Happy Labor Day!

 
 

We want to wish you a happy Labor Day weekend.

We WILL be here on Monday Sept. 2: 7a.m-5p.m.

Cats get chin acne?

By Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)

Notice any black debris on your cat's chin, or maybe even pimple-like lesions? Then your cat has chin acne. This is not a hormonal problem. Actually, we are not entirely certain why some cats get these lesions.   Some cats only experience one episode in their life, while others may have cyclic or near-constant disease.  There are several suspected causes, including poor grooming habits, abnormal hair follicles with overproduction of sebum, virus infection (calicivirus, herpes virus), stress, chin trauma (due to excessive scent marking by rubbing the chin on vertical objects, or from scratching the chin due to underlying allergy), plastic food dish contact allergy, underlying immunosuppressive disease or bacterial contamination from rubbing the chin in food (especially in old dried canned food). 

 

SIGNS: Early clinical signs include crusts and plugged hair follicles forming "blackheads" on the chin and lower lip.  Some cases stay in the blackhead phase, while others progress to form infected, draining pustules, nodules, or cysts.  In severe cases, a cat may develop painful swelling of the chin and lips.  Cats that develop the infected pustules will often act itchy and rub or scratch the chin.   The problem often recurs in susceptible cats and seems related to the hair growth cycle.

  

TREATMENT: Treatment varies according to the severity and extent of lesions, and how much the condition is bothering the cat.  Cats with only a few blackheads often require no treatment, but may benefit from cleaning the chin once a day with a medicated antibacterial wipe, changing to a dry diet, and feeding out of ceramic or stainless steel bowls that are washed with soap and water daily, rather than plastic.  In more severe cases, antibiotics may be necessary for 4 – 6 weeks to clear a bacterial infection. 

 

Call us if you are worried about this problem in your cat: (704)220-0226.

Pictures courtesy of Cat World: http://www.cat-world.com.au/feline-acne

Top 3 Dog Allergy Questions We Hear

By Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)
Carolina Pets Animal Hospital



Why can't my dog's allergies be cured?

Allergies, whether due to fleas, food or something in your pet's environment are caused by the immune system overreacting, NOT a weakened or "sick" immune system. With flea allergy dermatitis, allergy shots (immunotherapy) doesn't work. The only treatment is avoidance, which means keep your pet on monthly flea control year round. The same is true for food allergies (your pet needs to stay on a prescription hypoallergenic diet).
     
For environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis), pets can be desensitized with allergy shots (immunotherapy). This type of treatment helps down regulate the body's overreaction to items in the environment, but even if it works these dogs require treatment for the rest of their lives. In rare cases after years of therapy, the dog may no longer need to be treated.








Why does my pet need such a high dose of antibiotics for such a long time to treat his skin infection?

Most pets, especially dogs, with skin infections have pyoderma  (or bacterial folliculitis) which means bacteria have colonized the hair follicles. This is not a classic "hot spot" an allergic dog may create after hours of scratching at one location where the infection is usually superficial. These pyodermas are deep infections. This is why topical therapy alone does not work well and antibiotics are needed. For a pet with standard pyoderma, at least 3 weeks of antibiotics are needed, and the rule is to treat at least one week beyond resolution of clinical signs (rash, itching).








Is my pet's condition contagious?

This depends on what type of infection your dog has. If your dog has an infection secondary to allergies such as yeast (Malassezia) or bacterial infection, then this is probably not contagious. We have rarely identified methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus infections in dogs, usually only those with very long-term recurrent infections; these do have potential to be contagious. But with these resistant infections there is some newer information to suggest the dog may have contracted it from a person.

There are certain skin conditions, such as sarcoptic mange (caused by Sarcoptes scabiei) that can cause lesions in people. The canine Demodex mites are not contagious to people, but Cheyletiella mites can be. Some ringworm infections can be contagious.

If you have any questions, give us a call: (704)220-0226!

Information for this article provided by Veterinary Medicine, June 2013 Vol 108, No. 6, p.13.

Fleas...old news but bad problem!

by Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)

Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

 

Fleas…those icky little brown bugs that infest your dog or cat when you lapse in flea control (or sometimes in spite of flea control). They are terrible this year, primarily because of the weather. We are seeing a huge surge in the number of flea infested pets in the past two weeks. So, I thought it time to parade out this old problem and remind you it is time to put that flea preventive product onto your pet. Fleas in this area spike in August and September and will be in high numbers until well into November. Indoor only pets are susceptible to infestations too.

Newsflash on flea preventive products: The traditional Frontline Top Spot and Frontline Plus, and its knock-off fipronil-containing products are not working well in North Carolina. Most inexpensive grocery/pet store products will not work.

What does work right now? Frontline TRITAK, which is the newest generation Frontline product is working extremely well. Both Frontline Tritak and Advantix (only to be used in dogs) are our only reliably effective products for both fleas and ticks. For flea-only the other effective products are Comfortis tablet (or Trifexis which has both the Comfortis plus heartworm preventive), Revolution (topical) and Advantage (topical).

What to do if you are already seeing fleas on your pet? First step, treat ALL furry pets in the household with an effective flea product such as one of those listed above; and use it once a month unless your veterinarian tells you to apply more frequently. If you are already using one of these products, give us a call. There are guarantees on some of the products that, if purchased through our clinic, we may be able to help you activate.

Second, treat the environment. For indoors, you should do a good vacuum every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks. This as effective, if not more so, than any chemical sprays/bombs/powders.  For the outdoors we recommend you use a sprinkle granule treatment that you can purchase at any home improvement store that has the active ingredient: imidicloprid. Follow directions on package for application outside.

 

Call us if nothing is working or you have any questions:

(704)220-0226.

WATCH OUT FOR THE HEAT!

By Zoe Forward, DVM, DABVP
Carolina Pets Animal Hospital

 

It’s 90-degrees, your dog is panting heavily and dragging behind, but you’re almost done with your 2 mile walk. This scenario is flashing a big red **DANGER** sign.

The only way for a dog to dissipate heat is by panting it off or sweat glands in their pads. Therefore, in this scenario your dog is highly susceptible to heat exhaustion or, even worse, heat stroke if it gets too hot. Heat stroke is a life-threatening (as in death) emergency.

The best plan? AVOID THE HEAT. Exercise your dog in the cooler parts of the day (early morning or just before dusk).

 

 

 

 

What are the signs of heat stroke? It starts with restless behavior as your dog becomes uncomfortably hot. You will see heavy, sometimes labored panting, excessive drooling or frothing at the mouth, and red gums. This will progress to weakness and lethargy often to the point the dog cannot move or might collapse. Eventually, affected animals will be in so much distress that they will become listless and slip into a coma. Unfortunately, the coma point is bad news… death is fairly imminent unless the dog receives immediate and aggressive medical treatment!

 

Who is at highest risk? Very young and very old dogs have a higher risk of developing heat stroke than do dogs in the prime of their lives. Brachycephalic breeds (e.g., pug, Boston Terrier, Bulldogs, etc), obese/overweight dogs, long-haired dogs and dogs that are black or dark in color. Dogs with hyperthyroidism, heart disease, lung disease or thick hair coats have an increased risk as well.

 

Bottom line: If you and your dog were out in the heat and you notice (s)he is restless, uneasy, having breathing problems or otherwise is just not doing right, call us or bring your dog in immediately.  This is an emergency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTERVIEW WITH MEGAN

Interview by Zoe Forward, DVM, DABVP


Hello Everyone!  I am so pleased to welcome Megan to our blog today.
Megan is a registered veterinary technician who has been working in the veterinary medical field for over eight years. Originally from California, she lived for a while in Colorado Springs before settling here.  She’s been involved in canine search and rescue groups and performed veterinary technician relief work in Haiti. She enjoys the small town atmosphere, close client relations, and the high caliber of medicine practiced here at Carolina Pets.

 

 

 

Megan, what is your favorite part of the job?

Of course I love working with animals, but I have to say I also really enjoy the medical aspect of the job. Being able to do everything from radiology to surgery and everything in between makes my job ever changing and unpredictable. I love it!

 

 

What advice would you give to anyone considering a career as a veterinary technician or veterinary assistant?

It’s not all puppies and kittens! You have to really enjoy the medical aspect of the job. It also gets messy sometimes! So, you need a strong stomach and a desire to challenge yourself.

 

Tell us about working in Haiti!

Working in Haiti was a once in a lifetime experience! I saw a lot of sad situations but it felt really good to help.  I was able to train villagers in areas of animal husbandry, nutrition, and preventative medicine as well as offer much needed care to animals that had gone so long without. The animals in Haiti serve a job, so you don’t see many companion animals. I always had to keep that point in mind when treating a sick or hard worked animal. Working there gave me a new perspective.

 

 

 

If money was no object, what hobby would you like to pick up?
Competitive Sailing

Favorite 4:

What’s your favorite word?

“Totally”…I’m from California!

What’s your favorite TV Show? 

Grey's Anatomy

How many personal pets do you have?  

 3 Dogs, 4 cats, and chickens!

What’s your favorite hobby?     

Backpacking and skiing in the winter

Thank you Megan for talking with us today. We are so fortunate to have you as a member of our team!

Anesthesia-Free Dental? Not so great a deal.

Posted by Zoe Forward, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (canine/feline)

Information provided by the article written by veterinary dentist, Dr. John Lewis in Veterinary Practice News (Vol 25, No 7)

An anesthesia-free dental cleaning sounds great, doesn’t it?  No anesthesia means lower risk.  But is it less risky? Sure the crowns of your pet’s teeth look great afterwards, but without anesthesia your veterinarian is unable to probe each individual tooth (there’s no way your pet will stay still to have this done), take dental x-rays or get a good look on the inside or back of teeth.  Therefore, this procedure barely scrapes the surface of dental disease….no pun intended. 

Although the term “anesthesia-free dentistry” is commonly used to describe the practice of cleaning teeth without anesthesia, the American Veterinary Dental college prefers to use the term “non-professional dental scaling,” or NPDS, to describe these procedures.

Why isn’t an anesthesia-free dental cleaning a good idea?

1.       Dental procedures can be uncomfortable!  Rarely is a dental cleaning for our animal patients just a tooth cleaning. When we take a closer look with the right tools, there are common problems found. This could be in the form of a periodontal pocket where bacterial infection has created a deep pocket between the tooth and gums. This requires therapy. Or a deep abscess or even a necessary extraction. Even the act of ultrasonic cleaning of the teeth is uncomfortable. We don’t want our patients to feel pain during treatment!

 

2.       A thorough mouth exam requires anesthesia.  A thorough evaluation of each tooth is essential. It isn’t a dental cleaning without this! As well there are mouth structures we cannot see without anesthesia such as tonsils and the back of the throat, where disease often hides.  Pets will not allow us to probe teeth away and this is how we check teeth for fractures, cavities, and infection. Probing means that a periodontal probe is submerged into the gingival sulcus in six places around each tooth. No dog or cat will allow this.

 

3.       Dental radiographs (x-rays) are the best care for your pet.  Dogs and cats simply cannot tell us when they have a painful tooth or when there is an infection brewing. Often the problem is not above the gumline where we can see. Most of these patients will still eat and may even have otherwise normal play behaviors. The only way for us to know what is going on beneath the gums is to take a picture.

 

4.       Scaling requires thorough polishing afterwards.  That gritty stuff your dentist puts on your teeth after cleaning is called polish. It fills in all the little defects caused by scraping off the tartar. If a patient is a moving target while scaling, then potential damage for the surface of the tooth is greater. Polishing smoothes out the rough surfaces, but the patient has to be still. This is often not going to happen on an awake pet.

 

5.       False sense of security.  When the crowns (tops) of the teeth looks clean, we assume all is going well beneath the gums.  The level of tartar is what clues us in that the teeth need to be cleaned and it looks great for a while after it has been scraped off, but it may be that there is more significant disease we didn’t know about brewing beneath the gums.

 

Weighing the Pros and Cons.

There is always some risk with anesthesia, usually small, but in some patients this risk is higher depending on the pet’s medical status.  There are pets who should not be placed under anesthesia, and perhaps only in those patients anesthesia-free dentals could be considered.

However, advances in anesthesia and monitoring equipment have allowed the risk to be lower than ever in the past. At Carolina Pets Animal Hospital we use the most current monitor tools and advanced inhalant anesthesia (Sevoflurane) to maintain our patients.