The Pet Care Center of Nassau A Pet–Loving Publication From Your Friends At The Pet Care Center • Spring 2011 Our Passion is Pets Since 2002, The Pet Care Center has specialized in the tender care and treatment of your beloved animal companions. We are dedicated to enriching the human-animal bond by providing pet parents with the care and knowledge to help their pets live healthy, wonderful lives. Thank you for the many wonderful photos submitted for our Pet Photo Contest. It was very hard to pick a winner. Watch for more winners in upcoming issues. From the staff of The Pet Care Center of Nassau Photo Contest 1st Place Winner Nole Pet Events by Denise Boyd April Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month The 90th Annual Be Kind to Animals Week May 1 – May 7 National Dog Bite Prevention Week May 15 – May 21 June Adopt a Shelter Cat Month Friday, June 24 Take Your Dog to Work Day PET ALLERGIES: Nothing to Sneeze at O nce again, new flowers will burst into life, plants will thrive, and a sweet fragrance will fill the air. And so will the symptoms of seasonal allergies – for animals and humans alike. Blooming plants, grasses and flowers can trigger allergic reactions, called atopy, in dogs and cats. Similar to hay fever, pets with such allergies typically have itchy skin and will scratch, bite or lick themselves constantly, often creating sores that become secondary infections. Allergic reactions can be amplified by an unrecognized nutritional deficiency. Your pet’s immune system must receive proper nourishment to do its job at peak efficiency. One of the best things you can do is feed your pet a premium, high-quality pet food. This will always help to keep your companion healthy and well balanced. In milder cases, medications may be used to control itching. In more severe situations, skin testing can be performed to identify the specific substances to which your pet is allergic. Treatments for allergies may include immunotherapy, antihistamines, fatty acid supplements, soothing medicated shampoos, and antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, are effective at reducing the symptoms of atopy, but they can have many serious side effects that limit their long-term use and should be administered cautiously. Managing pet allergies takes some human patience. However, by combining different methods of therapy, paying attention to your pet’s environment, and observing your pet so that you can begin treatment as early as possible, you can make your pet feel his best. Talk to your veterinarian if you think your pet may be suffering from seasonal allergies. Best in Show 2010 Top 10 Cat and Dog Breeds OK, so it’s not exactly like being voted into the American Idol finals. But if your pet’s made one of the lists below, he’s a top cat or dog for sure. Top 10 Dog Breeds Prevention OF Heartworm Disease H eartworm is an insidious disease that affects cats and dogs throughout the United States and Canada. Spread by mosquitoes, areas most heavily populated by these insects have an even greater incidence of the disease, but veterinary experts suggest year-round prevention regardless of where you live. These lethal parasites can grow up to one foot in length and live in your pet’s heart for years, restricting blood flow to the other organs. Without prevention, animals are exposed to this disease which, in its early stages, has no symptoms. If not detected and controlled with proper treatment, heartworm can lead to congestive heart failure and death. Prevention requires a visit to a vet- Labrador Retriever German Shepherd Yorkshire Terrier Beagle Golden Retriever Bulldog Boxer Dachshund Poodle Shih Tzu erinarian. Dogs must be tested to ensure they don’t have heartworm. If your pet gets a clean bill of health, that’s great. But it’s important that you prevent any possible infestation. By federal law, heartworm preventative medicine is only available through a prescription. Treatments include a tablet or a topical liquid medicine that enters the bloodstream when applied to the What is FeLV? Feline Leukemia Virus greatly depending on their age, health, environment, and lifestyle. In the United States, approximately 2% to 3% of all cats are infected with FeLV. Rates rise significantly – 13% or more – in young kittens and cats that are ill, or otherwise at high risk of infection. How is FeLV spread? Top 10 Cat Breeds Persian Maine Coon Exotic Siamese Abyssinian Birman Oriental American Shorthair Tonkinese Burmese skin, or a six-month heartworm prevention injection. These preventatives can provide protection against not only heartworm, but also other parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, fleas, ear mites and ticks. Heartworm prevention is simply good medicine. We advise clients to put their pets on preventative drugs because it protects them from heartworms as well as a slew of other parasites that can be transmitted from pets to people. Pet parents should discuss with your vet which course of prevention will work best. Although cats can be infected, heartworm is found more typically in dogs. Be vigilant about protecting your pet – it’ll do his heart good. F eline leukemia virus affects a cat in many ways. It is the most common cause of cancer in cats, it may cause various blood disorders, and it may lead to a state of immune deficiency that hinders the cat’s ability to protect itself against other infections. The same bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi that may be found in the everyday environment – where they usually do not affect healthy animals – can cause severe illness in those with weakened immune systems. These secondary infections are responsible for many of the diseases associated with FeLV. How common is the infection? FeLV-infected cats are found worldwide, but the prevalence of infection varies Cats persistently infected with FeLV are themselves sources of infection. Virus is shed in very high quantities in their saliva and nasal secretions, but also in urine, feces and milk. Cat-to-cat transfer of virus may occur from a bite wound, during mutual grooming, and through the shared use of litter boxes and feeding dishes. Transmission can also take place from an infected mother cat to her kittens, while they are nursing or even before they are born. What are the signs of FeLV? During the early stages of infection, it is common for cats to exhibit no signs of disease at all. Over time, however, the cat’s health may progressively deteriorate or be characterized by recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health. Signs can include: • Loss of appetite • • • • • • • • • • Slow but progressive weight loss Poor coat condition Enlarged lymph nodes Persistent fever Inflammation of the gums and mouth Infections of the skin, urinary bladder, and upper respiratory tract Persistent diarrhea Seizures, behavior changes, and other neurological disorders A variety of eye conditions In unspayed female cats, miscarriage of kittens or other reproductive failures How can I keep my cat from becoming infected? The only sure way to protect cats is to prevent their exposure to FeLV-infected cats. Keep cats indoors, away from potentially infected cats that might bite them. Adopt only infection-free cats into households with uninfected cats. House infection-free cats separately from infected cats, and don’t allow infected cats to share food and water bowls or litter boxes with uninfected cats. Consider FeLV vaccination of uninfected cats. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of vaccination with your veterinarian. Take a litter-trained cat or dog that doesn’t bark or slobber and won’t knock visitors down at the door, and Voilà … you have a rabbit! Petography 101 How to Picture your pup Capturing the beauty in the beast! Silly rabbit What’s Up, Doc? R abbits are very easy to love, but not as easy to care for. Kept in a cage all day, they have no choice but to sit there and do nothing. Give a rabbit the freedom to roam your house or backyard, however, and they will leave no stone unturned. They are inquisitive animals to the point of being mischievous. Hop it to Me Baby Although rabbits are little, they still need a roomy home. Cages for a sixpound rabbit should be at least 18 inches high, 24 inches wide and 24 inches deep. Layer the floor of a wire cage with cardboard or paper. Always house rabbits indoors and maintain a comfortable room temperature. Rabbits can easily learn to use a litter box. Don’t use cedar or other wood shavings, which may cause liver damage or trigger allergic reactions. Instead, stick with organic litters made of paper, oats, alfalfa or citrus. If there were a food pyramid chart for rabbits, timothy grass hay would form the entire base. Timothy hay and oats are better than alfalfa hay, which is too high in calcium. Hay aids their digestive systems and provides the necessary fiber to help prevent health problems such as hairballs, diarrhea and obesity. Like people, rabbits prefer to eat what tastes good, not what’s good for them. Avoid lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage or table scraps, which can all cause bloating and diarrhea. Keep fresh water available, preferably in sipper bottles. Bunny Style Rabbits multiply – well, like rabbits. For that reason, as well as improved health and behavior, have your bunny spayed or neutered. Chewing is also part of a rabbit’s natural behavior, but it doesn’t have to be destructive. To keep rabbits active and amused, put untreated wood blocks or cardboard in their cage. Don’t give them objects with sharp edges, loose parts, or soft rubber that can be swallowed. Caution: Handle with Care Rabbits are fragile animals that must be handled carefully. Their bones are so delicate that the muscles in their powerful hind legs can easily overcome the strength of their skeletons. If not properly restrained, struggling rabbits can break their own spines. One way to take a rabbit out of a cage is to gently gather a handful of loose skin at the scruff of his neck, turn the animal’s face away while pulling his body toward you, and immediately place your other hand underneath his rump to support his body weight. Another method is to slide one hand underneath the front of the rabbit and the other hand underneath his backside, lifting him carefully with both hands. Never let his body hang free, never lift him by the stomach, and never – EVER – pick him up by the ears. A rabbit can be a charming companion. Once you open your eyes to all the wonderful things the little rabbit has to offer, your heart will surely follow. 2. Remove film disk from puppy’s mouth and put in trash. 3. Remove puppy from trash and remove coffee grounds from muzzle. 4. Choose suitable background for photo. 5. Mount camera on tripod and focus. 6. Find puppy and take dirty sock out of mouth. 7. Place puppy in prefocused spot and return to camera. Prevention OF Lyme Disease A pril is Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month. Its goal: to increase awareness of the risks and encourage pet owners to take precautions. Although it has been found in every state, Lyme is most prevalent in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Ticks are bloodsucking external parasites that feed on humans, wild and domestic mammals, birds, reptiles and others. They are totally dependent on the blood/tissue fluids of the host. The longer an infective tick feeds, the greater the chance of infection. A tick needs to be attached for 48 hours to transmit the Lyme disease bacteria. 1. Find film disk and camera. These tiny disease carriers are most active during the spring and summer, and can transmit Lyme disease to both you and your pets. Some infected animals will not show symptoms, while others develop fever, loss of appetite, joint pain, and lethargy. Although humans can develop heart and neurological problems, these issues are extremely rare in infected pets. However, if untreated, canine Lyme disease can cause kidney damage. When Lyme is detected early and treated with antibiotics, pets recover quickly. If you suspect your pet has been infected, your veterinarian can run a blood test to find out. Although the prospect of contract- 8. Forget about wet spot and crawl after puppy on knees. ing Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases is a concern to us all, you can still enjoy an outdoor lifestyle as long as you take preventative measures. Ticks thrive in damp, dense woods, so walk your dog on trails and away from vegetation, and keep cats indoors. Control tick habitation by mowing your lawn regularly and removing leaf litter and brush piles. Ticks are hard to find, but checking your pets frequently can greatly reduce the chance of infection. If you live in a high-risk area, your veterinarian may recommend an annual Lyme disease vaccination, screenings, and a repellant. Safe, reliable products are available from your veterinarian. Many prevent fleas as well. 9. Focus with one hand and fend off puppy with the other hand. 10.Get tissue and clean nose print from lens. 11.Put cat outside and put peroxide on the scratch on puppy’s nose. 12.Try to get puppy’s attention by squeaking toy over your head. 13.Replace your glasses and check camera for damage. 14.Jump up in time to grab puppy and say “No! ... do that outside!” 15.Sit back in chair for deep breathing excercise and resolve to teach puppy to “sit” and “stay” first thing tomorrow morning. The Pet Care Center of Nassau 850694 Highway 17 Yulee, FL 32097 Home Style Care For Your Pets! 4 Paws Pet Clinic Medical & Wellness Care Kozy Kennels Elite Boarding Services Cat Condos Ritzy Clips Grooming Services Dear Paw, We were camping in an area known for ticks. What is the best way to get a tick off a human body? – Tick Check Phone (904) 548-0015 Fax (904) 548-0023 www.petcarecenter.us Hours 9:00am – 5:00pm Sat. 9:00am – Noon Emergency 7 days a week Located on 4.5 acres with 53 Runs Deer Tick, (get it?) Here is the proper way to remove ticks from a human body: Use a fine-point tweezer to grasp the tick around its mouthparts, at the place of attachment next to the skin. Gently pull the tick straight out. Place the tick in a small vial labeled with the date, victim’s name, address, tick’s description (e.g. if engorged, color), and estimated hours attached. Mark your calendar too! Wash your hands and disinfect the tweezer and bite. Teach kids to seek adult help for tick removal. Check your entire body for ticks. Do this by looking at your clothes and by running your fingers over your skin. Don’t forget your hair, ears, and underarms. Call and let your doctor know you removed a tick. The doctor may treat the tick bite or may ask you to watch for signs of infection. – Your Paw © Copyright 2011 The Paw. www.pawstreet.com. Portions of this publication have been reprinted with permission from The Humane Society of the United States. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The articles in The Paw Street Journal are not meant to take the place of professional advice or treatment. #37 3/11
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