The team at Familypet Vet have seen an increase the number of animals suffering from rat bait intoxication recently in the Adelaaide area. We suspect this is because of the increase in mouse numbers, and so more baits are being laid.
Rat baits can contain any number of different poisons but most work by reducing clotting factors in the blood. So without thes factors the blood can’t clot and bleeding occurs which can be fatal. This poison is not species specific so this could happen to your cat or dog as well.
Dogs and cats can either be affected by eating the bait itself, or by eating mice or rats who have consumed rat bait. Symptoms usually take a couple of days to present themselves and include being more subdued than usual, pale or white gum colour, trouble breathing or unusual bruizing and bleeding.
The good news is that rat bait intoxication can be treated. If you see your pet eating bait, we can induce vomiting soon after at the veterinary clinic so that little of the bait is absorbed, and further treatment may not be required. If further treatment is required, vitamin K can be given by injection and tablet form for several weeks to help blood clotting while the toxin is in your pet’s system. The duration of vitamin K treatment depends on the active ingredient in the rat bait used, it can vary from a week to several weeks.
Our Pets age much faster than people do. The life span of your dog depends on its size or breed. In general, the larger the breed or size of the dog, the shorter the life span. In a study of lifespans, only 13% of giant breed dogs lived to be over 10 years old. Conversely, 38% of small breed dogs live to be over 10 years of age.
Dogs are considered senior in the last 25% of their lives. Have you noticed that your pet doesn’t seem to play quite as much but is still eating, drinking and happy to see people? You assume because they are older they are slowing down. But that may not be all of it. Your pet may not be slowing down due to age alone – they may be in pain. A recent study showed 20% of dogs suffer from arthritis. Pets often disguise illness and painful conditions which can be quite advanced before we realize there is a problem. We have treatments, advice and support for dogs suffering from the pain of arthritis. Collect a brochure with an arthritis checklist and see how your pet scores. We have treatments, advice and support for dogs suffering from the pain of arthritis.
1. A Soft Bed. Soft bedding can help support the bones and joints, making your pet more comfortable. Make sure the beds are out of drafty areas and consider buying your dog a warm coat for the winter.
2.Natural Supplements . Medications that contain glucosamine can make a big difference to arthritis. They work by providing the body with the necessary nutrients for cartilage repair and function. Sasha’s Blend and Pernaease powder are 2 popular products sold at Familypet Vet.
3Exercise . Modest daily exercise helps some dogs. Familypet Vet Veterinarians, can commend an appropriate exercise program that strengthen the muscles and ligaments. Some exercise is always better for your pet then none at all, even if done with the help of Anti-inflammatory medication.
4Special food. Prescription diets, specially formulated with the right amount of protein and carbohydrates for your dog`s needs in the Senior years, are enriched with nutraceuticals (greenlip mussel, Abalone, glucosamine and omega 3 oils). To help your dog get the best nutrition possible ask our nurses and vets about our Hills Prescription Diets.
5Cartrophen Vet Is an excellent drug administered by injection that will help slow the progression of arthritis. Your dog will need a course of 4 injections with 8/10 dogs responding significantly. We use boosters at 6-8weeks or otherwise we repeat a 4 week course in 6 or 12 months depending on your dogs response.
6Prescription medications : non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will help situations of worsening pain providing mobility and “Quality of Life “.
Contact our staff at Familypet Vet to make an appointment to promote a healthy and active life for your older pets
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What am I? … I am small, (1.5 to 3mm long). I have 6 legs. I can jump vertically up to 7 inches and horizontally up to 13 inches. I lay around 50 eggs a day and my favourite food is blood! Have you got it yet?
I’m a flea!!!
Understand your Victim The only conversation most people like to have on fleas is how to kill them, don’t worry we’ll get to that, but it’s easier to plan an assassination when you understand your victim. So let’s look at a few flea facts that will ensure your plan of attack is fool-pro… I mean flea-proof.
Where’s the problem 95% of the flea infestation is in your pet’s environment in the form of eggs, larvae and pupae.
This leaves only 5% of the problem to be seen on your pet. Scary! Fleas are agile but lazy Although fleas are crazy agile, they rarely jump from animal to animal. They tend to live, feed and breed on the one host. This means infestation spreads to other household pets from eggs hatching in the environment and the young flea jumping aboard the passing meals-on-paws. Fleas are a breeding machine The average lifespan of an adult flea is 100 days. If a flea can lay 50 eggs a day, that’s 5000 eggs in its lifetime! Fleas over-indulging Fleas consume 15 times their own body weight in blood every day. Cases of anaemia are seen in pets suffering a bad infestation. Kittens and puppies are especially vulnerable. Sun-loving insects Eggs hatch more readily in warm temperatures, so don’t be alarmed to see more fleas about in the summer months. Sickly saliva Flea saliva has an anticoagulant agent in it that can cause an allergic reaction in cats and dogs. We call this condition flea-allergy-dermatitis. Pets suffering flea allergy dermatitis may have balding patches of red, irritated, itchy skin. A Cat-flea on a dog-flea? There are thousands of flea species throughout the world. The main species found in Australia is the cat-flea. But don’t be fooled, 95% of the fleas found on dogs are cat-fleas. They will also feed on humans if given the chance!
So now we are all experts on fleas, how do we get rid of the little buggers!?!
Step 1– Use a good quality spot-on treatment. These supply continuous protection on your pet for a month at a time. Step 2- Treat all the pets in your household. Yes, that does include the half-wild cat that never comes inside. Step 3- Continue monthly treatment with a spot-on for a consecutive 6 months. This is how long flea eggs can lay dormant for. (To be safe, you can use a spot-on treatment monthly on your pet for life) Step 4- Vacuum regularly and wash all pet and human bedding in hot water. Hot water will kill fleas and eggs, cold water will not. Step 5- If infestation is bad, flea bomb the inside of the house (Pets outside when you do this please) What’s next? Unfortunately there is no vaccination for fleas… wouldn’t that be nice! As soon as one becomes available, we’ll be the first to let you know. In the mean time, if you do find yourself with a dreaded flea infestation, come see our friendly faces at Familypet Vet at Coromandel Valley or Mclaren Vale and we will help design your own personal flea assassination plan.
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As a human are you worried about your weight? Many of us are but often forget that our pets that we love also go through the same weight issues. Did you know that dogs can even suffer from obesity too? Obesity is a lifestyle disease that it has become a significant issue in the household and this flows through to your pets. Anyone and anything can suffer from obesity, even your pets, especially if you’re not aware of what you’re feeding them or if they have become inactive.
Domestic pets like our cats and dogs are prone to growing too fat. Overeating and inactivity are two of the main reasons why pets suffer from obesity. It results in other serious health conditions which if not treated could cost them some of their lifespans. Diabetes, arthritis and an increased risk of disease are just few of the many reasons why you should seriously consider your dog’s condition.
Your Blackwood Vet and Obesity in Dogs
As vets servicing Blackwood we see overweight dogs every day and people often have all sorts of reasons why their pets are in this condition. And yet they often seem to look for an external influence rather than take responsibility for this for themselves.
How do you know if your dog is already obese? His extra fat will show. Normally, a dog suffering from obesity weighs about 10% more than his optimal weight. Only a real veterinarian can really say that your dog may be gaining more weight than he should. However, there are tell-tale signs that can tell you if he is getting too fat. Has his collar gotten a little too tight over the past few weeks? Is he getting heavier and more difficult to carry? These are just a couple of the signs that you will notice as you interact with your dog. More importantly, these signs will tell you that it may be time to get professional help.
Much like it is for humans, dealing with obesity in your dog is all about the need to find a balance. You might think you just need to feed him less than you normally do. This is not necessarily the case. At Familypet Vet we have specialised trained nurses that will help you to get your dog back in shape. This will involve some dedication from you but you can do it. It involves some weigh in sessions with Natasha in Coromandel Valley 08 83703500 or Lindsay at Mclaren Vale 08 83238522. They well give you a step by step guide on what to do next. We don’t want you to feel like you are depriving your dog of what they want that will dawn on you, especially when they give that puppy eye look that they’re so good at. Just think about how it would benefit them in the long run.
And then there is the challenge of keeping them active throughout the day. Engage them in physical activities like playing catch or you may take them for a walk every morning around the area where you live. This and the diet will surely bring about significant changes in your dog’s weight. If his body is burning more calories than he is consuming, the chances of you saving him from obesity and the other serious diseases that come with it is very high.
The shift of lifestyle chance must be done today or you will regret it tomorrow. The real challenge after all the extra pounds have been shed off is how to keep them off. Natasha in Familypet vet Coromandel and Lindsay in Mclaren Vale will make sure you can easily keep their target weight by putting them on a maintenance diet. That will keep your dog happy and healthy for longer.
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Prin, The snake assassin and regular patient at Familypet Vet Coromandel Valley near Blackwood
Hi, my name is Prin. I’m a 7 ½ year old miniature fox terrier cross. Since my rescue from a shelter in May 2014, I have been living on a small property in Clarendon in the Adelaide Hills close to Blackwood.
My owner probably thought she was adopting a “normal” dog, but this wasn’t the case. You see, I love snakes. I really looooove snakes. There is a part of me that thrives off the thrill of the chase, that seeks the excitement of the kill, that feels alive in the face of danger!…. As you will soon hear, it hasn’t all been fun though. Some would say surviving 4 snake encounters in 4 weeks makes me a bit of a hero, others, well it doesn’t matter what they think, I’m the one telling the story. (more…)
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The team at Familypet Vet have seen an increase the number of animals suffering from rat bait intoxication recently in the Adelaaide area. We suspect this is because of the increase in mouse numbers, and so more baits are being laid.
