HVCC Newsletter
Fall / Winter 2010 Issue #4 OUR NEWSLETTER IS BACK!!
Hello Again! It’s been a while since you’ve heard from us via newsletter but can you believe we just celebrated our 4th anniversary on April 1st! We’ve been so busy caring for our exceptional family of clients and their great pets that time has quickly passed us by!
We have also been working very hard to have our care center accredited through the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). We were tested to meet 900 quality standards that encompass all aspects of animal care—ranging from patient care and pain management, to team training and medical record keeping. We are very pleased to let you know that on Wednesday August 19th, 2009 we had our evaluation by AAHA and we PASSED!! To be AAHA accredited means that our veterinary practice is operating at the highest standards of excellence in animal care, and through accreditation, veterinarians gain assurance and pride that their practice and team operate at the highest standards. Pet owners gain peace of mind, because they know that their AAHA-accredited practice is an elite team—one they can trust to provide the very best care for their pets!
We would like to say thank you to all of our great clients here at Howell Veterinary Care Center. We are continuously growing as a business and improving every day thanks to your business and glowing referrals. Our goal is to keep our patients healthy and our clients happy by providing “Exceptional Care for your Exceptional Pet!” Please enjoy our newsletter.
DID YOU KNOW? A cat can jump as much as seven times its height!
PEOPLE FOODS TO AVOID FEEDING YOUR PETS
We have compiled a list of people foods to avoid feeding your pets as advised by the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
CHOCOLATE, COFFEE, CAFFEINE- These products contain substances called methylxanthines. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.
ALCOHOL- Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.
AVOCADO- This product contains Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Some ingestions may even be fatal.
MACADAMIA NUTS- These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs.
GRAPES & RAISINS- The toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, but can cause kidney failure. In pets that already have certain health problems, signs may be more dramatic.
YEAST DOUGH- This can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system which can be painful and cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats.
RAW/UNDERCOKED MEAT, EGGS AND BONES- Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems. Feeding your pet raw bones can be very dangerous, they might choke on bones or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract.
XYLITOL- This sweetener can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). The signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination.
ONIONS, GARLIC, CHIVES- These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Cats are more susceptible, but dogs are also at risk if a large amount is consumed.
MILK- Pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.
SALT- Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death.
DID YOU KNOW? Scientists have discovered that dogs can smell the presence of autism in children.
THE BEST DOGS FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS!If you suffer from allergies, the last thing you need is to purchase a pet that’s going to add to your allergy misery! We put together a list of some potentially hypoallergenic dog breeds that will help keep your pet allergies at bay.
No dog is 100% non-allergenic, but some dogs are “low-allergy.” Though they shed little to no hair and less dander than typical dogs, all dogs will shed some dander--even hairless dogs! Dogs without hair or continuously growing hair tend to be most hypoallergenic.
*Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier*Basenji
*Basenji*Schnauzer *Border Terrier
*Border Terrier*Poodle *Coton de Tulear
*Coton de Tulear*Maltese *Havanese
*Havanese*Chinese Crested *Irish Water Spaniel
*Irish Water Spaniel*Bichon Frise *Kerry Blue Terrier
*Kerry Blue Terrier*Portuguese Water Dog*Puli
*Puli*Bedlington Terrier *Shih Tzu
*Shih Tzu*Yorkshire Terrier *Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican Hairless dog)
*Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican Hairless dog)Dogs such as Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are crossed with Poodles and tend to take on their hypoallergenic qualities. Dogs that are mixed with known hypoallergenic breeds can be considered low-allergy.
DID YOU KNOW? A cat can spend five or more hours a day grooming itself!
HOWELL VETERINARY CARE CENTER WEBSITE
WWW.HOWELLVETCARECENTER.COM
The website is going very well, we have had 9771 hits since we’ve opened in 2006! If you have never visited the website, please do! We have some very informative information on our services. We also have our “Smiles” page with cute pictures of the pets that have come in and are all smiles! We also have a page that will introduce you to our staff, along with a section that tells you about some of the fun things we’ve participated in.
DID YOU KNOW? While cats have five toes on each of their front paws, they only have four toes on each of their back paws. Some cats, however, are polydactyl, or many-toed, and can be born with as many as seven front toes and even extra back toes!
KEEPING MAN’S BEST FRIEND PLAYING HARD
With the warm weather still upon us, more of us will still be taking our four legged friends outside for some old fashion fun. This fun might be going for a walk, throwing a Frisbee, or tennis ball, or taking a dip in that nearby pond or lake. Whatever the exercise activity, it can be a great benefit to your pet’s health. Not only can exercise be a great way to implement that weight loss program you have been meaning to set for your pet, exercise can keep their body working properly. However in our older companions we may need to take something else into consideration when putting on that leash to start any activity. As our pets age it is important to remember that pets can get health issues like arthritis just like we do.
This is why it is important to look at different kinds of joint care to keep them running, jumping, or swimming strong. There are many different options we can apply to our pets schedule to help maintain good joint health. Some of these options are joint supplements and joint diets. Purina and Royal Canin offer a special prescription diet food just for joint care which you can feed or add to their normal food to help maintain healthy joints through their diet. Heska Granules, which are edible granules that can be added to food, are another option for using diet as an opportunity to improve overall joint care. If changing or adding to your pet’s diet is not for you than you can try joint supplements. Glucosamine supplements can also be given as an oral medication to help with your pet’s joint care.
Some of the places our pets suffer from joint pain are the knee, elbow, and hip. The hips are one of the main places our furry friends feel the pain which is known as hip dysplasia. So we should all be inspired to help keep our pets feeling great by monitoring joint health and looking at ways to prevent joint pain. Ask one of our team members about how you can help keep your pet feeling young.
DID YOU KNOW? Cats age ten years or more in the first six months of life.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CANINE LEPTOSPIROSIS
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease of dogs and other mammals that primarily affects the liver or kidneys.
There are many species and serovars of Leptospira and the usual serovars that affect dogs are Leptospira canicola and Leptospira.icterohemorrhagiae. In recent years other species have become important in some areas. These include L.pomona, L.gririppotyphosa, L. australis, and L. Bratislava. There are other serovars that may infect dogs without apparently causing any signs or disease.
Infections of dogs with L. icterohemorrhagiae and L. canicola are uncommon in areas where widespread vaccination of dogs has been practiced for many years.
Leptospira bacteria are carried mainly by rats and other rodents, but can also affect almost any mammalian species, including people. Infected or recovered “carrier” dogs may act as a source of the infection. Ingestion of infected urine or rodent-contaminated garbage is the most important means of transmission, but some forms of the bacteria can penetrate damaged or thin skin. For instance, when dogs swim in contaminated water, they may become infected through their skin. The incubation period is usually four to twelve days.
Many Leptospira infections go undetected, but other cases can be life-threatening. Certain strains (serovars) of Leptospira are more likely to be associated with disease than other strains, and the icterohemorrhagiae serovar is perhaps the most dangerous.
There are three main forms of the disease:
*Hemorrhagic (bleeding): there is high fever with lethargy and loss of appetite. Multiple small hemorrhages occur in the mouth and on the whites of the eyes. Bloody diarrhea and vomiting may occur. This form is often fatal.
*Icteric or jaundice (liver): begins much like the hemorrhagic form and many of the clinical signs are the same. It differs in the presence of a yellow color in the mouth and whites of the eyes. In severe cases the skin will turn yellow.
* Renal (kidney): causes kidney failure. Dog is very lethargic, anorectic, and may vomit. Their breath may have a very offensive odor, and ulcers often develop on the tongue. Other signs include diarrhea, excessive drinking (polydipsia) and excessively frequent urination (polyuria). There may be red staining of the urine (blood). The dog may be reluctant to move and show abdominal discomfort. Fever is variable and temperature may actually be subnormal in the more advanced stage. Dogs that survive the acute renal form may be left with chronic kidney disease.
Leptospirosis can be prevented. The vaccine for Leptospirosis is not always part of the routine vaccination program for all dogs. Your veterinarian will consider the risks and options for your pet. Annual boosters may be needed to maintain best immunity.
DID YOU KNOW? The normal body temperature for a cat and dog are between 100.5º – 102.5º F
THE HUMAN/ANIMAL BOND
The human and animal bond can have many meanings to anyone asked to describe it. The best way to describe this bond is a relationship between an animal and human that is both beneficial to the human and the animal. The human animal bond has existed for many years, maybe even farther back than humans know of. Years ago this bond was necessary for survival of both species. For example, the dog assisted the human in hunting prey, and protecting their territory. In hunting both species benefits by receiving a meal that day, and in regards to territory both species could develop and maintain a home or habitat to live in. In the current day, the human animal bond is more of a nurturing and caring one, with more emotions and compassion involved making it stronger than ever. Many people now see their pets as a member of their family like a child or a very close friend.
The human animal bond is a very important and necessary bond. This bond is important for many reasons, and it affects everyone whether they are an “animal person” or not. Health is the most important reason both for humans and animals. People have learned about many human diseases and how to treat them through animals. We have also learned about many diseases and treatments for animals to help them as well. Through this knowledge of disease, animals have taught people how diseases are carried, spread, transmitted and infectious. It is also proven that animals help with human psychological health. Studies have shown that people who own animals seem to have less psychological, and stress disorders, and as most pet owners know, their animal brings them happiness and make them feel better in general.
Environmental awareness is an important reason because many problems that occur in animals can be secondary to environmental pollution, disease outbreak, climate changes, and environmental disasters. Since the bond between humans and animals exist, we care about these issues that affect them and make all attempts to find what the causative is of the problems. Through these actions people have saved species from endangerment and extinction, learned about diseases and their patterns, and more importantly learned about the planet as a whole.
Animals provide many people with companionship, and can be the best friend a person will ever have. Many people battling and recovering from aliments consider their animals as their motivation, especially if they do not have family or live alone. To other people, animals can just be the one certainty of happiness when they return home that day. All people can agree that their animals never have a cross word to say to them. Animals also help by teaching people to be compassionate and responsible even at young ages. They can also help people with many different types of disabilities by being eyes for people who cannot see, and ears for ones that cannot hear. They even help solve crimes and catch criminals. Animals, they have taught and helped us so much to grow as a civilization and they still continue to do so. That is why the human and animal bond is such a largely beneficial and important bond for both humans and animals.
DID YOU KNOW? The average human blinks 6,500,000 times per year compared to a dog’s 1,850,000 times per year
NEED A GIFT IDEA?
We now have Howell Veterinary Care Center Gift Certificates available in any denomination. They may be used for any veterinary service or product at Howell Veterinary Care Center. You’ll be helping someone else be a good pet owner, just like you are! ☺
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ OUR NEWSLETTER WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AND HOPE YOU PICKED UP ON A FEW THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU NEVER KNEW!!
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