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Tips & tricks to keep your furry mate cool on hot days

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:57:25 GMT

We sure have had some hot days and we are all feeling it! When we leave home for the day and flick on the air con in the car it can be easy to forget about our animals left in the heat at home. We see animals come into our hospital suffering from heatstroke and if left untreated at home this can be very dangerous to your pet. So here are some tips our team use to keep our dogs cool on the hot long days.

Water

It is just so important to make sure your pet always have access to cool clean water. You can place water bowls in shady areas of the yard and if you pet is home alone it’s a good idea to have more than one water bowl available during the day. Placing ice cubes or ice bricks in the water can also help to keep the water cool.

For dogs that love to swim and play in the water, Clam pools are great to have as their very own swimming pool, they are cheap and easy to clean and your dog can swim whenever he or she feels like it! Using the hose to wet down outdoor pets can also help with keeping them cool when you're home.

Escaping the heat

Ensure your pet has access to shady cool areas in the yard at all times; This can vary from a shady bush to lie under, the back verandah or they just love coming inside with the air conditioning on!

Ice blocks for dogs

One of our teams favourite things to do is make our own yummy ice blocks for our pets! These are a great cheap and easy way to encourage your pet to drink more water and help them to stay cool; they are also excellent for pets who get bored easily! All you need is a container (ice cream containers work great for dogs and Margarine containers are great for smaller dogs), water and pets favorite treats. Simply add the water and treats to the container and freeze overnight! Be creative, you can also use chicken necks, Frankfurts cut into pieces, liver treats, you can even add a small amount of beef/chicken stock for flavour or why not try dog ice cube treats! Caution: Always remove any uneaten food as once the ice has melted any meat will go off in the heat.

Exercise

Do not exercise your pet during the day; this includes walking and playing in the yard. Early mornings and late in the afternoon when the sun is going down are the best times to exercise with your pet. Also be aware that when walking your pets on the road or footpath that the hot concrete can burn the pads of their feet so it’s best to wait until it cools down.

Travelling with pets

When travelling with your pets always make sure you take water and a bowl for them to drink from. It’s also illegal to leave your pet in the car unattended. Pets will overheat very quickly in a car and this can cause fatality within a short period of time.

Grooming

Clipping and grooming your pets in the hotter months can help to keep them cool. Having shorter hair however can expose them to the risk of sunburn so pets should be watched closely with short hair, especially white coated animals.

If you suspect your pet may be suffering from heat exhaustion please contact us as soon as possible.

My Vets

Irrawang Veterinary Hospital

Ph: 4987 1898

3/17 Port Stephens Street, Raymond Terrace 2324

Thornton Veterinary Hospital

Ph: 4966 1133

3/ 30 Railway Avenue, Thornton 2322

Parvovirus

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:57:23 GMT

Dr Dale talks about Parvovirus in dogs

What is Parvovirus?

Parvovirus is a highly contagious and life threatening virus that affects dogs of all ages, but is most severe in young puppies. It is during the warmer months that we see more outbreaks, commonly these puppies that are affected live in the same or nearby suburbs.

How is it spread?

It is spread through contact with faeces from an infected dog, or by contaminated footwear, floors, carpets etc. People can spread the disease even if their dog does not leave the house, and the virus can live in the environment for months!

What are the symptoms?

Parvovirus attacks the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system and destroys the immune system. Symptoms include vomiting, bloody foul smelling diarrhoea, severe abdominal pain, depression and even death.

How do we prevent it?

Parvovirus vaccination, like other vaccinations, work better on "herd immunity", which means the more dogs that are vaccinated in an area the less prevalent the virus becomes in that area. Vaccinating your adult dog will help to protect other young puppies in your area.

Puppies need to be vaccinated at 6, 12 and 16 weeks of age, followed up by yearly or 3 yearly boosters for the rest of their life. Vaccinating your breeding dog will also help to protect the pups until they are old enough for vaccination.

How do we treat parvovirus?

Any symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea in puppies are suspected of having parvovirus. We use an in-house test kit to confirm the disease. There is no cure for parvovirus and treatment involves supportive care, including intensive hospitalisation and in some cases blood or plasma transfusions are required. Without prompt treatment most puppies will die. Intensive treatment is often successful. The outcome, in our experience, depends on how sick the puppy is when we first start treatment.

Vaccination is the most important thing we can do for our puppies, breeding dogs, adults and senior dogs. The more vaccinated dogs there are, the less outbreaks we will see.

Warning cats at risk from deadly virus outbreak

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:28:19 GMT

Cats at risk from deadly virus outbreak

The once vanquished viral disease feline panleukopenia has caused the death of scores of cats in Sydney in recent weeks, investigations into the outbreak by researchers from the University of Sydney show.

Blacktown City Council is the latest area to announce an outbreak, last night issuing a statement saying its Animal Holding Facility would be closed to cats and it was placing a hold on adoptions and cat rescues until the outbreak was under control.

The symptoms are fever, lethargy and loss of appetite, followed by vomiting and diarrhoea. In severe infections cats can die suddenly with no signs.

Sydney veterinarian Dr Tanya Stephens, owner of Haberfield Veterinary clinic, said she had not diagnosed a case for 40 years. That was until about two weeks ago when her practice diagnosed the disease in four rescued stray kittens. The kittens died after a short illness.

The disease has also struck three animal shelters in western Sydney, resulting in the deaths of more than 50 cats. Affected cats were mostly kittens that had not yet been vaccinated, or were not fully vaccinated.

DNA sequencing by University of Sydney Professor Vanessa Barrs has confirmed that the strain of virus causing the outbreak in Australia is feline panleukopenia virus (FPV).

It coincides with several large outbreaks of parvovirus in dogs in NSW, around the Shoalhaven area as well as the Riverina region and Tamworth.

“The message for pet owners is make sure your dogs and cats are vaccinated against these deadly infections,” said Professor Barrs, from the Sydney School of Veterinary Science and Marie Bashir Institute .

“Disease in cats is caused by parvoviruses, small DNA viruses. The main one is feline panleukopenia virus but parvoviruses that infect dogs can also cause the disease in cats.”

However, there is no risk for humans as the disease cannot be passed on to them.

Feline panleukopenia virus, also known as feline enteritis, is a deadly viral infection of cats that was first discovered more than 100 years ago. With the uptake of vaccinations, disease virtually disappeared from Australia in the mid-1970s.

The current outbreak is particularly dangerous because it occurs in the middle of summer, when there are larger numbers of kittens around, which are most susceptible to the disease.

The research by Professor Barrs and her colleagues indicates that current vaccines should be effective.

“The current outbreak seems to be caused by a lack of mass vaccination, especially in shelter-housed cats,” Professor Barrs said.

“The disease had previously re-emerged in Melbourne cat shelters a few years ago but despite warnings, cats have not been vaccinated in many shelters because their risk of disease was perceived to be lower than in dogs, when in reality the risk to cats is high.

“When less than 70 per cent of the population is vaccinated, there is a perfect storm for the emergence of a disease epidemic. The current outbreak is a timely reminder that maintaining immunity in populations of animals where effective vaccines are available is essential”.

Take home message - If your pet has lapsed with vaccinations it is highly important you contact us asap to make an appointment or if you have any questions.

Media release from the University of Sydney

Rabbit Virus Warning

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:22:45 GMT

A must read for rabbit owners

We have been informed that a virus is being released in the first week of March 2017 for biocontrol measures in wild rabbits, this in turn may impact our pet rabbits. A new vaccine schedule has been recommended to protect against the Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV).

The signs of the disease progress rapidly from fever and lethargy to sudden death within 48-72 hours of infection. The incubation period for the disease is between one to three days. Most rabbits will show no signs of external symptoms.

It is extremely important that you take action to start your pet rabbit on the new vaccine schedule requirements as below

Kittens: 4, 8, 12 weeks of age, then 6 monthly for life

Adults: 2 vaccinations 1 month apart, then 6 monthly for life

For more information http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/697199/biosecurity_bulletin_RHDV1K5_public.pdf

Please contact us to make an appointment for your pet to protect against this virus.

Mosquito numbers on the rise.

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:14:01 GMT

Ideal conditions for heartworm to spread.

Extraordinary numbers of mosquitoes resulting in a record Ross River Virus (RRV) season in NSW and VIC. What is the implication for our pets and heartworm management?

As you may have heard, several reports from NSW and VIC authorities warn about the unusually high number of mosquitoes giving way to an exceptional outbreak of the mosquito borne infectious disease Ross River Fever. There are a number of mosquito species that play a role in the transmission of Ross River virus. Some of these species are the same vectors that carry heartworm larvae . Heavy rainfall and flooding in several states during spring created the perfect environment for mosquito populations to multiply.

Favourable conditions have affected all species of mosquitoes, including those carrying Dirofilaria immitis . The increased number of mosquitoes and the presence of a reservoir such as foxes in suburban areas and untreated dogs may create ideal conditions for heartworm infection to spread . It is very important to stay vigilant. Unfortunately, the impact of this alarming increase in the mosquito population will only be detected 6-7 months after the risk period due to the long pre patent period of D. immitis.

The risk for heartworm infection may be higher than usual. It is vital that owners remain vigilant during this time.

Australian Heartworm Advisory Panel (AHAP) recommends year round heartworm prophylaxis for all canines throughout Australia.
ProHeart® SR-12 remains the heartworm prevention of choice as it combines long term efficacy with the best in class active ingredient-moxidectin.
The AHAP recommends testing of all dogs that are overdue or given monthly prophylaxis, where doses have been potentially missed. This testing is important due to the extraordinary numbers of mosquitoes of late and the resultant increased risk of heartworm transmission.

It is extremely important that your dog is up-to-date with heartworm prevention. If you are unsure or to make an appointment please contact the Hospital on the below numbers or sent us an email if it's outside our business hours and we will check your pets history and get back to you.

My Vets Irrawang & Thornton

Warning release by the The Vets Australia Team

Irrawang 4987 1898

Thornton 4966 1133

Email reception@myvets.vet

Leptospirosis In The Local Area

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:06:57 GMT

Leptospirosis Information

The team at My Vets Irrawang and Thornton wish to advise our clients of a case of Leptospirosis in the local area. Although we are in a low risk area the recent rains, flooding and rodent plagues have altered our geographic conditions at this time.

Leptospirosis is a disease caused by the bacteria Leptospira. The primary host of Leptospira is the domestic and wild rat. These animals can spread Leptospira into the environment via their urine. The bacteria are able to survive in damp and muddy conditions for several months and both humans and dogs can contract the disease from contaminated soils and waterways.

Therefore the biggest risk factor for infection is exposure to rats or areas frequented by rats.

Dogs can become infected if the bacteria is able to enter the body via the mouth, nose or any skin wound. They begin to show signs of illness after around 7 days. These symptoms are quite variable and can include lethargy, disinterest in food, vomiting and diarrhoea, increased water intake and urination and jaundice (yellow skin/membranes). Whilst some dogs may only suffer mild illness, the disease can be fatal. If your vet is concerned your dog has Leptospirosis they will perform blood and urine tests to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment involves use of antibiotics and more often than not, hospitalisation and intravenous fluids.

The good news is that Leptospirosis is preventable through vaccination. Dogs in our area are not routinely vaccinated against Leptospirosis as the disease prevalence is so low. However, given the recent case in our local area (presumed to be related to the unusual weather patterns) we are currently recommending vaccination of our canine patients. If you are interested in having your dog vaccinated against Leptospira please contact one of our clinics for more information, or to book an appointment.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted from animals to humans. If your dog has Leptospirosis then the disease can be passed on to you via the dog’s urine. Please speak to your family doctor for more information or visit NSW health.

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/leptospirosis.aspx