CREATURE FEATURE October 2009

Fleas… are they here to stay?

Unfortunately, fleas are a pest that we just can’t seem to get rid of in Houston. We’ve had a horrible flea problem this year and unless we have a week-long freeze, it’s not going to improve.

Fleas are exceptionally hardy creatures. Their eggs can lie dormant for years, only to hatch out under the right stimulus. The adult flea, on average, lives about 2 months, but in that time, a female can lay 2,000 eggs.

95% of the flea population is in the environment, not on your dog or cat. So if you see 10 fleas, that means there are at least 190 adult fleas, larvae, pupae or eggs in your house or yard. More than likely you can multiply that number by several hundred because you are only seeing the fleas near the surface of your pet’s coat.

Fleas are light sensitive, meaning they don’t like it, so they burrow down as far from the sun and light as possible. Even with short haired animals, fleas are often difficult to find.

If you are seeing brownish/black specks on your pet, wet a paper towel and wipe them off. If the towel turns rusty brown or red, then your pet has fleas. That ‘debris’ is the fleas’ poop. It has blood parts in it and so turns red in water. Pets with bad flea infestations often turn bath water rusty red as the flea debris is washed off.

So, how do we combat these pests? There are no sure fire methods. You have to treat the animals, the house and the yard – and not just one time. Follow the advice on the label for treating your home and yard. We advise treating your pets for at least 3 months, longer if you are still seeing fleas. Remember, 1 flea on the pet means thousands in the environment.
(For more information on fleas click here)

There are several good products available through veterinarians to help kill and control fleas on your pet. You can kill the adult fleas to keep them from biting your pet and making them itch, or sterilize the adult fleas to help prevent a flea population explosion. The best product for your situation will depend on your pet’s exposure risk and whether or not you already have a flea problem.

Sometimes a combination of products is needed to get a serious infestation under control. Remember, even if you are treating your pet, if you are seeing fleas, you need to treat the environment as well.

If you are unsure what product is best for your situation, please feel free to call us and we will help you decide the best way to fight the fleas.

Here is a list of products we carry and how they work.

Flea Season
is
STILL Here!
Be Prepared! Product How Kills Sterilizes Kills Heartworm

Applied Fleas Fleas Ticks Prevention

Program Tablets	Orally (dogs & cats)		X
Program injection	Injection (cats only)		X
Frontline Plus	Topical (dogs & cats)	X		X
Sentinel Tablets	Orally (dogs only)		X		X
Advantage Multi	Topical (dogs & cats)	X			X

{Dogs must have a current heartworm test to use Sentinel or Advantage Multi.}

We’ve also seen a lot of ticks this year.

Please let us know if you’ve seen a tick on your pet. Ticks carry diseases that affect you and your pet.
(For more information on ticks click here)

Come by for your 2009 calendar!

How Old is Your Pet?

Everyone knows that 1 ‘human’ year is equal to about 7 ‘dog’ or ‘cat’ years, but do we really know what that really means?

If you compare a puppy or kitten’s first year to a child’s, they go from ‘newborn’ to ‘infant’ to ‘toddler’ to ‘preschooler’ to ‘school-age’ to ‘adolescent’… meaning that our furry friends age from birth to the equivalent of our 20 years in their first year!

After that, the ‘7 dog/cat years to 1 human year’ rule can be loosely applied, but it all depends on whether the pet is a dog or cat and what breed. Large breed dogs age much faster than small breed, and cats generally live 4 to 6 years longer than most dogs.

So, what does this mean to your pet? It means that by the age of 6 or 7, most dogs and some cats are what we would consider senior citizens. By 8 or 9, our cats also fall into that category.

Senior pets can start to develop health issues that can be prevented or at least managed if caught early. It’s important to have regular exams, at least twice a year, to keep your pet healthy, but in addition to these visits, an annual Senior Wellness Exam should be done to find those ‘silent’ problems.

A Senior Wellness Exam includes a thorough exam, baseline blood chemistries and CBC, thyroid levels, urinalysis, and x-rays. The bloodwork shows liver and kidney functions, blood cell counts and a multitude of other body functions that can indicate potential health problems, or issues that we need to watch for the future. The urinalysis also helps evaluate the health of the animal’s kidneys as well as screening for other urinary tract problems and diabetes. X-rays of the chest and abdomen are important to check the size and shape of the heart, liver, spleen and kidneys, rule out bladder stones and also identify tumors. They also let us see early signs of arthritis in the pet’s back. Additional x-rays may be needed to evaluate hips, knees and elbows for arthritis if this is a concern.

When all this is put together, it gives us a fairly comprehensive view of your pet’s overall health. Early detection of diseases allows us to treat your pet before the process does irreparable damage. In some cases we slow or sometimes even eliminating the problem. In most cases, managing a disease process is less expensive in the long run than dealing with a surprise trip to the emergency clinic when an undiagnosed problem suddenly rears its ugly head.

Senior Wellness Exams are usually done as ‘drop off’ appointments on Tuesday or Thursday by appointment. If you have any questions or would like to set an appointment, please call Kleinbrook Animal Hospital at (281) 444-8387.

Ask us about Microchipping your pet!

Shouldn’t Your Pet Have

Pawfect Manners?

Over the last few years we have begun to focus more on treating behavior problems in dogs and cats. Behavior problems, like jumping, barking, destructiveness, chewing, and house-soiling, are one of the major reasons dogs and cats are turned in to rescue shelters. Many of these behaviors can be prevented or corrected with the right knowledge.

We start with the puppy or kitten’s first exam, giving you a 30 minute consult full of training tips to help prevent many of these behavior problems. With each following visit, we discuss ongoing behavior issues and recommend continued socialization and puppy classes.

One of the most important things we have learned is that punishment, physical or verbal is of little use when dealing with our furry friends. In fact, it often leads to fear which causes the pet to be more likely to bite or scratch and definitely breaks the trust between you and your pet.

Instead of punishing the ‘bad’ behavior, it’s better to reinforce/reward the ‘good’ behavior. The more often a behavior is reinforced the stronger that behavior becomes.

Unfortunately this also applies to ‘bad’ behavior which is often reinforced without our even realizing it. For example: You come home and your dog jumps on you and barks at you. What do you do? Glare at him, yell at him to get down and be quiet and push him away. What did he want from you? Your attention. What did he get from you? Your attention. Granted, it wasn’t the sort of attention we think the dog would want, but it was better than nothing.

And if the two of you have been ‘practicing’ this behavior for several months or years, by now, it’s something of a game to your dog. Something to be looked forward to after a long day at home alone.

So the question is, how do you get rid of this behavior? First, you have to stop reinforcing the jumping and barking for attention. There are several things you can do.

One: Prevent the dog from being at the door to greet you when you come home; kennel him or block him off from that room. This way, you can control how you greet him.

Two: Ignore the jumping and barking until it stops, then give the dog attention. This works quickly in young puppies, but if the dog has been practicing it for years, it will take longer to change the behavior.

Three: Ask the dog for an alternative and incompatible behavior. In other words, the dog can’t jump on you if he’s laying down. He can’t bark at you if he’s bringing you a ball.

The important thing to remember is that any behavior that is reinforced/rewarded, will be repeated. Any behavior that is of no consequence will discontinue. Think about what your pet is doing that you like… do you reward that behavior? Are you unintentionally rewarding ‘bad’ behavior by giving it attention?

In theory, this all sounds easy, but getting rid of practiced behaviors is hard and takes time. Think of one of your own behaviors that you want to change. How long did it take to form new habits? Did you ever slip? Of course, you did, you’re only human. And your dog will also have bad days. Just remember that, he deserves the same chance to get it right.

If you have a problem that you haven’t been able to solve, call us. We can set up a behavior consultation to help you. You may want to consider taking a basic obedience class with Judy. Please call for more information or e-mail Judy at judy@pawfectmanners.com.

Going out of town?

Let us board your pets.

Call us at 281-444-VETS for our affordable boarding rates for your cats and dogs. We provide loving, professional care in a safe, secure environment. Make your holiday reservations now to insure we can properly take care of your precious pets while you are away from home.

We invite you to inspect our modern facility at 12202 Bammel N. Houston, just off the corner of Champion Forest.

Toxins in your home and yard

What to look out for!

So many common every day foods, plants, and chemicals can be toxic. Most of us know about things like chocolate, but there are a few new ones on the horizon that not all pet owners are aware of.

Foods:

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, coffee, coffee grounds, tea and tea bags and any tobacco products – they all contain Methylxanthines. This is a group of compounds that includes caffeine, nicotine, theophylline, animophylline and theobromine. These “drugs” cause cardiac, intestinal and central nervous stimulation which leads to vomiting, diarrhea, rapid heart rates, insomnia, hyperactivity, and sometimes cardiac arrhythmias and death.

Grapes and raisins have been shown to cause acute kidney failure in specific individual dogs, but not in others, so it is just best not to give any grape or raisin products to your pets.

Xylitol, an artificial sweetener called a sugar alcohol, causes acute often fatal liver disease (hepatitis and hepatic necrosis). Even a small amount can cause problems. This sweetener is commonly found in cookies, muffins, gum, and other prepared foods that are touted as “sugar free”.

Macadamia nuts may produce temporary rear limb myotonia sporadically in dogs. Resolution usually occurs within 12-18 hours.

Plants:

Sego palms, oleander leaves, mistletoe, poinsettias, Dumcane, lilies, poison ivy, poison oak, stinging nettles, and cactus can all cause health problems in pets. I have treated one patient that ate oleander leaves that the owner had trimmed and bagged up in the back yard. Once the leaves yellow they become sweet and some dogs like the taste. This plant contains digitalis glycosides which can be very toxic to the heart and cause intestinal irritation.

Other plants include English ivy, tulip, and narcissus bulbs, azalea, rhododendron, castor bean, yew, crocus, mother-in-law tongue, nightshade, and dieffenbachia. The top plant toxins to cats include caladium, daffodil, Jimsonweed, Lily of the valley, mistletoe and holly berries. Horses seem attracted to ragwort, bracken fern, poison and water hemlocks, oleander and Sudan and Johnson grass.

Chemicals:

Household cleaners that are toxic include bleaches, cleansers, disinfectants, and detergents. These can cause corrosive/caustic burns to pets. Flushing the affected area with water is important but do not induce vomiting. If your pet ingests any of these or gets them on the skin, then seek emergency medical care for them immediately.

By far the most common household chemical toxicity seen in veterinary medicine is ethylene glycol toxicity. This is also called “anti-freeze” toxicity. The chemical is sweet and often if left in a bucket or standing on the garage floor, will cause multiple cases of toxicity in the same home. Treatment for ethylene glycol ingestion needs to be started as soon as possible to salvage kidney function. Treatment requires hospitalization, IV fluids, antidotes, etc. If initiated within 6-8 hours of ingestion, the prognosis in dogs is good.

Rodenticides are the second most common household toxins. These come in the form of anticoagulants, central nervous system toxins, and vitamin D3. If you think your dog or cat has ingested a rodenticide, it is important to bring in the container and or label from the container so that the chemical can be ascertained and appropriate therapy instituted. Even the best intentions of keeping these baits away from pets break down. I often advise owners to never put rodenticides out in their home, yard, attic, garage, or in an old wood pile. It just seems that if it is there, your pet will find it an eat it.

Medications:

NSAIDS – non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, carprofen, ketoprofen, indomethacin, and flunixin are examples of NSAIDS. Others include aspirin, and piroxicam, some of these when given appropriately are safe, but patients on NSAIDS must be monitored for any toxicities while on these medications consistently.

Tylenol (Acetaminophen) NEVER GIVE THIS TO CATS !!! Cats are extremely sensitive and can succumb to as little as 10mg/kg – that is 5mg per lb. One 500mg Tylenol capsule is enough to poison 100lbs of cat – with just ONE DOSE! So NEVER EVER EVER GIVE TYLENOL TO A CAT! Dogs can safely take Tylenol, but only in correct dosages, so ALWAYS call this office before giving any over the counter medications!

Creepy Crawlies:

Bufo marinus toads carry bufotoxin on their skin and this causes initially severe salivation, frothing and vomiting. Symptoms progress to behavioral problems, weakness, seizures and cardiac arrhythmias leading to acute death. If you see your dog slobbering after playing with a toad, simply RINSE OUT THEIR MOUTH. This species of toad is not common in the Houston area, but other toads cause similar salivating and frothing. It just makes sense to rinse your dog’s mouth out as soon as possible.

Snakes (copper heads, water moccasins, coral snakes, and rattle snakes) and Spiders (Black widow, and Brown recluse spider) do occur in the Houston area, and are common causes of toxicities in the animal emergency clinics around town. The species of the snake striking your pet and the number of strikes and location of strikes as well as the size of the dog all determine the toxic reaction these bites can cause. If possible, identify the snake or bring the dead snake with you to the veterinarian so that a more accurate prognosis can be made. Antivenin does exist for rattle snake venom, and has shown some effect with water moccasin bites, but the price is approx. $1500.00 per dose, so very few emergency clinics can afford to stock it any more. Spiders rarely bite through the hair coat of pets, but when they do, can take extensive surgery and antibiotics to treat.

If your pet has eaten or been exposed to a chemical, food or plant and you are uncertain whether it is toxic, the first step is to have the name of the chemical, food or plant, then call your veterinarian or poison control. If you receive instructions from poison control, follow them and give us a call as soon as possible. (281) 444-8387. Quick treatment can mean the difference between life and death in some of these cases. If it is after hours, the 249 Animal Emergency clinic is open from 6pm to 8am during the week and all day on Saturday, Sunday and holiday. (281) 890-2882.

Here are a few links to sites with more information about toxins and your pet.

AVMA brochure on Household Hazards - also available in Spanish

ASPCA Poison control

$5 OFF Your Next Visit

(With $25 purchase)

For more great information about your pet

check out our website at

www.kleinbrookah.com

Want e-mail reminders when it’s time

for your pet’s

heartworm prevention?

E-mail us at kleinbrookah@kleinbrookah.com

Tell us your name, your pet’s name, your e-mail address

and when you want to be reminded

and we’ll send you a friendly reminder each month.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season