Tetanus in Dogs

Recently we dealt with a very sad case of a Husky who died from tetanus.  She was brought into the clinic unwell and on examination was showing signs characteristic of tetanus.  Aggressive treatment was started straight away, but unfortunately the infection was too great and after 4 days she was put to sleep.

Tetanus is an uncommon infection in dogs but is a very serious and life threatening condition if it does occur.  Dogs like other animals become infected after being wounded and the wound becoming infected with the tetanus bacteria.  Unfortunately sometimes the wounds are very small and you may not even be aware that they have occurred.  Dogs may become unwell after several days but sometimes as long as 3 weeks.  In this case it was determined that the dog had been injured 8 days prior.

Even though infection is uncommon it can be prevented by vaccination, just as in many other animals and people.  Vaccination is very effective.  This can be done at the same time as other vaccinations or separately.  After suffering the heartache of losing one mate, her owner has decided to vaccinate their other 2 dogs as they never want to have to go through this again.

Talk to one of our veterinarians if you want to discuss this further.

Sparkles gets Diabetes

Sparkles the 15 year old cat came in to see us at the Veterinary Centre Oamaru because her owners had noted her drinking from odd places - the shower, condensation off the windows and she had become a bit thin.

Sparkles owners took advantage of the Senior Pet Check package which meant she got a real tip to tail check over including 'wellness bloods'.  Her blood tests revealed a very high glucose level and her urine was also positive for glucose.

Sparkles was diagnosed with Diabetes - a condition where the body is no longer able to stabilize it's glucose blood levels.  This condition can become life threatening if left untreated.  Sparkles owners went through a training consult on how to administer daily insulin injections.

Sparkles has recently come in for a diabetes monitoring check which has showed her glucose levels back in the normal range.

If you think your pet is drinking more than normal - diabetes is just one of a number of possible underlying diseases that can be well managed for a long and happy life.  Please contact your local Blue Cross Veterinary Centre to make a consult with one of our friendly vets.

Foreign Bodies - Dangers in the Rubbish

Cats and especially dogs often like to chew and eat things when they shouldn't.  What they think might be nice to have a nibble of could actually put them into big trouble.  We regularly see dogs and cats with sore and painful abdomens that end up needing surgery to remove the foreign body that they have eaten.

Prevention is far better than treatment.

• If you know your pet likes to carry rocks around in their mouth - do not encourage this as they can easily be swallowed
• Some dogs have a fascination with socks, bras, underwear - KEEP IN CLOSED DRAWS
• Pick up and throw out loose plastic bags, lolly wrappers, glad wrap etc.
• Ensure to put all knitting and sewing away - cats like to eat thread/wool and NEEDLES!
• Bones - can not only get stuck but they can rupture the intestines
• Select toys of an appropriate size and strength for your pets
• Keep a close eye on puppies as they are prone to chewing things
• Mouldy, spoiled food can be a great source of Mycotoxins.  These are toxins that act very fast and cause muscle tremors, vomiting, seizures and hyperthermia in as little as 30 minutes.

If your pet is off their food or vomiting (because what they have eaten has gotten stuck in their stomach or intestines and is blocking the normal flow of food) or if you are concerned that your pet may have eaten something then contact your Blue Cross veterinarian immediately.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

Shadow is always getting into cat fights!  When Shadow was offered free testing for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) on his last visit to the Veterinary Centre Waimate his owners jumped at the chance.  They understood that cat fights are the most common cause of FIV spread.  The test was quick and easy, a small blood sample was taken, and a result was available in just ten minutes.  In good news Shadow didn't have FIV and his owners elected to vaccinate him in order to protect the fighting Shadow from a potentially fatal disease. 

Bumblefoot - The Story of Winston the Chicken

Winston the chicken came in to see the team of The Veterinary Centre early this year with wounds on the bottom of her feet.  She had a nasty bacterial infection known as 'Bumblefoot' (or pododermatitis) that can occur after trauma to the foot.  It can invade deeper structures such as joints and tendons, or even spread into the bloodstream setting up a septicaemia.

Winston underwent a general anaesthetic for radiographs to ensure there was no bone or tendon involvement, then underwent surgery to debride the 'dead' centre of tissue caused by the infection on the bottom of her feet, so that her feed could start to heal.  She was also placed on a four week course of antibiotics to help overcome the infection.  Due to her cheeky nature and unwillingness to take the tablets, these had to be hidden carefully in pieces of sausage meat and other tasty treats.

Bumblefoot lesions can be notoriously difficult to treat, so we are all extremely delighted with this result.  Thanks to her very dedicated owners, and the great care Winston received at the Veterinary Centre her feed have fully healed and she is back to her normal self, running and scratching around.

Tim the Tom Cat

Last week Tim the (Tom) cat came to visit his Blue Cross veterinarian.  His owner was fed up with him spraying urine in the house.  Tim's behaviour had started to change too - once a lovely friendly homely cat, he had now started roaming for days at a time and was moody and mean.  On inspection, Tim's vet found that he had never been neutered so he was booked for the very next day.  Tim's procedure was quick, painless and cost less than $55.  He went home that afternoon and was quickly back to his normal, happy self - no more lingering smells in the house.  Not only is Tim a lot nicer to have around but having your male cat neutered also benefits the entire community with less unwanted pregnancies.  Tim's Blue Cross vet advised that he should also live a much longer, healthier life with decreased risk of testicular and prostrate disease.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke can be life threatening!

Now that summer has arrived, it is important to make sure your dogs, cats, rabbits and other furry friends have access to plenty of drinking water and shade to escape the heat if they are getting too hot. NEVER leave your animal in the car on a hot day. An outside temperature of 24 degrees can jump to 50 degrees in just half an hour. Signs of heat stroke include restlessness, agitation, whining, panting, foaming at the mouth or drooling, elevated heart rate, muscle tremors and red gums. If your pet is showing signs of heat stroke - first hose them down with water, give them a drink, pop them in the shade and call us immediately at the Blue Cross Veterinary Centre for further assistance.

Gus the Heading Dog

Gus, a male heading dog was presented to Veterinary Centre Waimate feeling very off colour and quite dehydrated.  Veterinarian Steve Oehley gave him IV fluids to correct the dehydration and took blood and urine samples to be tested at the lab.  The tests showed that Gus was in kidney failure.  Gus was stabilised but after swelling of his abdomen the decision was made to perform surgery.  A contaminant in the form of a seed was discovered in his intestines.  It was removed and a course of antibiotics and pain relief then prescribed.  The seed was sent to the laboratory for identification and found to be a mango seed which, like many seeds and pips, is toxic to dogs.  Thankfully by quickly bringing Gus to his closest Veterinary Centre we were able to take care of Gus and his problem.  Gus has made a full recovery and is now back to his old self.

Sparky the Pup

Sparky visited us at the Veterinary Centre Oamaru because he was scratching and losing hair. Sarah, our Blue Cross Veterinarian, arranged for skin samples which revealed lots of demodex mites and bacteria. Most dogs have a few and they cause no problem but in some animals, such as Sparky, the immune system fails to control the mite and numbers explode causing discomfort, hair-loss and skin infections. Sparky started on medication to treat the mites and antibiotics to clear up the infection. After several months his fur has grown back and he is much happier. Left untreated, itchy skin disease can cause prolonged discomfort and misery in pets so bring them in to see our Veterinary Centre team to find out why they are itching and how our vets can help!

Sally's Stress

Sally was usually a happy and relaxed cat but when she came to visit us at the Veterinary Centre Oamaru, she was going bald from licking excessively and had started spraying inside.

Her vet discovered that Sally and her family had recently moved and they also had a friend's cat boarding with them - either of these things could lead to a cat suffering from anxiety.

Sally's vet recommended a Feliway diffuser be plugged in at home - these produce pheromones that create a safe and familiar smelling environment for Sally to reduce her stress levels.

Sally's vet checked in after two weeks and was happy to hear she was returning to her former chilled out self.

Pets can be very good at hiding their emotions but it can cause huge changes in their personality so if there is a potentially stressful event coming up for your cat or dog, such as traveling, moving house, new pets or people in the home, (just to name a few) - come and see us at your nearest Blue Cross Veterinary Centre for advice today.