 Does your pet have smelly breath that can knock you out of bed in the morning? Are their teeth looking a bit snaggly? Dental health is important in dogs and cats too. Let me repeat that in a different way, you should take care of your dog's and cat's teeth as well as your own. Read the wonderful article below to learn more about dental hygiene in your furry friends' mouth. Call and schedule an appointment today for a FREE consultation dental exam. Then we will guide you from there to a better, cleaner mouth for your pup or cat. 10 PERCENT OFF OF ALL DENTAL PROCEDURES AND PRODUCTS IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY!!!!!
All About Dental Health By Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVM Dog Checkups & Preventive Care Dr. Ruth MacPete dishes on pet dental health. Read on to learn more about dental disease and how to keep your pet's ivories healthy and pearly white. For more from Dr. MacPete, find her on Facebook or at www.drruthpetvet.com! Can you imagine what your teeth would look like if you never brushed them? Not pretty that’s for sure! So what about your pets’ teeth? Like us, pets need routine dental care. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS), dental disease is the number one health issue affecting 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over the age of three. Not too surprising considering that most people don’t brush their pet’s teeth (and we know their pets aren’t doing it either). So why should you care? Poor oral hygeine doesn’t just cause bad breath, it can lead to tooth loss, painful abscesses, difficulty eating, and other serious health problems. Dental disease in pets So how does dental disease occur in pets? The combination of food, saliva, and bacteria leads to plaque formation. If this isn’t removed by brushing, it mineralizes and becomes tartar. Tartar accumulation promotes bacterial infections below the gumline, which result in gum recession and destruction of the tooth’s support structures. Without treatment, tooth loss and pain occur. Bacteria from a tooth infection can also enter the blood stream and spread to distant organs, like the kidney, liver and heart. What if your pet has dental disease? A complete dental cleaning is required if your pet already has dental disease. This involves an evaluation of the oral cavity and cleaning not only the surface of the teeth, but underneath the gumline where the majority of bacteria and tartar are found. After the teeth are cleaned, they are polished to smooth the rough surface created by the cleaning. Without polishing, these irregular surfaces allow bacteria and plaque to adhere more easily and accelerate the recurrence of dental disease. Next, an antibacterial solution is flushed below the gumline to remove any debris that collected after the scaling and polishing. Lastly the entire mouth is checked again and dental x-rays may be used to assess the extent of the dental disease and the need for tooth extractions or additional work. Even though most people can tolerate and sit through a thorough dental cleaning, pets can’t. The only way to perform a complete dental cleaning in pets is by using general anesthesia. What about a non-anesthetic dental? For many pet parents, the thought of placing their beloved pets under general anesthesia is scarier than the actual cleaning. So what about a non-anesthetic dental cleaning? It is important to know that it is currently illegal for anyone other than a veterinarian or a supervised and trained veterinary technician to perform a dental cleaning. Even when done by a trained professional, there are risks with non-anesthetic dentals. Animals with dental disease often have painful mouths. Without anesthesia, an animal may experience pain and move during the cleaning. This can be dangerous since many of the instruments used are quite sharp and can hurt the animal if it jerks during the procedure. However, the biggest issue with non-anesthetic dental cleanings is that the cleanings are superificial and do not address tartar under the gumline where the majority of dental disease resides. For these reasons, both the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) and the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS) do not recommend non-anesthetic dental cleanings. What should be done before a cleaning? So how can you make the anesthetic dental safer? Pre-anesthetic bloodwork and chest x-rays are used to screen for underlying medical issues. Although anesthesia can never be risk free, the use of modern gas anesthetics such as sevoflurane and isoflurane, sophisticated monitoring equipment, as well as intravenous catheters and IV fluids have greatly improved the safety of general anesthesia. Your veterinarian will need to look at your pet’s individual risks versus the benefits of dental care and advise you appropriately. How do you keep your pet’s teeth clean? Once your pet’s teeth are clean, routine dental care will maintain oral health and minimize the need for professional dental cleanings. Pets should IDEALLY have their teeth brushed daily using pet-safe toothpaste. I say IDEALLY because for most of us this isn’t possible, so do the best you can. Brush your pet’s teeth as often as you can and try to do it at least once a week if daily isn’t possible. While nothing beats regular brushing, oral rinses, dental diets and dental treats can help reduce the bacteria and plaque that lead to tartar formation. No matter what you choose, be consistent and see your veterinarian regularly for check ups. Remember early diagnosis and treatment are the best defense against serious dental disease. If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
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Here are some tips for the holiday season to avoid toxic exposures, brought to you by Merial (the maker of Frontline Gold and Heartgard). From the doctors and staff at our practice, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Keep yourself and your pets safe.   Gobble Gobble TimeIt's that time of year again. We are gathering around the table with our loved ones. And those loved ones should include our four-legged one. With that said, however, we should be careful with the way we show the love of our pets during the holidays. They can't process the fatty foods the way that we can. They shouldn't be able to sit at the table beside you and eat the leftover dessert off your plate (or sneak a bite when you aren't looking). Below is a great article about Thanksgiving holiday dangers that you need to be cautious of and avoid. Happy Thanksgiving!!! Thanksgiving Holiday Dangers to Avoid Posts by: Dr. Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC Dog Checkups & Preventive Care Ah, Thanksgiving, a joyous holiday when friends and family join us for football, lounging and all-day tryptophan-filled turkey tasting. The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie and turkey all baking in the oven slowly filter through the house, driving you — and your dog — slowly mad. With all of this temptation, it’s tough not to get distracted, but let’s not forget that with delicious human food comes pet risk. As a board-certified veterinary specialist in both emergency critical care and toxicology, I felt it would be a good idea to tell you how to avoid a visit to the animal ER! Here are a few simple tips to help pet-proof this Thanksgiving holiday (which would make your emergency veterinarian grateful too!). Keep your dog out of the kitchen—or better yet, crate him.  Accidental counter-surfing can result in severe poisoning to your pet, ruining your holiday and causing you shame when you have to induce vomiting in your dog in front of all your friends and family (Always check with your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center prior to inducing vomiting). Don’t let friends and family feed your pets Next, make sure your guests know the house rules: Don’t feed your pets. Your friends and family may not be aware of the common kitchen foods that are quite poisonous to pets. Politely inform all your guests to keep their food out of reach and to ask permission before feeding any treats (particularly if your pet has food allergies). Dump the trash
The most dangerous Thanksgiving foods So, what tops the list for the most-dangerous, Thanksgiving foods? Check out my top 7 list here: 1. Grapes and raisins  Raisins are commonly found in stuffing, baked goods and as snacks. When ingested, these fruits from the Vitus sp. can result in severe acute kidney injury. Signs of poisoning often don’t show up for days, until kidney failure has already taken place. 2. Xylitol  If you have any calorie-counting chefs in the kitchen (I mean, really, why bother on this holiday?), you may want to verify that they haven’t used any xylitol in the baked goods. Xylitol, a natural sugar-free sweetener, is a sugar substitute used in a ton of products nowadays: baked goods, certain brands of peanut butter, gums, mints, mouthwashes, nasal sprays, chewable vitamins, etc. When ingested by dogs, it can result in a massive insulin spike, causing a life-threatening hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and even liver failure with higher doses. 3. Fatty table scraps While I’m guilty of feeding my own dog table food (and yes, he gets to lick the dinner plate when I’m done), I’m savvy about what is healthy and not. Fatty table scraps like gravy, turkey skin, etc. are potentially dangerous to your dog, as they can result in severe pancreatitis. Certain breeds are especially sensitive, including miniature schnauzers, Shetland sheepdogs, and Yorkshire terriers. Even a piece of bacon can trigger pancreatitis in dogs, so when in doubt, don’t feed it to your dog or cat! 4. Bones and turkey legs
5. Onions, leeks, chives and garlic
6. Unbaked yeast bread dough
7. Alcohol
Is your dog afraid of having their feet touched? Do they abhor nail trimmings/grindings? The first step to getting them over the hump on this process begins at home. Sure you can bring them to your veterinarian and have them hold the pet down and trim the nails. But I think you'll find the information in this article to be a lot more educational and helpful in getting your pet to where they need to be when it comes to nail trims. My Dog is Afraid of Nail Trimmings |
| 1. Chocolate If your dog likes to sneak in one or two chocolate mini-bars, it likely won’t cause a problem (as there’s very little “real” chocolate in candy). However, during this fall holiday, dogs have a tendency to gorge and eat a massive amount of chocolate candy all at once. Keep your candy jar and your kid’s Halloween stash away from food-motivated dogs (e.g., Labrador retrievers, mixed-breed dogs). When it comes to chocolate, the ingredient methylxanthine (e.g., theobromine, caffeine) can be poisonous to your dog. (Thankfully, cats rarely develop chocolate poisoning, as they rarely gorge on more than 1-2 pieces.) Mild ingestions typically result in agitation, vomiting, diarrhea and excessive panting. Larger amounts can result in heart-toxicity: abnormal heart arrhythmias (abnormal rhythm), an elevated heart rate, and a very high blood pressure. Massive amounts can result in neurologic signs like tremoring, seizuring, or rarely, death. When it comes to chocolate, keep in mind that the darker and more bitter the chocolate (e.g, Baker’s chocolate, dark chocolate), the more poisonous it is to your dog. |  |
 | 2. Sugarless Sweets Another danger in your kid’s Halloween stash is sugar-free candy (Who tortures kids by giving this away, anyway?!). Xylitol, a natural sugar-free sweetener, can result in low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and even liver damage (e.g., acute hepatic necrosis) when ingested by dogs. Certain candies, mints, baked goods, and gums can contain large amounts, resulting in xylitol poisoning. Clinical signs of weakness, vomiting, lethargy, collapse, a racing heart rate, and generalized malaise can be seen. When xylitol is ingested in doses > 0.5 g/kg, clinical signs of jaundice (e.g., yellowing of the skin), vomiting, black-tarry stool, anorexia, and liver failure can be seen. |
| 3. Raisins Once in a while, you’ll have a healthy neighbor who gives away small boxes of raisins during Halloween (Boo). Raisins, grapes, and certain currants (anything in the Vitus spp.) can cause acute kidney injury when accidentally ingested by dogs. Clinical signs may not show up for days, after severe damage to the kidneys has already occurred. Signs such as inappetance, vomiting, belly pain, halitosis (bad breath), excessive or decreased thirst or urination, generalized malaise, and increased kidney values (e.g, creatinine, BUN) may be seen. |  |
 | 4. Liquid Potpourri This is one big danger to our feline friends! As fall commences, pet owners often may use simmer potpourri pots to instill scents of pumpkin and cinnamon around the house. When the liquid potpourri is ingested by cats (after all, curiosity killed the cat!), the essential oil may cause corrosive burns to the mouth. Clinical signs of drooling, mouth pain, anorexia, pawing at the mouth, difficulty breathing, and malaise may be seen. Rarely, liver failure and lung failure can occur. |
| 5. Glow Sticks/Jewelry If you use glow sticks to put on your child’s costume during Halloween, heed caution. While this glowing jewelry may add extra light into your child’s life, it’s poisonous to cats. Cats seem to love to chew on these toys, and accidentally ingest the chemical within. While it’s not very poisonous, this chemical has a very bitter taste, resulting in profuse drooling, oral pain, inappetance, and vomiting. If you think your cat chewed into one, turn off the light, look for the presence of the glowing liquid, and then remove the chemical carefully from your cat. This can be done by: A) Flushing the taste out of the mouth (offering something tasty like chicken broth or milk) B) Bathing your cat with a liquid dish soap to get the remaining liquid off the fur. As cats are fastidious groomers, they may expose themselves to more of the bitter chemical if it’s still on their fur. |  |
Is your pet itchy? Have you noticed that they have little friends hanging around on their skin? These little blackish brown fast moving dots are more than likely fleas. If you see one, chances are there are a few friends hanging around in other areas on your pet. Now that we've established what your issue might be, we need to get to the root of the problem and start treating it. There are numerous flea treatments available both over the counter and strictly available at your veterinarian. They come in a variety of chewables or topicals, depending upon your preference of administration. Regardless of preference, it is strongly recommended that you keep your pet on flea/tick prevention year round. The article below gives you a helpful insight on the pesky little critters that could soon be inflicting terror on your household. If you need more information, please do not hesitate to give us a call and we will gladly help you step in the right direction for preventive care.
Fleas 101
Posts by: Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVMDog Diseases & Conditions A-ZDr. Ruth MacPete gives you the low-down on fleas. For more from Dr. MacPete, find her on Facebook or at www.drruthpetvet.com!
If you’re like me, you’ve been anxiously waiting for the warmer weather and longer days. However, we aren’t the only ones looking forward to the warmer weather. Our pesty little friend the flea seems to re-emerge during the hot summer months. Although fleas can be a year-round problem depending on where you live or whether they have settled inside your home, summer marks the peak of flea season.
Flea Facts
Fleas 101
Posts by: Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVMDog Diseases & Conditions A-ZDr. Ruth MacPete gives you the low-down on fleas. For more from Dr. MacPete, find her on Facebook or at www.drruthpetvet.com!
If you’re like me, you’ve been anxiously waiting for the warmer weather and longer days. However, we aren’t the only ones looking forward to the warmer weather. Our pesty little friend the flea seems to re-emerge during the hot summer months. Although fleas can be a year-round problem depending on where you live or whether they have settled inside your home, summer marks the peak of flea season.
Flea Facts
- Fleas are ectoparasites.
- They are extremely hardy animals that have been around for more than 100 million years.
- They have an exoskeleton that withstands high pressures and is shock resistant. You can drop a flea from five feet and not kill it because of their exoskeleton.
- Fleas are incredible athletes. A flea can jump over seven inches high and thirteen inches long. If a flea were the size of a human, that’s equivalent to jumping 1000 feet high!
- Fleas can transmit tapeworms when your pet ingests them. Tapeworms are intestinal parasites that can cause malnutrition if untreated.
- Fleas can also transmit Yersina pestis, the bacteria that causes the bubonic plague.
- Young animals with severe flea infestations are at risk for developing anemia.
- Not only do fleas annoy their hosts relentlessly, some animals are sensitive to fleas and can develop a skin reaction called “flea dermatitis," which can then lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma).
- Don’t forget, fleas can also bite people!
- Fleas cause many pets to become itchy. If your pet is scratching or biting their legs, rump, or feet, they could have fleas.
- Likewise, if you notice black specks that look like pepper on your pet’s skin, this could be flea dirt. Flea dirt is actually flea poop or digested blood. You can tell if the specks are flea dirt by wetting a Q-tip and then touching the black flecks. It’s flea dirt if the Q-tip turns red or rust color.
- Not all animals scratch or chew when they have fleas. To check for fleas, look for them on the skin near your pet’s rump, tail and belly. Since adult fleas are fast and not easy to spot, be sure to also look for flea dirt. If your pets have flea dirt, they have fleas, even if you never see a flea. You can also use a flea comb, which has very fine teeth, to look for fleas and flea dirt. Use a wet paper towel to wipe off the comb and look for fleas and flea dirt.
- Use one of the many safe and effective flea products. Your veterinarian will help you pick the best choice for your pet.
- Be sure the products you use target more than one stage of the flea’s life cycle.
- Use these products year-round to keep your household a flea-free zone.
- Always follow the product’s instructions. Some products can be toxic and even fatal if used incorrectly.
- Never use a product meant for dogs on cats. Some dog products contain ingredients that can be toxic and even fatal to cats.
What You Need to Know About Heartworm Disease
Posts by:
Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVM
Dog Diseases & Conditions A-ZDr. Ruth MacPete give you the facts on heartworm disease. For more from Dr. MacPete, find her on Facebook or at www.drruthpetvet.com!
What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is caused by the parasite Dirofilaria immitis, a type of roundworm that lives inside the heart and blood vessels of the lungs. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is a serious disease that primarily affects the heart and lungs but can also affect the liver, kidney, eye, and central nervous system, and if untreated, can cause death.
Symptoms
The symptoms of heartworm disease are subtle and can be easy to miss. As the number of heartworms increases, the symptoms of coughing, lethargy, exercise intolerance, lack of appetite and weight loss become more apparent. However it is best not to wait until symptoms develop since irreversible damage may have already occurred by then.
Who is at risk?
Heartworm disease has been found in all fifty states, though it is more prevalent in the southeast and along the Mississippi River. Studies by the American Heartworm Society (AHS) have found that heartworm infections are increasing across the United States. While most people know that heartworm disease affects dogs, many are unaware that it can also affect cats. It was once believed that cats were resistant to heartworm infections but recent studies have shown this is not the case. Cats, just like dogs, can get heartworm disease. The fact is any animal can be bitten by a mosquito and therefore become infected with the parasite. Speak with your veterinarian about your particular pet’s risks and how to protect them.
How is it diagnosed?
Heartworm disease is most commonly diagnosed using blood tests that detect the presence of heartworms. Many veterinarians run these fast, simple tests in the clinic and can give you results within minutes. Depending on the test results and the animal’s symptoms additional laboratory tests, radiographs and a cardiac ultrasound may also be recommended to determine infection and severity.
How is it treated?
The goal of treatment is to kill the heartworms without harming the patient. Fortunately, the treatment options have improved but they still have potential risks. Infected animals usually receive a series of intramuscular injections, hospitalization and then strict confinement to limit exercise for weeks. The fact is, treatment is expensive, time consuming and not without risks. For these reasons the goal should always be prevention rather than treatment of this horrible disease.
Prevention
The best way to treat heartworm disease is to prevent it in the first place. Fortunately, there are numerous safe and effective preventative medications available. Heartworm preventative medications are available from your veterinarian in many forms: oral, topical, and injectable. In addition to protecting your pets from heartworm disease, many of the heartworm preventatives also protect your pet against other internal parasites. This is important because it helps prevent the spread of parasites. So not only are you getting heartworm protection for your pet but also peace of mind that your pet has not picked up parasites like roundworms that can be transmitted to other pets and even humans. Finally, before starting preventative medications on pets over 6 months of age, have your veterinarian test them for heartworm infection because serious complications can develop if an infected animal is started on certain preventatives.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
Posts by:
Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVM
Dog Diseases & Conditions A-ZDr. Ruth MacPete give you the facts on heartworm disease. For more from Dr. MacPete, find her on Facebook or at www.drruthpetvet.com!
What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is caused by the parasite Dirofilaria immitis, a type of roundworm that lives inside the heart and blood vessels of the lungs. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is a serious disease that primarily affects the heart and lungs but can also affect the liver, kidney, eye, and central nervous system, and if untreated, can cause death.
Symptoms
The symptoms of heartworm disease are subtle and can be easy to miss. As the number of heartworms increases, the symptoms of coughing, lethargy, exercise intolerance, lack of appetite and weight loss become more apparent. However it is best not to wait until symptoms develop since irreversible damage may have already occurred by then.
Who is at risk?
Heartworm disease has been found in all fifty states, though it is more prevalent in the southeast and along the Mississippi River. Studies by the American Heartworm Society (AHS) have found that heartworm infections are increasing across the United States. While most people know that heartworm disease affects dogs, many are unaware that it can also affect cats. It was once believed that cats were resistant to heartworm infections but recent studies have shown this is not the case. Cats, just like dogs, can get heartworm disease. The fact is any animal can be bitten by a mosquito and therefore become infected with the parasite. Speak with your veterinarian about your particular pet’s risks and how to protect them.
How is it diagnosed?
Heartworm disease is most commonly diagnosed using blood tests that detect the presence of heartworms. Many veterinarians run these fast, simple tests in the clinic and can give you results within minutes. Depending on the test results and the animal’s symptoms additional laboratory tests, radiographs and a cardiac ultrasound may also be recommended to determine infection and severity.
How is it treated?
The goal of treatment is to kill the heartworms without harming the patient. Fortunately, the treatment options have improved but they still have potential risks. Infected animals usually receive a series of intramuscular injections, hospitalization and then strict confinement to limit exercise for weeks. The fact is, treatment is expensive, time consuming and not without risks. For these reasons the goal should always be prevention rather than treatment of this horrible disease.
Prevention
The best way to treat heartworm disease is to prevent it in the first place. Fortunately, there are numerous safe and effective preventative medications available. Heartworm preventative medications are available from your veterinarian in many forms: oral, topical, and injectable. In addition to protecting your pets from heartworm disease, many of the heartworm preventatives also protect your pet against other internal parasites. This is important because it helps prevent the spread of parasites. So not only are you getting heartworm protection for your pet but also peace of mind that your pet has not picked up parasites like roundworms that can be transmitted to other pets and even humans. Finally, before starting preventative medications on pets over 6 months of age, have your veterinarian test them for heartworm infection because serious complications can develop if an infected animal is started on certain preventatives.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
Canine Influenza
You may have heard that Canine Influenza is running throughout our area and across the nation. We are prepared to help you protect your dog with the flu vaccine. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
Cytopoint
Itchy dogs have it ruff. Have no fear, Cytopoint injections are here at Rock Hill Animal Hospital. Call today to set up an appointment to see if this will help your sweet pooch.
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