Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is the development of a malformation of the hip in any dog breed. More commonly seen in large breed dogs, it has been reported by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals as high as 80% in some breeds. The condition has a strong genetic component but can also be caused by other factors such as growth rate and diet.



Commonly affected breeds:
• Bull Dogs
• Newfoundlands
• Saint Bernards
• Labrador Retrievers
• Golden Retrievers

Diagnosis:
• Radiographs analyzed by the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP)

Treatment:
• Anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the pain
• Nutraceuticals to help with join health
• Modified exercise program
• Physical Therapy
• Diet modification for weight loss
• Surgery

Prevention:
• Do appropriate screening of dogs before adopting them
• Get your puppy screened early at the time of vaccination

Uveitis in Cats

Uveitis is an eye disorder that can lead to blindness in cats. It is a condition that affects the uvea which is made up of the iris, and surrounding tissue.

Signs of eye pain:
- Redness
- Squinting when in light
- Third eyelid prominence
- Weepy eye

Treatment involves reducing the inflammation, treating any underlying causes and preventing complications such as glaucoma, cataracts, and lens luxation.

Salmonella

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal infections in people (Salmonellosis). Clinical signs include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever and cast last up to 4-7 days. It is usually contracted through the ingestion of food contaminated with animal feces. Birds and reptiles (such as turtles, snakes and lizards) naturally carry salmonella and therefore should be handled with care.

Illness can be prevented with simple hygiene practice:
1. Wash hands with soap before eating;
2. Cook all meat;
3. Do not use raw eggs;
4. Wash kitchen surfaces and utensils with detergent;
5. Wash hands after handling reptiles or birds especially after coming into contact with their droppings

FLUTD – Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

FLUTD is a problem of the lower urinary tract of cats. Unfortunately, it affects many cats causing often a long-term problem. Some cats are prone to bacterial and crystal build up in the urinary tract which can result in pain and inflammation.

Clinical Signs:
• Straining to urinate
• No urinating
• Blood in the urine
• Urinating more frequently
• Urinating in unusual places or in their bed

Risk Factors:
• Poor quality diets
• Reduced water intake
• Unsuitable litter trays causing cats to “hold”
• Poor hygiene
• Poor health

Feline Aids - FIV

Feline Aids is a viral disease that is spread via cat bites. Whilst similar to the human form of HIV, the feline form cannot infect people. No treatment exists and positive cats may lead healthy lives for years before their immune system shuts down, making them susceptible to disease and death.

Prevention:
• Limit exposure to unknown cats
• Keep your cat close to home to prevent run-ins with stray cats
• Keep your cat indoors at night
• Always have cats tested at the shelter before bringing it home
• Isolate aggressive cats from other cats
• Neuter all cats to prevent fighting

Can houseflies spread Ringworm?

A recent study examined the role of the housefly in spreading ringworm. And, although the fly does not actively spread ringworm in its excretions, it could carry it on its surface and transmit it to other animals and people as a mechanical vehicle.

For this reason, it is especially important to control the housefly particularly when the household is occupied by people or pets with a lowered immune system and to practice good hygiene.

Ringworm is a fungus that causes skin disease. A open skin wound is necessary for an infection to occur. Washing our hand frequently after playing with your pet and covering up skin wounds will help prevent disease.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (F.I.P.)

FIP is caused by the virus, coronavirus. It causes no or mild disease, usually diarrhea. The virus is widespread and occurs worldwide and is transmitted through contaminated feces. Once infected, the cat will shed the virus before dying.

Diagnosis relies on a good history of the pet as cats often succumb to the virus several weeks after a stressful episode such as surgery, adoption, or trauma, and are usually from multi-cat environments. Cats often present with weight loss, fever, and a poor appetite. Younger cats under 1 year of age, older cats or purebred cats are at a higher risk.

For more information about the prevalence in your area and the best way to prevent the virus, contact your local veterinarian.

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure can result from many different heart conditions such as valve disease. It results in the heart not being able to effectively pump the blood to the rest of the body. Early signs in dogs may start with a subtle cough or exercise intolerance.

Certain breeds are at higher risk including the:
• Cavalier,
• poodle,
• Chihuahua,
• Great Dane,
• Boxer.

Treatment often includes medications to help relieve the chest of fluid build up and to help the heart pump effectively.

Epilepsy in Dogs

Watching your pet seizure can be extremely distressing, particularly for the first time. It’s always important when your pet is seizuring to remove anything around them that can cause harm. Do not try to caress your pet during a seizure as you can be accidentally bitten.

Once your pet’s seizure has subsided, seek veterinary attention when it occurs for the first time. It is important to have a full workup to ensure that there is nothing serious such as poisons causing the problem.

Seizures are one of the most common problems seen at a veterinary hospital. Epilepsy describes the condition of frequent seizures where an underlying cause is not found. 25-40% of dogs with seizures are diagnosed with epilepsy. These dogs are generally between 1-5 years of age with 70-80% of all dogs managed successfully on long term medication.

Treatment is assessed on seizure frequency and blood drug levels.

Top 10 Ways Pets Break Bones

Veterinary Pet Insurance recently reviewed their database to find the Top 10 ways pets break bones.

1. Hit By Car
2. Jumping
3. Falling
4. Fight With Other Pet or Animal
5. Running and Slipped
6. Hit or Struck With Object
7. Caught in or Between Object
8. Running into Object
9. Stepped On
10. Injured in Car Accident

In 2008, VPI had over 5000 claims for fractures – 40% from car accidents!

This is an important reminder to:
• Keep our pets secure within the home as to not run onto the road or behind our car
• Always know where your pet is
• Keep the windows and doors closed at all times
• Keep pets off tables, tall beds, and high chairs where they can fall from

Average Medical Costs per Dog Breed

Veterinary Pet Insurance recently reviewed their database to find the Top 10 insured dog breeds.

Breed Number Insured Average Medical Costs Per Year
1. Labrador retriever $287
2. Golden retriever $279
3. Yorkshire terrier $245
4. Shih Tzu $207
5. Boxer $295
6. German shepherd $296
7. Chihuahua $215
8. Maltese $241
9. Pug $249
10. Cocker spaniel $252

Most Common Medical Conditions

Veterinary Pet Insurance recently released their top 10 medical conditions sorting through nearly 340,000 claims.

Top Pet Medical Conditions of 2008

Top Canine Claims
1. Ear Infections
2. Skin Allergies
3. Pyoderma/Hot Spots
4. Gastritis/Vomiting
5. Enteritis/Diarrhea
6. Urinary Tract Infections
7. Benign Skin Tumors
8. Osteoarthritis
9. Eye Inflammation
10. Hypothyroidism

Top Feline Claims
1. Lower Urinary Tract Disease
2. Gastritis/Stomach Upsets
3. Chronic Renal Failure
4. Enteritis/Diarrhea
5. Diabetes Mellitus
6. Skin Allergies
7. Hyperthyroidism
8. Ear Infections
9. Upper Respiratory Virus
10. Eye Inflammation

Cats Hiding Illness

Cats are notorious for hiding illness and have developed this from their wild counterparts. Subtle signs can exist but you often need a keen eye to be able to pick them up. Early signs are important to be picked up so that early disease prevention programs can be initiated.

Early signs:
• Changes in chewing, eating and drinking habits
• Weight loss or gain
• Changes in social interaction
• Avoids petting
• Increased vocalization
• Increased urinating
• Urine accidents
• Straining to urinate or defecate
• Grooming less or more

As cats get older, it is important to take them to the vet twice a year and sooner if you detect any early changes.

Brushing Your Pet's Teeth

When allowed by your pet, brushing your pet’s teeth daily is highly recommended by all veterinarians. It helps reduce the build up of plaque and tartar which contains nasty bacteria. Chronic dental disease can result in kidney failure, heart disease and severe jaw-bone infections.

Here are some tips:

1. Brush daily and make it a happy experience
2. Gently lift the lips and massage the gums and teeth. Praise your pet for allowing this.
3. Choose a suitable soft brush.
5. Use pet approved toothpaste. These are safe and are flavoured for added enjoyment. Never use human toothpaste.
6. Brush in a circular action, emphasizing the brush stroke away from the gums. Brush all four sides of each tooth for 1-2 minutes.

To watch a good video on how to brush, click here: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-brush-your-pets-teeth

Skin Problems

There are many causes of skin problems in pets. Skin problems are often diagnosed by clinical signs such as hair loss, redness, scratching, pustules etc.

Here is a list of the 5 most common causes of skin problems:

1. Parasites
• e.g. fleas, mites
• Diagnosis: on history, skin scrapings, treatment trial
• Treatment: effective parasite control, regular treatment, medication

2. Food
• e.g. soy, beef
• Diagnosis: history, 8-week diet trial
• Treatment: hypoallergenic diet, removal of all other food sources, medication

3. Environmental agents
• e.g. wandering dew, pollen
• Diagnosis: history, specific allergen testing
• Treatment: allergen-specific immunotherapy, environmental modification, medication

4. Bacteria
• e.g. staph
• Diagnosis: cytology, culture and sensitivity
• Treatment: antibiotics and topical treatment

5. Yeast
• e.g. malassezia
• Diagnosis: cytology
• Treatment: antifungals, medication

Dogs and Cancer

The sense of smell is a dog’s primary sense. Sniffing allows dogs to take in air quickly to specifically identify the odor several meters away. Their sense of smell is extremely sensitive with over 220 million smell-sensitive cells within their nose compared to only 5 million in humans.

For this reason, dogs readily assist us in the community to track everything from people to drugs to explosives.

It's no surprise that dogs may have a use in human medicine. It has been fairly well documented that dogs can detect low blood sugar in diabetics. A recent study by the Pine Street Foundation in California has demonstrated a dog’s ability to detect lung and breast cancer in humans based on breath samples.

Top 10 Wildlife Threats to your Pet

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) recently released the most common wildlife attack claims on pets for 2008.

1. Snakes
2. Coyotes
3. Raccoons
4. Squirrels
5. Scorpions
6. Javelina or Collared Peccary (Pig-like mammal)
7. Porcupine
8. Groundhog
9. Skunk
10. Rat

Wildlife are not only a source of attack on our pets, they can also be a source of disease such as rabies, fleas, ticks, worms. For this reason, it is important that we do as much as we can to prevent wildlife coming onto our property or having access to our pets.

Top 10 Wildlife Threats to your Pet

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) recently released the most common wildlife attack claims on pets for 2008.

1. Snakes
2. Coyotes
3. Raccoons
4. Squirrels
5. Scorpions
6. Javelina or Collared Peccary (Pig-like mammal)
7. Porcupine
8. Groundhog
9. Skunk
10. Rat

“Hot Spots” – Pyotraumatic Dermatitis

Hot spots refer to skin infections that occur due to an overgrowth in bacteria causing a nasty moist, infection that usually spreads under the coat. Some breeds are more prone to these types of infections such as Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.

These skin lesions are often very painful and require a complete treatment program to ensure they heal appropriately.

Treatment:
- often begins with sedation and clipping of the hair over the affected area
- the area is then cleaned
- e-collar is placed
- pain medication for a few days
- antibiotics for 14-30+ days
- home care of daily washing with an antibacterial shampoo
- cool compress to help reduce the itchiness

Hair loss in Cats

Causes:
1. Failure to produce hair
- rare, but can occur in specific breeds such as Sphinx
2. Loss of existing hair
- skin infections – bacterial, fungal, parasitic
3. Self-trauma or behavioral
- excessive grooming, stress-related, injuries

Treatment depends on cause and can range from
• Flea control
• Mite control
• Antibiotics for bacterial infection
• Elimination diets for allergies