Monthly Archives: June 2016

Dogs

Caring for your dog during the warm months

Dogs 46 - Caring for your dog during the warm months

Summer is finally here and the warm weather is the perfect time to take a few days off from work and enjoy lots of fun outdoor activities with your pets. It is also important to remind owners that there are a few precautions that should be kept in mind now that the temperatures are rising.

Dogs and cats only sweat through their footpads and when the temperatures are higher they are able to loose body heat mainly through panting. For this reason these animals are more susceptible to heat stroke during hot weather. This condition can cause serious damage to your pet’s internal organs and is often life-threatening.

This summer please keep your dog safe:

  • Make sure your dog always has a shaded area to rest and escape from the sun as well as clean water available. You can add a few ice cubs to your dog’s water to keep it cool for a while longer.
  • Avoid taking your dog for walks and exercise during the hottest hours of the day.
  • Never leave your dog locked and alone in the car. Most people don’t realise it because they simply open the car windows or turn on the air conditioning when taking the car somewhere, but if the car is parked and locked the temperatures inside can rise to unbearable levels in just a few minutes. Even if the car is parked in a shaded area, if the windows are cracked and even if it doesn’t seem to be that warm outside, the temperature inside the car can rise to the point of causing heat stroke and death to your pet in about 15 minutes.

Special care should be taken with very young or very old animals, or pets that suffer from health conditions such as respiratory and heart diseases, and excessive weight. Flat-faced breeds such as Pugs, dogs with dark coats such as Dobermans and dogs with thick hair coats such as Huskies are also at a higher risk for heat stroke.

Have a great summer everyone and keep your pets safe!

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Cats

Kidney Disease in Cats

Cats 24 - Kidney Disease in Cats
Just like us, cats have two kidneys and their main role is to filter the bloodstream and remove waste products produced by the body’s metabolism. These waste products are eliminated from the body in the urine. The kidneys also help to regulate the volume and composition of the blood.

Kidney disease is one of the most common problems in cats. This condition leads to the accumulation of toxic waste in the bloodstream, making the animal ill and perpetuating the kidney damage. Kidney disease can be acute or chronic. Acute kidney disease is a severe condition with a relatively sudden onset, most often days, in which the kidneys are suddenly unable to function properly, whereas chronic kidney disease is a disease that has been developing over the course of a longer period of time. The most common causes of acute kidney disease are the ingestion of toxic substances, like antifreeze, certain human medications and certain foods.

Chronic kidney disease is one of the most common conditions affecting older cats, from 7 years of age onwards. Two thirds or more of total kidney function must be lost before most cats show signs of disease. It is an ongoing, irreversible process that progresses over time.

Signs of chronic kidney disease include weight loss, poor appetite, lethargy, increased thirst and increased urination. As this disease advances, other signs may appear, such as sores in the mouth and bad breath produced by toxic levels of waste products, as well as vomiting and diarrhoea. If you notice these signs on your cat do not hesitate and take your pet to the vet!

Given prompt treatment acute kidney disease may be reversible. Unfortunately, chronic kidney disease cannot be reversed, but it can be managed, both increasing the quality of life of affected cats and potentially slowing down the progression of the disease.

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Horses

Allergic Skin Disease in Horses

Horse 37 - Allergic Skin Disease in horses
An allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction that occurs when an animal comes in contact with a particular allergen that exists in its environment. The reaction can happen through direct skin contact or breathing in of the allergen. Horses can suffer from different types of allergy and it can occur in any gender or breed.

Common signs of allergy in horses include mild to severe itchiness, reddened painful skin, urticarial, lumps, and a wide variety of skin damage (excoriations, crusts, scales, etc.).

Skin allergies can have many different causes but the most common cause is sweet itch (insect bite hypersensitivity). Sweet itch is usually caused by biting midges but other insects can also cause a reaction. Some types of flies may prefer to bite on the horse’s head, ventral abdomen, legs, chest, and back, but some insects will just bite anywhere on the body.

Atopy is a condition that also involves an inappropriate immune response to offending allergens that leads to dermatologic clinical signs. In many cases atopic horses show respiratory signs as well. Arabian and Thoroughbred horses appear to be predisposed to develop atopy which may suggest that this could be an inherited condition. It can be caused by more than one allergen and pollens, moulds, grasses, trees, fabrics, and dust have been associated with this condition. The clinical signs may be mild initially and progress over time.

Horses can also be affected by food allergies although these are less common. In food allergy the horse suffers an immune mediated adverse reaction to a specific type of food. The foods that are most often associated with these reaction include malt, barley, beet pulp, bran, clover, St. John’s wort, wheat, oats and chicory.

If a horse shows itchiness and skin disease contact your vet. It is very important to find the cause in order to proceed with the appropriate treatment and preventive measures. The treatment for these conditions usually involves managing the symptoms and removing the cause, if possible, or at least reducing allergen exposure.

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Cats

Environmental Enrichment for Indoor Cats

Cats-23---Environmental-Enrichment-for-Indoor-Cats
Cats that live indoors need properly enriched environments to live a happy life. The purpose of environmental enrichment is to offer options so that the cat can express his natural behaviour. If this isn’t provided your cat may feel stressed which can affect both his health and behaviour.

Indoor cats need unrestricted access to resting areas where stress factors, such as loud noises and other animals, can be minimized. In this place the cat should have access to a litter box, food, water, a scratching post, a perch and toys.

Litter boxes should be located in a safe, quieter area, away from food and water bowls. If you have more than one cat a box should be provided for each cat. The litter box should be scooped daily and washed weekly.

Small portions of food and treats should be given at random times throughout the day and in various places around the house. This seems to be fun for most cats, allowing them to display some hunting behaviour. You can also use food dispensing toys. Cat drinking fountains can also provide an interesting addition to the environment for some cats.

Cats also need perching options throughout the household, as they naturally climb for observation and safety, so provide places to climb and look out of windows.

Scratching is a natural behaviour for cats. Scratching posts should be placed in frequently visited areas of the home and in proximity to preferred resting places. Cats that scratch chair legs may prefer a vertical scratching post, while cats that scratch rugs and carpets may prefer a horizontal scratching post.

Play behaviours in cats are closely related to their natural hunting behaviour. Appropriate toys for cats include wand toys, self-propelling toys that mimic prey, balls inside a box, catnip filled toys and light beam pointer games. Toys should be rotated at least once a week to maintain novelty and interest.

Other enrichments that can be offered include music, catnip or grasses and playtime with other cats. Boxes are another way of keeping cats entertained and comfortable. They use them to keep warm, to escape threats and to scratch and perch on. Your time with your cat is also important, so make sure you have daily time to interact with your pet.

Cats kept solely indoors should be provided with ways to exhibit their natural behaviour to ensure their welfare!

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