Feline Vaccines

Following up from last month’s discussion on canine vaccines; this month I will now focus on the core and non-core vaccines of our feline friends!  These vaccine guidelines also arise from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommendations for North American.  Further guidance can be found from the Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA).

Core Vaccines

Rabies Vaccine:

In Ontario this vaccine is required by law, and some may think, why does my cat that lives entirely indoors need this vaccine?  The short answer is bats can get into homes, bats are frequently found positive for rabies, and rabies is a fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans; making vaccination of our pets a good idea.  Secondly, cats may escape a home and can interact with wildlife.  Occasionally imported animals (dogs, etc.) can have a rabies infection that might pose a risk to your pet cat if they were to come in contact.

Kittens are generally vaccinated once at 12- or 16-weeks.  Then a boost is done one year later.  Beyond that, depending on the vaccine manufacturer, rabies may be boosted annually, or every 3 years thereafter.

FVRCP Vaccine:

This is a combination vaccine, in that it contains three different components to induce immunity against three viruses.  Below I will briefly describe what each one is, but overall, this is to help prevent common upper respiratory illness in cats.  As kittens this vaccine is received in three boosts (generally 8-, 12- and 16-weeks of age), and can be boosted a various intervals afterwards depending on the manufacturers (annually, 2- or 3- years vaccines may be available).

Feline calicivirus (C)

This virus is common in cats, and kittens tend to be most susceptible to clinical disease.  Due to it being highly contagious, vaccination is recommended to help mitigate or eliminate the risk of clinical illness.  Common symptoms include: lethargy, decreased appetite, ocular discharge, squinting, sneezing, and nasal discharge.  Other signs might include lameness or reluctance to walk and drooling.  Oral lesions are often present on exam, as well as fever and dehydration.  Most cats have self-limiting disease, but some patients require medical treatment that aims to improve clinical signs.  This could include IV fluids, syringe feeding, eye drops, antibiotics if there is a suspected secondary bacterial component, pain medications and others based on the specific case.  Prognosis is good with appropriate treatment.

Feline herpes virus or rhinotracheitis virus (R)

This is another common and contagious virus, especially present in young kittens.  As a herpes virus, it has the ability to go latent and re-emerge throughout a cat’s life.  Frequently these flare ups occur when there is a stressful event or change to your cat’s routine.  These stressors may include household change, other disease, pregnancy/lactation, steroid administration, being in a multi-cat household or shelter or inadequate information.  Ocular infection is common with this virus, often turning into severe corneal ulceration if not managed carefully.  Upper respiratory clinical signs, similar to calicivirus above, are also prevalent.  Again, this is generally a self-limiting virus that may need no treatment to supportive therapies only, with special care taken for corneal ulcers if present.

Feline panleukopenia virus (P)

This virus if highly contagious and generally causes severe to fatal disease in our feline companions.  Vaccination against this virus is highly effective and greatly reduces the occurrence of disease.  This is a virus shed into the environment by an infected cat, where is can remain stable for a long time, and allows susceptible cats to pick it up.  Clinical signs frequently include enteritis (diarrhea, vomiting), extreme lethargy, fading kitten syndrome, dehydration and fever.  There may also be abnormalities in the nervous system if a kitten has been infected in utero or just post-partum.  Supportive care is often just trying to stay ahead of dehydration caused by the enteritic form.  Many kittens may not make it, but those that survive have immunity for life against the panleukopenia virus.  A neurological form of the virus does not have any treatments available and the cat lives it’s life with those deficits.

Non-Core Vaccines 

Feline Leukemia Vaccine:

This vaccine is considered a core vaccine in kittens and young adults less than 1 year in age.  Beyond that, it is non-core and is recommended based on the risk and lifestyle of your particular cat.  Cats that may not require continued boosters are those that remain indoors in a household where there is essentially no risk of contracting feline leukemia virus from other cats.  Initial dosing is two shots 3-4 weeks apart, followed by an annual boost thereafter.

 Feline leukemia virus is transmitted from cat to cat mainly via saliva through mutual grooming, playing or sharing food.  It is also possible to become infected through biting, a blood transfusion or transplacental.  This virus is present worldwide, and can cause three forms of infection in our cats.  They may eliminate the virus with a strong immune response, they may suppress the infection but not fully rid themselves of it sometimes allowing reactivation of infection to occur, or some cats will be unable to create an immune response to the virus and generally become diseased and can shed the virus to others.

Clinical signs are often secondary infections such as upper respiratory signs and dental disease, or non-specific signs related to anemia or cancer.  If you believe your cat is at risk of FeLV, speak to your veterinarian about testing and the vaccine moving forward.

Bordetella Vaccine:

Often used in cases where there is a large feline population, such as in breeding catteries, shelters, or hoarding situations.  This vaccine does not fully prevent disease, but will help mitigate the clinical signs and severity.  Not commonly administered.

Chlamydia Vaccine:

Often used in cases where there is a large feline population, such as in breeding catteries, shelters, or hoarding situations.  This vaccine does not fully prevent disease, but will help mitigate the clinical signs and severity.  Not commonly administered.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) Vaccine:

Generally, not a recommended vaccine at this time.  Currently there is treatment now available in Canada that has a very high success rate in treating FIP cats.  Please see my blog post on FIP from January 2026.

I hope this post gives you a clearer understanding of what feline vaccines entail,

Dr. Hillary

Canine Vaccines

In this discussion we will be covering the canine core and non-core vaccines that can be part of your dog’s health prevention plan.  At this time, in North America, we often refer to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) to guide us on what is considered core and non-core vaccines, as well as the timing of administration from puppyhood to adulthood.  The determination of what vaccines and when is based on disease risk, severity of disease and access to good vaccines.

Core Vaccines

Rabies Vaccine:

Rabies is a virus that is almost 100% fatal when acquired by your dog and scarier yet is the fact that it is zoonotic and can be transmitted to other animals and humans.  Transmission to your dog generally occurs when there is a bite from another animal, such as a bat, raccoon or fox, but can be any mammal.  Other forms of contact may also cause disease, such as contact with saliva or other bodily fluids through a scratch or break in the skin.  Some people may think that Canada and North America in general are free of the rabies virus, but this is not true.  Every year there are wild animals tested positive for rabies in Ontario, and with more importations of dogs from around the world there is increased risk as well.

The rabies virus can cause behavioural changes, such as anxiety, seeking solitude, apprehension, fever and itching.  Many cases have a paralytic form where the dog is lethargic, has difficulty swallowing, drooling, change in their bark and paralysis in the limbs.  Occasionally dogs acquire the “furious” form where they are aggressive, will bite, have paralysis, seizures and abnormal gait.

The rabies vaccine is a very good vaccine, in that when used appropriately it is very effect against the disease.  In Ontario, it is legally required to have your dog vaccinated against rabies.  Most canines receive their first rabies vaccine at their 12- or 16-week puppy booster visits.  After that the vaccine is boosted 1 year later, then followed by a regular 3-year boost thereafter for your dog’s life (this will depend on the manufacturer and their specifications for required boost periods).

DHPP or DA2P Vaccine:

This is a combination vaccine including distemper virus, adenovirus/hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza virus.  All viruses included cause harmful disease or death and have thus been considered worth vaccinating our dogs against as a core vaccine.  This combination vaccine is generally given 3 times during puppyhood (8-, 12- and 16-weeks), then at a set interval thereafter (1-year boosts, 2- or 3-year boosts based on manufacturer).

Canine distemper virus can cause disease in many species that include dogs, wild canids, raccoons and skunks that is highly contagious.   In dogs it is seen mostly in puppies, but can appear in older dogs, and most that acquire the disease are inadequately vaccinated against it.  Clinical signs of distemper often start as respiratory illness, moving to gastrointestinal illness, followed by neurological abnormalities.  In dogs that survive the virus generally have associated disorders that they carry for life that include hyperkeratosis of their paw pads, ocular changes, epilepsy, muscle twitches or spasms, and potential loss of smell.

Canine adenovirus or hepatitis caused by this virus is now considered an uncommon disease in our canine companions, but was historically a severe and often fatal disease.  Some sporadic cases are still reported, so it is still part of this combination vaccine.  Mainly it causes hepatitis or disease of the liver, but can also cause tracheobronchitis and can be part of the kennel cough vaccine as well.

Canine parvovirus is a very common cause of enteritis (small intestinal inflammation/infection) in dogs.  The highest risk of acquiring this virus is from other domestic dogs shedding viral particulates in their feces, where it can remain stable in the environment for long periods.  Unvaccinated puppies and dogs are at highest risk, and the virus is often fatal in puppies due to severe loss of fluids and inability of the intestine to recover quickly enough.  Significant diarrhea that has a very strong odour is most common, along with vomiting, retching, lethargy, dehydration, and fever.  Many puppies can survive this virus, but generally require aggressive and prolonged hospitalization.  Vaccinated dams and appropriately vaccinated puppies help reduce the chance of this virus causing harm.  Also cleaning environments with disinfectants effective against parvovirus can help reduce or eliminate it from the environment.

Canine parainfluenza virus is another virus that is a component of tracheobronchitis or kennel cough.  It is highly contagious and airborne pathogen that causes respiratory signs such as a hacking cough, fever, lethargy, and nasal discharge.  Prevention through vaccination helps reduce or eliminate the illness this virus can cause.

Leptospirosis Vaccine:

This vaccine has recently been moved to a core vaccine for dogs in North America as the bacterial disease, Leptospirosis is both zoonotic (can transmit to humans and other animals), causes severe disease and possible death.  There are many serovars of this disease and most vaccines contain 4 variants to build immune protection.  Two initial vaccines are given 3-4 weeks apart, followed by annual boosters to maintain adequate immunity.  Most dogs are considered at risk now for this disease as it is carried by other animals (skunks, rodents, raccoons, etc.) and shed in their urine where it can survive for some time in a moist environment (pools of water, puddles, damp grass, streams, etc.).

Any age of dog is at risk and transmission to humans poses a possible risk that is best to be avoided.  Signs that may be seen include fever, lethargy, anorexia, dehydration, ocular abnormalities, and more.  Severe disease includes kidney injury (most common), but liver disease is common, and subsequent vomiting and diarrhea or respiratory clinical signs become evident.  Vaccination is effective against this bacterial disease and newer formulations of the vaccine have greatly reduced adverse reactions to the dogs receiving the vaccine from the older manufactured versions.

Non-Core Vaccines:

Bordetella Vaccine:

This vaccine is utilized to prevent or reduce symptoms of kennel cough in dogs.  Most effectively, this vaccine is administered orally or intranasally, rather than injectable (though this is still an option for those dogs that administration in the mouth or nose is not achievable).  This vaccine is given once when life-style of the dog would benefit from it (goes grooming, boarding, spends a lot of time around other dogs), and is boosted annually thereafter as needed.  Kennel cough or canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD) is a contagious disease that is often made up of a variety of bacterial and viral diseases in combination, so using Bordetella along with adenovirus and parainfluenza vaccines is most beneficial (see DHPP above).  Clinical signs of CIRD involve hacking cough, nasal and ocular discharge, conjunctivitis, enlarged lymph nodes at the throat, fever and lethargy.  The disease is generally self-limiting, but occasional supportive treatment and antibiotics are needed.

Lyme Vaccine (Borrelia):

The bacterial pathogen, Borrelia burgdorferi, is the cause of Lyme disease and is acquired from Ixodes ticks that carry it and transmit it to our dogs when they feed for a prolonged period.  Most effective against Lyme disease is tick prevention, but in dogs with a high risk adding in the Lyme vaccine is considered good practice.  These dogs may include ones that are in areas with high tick numbers, dogs that spend a lot of time outside in the woods, fields, etc., or already compromised from kidney disease or immunosuppression.  Only about 5% of dogs that are Lyme positive become clinically ill.  Most common we see fever, lethargy, and shifting lameness/Lyme arthritis.  In severe cases the kidneys become involved, called Lyme nephritis, that can lead to renal failure and death.  For more details on testing and treating Lyme positive dogs see my March 2025 blog post that discussed fleas and ticks!

Canine Influenza Vaccine:

Canine influenza viruses do circulate in North America and some serotypes can cause disease, though often indistinguishable from other respiratory pathogens of CIRD.  A vaccine does exist as occasionally severe and fatal disease occurs from influenza in dogs.  Routine use of this vaccine is not recommended as the virus is not endemic to an area, but will appear as outbreaks in geographical locations that then vaccination may become beneficial.  Most clinical signs, if present are mild respiratory signs much like kennel cough.  Severe cases present as life-threatening pneumonia.

I hope this information helps clarify what your dog is getting vaccinated for and why.  Stick around for feline vaccines next month!

Dr. Hillary

The Ins and Outs of Ear Infections

Ear infections are a common medical issue for dogs and cats and comprise most commonly the outer ear (otitis externa) and less often the middle and inner ear (otitis media/interna).  Below I will describe what might indicate your pet has an ear infection, how we confirm it and what treatments can be offered for it.  Another component that I will go through is why your dog or cat even got an ear infection in the first place.

Signs your pet has an ear infection:

The thing about ear infections is that the clinical signs of one often stand out and are easily detected at home.  Before clinical signs there could be a low-grade infection brewing, but normally we do not notice it until the patient becomes obviously bothered by it.

Common signs include:

·      Head shaking/ear flapping

·      Scratching at their ears

·      Sometimes causing trauma to their ears with their nails

·      Rubbing their head on the ground/furniture

·      Strong odour from the ears

·      A lot of debris in the canals (can we waxy, more fluid, may be dark brown, gold, yellow, green, black as examples)

·      Redness or inflammation of the ear

·      Or pain when touched

·      If the ear is bothered long enough the pinna, or ear flap, can become chronically thickened

Another complication of severe head shaking is what is known as an aural hematoma.  This is where with so much shaking and flapping of the ears that small blood vessels within the ear pinna open and bleed and becomes a pocket of blood within the centre of the tissue layers.  With time it may go away on its own, but often frequent draining it or even surgery may need to be performed in order to correct it.

If the middle/inner ear become involved then we can start to see other clinical signs like a head tilt, circling in one direction, deafness, pain when trying to open the mouth or reluctance to eat, along with many or all of the above signs seen with an outer ear infection.

With any of this evidence it is worth a call or visit to your vet in order to address a likely ear infection before it escalates further.

What your veterinarian may do when to confirm an ear infection:

Initially, your vet will get a history on what your dog or cat may have been doing, has there been a change in diet or treats, were they are the groomers recently, are there any other changes to your pet’s health besides the ears.

One of the most valuable tools is cytology from the ear canal.  In this case the ear or ears will be swabbed and the debris collected put onto a glass slide, then prepared in order to examine it under a microscope.  This allows your veterinarian to assess both ears for presence of bacteria, yeast, parasites, foreign material, etc. and help guide an appropriate therapy.

Another valuable tool is the otoscope, that with a cooperative and not too painful patient, the vet can take a look into the ear canal to assess how it is, plus hopefully get a good look at the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to ensure it is still intact or not.

If the middle/inner ear seems involved and thorough neurological exam should be performed to help determine the extent and possible cause.

In complicated and chronic cases diagnostics such as biopsy, CT scans and BAER testing for deafness may be recommended and would generally be done at a specialist facility.

Ways to treat ear infections:

In most cases of otitis externa a local medication into the ear itself is going to be the treatment of choice.  This way the highest concentration of the drugs are in the ear canal where the problem is, and there is reduced systemic absorption and side effects.

Most ear medications consist of a combination of three types of drugs: antibiotic, antifungal and anti-inflammatory.  This allows the drug to help with bacterial overgrowth, yeast overgrowth and pain and inflammation, making them quite effective.  Where we need to be careful is when the ear drum is known or suspected to be ruptured, in that case many ear drops cannot be utilized and other options, such as systemic medications are going to need to be used.

In serious, ongoing cases, flushing the ears out with saline under general anesthesia can be performed by your veterinarian to try and really get them clean and medicated.  A specialist surgeon can perform a procedure call a bulla osteotomy where part of the bone is removed from the middle ear so it cannot become chronically infected.

Some patients prone to ear infections may benefit from maintenance drops that act like astringents or ear cleaners to keep the canal dry and clean, and thus prevent infection from starting up.  Speak to your veterinarian if you think your pet might benefit from a maintenance ear plan.

What may have caused my pets’ ear infection:

There can be a variety of reasons your pet may get otitis externa.  Some of the most common causes include:

·      Food allergies

·      Excessive hair in the canals

·      Narrowed canals that a patient is born with

·      Moisture from grooming, swimming, excessive ear cleanings

·      Masses or polyps present that obstruct the canal

·      Foreign material entering the ear canal

·      Systemic disease, such as viruses, fevers, immune suppression

·      Autoimmune diseases that effects the skin

·      Parasites such as ear mites

·      Glandular disorders where excess ear wax accumulates

Any of these above reasons can allow the environment of the ear canal to change in such a way that bacteria and /or yeast can overgrow and colonize.  This in turn is the ear infections we commonly see in the outer ear.

Causes of middle or inner ear infections often derive from:

·      Extension of otitis externa thought the eardrum

·      Infection making its way internally through the auditory canal or eustachian tube

·      Or a blood borne pathogen migrating into the ear

Ear infections are a common medical issue seen at any vet clinic.  If you think your pet has an ear infection, or is known to have chronic ear issues, hopefully this blog post provided some clarification on what might be the cause and what to expect when you bring them to your veterinarian to have their ears looked at.

Dr. Hillary

Feline Infectious Peritonitis: From Fatal to Free of Disease

Some of you may be all too familiar with this feline disease, while others may have never heard of it.  This month’s topic covers feline infectious peritonitis or FIP and the major changes we have seen in veterinary medicine to treat this disease over the past few years.

What is FIP?:

FIP is a coronavirus that occurs in cats that experience a mutation from feline enteric coronavirus, which almost every cat carries.  Normally the virus effects the intestinal cells within the cat and we might see mild gastrointestinal disease (diarrhea) before becoming non-clinical as the immune system does its job.  When the mutation to FIP occurs, the virus then begins to attack a cell in the body called a macrophage.  This then causes the immune system to react in a different way and cause the disease and clinical signs we see in our FIP cats.

Overall, only a very small percentage of cats ever acquire the mutation and develop FIP, but when they do it is a serious disease, and until recently was basically 100% fatal.  FIP can affect any age of cat, but the majority are kittens or young adults, cats from an over-crowded situation are predisposed to developing the disease, and often littermates show some predilection for FIP, so if one has FIP others in the litter are also likely to acquire FIP.

What are the clinical signs of FIP?:

There are two main forms of FIP: wet or dry FIP, and this refers to the type of lesions the cat acquires.  Some cats may get one form of FIP, while others may have a combination of both types.

·      The wet form means the disease causes fluid accumulation or effusions within the body, and can be within the abdomen, chest or around the heart.  Clinical signs associated with this form of the virus may be non-specific, may include abdominal swelling, or difficulty breathing.

·      The dry form are plaque-like lesions that can form anywhere, but often on the internal organs, eyes or brain.  Clinical signs will relate to which organs are specifically affected, such as neurological signs with brain involvement, ocular changes if within the eyes, renal failure if on the kidneys, etc.

·      Often these cats are not well, losing weight and declining rapidly and should be brought in to see your vet as soon as possible

FIP diagnosis:

Diagnosing FIP is not an easy process and often involves ruling out other diseases as quickly as possible to leave FIP as the main differential in order to then begin treatment.  High level tests can be done to confirm, but this generally requires surgical removal of lesions from organs and submitting to the lab for specialized processing. 

Most often the history and clinical signs are going to make your vet suspect FIP and from there a chemistry blood panel can provide more evidence to support that suspicion, alongside other diagnostics that can be run based on clinical presentation.  As laboratories progress, new tests are emerging that with time may become more reliable, have a faster turn-around time, and become less expensive to run.

It is not uncommon for a vet to be highly suspicious for a FIP diagnosis and recommend treatment without out a confirmed positive diagnosis of this disease.  Rapid treatment is often required to ensure much greater survival for your cat.

The most Important part: how to treat FIP:

Up until recently there was no treatment for FIP and cats either died or were euthanized as they rapidly succumbed to this disease.

Today, in Canada, and in many other countries around the world, we thankfully have the ability to treat this disease!  We are now able to legally acquire anti-viral medication that has the ability to rid cats of the FIP mutated virus.  In Canada there is one company that produces the drug and our ability to get it rapidly is wonderful.

The drug is called GS-441524 and is considered first line therapy now for cats with FIP.  It is quite safe and our feline patients are able to tolerate high doses of it to cure them of this viral disease.  Oral administration is greatly preferred over injectable as there are fewer side effects, which if present are mostly gastrointestinal upset in a small population of treated cats.  The Canadian pharmacy produces an oral suspension which works in our favour.  Having a trusted source allows us to know cats are receiving the correct dose that is safe and not contaminated with unknown substances.  By knowing what is being dosed and how our patients respond is allowing for good data collection on what works and what doesn’t work for successfully treating FIP for future generation of cats!

Drug dosing will vary based on type and location of FIP (wet or dry, are the eyes or brain involved).  Generally, a 12-week treatment is recommended at this time to ensure complete eradication of the virus.  Throughout the treatment close monitoring of your cat’s blood and weight will be done to ensure they are handling everything well and improving.  Dose adjustments may be needed depending on how progress is being made, and in some cases extension of treatment beyond the 12 weeks may be required.  The good news is that there should be improvement for your cat within 3-5 days after beginning treatment!

Other treatments alongside the GS-441524 may be necessary depending on your cat’s condition.  This may include IV or subcutaneous fluids, pain management, adjustments in nutrition, nursing care, medications to reduce nausea, and specific therapies if the eyes or brain are involved.

Once a death sentence, now FIP can be successfully treated in the vast majority of cats, and as far as we know they go on to live long, healthy lives.

Happy New Year and wishing you all a wonderful 2026!

Dr. Hillary

Foreign Bodies and GI Obstruction

To the annoyance or distress of many pet owners, our dogs and cats may be prone to eating things they shouldn’t.  Whether that is the elastics by your cat, the sock left on the floor by your lab, or a corn cob snatched by a counter-surfing pooch.

If you are lucky, your pet will pass the material with no issue, or vomit it back up and have no negative side effects.  But what if it doesn’t pass?  What if it causes a gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction?  And when should we worry?  Let me walk you through what signs to look for, when veterinary attention should be sought, and dissect what a GI foreign body obstruction means.

Common foreign bodies, but not a comprehensive list:

·      Socks, underwear, rags

·      Corn cobs, bones, peach pits, other food items or containers that do not digest well

·      Toys, stuffing (pets or kids)

·      Treats (such as unchewed bully sticks)

·      String, ribbon, thread (cats more commonly)

·      Hair elastics, rubber bands

·      Tinsel, fish hooks, wrappers, bottle caps

·      Rocks

Did you see your dog or cat ingest something they shouldn’t have:

If you observed your pet consuming an object they should not have, it is best to call you veterinarian right away and see if it is a concern, and if inducing vomiting would be a good next step.  If the foreign material is safe to vomit up and we can prevent an obstruction from occurring, this is the best and quickest way to a resolution!  Consult a veterinarian first, and it is safest to bring your pet into the clinic to induce vomiting under controlled supervision.

What if you didn’t see you pet eat something, but you are suspicious that a foreign body may be present?  Below are clinical signs that may point towards a GI obstructing foreign body.

Clinical signs to look for:

·      Persistent vomiting, inability to keep food or water down

·      Drooling, coughing, swallowing, gagging

·      Lethargy

·      Painful abdomen or chest

·      Loss of appetite

·      Restless behaviour

·      Fever

·      Panting

·      If not addressed, patient at risk of GI rupture, sepsis, and death

When to seek veterinary attention:

·      If you see your dog or cat ingest something other than normal food and treats

·      Any of the above clinical signs are present

·      Your pet has a history of eating things they should not and seeing familiar clinical signs

·      Vomiting despite anti-vomiting medications given by a veterinarian

·      You note something missing or not as it should be in your home

·      You have concern for your pet in any way

What can be done about a foreign body obstruction:

When your dog or cat first present to the clinic your veterinarian will perform a full physical exam and take a thorough history on what has been going on.  This information will direct your vet to some next steps.  This could include diagnostic imaging (x-rays or ultrasound) to look for a cause of the clinical signs, of which there may be known or strong suspicion of foreign body obstruction.  A blood panel is also often a first line recommendation for sick patients, and would be beneficial in the case of your pet needing to undergo general anesthesia and to rule out other causes for their clinical signs.

If a foreign body is found or highly suspected based on all the above, location, type of material, and clinically how your cat or dog is doing are going to determine next steps.  Linear foreign bodies (often caught under the tongue or at the pylorus of the stomach) are surgical emergencies as they cause the intestinal tract to bunch up and risk perforating if not released and removed.  A foreign object in the stomach on the other hand may be able to be vomited up, removed with a scope (not generally available at a general practice), or surgically removed through the stomach wall via an abdominal incision.  An obstructing object in the small intestine almost always requires abdominal surgery to remove, this also allows your veterinarian to fully assess the GI tract while in there and ensure no other material is present.  Foreign material in the colon is a good sign, and it will generally pass on its own, though IV fluids may assist with flushing it out and keeping your pet well hydrated.

In most cases if your pet is showing the above clinical signs, surgery is going to be the resolution of the obstruction.  In some cases, the GI tract is damaged beyond repair from pressure causing lack of blood flow and that section may need to be removed to ensure only healthy organs remain.

Post-operatively, the first 5+ days are crucial to allow the GI tract to heal.  Any vomiting at all, lethargy, fever, inappetence should be addressed by your veterinarian immediately as there is risk of the incisions dehiscing, or opening up, and causing material to leak into the abdomen and risk infection, sepsis or death.

Also, once a foreign body consumer, always a foreign body consumer.  Many pets can be repeat offenders, so careful monitoring of your pet, keeping their environment free of potential objects to ingest, and if really prone to eating things they shouldn’t, a basket muzzle can be placed to reduce chances of it happening.  Your pet will thank you, as will your wallet!

Keep a watch as we approach the holiday season as there are lots of new things your animal may want to consume.  To a wonderful holiday season and happy new year!

Dr. Hillary

Nutrition: Food for Thought

Nutrition is a very important component of owning a pet.  Every animal needs food to grow, be physically active, maintain health and support them during various diseases and illnesses.  In this day and age there are so many diets to choose from, it can be overwhelming – I certainly find it to be, and I’m a vet!

This blog will discuss some of the main points on diet, discussing kibble, canned, raw, vegetarian and homemade diets, as well as what some veterinary prescription diets entail and why they exist.  My hope is to provide pet parents with some guidance on cat and dog nutrition and what to beware of when looking for the best food to feed your pet.

Macronutrients:

Protein

-       Essential building blocks for building and repairing tissues that are derived from meat, eggs, beans and fish. 

Carbohydrates

-       The primary energy source for the body that is generally converted into glucose.  This is found in grains, fruits and veggies.

Fat

-       Another way for the body to derive energy from nutrients.  It can be found in seeds, nuts, and oils, and is important for the absorption of certain vitamins.

Micronutrients:

Vitamins

-       Organic compounds required by our bodies in order to perform metabolism and other normal functions.  They are considered water-soluble (vitamins B and C) or fat-soluble (vitamins A, D, E, and K).

Minerals

-       Inorganic substances that are again essential for the body to function normally.  These include, but are not necessarily limited to calcium, sodium, iron and zinc.

Other Essential Nutrients:

Water

-       Crucial for life, does not provide any caloric value.

Fibre

-       Particular carbohydrates that aid in the digestion of food materials.  It is derived from plant-based foods, such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

Types of diets:

Commercial diets

-       Can be purchased at pet stores, grocery stores, other box stores

-       Many brands exist with hundreds of diets out there

-       Generally meet nutrition requirements from AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) and claim should be visible on the bag

-       Canada does not have as stringent of nutrition rules as the United States, so we generally want to see food with the AAFCO label on it to know it meets minimum US standards

-       Diet is in kibble or canned formulations and most can be fed as is for healthy dog or cat maintenance

-       There is huge variation in commercial diets out there, better quality is seen when the bag has an AAFCO claim, it states it is a maintenance diet, complete and balanced and the company will willingly discuss and send their full nutritional breakdown to you if requested

Raw diets

-       May be frozen or fresh raw meat

-       May not be a balanced diet, check labels to see if meets AAFCO requirements

-       Much higher risk for bacterial contamination of the environment and illness in both pets and the humans handling/living with pets on raw diets

-       May see patients with diarrhea, vomiting or other clinical signs

-       May be beneficial in certain animals with severe food allergies that require a diet like this

-       Best to inform your vet of feeding your dog or cat raw food so that extra caution can be taken at the clinic for hygienic reasons

-       Caution feeding raw when there are young, old, pregnant or immune-compromised individuals in the household

Vegetarian diets

-       In some cases, vegetarian diets can be a good way to help pets with a food allergy

-       Cats have a dietary requirement for protein, so feeding a vegetarian diet to your cat is detrimental to their health and wellbeing

-       Consult your vet before feeding a strictly vegetarian diet

Homemade diets

-       In some complex cases, some pets may benefit from a homemade diet

-       This is best done under the guidance of a veterinarian, or better yet a vet nutritionist, where an appropriate recipe can be used to make the diet

-       Ensure the proper minerals and vitamins are a part of the diet, often need to be purchased separately and added into the food when it is being made or served

Veterinary prescription diets

-       These are diets where they can only be purchased under the recommendation of a vet, and generally only through a vet clinic

-       These are diets that we as vets, know have a veterinarian behind their production ensuring that the diet is healthy, appropriate and monitored

-       Many of these diets are formulated to assist with managing a certain disease, such as chronic kidney disease, obesity, food allergies, dental disease, and more

-       Your vet would be happy to discuss these further if there is a nutritional benefit to feeding a prescription diet to your dog or cat

What can factor into the diet you choose:

·      Age of your pet, growth as kittens or puppies is critical and so is their nutrition, same can be said for senior pets

·      Disease processes, such as kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, to name a few

·      Adverse food reactions/food allergies

·      Prevention of bladder stones and urethral obstruction (especially in male cats where a quality diet can make the difference)

·      Weight loss vs. weight gain

·      Time you have to prepare or feed your pet

·      Financial cost of the diet and budget for your pet’s food

What should give you pause before feeding a diet your dog or cat:

·      A company not willing to provide information on nutrition to ensure minimum standards are met

·      Is there a nutritional adequacy statement on the bag?  Important to determine if can be fed on a long-term basis or not

·      Does the diet contain the necessary minerals, vitamins and ingredients a cat or dog need to survive?

·      Grain-free is a big marketing strategy over the last few years, but there is a possible link to diets being grain-free and cardiac disease, consider carefully when choosing a diet of this variety

·      Male cats are especially prone to emergency urethral blockages, and often a low-cost diet can factor into formation of bladder stones and crystals, caution when feeding diets such as Friskies, Whiskas, Fancy Feast, etc. consider a diet with a bit more nutritional value instead of these more “McDonald’s for cats” type diets

·      Are there immunocompromised, elderly, very young or pregnant people in the household?  If so, raw diets are not recommended due to risk of causing illness

Nutrition can be a daunting topic to anyone, especially with so many diets, opinions, preferences, and of course trying to find a food your pet likes, all playing a role in deciding what to buy!  Many vets are happy to discuss nutrition with their clients, and in complex cases a board-certified veterinary nutritionist can be brought in on a case as a referral to help out and make sure your pet is being fed safe and adequate food.

Great resources:

WSAVA – The Savvy Cat Owner’s Guide: Nutrition on the Internet

WSAVA – The Savvy Dog Owner’s Guide: Nutrition on the Internet

I hope you all enjoy the Fall walks with your dogs, or curl up with your cats to read a book or watch a movie on a grey and gloomy day.

Dr. Hillary

What Urine Can Tell Us: Interpreting the Urinalysis

Following up after our discussion in September on blood work, this month I will be discussing how to interpret the basic urinalysis.

There are many reasons why your veterinarian may wish to run a urine sample on your cat or dog.  Often times you have noticed a change in urine quantity, colour, reluctance to use the litter box, frequent squatting, or an increase in water consumption to name a few.  Overall urine samples can tell us a lot about what is going on with the kidney and bladder and can help narrow down the reason behind your pet’s clinical signs.

Common rule-outs that a urinalysis can help with include: cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), urinary tract infections, sometimes uroliths (bladder stones), kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, bladder cancer, protein losing nephropathy and more.

Collection of urine can also factor into result interpretation.  The most sterile sample is via a cystocentesis.  This is done by using a needle and syringe and directly collecting urine from the bladder through the body wall, often using an ultrasound to help guide the sample collection.  This method avoids the potential of bacteria entering the urine sample as it travels down the urethra and into the external environment.  Some samples are collected from a urinary catheter, though this is often saved for hospitalized patients that already have a catheter in place.  Commonly a free catch sample is what we have to work with.  This is a non-invasive and generally easy way to collect a sample (holding a container under your dog or cat while they pee), with the main downside being likely contamination of the sample with bacteria as it exits the body, so interpretation of results must be taken with that in mind.

Timely running of the urine sample is beneficial to get the most accurate results.  As urine sits often crystals form, falsely elevating them in the analysis, along with some other changes in parameters.  Refrigeration of the sample is ideal if it cannot be run right away, and even after refrigeration it is best to run the UA within a couple hours to a day.

So let’s go through what we can test for and what those parameters mean.

To begin with we look at the properties of the urine

·      Such as its colour (yellow, pink, orange)

·      Clarity (clear, hazy, turbid)

·      The method of collection when reflecting on the results.

Urine Specific Gravity:

·      This is a test of how concentrated a urine sample is

·      It can vary depending on how hydrated your cat or dog is at the time of sample collection

·      It is also a good indicator of kidney function, highly concentrated urine the kidneys can do their job, dilute urine can indicate kidney dysfunction

pH:

·      Urine pH is important to assess as more acidic or basic urine can promote the formation of various bladder stones or crystals

·      Dogs and cats tend to have more acidic urine as they are carnivores

·      pH may also factor in on the overall bladder environment and how that impacts bacterial growth

Protein:

·      A normal urine sample should have no protein in it, some dogs may have a normal low level in their urine

·      Elevated protein can indicate the kidneys are not filtering the protein properly and allowing it through into the urine, thus suspicious for kidney injury or dysfunction

·      There can be a slight elevation in protein if there is blood in the urine when the red blood cells are broken down, they release their protein that is then detected on the urine stick

·      Other causes of protein presence include fever, stress, high protein diet, steroid administration and extreme exercise

·      Proteinuria can be a serious issue and if found on a urine sample, follow-up urinalysis is generally recommended to see if it resolves or if further investigation is warranted

·      Loss of protein can cause your pet to replace that protein from catabolizing their muscle, causing muscle wasting, weakness, and loss of overall health

Glucose:

·      The kidneys do a great job not letting glucose, an important energy source to our bodies, leave via the urine

·      Therefore, when glucose is present in urine, we become suspicious of diabetes

·      Low levels of glucose may show up in urine as a stress response of the body, often seen in cats when stressed out coming to the clinic

Ketones:

·      When the body starts having to use energy sources that are not glucose, such as in diabetic ketoacidosis, we would see elevated ketones in the urine

·      Also seen in cases of negative energy balance (not eating enough for the bodies’ metabolism requirements) or a tumour of the pancreas called an insulinoma (very rare)

·      Further work-up should be done, especially when a pet is presenting as sick and ketones are found in the urine

Bilirubin:

·      A small amount of bilirubin in the urine can be normal for dogs, but any present in cats is abnormal

·      Need to consider liver disease, bile duct obstruction, hemolysis (breakdown of red blood cells), or fever and further investigation is warranted in most cases

Blood and RBC:

·      Somewhat obvious, but indicates blood and red blood cells specifically in the urine

·      This is common with many urinary issues, such as bladder infection, kidney infection (pyelonephritis), cystitis, cancer, bladder stones, trauma, etc.

·      Sometimes the urine will be pink to red in colour when a lot of blood is present, but other times it may look normal yellow and still contain blood that we can’t see with our naked eye

WBC:

·      These are the white blood cells when found in urine

·      Likely to indicate inflammation or infection

Bacteria:

·      Urine containing bacteria is an indication of active infection or sample contamination, such as with a free catch sample

·      Most machines that test urine with categorize bacteria into two columns based on their shape, known as rods or cocci

Crystals:

·      There are many types of crystals that can form within the urinary bladder

·      Large numbers of crystals may indicate urine that is not as dilute and flushing through the bladder as it should be, leading to accumulation and “sludge” that can risk a urethral plug and blockage (an emergency when your pet cannot urinate!)

·      The type of crystal can be determined based on their shape when the urine is analyzed

·      pH and diet can factor into the formation of particular crystals and their dissolution

·      Other crystals can indicate more pathological causes, such as anti-freeze ingestion

Miscellaneous:

·      Casts in the urine are clumps of cells or other debris that may be benign or indications of something worse going on

·      May indicate kidney disease

·      May consist of epithelial cells, fat, blood cells, and other components

·      Sometimes cancerous cells from a bladder mass may be shed in the urine and identified

Well, that concludes the urinalysis interpretation.  I hope you find it helpful when discussing results with your veterinarian or going over them yourself afterwards.

Enjoy your spooktacular October!

Dr. Hillary

The Basics on Blood Results

When your veterinarian discusses blood results it might seem like a lot of information flung your way with no time for clarification; or perhaps you don’t know what questions to ask; or maybe you are embarrassed to ask for clarification! 

This blog post is to help break down a basic blood panel and help interpret those parameters.  Of course, practice and experience can make interpretation more accurate than what is being brought to the table here today, but this will hopefully allow you, as a dedicated pet owner, a better understanding of blood results overall.  Keep in mind you can always ask for a copy of your pet’s blood results to review at your leisure.

The Complete Blood Count (or CBC):

A CBC looks into what the cells within blood are telling us.  Specifically, it examines the red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), of which there are a variety; and lastly how the platelets are doing.  Along with direct counts of the specific cells, there are a variety of related parameters that are accounted for.  These include the size of RBCs and platelets, how much hemoglobin is present with RBCs, whether there is regeneration of red blood cells in the case of anemia and what the total solids are within that blood sample.

-       Red blood cell parameter interpretation

o   Assessment of the total number of RBCs

o   Hematocrit also allows for evaluation of levels of RBCs in the body, low numbers of HCT or RBCs are indicative of anemia

o   High levels of RBCs or HCT may indicate dehydration or a true elevation in cells

o   MCV or mean corpuscular volume is the size of the RBC

o   MCHC and MCH are measurements of mean concentration of hemoglobin within the RBCs in a sample or individual cell

o   RDW is red cell distribution width and indicates the variation or difference between the smallest and largest red blood cells and may help indicate if regeneration is present or not as more immature cells are larger in size

-       White blood cell parameter interpretation

o   There is an overall WBC count, and individual cell counts of the 5 types of WBCs

o   These 5 cell types include: neutrophils (or segmented neutrophils), lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils

o   Each WBC type is differentiated by appearance and has their own interpretation based on if they are normal, elevated or decreased

o   Often elevations can indicate types of inflammation or infection, acute or chronic cases, or even just a stress response to being in the clinic and having blood drawn in a patient

o   Significant elevations can indicate severe infections or possible neoplasia of a particular blood cell line (leukemia)

-       Platelet parameter interpretation:

o   Total count of platelets present, low platelets can be concerning and should always be assessed by a direct blood film on a slide under the microscope

o   Platelets are often falsely decreased as they tend to clump up within a sample

o   MPV is mean platelet volume which indicates the overall size of the platelets, some breeds genetically have higher MPVs

o   Excessive inflammation can also increase the MPV as the bone marrow is actively producing excess platelets releasing “shift platelets” that are larger in size than normal mature ones

-       Total solids

o   This is a measurement of all the none-cell components within the blood, such as proteins

o   An elevation in this number can also suggest dehydration as the solids within the blood become more concentrated under those circumstances, it is often interpreted along with hematocrit to confirm that suspicion

The Biochemistry:

This is the section of blood work that looks at components of organ function, electrolytes, protein levels, and blood characteristics such as if a sample is lipemic (high in fat) or has the sample hemolyzed (break down of the RBCs) that can cause changes in sample interpretation.  Biochemistry panels can be small with only a few values or quite large depending on what parameters are specifically being looked at.

-       Liver enzymes

o   ALT and AST are indicators of liver function along with ALP and GGT that more specifically indicate bile flow through the bile ducts towards the gallbladder

o   The liver also produces many substances such as glucose, urea, albumin and cholesterol, so decreases in any of these values might indicate liver disease

o   Bilirubin may also be included (total, free or conjugated) and it helps assess how the liver is functioning as it breaks down old RBCs and conjugates it into a form that can be excreted in bile

-       Kidney enzymes

o   Urea, Creatinine and if added on, SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine) all point towards kidney function

o   As these values become elevated this indicates reduced kidney function that could be acute or chronic, elevation is often referred to as azotemia

o   Often times your vet will recommend testing your pet’s urine to determine if the azotemia is truly a kidney issue, or if it is something pre-renal (such as liver dysfunction or muscle wasting) or post-renal such as a urinary obstruction

-       Pancreas enzymes

o   Previously lipase and amylase were often used to assess the pancreas, but over time these values have been pushed aside as not being as helpful as they once were believed to be

o   Today a more specific Pancreatic Lipase test can be added on and elevations in it are quite predictive of a patient experiencing pancreatitis

-       Muscles

o   AST and CK are enzymes that are released from muscle if there is damage or muscle wasting

o   As you can see AST can be released from both the liver and muscle, as well as RBCs, so interpretation needs to go along with other parameters

-       Electrolytes

o   Usually assessing sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg)

o   All these electrolytes are important for normal bodily function and elevations or decreases in any of them can be detrimental to a patient

o   Cardiac function, muscle function, movement of nutrients, nerve function, and fluid balance are all affected by electrolyte levels

o   Calcium levels strongly correlate with Albumin as it binds to it, so low Albumin will likely also see low Ca, or the reverse

-       Proteins

o   Here we are getting counts of total protein, as well as specifically Albumin and Globulin

o   Low proteins can indicate loss by some means such as through the gut, kidneys or fluid accumulation within a body cavity

o   Elevated globulins may indicate chronic antigenic stimulation where the body is making globulins as the immune system is stimulated

o   Elevated albumin can indicate dehydration or a high protein diet

-       Glucose

o   Elevations in glucose indicate diabetes mellitus

o   Mild elevations can occur when the pet is stressed, which causes glucose to release into the blood at time of vet visit or blood draw

o   Low levels can mean the sample sat for a while and the cell metabolism used it up within the blood tube

-       Acidosis/alkalosis

o   Values such as the anion gap, carbon dioxide (CO2) and Na:K ratio can be used to determine if a patient is in acidosis or alkalosis if they are sick

As always, this seems like a lot of information, but breaking it down in this way will hopefully give you a resource to look at when going back over your dogs or cats blood results.  Your vet should be happy to clarify any results with you and explain their interpretation of any abnormalities and why they may be significant or not.

Watch for the October blog post going over what a urinalysis is and how to read those results!

Dr. Hillary

Why Do We Spay and Neuter Our Pets?

Definitions and overview:

Spay – or ovariohysterectomy, is the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus from our female dogs and cats

Neuter – or castration, is the surgical removal of the testicles from our male dogs and cats

Spaying and neutering are common procedures performed in Canada veterinary medicine.  Below I will chat about the reasons why we often want to do these surgeries and why it may be worth the inherent risk that exists with putting any patient under general anesthesia and performing a surgery on them.

Reasons to sterilize our pets:

Reduce dog and cat populations

-       One of the main reasons to spay and neuter here in Canada

-       Overpopulation of cats and dogs can cause spread of disease, increase numbers of animals in shelters or the need to euthanize when they cannot be cared for

Reduction of tumours and other medical issues

-       This is a good reason to consider spaying or neutering your pet, and something your veterinarian may discuss with you

-       Female dogs and cats are at increased risk of mammary, ovarian and uterine cancers that can be fatal, as well as pyometra, which is infection within the uterus and is also a dangerous condition for a pet to have

-       Any uncastrated male is at risk of testicular and prostate cancers, as well as other diseases of the prostate, such as enlargement, infection, cysts or abscess

It may eliminate side effects of remaining intact

-       Female dogs when in heat will have a bloody discharge from the vulva

-       Female cats go in and out of heat frequently, and can be quite loud and disruptive during this time

-       Males and sometimes females may begin to mark territory with urine in the home

-       There could be more aggressive behaviour, especially in intact males

-       Intact animals may be more likely to wander off and can increase their risk of accidents or trauma

Is there risk for doing these surgeries?

There is always inherent risk when it comes to anesthesia and surgery.  The most common risks we see are hypovolemia (loss of blood pressure), hypothermia (low temperature), and infection of the surgical site.  Other risks include hemorrhage, aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs, sepsis, and death.

That being said, veterinarians and veterinary technicians take the utmost care and precautions when having your pet undergo a surgical procedure.  Often pre-anesthetic bloodwork is recommended to ensure the dog or cat has adequate parameters to handle anesthesia, the choice of sedatives and anesthetics are choosen for the individual patient and not a generalized protocol at our hospital to ensure the safest protocols are used, close monitoring the entire time from sedation to the hours following your pet waking up, and having safety protocols readily available in case they are ever needed.

Knowing the risks, but also understanding what we do to reduce and mitigate those risks, is important as an informed owner of a pet that is undergoing a spay, neuter or other procedure with sedation or general anesthesia.  Your vet or vet tech would be happy to answer any questions you might have regarding surgery and anesthesia in our companion animals!

Do I have to spay or neuter my dog or cat?

No, of course not!  It is up to you, along with your family and veterinarian to determine whether spaying or neutering your dog or cat is the right decision.  This can be based on how you feel about disease risk versus risk of the anesthesia and surgical procedure itself, whether you are ok working and living with an intact male or female pet, if breeding your dog or cat is something you have seriously thought of, as well as individual preferences and patient health.

Any veterinarian will be happy to discuss the pros and cons with you, and provide their expertise if you need clarification or help coming to a decision on whether to spay or neuter your fur baby.

Soak up the sun while you can!

Dr. Hillary

Summer Pet Safety!

Summer is finally here!  And with that comes lots of time spent outside, summer storms, hot days and time spent in or near water.  This all sounds so lovely after the winter we had, but even this season has its risks, so here are season-appropriate safety tips for you and your pets.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is definitely a summer concern for our dogs and cats.  On really hot days, limit time being active outdoors to cooler times of the day, such as early morning and evening.  Make sure you have water available to your pet, and save all high energy activities for another day or time when the temperature has dropped.

Special note that brachycephalic breeds are more at risk to heat stroke as they have more difficulty breathing and keeping themselves cool.  Some of these breeds include Old English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Persians and any other flatter faced dogs or cats.

Some signs of heat stroke in pets include:

-       Heavy/excessive panting

-       Tachycardia (increased heartrate)

-       Dehydration (tacky gums)

-       Nausea

-       Vomiting

-       Loss of appetite

-       Lethargy

-       Diarrhea

-       Pacing/restlessness

Call your veterinarian for advice if your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms.

Hot Pavement

When the pavement is too hot for you to walk on in bare feet, it is also too hot for your pets!  Be mindful of this as burns to paws can hurt a lot, put your pet at risk for infections and take time to heal.  If your pet has to go out, stick to grass and shaded areas or rubber soled booties might help in a pinch; but avoidance it probably your safest bet on those really hot days!

Cars and Heat

At no time when the weather is warming up are cars safe for pets to be left in unattended.  Even if it isn’t that hot outside, it is amazing the dramatic temperature increase that can occur inside a car.  This elevated temperature, even if the windows are cracked open, can cause severe heat stroke in pets and even puts them at risk of death.  If at all debating the risk, better to be on the safe side and leave your pet at home, or take them out of the car and bring them with you instead of leaving them inside your vehicle.

Water Safety

Many of our dogs, and the occasional cat, loves the water!  With Summer often comes time spent at the cottage or on a beach somewhere, and if you’re lucky, your furry friend gets to spend that time with you.  If your dog or cat is not a good swimmer but spending time on a dock or boat, a life jacket is a cute and excellent safety precaution.  If your dog loves to swim, and is in and out of the water all the time, just be mindful of them and keep an eye like you would a child swimming.  This is especially important with any dog that is in and out of the water all day, and doesn’t know when they need a break, as exhaustion could factor into their ability to remain afloat.

Thunderstorms and Lightening

Summer brings an increase in storms, and many pets do not like these.  Be prepared for inclement weather and ensure your dog or cat is in a safe space for that time, as they often detect storms sooner than we do and may run away and hide.  Track weather apps and if you give your pet calming medications for storms, make sure you have some on hand to give as needed.

On a side note, the same can be said for fireworks, preparedness is key to keeping your pets calm and safe.

UV Radiation

As with humans, UV rays can also harm dogs and cats and be a cause of cancer, especially those of paler colours and areas with pink skin.  Using a safe dog or cat friendly sunscreen or nose balm is best as some ingredients in human sunscreens can be toxic.  Providing shade or protective pet clothing, and monitor that your pet does not continually lie in the sun for hours.

Wildlife Encounters

Often, we see more wildlife activity as the weather warms up and we spend more time outdoors.  In almost all circumstances, avoidance of direct contact with wildlife is for the best as there is risk of injury to your pet and yourself, transmission of disease, or the unpleasantness of dealing with being sprayed by a skunk, or having to have porcupine quills removed from your dog!

If you see any suspicious wildlife behaviour you can report it or call for assistance to Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, your local Humane Society or Wildlife Rehabilitation centres, or local police for assistance.

Hot Spots

Hot spots, or moist dermatitis, occur when an area of the body traps moisture under the fur, say after swimming or hot and humid weather.  This allows for the proliferation of bacteria on the skin as the environment becomes favourable for them, and becomes quite painful and itchy to the patient.  This in turn causes them to lick, scratch, chew at the region and progress to a traumatic lesion.

Hot spots generally need to be treated by a veterinarian to help stop the progression of the lesion and let the current wound heal.  Treatment will often include clipping the hair away from the hot spot, cleaning the area with an antibacterial scrub, and topical and/or oral medications may be necessary depending on the severity of the lesion.

Wishing you all a safe and fun-filled Summer!

Dr. Hillary