Summer 2014
Muskoka Tails
705-789-7979 www.muskokavet.com
What’s Your Pet’s Body Condition? A
bout 60% of Canadian pets are obese or overweight, putting them at risk of diabetes, cancer, and serious digestive, mobility, and heart problems, and premature death. Summer is here and there’s no better time to increase your pet’s activity and shed a few extra pounds. We can help! As part of your pet’s preventive care exam, we will identify your pet’s Body Condition Score (BCS). This score, from 1 to 5, reflects how far your pet is their ideal weight, taking into consideration age, health conditions such as thyroid problems or arthritis, and lifestyle. A BCS of 3 is ideal; a score less than 3 means underweight; and a score greater than 3 means overweight. We will make recommendations and place your pet on an individualized program to help get your pet safely to their ideal weight. And we will support you every step of the way, with free weigh-in visits and nutritional counselling. We have helped so many of our patients live longer and healthier lives and improved the interactions with their owners. Call us and schedule an assessment of your pet’s weight – you might just be saving their life! Handsome Hershey weighing in!
He has been waiting all winter for this very moment!
Signs of Summer Here at Muskoka Animal Hospital we truly understand all that the great outdoors holds for your pets. From the itchy scratchy issues of summertime skin to the unfortunate encounter with a porcupine, our routine care and emergency services are designed to make summer living easy for you and your furry companions. Visit our website (www.muskokavet.com) and view our tips and solutions to common summer concerns such as parasite prevention, poison concerns, skin and coat care – and even ideas to help navigate summer festivities with your pet. Enjoy our convenient appointment times for routine care throughout the summer months. And rest assured that if an emergency should arise, by calling the clinic at 705-789-7979 you will be directed to our on-call veterinarian. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable summer!
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Feature
Pets in the News
Did You Eat That?
Tiny’s Big Success
Ingesting things that could do them harm is one of the biggest threats to pets’ health. It usually happens at home, and in the blink of an eye. Susan Hornsby describes Riley, her beloved Yellow Labrador Retriever, as “a jumper and a scooper.” It was particularly hard to keep people-food away from Riley, who could jump and scoop food from the counter tops, even when it was pushed all the way back. Food-obsessed and smart, Riley had snagged many prizes from tables and counters over the years including two chocolate mousse cakes and seven or eight rotisserie chickens. With the help of other members of the family — Chocolate Lab Griffin and Dachshund Dilly — the evidence would be quickly gobbled up. Riley even figured out how to step on the pedal of the garbage can and then stick her nose under the lid to raid the loot.
Tiny, before (above) and after (below) his weight-loss
Susan adapted to Riley’s intelligence and athletics, locking food away from her unpredictable reach and never feeding the dogs from the table. But Riley’s appetites were broad and Susan got the shock of her life one day when she discovered a torn-apart and half-eaten box of rat poison in the corner of a room. Not knowing who had eaten what, Susan rushed all three dogs to the hospital.
Top Pet Toxins of 2013 (from the ASPCA.com)
1. Prescription human medications 2. Insecticides 3. Over-the-counter human medications 4. Household products 5. People food 6. Veterinary products and medications 7. Chocolate 8. Rodenticides 9. Plants 10. Lawn and garden products The American Society for the protection of Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center ranks the top 10 toxins that pets are exposed to every year. The rat poison that Susan’s dogs ate falls at number eight for last year. For six years in a row, the number one cause of poisoning has been human medications. In addition to poisons, pets also frequently ingest foreign objects that can become lodged in the throat or gastrointestinal tract,
Remember Tiny? Abandoned at an SPCA a year ago, Tiny weighed just over 30 pounds. This sweet Canadian kitty captured attention around the world as his caretakers started him on a weight-loss plan to try to save his life. A year later, Tiny has met his weight-loss goal, at just under 17 pounds! Visit Tiny’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/tinysweightlosschallenge
Why do pets die in hot cars every summer? Because the owners are wholly negligent Because the owners don’t love their pets Because the owners are of low intelligence Because no one thinks it will happen to them Remember, don’t leave your pet unattended in a vehicle, even if it’s “just for a minute.”
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As Susan knows, protecting your pets from eating dangerous things in the home requires both training and vigilance. “Training is important, but it is not enough,” she says. “At the end of the day, they’re animals and they’re going to try to eat things they shouldn’t.” Or as the ASPCA states it, “Never underestimate the resourcefulness of your pet.” Think twice about how high or how far your pet
“Training is important but it is not enough ... They’re animals and they’re going to try to eat things they shouldn’t”
Riley: “a jumper and a scooper”
creating a medical emergency. Susan did the right thing by getting her dogs to veterinary care immediately. Griffin and Dilly were treated and released from hospital within a couple of days. Riley, who seemed to have eaten the most, was treated for renal failure and released a week later. It had been a close call.
can go. Susan once came home to find her Chocolate Lab sprawled across the kitchen table. Think twice, too, about what your pet might find appetizing. Many lawn or garden treatments for example contain tempting traces of blood, manure, bone meal, or even chocolate. Gardening products are especially a threat this time of year. See the list at left go to www.aspca.com for more details. And remember to call us right away if you ever suspect your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t.
Think Like Your Pet: Notice things your pet sees as food Our pets can move with speed, agility, and unforeseen power — when food is the goal. Let’s face it, our pets can become like ninjas to reach something they want to eat. So when storing poisons, remember the ninja in your pet. And remember too that what’s food to you is just a small slice of what might look tasty to your pet. Medications and Vitamins: The smells and flavours of medications can be very tempting to pets. Some veterinary medications are made to mimic treats to help pets accept their treatment. Remember that child-proof packaging is not pet-proof. When handling medication, try holding it over a sink or counter where your pet can’t gobble it up if it drops. Chemicals:
Household, lawn, garden, antifreeze, ice-melt chemicals, rodenticides, and insecticides can smell and taste irresistible to pets. Assume your pet will ingest these if they can.
People Food:
What’s good for us is not always good for our pets. Fatty left-overs, chocolate, and poultry bones are examples of people foods that cause pet hospitalizations and fatalities every year, especially around the holidays.
Plants:
Before you add a new species to your garden or house, check out the list of toxic and non-toxic plants at www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants
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What’s New •
Cool Case
It’s in our bones! A major focus for us this year has been our Osteoarthritis Management and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Program. Dr. Wurdell has recently finished two major surgical courses in advanced fracture repair. We are also proud to have Rosemary, our dedicated Osteoarthritis Case Manager.
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We say goodbye this month to our Huntsville High School co-op student, Taylor. It has our pleasure to take part in her education and we wish her continued success!
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We have recently added the nonpharmaceutical products Flexadin Plus and Thera Bites Mellows to our shelves:
• F lexadin is a chew that aids in Reese enjoying some joint support and osteoarthritis physiotherapy exercises management for both cats and dogs. Its key ingredient is Devil’s Claw and it also contains glucosamine and chondroitin.
• M ellows help maintain a normal balanced emotional and mental state in dogs. These treats are great for separation anxiety, or fear of thunderstorms, travel, or vet/groomer visits. Key ingredients are Valerian Root, Colostrum Calming Complex, DHA, and EPA. Pop in and try some with your furry friend! • Dr. Earl Wurdell will again be raising funds in the 100 km Ride for Farley this September. Donations are accepted at the clinic or online at: www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/ GivingPage.aspx?gpID=37563
A Spoonful of Sugar Dante, a 3-yearold Boxer, was hit by a car. Dr. Easler examined him and found that he had a severe open wound on his right hind leg, with the tendons exposed. Sugar helped Dante heal Amazingly, he had after he was hit by a car no broken bones. We treated Dante for shock and gave him pain medication to stabilize him and make him more comfortable. We cleaned up the wound and gave Dante antibiotics to fight infection. Changing the bandages on an open wound can tear off tissue, and set back the healing process. So Dante’s sterile bandages were applied with a heaping dose of sugar! Sugar bandages allow the wound to heal and make bandage changes much easier and less traumatic. Within two days, Dante’s exposed tendons became covered by healthy pink tissue. Daily bandage changes coupled with laser therapy to promote healing had Dante feeling well enough to bear weight on his leg in just a few weeks. How sweet it is!
Behaviour Bits
Tips for Keeping an Indoor Cat Fit
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Toys do the trick! Cats are natural hunters; they love to chase moving objects and toys shaped like small birds or rodents. Dangle some from door knobs or window sills or choose some that move across the floor. Laser beams are fun to chase and can move across floors, or up and down stairs and walls to promote movement in your feline. Be sure to let your cat “catch” the beam occasionally as a reward. Cats of all ages need at least 30 minutes of play time a day. Because cats are creatures of habit, set up a regular play time so your cat becomes easily engaged in the activity.
This information is not medical advice. Always see your veterinarian with any concerns about your pet’s health.