Argyle Veterinary Clinic, Equine, Dog, Cat, Horse, Supplies, Services, DFW, Dallas Ft. Worth, Texas, USA

August is Allergy Season Awareness

Allergy Season

The summer heat wave is finally here. Now that the rain has stopped, environmental allergens are blooming, and you may be noticing a change in your dogs

Behavior. Have you noticed an increase in head shaking, ear scratching, foot chewing, or possibly hot spots on their skin? These could be due to seasonal allergies which are becoming a fast problem this time of year.

Unlike people, who sneeze, cough, and have runny, itchy eyes, dogs manifest their allergies through their skin by scratching and ear infections. Dogs can be allergic to fleas, food, and environmental allergens such as grasses and pollens.

You may be noticing a bad smell from the ears; allergies can cause ear infections. Yeast and bacteria thrive in dark places. Risk factors such as floppy ears, ear canals overgrown with hair, and swimming can predispose dogs to ear infections and exacerbate clinical symptoms. Proper grooming and after- swimming ear care is very important to reduce the risk of infection. Ears need to be flushed with a cleanser that has a drying-agent, to dry any water that may have been retained in the external ear canal. This precaution is also good for after baths or any activity involved with water. Most of the cleansers that come from a veterinary hospital change the pH in the ear to make it harder for yeast and bacteria to grow. Infected ears are usually red, swollen, have a strong odor, and may have discharge that comes back after they have been
cleaned.

The skin can also become puritic (itchy) with allergies, and you may notice them scratching even if no fleas are present. Chewing on feet is another symptom of Allergies. Excessive licking, chewing, and scratching can lead to secondary skin infection, which may need to be treated with antibiotics, antihistamines, and possibly medicated shampoos. Once a skin infection starts, it can spread over all of the skin very quickly and become painful and expensive to treat. Noticing problems like these early is key to fast relief and less expense. Hot spots are another problem that can result from licking and chewing. This is a moist dermatitis that can start the size of a ping pong ball and go to the size of a ping pong paddle in no time. This is a very painful skin infection and may require sedation to clean properly.

Allergy season can be a frustrating time of year. Your veterinarian can help you determine if your pet is suffering from allergies and how best to treat your pet.

Please call Argyle Veterinary Hospital at (940)464-3231 if you have any questions about allergies or anything else that we can help you with.

01 Aug 2007

July is Flea and Tick Awareness Month

Tiny Pests
Summertime is here!!! Kids are out of school, family vacations are near, and with all the seasonal activities, it's very important not to let your pet's health fall to the back burner. Because this winter was so mild, fleas and ticks are going to be huge problem this summer. Click Here to Read the Adobe PDF article.

02 Jul 2007

June is Overweight Awareness Month

Obesity in Pets

One of the fastest growing problems in Veterinary Medicine is obesity in pets. As owner’s lives have become busier; the time allotment for pets has decreased. Fortunately, there are now ways to help combat this problem and still allow owners to keep up with their normal lives.

First and foremost, diet and exercise are the best ways to help a pet lose weight. However, nobody has time to exercise their dogs three hours a day like they need. There are some low calorie/high fiber food options that restrict the caloric intake, but do not make the dog/cat think they are on a diet. I recommend Purina OM (overweight management) to help reduce the calories and aid in weight loss. Purina has developed a feeding schedule that takes into consideration the pet’s weight and body condition score. A body condition score is a body sizing chart based on a 1-9 scale with 4-5 being the ideal size. The daily feeding guide recommends how much to feed and also suggests how many treats can be fed. It includes a treat suggestion page for the owner to use. The program works on a monthly weigh-in cycle that allows the owner to adjust the food amount each month until the ideal weight is reached and then the maintenance amount of food can be established. Throughout this process exercise is recommended to aid in the weight loss.

If weight loss is not accomplished with diet and exercise, there are other avenues to pursue, so do not lose hope. Obesity can also be a sign of other underlying diseases such as hypothyroidism or hypoadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease). To determine if your pet has any of these diseases, blood work is needed for diagnosis. Once blood work has been performed and your pet has been diagnosed, appropriate medication will be prescribed. Over time, the weight should decrease with help of diet and exercise.

Having tried diet and exercise and determined that your pet does not have any underlying disease for obesity, there is a new product on the market that could help. This new product, Slentrol, helps reduce the pet’s appetite, therefore helping the pet lose weight. It works by blocking the food uptake mechanism; therefore the dogs think they are full. In order to work successfully, the owner needs to retrain themselves on how to correctly feed and exercise the pets. This drug does not have lasting effects, therefore, (here it is again) diet and exercise are very important in maintaining the pet’s new physique. Unfortunately, this drug is only available for dogs.

By keeping your pet fit and trim, they will live a longer, happier life. Many diseases such as diabetes and secondary hip pain may be prevented by keeping your pet at a healthy weight.

If you have any questions, please ask your veterinarian and find out which weight loss program will benefit your pet the most.

Tips to determine if your pet is overweight:

1) Cannot feel ribs
2) Body looks like tube with no waist, no hour-glass figure (top view)
3) Heavy fat deposits over hips and by tail base
4) “pudgy abdomen” (side view)

Argyle Veterinary Hospital
Nicole Koenigsknecht, DVM

30 May 2007

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

“An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure”

Human medicine has long recognized the health and cost benefits to early detection of disease. The good news is that pets are now living longer. The largest contributing factors to this longevity is advancement in veterinary medicine and increased owner compliance to veterinary recommendations. As is commonly known, pets age faster than we do, consequently health problems develop rapidly, especially in older animals. Fortunately, with through physical exams and modern diagnostic testing, we can detect the onset of disease and conditions early, when treatment and prevention are most effective.

Senior wellness programs provide an assessment of your pets overall health. Your veterinarian can give timely recommendations from issues ranging from arthritis, to dental disease to serious medical conditions. Remember, for optimal care your pet should at least be examined every six months, which is similar to a time span of 2 to 3 years in people.

Review the following early detection questionnaire to see if your pet has any “red flag” symptoms.

· Bad Breath or drooling
· Change in activity level
· Change in appetite or weight
· Change in attitude or responsiveness
· Change in sleeping patterns
· Change in Urination (amount of frequency)
· Change in water consumption
· Confusion or disorientation
· Constipation, diarrhea, or vomiting
· Coughing
· Heavy or rapid breathing at rest
· Incontienence
· Lethargy or depression
· Lumps or bumps on or under skin
· Noticeable decrease in vision (bumping into furniture)
· Sneezing
· Stiffness ( trouble jumping, climbing stairs, or walking)

There are five types of basic tests your veterinarian will use to evaluate wellness.
1. Complete Blood Count (CBC) – The CBC tests for anemia, infection, inflammation and overall healthiness of the blood cells.
2. Chemistry Test- The chemistry panel surveys many of the organ systems of the body to make sure they are working normally.
3. Thyroid Function Tests-These test are useful in diagnosing hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone) which is common in dogs and to a less degree horses, and hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone) which is common in older cats.
4. Urinalysis- While some serum chemistries help evaluate kidney function, much more information is obtained when a urinalysis is done at the sametime. The urine sample is tested for several chemical components (glucose, protein, blood and more) , as well as any cells (wbc,rbc,epithelial etc) , and crystals.
5. Parasite Exam
A. Fecal- Hookworms,whipworms,round worms, coccida, giardia and other intestinal parasites can be detected with a stool sample.
B. Blood Serum is tested for presence of heartworms, and whole blood can be tested for parasite such as babesia, hemobartonella, and cytauxzoon.

Recognizing, diagnosing and treating early will improve quality of life and minimize financial cost.

John Bitter DVM
Argyle Veterinary Hospital

06 Apr 2007

February is Dental Health Month

Dental Disease is probably one of the most common diseases noted on physical exams of dogs and cats each year. It is also one of the most untreated and preventable diseases in small animals. Left untreated, dental disease can lead to some minor and major life threatening conditions.

The oral cavity contains large amounts of bacteria that get embedded in the gingival and are pushed up under the gum line by tartar. Unattended, this environment causes gingival swelling (gingivitis). Abnormal amounts of bacteria and tartar also lead to bad breath (halitosis). As the condition progresses and the gums get more inflamed, they become sensitive and bleed. The bacteria then seep into the bloodstream where they can colonize and cause disease in the heart, liver, and/or the kidneys.

Signs of dental disease include bad breath, red swollen gums, a yellow brown crust near the gum line, loose or missing teeth, discomfort when the mouth or gums are touched, and decreased appetite with resulting weight loss. Routine exams either annually or biannually are a great way to detect early problems. Your veterinarian can alert you to specific problems and make recommendations to prevent decay and tooth loss. Large dogs generally require teeth cleanings every other year, whereas small dogs will require annual teeth cleanings to maintain optimal oral health. Owners should contact your local veterinarian for an exam and specific recommendations regarding your pet.

Is there anything I can do at home?

Prevention of dental disease is possible by following this four-step process. First, regular dental checkups and exams for your pet is a must. Your veterinarian can detect early disease, fractured teeth, retained teeth and also oral growths or tumors. They will also be able to stage your pet’s periodontal disease.

Secondly, brushing at home on a regular basis helps to reduce plaque and tartar buildup. Be sure to use only a toothbrush and toothpaste designed for pets.

Third, feeding your pet dry food and treats mechanically helps keep tartar away. Dental diets are specifically designed to be very hard and require the pet to chew more thus creating an abrasive effect on the teeth that will keep the tartar from adhering.

Lastly, there are many new products designed to help keep tartar and plaque from building up. There is a new vaccine that can be given by your veterinarian that will aid in the prevention of canine periodontits. The vaccine works by decreasing the amount of bacteria in the oral cavity and gums, therefore decreasing underlying bone destruction. It works best with regular teeth cleanings and home care. A new type of sealant is also available that seals the teeth and keeps destructive bacteria from gaining access to the gum line. It is applied to the gum line surface of the teeth on a weekly basis. Your pet would need a dental cleaning before using this product.

February is national pet dental health awareness month and Argyle Veterinary Hospital is offering a special on our routine dental procedures and a bag of samples of some of the products to try at home. Please call our office promptly to set up your dental exam and/or procedure.

Call for February's Dental Discount Information

02 Feb 2007

January - Senior Wellness - Getting your seniors in shape

BODY-CONDITION SCORING SYSTEM FOR HORSES

SCORE DESCRIPTION
1. POOR: Emaciated. Prominent vertebrae, ribs, tailhead and hooks (the bony structures on each side below the tail) and pins (the point of the hip).

2. VERY THIN: Emaciated. Slight fat covering over the base of the vertebrae. Prominent vertebrae, ribs, tailhead and hooks and pins. Withers, shoulders and neck structures faintly noticeable.

3. THIN: Fat build up about halfway on vertebrae. Slight fat cover over ribs. Vertebrae and ribs easily noticeable. Tailhead prominent, but individual vertebrae cannot be visually identified. Hook bones appear rounded, but easily noticeable. Pin bones not distinguishable. Withers, shoulders and neck accentuated.

4. MODERATELY THIN: Negative crease along back. Faint outline of ribs noticeable. Tailhead prominence depends on conformation; fat can be felt around it. Hook bones not noticeable. Withers, shoulders and neck not obviously thin.

5. MODERATE: Back is level. Ribs cannot be visually distinguished but can be easily palpated. Fat around tailhead beginning to feel spongy. Withers appear rounded, shoulders and neck blend smoothly into body.

6. MODERATE TO FLESHY: May have slight crease down back. Fat over ribs feels spongy. Fat around tailhead feels soft. Fat beginning to deposit along the sides of the withers, behind the shoulders and along the sides of the neck.

7. FLESHY: May have crease down back. Individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable filling between ribs with fat. Fat around tailhead is soft. Fat deposits along withers, behind shoulders and along sides of the neck.

8. FAT: Crease down back. Difficult to palpate ribs. Fat around tailhead very soft. Area around withers filled with fat. Area behind shoulder filled in flush. Noticeable thickening of neck. Fat deposits along inner buttocks.

9. EXTREMELY FAT: Obvious crease down back. Patchy fat appearing over ribs. Bulging fat around tailhead, along withers, behind shoulders and along neck. Flank filled in flush.

February is " Dental Health " Month animals need dental exams too- ask about our specials

13 Jan 2007

December is winterizing your animals

Click here to read about Common Christmas Hazards

29 Nov 2006

September is Parasite Awareness Month

What every owner should know about Parasites.

Dogs and cats of any age get roundworms and hookworms, but they are most vulnerable when they are very young.

You may already have heard that worms often infect puppies and kittens as well as older pets. The most common types of these parasitic worms are ROUNDWORMS and HOOKWORMS. They are both Intestinal parasites. They live and grow inside the intestine of your pet. Roundworms and hookworms develop from eggs into larvae (immature worms) The larvae later mature into adult worms.

ANCYLOSTOMIASIS ( hookworm infection)

Hookworms are relatively common intestinal parasites of dogs, cats, and other animals. Adult worms live in the small intestine, and their eggs pass out with the stool. Diagnosis is by identifying the eggs during microscopic examination of the stool.

Animals become infected with worms by eating infective eggs or larvae, penetration of the skin or footpads by larvae, or transmission of larvae from the mother while the fetus is still in the uterus.

HOOKWORMS are one of the most serious intestinal parasites, as they feed on the blood of their host animal and can cause severe anemia.

PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE

Hookworms larvae can penetrate human skin and cause a skin disorder known as cutaneous larval migrans or creeping eruption. This infection is not common, but anyone who develops a skin rash after being in contact with a pet with hookworms should consult a physician.

17 Sep 2006