Dog Health Information

This brochure will give you basic information about the care of your best friends and our patients. These recommendations are based on current knowledge and guidelines. Thanks to research, there are always new developments. We strive to be current with the latest information and promise to do our best to keep you well informed. We ask that you read this information and keep it with your pet’s health records, so that you can refer to it as a handy and quick reference. Please ask questions as needed to understand what complete care means for you and your pet. An informed pet owner is the best pet owner!

Your Dog’s Health

Physical Examination

This is the most important and valuable service a veterinarian provides to patients on a regular basis. Thankfully, most folks understand this nose-to-tail exam is critical to identifying problems early and treating them before they escalate into a life threatening and often costly illness. This exam needs to be performed at least annually! Remember, one “human year” may equal an average seven “dog/cat years”. During this exam we look for and identify weight issues, skin and coat problems, nutritional needs, dental and heart concerns. In addition, vaccines are only to be given to those pets healthy enough to receive them and with exposure risk to justify them.

Vaccinations

CORE VACCINES

Rabies

What it is: a uniformly deadly viral infection that affects the central nervous system of mammals. It is shed in saliva and transmitted through bite wounds.

Symptoms: inability to swallow (drooling), unsteadiness, strange behavior and often aggression.

Vaccine: This is required by Maine law. The first vaccine is licensed for 1 year and boosters for 3 years.

Law: If your pet is unvaccinated or overdue and has a bite of unknown origin, Maine law suggests euthanasia first. If the owner is unwilling, a six month quarantine after notifying the local Animal Control Officer is required.

“Distemper”

What it is: The “Distemper” vaccine is a combination of 4 different viral components called antigens: Distemper, parvo, parainfluenza and hepatitis (adenovirus).

Symptoms: Signs and effects vary, depending on the particular virus involved. Distemper tends to cause nervous system and respiratory signs. Parvo causes profound vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Parainfluenza contributes to a respiratory infection called kennel cough and hepatitis causes liver disease.

How it is acquired: Most infections from the above agents are seen in young dogs that have never been vaccinated or vaccines were not boostered properly. The puppy typically acquires the infection from a carrier dog or the environment. Parvo virus particles can remain infective for years in soil.

Vaccine: The vaccine is needed to protect dogs from these 4 viral infections. All dogs need what is commonly referred to as “puppy shots” or “distemper” vaccinations. The vaccine is typically started when the puppy is 6-8 weeks old and then continued every 3–4 weeks until the puppy is over 16 weeks old, then boostered again at 1 year. Starting at 2 years of age, we may give a 3-year distemper vaccine. We can use antibody measures (titers) to prove even longer protection.

NON-CORE VACCINES

Leptospirosis

What it is: Leptospirosis is a systemic bacterial infection.

Symptoms: It may cause vomiting, diarrhea, fevers, abdominal pain, liver and kidney damage and can be deadly.

How it is acquired: If your dog plays outdoors, drinks from ponds or puddles, or if you bring your dog walking, hiking, camping, picnicking, hunting, or fishing they could be exposed to leptospirosis which is shed in animal urine. Dogs come into contact with fresh urine from infected animals typically in the spring and fall. Common wild carriers include skunks, raccoons, squirrels, and rats. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed from dogs to people and can be difficult to diagnose. Treatment is effective if identified early.

Vaccine: The decision to vaccinate is made individually. Vaccine reactions are more common with these types of vaccines, especially in small dogs, however, that has lessened with newer versions. After the initial vaccination, a booster is needed in 3 weeks on all patients and it is an annual vaccine thereafter. You may wish to visit www.labbies.com/lepto.htm for more information. Please let us know of any questions!

Lyme

What it is: Lyme disease is due to a bacterial infection transmitted by the deer tick. Its incidence has increased dramatically in our region of Maine. Even with treatment to eliminate the active infection the organism often hides in the body indefinitely and may “come out” with stress.

Symptoms: Lyme disease signs vary from generalized lethargy and fevers of unknown origin to joint pain, swelling and associated lameness. The activity of the immune system in fighting the bacterial infection may lead to a kidney disease called glomerulonephritis, which causes to blood protein loss through the urine.

How it is acquired: The deer tick is typically found in brushy woods and once on the host seeks the skin to feed on blood. After feeding for 1-2 days, the attached tick may transmit the infectious bacteria carried in its gut. The immune system tries to eliminate the infection, however the bacteria can be evasive. This often leads to chronic infection unless identified and treated.

Testing and Treatment: Animals with a tick exposure history can be tested for Lyme antibodies created by the infection (not the vaccine). A result is available in 10 minutes. Many positive animals are treated with antibiotic and most remain asymptomatic. It is the undiagnosed and untreated chronic case that has the greatest risk of sickness and kidney disease.

Prevention: Vaccine: The vaccine is available for any dog that has a risk of tick exposure and is about 90% effective in infection prevention. We are most concerned about young animals acquiring the infection before being vaccinated. The vaccine can be started at 9 weeks and needs to be boostered in 2 – 3 weeks and again 6 months later. It is an annual vaccine therafter.

Topical Applications: Please see the section on Fleas and Ticks for information about Frontline. Other tick prevention products are also being developed. Please ask us for further information.

Bordetella bronchiseptica (Kennel Cough Complex)

What it is: a respiratory infection often involving a viral (parainfluenza) and bacterial agent.

Symptoms: coughing, gagging and sneezing. Although not considered life threatening, it may cause considerable sickness especially in puppies or otherwise compromised patients.

How it is acquired: It is a highly contagious disease (even amongst cats). Most pets become exposed by contact with other animals shedding the organisms. This may occur at groomers, dog shows/ classes, boarding kennels and animal shelters.

Vaccine: The vaccine is either dripped into the nostrils or injected. This is a commonly required vaccine before admission to groomers, boarding kennels, hospitals, etc. It needs to be given at least annually and high-risk patients should receive booster inoculations every 6 months for adequate protection.

Heartworm Disease

What it is: Heartworm disease IS present in Maine. Dogs that travel to or are from the south are at an even greater risk for this potentially deadly disease. Realistically all dogs, even with thick coats and little time spent outdoors, are at some risk from May until November. This is a parasitic infection of the heart in which the adult worms live in the chambers and vessels of the heart blocking blood flow

Symptoms: Depending on infection severity, the disease runs from being unapparent to causing heart failure characterized by cough, lethargy and weight loss.

How it is acquired: The mosquito transmits immature worms (larvae) from dog to dog by feeding on their blood.

Preventative: Start seasonal monthly prevention by June 1^st! Please remember this! The type of preventative we use entails monthly doses (chewables) for a 6 month minimum duration if not given year-round. The monthly preventative kills any immature heartworms that the dog may have acquired the month before. Any dog not given prevention during this time should be tested for the disease by the next season. We suggest you consider giving the monthly preventative year round since the product helps prevent many types of intestinal parasites and is guaranteed by the manufacturer when used this way. Hopefully all of our patients receive prevention from June 1^st until November 1^st. Testing for heartworm and Lyme disease (one test) should be performed every year. Keep in mind that approximately 250,000 dogs test positive for heartworm each year in the U.S.

Fleas and Ticks

Flea bites can be extremely irritating to your dog and can lead to further discomfort if they develop an allergy to a protein in the fleas’ saliva. They can overwhelm very young and very old pets leading to anemia and weight loss. Fleas also transmit tapeworms. Ticks can cause reactions where they bury their heads to feed. Ticks also transmit Lyme and anaplasma, a newer tick-borne illness spreading northward from southern Maine.

Prevention: External parasites such as these are best avoided with the monthly use of a prescription “over the shoulder” preventative such as Frontline Plus. Apply one drop at a time to the skin (part the fur) from the top of the head to include the ear bases and extending to the shoulders. Do not rub in. In multi-pet households all pets need to be treated as soon as a problem begins or better yet, year-round with ticks in mind. You may treat/clean the home (to kill eggs, larva and pupal stages) if the infestation has progressed. Treat all pets in the home with topical Frontline monthly to prevent adult fleas from living long enough to lay eggs (2 days). This will break the life cycle. If your pets routinely get fleas, use the preventative year-round if not by May 1^st and until winter. Alternative use or problem infestations should be discussed on an individual basis. Chewing and scratching not normally seen (especially June through November) may indicate your pet was not so lucky that particular year and has fleas. (Frontline may not be able to kill the tick before it attaches. Repellents can help)

Fecal Examinations

What it is: A test performed on a stool sample to evaluate for the presence of intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. (Tapeworms are identified visually by the rice-like segments on the stool or at the pet’s rear.)

Why fecal testing is important: 1. These parasites can cause vomiting and/or diarrhea, poor nutrient absorption and weight loss. Hookworms can cause blood loss as they attach onto the intestinal wall and feed on the animal’s blood. Round-worm larvae can cause coughing in puppies as they migrate through the lungs to the intestines.2. These parasites are also a threat for the people living with them and exposed to their fecal material. This is especially true of families with young children or with family members whose immune system is compromised/suppressed. Larval migrations can cause blindness, skin lesions and other illnesses as they migrate through the body. Recently, the Center for Disease Control has established that between 1 and 3 million people are infected with roundworms each year in the US. We recommend a yearly fecal exam and ask that you bring a stool sample to the annual examination. Usually results are available by the end of the appointment. Without a sample to test we will often deworm all the pets in a home empirically. This helps treat hidden infections. Monthly heartworm prevention is also helpful controlling intestinal parasites

Wellness Blood Testing

What it is: The evaluation of blood in an apparently healthy animal. This may include a complete blood count which evaluates blood for anemia, inflammation or infection and a chemistry profile to evaluate levels of serum components that may relate to disease.

Why it is important:1) As our patients age, we often suggest wellness blood testing to evaluate for and monitor health conditions we cannot check by a comprehensive physical examination. 2) Early identification can make a world of difference in the treatment of diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid illness, etc. 3) Normal results provide us with baseline information on the patient that we can later compare with new results if needed. This allows better monitoring over time if a sickness should present itself.

Results: We have a complete in-house laboratory. We also use an outside laboratory for elective blood work and receive results usually in 24 hours.

Dental Care

What it is: Oral health is affected by breeding, diet, desire to chew and salivary characteristics. We are seeing many patients that need multiple teeth extracted due to inadequate oral home care measures, delayed intervention and a lack of understanding of the progressive nature of dental disease.

Dental Cleaning at the clinic: A dental examination is performed at each visit. We may hand scale teeth to remove tartar if the pet allows it. Many dogs have dental disease that warrants a full dental cleaning. This is performed while the pet is under general anesthesia. Pain medicine and antibiotics are often administered, especially with extractions.

Why it is important: As pets live longer today than those of previous generations, we need to take better care of their teeth. Chronic progressive dental disease is painful and seeds bacteria into the blood that can cause heart and kidney infections and liver reactivity.

Dental Care at Home: Home care is essential to reduce the need for repeated dental cleanings by us. We have dental care kits containing a brush, paste and information to describe this care in detail. Dry food and bones may be helpful but rarely make a significant difference in reducing tartar. Small rawhide chews are additionally helpful.

Other Important Information

Sterilization

We typically suggest all pets that are not going to be used for breeding are spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. Breeding dogs is a serious matter and should be fully researched by anyone contemplating it. A dog should not be bred just because it has papers, has a friendly nature, or because the owner wants to sell puppies. Remember there is a risk to the mother and may be expensive if surgery is needed or complications arise. Sterilization helps avoid over-population issues. It can also make dogs easier to train, less aggressive, lessens risk of prostate illness, uterine infections, cancer of the mammary glands and other reproductive organ concerns. Simply put, the pet will lead a safer longer life and both our jobs will be easier. That all said, some may make an informed decision to allow their intact pet to mature fully. Our strongest suggestion is to spay the females by six years to avoid pyometra (an infection of the uterus that is life-threatening)..

Nutrition

When it comes to feeding your pets for the most part you get what you pay for. More premium pet foods are made from higher quality and more digestible ingredients. This yields more calories per pound and less excrement to clean up! Protein quantity is not a critical issue for commercially prepared diets. High levels are not necessarily better, many companies sacrifice quality to achieve 24+ percent protein levels. The better oils and nutrients in premium diets translate to a healthier pet with optimal skin and coat condition. Home prepared diets are the most wholesome but involve higher cost, more time and an understanding beyond the ability and desires of most owners. Be very careful feeding “people food”. At a minimum, diarrhea is a possible result, however, there can be more serious risks such as pancreatitis. Do not hesitate to ask our opinion or drop in and re-weigh your pet at no charge!

When your puppy is young: Our pets need the most calories when they are young. Puppies should be fed puppy food until 6-8 months of age. Large breeds need to be fed large breed puppy food to help limit the risk of growing bone disorders like hip dysplasia.

How much is too much? Keep your dog trim. The last rib should be visible or easily felt and there should be a narrowing at the waist when viewed from the side and above. You may not need to give your dog as much as what is recommended on bags of dog food.

Adult dogs: Adult pets tend to require fewer calories and without restriction most dogs will be come overweight. We recommend feeding all dogs twice daily with the exception of very young puppies, which need more frequent feedings. One large feeding can cause a “bloat” emergency and inefficient calorie usage. Moist food is not required and may lead to a pet that is choosier about what they are fed. Stick with one diet, as varying the diet can lead to soft stool. When changing to a new diet it is important to do it gradually by mixing the new food with the previous food for a 4-day period.

Weight Loss: Weight loss can be encouraged by one or more of the following methods: - Switching to a lower calorie food (light/ less active). - Limiting the volume fed of their current food. - Eliminating human food or table scraps unless you are feeding a home prepared diet.- Giving vegetables (baby carrots), unflavored rice cakes, or plain popcorn are acceptable treats in controlled amounts. - For extremely heavy patients or if weight loss has proved difficult, specialty prescription diets and a regimented plan are available.

Hygiene

Bathing: Pets are best bathed only when they are dirty or smelly. Over-bathing can dry the coat more than people realize. Using mild or soap-free shampoos limits the removal of natural oils. Conditioners are also helpful. The pH needs for pets and humans is different. We carry suitable products. Note that bathing can limit the effectiveness of flea and tick preventatives!

Ear cleaning: This is done on an ”as needed” basis and can depend on the dog.. Dogs with ear problems should be seen in the initial stages. Ear mites in dogs are very rare. Ear cleanser is available to remove normal wax and dirt accumulation. An ear drying solution is great for reducing moisture in the ear (especially of swimmers). If medication is needed, an ear swab stained and viewed with a microscope helps us chose the correct one. Many dogs have an underlying condition such as an allergy or hypothyroidism which should be addressed.

Nails: These need to be trimmed when they are overgrown in length not simply because they have a point. Overly long nails break much more easily or can even grow around and back into the foot. Nail trims can be done at home. Please ask for a lesson. A nail trimmed too short will bleed. This is not an emergency as a small amount of flour, cornstarch or, better yet, styptic powder held against the end of the nail should stop the bleeding. Rotary sanders (dremmel tools) are often well tolerated on low speed and when introduced slowly.

Anal Glands

Many dogs will drag or lick towards their rear end because their anal glands (what skunks have) are irritated or full. If this is noted, please call to schedule a technician visit. After the contents are emptied, we can evaluate their nature and follow-up response.

Behavior / Training

The #1 reason people relinquish pets is due to behavior problems!

When to start training: The process of training begins shortly after birth with socialization being most important in the first 3 months. Puppies should be exposed to everything: children, people, cars, cats, other dogs, the mailman, etc. House training and basic obedience follows. Start early, be persistent and you will build a stronger healthier pet/ owner relationship!

House-training: We recommend crate-training. Ask us for much more information on this topic!

Obedience training: All dogs in the perfect world know sit, stay, heel and come! Ask us for more information on obedience classes in the area. Puppy kindergarten and basic obedience classes are readily available and cannot be beat both for training and learning important socialization skills.

Behavior Problems: If a behavioral problem arises, please let us know before the behavior becomes more patterned and ingrained. We can provide behavioral consults, helpful tips, hand-outs on several issues, and can give referrals to specialists.

We hope you have had the chance to read this in its entirety and that it has given you a better understanding of some of the issues we mention during an exam. If you do, then great, we did our job! If not, please feel free to ask questions about your dog’s health and care. Thank you for wanting to know more about our job and your dog’s health.

The Doctors and Staff of At Home Veterinary Care

207-582-8800

office@athomeveterinarycare.com