It's National Pet First Aid Awareness Month

Brushed Your Pet’s Teeth Lately?

Can you imagine what your teeth would be like if you didn’t brush them for a year? Talk about bad breath! Considering your pet can’t brush his own teeth, this is kind of what he experiences. February is National Pet Dental Health Month and a great reminder that dental health is more than just teeth; your pet’s oral hygiene affects his overall health. Diseases of the mouth can often be painful and can contribute to additional problems. Having regular dental checkups and having your pet’s teeth cleaned are important to ensuring a positive quality of life.

According to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS), 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by age three, often indicated by bad breath, a change in eating or chewing habits, pawing at the face and mouth, bleeding gums, and depression. “In the vast majority of cases, however, there are little to no outward clinical signs of the disease process, and therefore, therapy often comes very late in the disease course,” explains Brook A. Neimeic, DVM, DAVDC, FAVD and chief of staff at Southern California Veterinary Dentistry Specialties. “Consequently, periodontal disease is also the most under-treated animal health problem.”

Pet Dental Health Campaign spokesperson Dr. Linda J. DeBowes, veterinarian at Shoreline Veterinary Dental Clinic in Seattle, warns pet owners trying to save money not to skimp on regular veterinary care for their pets. "The expenses associated with professional dental treatment may be significant; however, if this preventative care is not done, the cost to the owner may well be much higher in diagnostics and management of dental disease," DeBowes said.

“I tell clients that dental care for their pets is like changing the oil in their car,” says Neimeic. “It is an expense, and it’s time-consuming, but it is cheaper than replacing the engine. At least once a week, I am forced to extract half, if not more, of a pet’s teeth due to severe periodontal disease. My record is 38 at one sitting. This can cost up to $6,000, which is less than annual cleanings every year for the life of the dog!”

Your veterinary team is highly trained and a great resource for helping you provide preventative dental care for your pet. Regular dental checkups are a good start to preventative care for your pet. AAHA recommends that you talk to your veterinarian about how often “regular” refers to and develop a dental plan specific to your pet, based on her unique life stage circumstances. 

During one of these preventative dental exams, your AAHA-accredited veterinary team will take a thorough history, assess pain, chart any irregularities and determine an overall treatment plan for your pet. They may recommend diagnostic testing, which could include:

·                     Blood work to determine your pet’s overall health status and ability to metabolize anesthesia

·                     Radiographs (X-rays), especially if they determine your pet may need extractions

·                     Recommendations for a dry food diet, special foods, treats, rinses and chew toys

·                     Prescription for antibiotics and/or pain medications

In addition to professional dental care, DeBowes advises pet owners to make oral home care part of their pet’s routine as a way to prevent tooth decay.

You can help by taking an active role in your pet’s dental health care:

·                     Learn to brush your pet’s teeth. Ask your veterinarian to teach you the best and safest way to brush your pet’s teeth to avoid being bitten. Although daily tooth brushing is advised for both dogs and cats, only 2% of dog owners follow through. It’s best to start at an early age, but adult dogs and cats can learn to tolerate brushing. Use a specially-formulated toothpaste, because the kind for humans may upset your pet’s stomach.

·                     Feed your pet a high-quality diet. Ask your veterinarian about foods and treats with proven benefits in plaque and tartar removal.

·                     Provide chew toys that stimulate gums and help clean teeth.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) created the AAHA Dental Care Guidelines to help veterinarians and their teams provide excellent dental care for dogs and cats and to educate pet owners about the importance of proper dental care throughout their pets’ lives. Check out this article on www.healthypet.com for more information on dental care for your pet and the AAHA Dental Care Guidelines. 

This article originally appeared in PetsMatter January/February 2011, published by the American Animal Hospital Association. Copyright © 2011 AAHA. It also can be found on Healthy Pet.

February is Pet Dental Health Month

Dental health is an essential part of your pet’s overall physical health, and a healthy mouth is often directly linked to physical health. February is Pet Dental Health Month and Southwind Animal Hospital is offering 20% off dental's throughout the month. You will also receive a take-home kit that includes Breathalyser, a drinking water additive, Oral Care Chews and T/D prescription diet as treats.

6 Common Cat Health Problems

Cats are good at self-maintenance, but even your fastidious feline can't prevent some of the more common cat diseases and health issues. To help you care for kitty, here's a brief overview of six of the most common cat health problems.

Common Cat Health Problem: Vomiting

Vomiting is a very common cat health problem, with causes ranging from eating something poisonous or inedible (like string), to infection, urinary tract disease, or diabetes.

Symptoms are usually obvious, and include drooling and abdominal heaving. Vomiting can quickly leave your cat dehydrated, so if kitty continues vomiting or acts ill, call your vet right away. And, because it's hard for a pet owner to tell the difference between vomiting and regurgitation, collect a sample of your cat's vomit and take it with you to the vet.

Common Cat Health Problem: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTD)

About 10% of cats brought to the vet have feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), which is actually a group of feline diseases with multiple causes.

Female and male cats can get FLUTD, and it often occurs in cats that are overweight, unfit, or who eat dry food. Stress, a multi-cat household, and sudden changes can all raise a cat's risk of FLUTD, and treatment depends on the type of FLUTD your cat has. FLUTD symptoms include:

• Straining to urinate
• Bloody urine
• Urinating in unusual places
• Crying when urinating
• Licking around the urinary area (often because of pain)
• Depression
• Dehydration
• Lack of appetite
• Vomiting

It's always an emergency if your cat can't urinate. Call your vet immediately if you suspect your cat has a urinary tract problem.

Common Cat Health Problem: Fleas

Fleas are a very common external feline health problem, but one you can treat easily. Signs your cat has fleas include:

• Flea dirt on their skin (they look like tiny black dots)
• Constant scratching
• Frequent licking
• Red or irritated skin
• Hair loss
• Skin infections or hot spots

Fleas can live for more than a year, and your cat risks anemia if the problem becomes serious, so be sure to treat your cat's flea problem and prevent future infestations.

Talk to your vet about which flea control would be best for your cat. Treatments include oral medication, powders, foams, and topical medication.

Common Cat Health Problem: Tapeworms

One of the most common feline health problems inside your cat, tapeworms live in kitty's small intestine, sometimes growing as long as two feet.

Symptoms of a tapeworm infection can be subtle, but may include vomiting and weight loss. The easiest way to tell if your cat has tapeworms is to look at its feces and around its anus. If you see small white worms, or what look like grains of rice or sesame seeds, your cat likely has tapeworms.

Treatment options include injection or oral medication, but because cats almost always get tapeworms as a result of swallowing a flea, be sure to handle any flea problems your cat has before tackling tapeworms.

Common Cat Health Problem: Diarrhea

Many things can cause diarrhea in cats, including hairballs, spoiled food, allergies, infection, liver disease, cancer, and more.

Symptoms of diarrhea are loose, watery, or liquid stool. Depending on its cause, diarrhea can last for a day, a week, or even months.

If your cat has diarrhea, offer kitty plenty of fresh, clean water to prevent dehydration, then remove kitty's food for no more than 12-24 hours. Take your cat to the vet if he or she still has diarrhea after a day, or immediately if you notice vomiting, dark, or bloody stools, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, or if you cat is straining to defecate.

Common Cat Health Problem: Eye Problems

Eye problems in cats can be caused by a number of things, including conjunctivitis, cataracts, glaucoma, trauma, viruses, inflammation, and retinal disease.

A few symptoms that may mean your cat has eye problems include watery eyes, tear-stained fur, cloudiness, red or white eyelid linings, gunk in the corners of the eye, squinting, pawing at the eye, or a visible third eyelid.

Unless you know what's causing your cat's eye problems, there isn't much you can do other than wipe away any gunk with a damp cotton ball. After that, call your vet.

SOURCES: American Veterinary Medical Association: "External Parasites," "What is Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease?" 

Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County: "About FLUTD. 

"Veterinary Partner: "Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)." "Vomiting and Diarrhea." 

Suevet.com: "Cat Vomiting." 

ASPCA: “Fleas," “Worms," “Diarrhea," “Top Tips for Keeping Kitty's Eyes Healthy.” 

©2011 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 

Source: WebMD.com
http://pets.webmd.com/cats/6-most-common-cat-health-problems

National Pet Travel Safety Day

Today is National Pet Travel Safety Day. A day to remind you to be aware of your pet’s safety during travel. If you’re traveling by car, you should always have your dog in a seat belt and your cat in a strapped-in carrier. If you have questions about your pet’s safety during travel, don’t hesitate to ask us.

Holiday Foods

Many of the foods that we eat during the holidays are dangerous for our pets to eat. Foods like turkey and turkey bones, sugary treats, candy, grapes, onions, and more are things that your pet should never eat. Make sure to keep an eye on them during the holidays and warn your guests not to give them handouts.

Halloween Safety Tips

Attention, animal lovers, it's almost the spookiest night of the year! The ASPCA recommends taking some common sense precautions this Halloween to keep you and your pet saying "trick or treat!" all the way to November 1.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.

3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume may cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, be sure to try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increasing the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/halloween-safety-tips.aspx