mitchellvs

Ticks are found at the edges of grassy fields, low-lying underbrush, near water (including swamps) and urban areas, especially if deer are present.  Ticks have been reported in Perth County and have been found on many dogs and cats.  According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, certain locations are endemic, such as Point Pelee, Rondeau Provincial Park, Turkey Point, Long Point, Prince Edward Point and Thousand Islands.

There are two “blooms” in the tick population each year, occurring in the early spring and late fall.  Tick bites will be most common during these times.  When the tick bites, it attaches by its head and engorges by ingesting blood.  Several days later, the engorged tick falls off its host.  The bites are not painful, but can cause irritation (reddening) of the skin and minor swelling which can last up to a few weeks.

There are several species of ticks.  The Deer tick, also known as the Blacklegged tick, feeds primarily on white-tail deer in its adult form, but all life-stages of the tick will feed on dogs, cats and humans.  The Brown Dog tick is becoming more common in Eastern Ontario.  This species of tick can live inside homes and dog kennels.

Deer ticks transmit Lyme disease.  In 2013, our clinic diagnosed one positive Lyme disease case in a dog that lives in Mitchell.  Although cats can get tick bites, they are not prone to the Lyme disease infection.  Here in Perth County, we are not in a high risk region, but the trends would suggest that ticks are on the rise in this part of the country. 

When a tick bites a human or dog it can transmit the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) through its saliva.  The majority of dogs show no symptoms after becoming infected; however, a small number of dogs do develop symptoms.  In the early stages, 4-6 weeks after a bite, symptoms can include fever, decreased energy, swollen lymph nodes, decreased appetite and limping.  The treatment for dogs that get sick is a course of antibiotics.  If left untreated, certain dogs may develop irreversible kidney damage.  Symptoms of Lyme disease in a person are different from those in dogs.

The big question is: what should we do about ticks?  Prevention of tick bites plays a key role in preventing Lyme disease.  You can keep your pet on a trimmed lawn and on a leash when in the woods.  It is recommended to look for ticks by combing through your pets’ fur when they come back from playing in wooded or long grass areas.

If a tick is on your pet, you can remove it at home by twisting it at the head with tweezers, or it can be removed by a technician at our Stratford office.  There are several topical veterinary products that kill and repel ticks.  For dogs traveling to a high risk region for Lyme disease, vaccinating dogs is also an option.  Coventry Animal Hospital tests your dog for exposure to Lyme bacteria at the same time we perform a blood test to screen for exposure to heartworm.

Over the past decade, there has been an increased interest in the use of natural supplements for our pets. At Coventry Animal Hospital, we are exploring natural options to maintain and improve our pets’ health and wellbeing. These supplements are known as “nutraceuticals” – an active component is isolated from a plant or food and used to treat or prevent chronic disease.

Cranberry extract supports urinary tract health. It contains compounds called proanthocyanidins that interfere with the ability of bacteria to attach to the bladder wall. This is effective against E. coli, which is the most common cause of urinary tract infections in dogs.

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate support joint health and work better if given together. These products are normally found in healthy joint cartilage and shellfish. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate can slow down and even reverse joint degeneration in animals with arthritis. This may mean better mobility and less pain for senior pets or pets with joint injuries.

Lysine is an amino acid that has anti-viral properties for cats infected with herpes virus. Herpes virus can cause an upper respiratory tract infection in cats. This supplement can minimize the symptoms of sneezing, nasal discharge and goopy inflamed eyes.

Milk thistle supports liver function. It contains the active component known as silymarin. This component acts as an anti-oxidant and scavenges free radicals. Patients with damage to their liver by toxins or diseases, as well as pets on long-term medication that can potentially harm the liver, benefit from this product.

Omega-3 fatty acids have mild anti-inflammatory benefits. These products are often found in marine sources. Conditions that involve inflammation, such as skin allergies and chronic kidney disease, benefit from a high dose of this essential nutrient.

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that promote intestinal balance. These good bacteria populate the intestine and protect it from harmful bacteria and pathogens. This supplement may improve stool quality in pets with diarrhea and restore healthy bacteria in patients that have taken antibiotics.

Unlike prescription drugs, nutraceuticals are not regulated. This means that they can be sold without scientific proof of efficacy and mandatory testing to determine the correct dosage. Research has shown that many commercial products may be contaminated or do not contain the active ingredient. There are a lot of reports of these supplements improving animal health, but scientific investigation is ongoing and not all products are created equally. For this reason, we recommend consulting our Veterinarians at Coventry Animal Hospital before starting your pet on any nutraceutical.

Cats generally have their first heat cycle by six month of age.  A female cat that is not spayed is known as the “queen”.  Some cats may start their cycle as early as four months of age.  Your female pet can become pregnant on their first heat cycle, as they are sexually mature.  This is inadvisable, as they are not done growing and more likely to have complications associated with the birthing and be poor mothers.  At Coventry Animal Hospital, we recommend spaying (ovariohysterectomy) your pet at six months of age. 

Cats are “seasonal breeders”, which means that they come into heat in the spring and fall and are not cycling the rest of the time.  Signs of heat in a cat include loud yowling, rolling on the floor and crouching with elevated hindquarters; these signs may be mistaken for signs of pain.  The queen sometimes sprays fluid in the house, but a bloody discharge from the vulva is not generally observed.  These signs are seen during the estrus phase of her cycle and last for approximately one week.  If the female cat is bred, she will be induced to ovulate and will either go into diestrus, which lasts 30-40 days or become pregnant for approximately 63 days.  If a female is mated several times, multiple ovulations will be induced, which makes it possible for several males to father a litter and the siblings will have different fathers.  On the other hand, if the female is not mated, she will come back into estrus in one to three weeks.  That’s a lot of days in the year to put up with an extremely vocal kitty! 

Our Veterinarians recommend spaying a female cat before their first heat to eliminate their risk of accidental pregnancy and minimize their risk of reproductive diseases.  Please refer to our website www.coventryvets.ca for Pet Health Articles under ‘Spay’.  A female pet that is not spayed is at risk for life-threatening pyometra (an infection in their uterus), as well as breast cancer.

Accidental pregnancy can easily happen as separation within a household can be extremely difficult.  If the male and female are together for a 10 minute time-frame, that is long enough for them to breed.  Brothers and sisters will mate once they become sexually mature – they do not know that they are related.  Pets living on the farm will be more likely to roam off their property in search of a mate and indoor cats may try to escape. 

Here at Coventry Animal Hospital we encourage having pets spayed when they are not in heat.  Pets can be spayed while in heat, but there is a higher risk of bleeding during surgery, as their reproductive organs have increased blood flow.  It is more expensive to spay a pet that is in heat, pregnant, obese, or older than one year of age, as these are all factors that make the surgery more difficult.  

 If you have any questions about the spaying your cat, then don’t hesitate to contact Coventry Animal Hospital.  We would love to discuss it with you!