Allergies: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatments

This is a big topic, so today I will do my best to pare it down into palatable sized bites with the basics of allergies and what options we have for diagnosing and treating them.  More research or an appointment with your veterinarian may be necessary to discuss all avenues of diagnosing and treating suspected or known allergies in your pet.

Environmental Allergies

There are many things in a dogs’ or cats’ environment that can create a hypersensitivity.  Many of these allergies have a seasonal effect, much like we see with our own human allergies.  Pollens, grasses, trees, spores, insects or other materials can cause allergies often in this seasonal pattern.  Some other environmental allergens can be year-round, thus making them difficult to differentiate from a food allergy.  These might include dust mites, fleas, yeast, moulds, etc. that are in a home year-round.

Food Allergies/Adverse Food Reactions

Any component of a diet can be the cause of an allergy, but more often than not the suspected ingredient is the protein source, followed by the carbohydrate source.  Often a patient is allergic to more than one food source, thus making the hunt for the right diet more complex.  Generally, as the diet is fed every day the pet is often going to experience fairly severe allergy symptoms year-round, with no periods of relief.  Common allergens include chicken, beef, rice, corn, but any ingredient has the ability to cause an adverse food reaction.

Clinical Signs of Allergies

·      Itching/scratching

·      Licking paws

·      Chewing or “corn cobbing” legs

·      Ear infections

·      Bum irritation/licking/scooting, anal gland impactions

·      Chronic GI upset (vomiting, diarrhea, loose stools)

·      Hair loss

·      Redness or skin irritation

·      Hives

·      Facial swelling

·      Thickening and darkening of the skin due to chronicity of skin irritation

·      Secondary bacterial infections

·      Secondary yeast infections

·      And more…

Diagnosis of Allergies

Patterns and severity of clinical signs can sometimes help us better determine the likely cause of pet allergies.  Food allergies may be more likely to show up as irritation of the paws, ears and bum.  They may also be more severe as the allergen is being fed daily.  Environmental allergies are commonly seen on the ventral or underside of the dog or cat, where their bodies make contact with things like grass and other surfaces.  Bellies, chest, neck, face, armpits and elbows are common spots in this case.  Symptoms may be less severe with environmental allergies than seen with a food cause.  Flea allergies often show up over the tail head and lower back of the dog, and cats we often see a lot more itching and irritation around their neck and head.

An acute hypersensitivity reaction to a bug bite, sting or medication is more likely to show up as hives, facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.  Seeking medical attention is a good idea, and urgent if there is difficulty breathing or your pet’s colour is no longer nice and pink (gums and tongue).

Other than distribution and severity, we are able to test for many environmental and insect allergens through a blood draw or intradermal skin testing.  This allows for identification of specific allergens, which can than be turned into allergy shots or sublingual immunotherapy to help the body become desensitized to these antigens.

For suspected diet allergies, a diet trial is the best way to diagnose it.  Completely switching to a hypoallergenic diet and strictly feeding 100% that food with no treats, human food, or flavoured supplements/medications can often tell us if your dog or cat has a food sensitivity.  Though difficult to maintain this strict diet for 8-12 weeks, we can often see amazing improvement to our pet’s health and well-being if we are no longer feeding the allergen to them on a regular basis and this is the sole cause of their clinical signs.

Often allergies are presumed to be a cause of clinical signs based on ruling other medical concerns out and through the response to therapy.  Not all itching and licking is an allergy, and it is worth having a conversation with your veterinarian to determine the cause of your pet’s clinical signs.

Allergy Treatment

With time the veterinary world has expanded treatment options for patients with allergies, which is great news as not every patient finds relief with every therapy.

Traditionally corticosteroids were our main treatment option, and they are still used today though they tend to have more side effects than other therapies on the market.  They work by inhibiting pathways of inflammation and pain, thus reducing your dog or cat’s need to itch and feel so uncomfortable.  Oral, injectable and topical products are available.

Newer options are now on the market such as JAK inhibitors.  These medications (Apoquel and Zenrelia so far) stop the itch pathway by inhibiting an enzyme called janus kinase and reduce IL-31 stimulation (interleukin-31 a signaling molecule).  These can be quite effective drugs for allergy patients, and have fewer side effects than traditional steroids.

Cytopoint is a monthly injectable therapy that goes under the skin, much like a vaccine, and works as it is an antibody to IL-31 for dogs only.  As this is an antibody injected into the patient, it works by blocking the IL-31 signal pathway by neutralizing the IL-31 cytokine before it can even bind to its receptor, thus blocking any downstream itch and inflammation signalling.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy is created for your pet based on allergy testing.  It is very safe and a great long-term treatment option for our patients.  Specific treatments in injectable or under-the-tongue formulations are made for your pet and are micro-doses of the allergens in order to help create tolerance to these antigens with the potential to cure the patient of those specific allergies.

Cyclosporin is a great therapy option for environmental allergies/atopy.  It works by inhibiting T-cell function which is our cell-mediated immunity.  Cats often see good benefits from this treatment, and some dogs do as well.

Antihistamines may be helpful when given pre-emptively, but will not help once there is already inflammation and discomfort.  It can also be used in conjunction to reduce the dose of steroids.  Caution is warranted when using these medications that the only ingredient is the antihistamine, and not in combination with decongestants, acetaminophen or other drugs as many of these can be harmful or toxic to your pet.

Finding a diet that works for your pet can be key, and taking the time to find the right one can be well worth it as that might be the “cure” your dog or cat needs to be done with allergies!

And don’t forget about topical treatments, such as shampoos, conditioners and mousses that can really help a patient to reduce skin inflammation, skin infections, remove allergens directly from your pet’s coat and skin, increase moisture and re-establish the protective skin barrier.

Allergies can be a frustrating diagnosis to work with, both for your pets and yourself.  If one therapy does not appear to be helping, it is worth trying others, as each individual pet may need their own individualized treatment plan.  Your veterinarian is a great resource, and having frank conversations about allergies and how best to help your dog or cat can be worth it in the long-term.  Patient comfort and happiness is important to me as a vet, as is working closely with my clients to find a treatment plan that they can be managed at home and provide the relief they are looking for.

Wishing you all a wonderful Summer!

Dr. Hillary

What is Heartworm Disease and Why is Prevention Best

Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitus) is an infection that can affect dogs and sometimes cats that has the potential to be life-threatening.

Heartworm is transmitted to a pet by mosquitos when they take a blood meal and happen to carry the larval stages of the parasite.  These larvae can then molt to a next larval stage of their life, before becoming mature heartworms after roughly 50-70 days in their canine host.  During this maturation the worms migrate in the body until they reach their desired location of the pulmonary arteries.

Heartworm infection can be detected at minimum 7 to 9 months after infection as it requires sexually mature worms to detect microfilaria or antigens.  Microfilaria are the stage in the heartworm lifecycle that can also be consumed by the next mosquito to then mature and carry on to another host animal.

Heartworm becomes concerning when a burden of mature worms reside within the pulmonary arteries and sometimes into the heart itself.  This puts the heart, vessels and lungs at risk as it becomes more difficult for them to work.  Worms that die can also cause emboli if they travel in the vasculature and lodge themselves in a blood vessel where they cut of blood and oxygen supply to that area of the body.  Emboli risk must also be considered when trying to rid your pet of a heartworm infection.

The safest way of dealing with heartworm is by prevention.  Your veterinarian may recommend regular heartworm testing, generally taking a small blood sample from you dog (or cat) to check if they remain heartworm negative.  A drop of blood may also be examined under the microscope as the microfilaria are large enough to be seen and can be used to verify a positive heartworm case.

Based on a negative test result, prevention is then safe to give.  Here in southwestern Ontario, prevention is at minimum given from June 1st to November 1st (6 doses when it is a monthly treatment).  Areas that have a mosquito population year-round, such as in the United States or further south, year-round prevention is recommended.  Most medications are monthly and work retroactively to kill any heartworm larvae that may have been transmitted to your pet over that previous month.  They are generally effective, but not every drug is 100%, doses can be missed or given late, or possible drug resistance can occur.  Products you may be familiar with are Heartgard, Simparica Trio, Interceptor, Revolution, etc.

If your pet has a positive heartworm result, then more careful treatment is needed to eliminate that worm burden.  Firstly, a second blood draw for re-testing will be done to ensure it is a true positive result.  Next, imaging of your pet’s chest may be done as x-ray and ultrasound can help confirm heartworm disease and possible severity.  With very high burdens of worms a vascular catheter may need to physically grab the worms and extract them a few at a time.  This is a dangerous procedure and is only used when killing the adult worms with medications is too dangerous.  Most heartworm positive cases require a regimen of adulticide medications in combinations with antibiotics given on very specific days and over many months.  This is a costly protocol, and can still be high risk to the patient.  Part of treatment includes strict cage rest during and is vital to their successful recovery from a heartworm infection.  This restriction in activity helps minimize cardiopulmonary complications.

Knowing all this, prevention is key along with regular testing to ensure your pet remains as healthy as possible and at the lowest risk of severe and costly complications.

A note about heartworm in cats:

Cats can contract heartworm disease, but overall tend to be more resistant to infection than their dog counterparts.  Though cats may have fewer worms, their smaller body size means a low worm burden can still impact them negatively.

 Overall cats can be more difficult to diagnose with heartworm, and even when positive, if they seem clinically normal they may, with time, eliminate the infection themselves via their immune system.  Normal antigen tests used for canine patients may not work for feline heartworm patients.  Chest x-rays may be quite beneficial in raising clinical suspicion of heartworm in a cat, and ultrasound of the heart and vessels can be quite revealing of a positive heartworm case. 

Medical treatment may not be required for most cats, and the drug used for dogs is not recommended for cats.  Often support of sick patients with steroids can be considered.  Surgery is often the treatment of choice if the burden is large and causing poor health to the patient, but as with dogs comes with its own set of risks.

Cats can also be given heartworm prevention during the same interval as above for dogs and is considered safe and effective.  Even indoor cats should be considered as mosquitos often make it into our homes and living spaces.

Let’s keep those pesky mosquitos away from our pets this Summer and Fall!

Dr. Hillary

Easter Time Toxins: Don’t Spoil the Holidays with an Emergency Vet Visit!

Easter is a great time to spend with family, including our beloved pets!  But it is a good idea to also take precautions as many items around the house at this time of year can be toxic or dangerous to dogs and cats.  Here I will go through some common items or foods that can pose a danger in order to help your pets stay safe during this holiday.

Chocolate

So many of us love chocolate and it is a staple of Easter celebrations.  As most pet parents know, chocolate is toxic to both our cats and dogs.  Baking chocolates and cocoa powders are the most potent, followed by dark chocolate and less potent milk chocolates.

Chocolate can affect the nervous system, skeletal muscle and the heart.  Symptoms may include tremors, restlessness, vomiting, high heart and respiratory rates, diarrhea, and excessive drinking.  If severe it may lead to seizures and heart arrhythmias that have the potential to be fatal.

If your dog or cat ingests chocolate, call a veterinary clinic immediately and if possible, have the packaging available to relay information as well as your best estimate of how much your pet consumed.  Based on what kind and how much chocolate was ingested the vet may recommend seeing your pet for treatment.

Flowers

There are a variety of popular flowers that are toxic to pets, and here are some of the top Easter flowers that they can get into!

 Lilies

These flowers, though beautiful, can be fatally toxic to cats.  Not only is ingestion of any part of the plant very toxic, but even inhaling the pollen can be enough to cause kidney failure and death.  If you have cats, it is best to not have lilies in the house.

 Daffodils and Tulips

These sunny flowers are both toxic to cats and dogs upon ingestion of any part of the plant.  Using caution when having these flowers around is warranted.

There are many other flowers that are toxic to pets, so if your cat or dog ingests any, call your veterinary clinic or the Pet Poison Helpline (1-855-764-7661) in order to know what next steps should be taken.

Easter Grass

Much like tinsel or string, ingestion of Easter grass can cause severe gastrointestinal issues.  Cats may be more prone to getting into this product, but dogs may also be the culprit of ingesting it.  Linear foreign bodies can be life-threatening when they become stuck somewhere in the GI tract and cause the small intestine to bunch up.  If it is not treated promptly, perforation of the intestine is possible causing a fatal peritonitis if not addressed immediately.

If you observe your pet eating easter grass, contact a veterinary clinic for advice on how to proceed.  If your pet is not acting normal, vomiting a lot, lethargic, or not wanting to eat, an examination by a vet is recommended.  A thorough exam, possible bloodwork, radiographs and/or ultrasound may be the first steps in determining if a linear foreign body is present.  If one is confirmed, emergency surgery is generally the next step.

Raisins/Hot Cross Buns

Grapes and raisins can be highly toxic to dogs and cats, causing renal failure and death if left untreated.  Even as little as one raisin or grape can have adverse effects on a small dog or cat.

If your pet ingests raisins or grapes, contact your veterinarian right away in order to reduce the chances of the kidneys being harmed.  Often times hospitalization with IV fluids and other treatments are necessary to prevent kidney failure.  If there is delay in treatment, prognosis is poor.

Xylitol

Xylitol is an naturally derived sweetener that can be found in many human products as an alternative to sugar.  It may be found in candies, peanut butter and many other sweetened items.  This compound is very rapidly absorbed by dogs and cats and will quickly drops their blood sugar by releasing insulin from the pancreas.  There are also severe consequences as it can cause liver toxicity and failure.  Both of these negative, toxic effects can be fatal.

If your pet ingests xylitol, immediate veterinary attention is required to medically treat them in order to support the best possible outcome.

Candy Wrappers

Ingestion of any foreign material can have detrimental effects on your dog or cat, and candy wrappers are no exception.  The main risk is that they could cause an obstruction within the gastrointestinal tract, generally requiring surgery to retrieve and repair the damage.  There is also risk for any sharp edges, such as foil wrappers causing lacerations or damage as it passes through the intestines, possibly perforating into the abdomen.

If your pet ingests candy wrappers or other foreign material, call your vet clinic or local emergency clinic.  They will likely wish to treat your pet promptly and may require imaging of the abdomen to assess what is going on and where the problem is.  Clinical signs would be much like those of the Easter grass section above.

Easter Eggs

Generally, eggs are safe to feed your dog or cat, as long as they do not have an allergy towards them, but feeding too many eggs can disrupt their bodies’ ability to utilize Vitamin B.  Vitamin B is an essential nutrient that assists with metabolism, red blood cell production, digestion, brain function as well as skin and coat health.

The best way of preventing this toxicity is to limit your pet’s intact of eggs to no more than one a day.

Keep hopping along,

Dr. Hillary

Fleas and Ticks: What You Need to Know

In southern Ontario we have an annual cycle of recommended parasite prevention for dogs and cats. Today, this blog is to help shine a light on fleas and ticks and why we want to prevent infestation, rather than just treating dogs or cats that bring them home.

Fleas:

Fleas (Ctenicephalides felis or C. canis) are an insect that prefers to live on their host, but can survive off of them in the environment for periods of time.  When fleas lay their eggs, they drop into the environment where they will develop into their adult form when the appropriate temperature and moisture conditions are met. From there, they take the opportunity to jump onto a host where they feed off their blood by biting.  This can cause the host animal minimal to severe irritation. They are excellent jumpers, making moves from one animal to another quite easy, and this is generally how a dog or cat becomes infected when in close proximity to another animal with fleas.

When to suspect your cat or dog has fleas:

·      You see a flea on your pet

·      Your animal is scratching, itching, licking, or biting at themselves a lot

·      In severe cases there can be hair loss and skin trauma

·      Some dogs or cats can have an allergy to flea bites which can be severe enough to cause dermatitis – this is known as Flea Allergy Dermatitis, one bite may be enough to cause a bad reaction or distress to your pet

Flea dirt identified on wet paper towel

·      You can look for flea dirt – the digested blood meal fleas leave behind.  To do this use a flea comb and collect the debris from this combing onto a white paper towel or piece of paper, dampen with water and if any dark specs become rusty red/brown in colour that indicates flea dirt and the presence of fleas on your pet

Treating your animal with fleas:

Use a medication to kill fleas – there are many on the market that can be purchased from your veterinary clinic or pet stores, they can include topicals, chews, and collars.

·      If you have a cat ensure the product is safe for cats even when treating a dog who lives in a house with cats!!!

·      If you have an animal with severe reactions to fleas, an insecticide that kills the fleas on contact rather than them having to bite you pet to die is the best option.  Advantage is a product that does this and is quite effective

·      Treatment over a few months will often necessary to ensure all fleas, eggs and larvae have been killed

Another important component to flea treatment is thorough cleaning of the environment.

·      Frequent and thorough vacuuming

·      Reduce moisture on the home by using a dehumidifier, generally in the basement is fine

·      Clean bedding and other spots your dog or cat like to spend time in your home

·      Areas with low traffic in the home are areas fleas like to survive in, such as behind doors, under beds, behind furniture, so ensure to pay special attention in those areas of the home

Preventing fleas:

This is the best option for ensuring fleas do not infest your pet or home.  In southern Ontario flea prevention is often now recommended from March 1st to November 30th, 9 months of the year, though year-round prevention may be required in some circumstances.  There are many options of prevention that include monthly topical or oral chews, a chew that lasts for 3 months at a time, and others. Chat with your veterinarian about the best flea preventative for you and your pet!

Flea prevention is important for your pet’s health and wellbeing, overall hygiene, as well as reducing the risk of being infected with a type of tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) within the fleas.

Ticks:

Ticks, of which there are many species, have been a growing concern in our region of Ontario over the last decade or so. Not only are they unpleasant to deal with, but they have the ability to transmit disease. They are of the Arachnid family as they have 4 pairs of legs, they feed off of their hosts and some require multiple different host species as they mature from larvae to nymph to adult forms.

Dogs or cats acquire ticks in Ontario outside where they make contact with them by brushing past them or walking over them.  The most prevalent species include: American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and Deer Tick (Ixodes scapularis).  Between these two ticks they can carry a variety of diseases, including: Ehrlichia canis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, as well as Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and Babesiosis.  If traveling outside of Ontario be aware that there are other tick species that carry various diseases that can affect your dog and possibly your cat.  The 4Dx SNAP test that many clinics use can test for Lyme, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, as well as heartworm disease in dogs.  Annual or every other year testing is generally recommended for dogs and occasionally cats.

When you find a tick on your dog or cat:

The most important step is to remove that tick before it has more time to feed. The longer a tick feeds and becomes engorged the greater the chance of disease transmission if the tick happens to be infected. Careful removal is key in order to not leave the tick head in the skin of your cat or dog. You can try tick twisters or removers that are commercially made for this job, tweezers can be tried as well, but there is greater risk of the tick head breaking off. If you are uncertain, you can call your vet for advice or to have them remove the tick for you.

Identifying the species of tick can be very beneficial as it can help determine what disease risk there might be.  Additionally, if it is a Deer Tick they can be sent to a lab to test if they carry Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), a bacteria that can have health consequences for humans, and as well as dogs.

Testing for Lyme disease can be easily done with a SNAP test and a small amount of blood from your dog.  It is recommended that if you want to test for Lyme, to do so 4-6 weeks after the tick was removed.  This has the best chance of capturing infection if it is present in your dog. Annual testing may be something you wish to do with your dog, but speak with your veterinarian to determine the best plan for you and your pet.

My dog tested Lyme positive, what now?

Unlike humans, most dogs that test Lyme positive may never have clinical signs of disease.  Treatment is necessary when there is evidence of clinical signs and consists of an antibiotic that targets this bacteria, as well as other supportive therapies.  Treatment may be for 30 days or more.  Clinical signs to watch for include: shifting lameness, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, joint pain and swelling, swollen lymph nodes.  Your veterinarian may also monitor their urine for protein loss as severe cases of Lyme disease in dogs can cause kidney injury and potentially kidney failure.  If any of these signs are noted, sometimes months after a tick bite, contact your veterinarian for appropriate treatment for your dog.

Lucky for cats, at this time we do not have evidence that cats contract Lyme disease, so ticks for the most part are an annoyance, but not a health concern in southern Ontario.  They can still pass ticks on to other pets and humans though, so prompt removal is still recommended.

Preventing ticks:

Prevention is the best method of reducing the risk of tick infestations and disease transmission.  Many of the preventatives do still require the tick to bite the animal, but they die shortly after, therefore reducing or even eliminating the risk of Lyme or other disease transmission.  Your veterinary clinic should have a variety of options, many of which include flea prevention as well, along with even broader spectrum prevention for intestinal worms and heartworm.

Another quick note on Lyme disease, if you feel as though your dog is in a high-risk area and want additional protection a Lyme vaccine can be administered.  Talk to your veterinarian if this is something you think would be beneficial to your dog’s disease prevention program. 

Wishing you and your pets a flea and tick free season!

Dr. Hillary

A Healthy Mouth Means a Happier Dog or Cat

Just as humans require dental care, so do our dogs and cats.

 The best way to prevent dental disease and “bad dog breath” (or cat), is by brushing our pet’s teeth every day.  This is often a big ask from our clients, but long-term it could help prevent oral pain to your pet, stinky breath, and save your wallet from dental cleanings every year or two!

Firstly, there are many options for the type of toothbrush you can buy for brushing your pet’s teeth.  From standard looking toothbrushes, to smaller ones that are easier to use for cats and small dogs, to finger brushes, to using a soft cloth over your finger (you may need to try out a few to see what works best for you and your pet). 

Next is adding in the toothpaste, many vet clinics and pet stores sell suitable pastes, often coming in flavours your dog or cat will find appealing, though you might not; ranging from chicken to beef to malt.

Next is getting your cat or dog to be a willing participant in their oral hygiene, sometimes easier said than done but here are some steps to guide you through this process:

·      Ensure you are in a comfortable and safe space with your pet, and begin by lifting their lips and getting you used to handling them around their mouth and face. 

·      Next you can try using your finger or a toothbrush and touching their teeth with it in various locations around the mouth, having them get used to each touch. 

·      Use treats and praise each time your pet allows you to progress and it will make it a good experience for them!

·      Each step may take a few practices to get there, don’t be in a rush as building your pet’s confidence and comfort is going to be important for long-term success.

·      Another good tip when wanting to start with toothpaste and get your pet used to the toothbrush is to use something like peanut butter as the toothpaste initially as many dogs may love that, cats could always try tuna juice.

·      Lastly, add in the toothpaste you want to use and get brushing those teeth.

If at the start you can only do a couple teeth, that’s great!  Every little bit helps for your pet’s oral health.  We often see dental staining and tartar build up on those big back teeth and their canines, but try your best to brush all their teeth every day for the greatest benefits.

What if you are unable to brush your pet’s teeth, or they already have tartar, staining, gingivitis or other dental disease? 

This is when you pet should come in for an assessment of their mouth and have a discussion with your veterinarian about next steps.  Most frequently a dental cleaning under general anesthetic will be recommended.  This allows the veterinarian to safely and fully assess your pet’s mouth and carefully chart any abnormalities found.  From there, full mouth dental x-rays are performed to assess any abnormalities or disease under the gums.  From there if any teeth need to be extracted that can be performed, as well as a thorough scale and polish of their teeth.

If you have any concerns about your pet’s oral health, reach out and we would be happy to discuss the options and best way forward for you and your dog or cat!

Dr. Hillary

COVID-19 Cooperation & Community

As we all learn how to navigate as safely as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, we must cooperate to keep each other healthy. Our clients and pet patients are valued members of our community, and GLVH has implemented a number of protocols (listed below) to protect our clients and pets. Your cooperation is appreciated in following public health guidelines to help keep our staff healthy as well, and able to work on your behalf.

We ask that clients do NOT come to the clinic if:

• You have been travelling internationally or outside of the Guelph/K-W area in the last 14 days.

• If you are feeling unwell, or you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, which could include:

  • cough

  • fever

  • difficulty breathing

  • pneumonia in both lungs

• If you have been in contact with anyone who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19

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To help us protect you while you seek urgent care for your pet, or while you pick up food or prescriptions, we ask for your cooperation with the following adjustments to our protocols.

• Urgent Care surgery and treatment remain available. Please call ahead before coming to the clinic.

• For non-urgent care questions or food/prescription orders, please email at glvh@guelphlakevet.ca to keep phone lines open for pets requiring medical care.

• Reduced entry to the clinic. Send only one family member with your pet, and remain in your car.

• Please call the clinic when you arrive and a staff member will come to collect your pet.

• Maintain safe physical distance of 2m.

• Curbside pickup available for food and prescriptions*.

• Contact-less payment required (credit card over the phone, or e-transfer)

* Please purchase responsibly so that our supply chain can maintain stock levels and all pets can eat and get the medication they need. Check how much food/prescription medication you have left, and place your order before it's urgent.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience. We are honoured to care for your pets in these challenging times.

Dr. Gardiner and the GLVH staff

COVID-19 Update to Essential Services

A COVID-19 Update: The Ontario provincial government's list of essential businesses released yesterday includes veterinary hospitals. This means that Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital will be able to remain open to serve our clients and patients, while following our COVID-19 protocols.

We ask that you review the protocols in our previous blog post as we have made a few updates to facilitate answering your questions and handling your pets and supplies safely.

Stay safe, stay home if you can, and wash your hands.

Dr. Gardiner and GLVH team

COVID-19 Protocols

We wanted to take this moment to reach out to our valued clients. At this moment in time, we remain open and, as always, will strive to provide valuable service to our clients and essential health care to our patients. We ask that you are patient with us as we are focusing on essential medical appointments and procedures and therefore may have reduced availability.

We are taking extra care in our hospital to keep our facilities sanitized in an effort to help protect the health of our clients and our staff. We are limiting appointments to maintain distance between clients and were pleased that protocols at the provincial level have also been altered to allow for more tele-health medicine.

In addition to our own measures, we ask that you respect the 14-day self-isolation guidelines and refrain from coming to our veterinary hospital if you have recently been travelling. If you are feeling unwell or have been in contact with anyone who is suspected to have COVID-19, please call us rather than coming to the vet hospital yourself.

A few things you can do to help us all remain safer:
- Call ahead before you come to the vet hospital
- Please email for pet food requests or prescription refills. Let's keep the phone lines open for pets who need medical care .
- Send only one family member with your pet and maintain a safe physical distance
- Use the provided hand sanitizer when you enter the clinic
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow
- We may ask that you remain outside while we examine your pet, depending on the circumstances.
- Purchase responsibly so that our supply chain can maintain stock levels and all pets can eat and get the medication they need. Check how much food/prescription medication you have left, and place your order before it's urgent.

Thank you for your cooperation. We know that your pets are a source of comfort in these challenging times, and we thank you for entrusting us with their care.

Dr. Gardiner and the Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital staff

Poultry flavoured toothpaste. It's a thing.

It's true! Poultry flavoured toothpaste might sound awful to us, but to many dogs and cats, it's actually a pretty great treat.

Why do we recommend brushing your pet's teeth?

“FEBRUARY IS DENTAL HEALTH MONTH”

Dental disease can be a serious issue for your pet and can lead to other health concerns if left untreated. In some cases, complications could including broken teeth, infection, bone loss in the mouth as well as, in quite severe cases, heart and other organ issues. If your dog or cat is experiencing any of the following, it might be an indication that they need some dental treatment:

Before a dental cleaning at GLVH

• Stinky breath

• Excessive drooling

• Dropping kibble

• Avoiding hard foods

• Pawing at the mouth

• Loss of teeth

• Changes in behaviour

Before it gets to this point, prevention is really the best course of action, and regular tooth brushing is the most effective way to reduce tartar buildup and keep your pet's mouth healthy. Of course, there are many products on the market, including dental diets (larger kibble so that the pet has to crunch the pieces which helps keep tartar buildup down), dental chews and even additives for their water that can make an impact on your pet's mouth health.

After a dental cleaning. With a proper hygiene program after a dental, we can try to keep them looking this good.

What happens if brushing isn't enough?

Just like with humans, your veterinarian might recommend a dental cleaning to remove tartar and plaque buildup. Our equipment is similar to the tools used by human dentists - scalers, high pressure water and polishers are all used to clean up your pet's mouth and have them smiling again in no time!

 

Heartworm Testing and Much More

Key Points

• Prevent, don’t treat

• Screening/Testing is part of the prevention program

• Infections are unpredictable

• Talk to your veterinarian

• Ticks are getting worse, fast

• Cats can be affected too

I am writing this post in the middle of a -24 degrees Celsius cold snap in Southern Ontario as if talking about summer parasites will make spring come faster.  I will use analogies, anecdotes and common sense to try and help pet owners understand the mystery that is “Heartworm Testing”.

We are in the profession of dealing with living beings in the form of pets who are a huge part of our families and who we want to live long and healthy lives.  The key here is that living beings in even simpler terms constitute BIOLOGY. In biology, there is no black and white (other than life and death). Focusing on the “life” part we are constantly working in the grey zone within which fluctuates health and disease.  As I helped my daughter with basic algebra the other night, I was once again jealous of the mathematics community where the answers were either right or wrong, simple as that. I must say, we were right most of the time, but she hasn’t started calculus yet.

As spring approaches (slowly) the parasites we dread also come alive ready to wreak havoc on this years crop of susceptible pets.  I am talking about the big three in this post since current medications overlap in helping prevent disease from these. You guessed correctly if you named fleas, ticks and heartworm as the culprits.  Keep in mind this is southern Ontario. Many pets further south deal with this year round.

Prevention is easier, safer and more economical than dealing with disease.  Why are there so many lube shops out there? Because we take our vehicles there every 5-8000km for oil changes; to PREVENT larger issues.  So why not prevent Lyme disease which is also a human health concern? Why not prevent heartworm disease which can be fatal and if detected can be costly, painful and dangerous to treat?

Ok, so prevention sounds like the way to go (pretty black and white).  Why do I need to test (a grey zone)? The first thing to note is that not all heartworm testing is created equal and at our hospitals, we only use a blood test that screens for Heartworm, Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis which is why we often now call it Heartworm/Lyme screening because these are the two most common in this area.  It is a screening test because not only is it unpredictable as to whether your pet is infected, we are also trying to catch infections before they cause disease. The other important note is that preventative products for heartworm are designed to be given to negative animals and can be harmful if given to positive animals. So let’s make sure they are negative before we start!

So if you check off any of the following boxes, heartworm testing is recommended:

• Has not been on preventative between June and November last year

• Travelled outside of the immediate area to hot beds in Ontario/Canada or to the States

• Missed a dose of prevention last year (have some left over)

• Has not had a test for two years

• Has had a tick removed or spent time in tick endemic areas

In a perfect southern Ontario world, one of two things would happen.  Pets would be on prevention year round or they would be screened/tested every spring.  It is hard to justify preventative medication today (literally, it is -24) as there are no mosquitos or ticks doing anything.  

Our compromise is that we recommend screening/testing every 2 springs and your compromise is that you do the testing when recommended and give the preventative medication as intended.  

For approximately $70 every 2 years, it is much less than those oil changes we spoke of. For the “do it yourself” mechanics out there who can do an oil change for $35, bring me a blood sample in a purple top tube and I will match that.

Products

There are many products available. Jump to the post on Flea, Tick and Heartworm Prevention to get all the information. Or  contact us at (519) 824-9898 or via email.

Background Information (and a few more analogies, sorry)

Heartworm is literally caused by worms that live in the blood stream in or near the heart.  You don’t need me to tell you this sounds bad. It is transmitted by mosquitoes so the risk period remains June to November in this area but you can see why geography matters.  It is unpredictable! Why is it not a bigger issue in this area? I think that the biggest reason is because historically the majority of dogs in the area have been on prevention.  We certainly have mosquitoes and we certainly have dogs. Within a 2 hour drive of here, there are populations of dogs where heartworm is almost the norm. What might be changing? Less prevention might be getting used.  Much like not vaccinating children, we can see disease that has not been an issue for a long time. Importing infected dogs through rescue groups who are already positive. Did your neighbour just rescue a dog from Texas?  Is it heartworm positive? You can’t control this but you can protect your own dog.

Ticks are relatively new but are coming on strong.  We now live in a deer tick established area meaning that they will only ever get worse and never better in the coming decade at least.  So Lyme disease positive cases are on the rise and this represents another good reason to screen your pets. Ticks are active (looking to feed on your pet) at any temperature over 4 degrees Celsius meaning that there is a less defined time frame than heartworm.  Many dogs should be on prevention in early spring until almost Christmas. Lyme disease prevention is two fold. Use a product to prevent infection and consider Lyme vaccination if ticks exposure is likely to be high. Lyme disease can infect people so unlike heartworm, human health must be factored in as well.  Tick prevention can be started prior to the blood test. Ask your vet for more information.

Fleas are almost a year round concern although I might guess we see more on pets when the days are warm and the nights are cool.  All tick prevention products will protect against fleas and many heartworm prevention products will also. Fortunately, fleas do not typically transmit disease but an infestation can be devastating and lead to human flea bites as well.

I have not forgotten about cats but can keep it short.  Outdoor cats should be on flea and heartworm prevention and should be dewormed as well.  Any time they spend outside puts them at risk. Their lifestyle puts them at less risk for ticks but as I write this, I don’t know what the coming years will bring.  In eastern Ontario many pet owners have ticks in their own backyards.

In summary, I hope you feel more informed and can see why most clinics in the area recommend a strategic program for parasite prevention.  Biology is not black and white and infection with these diseases is at best unpredictable so take control of your own pets health.

Looking for more information on heartworm and lyme, click here

DrG

Pet Owners Helping Pets