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This has been an abnormal winter as far as weather goes in Central Illinois. We are definitely seeing the effects of this at West Lake Animal Hospital as well. Typically, our case load declines a little during the months of November through March, but boy have we been busy! We have seen a high number of skin and allergy cases this winter compared to most. The warm winter months have also been perfect for fleas to continue their life cycle. It is extremely rare to see fleas on patients during December, January, and February, but we have been seeing fleas weekly this winter.
What does this mean for the rest of the year? We expect an exceptionally high number of allergy and skin disease cases this year. Plants are growing now that normally do not, which is causing dogs to react when they never have before. This will get worse once spring is officially here. Fleas will likely be out in full force much earlier in the year as well. The most common causes of itchy pets are environmental allergens (grass, pollens, weeds, trees), food allergies, and external parasites (fleas). Problems with skin can be very frustrating and complicated to diagnose and treat, but once the patient is doing better, they are some of the most rewarding cases because the animal feels so much better! If you notice your pet has been itching more than normal, contact your veterinarian or calls us at 217-529-4499 to discuss what is going on and how to correct it. Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch. We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients. Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own.
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 Copy has lost 5 lbs over the past 5 months on Metabolic food. He is thrilled to be our spokesmodel! We are having a Biggest Loser Contest for our patients this spring! Since many humans are on a health and fitness journey early in the year, we thought it’d be good for our pets to join us! Cats and dogs are welcome to sign up; the deadline to enter is January 16. The contest will fun from February 1 through April 30. First prize is a year’s supply of free prescription pet food, and 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive a gift basket. All participants will be eating Hill’s Prescription Metabolic food throughout the contest. If you’d like to enter your pet, hurry and call the clinic and get them signed up today! Check out this article from JAVMA, about how diets actually make cats more affectionate! https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/160401f.aspx
And here are some awesome before and after pictures of pet’s who went on a 6 month weight loss journey (as reported by CBS news). http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/pet-weight-loss-contest-before-and-after/ Please contact us in Springfield at 217-529-4499 to get your pet signed up for our Biggest Loser Challenge. Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch. We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients. Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own. What exactly constitutes a “senior” pet? In the veterinarian world in Springfield, we consider a dog or cat a senior when they reach the age of 8. For large breed dogs, their senior years begin at a younger age, closer to 6 years. Many people shy away from adopting a senior pet because they think their time with them is short. However, these pets are such loyal companions and have so much love to give because they are grateful to have a wonderful family and home. The life expectancy of many dogs and cats can be 12-15 years or longer, and giving them a loving environment for the remainder of their lives is very rewarding. Senior pets often are more laid-back and have less energy than a young dog, which is a desirable trait for many pet owners.
With age comes more health concerns of course, but many of the senior pet diseases can be managed with changes to diet, environment, and/or medication. It is a good idea to have a senior pet examined by your veterinarian prior to finalizing the adoption. The most common health issues that we see in senior animals are arthritis, liver or kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Don’t let this list scare you away from adopting a sweet senior and giving them the best loving home they’ve ever had. With well managed care, they can maintain a great quality of life for years as a member of your family.
Often, rescues and shelters will have Senior Pet Programs where discounts are offered for the adoption of a senior pet. If this is something you are interested in, be sure to ask the staff when you go to find your new forever friend! If we can answer any questions for you regarding senior pet health or where to find a senior pet to adopt, please contact us in Springfield at 217-529-4499. Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch. We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients. Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own. Below are some links of local shelters who adopt out senior pets: http://www.illinoishumane.org/ http://www.apl-shelter.org/ http://www.felineranch.org/ http://www.scdph.org/animal-control-pet-adoption/ Diabetes mellitus is a disease that both dogs and cats can develop, although the disease differs between species somewhat. The clinical signs that many pet owners report early in the disease process are weight gain, excessive thirst, increased frequency in urination, urinating outside the litter box or having accidents in the house, and increased appetite. As the disease progresses, the clinical signs are typically weight loss, lethargy, not eating, and vomiting.
Veterinarians will suspect diabetes based on a pet’s history and the clinical signs that the pet owner has seen. A urinalysis and blood test can be done to diagnose a cat or dog with diabetes. Once the blood glucose reaches a certain level, it will actually start spilling out into the urine and we sometimes see this when we are checking a cat for a urinary tract infection. Once a diagnosis of diabetes has been made, it will be important to follow the advice of your veterinarian very closely. Treatment will vary based on species and your particular pet. Dogs more commonly have Type 1 diabetes; which is when insulin-secreting cells are destroyed, thus making the dog dependant on an outside source of insulin. Cats develop inadequate or delayed insulin secretion (Type 2), and often cats can be controlled with diet alone after the blood glucose is stabilized initially with insulin. We teach pet owner’s how to give insulin at home, which will be given every 12 hours. Periodic blood work will be required, more frequently right after diagnosis, to ensure that the blood glucose normalizes. We recommend a special diet that will aid in weight loss and controlling the blood glucose. Cats can sometimes be taken off insulin and controlled with diet alone. If diabetes is untreated, it can cause the pet to become very sick and can be fatal. The body will go into a state of ketoacidosis causing electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, kidney failure and obtundation. Pets will require hospitalization for several days and the prognosis is guarded. If you think your pet is showing signs of diabetes, please contact us in Springfield at 217-529-4499 to get an appointment set up right away. Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch. We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients. Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own.  www.vandervets.com 1) Candy
Chocolate and xylitol (a sugar substitute) can be toxic to pets. It is important to keep all candy in a place that is inaccessible by your pets. If your pet does consume candy, please call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control right away, 1-888-426-4435. 2) Trick-or-Treaters Doorbells, strangers in masks, and an open door can be a brewing storm of anxiety and all a stressed pet needs for a great escape. It might be best to have your pet in another room with the door closed to decrease their stress, or at least have your dog on a leash in order to keep them close by you. This is a great time to be sure that your pet’s microchip information is up to date, just in case. 3) Costumes If you decide to dress your pet up in a cute costume, be sure it fits and is not too snug, especially around the neck. Pets like to roll and rub on the floor sometimes with clothes on, so it is important that there are no constricting parts around the neck area. Another thing to keep in mind is any small parts that come on the costume, cats and dogs have been known to chew these off, which is a fright that no one needs. 4) Decorations Candles, Jack-0-Lanterns with candles, and light strands can be dangerous to a pet. Pumpkins and candles can easily be knocked over by an unknowing dog or cat, and for some reason strands of lights are often chewed on by dogs and cats. Be sure to only have candles going in places that are supervised or put decorations in places where they can’t be knocked over. And always turn light strands off if you are not nearby to avoid your pet getting injured. We would love to see your Halloween pets in costume or trick-or-treating with the family. Send us pictures or stop by the clinic! Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch. We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients. Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own. We love our techs here at West Lake! We are celebrating all that they do for us this week and having some fun too! Stay tuned for Kennedy's Q & A later this week.  Question and Answer with Eric:
1) If you were a vegetable, which one would you be? Tomato 2) What is your favorite season? Spring 3) If you had to be a dog or cat, which would you choose to be and why? A cat because of their super athletic abilities. 4) If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have 3 items, what would you have with you? Electricity, air conditioning, and video games 5) What do you enjoy about your job as a vet tech at West Lake Animal Hospital? Working with animals We love our techs here at West Lake! We are celebrating all that they do for us this week and having some fun too!  Question and Answer with Kennedy:
1) If you were a vegetable, which one would you be? A tomato 2) What is your favorite season? Fall, because of the pretty weather and Halloween. 3) If you had to be a dog or cat, which would you choose to be and why? A dog because they are the coolest and they get to sleep the most. 4) If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have 3 items, what would you have with you? My phone, a fuzzy blanket, and some type of transportation to get me home. 5) What do you enjoy about your job as a vet tech at West Lake Animal Hospital? Getting to spend every day with my awesome co-workers and bosses and seeing all of our amazing clients and patients and helping them in anyway possible. We love our techs here at West Lake! We are celebrating all that they do for us this week and having some fun too! Stay tuned for Eric and Kennedy's Q & A later this week.  Question and Answer with Josh:
1) If you were a vegetable, which one would you be? An onion, because they are great on everything! 2) What is your favorite season? Fall, because of the cooler, crisp weather and fires at night. 3) If you had to be a dog or cat, which would you choose to be and why? A dog because it would be fun to have their athletic ability. 4) If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have 3 items, what would you have with you? My family, my dogs, and a knife. 5) What do you enjoy about your job as a vet tech at West Lake Animal Hospital? Talking about and discussing behavior problems with clients. Also helping with sick patients and being able to see them return home to their families!
Today we will be discussing Otitis Externa; one of the most common reasons that a pet is brought into the clinic for being sick. Otitis externa is an infection or inflammation of the external ear canal. The clinical signs include shaking the head, pawing or scratching at the ears, debris (aka goo) inside the ears, and sometimes a bad smell coming from the ears.
When a pet is suspected of having an ear infection, the veterinarian will use an otoscope to look down inside the ear canal. We can see inflammation, discharge, blood, and can more easily access the severity of the infection. Often times a sample of is taken and checked on the microscope to determine if the dog or cat just has dirty ears or if there is yeast or bacteria involved. Rarely, a pet may have ear mites. We can also diagnose this via microscope at the clinic. How does a pet get an ear infection? There are many breeds that are predisposed to infections because they have long, floppy ears. Floppy ears are great for trapping debris inside the canal, little to no air flow can get inside, and they provide a great environment for bacteria and yeast to thrive. Many dogs that go swimming seem to be predisposed to ear infections as well. Dog ear canals are shaped like an L, the water is trapped and bacteria and yeast have a party, they love a moist ear canal! What happens if your pet has an ear infection? Once we diagnose an infection, we will clean the ears out and prescribe a topical medication to be used at home. There are many different medicines on the market, and we choose based on the organisms present in the ears, ease of use, and duration of use. Mites can also be treated with a topical medication as well. Rarely, we might also prescribe an oral antibiotic if the infection is serious. We recommend returning in two weeks for a recheck to be sure the infection has been resolved. Cats and dogs with recurrent ear infections can be helped tremendously by cleaning the ears out periodically with an ear solution made for cats and dogs. This is also useful for dogs that swim frequently. If you think your pet is showing signs of having an ear infection, give us a call in Springfield at 217-529-4499. Or if your pet is at risk of developing ear infections, contact your veterinarian about preventative measures you can take now to avoid having to treat an infection in the future. Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch. We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients. Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own. It is more common than you think, and many people don't think there's much you can do about it. However, storm phobia in dogs can be alleviated or at least reduced by trying several different tactics and treatments. September is disaster preparedness month, so let's dive right into how to help Fido conquer his fears.
First of all, your dog can sense a storm LONG before you can, sometimes even hours before it happens. The single most important thing for us humans to remember is that we must take steps to control the anxiety BEFORE our canine companion becomes agitated by the impeding weather. Once they start to get worked up, it becomes much more difficult to help them relax. A few changes can be made to your dog's environment to help them feel more comfortable. 1) Small spaces - dog's have been tamed for years but their instincts remain intact. In the wild, they hole up in small dens for protection and sleep. Try confining them to a smaller room or even allow them to bed down in the bathtub or their kennel if they like it in there. 2) Noise distraction - sometimes it is beneficial to play the radio, music, or have a tv on as white noise to help drown out the sound of thunder, wind, and rain. 3) Your Presence - your dog takes a lot of comfort when you are around to keep them safe, but we can't always be home. If the weather is predicting storms, try leaving one of your shirts near your dog's safe place or bed so they have your smell to help comfort them. There is also a new product that you may have heard of in recent years called the thunder shirt. Many of our clients have used it successfully, not only for storm phobia but also other anxiety related behaviors as well. You can find these at most pet stores and online. The idea behind the shirt is that is fits your dog snuggly, thus giving them comfort (much like a tight, small space). Lastly, if you have tried all of these tactics above but your dog still has major fear when it comes to bad weather, please call your veterinarian to discuss your options. There are medical treatments that can help, but that is a last resort after other methods are exhausted. Ultimately, your pet's safety is the utmost importance, and most dog's can be helped with medication when nothing else does. If you have a dog you think may have storm anxiety, give us a call (217-529-4499) and we'll talk to you about some things to try at home. Our mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch. We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients. Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own. |
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