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What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture has been practiced in both animals and humans for thousands of years to produce a healing response in the body. Acupuncture involves the use of very thin, sterile needles at specific energetic points just under the skin where there is a high density of free nerve endings, blood vessels, lymph ducts and mast cells. Through placement in these energy channels the needles enhance circulation and induce the release of beta-endorphins, serotonin and other neurotransmitters throughout the body with the goal of restoring normal body homeostasis.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
Yes! Acupuncture is a very safe medical procedure when administered by a qualified practitioner. Many animals become sleepy and relaxed after a treatment. Some animals may experience minor discomfort as needles are placed.
How Long Does Each Treatment Take?
Each session may take between 20-40 minutes. The first session takes longer than follow-up appointments.
How Soon Can We See Results?
Some results can be seen immediately but others require several treatments. Generally speaking a minimum of 3-5 treatments 1-2 weeks apart for chronic conditions are needed before seeing significant improvement.
How Can Acupuncture Benefit My Pet?
Clinical trials indicate that acupuncture therapy can be effective in the following conditions:
Always work closely with a veterinarian to develop a treatment plan for your pet. Alternative healing methods like acupuncture might have the potential to make your pet’s life more comfortable and can be used in conjunction with traditional medicine.
To determine if your pet’s condition may be responsive to this treatment modality, please set up a consultation with Dr. Angela Gerretsen at Mitchell Veterinary Services or Coventry Animal Hospital.
Click here to view our Acupuncture Service page
Jul 15
July 15th is National Pet Fire Safety Day. This is the perfect time to prepare a fire safety plan and review some tips to prevent an accidental house fire. The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) reports that nearly 1,000 house fires every year are started by pets. Pet deaths related to fires are mostly due to smoke inhalation.
Ensure all smoke alarms are in good working order and change batteries regularly. Include all family members when developing a fire safety plan so everyone knows what to do in case of an unexpected fire emergency. In households with multiple pets, each family member can be delegated a pet to be responsible for. Practice escape routes with your pets. Leashes can be left by the door for quick access. Ensure all pets have a collar with ID should they become loose during a fire escape. When pets are left unattended at home, placing them in a confined area/room near the entry door can limit potential fire-starting hazards.
Local fire stations provide window stickers to alert firefighters of the presence of pets.
Ensure candles or any open flames are never left unattended. Pets are naturally curious and can harm themselves or start a fire as a result.
The NFPA reports that stoves and cook tops are the #1 cause of house fires started by pets. Stove knobs can either be removed or covered if pets are able to reach them.
Exposed electrical cords can be seen as chew toys for pets so if possible hide cords behind furniture or unplug them if pets are left unattended.
By taking some time to ensure your home is fire safe and implementing a fire safety plan for your furry family member, you can rest assured that should a fire develop within your home your pets will be safe.
Our team at Mitchell Veterinary Services and Pauly Veterinary Clinic hope that these tips help keep your pets and home safe from fires.
Jul 11Is there a lump or growth on your pet? Do you ever wonder what it may be and if it is something to be concerned about?
Growths on our pets come in many shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, just looking at them with the naked eye doesn’t tell us very much.
The least invasive way to help us identify these lumps is to collect a fine needle aspirate (FNA). To do this we place a small needle into the lump and draw some cells into the needle. We then gently place the sample onto a microscope slide. The next step is to stain the slide(s) using a 3 step stain to allow us to see the different cellular structures. Once the slide(s) are dry we examine the sample under the microscope. On the sample we look for signs of inflammation, infection or abnormal cell growth.
This procedure is easily done in our practice and is very well tolerated by our patients. Using treats as a distraction, they don’t even flinch! If possible we like to collect at least 3 samples per lump.
FNAs are a great tool to know what actions need to be taken next. These can include the following:
Lumps can be a “growing” concern and are not recommended to be ignored.
If you have found a lump on your pet, don’t hesitate to talk to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services or Pauly Veterinary Clinic.
Jun 21
When your veterinarian is listening to your dog’s heart, they are listening for the typical sounds a heart makes when it beats. These sounds represent the closing of the heart valves. When a heart murmur is heard, this means your veterinarian is hearing a “whooshing” sound over the typical “lub-dub”.
A heart murmur is caused when there is turbulent blood flow through the heart. The heart is responsible for pumping the blood through the body, and normally the blood flows smoothly through the heart. This is usually a quiet process. However, sometimes there is something within the heart that disrupts this smooth blood flow. This creates a “whooshing” sound.
Most frequently, in older dogs, the murmur is caused by one of the valves of the heart (most commonly the mitral valve) not closing all the way shut. When a valve does not close all the way, some blood is allowed to flow backwards. This causes turbulent blood flow, and the “whooshing” sound of a heart murmur.
Your dog being diagnosed with a heart murmur means you veterinarian is concerned with possible mitral valve disease. Unfortunately, we do not know the ultimate root cause of mitral valve disease, other than for some breeds where there seems to be a genetic component.
The good news is that many dogs with mitral valve disease can live long and happy lives without it ever causing them any ill health. This is because mitral valve disease is frequently mild and slowly progressive.
However, in some cases, mitral valve disease can progress to congestive heart failure. As the leaky valve worsens, more blood flows backwards. The heart stretches to accommodate this. At some point, the muscles of the heart are at their maximum stretching ability, and are no longer able to contract strong enough to push the blood forward through the body. This causes a backup of blood in the veins in the lungs. The pressure this creates causes fluid to build up in the lungs, making it very difficult to breathe. Unfortunately, once a dog is in congestive heart failure, the prognosis is poor.
Previously, when we diagnosed a heart murmur, there was not a lot that could be done until a dog was actually in congestive heart failure. The good news is that times have changed and we now have the ability to figure out if a dog is likely to go into congestive heart failure, and significantly prolong the time it takes for them to get there.
The first thing to be done is x-rays of your dog’s chest. This will allow your veterinarian to assess your dog’s heart size. The sign that a dog with mitral valve disease is headed towards congestive heart failure is an enlargement of the heart. Many dogs will have enlarged hearts without showing any clinical signs of heart disease, so an x-ray is a very good tool for early intervention.
If heart enlargement is noted on x-rays, then it is time to start on medications to support the heart. A new study has shown starting medication at this time can significantly prolong the time it takes for dogs with mitral valve disease to go into congestive heart failure. This means a much longer and happier life for your dog!
If you have any questions, talk to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services.
Jun 06
It is completely normal for cats to scratch. They aren’t doing it to bug you, or because they always hated that floral couch; they do it for a multitude of reasons. Cats scratch to remove the dead outer layer of their claws, to mark their territory (they leave both visible evidence and a scent – they have scent glands in their paws), and also to stretch their body and toes. Yes it can be frustrating, but since it is a normal behaviour you don’t want to discourage it completely.
Watch Them – Watch where they like to scratch. Note the type of material, when they scratch (after a nap, or when they see you?), how do they scratch (vertically, do they scratch the carpet, etc.?) Once you know all of that information, you can present them with alternatives.
Alternatives – Start by covering the off-limit spot with things that your cat’s paws will avoid (like aluminum foil or double sided sticky tape). You can even change the odour; cats don’t like citrus or menthol smells.
Location – Place the scratch post where the cat will use it. Then eventually, little by little you can move it to where you want it to be.
Clipping Claws – cats don’t wear down their claws like dogs can, which means they can become overgrown. It is beneficial to clip their nails and check every couple of weeks to see if they need clipped again.
If you have any questions, talk to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services.
May 31June 2 through 18 is Pet Appreciation Week. Mitchell Veterinary Services wants to take a minute and celebrate our four-legged friends. Cats and dogs provide us with many mental and physical health benefits. Give yours a hug while you read this!
No matter what kind of a day you’ve had, your pets can make you happier and healthier. We appreciate cats and dogs for all the ways that they enrich our lives.
May 23Let’s say you already have a dog at home and you have made the decision to add another dog to the household – how wonderful! Congratulations! Dogs tend to be a social species and many of them would love to have a canine companion to interact with. Getting a second dog is not known to reduce separation anxiety for a dog already in your home, but it can be a great way to fulfill their need to socialize!
If you had your first dog from puppy hood onwards, he has grown into a bond with you and his routine. He likely feels that your home is his safe place. He knows the “house rules” to abide by, which can differ from one household to another. For example, some owners love having their dog cuddle on the couch with them and others do not permit their pets on the furniture.
Adopting an older dog means that they come from a previous situation that may have had a different set of rules. In addition, there is a good chance that they have gone through a period of uncertainty, including the loss of their previous owner, an upheaval in their routine or perhaps they have been staying in a shelter or foster home for a period of time. Some rescue dogs come into our home and seem to display extremely polite behaviour, but in reality, they are too frightened with all of the recent changes to open up and show their true personality. It can take months of being in their new home for them to regain enough confidence to shine.
Puppies on the whole (there are some exceptions), tend to be very open to socializing and playing with new dogs, but this inclination diminishes after they reach social maturity. Some adult dogs no longer have the same interest to meet with and play with dogs that are unknown to them. This is a generalization, but you likely have a good idea of how your dog at home reacts to meeting a visiting dog.
It is highly recommended to have an area designated for the dog that is currently living in the home, as well as a SEPARATE area for the newcomer to have as their safe place. In the initial stages, this may mean having baby gates up, or having one dog crated while the other is out. They can take turns in a communal open space. There is no reason to rush the dogs to live in the same living quarters. They can eat in separate spots, so there is no concern that one dog will steal another dog’s food.
Using a calming pheromone diffuser in the shared space or where the dogs spend the most time can be a nice way to reduce both dogs’ anxiety. Please ask your veterinarian if anti-anxiety supplements or medication would also be appropriate.
A word of caution: boundaries are extremely important for safety, but some dogs perceive barriers (such as leashes or baby gates) as very frustrating and will actually become more reactive when interacting with another dog if a barrier is involved. This is because they cannot do proper dog greetings or read the other dog’s body language correctly. Visual access to the other dog may need to be blocked. For example, stationing the dogs in rooms separated by a door when they are home alone.
Now for the fun part! You want to make it rewarding for each dog to be around one another. This involves rewarding calm behaviour, such as having both dogs sitting in the same room or lying down on dog beds in close proximity. You can offer one-bite treats for this calm behavior, providing that neither of them exhibits resource guarding. Resource guarding is defined as a dog protecting something they view to be valuable, such as a favourite person, toy, location or food item. Research has shown that jealousy does not exist between dogs, but rather, some dogs have retained an ancestral instinct to protect food (or other items). Resource guarding should be addressed with the help of a veterinarian or veterinary behaviourist.
Sticking to a routine and having short positive sessions of supervised time in the communal space throughout the day will allow both dogs to understand what is expected of them, which in turn builds confidence. They know that they will be safe at all times. If you have specific concerns regarding aggression between dogs that are already living together, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Mitchell Veterinary Services.
May 06
Spaying and neutering are surgical procedures that involve sterilizing cats and dogs, so that they can no longer reproduce. These surgeries are performed on patients under general anesthesia. Please check out the 3 parts of the article Mitchell Veterinary Services Tries to Demystify Pre-anesthetic Protocols for your Pet, Mitchell Veterinary Services Tries to Demystify Anesthetic Protocols for your Petand Mitchell Veterinary Services Tries to Demystify Post-anesthetic Protocols for your Pet if you would like to learn more.
A neuter is a procedure in which the testes of a cat or dog are surgically removed. It is also known as castration or orchiectomy. The feline neuter involves a scrotal incision and the canine neuterinvolves a pre-scrotal incision.
A spay is a procedure in which both ovaries and the uterus are surgically removed. It is also known as ovariohysterectomy. See feline spay, canine spay for more information on the surgical procedures.
Neutering your male cat by 6 months old will prevent him from getting a female cat pregnant. Neutering will greatly reduce the odour of a male cat’s urine, as well as urine spraying and marking behaviour. Inappropriate urination in cats is a huge reason why male cats are rehomed and we want you to have your kitty companion for his lifetime. Neutering may decrease his chances of roaming and getting into territorial fights with other cats.
We recommend having your female cat spayed before her first heat cycle. Allowing your cat to have a litter of kittens would contribute to the problem of pet over-population. Spaying a cat at this young age will prevent her from going into heat (See our cat heat cycle blog), decrease her risk of mammary cancer later in life, prevent pyometra (infection of the uterus) and prevent cancer of the uterus or ovaries.
There has been research in large-breed dogs that suggests waiting until a large-breed dog is 15-18 months old and their growth plates are closed may reduce their risk of orthopedic diseases, such as cranial cruciate ligament rupture and hip dysplasia. Please consult your veterinarian to determine the best time frame to sterilize your large-breed dog based on their lifestyle and other risk factors.
Neutering your dog will prevent certain health issues such as prostatic enlargement and decrease his risk of developing testicular or prostatic cancer. This will prevent your male dog from breeding a female dog. There is no benefit to delay neutering a small breed dog until after sexual maturity.
Spaying female dogs prevents the over-population of puppies. Please check out our dog heat cycle blog. Spaying a female dog prior to her first heat cycle significantly lowers her chance of developing mammary and ovarian cancer and pyometra. Her risk of pyometra increases with consecutive heat cycles.
Within days of sterilization surgery, your pet’s metabolism will slow down by approximately 30%. This means that their caloric intake will need to be adjusted in order to maintain them at an ideal body weight.
If you have questions or concerns about spaying or neutering your pet, talk to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services or Pauly Veterinary Clinic, we would be happy to address them.
Jan 02
January 2nd is National Pet Travel Safety Day.
If you are planning on travelling with your pet, whether driving a short visit to the vet clinic or taking your pet on vacation, here are some things that you need to know to keep it safe and comfortable.
NEVER LEAVE YOUR PET ALONE IN A PARKED CAR! Temperatures rapidly become too hot or too cold, which can be fatal. If left alone, animals can become anxious and injure themselves or escape, not to mention cause damage to your car or belongings!
Animals must be contained while riding in a car or truck. Cats and small dogs should be secured with a seat belt around a carrier. Dogs should be trained at an early age to be familiar with a padded harness attached to a seat belt. Check out your local pet store for seat-belt friendly harness options. A leash that is attached to a collar can create a choking hazard. We also recommend that dogs not ride in the open bed of pickup trucks, as there is a risk of injury from a fall and from traffic.
Do not leave the window down, as there is a risk of strangulation with electric windows and animals can fall out of them. In addition, the force of the wind can injure the blood vessels in their ears, creating blood blisters. Use air-conditioning and heating to keep your pet comfortable.
Pets should never be in the front seat, as air bags can injure them if deployed. Also, pets in the front seat may distract the driver or even get in the way of the steering wheel, brake or clutch, causing unsafe driving. Consider a mesh barrier to create a partition that will keep your dog in the back seat.
If your pet is not experienced with car rides, do not feed them in the six hours before travel as a full stomach can cause them discomfort and result in nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Never withhold water and pull over to offer it regularly on long trips.
Acclimatize your pet to a car ahead of time when they are young. Reward them for getting in a parked car with praise and treats. Try taking them on short errands.
If you have any questions about travelling with your pets, talk to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services or Pauly Veterinary Clinic.
Nov 02
When adopting a new pet, most people will go looking for a younger dog to “save”, not realizing how much love and joy an older, senior dog can give them. Don’t walk past the older ones; there are so many benefits to adopting a senior pet for both you and the adoptee. Some benefits are:
Therefore, if you are looking to adopt, think about adopting a senior pet. You can be their saviour.
If you have any questions about adopting a senior pet, talk to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services. We would love to help you find the perfect pet!
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243 Ontario Rd. Mitchell, ON N0K 1N0
Phone: (519) 348-9711 Email: info@mitchellvets.ca
Monday: 8:00am-6:00pm Tuesday: 8:00am-6:00pm Wednesday: 8:00am-6:00pm Thursday: 8:00am-8:00pm Friday: 8:00am-6:00pm Saturday: 8:00am-12:00pm Sunday: Closed
62 Main St. Milverton, ON N0K 1M0
Phone: (519) 595-8888 Email: paulyvet@cyg.net
Monday 8:00am – 5:30pm Tuesday 8:00am – 5:30pm Wednesday 8:00 pm – 5:30 pm Thursday 8:00am – 5:30pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday – Closed
*Small Animal Appointments are offered Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
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