1512609_victor-central-vet-clinic

Canine Cough (Aka. the Dreaded Kennel Cough)

digitalagency@austcommunitymedia.com.au (Digital Agency ACM) — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 16:00:00 GMT

A simple cough. You’d know what to do if you had a cough – cough syrup. You’d know what to do if your partner had a cough – tell them to harden up. But your dog? Your beloved pooch! What do you do then?

Let’s put your mind to ease to start with. If you have a dog that doesn’t have an underlying heart condition, and are otherwise happy and healthy, you’re probably dealing with canine cough (aka Kennel Cough) – a contagious, but thankfully self-resolving upper respiratory infection.

What Is Canine Cough?

Canine cough is a common infectious disease of dogs contracted from other infected dogs. It goes by many names – canine cough, kennel cough, infectious tracheobronchitis, canine infectious respiratory disease and even ahhh! help my pooch has a tickly throat!

Most causes of the canine cough infection are caused by one or more viruses, much like the “common cold” in humans. There can also be secondary bacterial infection.

The clinical signs (symptoms) are:

coughing (usually a loud hacking or honking cough, often occurring in bouts which may result in retching),
coughing white foam,
sneezing,
a watery nasal and/ or ocular discharge and
mild lethargy.

But Wait – Isn’t My Dog Fully Vaccinated Against Canine Cough?

Yes! If you have kept up to date with your vaccinations recommended by your vet, your dog is vaccinated every year against Canine Cough. However the vaccination is against one of the most common viruses and the most common bacteria that causes Canine Cough. It does not protect against all possible viral and bacterial causes. Unfortunately it seems that the latest outbreak of Canine Cough may be related to one of these other strains of virus.

VACCINATION IS STILL WORTHWHILE AS IT STILL DECREASES THE RISK OF INFECTION AND ALSO THE SEVERITY OF DISEASE IF YOUR PET DOES BECOME INFECTED!

How Is It Diagnosed?

Most of the time Canine Cough can be diagnosed based on the signs your dog is displaying, the physical exam and the history you provide your vet. If your pet is very unwell your vet may recommend radiographs of the chest to rule out pneumonia.

How Is It Treated?

Canine Cough is infections are usually self-resolving within a week to 10 days; indeed many upper respiratory infections are subclinical (may go unnoticed). Cough suppressants may be prescribed if the cough is really bothering you or your pet.

Rarely, if your pet is systemically unwell (fever, not eating or drinking, has pneumonia) then antibiotics or sometimes even hospitalisation may be required.

When to Seek Treatment?

Veterinary advice should be sought where signs like coughing persist longer than a week with no sign of improvement. Rarely Canine Cough can result in a life-threatening pneumonia and which needs to be recognized and treated early.

Clinical signs which should prompt earlier veterinary intervention would include loss of appetite, pyrexia (fever), a mucoid nasal discharge or severe lethargy.

How to Prevent Your Dog Getting Canine Cough?

Vaccination is available to help reduce the chances of becoming infected. Whilst not 100% effective at preventing disease, vaccines can reduce the severity and duration of the infection.

Canine Cough is highly contagious. Key to prevention and control of Canine Cough is strict hygiene and sanitation such as preventing an infected dog from mixing with others until free from signs and thorough disinfection of food and water bowls, leads, etc.

So Please Keep Your Coughing Pets at Home to Prevent Spreading It on to Other Dogs. Canine Cough Cannot Spread to Cats and Humans.

As always, if you have any concerns or questions, our teams at Riverport Veterinary Hospital and Victor Central Vets are more than happy to help!

3 Most Common Cat Toxicities

digitalagency@austcommunitymedia.com.au (Digital Agency ACM) — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:00:00 GMT

Cats love getting into things they shouldn’t. It might be stealing your socks. It might be clawing the couch. It might even be eating that roast you left out to cool while you set the table. They sense your disapproval and go for it! But what are the things they really shouldn’t get into? In this blog we’ll look at the top three toxicities we see at our clinic in cats, the signs to look out for and the harm it causes.

Other toxicities include onions, garlic, chocolate, grapes, some human medicines, rat bait, snail bait and fertilisers.

For any of these conditions, call your vet IMMEDIATELY if your animal has ingested these products.

Tea Tree Oil

Not many people think of tea-tree oil as toxic to cats; after all it is a ‘natural’ product, plus it’s popular in humans and really easy to get from shops. Unfortunately, the oils popularity has resulted in households obtaining bottles of 100% Tea Tree Oil which can be extremely toxic to cats (and even humans!) if ingested. Our fastidious felines don’t know not to lick it off any wounds or their skin once applied – they think they’re just cleaning themselves up!

Accidental ingestion and improper dilution of the highly concentrated oil can put your furry friend at risk of toxicity which can result in liver damage, neurological symptoms, and even death.

What to Look out For:

Weakness
Vomiting
Lack of appetite
Ataxia (uncoordinated movements)
Muscle tremors
Hypothermia (low body temperature)

You should seek medical and professional help immediately as severe toxicities can result in death.

What We Do at the Vets

There is no antidote for Tea Tree Oil poisoning, so treatment is based on supportive care. What we do at the vets (depending on severity of the condition) can involve:

Cleaning coat with dishwashing soup so no further contamination occurs
We do not routinely induce vomiting as there is a high risk of aspiration pneumonia
Giving special charcoal treatment to soak up the toxins
Placing animal on intravenous fluids to support body systems and help clear out the toxins
Treating tremors, vomiting and other clinical signs as needed with medication
Treating liver toxicity for 2-3wks post-recovery

Panadol

Paracetamol (aka. Panadol) is the wonder-drug of the human world – it is simply fantastic for aches and pains. It is also cheap and freely available in pharmacies and supermarkets. Sadly, it’s far from fantastic in our feline friends, causing pretty nasty toxic effects. Not a lot of people realise it, but cats are especially sensitive to Panadol toxicity as they lack the primary enzyme in the liver that breaks it down in the body. Panadol administered to an animal affects the oxygen in the blood, causes liver failure and can result in a very slow and distressing death.

What to Look out For:

Laboured breathing
Swollen face and/or neck
Brown to grey coloured gums
Vomiting
Jaundice (yellow colour tinge to eyes and gums)
Coma

These symptoms come on promptly and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Seek medical treatment immediately if a cat has been administered or ingested paracetamol.

What We Do at the Vets

If ingested within the last hour, we will induce vomiting.
If ingested within 4-6hrs, we will flush the stomach under general anaesthetic.
A charcoal treatment is done after vomiting or stomach clean to soak up the toxins as soon as possible, then again in 8hrs.
If your cat is showing the clinical signs described above, this is an emergency and will be admitted to hospital. Along with the steps described below, your animal may require a blood transfusion and IV fluids.
N-acetylcysteine is a medication recommended for treatment of these cases.

Lily (Flowers)

This is one that always surprises people – lilies are toxic to cats! One of the most ironic cases we’ve seen is when a gentleman accidentally let his girlfriend’s indoor only cat, Allen, out when coming home from work. Allen had a grand ol’ time running around the neighbourhood, going up to strangers for food and making friends. The boyfriend did not – he was in the dog house. Luckily Allen found his way home and all was well. As an apology, the boyfriend bought the most beautiful bouquet of flowers you’ve seen… It had lilies in it. Allen ate the lilies. Luckily the girlfriend knew they were poisonous and took Allen straight in to make him vomit. Allen is doing well, and the boyfriend is more careful about the apology gifts he gives…

So why was the girlfriend so worried about Allen eating lilies? Well, they cause kidney failure in cats. The toxin in lilies is present in all aspects of the plant – this includes the flowers, stems, roots, leaves, and even the water the lilies are in. The toxic dose is reached by ingesting even a small amount.

What to Look out For:

The first sign of toxicity is vomiting, depression and loss of appetite, which usually occurs within 2 hours.
These signs may subside within 24 to 72 hours, but the cat will develop acute kidney failure at which time they will become critically ill. Acute kidney failure can cause life-long issues, and result in death.

What We Do at the Vets:

Make the patient vomit if the lilies were eaten in the last 2hrs.
If the lilies were ingested longer than 2hrs after presentation, or it was the water that was consumed, we recommend keeping them in hospital on fluids to essentially ‘flush’ the toxins out. This can be for up to 3 days! Then we’d also recommend a blood test to check on the kidneys.

I hope this blog has been helpful in giving you a good idea of the dangers of panadol, lilies and tea tree oils to your pet and why seeking a vet asap is so important. Hopefully you’ll never have a need to worry, but if your wonderful pet does end up in some trouble, we’re always a phone call away – 24/7, every day of the year!

Until next time, have a great day!

Nurse Rhi and Dr Tina

Anastasia – a Heart-Warming Success Story

digitalagency@austcommunitymedia.com.au (Digital Agency ACM) — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 16:00:00 GMT

As a vet I love nothing more than knowing we have made a big difference in the life of a patient – and their owners. One such special patient is the very lovely Anastasia.

She is the most wonderful little dog and so very loved by her owners. She had been diagnosed with a heart condition some years ago as well as dental disease. It was thought too risky for her to undergo an anaesthetic so she was managed medically for both. Her heart condition stabilised but unfortunately medication would never control the dental disease and it continued to worsen. We saw her for the first time a couple of months ago as she had become quite unwell. She was in a lot of pain from rotting teeth and had been deteriorating quickly. We performed blood tests which confirmed effects on her system from infection and decided that undergoing a dental under anaesthetic would be the only way to get a happy and healthy Anastasia back again. With some adjustments to medication, fluid therapy and some extra special care during and around her anaesthetic – Anastasia underwent a dental.

You Can See Her Teeth Are Covered in Plaque in the Image Below on the Right.

X-rays showed she had quite significant bone loss due to the severity of infection. All her teeth had quite severe changes and were removed during the dental. She even had a fracture in her jaw bone because the bacteria from her teeth had weakened her jaw significantly.

You Can See Below How Her Jaw Is Almost See-Through – This Is Because the Bacteria Has Essentially Eaten Away at It over the Years.

The good news is that Anastasia woke up well and since going home that same day – has never looked back! I was excited to see Anastasia a week or so after her dental and so pleased to hear that she had been doing really well!!! Her owners have told us that she now sleeps through the night and even plays with the other dog – which she had never done before! They were so happy to see her enjoying life again. She is eating well and generally happier than she has been for a long time and now finally off antibiotics for the first time in over 2 years! I am so incredibly grateful that Anastasia’s wonderful owners gave us the opportunity to do what needed to be done to look after this very special little girl.

Goodbye for now,

Dr Katrina Walker

What’s the Deal with Grain-Free Pet Food?

digitalagency@austcommunitymedia.com.au (Digital Agency ACM) — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 16:00:00 GMT

Grain-free pet food is the latest craze sweeping the pet industry – diets that are free from grain ‘fillers’ and thus seen as more natural and healthier. But is this really the case?

Having a healthy pet often starts in the food bowl. Our furry friends are a part of the family, and so they deserve the best. But what is the best? There are so many specialty foods, brands and prices that it’s hard to know what your pooch or kitty needs.

At the end of the day – like you – your pet needs a complete diet. Deficiencies can result in disease, decreased energy and shorter life expectancy – so we know that a healthy diet is essential.

Please know that this is not a blog trying to poo-poo grain-free diets – they certainly have a place in the nutrition world and in many cases it is a step in the right direction. What we’re trying to do is keep you informed so you can make the best decisions for your animal’s health.

The first thing we should understand is why are people keen on grain-free pet foods, and the truth behind the perceived benefits?

Before we start however, let’s clear up a couple of things:

Grains are not the only carbohydrates in pet food.
Carbohydrates include cereal/grains, starch (potatoes), glucose/fructose (fruits).
Carbohydrates as a whole are the main concerning content in pet food as they provide the majority of calorie content.

So, why are grain-free pet foods so popular, and what’s the truth behind them?

Grains Are Fillers in Pet Food That Offer Minimal Nutritional Value, and Are Just Present to Keep the Cost Low.

In many cases this is true. Many cereals and carbohydrates used in cheaper dog foods are a byproduct of human-related processing activities and thus are a cheap, convenient filler for dogs. These cheaper foods can contain up to four times the amount of carbohydrates compared to meat. Dogs and cats did not evolve to process this much, but they have evolved to eat some (see next point). In essence, you pay for what you get. But there are many GOOD grains that are a great source of macro and micro nutrients, and are fundamentally important to diets IN MODERATION . This includes corn, oats, quinoa, barley and buckwheat.

Grain-free pet foods do not contain these important sources of nutrients, so you have to ensure any grain-free diet you get has been supplemented with the right stuff.

Grain-Free Pet Food Is More Natural – Wolves and Other Dog Ancestors Never Ate Grain and Cats Are Carnivores!

First things first – dogs evolved from wolves and such to be domesticated with humans over 30,000 years ago. They are not wolves. They have evolved several genes that allow them to produce enzymes to break down carbohydrates and grains – though not the enzymes to break down lactose.

Also remember that both dogs and cats do ingest grains whenever they eat live prey. When consuming herbivores they eat the whole animal; stomach contents included – and this can be 30-40% the prey’s body weight! Carbs (and thus grains) are natural. What isn’t natural is >40% of their diet being carbs.

Grains Cause Food Allergies.

Food allergies in pets are certainly on the rise, especially in our canine friends. In a study of 297 dogs with food allergies the most common cause of food allergies was actually beef products (34% animals affected), followed by dairy (17%), chicken (15%) and then wheat (13%). So yes, animals can get an allergy to grains, but surprisingly it’s actually far more likely to be the protein content of their diet that is to blame.

Grain-Free Pet Food Is Low in Carbohydrates.

This is certainly not true for all diets, especially your cheaper brands. If you took out all your carbs, you’d be paying for beef jerky (and beef jerky is not cheap). So if you’re still paying a low price, but there isn’t any grain ‘filler’ in there, then what have they added to make it so cheap? The answer 9 times out of 10 is potato. As a chip addict, I can confirm that potato does not hold significant nutritional value. It is a filler. You’re essentially swapping one filler for another. If you look at the ingredients and it says ‘vegetables’ or ‘vegetable proteins’, the vague nature should be warning enough. It’s just hiding the fact that you’re getting a 50% potato or low-quality veggie waste diet. The premium grain-free diets are much better balanced to their supermarket counterparts as they’ll use products like tapioca, peas, split beans, carrot and sweet potato to make up that calorie content.

Take Home Messages:

High carbohydrate meals are the issue, not necessarily high grain
You pay for what you get
Cheap grain-free food just replaces grain for low-quality starch. This is not better
Dogs and cats have evolved to have carbs (including grains) but IN MODERATION

This has been my understanding of the grain-free phenomenon sweeping the nation, but I’d love to hear from you about any thoughts or concerns.

Until next time, have a great day!

Dr Tina