 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
AUTUMN NEWSLETTER 2000
MYXOMATOSIS: Is Your Bunny at Risk?
With the cold and damp autumn weather upon
us many have noticed the odd hunched up bunny by the roadside. With swollen
eyelids and nostrils, lumps on its body and pneumonia it will not survive
for long. It has myxomatosis.
Contrary to popular belief pet rabbits can and do catch this horrible disease.
It is carried by fleas and other biting insects so even house rabbits may
be exposed if there are other animals such as cats in the house. Even with
intensive veterinary care most affected rabbits will not survive.
Luckily there is a vaccination available for all rabbits over 6 weeks of
age. It is not 100% effective at preventing myxomatosis if there is a high
exposure but vaccinated rabbits will only get mildly ill, with maybe a bit
of a sniff or a few scabby patches on their skin. If your rabbit lives near
fields or parks where there are wild rabbits it is wise to have it vaccinated
every 6 months, otherwise yearly is fine.
Ask about booking your rabbit in for its
myxomatosis jag, later may be too late.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: WORMS!!
I've Just Got a Puppy, Do I Have to Worm Him?
Puppies and kittens get roundworms from their mothers through the milk and
puppies even get them in the womb. Worms can cause diarrhoea and malnourishment
so we advise worming puppies and kittens every three weeks until they are
twelve weeks old.
What Happens After Twelve Weeks?
We recommend worming adult dogs and cats every three to six months and hunting
cats every three months.
What Has Hunting Got to Do With It?
Mice, other small rodents and rabbits can have tapeworm cysts in their bodies.
If a cat (or dog) eats them the cyst develops into a tapeworm in their guts.
This process takes two to three months.
My Cat Never Catches Anything.
Other types of tapeworms are carried by fleas. so even if your cat never
goes out at all, it may get infected if it eats an affected flea. Worm eggs
are passed in the faeces so even soil can be a source of infection.
I've Heard Worms Can be Dangerous to
People, is That True?
Toxocara, the dog and cat roundworm can infect people if the eggs are eaten
(off soil or your pets coat if you do not observe meticulous hygiene). The
worms don't properly develop in people but migrate to other parts of the
body including the eye and can cause blindness.
I've Never Seen Eggs in My Pet's Faeces.
The eggs are very very tiny and adult worms are not often passed in the
faeces, even after treatment. Roundworms look like spaghetti and are sometimes
vomited after treatment - this means the treatment has worked but you should
re-dose your pet two to four weeks later. Tapeworms appear like grains of
rice as only individual segments are passed.
My Dog is Dragging Itself Along the Ground, Does it Have Worms?
Possibly, but it is more likely that it has gland problems. Get it checked
over.
We can supply all-in-one wormers in a single dose in tablets for adults,
liquid or powder for puppies and kittens (given over three days). There
is also an injection for tapeworms in cats only.*
Ask your vet for more details.
*NB as of 2001 there is now also a spot-on worming treatment for the back
of the neck... this also kills tapeworms.
Have you looked at your pet’s teeth
recently? A healthy mouth has pale pink gums and shiny white teeth. Over
time, plaque-forming bacteria lead to soreness and redness of the gums.
This goes with tartar accumulation and very had breath! Once tartar has
formed it can be very difficult to remove it can hide tooth decay, which
often is hard to pick up as dogs and cats are very stoical about pain in
their mouths.
Dental disease can also affect your pet’s
general health. Bacteria can travel from the gums to other parts of the
body like the heart or kidneys and cause infections there.Ideally we would
want to reduce the formation of tartar before dental treatment becomes necessary.
Special diets such as Hills t/d are available which are formulated and textured to clean your pet’s mouth as it eats, whilst providing them with a complete and balanced meal. Also treats like rawhide chews or Dentabits (Whiskas) will help keep tartar formation down.
There is a range of pet toothpastes available, some biologically degrade tartar and others have antibacterial properties. Many adult dogs will tolerate having their teeth brushed especially as the pastes com in palatable flavours like malt and chicken. Ideally the best time to start is when your pet is very young, with a finger and a little paste, moving, onto a baby brush as it gets used to the idea. Cats will sometimes lick the paste off the tube, as it sticks to their teeth it works this way too
If your vet does suggest that dental treatment
is necessary your pet will need a general anaesthetic. This is because we
use special machines, like those used in human dentistry, which use ultra
sound waves to remove tartar and leave the tooth clean. Then the teeth are
then polished with a rotating tool to smoothen the surface. As a last resort
we take out damaged teeth, which are causing discomfort, we may not he able
to decide this until the overlying tartar has been removed.
Have your pets teeth checked, they’ll thank you for it.
Remember, Remember the 5th of November... or the Big Bang!
Pretty bright lights, a huge bonfire, very frightened pets. Not everyone in the family enjoys Guy Fawkes Night. Most dogs and cats hate the loud unexpected bangs and high pitched whistles that go with fireworks so don't be tempted to take your pet to the nearest display. Instead feed your dog a large meal so he or she gets sleepy, put the TV on, darken the room and, if possible, somebody stay in the house to make everything seem as normal as possible. If he gets really upset in spite of this, ask your vet for some sedative tablets to make him dozy.
Make sure cats are indoors as a nearby banger
can make them shoot out into the road. If you are having a bonfire, check
no hedgehogs or other animals have crept underneath before it is lit. With
a bit of forward planning, everyone can have a happy Bonfire Night.
 |
 |