Here at Palmerstown Veterinary Hospital we regularly have clients ask our advice on moving house with their pets.  Well, a few weeks ago Tanya, our receptionist, moved house along with Hannah her border collie & Tommy her cat.  This is their story….

Well I knew this was going to take time & patience for all three of us.  Hannah had a whole new house, garden, surroundings & people to get used to and being a nervous little girl this would all take time to adjust to.  Tommy, who loves his outdoor life and the freedom of coming and going, popping in for a quick snack & out again, catching the odd mouse and being proud of his captures, was going to find this very difficult.

So when it was coming close to the time of the move, I borrowed my parents 2 dogs, that Hannah is best buddies with, and they temporarily moved house as well to help Hannah settle in. They were great company for her and really helped.

Hannah is finding it difficult to get back into a routine but she is slowly getting used to her new environment.  Her buddies went back home and Hannah seems to be enjoying life in her new home and garden.

Tommy’s move was a lot more difficult.  Tommy just wanted out from day one.  It is recommended that cats are kept inside for approximately 6 weeks to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings, then gradually letting them outside.  Tommy was climbing the walls and curtains and trying to squeeze out the door each time it opened.  Each evening after work I put him on a long line and brought him into the garden for an hour or so.  Sometimes I would feed him there and give him a few treats.  Eventually he got to the stage where he was comfortable enough to relieve himself there.  I was told to sprinkle his cat litter in the garden as this would help leave his scent there, but I didn’t go that far. 

Tommy’s 6 weeks will be up on Saturday and it will be interesting to see how he gets on outside now.  I will be very nervous that day until he comes home again. He will be given so many treats when he does return, so that he associates coming back to his new home with yummy treats and lots of cuddles.  Hannah will also be waiting patiently for him. 

Another important aspect of the move was to change their microchip details to their new address, just in case they do go missing and get lost.  This is easy to do and so important!  

Stay posted for updates on Tommy & Hannah’s progress in the next few weeks.  

For now Tommy waits patiently for Saturday….

Fleas are a very common parasite in our companion animals and because the flea life cycle is shorter in warmer weather we as vets tend to see more flea infestations in dogs, cats and rabbits during the warmer summer months. Adult female fleas can lay up to 50 eggs per day so a single flea can quickly turn in to a flea infestation. Fleas can be an unpleasant nuisance and they can sometimes feed on pet owners as well as pets. More significantly for any vets interested in dermatology however is the important role fleas play in many itchy skin diseases, either as the underling cause (flea allergic dermatitis is one of the most common allergies in dogs and cats) or as a trigger or flare factor in other allergic skin disease patients.

Very effective flea treatments have been available for a number of years now; most of these are available as “spot-on” preparations which can be applied to the skin at the back of the pet’s neck. In most cases this is very easy to do and very well tolerated by the pet. However in some individuals they become anxious when the owner or vet approaches them to apply these topical treatments and then it can become very difficult to treat these pets effectively. In addition to this topical treatments may be inappropriate for dogs that are bathed frequently or are regular swimmers.

A very effective new treatment has recently become available from Elanco. It is in the form of a palatable chewable tablet (almost all dogs and cats will simply eat it when offered as a treat). It is very rapidly effective, killing fleas within hours of administration, and it can be administered monthly for ongoing preventative control.
For more information on this new product you can look at http://www.comfortis.com or ask any of our staff in Botanic, Clontarf, Blanchardstown, Palmerstown or Santry vets about it.

For more information on the Yellow Dog project please see their facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/YellowDogIreland) and website (http://theyellowdogproject.com/The_Yellow_Dog_Project/Home.html).

There are many reasons a dog may need space:
·         Health Issues
·         In Training
·         Being Rehabilitated
·         Fear of other Dogs or People – the world can be a scary place for these dogs
·         Old Age
·         Recovering from Surgery
·         New family or surroundings to adjust to

If you see a dog with a Yellow Ribbon or something yellow on the lead this is a dog that needs some space. Please do not approach this dog or its people with your dog. They are indicating that their dog cannot be near other dogs or people.  Please maintain distance or give this dog and his/her person time to move out of your way.

How close is too close?

Only the dog or its people know so maintain distance or give them time to move out of your way.

Tanya’s dog Hannah, pictured here, with her yellow ribbon.

Typically, the darker the chocolate,
the higher the potential for clinical problems from methylxanthine poisoning. White chocolate has the lowest methylxanthine content, while baking chocolate contains the highest. As as little as 4 ounces of milk chocolate—or only 0.5 oz of baking chocolate—can cause serious problems in a 4.5 kg dog. While white chocolate may not have thesame potential as darker forms to cause a methylxanthine poisoning, the high fat content of lighter chocolates could still lead to vomiting anddiarrhea, as well as the possible development of life-threatening pancreatitis, an inflammatory condition of the pancreas.

Is chocolate dangerous for cats as it is for dogs?

While dogs tend to be most commonly affected largely due to their eating habits, chocolate can indeed be toxic to cats, as well as other pets. Depending on the type and amount ingested, chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, panting, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures—and even death in severe cases. Because of its toxic potential, we would advise against allowing your cat to consume chocolate.

If your pet does consume chocolate please call your local Anicare clinic. Palmerstown Veterinary Hospital can be contacted on 01 6237044.

Heat Stroke in dogs

With our Summer due to start this weekend it is worth remembering the threat of heat stroke which despite our awful Summers is still all to common.

Cause:

Heat stroke is a serious condition that requires emergency treatment. Dogs can be prone to overheating because they have limited ability to cool themselves compared with humans. Dogs mostly rely on panting as a way to reduce their body temperature and have limited ability to sweat. For this reason dogs can easily overheat if left in a very hot environment, if over-exercised in warm weather or if they have difficulty breathing or panting.

The most common risk factors for heat stroke are:

• Being a brachycephalic breed (ie dogs with flattened faces and short noses) such Bulldogs, Boxers, Pug or Pekingese
• Being left in a hot confined space such as a car in hot  weather
• Exercising strenuously in hot or humid weather
• Suffering from heart or lung disease which interferes with efficient breathing
• Being muzzled while under a hair dryer

Signs of Heat Stroke:

Heat stroke begins with heavy panting, difficulty breathing and drooling. This may progress to vomiting and diarrheoa, collapse, seizures, coma and death. A dog left in a hot car on even a just a moderately sunny day can develop heat stroke within 20 mins and could die within the hour.

What to do:

If you suspect heat stroke you should contact your vet as soon as possible for further advice and to let them know to expect your arrival at the surgery. It is important to move the dog from the hot environment into a shaded cool environment. Begin cooling by spraying with cool (but not cold) water. Do not cover the dog with wet towels as this prevents the evaporation of the water from the dog and can cause a ‘sauna effect’. Take the dog’s rectal temperature every 10 minutes. Continue actively cooling until the body temperature falls to 39oC (103oF). At this point, dry the dog and stop the cooling process.

What your vet may do:

Your vet may need to treat the dog with intravenous fluids and oxygen by mask. Drugs may be needed to treat some of the symptoms of heat stroke such as seizures or breathing difficulties and in some instances emergency surgery to allow for more efficient breathing may need to be performed.

To Prevent:

• NEVER leave a dog in a hot car even if only for a few minutes.
• Always provide shade and water for your dog during hot weather
• Avoid strenuous exercise in warm weather especially with Brachycephalic dogs or those with heart or respiratory conditions