Summer Safety with your pet!

I don’t know about you but for me the warmer temperatures are a welcome relief after the intense winter we experienced this year. With every new season come new challenges to keep our pets safe. There are several things to keep in mind to make sure we all have a safe and happy summer!

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Walking and being outside are some of the benefits of spring and summer. It is important to always have your pets on a leash when they are outside of your property. This is both for their safety and the safety of those around them. It can be so exciting for pets to be outside seeing the sights and sniffing around, however they can be easily distracted and dart into oncoming traffic posing a threat to them and motorists. It is also easier to avoid unwanted interactions with other pets that may not be friendly whenever your pet is controlled on a leash. Making sure your pets ID tags and microchip information are up to date can also help return your pet to you should they escape!

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When the temperatures spike unexpectedly our furry family members need to have access to cool areas, ideally inside, but if this is not possible they need to have access to shaded areas and cool fresh water at all times. Also remember to NEVER EVER leave a dog in a car, even with the windows rolled down this can cause them to overheat very quickly. Pets are not capable of sweating like we are so it is much harder for them to cool down, imagine being in your car in the heat of summer in your winter coat, but not being able to sweat and release some of that heat! This is what your pet could be going through and it could become life threatening! It is best to reserve exercise for the early morning hours or the evening hours when the heat is less intense. Shortening the walk or exercise may also be necessary if the temperatures or humidity are increased. It may also be a good idea to avoid asphalt since it can get very warm and cause burning of the pads.

Gardening and taking care of the lawn are also common during this time of year. Be sure you keep pets away from mulch and insecticides as some of these products can cause your pet to become ill.

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If you ever have a question concerning any products or recommendations for summer safety be sure to call your veterinarian and address these issues! Summer is a fun time of year and there are many activities to experience with your pet, so it is important to keep everyone safe and happy. 

Breed Focus: Golden Retriever

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When I was younger I used to LOVE learning about all the different breeds. I think it is so interesting to learn what makes each breed unique. Whether it is their specific characteristics or temperaments, I think it is all remarkable. Knowing some of these distinctions may help determine if this breed (or a mix of this breed) would be a good addition to your home!

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Golden retrievers are consistently among the top owned dog breeds. They are generally high energy, intelligent and very lovable! Originally they were used for hunting in England and Scotland. For that reason, registered dogs are typically in the sporting group.

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The intelligence is really apparent as they are commonly used as service dogs  They make great companions even if they aren’t used for assistance.

Being intelligent and energetic does mean they will require more exercise. They typically do best in homes that are active and can be active with them. Swimming, jogging, playing fetch are just a few of the activities that golden retrievers can enjoy. If you don’t find something to entertain them they may find ways to entertain themselves that are not quite as enjoyable for you!

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On the medical side, there are a couple of conditions that Goldens seem more pre-disposed to when compared to other breeds. One thing to keep in mind is they do shed….A LOT! Regular brushing (or vacuuming) may be necessary. Food and environmental allergies are also common in this breed. It may be something you will have to watch for closely and manage throughout their life. Another, unfortunate predisposition is certain types of cancer. There are some malignancies that can cut a golden retriever’s life shorter than we would like. There is some hope though! An interesting fact about Golden Retrievers is that right now there is a life time study going on to see if we can link any of these conditions to procedures or predisposing conditions and hopefully prevent them in the future. To learn more about this amazing study click here 

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It’s always a good idea to thoroughly assess your household before bringing a pet it. If you have questions local dog groups, training facilities or your veterinarian may be able to help direct you to certain breeds or mixes that would work well for you. Each pet has their own personality so just because breeds usually act a certain way doesn’t mean they will all be like that! Adding a pet to your family should be fun and rewarding, a little research can help make sure they are a good fit!

Doodle Days #1

Hi Everyone! This is Charlie ‘Doodle’ Kirk! I saw that my owner was writing a blog and I wanted in on the action as well! I think I lead an interesting life and people would like to know what I’m up to all day.

I LOVE going on walks or running. I try to get all the rabbits and squirrels we come across. I also LOVE playing tug or bringing toys to be thrown over and over and over again.

I also love to stare out the window. I need to make sure the rabbits and squirrels are not up to any shenanigans on my watch!

I love to visit different places. I especially love visiting my friend Percy….I’m just not sure he knows we are friends.

I look forward to sharing my days with you! If you ever have any questions for me I would be happy to answer them! 

Wormy Wednesdays: Heartworms

Worms are so gross! (I suppose unless they are in one of these ) 

http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Dirt-Cup-cropped.jpg 

 There are several different types of worms that are commonly found in our pets. Many of which are preventable and treatable. Today we are going to focus on the heartworm! As the name suggests this particular worm lives in the heart and lungs of cats and dogs. So what is the big deal with heartworms anyway?

http://www.capcvet.org/capc-recommendations/canine-heartworm

First they are transmitted by mosquitoes. This allows them to be delivered to the blood supply where they can then mature in the heart and lungs of the dog or cat. Overtime this can lead to some serious damage to these organs. In both cats and dogs, early infections may not have any symptoms. As the disease progresses in dogs you may notice a mild but continuous cough. Along with this you may notice that they just don’t have the energy they used to and may not want to exercise. Cats are a different story. Their symptoms can often be similar to other infections. You may see signs such as vomiting or rapid breathing, that can easily be confused with other respiratory diseases.

http://www.palosanimalhospital.net/sites/site-3652/images/heartworms%20in%20a%20dog.jpg

Diagnosing heartworm disease in dogs can be done with a blood test. If it comes up positive then many times we will screen a blood sample to look for the baby worms swimming around, this is done on the microscope. Cats again are a little more difficult. There is no easy test for them but rather a series of tests that may need to be done to come to a diagnosis. Yearly testing in dogs is critical to keeping the worms under control and ensuring that your preventative is still working. Early detection could be the difference between a happy healthy life for you pet and serious consequences. Even if you give the preventative every month on the same day, testing is essential to ensuring that everything is working properly.

Here’s the good news! Heartworms can be prevented! There are many products out there so sometimes we just need to find the one that will work best for us, but whatever you use it is important to use it monthly. Even in cats! Even in cats that are just inside! Prevention is much cheaper and safer than treating heartworms will ever be. The treatment process is long and can be painful as well as dangerous. It is only approved in dogs. Another benefit of many heartworm preventatives is that they also prevent against many of the intestinal parasites we will discuss in the future.

For even more information visit the heartworm society's website here!  (yes heartworms are such a big deal they have their own society!) or talk to your veterinarian. 

Introducing Dr. Marci Kirk! (That's me!)

Hello Everyone! This is Dr. Marci Kirk. I wanted to introduce myself so I can start contributing to the blog from time to time. I thought we would start with a little background about me to get things rolling!

I graduated from U of I Veterinary School in 2011. I worked in a small animal practice in Charleston/Mattoon area prior to coming to Country View Veterinary Clinic. I love getting to know clients and their pets! That’s probably my favorite part of practicing medicine. I am also very interested in nutrition and dermatology. I think both of these are important in the overall health of our pets.

Away from the office, I enjoy spending time with my husband, Michael, and our dog Charlie (a golden retriever/poodle mix). In my free time I enjoy running. I usually have a race or goal I’m training for, and typically this will be a Disney race. I absolutely love Disney and running races there is just another great way to experience it. Charlie usually comes along on several of my training runs with me. It is a great for both of us to stay active and entertained. I also enjoy reading. If I have free time I will try to read a book just for fun. I’m always open to suggestions!

My hope is to continue to make the blog informative and fun, so if you have any suggestions, comments or topics you’d like discussed just let us know! Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page for even more updates and pictures of some of our patients! 

Mammary Gland Tumors

We recently had a cat come in with a mammary gland tumor, which made me think that it would be good to discuss mammary tumors in dogs and cats.  Let's start with dogs.

Diagram of mammary glands in dogs

Of any of the domesticated animals, dogs have the highest incidence of mammary tumors.  Females who are spayed before their second heat cycle have a significant decrease in the incidence of mammary tumors compared to dogs who are left intact or spayed after their second cycle.  One of the good news for dogs with mammary tumors is that around half of the tumors act in a benign fashion.  This means that they typically grow locally in the mammary gland alone and do not spread.  Unfortunately, this means that the other half of tumors are more aggressive and have spread by the time they are diagnosed.  The smaller the tumor (<3 cm) the more likely that the tumor will be benign.  If the local lymph node is involved or the tumor has spread elsewhere (lungs), then these tumors tend to be more aggressive.

What will happen if a mass is felt on your dog.  Typically, complete staging should be performed prior to treatment.  This can involve performing labwork, taking chest x-rays (to check for lung nodules), aspirating the local lymph nodes if enlarged (to look for cancer cells), and possibly performing an abdominal ultrasound (to check for any nodules in the liver, spleen, etc).  If the tumor shows evidence of spreading, then additional therapy beyond surgery, such as chemotherapy, may be recommended.

Typically, the mainstay of treatment for the primary mass is removal of the affected mammary gland (mastectomy).  If multiple mammary glands are involved or a lymph node is involved, then all affected glands and the nodes should be removed.  After removal, the masses should be submitted to a lab where histopathology will be performed and the origin of the mass can be identified.  Although there are no definitive studies showing an added benefit of chemotherapy with mammary tumors, many veterinarians will recommend a course of chemotherapy in dogs where the tumors are thought to be more aggressive (metastasis, large size, etc).  Some vets may also recommend spaying (if not already done) the dog at the time of mass removal as some tumors may be responsive to hormones released by the ovaries.

Mammary mass form a dog

For dogs with small tumors, surgical removal may be completely curative and monitoring of the other mammary glands is the only long term recommendation.  However, tumors that are larger and more aggressive typically carry a worse prognosis of only a few months to a year.  It is important to bring your pet in for an annual exam as your veterinarian may be able to pick of a mammary mass before it becomes too large.

Cats can also develop mammary gland tumors.  Like dogs, female cats who are spayed earlier in life have a significant decrease in the incidence of mammary tumors.  Unlike dogs, most feline mammary tumors (greater than 80%) tend to be malignant.  Tumors that are smaller (<3 cm) tend to carry a better prognosis (possibly as long as 2 years), whereas prognosis for larger tumors tends to be poor (4-6 months).

Similar to dogs, staging with labwork, imaging, and evaluation of the local lymph nodes should be performed. With cats, most veterinarians recommend removal of all the glands on the affected side versus just a simple mastectomy.

Feline Conjunctivitis

We commonly see cats come into the clinic with eye problems.  Most of the time it has to do with conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva which is the lining under the eyelid and over a portion of the eye itself).  Especially in kittens, the swelling can be quite dramatic and in cases where it is not treated can lead to problems with vision.

Severe conjunctivitis

The first thing we try to determine is the cause of the inflammation.  Although there are a number of different causes, there are three causes that occur most frequently.  These are viral infections, bacterial infections, and allergies.  In many cases we may not get the exact diagnosis, but response to treatment gives us a good idea if we are on the right track.

An eye exam can help rule out things like eyelid conformation issues, foreign bodies, or trauma.  After this, staining of the eye may be performed which can show changes consistent with a viral infection (dendritic ulcers on the cornea) or other scratches.  Conjunctiva swabs may also be taken which in some cases can show evidence of bacterial infection when looked at under a microscope.  With recurrent or non-responsive cases further testing with blood tests to evaluate for certain infections may be performed.

The most common viral infection causing conjunctivitis is a herpes virus infection.  In addition to eye problems, other upper respiratory signs like sneezing or congestion may also be seen.  This virus is the same type of virus that causes cold sores in people and can stay dormant in the body for long periods of time.  During times of stress the virus can reactivate and cause clinical signs.  In mild cases, the signs typically resolve on their own in 7-14 days.  In more severe cases, anti-viral therapy may be needed.  This can vary from using lysine, which is an amino acid that interfers in the replication of the virus to more specific anti-virals that can be given either orally (famciclovir) or topically (idoxuridine).

Applying drops to a cat's eye

The most common bacterial infections are Chlamydia or Mycoplasma.  Again, in mild causes these may improve on there own over a few weeks.  In more severe causes antibiotics may be needed.  Both bacteria typically respond to a tetracycline based antibiotic.  These can be given orally or topically as well.  We can have problems with esophagitis with tetracycline drugs, so many veterinarians substitute with azithromycin.

If an infectious problem is not suspected and an allergy is more likely (seasonality to signs, irritants like smoke in the air), then topical anti-inflammatories are usually helpful (steroids).

Please let me know if you have any questions.