Crazy Days of Summer

As we all know dogs and cats are curious creatures. If there is something that they shouldn't get into they will! Summer is always a very busy time, with many new hazards to be aware of. Accidental poisoning is one of the most common dangers pets face. With summer comes fertilizers, weed control products, slug bait, as well as many plants and bulbs that can cause serious harm to your pet.
The most common sign of poisoning is vomiting. Other signs may include drooling, lethargy, depression, bleeding, bruising or even convulsions. These signs are also common in many other diseases, however in the case of poisoning, these sings appear suddenly in a healthy, normal dog or cat. In dealing with an accidental poisoning, the following are some basic points:

1. Call your veterinarian immediately. If possible have the name of the poison, when the pet may have had contact with it and how much. This information will help determine the best course of treatment.

2. Protect your pet and yourself from injury. If your pet is convulsing, be careful. They may not be aware of you and may be frightened. When seizuring, pets don't have control over their muscles and may bite and scratch without meaning to. Clear away any objects that they could get tangled in or knock over. Never try to pull the tongue out - they will not swallow their tongues! If you have to move your pet try using a blanket
like a stretcher.

3. Induce vomiting. This is generally the first step in treatment, however, only do so on the advice of your veterinarian or poison control operator. Some substances like petroleum products or acid cleaning solutions can cause lung and throat damage if regurgitated

4. Clean the skin. If your pet has gotten some toxic substance on it's fur and skin, it needs to be removed as soon as possible. Not only could it cause irritation/burning, some products can be absorbed through the skin. Also, if your pet trys to clean itself they will ingest it and that could lead to even more problems. Dilute thick petroleum products with vegetable oil, then use dish washing soap to remove the mixture. Thinner
petroleum liquids, like turpentine, must be washed off with dish soap and water quickly as they are rapidly absorbed.

Remember prevention is the key. Try to look around your house and yard from your pets' perspective - what might be tasty and within reach? Use "safer" alternatives for slug control, antifreeze, weed control, etc. Keep a pet first aid kit handy and well stocked, include your veterinarian's and the
poison control centre phone numbers.

 

WHAT'S UP DOC? PRE-ANESTHETIC TESTING In our last newsletter, we let you know about our "IDEXX" lab system, which allows us to run blood tests right in our own hospital! One of the very valuable uses of this machine is "Pre-anesthetic testing" which consists of a 6-chemistry blood panel, electrolytes and a PCV (packed cell volume). The six different chemistry tests help us to assure proper kidney and liver function, a proper electrolyte balance is vital to your pet's health and the PCV gives us a quick assessment to see if anemia (a low red blood cell count) is present. A "Pre-anesthetic screen" is run before we administer any medications to your pet. This allows the veterinarian to either proceed with the anesthetic, change the drug protocols to tailor it to your pet's needs or to postpone the procedure. In a recent survey by hospitals performing pre-anaesthetic testing it was found that the following percentages of dogs and cats had pre-anesthetic blood test results that promoted a change in the anaesthetic protocol: $15.1% of dogs and cat ages 6 moths - 5 years. $40.5% of dogs and cats ages 6 - 11 years. $52.6% of dogs and cats over 12 years old. As you can see,"Pre-anesthetic testing" is a valuable tool in our hospital, especially with senior pets over 7 years of age. Many of the mature cats and dogs appear healthy, but blood tests can show us the beginnings of disease. The best results are normal results because this establishes a "baseline" to compare future bloods tests to. This routine testing for early detection of health problems allow us to help your pet live a longer and healthier life. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about blood testing for your pet just give us a call!