 |
Pet Articles & Tips
|
Pet Health
Canines:
Felines:
Exotic Pets:
Flea & Tick Prevention
Pets Most Often Affected by Ticks and Fleas:
All dogs and cats from puppies and kittens to seniors!
Adult fleas are small, flat, wingless, and have three pairs of jointed legs. They have siphon-like mouthparts and feed on the blood of their hosts by piercing and sucking. Fleas are just about everywhere - everywhere there are animals - including birds and many mammals.
In suitable environments, fleas can breed indoors all year. Fleas on dogs & cats can result in obvious irritation and itching. But they can also trigger a variety of more serious allergic reactions, including dermatitis - an inflammation of the skin. Fleas can also transmit tapeworms. Because fleas feed on blood, blood loss can result in anemia, with puppies and kittens at particular risk.
Scratching may be the first sign that your pet has a problem with fleas. This scratching can lead to hair loss and skin infections. Look for irritated areas on your pet's back, abdomen, neck, rump and on the inside of the thighs. If you think your pet has fleas, call Ridglea West Animal Hospital.
A single female tick lays 2,000 to 3,000 eggs at a time. A baby tick is the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Baby ticks transmit just as much disease as adults. The American dog tick is probably the most widespread tick species in the U.S. and is the primary carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a disease that can be fatal to humans in severe cases.
What You Can Do to Help Control Fleas and Ticks
Contact Dr. Verwers to prescribe Revolution® (selamectin) as a preventative and treatment for fleas and ticks. With monthly dosing, Revolution® kills any stage of the tick on a dog or a cat.
Revolution® kills fleas and prevents flea eggs from hatching. It's important to remove fleas, not only from your pet, but also from his/her environment.
(Return to top)
Cold Weather Tips
- Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars seeking warmth. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
- Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm-dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season. To make sure your dog is returned if he should stray, make sure yours always wears ID tags and has a micro-chip embedded.
- Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
- Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. However, a thick-coated dog typically needs grooming in cold weather. The fur can get wet and matted, making it an irritant. Clean fur holds air in a manner similar to layering clothes, thus helping the animal stay warm.
- When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
- Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.
- Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. However, I DO NOT recommend training a puppy to go potty on papers inside of your house. This behavior is very difficult to change later. Train your puppy to go outside to relieve himself but just make the breaks short in cold weather.
- Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him-and his fur-in tip-top shape.
- Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.
- Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.
(Return to top)
Top Ten Holiday Health Tips for Your Pet
- Extra attention from visiting relatives and friends may be relished by some pets, while others seek solitude in their favorite hiding spot. Too many unknown visitors may cause your pet unnecessary stress. Make sure pets are given some "personal space" if they want to get away from the commotion.
Some pets may respond to all of the hullabaloo with a change in behavior, like eliminating in the house. Try to spend a little extra "quality time" with your pet to assure them they have not been forgotten
- Even though pets have their own water bowls, there is something enticing about a novel source of water, whether it's the toilet bowl or the Christmas tree stand. If you add chemicals to the water meant to keep your tree fresh longer, be sure to read the label to make sure it is safe for pets.
Poinsettias & Mistletoe - Poinsettias fill homes with color during the holidays. Poinsettias have received bad publicity in the past but actually, poinsettias are not very toxic to pets. They do contain a milky sap that can irritate the mouth, but if signs develop, they are usually mild.
- Mistletoe can be very toxic to animals and you should call the Ridglea West Animal Hospital immediately if your pet has potentially ingested any part of the plant. Mistletoe can cause vomiting, severe diarrhea, difficult breathing, shock, and death within hours of ingestion.
- COOKED BONES ARE DANGEROUS! Please, Please don't feed your pets bones, especially poultry bones. Poultry bones splinter easily - each year thousands of pets are treated for consumption of splintered bones, causing pain and sometimes death.
- If you are planning to take your pet with you when visiting friends and relatives during the holidays, contact them in advance to be sure that your pet is welcome. Because of the excitement during the holidays, it might be best to board your pet. Ridglea West Animal Hospital offers clean, safe boarding for your pet and provides loving, attentive care while you're gone.
- Electrical cords for decorations should be taped to the wall or floor to ensure your pet does not chew or trip over them. Curiosity and accidents go hand in hand.
- Play it safe and keep all gifts out of the reach of pets. Wrapping paper and ribbons are wonderful enticements for cats. Edible gifts, intended for people, can easily be sniffed out and eaten (paper and all) by dogs. You don't want to have to deal with a choking incident or stomach upset, particularly at this time of year.
- Resist the temptation to tie ribbons around pet's necks for the holidays. Ribbons can become inadvertently tightened, resulting in choking.
Holiday costumes for your pets may be cute in the family photos, but you should be aware that most costumes have rubber bands to keep them securely in place. If rubber bands are left on the pet after the fun is over, the pet could chew the bands off and swallow them, causing choking or intestinal injuries. Remove costumes as soon as the photos are over and put them out of your pet's reach.
- New Year's brings in a brand new year filled with the promise of hope, prosperity, health, and happiness. But be alert to any pet hazards such as fun noise-makers and confetti. Noise-makers can frighten your pet, causing the pet to bolt out an open door or window in search of safety. Confetti can be ingested, wreaking havoc to the digestive tract.
- Please do not give any animal, of any age, as a Christmas gift. Remember, the first weeks of a new life or a sudden change to an adult pet is extremely traumatic for them. Instead, give gifts of pet supplies, food, and accessories. Then after the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the loved one can select the pet of their choice to bring home to peace and quiet.
RWAH has a large selection of supplies, food, and toys that make excellent gifts for current or future pets!
(Return to top)
Rattlesnake Vaccine
A Rattlesnake Vaccine can protect your dog from serious injury should they be bitten by a rattlesnake. Now that Fall is here, and our pets are outside more, it is important that all of your dogs be protected with a Rattlesnake Vaccine.
How much does a Rattlesnake Vaccine cost?
For current RWAH clients, each dog can be vaccinated for under $30. There is no Office Call charge for a Rattlesnake Vaccine.
Quail Season in Texas begins October 31st
Get your dog vaccinated now so your dog will be protected and you will be ready to go hunting!
How do I get a Rattlesnake Vaccine for my dog?
Contact the friendly staff at Ridglea West Animal Hospital and they will help you schedule a Rattlesnake Vaccine for your dog. Call 817-763-0261
How does a Rattlesnake Vaccine help my dog?
The vaccine stimulates your dog's own immunity. This process makes vaccination safer than antivenom treatment. Protective antibodies made by your dog in response to the vaccine start neutralizing venom immediately. On average, antibody levels in recently vaccinated dogs are comparable to treatment with three vials of antivenom. This means vaccinated dogs should experience less pain and a reduced risk of permanent injury from rattlesnake bite.
Important Note: In the field, rattlesnakes are masters of camouflage and are rarely seen...until it's too late!
Dogs can encounter a rattlesnake anytime they are in a rattlesnake territory, like Texas. Rattlesnakes may be around when you take your dog hiking, camping or hunting. Like people, dogs may stumble over the location of a snake by accident. Curiosity or a protective instinct can place your dog at risk. In each case, a rattlesnake vaccination helps to protect your dog.
Contact the RWAH staff today to arrange for your dog's Rattlesnake Vaccination.
(Return to top) |
