Early Retirement - and how to avoid it!

THESE DAYS, with advances in veterinary medicine and nutrition, our pets are living longer than ever before - which of course is great news! However, the less good news is that with advancing years their body organs may begin to function less efficiently. As a result, many older pets suffer from a wide range of age related diseases.

These commonly include:

• Impaired hearing
• Impaired vision
• Arthritic joints
• Kidney disease
• Heart disease
• Weight gain
• Liver disease
• Incontinence
• Mental confusion
• Dental problems
• Thyroid gland disease
• Lumps and bumps

So that’s the bad news! What about the good news? The good news is that regular health checks are the best method of looking after your pet — particularly as they grow older. With regular veterinary check-ups, problems can often be picked up at an early stage. This means treatment can be started sooner, hopefully ensuring a much better quality of life for pets as they grow older.

A health check consists of a full physical examination. Because many of the ageing changes affect internal organs such as the kidneys and liver, urine and blood tests and sometimes radiographs may be required as well. Happily, having identified any problems, we now have better treatments than ever before for your pet. New forms of medication and changes to your pets diet can make a real improvement to many of the conditions covered in this article.

Ouch ! Arthritis: Is your pet affected ?

Normal joint function is something that most of us take for granted in our pets. However arthritis (or degenerative joint disease) is a relatively common problem, particularly in older pets.

In the majority of cases, arthritis occurs secondary to a lifetime of wear and tear on the joints. Arthritis may also occur following joint trauma or due to malformation of a joint (for example hip dysplasia).

The joints permitting free limb movements are called synovial joints. A healthy joint has a smooth layer of cartilage covering the bones and is lubricated by synovial fluid produced by the synovial membrane.

Arthritic joints typically show progressive break-down and thinning of the cartilage, formation of new bone (osteophytes) and thickening of the joint capsule. Affected joints usually appear stiff, swollen and painful. Although arthritis cannot usually be cured, the good news is that novel forms of medication and (for overweight pets) careful weight control can make a huge difference to the lives of affected pets.

If you are concerned that your pet is showing signs of stiffness on rising or joint pain, please come and see us for a health check.

Does My Pet Have Ear Problems?

Most of the ear problems seen in dogs and cats involve disease of the external ear canal, a condition called otitis externa (sometimes called canker).

Signs of otitis externa are commonly an itchy and painful ear often accompanied by a discharge.

There are several underlying causes of otitis externa including ear mite infestations, trapped foreign bodies (such as grass awns) and localised inflammation of the skin lining the ear canals, often as part of a more generalised skin condition. The condition is commonly made worse by opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections.

As with many conditions, early diagnosis and treatment of otitis externa gives us the best chance of curing this often painful condition.
If you are concerned that your pet is showing any of the signs of ear disease described above, please come and see us for a check-up.

Fleas: Keeping One Jump Ahead

Fleas are a cause of intense irritation to both pets and their owners! However the key to controlling them is to understand their life-cycle.

Adult fleas, which are typically just 2mm in length (and clearly visible without magnification), spend the majority of their lives on pets, feeding on blood and reproducing.

Female fleas commonly lay 30-60 or more eggs per day - thus a brief infestation can result in thousands of eggs being produced! These tiny white eggs fall off the coat of the animal and are deposited around your home in carpets and bedding.

The eggs can remain dormant for many months before developing via larval and pupal stages into more adult fleas. We have a range of safe and very effective flea products, both for your pet and your home.

Please ask us to advise you on the best form of flea control to suit your individual requirements.

What should I do if I find a lump on my pet?

ONE of the great benefits of regular grooming is that you can keep a watchful eye for lumps and bumps. If your pet develops a lump, there may be several possible underlying causes. These include allergic reactions, abscesses, hernias, and tumours.

The most serious of these are tumours, which are either benign — tending to be slow growing and to remain in one place, or malignant - which invade the surrounding tissues and may also spread to other parts of the body.

If you find a lump on your pet it is therefore very important that we examine it in order to determine the underlying cause, allowing any required treatment to be started as soon as possible. Please contact us if you are concerned.

Microchip your pet against loss

EVERY year the RSPCA and Dog Wardens pick up thousands of lost pets. However reuniting these pets with their owners can prove very difficult since many of them cannot be reliably identified. This is obviously very distressing for both pets and their owners, so what can be done to improve the situation?

In addition to the traditional collar and engraved tag (which can unfortunately become detached and lost), there is now a far more reliable form of pet identification - the microchip implant.

A tiny microchip (about the size of a grain of rice) is quickly and easily injected under the skin, permanently identifying your pet. Each microchip contains a unique I.D. code. This code, together with details about your pet, are held on a central computer.

Veterinary practices, the police and pet rescue organisations have special hand held scanners that can detect and “read” engraved the information on the microchip - identifying your pet so that you can be reunited without delay.

Don’t take the chance - microchip your pet! Dogs, cats and many other pets can be microchipped.

Please ask us for further details!

Does my pet have worms?

WHEN looking at worms in dogs and cats, there are two major types of worm to consider:-
Tapeworms live in the small intestines and shed segments containing eggs, which pass out in the faeces. The eggs may then be eaten by an intermediate host, including small rodents and fleas. Cats catch and eat small rodents and both cats and dogs swallow fleas as they groom, re-infecting themselves with tapeworms.

Roundworms also live in the small intestines and shed thousands of tiny eggs, which pass out in the faeces and pollute the environment. Dogs and cats are re-infected by unwittingly eating eggs in the environment. These eggs also pose some risk to children if inadvertently swallowed.

Treatment and Prevention Keeping your pet and the envi-ronment worm free involves three steps:
- worm your pet regularly,
- use regular flea control and
- clean up faeces.
Remember - just because you don’t see any worms doesn’t mean your pet is worm free!

Please ask us to advise you on the most suitable worming and flea control regime for your pet.

Radiography - not just for broken bones!

IT IS difficult to talk about radiography without firstly taking a look at the underlying technology involved. X-rays are technically a special type of radiation produced by an X-ray machine. X-rays are powerful enough to pass though the tissues of the body, but as they do so the X-rays are absorbed differentially, depending on the densities of the tissues being penetrated.

A piece of film placed under your pet records the X-rays that pass through the tissues without being absorbed.

When the film is developed it produces a black and white image called a radiograph.
So how can radiography be of help in diagnosing problems in your pet? It is a huge subject, but here are just a few examples.

One of the structures that is seen best on radiographs is the skeletal system.

Radiography is very helpful when looking at bone fractures, joint problems (such as hip dysplasia) and spinal conditions — to name just three!

Turning to other areas of the body, radiography of the chest allows us to assess the heart and lungs, whilst radiography of the abdomen allows us to visualise internal organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder and intestines.

As you can see radiography allows us to “look inside” your pet without having to do an operation. The information it gives us helps us to make a diagnosis in a huge range of conditions — not just bone fractures!

Plan now for summer holidays!

IF YOU are planning to take your dog or cat abroad to Europe in Summer 2006 using the Pet Travel Scheme, NOW is the time to start your preparations! Since March 2000 dogs and cats fulfilling the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme can travel to European destinations and return to the U.K. without having to spend six months in quarantine. Pets must be microchipped to identify them and also be vaccinated against rabies. However, you need to allow at least 7 months from the date of your pet’s initial rabies vaccination before he or she can re-enter the U.K. under the scheme; so now is the time to act for next Summer! Further information can be obtained either from the surgery or on the PETS Helpline on 0870 241 1710 between 0830 and 1700hrs (UK time) from Monday to Friday, except Wednesdays when lines open at 1000hrs.

Does my cat have toothache?

Did you know that pets, unlike their owners, frequently suffer from dental problems without showing any obvious outward signs of pain?

Dental disease can occur at any age and recent surveys have shown that as many as 70% of cats and 80% of dogs over three years of age need some form of dental treatment.

A common problem for pets and humans is gum disease. Plaque is the name given to a film of bacteria which is constantly forming on the surface of all teeth. If allowed to accumulate, it will inflame the gums - a condition called gingivitis. If left untreated, gingivitis frequently develops into periodontitis, a painful condition involving destruction of bone and tooth supporting structures and eventual tooth loss.

Cats may also suffer from one or more tooth resorptive lesions usually found at or below gum level. Here the tooth is progressively destroyed, leading to exposure of the nerve running down the centre of the tooth. These are generally extremely painful lesions, although cats will frequently show no obvious outward signs of toothache. Regular dental examinations are of great help in identifying dental disease before it becomes too serious - please ask us for further information on dental care for your pet!

Feline Leukaemia Virus

DID YOU know that infection with the Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is now the commonest infectious cause of premature death in cats in the UK?

Whilst the virus does on occasions cause true leukaemia, in many cases the effects are more related to suppression of the cats immune system, very sadly leaving it fatally exposed to infections that a healthy cat would normally recover from. However the good news is that we can vaccinate against FeLV. Vaccination can be given at the same time as your cat’s annual health check and other vaccinations - contact us today!

Kennel Cough - Is your dog vaccinated?

KENNEL COUGH (otherwise called Infectious Tracheobronchitis) is a highly contagious disease, affecting dogs of all ages.

Infected dogs develop a harsh dry hacking cough that can last for several weeks and often requires antibiotic treatment.
The disease is caused by a complex mixture of viruses and a bacterium — Bordetella bronchiseptica. These agents pass easily from dog to dog as an inhaled droplet infection. Dogs are at risk wherever they congregate in boarding kennels, training classes or simply out on walks.

The annual booster injection offers protection against many of the viruses but only intranasal vaccines offer protection against Bordetella.

Contact us now to ensure your dog is vaccinated!

Eye-Testing Clinic

Every eight weeks or so throughout the year we hold an eye-testing clinic here at Castle Vets. Mr Stuart Ellis BVSc., Cert. V.Ophthal., MRCVS visits us from his base in Preston, Lancashire and we welcome dogs that are registered with The Kennel Club, or the International Sheepdog Society, to have their eyes tested under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme.

The Scheme is primarily concerned with the examination of the eyes of dogs for inherited eye disease, but also includes a general examination of the eye and adnexa (adnexa includes the lids, lacrimal apparatus and orbit). At present certificates of Eye Examination are issued in respect of inherited conditions of the eye only and not for inherited conditions of the adnexa. Some 11 different inherited eye diseases in 47 breeds of dog may be certified under the Scheme. In addition, a number of other conditions in various breeds are listed as Under Investigation. It is important for all breeds to be examined regularly so that possible inherited eye conditions can be identified early.

It is possible to arrange for examination of litters of puppies or individual dogs. Individual dogs may be examined at any age, whereas litter screening only applies to puppies of up to 12 weeks of age. For some congenital conditions eg. Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), it is best to screen litters as close to 6 weeks of age as possible as minor lesions may not be detected opthalmoscopically in dogs over 12 weeks old. A separate litter screening form will be issued in respect of congenital inherited eye disease.

Mr Ellis qualified from Liverpool Veterinary School in 1982, gained the Certificate in Veterinary Ophthalmology in 1988 and joined the Eye Panel in 1991.

He is a member of the Eye Panel Working Party and, from January 2002, he has held the post of Chief Panellist.

He is a Partner in a 4 person small animal practice in Preston and holds regular eye clinics around the North of England, here at Barnard Castle, as well as at his base in Lancashire. Further details including the names of the panellists and breeds and conditions certified under the Eye Scheme may be obtained from the BVA, 7 Mansfield Street, London, W1G 9NQ, or at www.bva.co.uk
Contact BVA - click here

Specific information relating to ISDS registered dogs should be obtained from the ISDS.

Keeping your Guinea Pig fit and well

GUINEA PIGS, originating from the grasslands of South America, arc very popular as pets. They are by nature grazing animals and require large amounts of grass, hay and fresh fruit and vegetables together with some commercially prepared food. They are generally healthy pets, but they do require periodic check-ups just like other pets. In common with other rodents, their teeth grow continuously and can become overgrown making feeding difficult. Additionally their nails can also become very long if they are not clipped at regular intervals.

Skin problems may also occasionally occur; the most common of these is an infestation with a burrowing mange mite — Trixacarus caviae. The mite causes intense itching and scratch-ing, with areas of reddened,sore and crusting skin.

We are here to help! If you would like any further infor-mation on any aspect of guinea pig care, or if you would like a check-up for your pet, please contact us!

Rabbiting On: General Care of your Rabbit

RABBITS are becoming increasingly popular as pets and like all pets, your rabbit needs to visit us from time to time for routine health examinations and vaccinations.

Myxomatosis is a distressing viral disease spread by rabbit fleas and other blood sucking insects. The first symp-toms are usually swollen eyes rapidly progressing to blindness. Affected rabbits become very ill and even with medication and nursing care, most will die as a result of the disease.

Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (or VHD) is a very infectious disease that spreads easily between rabbits or via contaminated hutches, bedding or food. It can also be inadvertently transported by people or birds and can survive for many months on clothing. Affected rabbits are usually very unwell and sadly most will die.

However the good news is that we are now able to offer you vaccinations against both of these diseases. Please contact us for further information or an appointment.

Neutering.
There are many benefits to having your rabbit neutered, the most obvious being the prevention of unwanted pregnancy. Neutered rabbits also tend to be calmer and more loving, are less prone to destructive or aggressive behaviour and can usually be kept together in groups. Finally, neutering eliminates the possibility of cancer of the reproductive organs, which is a fairly common problem in middle-aged unneutered females.

Feeding.
Their ideal diet includes plenty of good quality hay, together with a selection of fresh food and a small amount of commercial rabbit food. This type of diet increases the wear on teeth (reducing the incidence of dental disease), reduces the chance of obesity and keeps them occupied for several hours each day!

In addition to traditional loose mixes, commercial rabbit foods are now also available as extruded pellets and this helps to avoid the problem of rabbits selectively feeding - leaving the vitamins and minerals uneaten.

If you would like further advice on vaccination, neutering, feeding or any other aspect of rabbit care please don’t hesitate to ask!

Rabbiting on : dental disease

Did you know that rabbits have continuously growing teeth, growing at a rate of 1-2 mm per week, and that one of the most common health problems in pet rabbits is dental disease, usually associated with overgrown teeth?

The incisor (front) teeth should meet, slicing off lengths of food before it is passed back to the cheek teeth. The incisor teeth can however become overgrown and as a result cause great difficulty in eating. The cheek teeth are grinding teeth. However if they become overgrown they frequently develop sharp spikes which can lacerate the tongue and cheeks, making eating very painful.

Tooth overgrowth occurs where the rate of tooth wear is less than the underlying rate of tooth growth. As a result, feeding a high fibre diet (to encourage tooth wear) can play a major role in preventing this painful and distressing condition.

Please contact us for further information on feeding your rabbit or for an examination of your rabbit’s teeth.

Links To Other Websites

Cats Protection
The Dogs Trust
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
The Blue Cross RSPCA