Chihuahua with a contact lens

We had an older chihuahua mix come in that had an ulcer on his eye. An ulcer is a scratch on the surface of the eye, also known as the cornea. We originally treated the eye with an antibiotic ointment to help prevent infection and to moisturize the eye to allow it to heal. The ulcer did respond to treatment at first, but then the ulcer on the eye stopped healing and the scratch on the eye actually became deeper. Sometimes if an ulcer does not heal, you can actually take tissue from underneath the eyelid and sew it onto the eye to cover and help heal the scratch. However, since this dog was a little older and had a few other health problems, we decided to look into alternative methods to treat the ulcer that did not involve surgery. We did some research and found that you can place a contact on the eye to cover and protect the eye to help it heal. So that is what we decided to do in this case. We actually used a human contact and placed it on the dogs eye. Below is a picture of Dr. Cowan preparing to put the contact in the eye. Unfortunately, the contact did not help the eye to heal completely. But we did learn a lot from the case, and hopefully can try this method again in the future. We thank Dr. Kevin Walker for providing us with the contact lens. 

Sick little guinea pig

We had a guinea pig that came in because it was congested and had a decreased appetite. The guinea pig was about a year old and had not any previous healthy problems. We examined the guinea pig and found that it was slightly underweight, and we also heard some abnormal sounds when we listened to its lungs. We then took an x-ray of the guinea pig. The x-ray showed a lot of fluid and inflammation in the lungs, indicating a respiratory infection. We treated the guinea pig by first giving it fluids to help rehydrate it and make it feel better. Then the guinea pig was started on two medications. One of the medications, lasix, is a diuretic and was used to help get the fluid out of the lungs to help the guinea pig breathe better. The other medication was Baytril, an antibiotic that was used to clear the infection. Both of these medications came in tablet form so they had to be crushed and mixed with water in order to be given to the guinea pig. We sent the guinea pig home with instructions for the owner to continue the medications for a week. The guinea pig is now doing much better.

Blue Heron

Last Thursday, we had the opportunity to work with a blue heron. The heron was found in a cold creek, and appeared very weak. It did not fly away when approached like a normal, healthy heron. The people that found the heron were able to use a towel to catch it and bring it in to us. While we worked with the heron, we had to make sure we had control of its beak at all times. Even a weak, injured heron could strike at us with its long beak. When we examined the heron, it was weak and underweight, but we did not find any injury or cause of the problem. Our next step was to do an x-ray of the bird. The x-ray showed some abnormalities in the lungs and air sacs (extensions of the lungs present in birds). We came to the conclusion that the heron most likely had a respiratory infection. We gave the bird an antibiotic shot and some fluids. The fluids were given underneath the skin (SQ fluids), just like fluids are often given in dogs and cats. The next day, the heron appeared more lively, so we sent the heron to a bird rehabber. There are two pictures of the heron below. The first picture is when we first examined the bird, and the second picture is from the next day when the heron was doing better. We will post any updates from the rehabber on how the blue heron is doing.

Winter weather!!!

We have already had our second occurence of icy, snowy weather. I just wanted to go over a few things to remember on wintry days like today. Keep your pets indoors if at all possible to help them stay warm. If they are outside, keep them in a safe, confined area with access to shelter where they can go to stay warm and dry. Do now allow them to run loose. When there is inclement weather, pets are more likely to get injured or even lost. Dogs have more difficulty finding their scent in winter weather making them more likely to get lost. Be careful of the salt used to melt snow and ice. It can be harmful if your pets licks or ingests the salt. It is always beneficial to check your pet's feet for any cuts after being outside in snow and ice, and to wipe off any snow or salt that they may have collected on their feet. It you have any concerns about your pet in this winter weather or are interested in boarding your pet here during winter weather please give us a call.

Christmas Parade!

We hope you will join us for the Walnut Cove Christmas parade on Saturday, December 11th at 2pm.  Dr. Cowan will be driving her VW van, and Bat, our clinic dog, will be riding in the van to help navigate down the parade route. Many of the staff members will be walking their own dogs, ranging from a little chihuahua, to a standard poodle to a 120+ pound german shepherd mix. Starting around 10am the morning of the parade, we will have a booth set up at the town house (located across from the Walnut Cove fire department, next to CVS). Dr. Slivka and some of the staff will be at the booth availiable to answer any questions you may about veterinary medicine. We will also be selling raffle tickets for two pet gift baskets worth over $250 dollars each. The baskets contains items ranging from a free exam, to free boarding for two nights, to a scroll saw fretwork picture of a dog and cat. Raffle tickets are $1 each, and the drawing will be held at the end of the month. We hope to see you there!

Keep your furry friends safe in cold weather

Now that the weather is getting colder and colder, there are several things you need to keep in mind when in comes to your pets. First of all, it is important to keep your pets warm. If possible, allow them to come indoors, especially at night when temperatures are the lowest. If you have an outdoor pet, make sure they have an enclosed shelter with bedding where they can go to stay warm, stay out of any rain or snow and be protected from wind. If there is an unusually frigid night, consider bringing your outdoor pets in for the night or boarding them for a night at the clinic. If you have a short-haired pet such as a chihuahua or miniature pinscher, consider getting them a sweater to help trap body heat and keep them warmer.

Make sure outdoor pets have plenty of fresh water, and make sure their water supply does not freeze. Make sure you adjust your pet's diet if needed. Some pets may need more food during the winter due to the extra energy needed to keep them warm outside, while other pets may need less food during the winter due to being less active in the winter.

Cats often like to take a warm nap under the hood of a car during the winter time. But they can be injured or killed by the fan belt when the car is started. To prevent this, bang on the hood of your car or honk your horn and then wait a few seconds before starting the engine. This is especially important in an area where there is a lot of outdoor cats.

Antifreeze is used more often in the winter, but it is very lethal to dogs and cats. Unfortunately many animals are attracted to its sweet taste. Make sure to clean up any spills and to keep anti-freeze away from any animals. You can also look for animal-friendly products that contain propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. Hopefully you and your furry friends can have a warm and safe winter.

Date Night

Every Thursday, starting December 2nd, we will be having "date night" here at the clinic. If you sign up for date night, you will recieve a discounted day board for your pet(s) ($7 per pet instead of $10) and you will also recieve a coupon good for 20% off dinner for two at Ricky Joe's in Germanton. The idea is that you can drop your pet off in the morning and then go to work (or whatever errands or shopping you need to do), but instead of rushing home to take care of your pets at the end of the day you will be able to enjoy a relaxing, delicious dinner at Ricky Joe's. You can then pick up your pet after dinner knowing that your pet was well taken care of and also had an exciting day instead of staying home alone like a normal day. This is a great way to change the routine for both you and your pets, and is also a great way to support business in your local community. To sign up for date night or to get more info, give us a call at 336-591-8250.

Why spay?

We performed several spays at the hospital this week, and since we have already covered the neuter, I figured I would go ahead and talk about spays today. Spaying has numerous benefits, so we highly recommend having your pets spayed. Just like neutering, having your female pet spayed helps decrease pet overpopulation and helps decrease the number of homeless pets euthanized each year. If your pet is spayed, you do not have to worry about unwanted pregnancy. Some people hesitate to spay their dog or cat in case they ever want puppies or kittens. However, there is the chance that the dog or cat could have difficulty delivering and require costly veterinary care in order prevent serious harm or even death to the mother. Even if the mother does have healthy puppies or kittens, caring for puppies or kittens from the time they are born until homes are found can require an immense amount of time and effort. Last of all, finding good homes for an entire litter of puppies or kittens can also be very difficult.

Other than preventing pregnancy, spaying has many health benefits. In both dogs and cats, spaying before the first heat essentially eliminates the chance of developing mammary cancer. But with each heat cycle, the chances of developing mammary cancer increases. However, even in an older animal with mammary cancer, spaying will slow the spread of mammary cancer, so we still recommend spaying in older animals. Spaying also prevents pyometra, a life-threatening infection of the uterus. Many dogs are prone to developing pyometra in the several weeks following heat, and most often the only treatment is to spay the dog and remove the uterus.

It is also simply more convenient to have a pet that is spayed. Dogs that are not spayed usually come into heat every 6 months, and while in heat they often have a bloody discharge. They also attract many male dogs while in heat, which could allow them to be in the middle of a dog fight between males dogs. Female cats in heat can also display annoying and bizarre behavior, which could include screaming and yowling during the night.

Overall, there are many benefits to having your female pet spayed. We will spay dogs and cats as young as twelve weeks of age, and recommend spaying before the first heat if possible to have the lowest chance of mammary cancer.However, there still are many benefits to spaying at any age.

Why neuter?

This morning we performed several neuters here at the clinic, so I figured I would talk about the advantages of having your dog or cat neutered, and why we recommend it for your pets. One very important reason to have your pet neutered is to help reduce pet overpopulation. Each year, millions of animals end up at shelters in the US, and almost half of them are euthanized because there are not enough homes. So having your pet neutered is an easy way to help reduce the euthanasia of homeless dogs and cats.

Neutering also has several health benefits. A neutered dog is less likely to develop prostate enlargement and infections of the prostate gland. Neutering can also help prevent some types of cancer such as testicular cancer.

Last of all, neutering makes for a better behaved pet. Neutered cats are less likely to spray, roam and get into fights with other cars. Neutered dogs are less likely to roam, mark their territory (which includes your house), and mount inappropriate objects. Neutering also helps decrease aggression. So overall, there are many advantages to having your dog or cat neutered.

Here at the clinic, we neuter animals as young as twelve weeks of age, and we find that the younger animals actually recover better after the surgery. However, an animal can be neutered at any age after twelve weeks, and even older animals still have the same benefits of being neutered. For those of you who may be interested in the female side of things, we will definitely have a post in the near future about having your pet spayed.

Stray dog makeover!

A stray dog that was found wandering the streets was brought in to us this morning in desperate need of some TLC. When the small black schnauzer-mix came in, it was one giant hairball full of mats. We knew this dog desperately needed a bath and grooming to remove all the mats. The dog was definitely on the skinny side, but other than that appeared to be in good health. The little dog was extremely patient while we shaved and brushed all the mats out of his fur. He barely moved while being groomed, other than being a tiny bit sensitive with his face and feet. He had so many mats that by the time we were done grooming he only had a little bit of hair left on his face and feet. After his grooming session, we gave the dog a bath. We also tested the dog for heartworms (which was negative) and gave him a rabies vaccine. After enjoying a meal of canned food (porterhouse steak flavor), the dog is now napping in a warm cozy bed. We are now in the process of finding the little dog a sweater so he stays warm in this cold weather. We took before, during and after pictures of the little dog's makeover which we will post very soon.

Cold, rainy days and arthritis

As the temperatures start to drop, especially on a cold rainy day like today, some of you may be noticing that your older pet is walking slower and is having trouble standing up after laying down. This is most likely due to a problem that many dogs (and some cats too) develop as they age: arthritis. Arthritis is a degenerative disease that occurs in the joints (most often in the hips, shoulders, elbows, knees, stifles and spine). Arthritis develops when the cartilage in the joint is damaged due to an injury, excessive exercise, obesity or poor joint structure. Cartilage is a connective tissue that absorbs shock and weight thus preventing damage to the bone. But when the cartilage is damaged, there is less protection for the bone leading to pain and damage to the bone.

There are many signs of arthritis which include: limping; trouble getting up after laying down; stiff gait; difficulty climbing stairs or jumping into the car or onto furniture; and decreased interest in playing.

While arthritic changes to a joint cannot be reversed, there are many treatment options which can make your pet more comfortable and slow the further progression of arthritis. One very important aspect of treatment is weight loss. Excessive weight puts a lot of extra strain on the joints, and it is very difficult for a dog to carry around excess weight with arthritic joints. Weight loss allows a dog to move around easier without excess strain on the joints. Controlled exercise, especially low impact exercises such as swimming or walking, allows your pet to develop muscles which allow them to move around easier and maintain mobility. Another treatment is the use of supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. These supplements can decrease joint inflammation and support cartilage health. There are even prescription dog foods which contain these supplements. Another treatment option is prescription anti-inflammatory medications such as Rimadyl which decrease joint pain and inflammation. There are also injectable medications such as Adequan which contain ingredients that help prevent cartilage damage. Which treatment options are best depends on the individual needs of the patient and owner.

Even if your dog does not have arthritis now, it is very important to keep your dog at a healthy body weight and to allow you dog to have consistent exercise. This is especially important is you have a breed that is prone to arthritis such as golden retrievers and labs. If you have any further questions about arthritis, or think your pet may have arthritis and are interested in beginning an arthritis treatment program please contact us at the clinic, 591-8250.

Heartworms

Ever wonder why you have to give your dog heartworm protection every month, or wonder why we test your dog for heartworms every year? Today we are blogging about a very important subject: heartworms.


Heartworms are spread from dog to dog by mosquitoes. Since mosquitos are very common in this area, and we can have days warm enough for mosquitoes year round in this area, we must protect our canines from heartworm year round.

It is much easier to prevent heartworm disease than to treat it. Preventing heartworm disease involves taking an inexpensive monthly pill, while treating heartworm disease involves a series of expensive injections. While a dog is undergoing heartworm treatment its exercise must be extremely limited, otherwise a dying worm could break off and block a blood vessel in the heart or lungs which could lead to death. Additionally, most often by the time a dog has undergone treatment for heartworms, it already has permanent lung and heart damage from the worms.

Heartworm prevention pills contain a medication that kills heartworm larvae, thus preventing the heartworm from growing into the adults that cause damage. Each month when you give your dog a heartworm prevention pill, you kill any heartworm larvae that the dog has been infected with in the past month. Therefore, if you do not give the pill every month, then the heartworm larvae could grow into adult heartworms which are not affected by heartworm preventative.

So why test dogs before starting heartworm prevention and then anually? Some dogs that are heartworm positive can have a shock-like reaction to the medication in heartworm prevention. Yearly heartworm testing also ensures that the heartworm prevention is effective and will also find any dogs that have developed heartworm disease due to any laspes in heartworm prevention.  

Welcome

Thanks so much for visiting our blog. We hope to blog about all kinds of exciting things. We may talk about exciting cases that we have seen here at the hospital, any events or changes going on here at the hospital or interesting stuff about veterinary medicine in general. We never have a boring day here at the animal hospital of walnut cove, and thats why we want to share whats going on here with all of you.