Demodectic Mange and Sarcoptic Mange in Dogs

Thank you for joining us on the Pet Doctor Blog.  Today, I am going to talk a little bit about mange in dogs.  I hear a lot of questions about dog mange and hope to answer those questions here.  First, just because your dog has bad looking skin, some hair loss, scratching and things like that does not mean they have mange.

Mange is specific to a mite, which is a bug that actually lives in the skin.  There are two types of mange that we deal with: one of them is called demodectic mange or the demodex, which is mange that is usually found in young dogs.  The reason being is that younger dogs do not have immune systems as strong as older dogs that can fight this off and so these dogs somewhere around three, maybe four months of age will start getting little hairless patches of skin and eventually we will find a mite there that needs to be treated.

The other type of mange is called sarcoptic mange—it is a lot more serious.  It can be seen on dogs of all ages, it is something that is very contagious.  It is contagious between pets and it is also contagious to people and it can be very difficult to diagnose.  With demodectic mange, you do a skin scraping, look under the microscope and you can easily see the mites.  However, with sarcoptic mange it can be very difficult to find sometimes, so a lot of times, you are not getting anywhere with a skin condition and we suspect mange even though we are not seeing the mites, but because your dog may have skin problems that do not seem to improve, we may treat it for this type of mange anyway.  This is something you certainly want to have looked at because it can be very contagious to the family, kids and adults can pick it up so it’s not something you want to mess with.

Thanks for joining me today on the Pet Doctor Blog.  Please contact us if you have any questions.

2010.03.08 / no responses / Category: Dog Mange, Pet Care, Skin Problems

Hyperthyroidism in Cats

Hi, my name is Dr. Michelle DeLucia.  Thank you so much for joining us today on the Pet Doctor Blog.  Today, we will be talking about hyperthyroidism in cats.

The thyroid gland is the gland that regulates metabolism and in cats we commonly see hyperthyroidism or too much of the thyroid hormone circulating in the body.  The most common clinical signs of hyperthyroidism in cats are weight loss with the same appetite, vomiting, and poor unkempt hair coat.  If you are noticing any of these clinical signs in your cat, the best thing to do is to bring them into your veterinarian so your veterinarian can examine them and run some simple blood work, which will help determine whether or not the thyroid is normal.

If the thyroid is abnormal, giving your cat simple medications prescribed by your veterinarian can regulate it.  Alternatively, there are radiation therapy centers that can treat hyperthyroidism in cats.  Again, if you have any concerns about your cat or you suspect that they may be hyperthyroid, it is best to have them examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

2010.02.10 / no responses / Category: Hyperthyroidism in Cats

How to Deal with Dog and Cat Seizures

Thank you so much for joining us today on the Pet Doctor Blog!  Today, I am going to talk to you about dog seizures and seizures in cats.

Dog seizures and cat seizures are any uncontrolled movements that are a result of abnormal brain activity.  If your dog or cat has a seizure, you may see some paddling, you may also see loss of consciousness and inappropriate urination and defecation.  The important thing is, if your pet has a seizure to go ahead and bring him or her as soon as possible so that we can go ahead and examine them to see what might be going on.

There are many different causes of cat and dog seizures including toxins, metabolic defects, neurological defects and tumors.  The difference between these things can be sorted out quickly and efficiently when you bring them in to see your veterinarian.  The veterinarian can start with running blood work and a thorough examination.  After the examination and the blood work results, we may be able to prescribe your pet medications to prevent them from experiencing the seizures again.

Alternatively, in some cases a referral to a neurologist may be required.  We do encourage owners to keep a seizure log of seizure activity and how long those seizure activities last so that we can examine that when we do look at your pet.

Again, if your pet is having a seizure, the important thing to do is keep them calm and comfortable and never to try to reach After the symptoms subside it is important to bring your pet to see your veterinarian as soon as possible.

2010.02.01 / no responses / Category: Seizures, Senior Pets

Colitis in Dogs

Thank you for joining me on the Pet Doctor Blog.  We have gotten a lot of questions about diarrhea in dogs so I want to talk a little bit about a condition called colitis in dogs, which many of you have probably experienced with your dogs.  Colitis is a diarrhea in dogs primarily, although cats can get it as well.

The first sign of colitis in dogs is usually blood in the diarrhea, there is also usually mucus in the diarrhea, so it can look like a fairly severe condition and sometimes, it can lead to a very, very serious condition, but most colitis is brought on by stress.  We see it a lot after boarding, after dogs have gone through some type of traumatic experience, change in weather, especially if it has been raining for a while.  It also can occur in cold weather because the dogs do not want to go out on the same schedule.
Any kind of changes in there activity level, anything that causes them to be stressed can cause a colitis which is usually easily treated.

Colitis in dogs is generally treated with some medicine called azulfidine or metronidazole and along with a prescription diet dog food that is high in fiber. So, if your dog or your cat gets a bloody mucusy diarrhea, you need to have it checked out because there are some other conditions that can be very, very serious and some of them can even be life threatening, so you want to make sure it is something as simple as a colitis and if so, then it is something that can be treated quite easily and it will usually clear up within 24 to 36 hours.
Thanks for joining me and I hope this answered some of your questions with regard to colitis in dogs and cats.  If you have any other pet care questions please let us know.

2010.01.16 / no responses / Category: Colitis in Dogs, Pet Care

Dog Cushings Disease

Today, I am going to answer some questions about Cushings Disease.  This is a disease we see pretty commonly in dogs, and occasionally in cats.  Dog cushings disease is a hormonal imbalance wherein the body produces too much cortisol for a few different reasons and because cortisol affects so many different body systems, we see a lot of different problems in the body when a dog has this disease.

The most common signs we see are either urinary tract or skin signs.  As far as the urinary tract goes, these patients will drink and urinate more frequently.  They have frequent urinary tract infections and can even have stones in the bladder.  Often, we will also see hair loss, increased pigment in the skin, thinning or bruising of the skin and even demodectic mange.

Some other severe signs that we will sometimes see are deposition of fat in the abdomen.  They have big bloated abdomens and enlarged livers.  Sometimes, these patients can even develop diabetes from the excess cortisol in the blood stream, so this can potentially be a very serious disease, although we see a lot of different levels of severity.  If you think that your pet might be exhibiting some of these signs, we can get some clues based on physical exam and routine blood work that will point us to more specific testing to help us diagnose the problems specifically.

There is treatment available for Dog Cushings Disease and the treatment depends on the severity of the disease.  Everything from surgery to mediation to control the condition is available for treatment options, we can talk to you about how your pet feels at home and decide what is the best course.

If you have any other questions, feel free to let us know.  We would love to talk to you.  Thank you.

Dr. Kris Kane

2010.01.12 / no responses / Category: Cushings Disease, Pet Care

Dog Cherry Eye Advice and Treatment Options

Dog cherry eye problems can be a problem for the general eye care of your dog. Cherry eyes occur most commonly in young puppies, most commonly in the dogs with the smoochie faces like bulldogs and shiatsus, but can also occur commonly in cocker spaniels and beagles and poodles and very rarely, but also sometimes in cats.

What is a dog cherry eye?   A cherry eye is a bulging of the gland of the third eyelid.  Unlike humans, dogs and cats have an extra eyelid that pops up from the corners of their eyes and can actually cover the majority of the surface of the eye and underneath this eyelid, there is a gland called the gland of the third eyelid or the lacrimal gland.  This gland produces about forty to fifty percent of the tear fluid that covers—that can lubricate the surface of your dogs and cats’ eyes.  Sometimes, this gland will get inflamed and red and it will actually flip out from the third eyelid and protrude and it’ll look like—that’s why we call it a cherry eye because it will look like a little bit of a cherry in the corner of the eye.

This is something that most definitely needs to be repaired and should be repaired fairly quickly.  You don’t want to let it go on too long.  Sometimes, when you come to see us, we will send you home with an anti-inflammatory type ointment to put in the eye and this is just to help take down some of the inflammation to hopefully help surgery to be more successful, but surgery is always required and there are two different types of surgeries we can perform; neither of which are unfortunately a hundred percent, sometimes it does require that we go back to surgery, but eventually, we will get it fixed.

The most important thing with a surgical procedure is that we do not remove this gland.  You never want to remove the gland of the third eyelid because as I said, it produces forty to fifty percent of the tears and these tears are very necessary to help keep the eye lubricated.  If we remove the gland, we are almost then definitely going to cause something called KCS in our dogs—that is essentially dry eye, and dry eye can cause many additional problems like ulcers and deterioration of the surface of the eye, so we definitely do not want to take this gland out.  We want to fold it back under and make it stay under so that the inflammation goes down and it remains in its proper anatomical location.

So surgery is definitely necessary.  Again, if we leave it out and do not perform surgery, we can also get this dry eye problem that I discussed because the exposure of that gland can actually cause it to deteriorate and stop functioning in its normal way.  So it is very important that you come see us if your dog ends up with this condition and we will help you get it resolved.

If you have any other questions about a dog cherry eye or anything else, please let us know.

Dr. Avery Woodworth

2010.01.08 / no responses / Category: Eye Care

Your Pets New Years Resolutions

As we begin our lists of resolutions for 2010, we need to keep in mind our pets. The beginning of a New Year is the perfect time to change our pets habits for the better. Let’s make 2010 a great year for our pets!

Bi-annual Wellness Exams

In an effort to stay healthy, many of us see a physician once a year for a general check-up.  Pets age seven times faster than humans, and many veterinarians now recommend wellness exams twice a year in order to stay current on the condition of our pets and informed on changes in weight, diet or behavior.

Teeth Brushing

Just as dental care is important in our own lives, the oral quality of our pets is something we should make a priority.  Daily brushing with pet toothpaste is the best way to maintain dental health.  Other products such as oral hygiene chews and drinking water additives can help keep our pets’ teeth in tip-top shape between dental cleanings.

Ear Cleaning

Our furry friends have large ears- all the better to hear us with.  As the weather warms up and we take them to the pool, lake or beach with us, it is important to maintain healthy ears.  This means using a cotton ball and ear cleaner to wipe them out anytime they get wet in order to prevent ear infections.

Frequent Baths and Brushing

Just as we enjoy a nice afternoon at the spa, grooming helps our pets look and feel great. Regular brushing and combing stimulates circulation for a shinier coat, removes loose hair and helps prevent matting. Invest in a good brush and use it often.

Diet Assessment

At the top of many people’s lists for 2010 is weight loss. Our pet’s diet should reflect his or her age, lifestyle and health concerns.  Ask your veterinarian to recommend the best diet for your pet at his or her next wellness exam.

If you have any questions about your pets health in 2010 or any other question, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  We look forward to seeing you and  your pet soon.

Dr. Kris Kane

2010.01.07 / no responses / Category: Dental Care, Ear Care, Newsletters, Obesity, Skin Problems

Overweight Dogs and Cats

How many of us out there have dogs that are overweight, whether it be a few pounds all the way up to gravely obese?  There are some dogs that come in here and that are fifty or sixty pounds overweight and it’s just an absolute fright to see it, but it’s happening.  The same things happen in people and we are doing it to our pets also, and when you get a dog that is overweight, that dog is going to be more susceptible to joint problems to kidney problems, to diabetes, to heart problems—all of these things that affect people are going to also affect your pets, so it’s very, very important.

Dog Obesity

One of the diets that we use is a diet called RD—it stands for Reducing Diet.  It’s by Hill’s and it is one of our prescription diets that will get your overweight dog to lose weight.  The nice thing about it is that in order to create balance, they can be on it for their entire life.  It is best to set a goal and then work to get them down to that weight.  If they get down to that weight and they can stay there, there is another diet called WD that is a maintenance-type diet, but the nice thing about these diets is they are very high in fiber, which makes the animal feel full.

So with these diets the animal isn’t going to be starving to death and driving you crazy all the time wanting to eat.  Along with the diet, it is very, very important to start exercising your pets.  They can’t lay around the house 23 hours a day, going out to the bathroom a couple of times and think they’re going to lose weight.  So along with the diet, you’ve got to get them out, walk them, jog them, do something, which is good for us too, so we need to get out there with our pets and do that every day.

With a good prescription diet like RD and exercise, your pet is going to lose weight.

Thank you for joining us and if you have any questions on this topic or any others, please let us know.

Dr. Dean Severidt

2009.12.26 / no responses / Category: Food, Obesity

Prescription Diet Dog Food

Thanks for joining us here at our Pet Doctors Blog and I am just going to briefly talk a little bit about prescription diet dog food.

Many pet owners have probably heard the term prescription diet dog food and probably wonder what it is.  A prescription diet is a food that is made for a specific medical problem in an animal whether that be a dog or a cat with heart failure, liver failure, kidney issues, bladder problems, etc.  There are specific diets made to help these animals control that disease process and in reality, they do not actually require a prescription.  They do not have to be prescribed through a veterinarian, but they are only sold through veterinary practices.

We carry Hills Prescription Diet dog food here at Pet Doctors of America.  I feel that it is very important to only carry one type of food so you can be very, very familiar with it and understand how these products work, which is why we only carry Hill’s food products. So if your animal has kidney problems, bladder stones, heart problems, liver problems or about any other medical condition there is and I think we all know how important diets are in the healing process.

So this is something that we use a lot.  It is something that is very, very important to your pet and it’s something that if your veterinarian is recommending it, you certainly need to check it out.

Thank you for joining us and if you have any questions, please let us know.

Dr. Dean Severidt

2009.12.21 / no responses / Category: Food, Pet Care

Ear Care for Pets

Ear infections can be seen by common clinical signs which include scratching of the ears, head shaking, red ears or a bad smell in the ears.  Ear infections can affect both cats and dogs, but are commonly found in dogs.

There are many reasons that dogs can get ear infections and those include allergies, bathing, getting water in the ear through swimming or basically just having some dirt and material in the ear that can be complicated when they also have hair that grows deep into their ear.

We offer many products that help with ear infections, but before we prescribe these products for your pet, we’d actually need to assess their ears.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats have ears that are a little bit more complicated.  Instead of just having one canal, they actually have an L-shaped ear canal with both horizontal and vertical components.  So when we think about medicating their ears, we have to make sure that we get the medication deep into the ear and then we massage in so that the medication can actually reach way down near the eardrum.  We do want to ensure also that we don’t treat ears at home by using things like Q-tips or swabs because they can actually damage the ear drum if we do that.

Thank you for joining us today on the Pet Doctors Blog.

Today, we’re going to talk about ear infections in pets commonly known in the veterinary world as otitis interna or extern.

Also, when we examine their ear in the hospital, we are looking to make sure that the ear drum is intact and that’s very important because some of the medications that we do use for ear infections can cause problems that the eardrum is broken.

Some of the most common medications we use for ear infections include mometamax, tresaderm, and Baytril Otic.

The important thing is that we do the swab cytology so we can see what is going on exactly with the ear infection whether it be a bacterial or fungal ear infection and then we can treat it appropriately.

We also do advice that our owners, especially owners with floppy ear dogs and dogs that have a lot of hair in their ears actually clean their ears on a regular basis with products like Epi-Otic.  We are more than happy to show you how to clean your dog or cat’s ears if you wanted to come in.

Some of the complications of ear infections that are left untreated would be vestibular disease, where actually the facial nerves are affected and dogs can actually get head tilt and have a deep, deep infection and things like oral hematoma and that’s a pocket of blood that forms in the ear from a really bad head shaking.

Again, thank you so much for joining us on our blog today and if you have questions about your dog or cat’s ears or anything else, please let us know.

Dr. Michelle DeLucia

2009.12.18 / no responses / Category: Ear Care, Pet Care