life. For more information on veterinary dentistry, visit www.oravet.com.

Filed Under: pet health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is There Danger At Your Pet’s Pharmacy?

June 6, 2009 By 1 Comment

We trust that medications for our families and our pets are made with the highest regard for purity and safety. But, several recent high profile cases have unnerved many people and created a negative spotlight for compounding pharmacies. So, can you trust the medications your veterinarian orders for your pet?
Doxycycline Is There Danger At Your Pet’s Pharmacy?
From the very first time our ancient ancestors mixed certain tree barks with water to create a pain-deadening tea, the art and science of pharmacology have flourished. Through great civilizations like Rome, into the Middle Ages and straight through to modern times, the pharmacist (or “chemist”) has been an integral part of patient care in both human and veterinary practices.

Most people do not realize there are two types of pharmacies. Compounding pharmacies are those that actually make, mix or “compound” therapeutic medications “in-house” as compared to those that simply count and dispense prepared medications.

This concept is not new…in fact, for most of this profession’s history, pharmacists used their knowledge of chemicals and base ingredients to create the appropriate drug ordered by the doctor. It has only been within the last 50 years that pharmacists have moved from being compounders of medicines to dispensers of pre-made drugs.

But even the modernization and convenience of prepared pharmaceutical drugs did not remove the need for many special or out of production drugs to be made on site. Some patients have allergies to ingredients in the medications. Others, especially children and veterinary patients, require unique flavorings to help disguise bitter drugs and improve compliance. And, as the age old joke describes, giving a pill to a cat can be a hair-raising experience!

In fact, compounding pharmacies account for approximately 30 million prescriptions a year across the United States. From bio-identical hormones for human patients to tuna-flavored antibiotics for pets, compounding is an important part of the medical community.

Many veterinarians rely on compounding pharmacies to formulate patient friendly medications. A very common example is the use of a transdermal gel to deliver the drug, Tapazole® to cats with hyperthyroidism. Cats with this disease have a propensity for vomiting and diarrhea, so allowing the drug to be absorbed through the skin instead of fighting with a pill, lessens stress on the cat and on the owner!

Beyond flavoring and transforming the medicine into a new form, some pharmacies can actually combine two medications into one single injection. This is helpful for patients, like our dogs and cats, who might be difficult to handle for multiple injections during a hospital stay.

What compounding pharmacies can’t do is avoid the drug approval process for a new drug or create a product similar to one already on the market. Some people feel the pharmacy in Florida that accidentally created the lethal injection for a team of polo horses broke the law by compounding a product not approved for use in the US. However, with a veterinarian’s prescription, this is perfectly legal.

Critics of these businesses maintain that the FDA doesn’t properly regulate compounded products or that these pharmacists are over-stepping their authority.

Despite media stories to the contrary, compounding pharmacies don’t operate outside the law. Rod Shafer, Executive Vice President of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP), says that compounding pharmacies are regulated just like your neighborhood drug store. First, state boards of pharmacy inspect the businesses and even test random batches of compounded drugs for problems. Many of these pharmacies will send samples to independent labs for verification. In addition to the states, the FDA oversees and regulates this industry insuring that no one is circumventing normal drug approval channels or providing unsafe, cheaper drug alternatives to the public.

“Also, the IACP has implemented a Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) so that patients can trust and feel comfortable with the high quality standards that are in place,” says Shafer. Since its inception in 2004, about 50 of the more than 3500 individual compounding pharmacies have met the standards and 110 more have applied for accreditation. The PCAB is a voluntary process and pharmacies are not required to join.

Millions of household pets, horses and other animals owe their better quality of life to these pharmacists continuing to uphold a long-standing tradition. If you are concerned about your pet’s medication or a reaction to a drug, please communicate this to your veterinarian. To keep up to date on animal health news or to get more information about your pet’s health needs, visit www.MyVNN.com or www.PetDocsOnCall.com

Debra Garrison, DVM

Filed Under: pet health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,