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AUTUMN NEWSLETTER 2002
New innovation to help combat fear
and stress in dogs.
D.A.P. helps control the fear of fireworks naturally!
Every year come October/November, we hear the same requests from pet owners at their wits end: "Can you give him something for the fireworks?" There is no doubt that animals and fireworks don't go together, the majority of our brave and noble friendsturning to quivering wrecks at the first bang in the distance. Sedatives, which produced very sleepy animals, often doing nothing for the anxiety, were the only small help. Finally, this year, we can offer something different. DAP stands for Dog Appeasing Pheremone which is a substance produced by pregnant and nursing bitches that enhances attachment between herself and the puppies. Research has shown that the reassuring properties of DAP persist into adulthood. Produced as a handy plug-in diffuser, DAP helps stop fear and stress related signs in adult dogs e.g. destruction, excessive vocalisation and house soiling. Clinical trials have shown an 80% improvement in signs such as panting, hiding and trembling associated with fireworks.
There are some steps that should be followed to get the maximum benefit from DAP:
The diffuser should be plugged in two weeks
before the event and left on for one week afterwards. Feeding a good heavy
meal in the late afternoon, moving to a darkened room and putting music
on is recommended. Remember that fussing or reassuring the dog is rewarding
the dog's fearful behaviour.
Try to instigate a desensitisation program with a qualified behaviouralist
once the season is over and you have control over the dog's environment
again; fear of fireworks need not be a lifelong problem. Speak to our canine
behavioralist, Tracy, or one of the vets for more information.
What is arthritis?
The form of arthritis I am going to speak about is Degenerative Joint
Disease, this happens when the smooth cartilage covering the joints becomes
thin or breaks down allowing the formation of new bone within the joint.
When this happens the joint cannot move freely and becomes stiffened and
swollen. It tends to happen in older dogs through wear and tear over the
dog's lifetime, it is most common in the hip and shoulder which allow movement
of the whole limb. It can also occur in younger animals if their joints
are not formed properly, like in Hip Dysplasia or after trauma to a joint
or ligament damage.
How can I tell if my pet has arthritis?
The signs of arthritis are stiffness on rising after rest and reluctance
to jump up onto chairs or into the car. An X-ray can help to determine the
extent of any bony changes which go along with arthritis.
What can I do if my pet has arthritis?
Although arthritis (in the form of Degenerative Joint Disease) cannot be
cured, there are a variety of modern treatments which can help pets with
this condition to lead a much happier life. Conventional anti-inflammatory
medicines are very effective in decreasing the pain and discomfort associated
with arthritis, especially after an episode of heavy exercise or trauma
that may make an existing condition worse.
NEVER GIVE A DOG OR CAT HUMAN PAINKILLERS!
Even a small amount of Ibuprofen or Paracetamol can be fatal to a dog or
cat.
Veterinary anti-inflammatories are specially developed for dogs and cats
and can greatly improve your pet's quality of life.
What about complementary medicines?
Hera at Blackness Surgery, we offer a variety of complementary medicine
alongside conventional treatments. This ranges from nutritional products
such as glucosamine and chondroitin (proven to help slow the progression
of degenerative joint disease) to other forms of pain relief such as magnetic
collars and acupuncture.
I think my pet is getting a bit heavy, is this bad
for him?
If your pet is overweight, losing weight can be very beneficial and improve
mobility. Ask about special calorie-controlled diets to help achieve weight
loss in a steady manner.
ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture is a well recognised part of traditional Chinese medicine
and is gaining recognition as a valuble adjunct to physiotherapy in human
medicine. In animals, by law, acupuncture can only be performed by a veterinary
surgeon and we are delighted to be able to offer this therapy at out own
surgery. Patricia MacFadyen performs acupuncture as an aid for painful conditions
such as arthritis, muscle spasms or back pain. Acupuncture may also be of
use in chronic skin conditions, incontinence adn wound healing
ULTRASOUND
We are now fortunate enough to be running our own ultrasound machine.
This offers us a non-invasive method of pregnancy diagnosis (from 4 weeks)
and is proving invaluable in helping us to diagnose conditions such as pyometra
(womb infection), liver, bladder and heart problems with only minor sedation
sometimes necessary.
BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING
Although we are all familiar with having our blood pressure taken at
the doctors', the importance of measuring blood pressure in animals, especially
cats, is only recently recognised. With a procedure very similar to that
used in people, we are able to measure your pet's blood pressure which can
give us an early indication of heart, kidney and thyroiud problems. High
blood pressure can create signs of agitation, fits and sudden blindness
so we feel it is very important to be able to pick up this condition early.
Overdue congratulations are due to Gillian
Stacey who became our first fully qualified VN - VETERINARY NURSE, earlier
this year. The course is long and demanding, it involves practical work
and periods of study at Edinburgh's Telford College. Barbara Barnard has
now also completed the D32/33 assessor's award so we hope there will soon
be more nurses studying towards VN status.
Congratulations are also due to vet Patricia MacFadyen on achieving the
RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Medicine. This is the culmination of three
years extra work in internal medicine and will be of benefit to the practice
and our patients overall, especially in dealing with more complex and unusual
cases.
Nurse Tracy Greenhalgh, completed the canine/human interface course last
year and is now studying towards the Diploma in Advanced Canine Psychology.
This makes her our resident behavioural consultant and special appointments
can be made to discuss individual problems in more depth.
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