Interesting Pet Topics

Interesting Pet Topics

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Does your dog itch, scratch and lick its skin? Does it shake its head and scratch at its ears? 
It could be ALLERGIES!!! 

We now have two revolutionary new medications that can give your dog relief from the constant "itch-scratch" cycle. 

Apoquel is a pill that you give your dog daily that actually affects the nerves in the skin that cause the itching that causes your dog to scratch!
Cytopoint, on the other hand, is an injection for "allergic dermatitis" that can control your dog's symptoms for up to 3-4 months! 
Our doctors can determine which product might be right for your dog after examining them and also determine if there is anything else going on like an ear or skin infection, etc. 

Call us today at 319-988-4760 to schedule an appointment to see if Apoquel or Cytopoint is right for your dog! Look forward to a new level of comfort!

Routine blood screening tests : When and Why are they really needed?

Cat Vaccinations ─ Pet Owner And Cat At The Clinic in Cedar Falls, IA
Routine blood Screening Tests: When and Why are they really needed? Dr.s Julie and Danny recommend yearly blood screening tests for many reasons. Certainly for geriatric wellness - meaning for all dogs 7 and older when early organ problems may start to show up. The earlier problems are diagnosed, the better chance we have of successfully treating the problem and preventing it from getting much worse very quickly. These screening tests can be run at the same time as your dog's yearly heartworm blood test, yearly physical (and vaccinations, if due!). For cats, it can be combined with his or her yearly physical exam and vaccinations, if due). We also recommend periodic blood testing (1-2 times a year) for those pets on daily medications. Examples of these include but are not limited to anti-seizure medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Previcox, Carprofen, Rimadyl, etc., thyroid medication, denamarin, and others. Another example of blood testing is of course those pets with Diabetes which requires more frequent testing. With many of these medications, we are looking to see that certain blood values are where we want them to be because they are on the medication. Other times, such as when we test the pet's blood to make sure the side effects of the medications are causing no harm to the organs because of their side effects. Either way doing these blood tests can lengthen the life of your pet.

Could Your Pet Be Suffering From Thyroid Disease?

Thyroid disease is a very common disorder affecting middle-aged to senior dogs and cats. A dog's thyroid disease involves having too little of the active thyroid hormone. This disease is called "Canine Hypothyroidism". A cat's thyroid disease, on the other hand, involves having too much of the active thyroid hormone and is called "Feline Hyperthyroidism". These two diseases are treatable especially if diagnosed in the early stages. Blood work screening on all middle-aged and older cats and dogs should include a thyroid test especially because some pets with thyroid disease show no symptoms at all. Below are some of the most typical symptoms your dog or cat might exhibit if he or she has thyroid disease.

Typical symptoms of dogs with Canine Hypothyroidism: *

  • Decreased Energy
  • Weight Gain
  • Hair Loss
  • Increased Shedding
  • Dull Coarse Hair Coat

Typical symptoms of cats with Feline Hyperthyroidism: *

  • Increased Appetite
  • Weight Loss
  • Increased Drinking
  • Increased Urination (may be seen as more or larger sized "clumps" in the litter box of indoor cats)
  • Increased Energy/Activity
  • Vomiting
If you have a middle-aged to senior dog or cat that has not had any senior blood tests done in the last 6-12 months or is showing any of the above symptoms, we would recommend scheduling an appointment. Like many diseases, thyroid disease is more successfully treated if diagnosed early!
* Remember, many dogs and cats with early thyroid disease show no symptoms at all

Why Spay Your Pet...Especially If She's Older Now?

Most people think spaying your dog or cat must be done at around six months of age or you should just not worry about doing it at all. That couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, although it is BEST to spay your pet when she is young, it is a good idea to still spay your pet NOW no matter how old she is. This picture is of an actual dog's uterus with what is called a "pyometra". A pyometra is a life-threatening condition in which a dog or cat's uterus enlarges and fills with bacteria and pus and can get to be the size of a pregnant uterus or in some cases even larger and actually rupture.
This dog's uterus is ten times its normal size and filled with infection. This was emergency surgery to save her life. She came into our clinic and could barely walk. She was running a fever, was dehydrated, very sore in her abdomen, had been drinking and urinating a lot the week before but this past week didn't want to eat or drink and was vomiting. she was listless and her pre-surgery blood tests showed a serious infection. This enlarged uterus showed up on her X-ray as well. The large infected uterus had to be carefully removed without letting it rupture or leak any of the infection into the abdomen. This is a delicate and long procedure. The dog did well after surgery on IV fluids, antibiotics, and pain medications, and was able to go home three days after surgery. She was one of the lucky ones. Many dogs and cats with pyometra die before they ever make it to the clinic or are instead in kidney failure. In very advanced pyometra cases, the uterine bacteria can release toxins that permanently damage the kidneys so that even if they do make it to the clinic, their routine pre-surgery blood tests show that they already have permanent kidney failure.

Spaying can also reduce the risk of mammary tumors, eliminate the risk of uterine cancer and reduce the risk of many other health problems. It's not too late no matter how old your dog or cat is. Spay her now!!!

Newer Test Diagnoses Kidney Disease in Dogs and Cats Earlier Than Routine Tests!

Standard testing for kidney disease generally does not pick up any problems until the kidneys in dogs and cats have lost 75% of their functioning ability. The newest test available can now detect kidney disease when only 40% of their kidney function has been lost. In any pet that we suspect has kidney disease even if the results of standard tests are normal, we will recommend sending a blood sample to the lab for a more definitive test of his or her kidney function. This will allow an earlier diagnosis which gives your pet a better chance of successful treatment options early on.
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