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Halloween is fun for everyone, but did you know that you could be risking your pet’s health in the process? Listed below are a few things to avoid this Halloween.
Happy Halloween from all the staff at Mitchell Veterinary Services and Pauly Veterinary Clinic.
Oct 01
RVT stands for Registered Veterinary Technician.
It means they have a Veterinary Technician diploma, and then have gone even further and done a 4 hour test to become registered. They are dedicated to continually learning and expanding their knowledge. RVTs act as the right hand to the Veterinarian, their role in the veterinary clinic is similar to a Registered Nurse in a human hospital.
They are integral members of the veterinary health care team. They are educated, which provides them with the theory and practical skills to deliver the best standard of veterinary care. RVTs are often overlooked due to being “behind the scenes”; however, they are extremely important to every veterinary clinic. Some tasks they do daily are:
Sep 27
There have been 50 cases of rabies in Ontario since January 2018. The majority of these are from raccoons, followed by skunks and bats. Other species that also tested positive include cows, stray cats and red foxes. There have been over 500 cases of rabies in Ontario in the last 4 years.
There have been 17 cases of fox rabies confirmed in Perth, Huron and Waterloo counties since December 2015. In that same time period, there have been over 400 cases of raccoon rabies confirmed in Hamilton and surrounding areas.
Rabies is a virus that is spread by infected mammals biting other mammals or transmission of their saliva to an open wound. The virus travels through the nervous system to the brain where it will causes neurological signs, including changes in behavior, aggression, paralysis and death. Once signs are evident, rabies is almost always untreatable and fatal. All mammals (companion animals, livestock and humans are at risk).
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/inspection/ahw/rabies.htm
Vaccinate your pets: make sure your pets are always kept up to date on their vaccinations, even if they are indoor only and don’t interact with other pets. For example, any indoor pet could be in a scenario where:
Rabies vaccination for dogs, cats and horses is a regulatory requirement for our local district health units.
Only allow your pets outdoors when they are supervised.
Teach your children not to approach wildlife. Bat proof your home.
Rabies vaccination should be considered for livestock in high-risk areas. Ask your local veterinarian whether vaccination is recommended for your cattle, sheep or goats. If livestock go outside or travel to fairs, they are at risk of exposure. Rabies is a core vaccine for horses.
1.If you are exposed (bitten or handle) a potentially rabid animal, contact your local Public Health Unit:
2. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, contact your local veterinarian.
3. If you spot abnormal wildlife and there has been no pet or human exposure,
Rabies is 100% preventable, but people are still exposed every year, which is why this is still an important issue. Keep your family safe by talking to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services about rabies vaccination for your pets.
Sep 07Purchasing a puppy or new dog is extremely exciting but is also a huge decision. When purchasing a new companion, it is important to know what breed best suits you, where to buy them, and how to avoid health issues with puppies.
Know the breed you want to buy and be smart about your purchase! If you have any concerns or doubts, contact your Veterinarian and ask them questions!
Aug 10
As humans we are told that if we eat healthy and exercise we will live a long and healthy life, why would this statement be any different for our pets? Nutrition is hands down one of the most important building blocks for our pets to live a healthy lifestyle. However, it is still one of the hardest decisions we have to make as pet owners. The question that we should be asking ourselves is: Is this food right for my pet? There are a lot of different pet foods out there with many different ingredients and nutritional claims, so choosing a diet can be a lot of work. Not to worry; below are some helpful hints/tips when choosing a pet food!
If you have any questions regarding your pet’s food give us a call to discuss your pet’s nutrition plan. We offer a wide variety of food and we also have weight control programs; including weigh-ins at no charge.
You can also visit our website www.mitchellvets.ca for more information on nutrition.
Aug 02
We strongly recommend annual visits to the vet clinic for both cats and dogs. Why might that be? It’s not all about vaccines.
HISTORY TAKING
Firstly, a technician and doctor will gather history on your pet. What is it’s lifestyle? Tell us about the typical day of your pet. Knowing who your pet interacts with, where he travel, his activity level and what he eats helps us to paint a picture of what risks he may be exposed to.
We want to know if you have any specific behaviour concerns for your pet.
A lot of changes occur in a cat or dog during a calendar year. Their lifespans differ from that of a human and correspondingly, growth and aging occurs at a faster rate. Your pet may outwardly seem itself, but on physical exam, early signs of disease may be present. The goal of a physical examination is to assess an animal’s health by examining its body systems. This is done by sight, smell, listening to the heart and lungs and touch (feeling internal organs through palpation and manipulating joints). A veterinarian will look for symmetry and examine the eyes, ears, nose, teeth and gums, throat, lymph nodes, skin, nails, genitals and abdomen. A pet’s mental state, nerve function and gait can also be assessed during examination – this is known as a neurological exam. In addition, your pet’s body condition score, weight fluctuations and degree of muscling are assessed.
image of report card
We take your pet’s life stage into account – is she growing, adult, senior or geriatric? Her needs will differ greatly based on her life stage and breed.
Vaccines may not be protective unless they are correctly administered at the appropriate intervals. There are vaccine guidelines that form the basis for your veterinarian’s recommendations for which vaccines should be given to your pet. These recommendations change based on your pet’s age, risk of exposure, health and history of vaccine reactions.
image of vaccine schedule
We recommend yearly intestinal parasite screening. This involves bringing a fresh sample of your pet’s poop for our technicians to analyze in our in-house lab for the presence of intestinal worms or eggs.
Annual wellness bloodwork is also recommended – this is a screening tool to look for signs of early organ disease BEFORE there are signs present on a physical examination or to confirm suspicions of a disease. Testing the thyroid level is recommended for pets 8 years of age and older. Analyzing a fresh morning urine sample is recommended for senior patients as well.
We recommend annual heartworm and Lyme testing to ensure that your dog is negative for heartworm prior to starting seasonal heartworm prevention.
PREVENTATIVE CARE AND TREATMENTS
Seasonal parasite prevention for intestinal parasites (roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm), heartworm and external parasites, such as fleas and ticks, is recommended based on your pet’s level of exposure.
We discuss and perform grooming needs. It is very important to maintain a healthy coat and nails.
After pin-pointing health concerns through a physical examination and diagnostic tests, issues can be addressed in a timely manner. For example, patients with early dental disease benefit from a dental cleaning. Routine skin, ear and bladder infections can be treated with antibiotics. Obesity and arthritis are also health concerns that can be managed in partnership with your regular veterinarian.
An annual pet visit maintains a VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT-RELATIONSHIP (VPCR). A VPCR allows a veterinarian to prescribe prescriptions for your pet.
https://cvo.org/For-the-Public/What-to-Expect-from-Your-Veterinarian.aspx
Your pet’s annual vet visit is an opportunity to find and address issues early on. We want to discern individual concerns pertaining to your pet’s well being, so that we can take measures to keep it pain-free and hopefully extend its longevity.
If you’re not sure of your pet’s last annual examination, call and talk to one of our team members at Mitchell Veterinary Services/Pauly Veterinary Clinic.
Jul 05
The Do’s and Don’ts of Grooming:
Do
Don’t
It is true, grooming does make our dogs smell good, but did you know there are other benefits to grooming then just the smell? Some of the benefits are;
Structure of the coat on a double coated dog (Image created by Brook Wilkins)
Stay tuned for tips on keeping your pet cool through the summer!
Additional Reading:
Jun 22
We view our pets as family members and it’s natural to wish to bring them on a family vacation. Please take some time to plan ahead and determine whether camping with your pet is going to be an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
Consider leaving your pet at home if there are large predators such as bears, wolves or fishers that view domestic animals as food. Pet food is also considered an attractant for wild animals and must be safely stored either in the trunk of your car or hung in a tree if backcountry camping. You will not be able to leave your pet unattended.
Different campgrounds have different rules. Not all campgrounds accept pets and those that do generally restrict pets to certain campsite areas or beaches within the park. For example, while taking your dog on a walk, it must be on a short leash and under control at all times. Your pet is not permitted to make excessive noise, to chase wildlife or damage live vegetation. When your animal defecates, its waste needs to be properly disposed of – consider an environmentally-friendly bag.
Have a crate that your pet feels comfortable travelling in (see summer travelling blog article). You’ll want to bring some of the comforts of home such as its blanket and regular food.
Consider packing a first aid kit (see first aid blog article).
Consider picking a campsite with shade for your pet. Remember that your pet is wearing a thick fur coat and may be prone to overheating. If your dog likes swimming, bring some extra towels and ear cleanser to dry its ears once it comes out of the water.
Make sure your pet’s vaccines are up to date and bring a copy of them. Depending on the region, consider tick prevention and Lyme vaccination for your dog. We recommend monthly flea, intestinal parasite and heartworm prevention from May through December. Research the address and number of a local veterinary clinics and a kennel in the event that your pet needs medical attention or you are unable to supervise your pet. Make sure your pet has identification that includes a cell phone number in case it becomes separated from you.
Mitchell Veterinary Services hopes your camping experience this summer is a fun one!
Jun 22
With summer weather (especially in Perth County) comes high temperatures, high humidity and the occasional heat wave. Pets are especially vulnerable to the heat and we see many cases of heat stroke in the summer months. Here are some tips for how to keep your pet safe during the summer.
Unfortunately, year after year we are still seeing pets being kept in cars. Even with the windows opened, the interior of a car can quickly reach dangerous temperatures. On a 30 degree Celsius day, the temperature in a car with windows open can reach 40 degrees in only 10 minutes. What makes it worse is that dogs have a lot more difficulty cooling off than humans; relying only on panting and sweating through their feet. This means that dogs also heat up a lot faster than people, so what may be a comfortable temperature for you may be too hot for your dog.
If you need to run errands, leave your dog at home. If you need to make an unexpected stop, ask to bring your dog into the store with you. A lot of stores can be very understanding about this.
While some dogs are good about policing their own activity levels, a lot of dogs will play until the point they overheat and suffer heat stroke. It is best to avoid exercise during hot and humid days. If you must, consider exercising them early in the morning or later in the evening when the day is cooler.
If your pet is to be left alone without supervision, make sure there is ample fresh water available. If your dog is left outside, make sure the water is kept in the shade and in a bowl that your dog cannot accidentally knock over. Consider also adding ice cubes to the water to keep it cooler for longer. If you are out exercising with your dog, always make sure to carry water with you so that your dog may drink. Pouring some water on its feet will also help keep it cool.
Pavement can get really hot and burn your dog’s feet. Consider only walking it in dirt or grassy areas. If it must walk on pavement, consider protecting its feet with something such as Invisible Boot.
Ideally, pets should be kept indoors during extreme temperatures. If your dog must be kept outside, make sure to provide an area of shade. This is best accomplished with a tree, umbrella or tarp. Dog houses get very hot with lack of air flow and are not places your dog can go into to cool. Also consider having a children’s pool filled with water available to your dog so that he can use it to cool himself.
We commonly see hot spots and ear infections over the summer, especially in dogs with longer hair. The most likely cause of these issues is being wet for long periods of time. Therefore, the best course of action to prevent hot spots and ear infections is to make sure to dry your dog as best as possible after playing in water. Be sure to towel dry its body well. Also, always try to have some drying ear cleanser and cotton balls to clean out its ears after swimming.
Always supervise your dog while playing around water. When boating, make sure your dog also wears a life jacket like the rest of your family in case an accident happens. Breeds with short faces such as bull dogs, may need life jackets at all times to keep its nose above the water. As mentioned above, make sure to dry your dog thoroughly after swimming. For more tips on water safety, see our previous blog.
If you plan on boarding your dog this summer, you need to make sure it is up to date with all its vaccinations including kennel cough. If your dog has never been boarded before, consider doing a short trial stay first so that it can get used to the place. For more tips on boarding your animal, see our previous kennel cough blog.
Heat stroke can be prevented by following the above recommendations. If you ever have any concerns that your dog may be over heating, contact your veterinarian right away. We at Mitchell Veterinary Services wish all our patients a safe and fun summer!
Recommended Read – It is Getting Hot in Perth County! Here are Some Tips on Preventing Heat Stroke in Your Dog and Cat
May 18
The May long weekend is here and we at Mitchell Veterinary Services wish you and your pets a lovely, warm weekend!
Fireworks, as well as thunderstorms, may be a stressful time for your pets. Dogs have sensitive hearing and it can be overwhelming to hear threatening loud noises that can’t be traced to a specific location. Unfortunately for some animals, after each exposure to storms (or fireworks), their phobia becomes worse. Dogs with separation anxiety may be more likely to experience storm/firework anxiety.
An anxious dog may tremble, pant, pace, try to hide, vocalize or in extreme cases become destructive and hurt itself or its people in the process. Punishing a dog for this behavior may increase their stress level and is not recommended. On the other hand, soothing a dog with mild anxiety by using touch and praise is also not recommended, as you are rewarding undesirable behavior.
We recommend remaining calm and acting as if the storm is not a big deal. Depending on your dog, you can use this time to work on obedience training, play time or tranquility exercises. The goal is to distract your pet and reward it for desirable behaviour. Giving a pet a reward (a delicious treat, toy or praise) for good behavior is known as positive reinforcement. Recordings of a thunderstorm may allow your dog to gradually become desensitized to the noise and allow you to practice your distraction and relaxation techniques.
Individual animals respond differently to different tools. There are multiple treatment options that Mitchell Veterinary Services recommend for your pet depending on its severity of anxiety. Having a “safe place”, such as a crate for your dog, can give it a feeling of security. Ideally, this would be a quiet place with a limited view of windows, like a closet, that your pet can access at any time. Music or other white noise may help block out noises. There are products available that wrap the dog’s body, much like a child hiding under a blanket to muffle sensations. Supplements with natural calming ingredients may help reduce anxiety. Pheromones also may increase the dog’s confidence in a fearful situation. Anti-anxiety medication used in combination with behavior modification may be an effective tool as well. In some cases, a referral to a veterinary behaviourist may be recommended.
We wish you and your pets a fun and safe long weekend!
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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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