Medical Information
Medical News
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE STAFF AT ALPINE VET!
We all know how busy and hectic things can get around winter holidays, and no one wants the added stress of an emergency trip to the veterinary clinic.
Here are some reminders of common seasonal hazards so that you can prevent them and help keep the holidays stress-free.
RIBBONS & TINSEL
These are of special interest to playful cats and kittens that see these materials as toys (or prey) to be chased, pounced upon, chewed or swallowed. These strings or “linear foreign bodies” can catch in the GI tract, leading to bunching of intestine as the body tries to move the string or ribbon through. This is a life-threatening condition requiring surgery for correction.
ELECTRIC LIGHT CORDS
If a pet bites through an electrical cord, it could result in severe burns inside the mouth which may cause the pet’s lung to fill with fluid, causing respiratory distress. This is also an emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention.
CHOCOLATE
Many people do not realize that chocolate can be a poison. Clinical signs of chocolate poisoning include hyper-excitability, nervousness, vomiting, and diarrhea. The condition can be fatal if untreated.
POINSETTIA
Consuming this festive-looking plant can be irritating to the mouth and stomach of the dog or cat that chews on or eats it. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettia is not known to be severely toxic or deadly.
MISTLETOE
The fact that there are several types of mistletoe makes it difficult to predict the clinical signs of poisoning. Some mistletoes produce only stomach upset while others may lead to liver failure or seizures. Consider mistletoe to be a hazardous substance and keep it inaccessible to pets and children.
DIETARY INDISCRETION
Sudden rich diet changes are likely to upset a pet’s stomach and vomiting and diarrhea are common after eating scraps like gravy, ham, bacon, and bones. Even licking plates or pans can be harmful if leftovers are of an especially fatty nature as the pancreas may become inflamed and overloaded. This condition, known as pancreatitis, is serious and may require hospitalization.
LILY
Members of the Lilium and Hemerocallis genera (Easter lilies, tiger lilies, day lilies, etc.) can cause acute kidney failure in cats. Even minor exposures (bite on a leaf, ingestion of pollen) may result in poisoning, so all feline exposures to lilies should be considered potentially life-threatening.
ALCOHOL
Due to their small size, cats are far more sensitive to alcohol than humans are. Even ingesting a small amount of a product containing alcohol can cause significant intoxication. Cats are attracted to mixed drinks that contain milk, cream or ice cream (e.g. White Russian, alcoholic eggnog, Brandy Alexander). In severe cases, coma, seizures and death may occur.
KEEPING WARM
It is important to help keep pets warm when temperatures drop below -15 as frostbite can commonly affect paw pads and ear tips. Many dogs require booties to protect their paws at these temperatures. Hand warmers used for people can be harmful if chewed because of the chemicals inside, so keep these away from pets.
OTHER TOXINS
Although not necessarily seasonal, please remember that there are several human food items that are toxic to pets. These include onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, Xylitol (found in sugar-free gums and candies), and macadamia nuts. Don’t hesitate to call a veterinarian if you have any questions about something your pet has ingested.
NEW EQUINE DENTAL SERVICE
Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre is pleased to announce that we are now providing full Equine dental service year round with the PowerFloat. We can also perform wolf tooth extraction, cap extraction, certain molar extractions and treat periodontal disease.
Dental problems in horses can lead to pain, infection, biting problems, subtle lameness, head tossing, and weight loss. All horses should have a complete dental exam a minimum of once a year. Horses younger than 7 years and older than 18 years and those with previously identified oral problems should have complete exams every 6 months.
The PowerFloat’s versatile design has created a new era of precise and gentle equine dentistry. With the PowerFloat the highest standard of equine dental care can be achieved. The guarded edge of the float protects soft tissues from harm which hand floats can cause. The rotary method of grinding is also easier on the horse and the motorized unit allows dentals to be accomplished in a much shorter time frame as compared to hand floating. A routine float/ equilibration takes approximately 10 minutes which is much easier on the horse. The PowerFloat can treat many dental disorders including overgrown (tall) teeth, step mouths, wave mouths and periodontal disease where hand floating can just not do an adequate good job.
A complete dental procedure performed by our veterinarian will include sedation to allow a thorough oral exam with a dental speculum in place. Our veterinarian will then show you the issues that need to be addressed in your horses’ mouth and you will get the opportunity to see these and even touch these for yourself. These issues will then be corrected and you then get to see and feel the inside of your horses’ mouth once the corrections have been made.
Please contact us today at Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre to schedule a dentistry for your horse.
BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOG
When I got my first dog, a two month old White Swiss Shepherd five years ago, I had never thought I would go through such a stressful and frustrating time. I had wanted her for a long time and had kept myself busy reading about how to raise a healthy and most importantly well behaved puppy. By the time she was born and ready to leave her mom and littermates, I was prepared and aware what were my puppy’s needs. Starting off right to prevent any problems from occurring. That was the theory. Soon, my cute and wonderful puppy became a nightmare to handle, and none of the puppy socialization classes, nor the adolescent or obedience ones helped us being happy together.
My puppy became a challenge that I was not able to handle by myself and none of the books had answers for me. The idea of returning her to the breeder crossed my mind but was definitely not an option.
I booked an appointment with a veterinarian who was also a renowned behaviourist. Juska, my puppy was just over one year old. We had quit all the classes we were attending because she was unable to learn anything anymore. I felt awfully frustrated, angry and guilty. The dog trainers could not help us either. It was beyond their ability.
The behaviourist was not surprised with our story. Soon a diagnosis was made: state of anxiety with episodic panic attacks and fear aggression. In other words, my dog was abnormal and even working hard with her would not give me the guarantee that she would ever become “normal”. This news was pretty hard to hear as I believe everything is possible if you put your heart into it. So we tried.
We met with the behaviourist and a dog trainer specialized in such problems for a few months. The task was simply overwhelming. The behaviourist and the dog trainer were showing us so much support that we managed to go through the rougher times, and we were eventually ready to attend the dog class we had quit a few months ago. The difference was amazing. My dog was looking at me and would listen to me as well. She had become obedient. All it took was a bit of understanding, loads of patience, and the great support from professionals. Our relationship had been rebuilt. Trust and respect had become a reality, leaving frustration and struggling behind.
Four years later, we have gone a long way. She is very well behaved, her anxiety is under control, and there have been no more signs of fear aggression. Our relationship is now based on mutual respect and trust. Of course, today tastes even better considering what we have been through.
What we have experienced is not so uncommon. Almost every dog owner has gone through some frustration at some point. It is normal and goes with every relationship. It becomes abnormal when frustration and anger are the only things left in your relationship. Behaviour problems may then occur, and it can soon lead to an unmanageable situation where the dog has to be given away, or worse case scenario he/she has to be put down.
It is everyone’s possibility to improve the relationship with his/her dog. You have to make that effort, that step to get closer to your dog by learning how to talk dog. Don’t expect your dog to understand English nor read your mind. Be aware of the pitfall of anthropomorphism where dogs are treated like little humans. That is not going to help them. Dogs are dogs and we should all respect their canine nature.
Now try to talk dog to your dog and you’ll see that dog training can be very fun and rewarding when everyone involved is speaking the same language.
Alexandra Rochat,
Veterinary Technician