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Consider the Source
Yoda's Advice to the Unknowing
Dear
Yoda,
What is all this I hear about "Beaver Fever"?
Can you get sick if you touch a Girl Guide or Boy Scout
too?
Bridgett Jones Diary-a
Dear
Bridgett,
Giardia, otherwise known as "Beaver Fever"
is not contracted by touching people. It is a parasite
found in water sources, lakes, streams, ponds, etc.
If you drink from contaminated sources or if you lick
your feet after stepping in an infested pool, you
are at risk. Your people can have you vaccinated to
prevent this problem. I made up a little song to tell
you the signs of Giardia
-If your tummy starts to squirm and it's not because
of worms
(Beaver
Fever, Beaver Fever)
-If your toes begin to curl and you think your going
to hurl
(Beaver
Fever, Beaver Fever)
-If your running like a fox, only to your litter box
(Beaver Fever, Beaver Fever)
-if you spent your holiday, swimming where the beavers
play
(Beaver Fever, Beaver Fever)
Dear
Yoda,
What took you so long to put out your newsletter?
Curious George
Dear
George,
I humbly apologise for the delay. I have been a little
overworked lately. As most of you know, I have my
own page on our website at www.sunshinecoastvet.com
and have been madly updating and creating my quizzes.
As well, we have finished a complete renovation of
the hospital interior, come check us out. (I chose
all the colors personally)
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Your
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital
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"Yoda"
the Cat
Dr. Don French
Dr. Rick Smalley
Tamara Cox
Darla Messner
Jaime Dragan
Kristy Hemstalk
Flora Wainright
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Goodwill
Ambassador
Veterinarian/Owner
Veterinarian
Reg. Animal Technologist
Veterinary Receptionist
Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary Volunteer |
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EMERGENCY
CHECKLIST
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Are
You Prepared For An Emergency With Your Pet?
Here's A Checklist:
- Sturdy pet carrier/kennel.
- Recent photo of you and your pet. This will
make it easier to match lost pets with their
owners.
- Collar with ID tag.
- Record of microchip number or tattoo number
(if your pet has one).
- Leash.
- Can opener (if your pet eats canned food).
- Extra pet food.
- Extra long-term medication. Motion sickness
pills or sedatives?
- Any special supplements/vitamins.
- Kitty litter and litter box.
- Pet first aid kit - bandages, tape, antibiotic
creams/ointments, scissors, disinfectants.
- Non-spill water/food bowls.
- Extra water in non-breakable container.
- Cleaning supplies - paper towel/plastic bags.
- Record of vaccines.
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ASK
US ABOUT WELLNESS TESTING FOR YOUR SENIOR PET!
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 ALLERGIES
We all know someone that has allergies or maybe you have them
yourself; pets are as susceptible to allergies as we are.
Allergies are one of the most difficult and frustrating of
problems to control and treat. There are lots of ways to treat
the symptoms of allergies, but it may take some time and diagnostic
work to establish the underlying cause.
Dogs and cats have slightly different allergy symptoms: chewing
feet, crusty skin, face rubbing, ear infections, pulling out
tuffs of hair, twitchy skin, inflamed spots and scratching
are all common signs. Whether your pet is allergic to something
they eat, inhale, or have contact with, they will show it
through skin problems or occasionally through allergy bronchitis.
We see environmental allergies arise for many reasons; a recent
outbreak of fleas, pollination from certain trees and grasses,
molds and fungus flourishing in our homes (heaters and closed
windows provide a nice, warm, comfy environment). If you are
one of the many pet owners who occasionally feed their pet
tasty tidbits, or leftovers, you may also be contributing
to your pets' allergy problem.
Because the pets' body must learn to react to the allergen,
the pet must be exposed to the allergen for some time before
the allergy develops. An exception to this would be allergies
to insect bites, which may develop after only a few exposures.
Certain dog breeds are more prone to allergies due to genetics,
but any dog or cat can be allergic at some point in its' life.
In pets, allergies can develop at any age, but over 80% begin
by the time the pet turns three. To make matters worse, as
the animal ages it usually develops allergies to additional
things and the response to any one allergen becomes more severe.
Diagnosing
and treating allergies is possible by several ways: allergy
testing (sending a blood sample to a specialized laboratory
to test for environmental inhalants and food allerges), Elimination
trials (eliminating all but a few food items then gradually
re-introducing), or Allergy injections (injections given to
desensitise your pet to environmental allergens) are all used.
Drug therapy is used if the pet responds well and long enough
to get them through a difficult time of year (this is not
the best alternative as it may make the allergies more severe
and difficult to treat). There are also various creams, diets,
and shampoos available that are specifically for allergies
and are approved by veterinarians.
If you feel your pet may be suffering from allergies, we can
help to alleviate the problem. Remember that treating allergy
skin problems early can prevent long-term skin damage and
result in quicker healing. If you have any skin problems,
don't hesitate to call our office and ask our knowledgeable
staff.
WHAT'S
UP DOC?
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital prides itself on being
a progress, compassionate, caring hospital. We strongly
believe in the benefits of continuing our education,
whether it is a single product seminar or a weeklong
conference.
In August, Jaime, Darla and Tamara went to the 26th
World Small Animal Veterinary Congress Conference held
in Vancouver.
A wide variety of topics were presented by some of the
top speakers in their fields: Post-surgical Care, Puppy/Kitten
Programs, The Human-Animal Bond, Nutrition in Cancer
Patients, Animal Communication, Practice Management
and The Canadian Urolith Centre Report (bladder stones).
It was an exciting and very large conference, as many
of the attendees and presenters were from all over the
world! There was also an exhibit hall, where at least
250 companies had displays and information on various
new and existing products.
We hope to use all that we have learned to continue
to improve our commitment to provide you and your pets
with the highest level of pet health care possible!
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