Cloverbuds are taking over the world!

Well, not really, but it sure felt like it recently when Guelph Lake Vet Hospital hosted 22 up and coming children between the ages of 6-8.  Thank goodness for our open concept design!  The Cloverbuds program is an opportunity for youth to learn about all facets of 4-H Ontario projects with a hands-on, activity-based approach.  It covers a wide variety of topics, including agriculture, food, crafts, lifeskills, environment and science. By participating in Cloverbuds, the kids are able to get a taste for the topics covered in 4-H projects while developing an understanding of 4-H values.

We started with a slide show showing some of the work we had done in recent months (because we have to entertain the parents too). We discussed vaccination and learned the difference between a syringe and a needle.  We examined a real live cat named “Sunflower” and determined that we were having a lot more fun than she was. The good news is Sunflower is a very healthy cat. We let the smell of manure waft through the treatment area as we took a break to display some unusual large animal tools that a farmer or veterinarian might need and fortunately I knew what they all were. We then sealed the tools (and the smell) up to learn how to properly splint an injured or fractured limb. This was certainly the highlight of the day as the participants had all brought a stuffed animal and each received limb sparing splints from their reliable owners.  The only victim was a rabbit that lost an ear. Our only caution is that next time there is a broken bone at home and contrary to what the eight year old insists, tongue depressors and vetwrap may not be enough!

I hope everyone learned something but most importantly had fun. I learned that it is possible to capture the attention of 22 children for 2 hours, but then again these are Cloverbuds. Thanks for coming out and asking all those challenging questions.

Dr. G

Does my kitten really have a cold?

We see a lot of new cats and kittens in the spring and summer, which means we see a lot of sneezing cats with weepy eyes. Cats and kittens may sneeze for a number of reasons including bacterial or viral infections, irritation to the mucous membranes, allergy and foreign objects within the nose. Discharge from the eyes (or weepy eyes) can also occur for many reasons; bacterial or viral infections, injury, foreign objects within the eye and allergy. By far the most common cause of both eye discharge and sneezing in the young cat is an upper respiratory infection caused by Feline Herpes Virus. Feline Herpes Virus is highly prevalent within the cat population with approximately 80% of cats infected with Herpes virus, although many may not show any signs of infection. Cats at risk of showing signs of infection are those with immature or compromised immune systems, cats from a shelter environment, outdoor cats and those that live with more than 1 or 2 other cats. Many new cats and kittens come from a shelter environment or have an immature immune system which explains the higher incidence of upper respiratory disease in these animals. 

Signs of infection:

In addition to sneezing and discharge from the eyes, infected cats may display discharge from the nose, coughing, corneal ulceration, ulcers within the mouth, lack of appetite and lethargy. The signs shown by any individual cat depend on the severity of infection and whether or not there is concurrent infection with other viruses or bacteria. 

Diagnosis:

In mild cases of Upper Respiratory Infection a tentative diagnosis is made based on history and physical examination. In more severe cases further diagnostics are often required to rule-out other causes of illness. Diagnostics tests may include baseline blood work, FIV/FeLV testing, swabs of nasal or ocular discharge for viral and bacterial testing and possibly radiographs to look at the lungs. 

Treatment:

Most cases of Feline Upper Respiratory Infections will run their course within 7-10 days without treatment. Cases with concurrent bacterial infections may need antibiotics to help speed along recovery. A Lysine supplement can help to speed recovery from Herpes virus infections. In severe cases cats may require hospitalization with intravenous fluids and assisted feeding if they are lethargic and not eating. 

Prevention:

Prevention of upper respiratory infections in cats is three pronged – vaccination, supplementation and avoidance.

Vaccination

The kitten vaccination protocol contains vaccines for common viruses that cause upper respiratory disease in cats. Kittens should receive 3 inoculations beginning at 6-8 weeks of age spaced 3-4 weeks apart. Re-vaccination is every 1-3 years depending on lifestyle and the type of vaccine used.

Supplementation

Cats or kittens known to be infected with the Herpes virus can be given a lysine supplement daily or when signs of infection are noticed. 

Avoidance

Once infected, cats are infected for life; however, episodes of overt disease can be avoided.  Cats that are not infected can be protected by following these same avoidance strategies. 

• Cats should be housed in uncrowded situations with less than 3 cats total per household.
• Stressful situations should be kept to a minimum. 
• Keeping cats inside will lower their risk for upper respiratory infection. 

If you have any questions, if your cat's sneezing cold is lasting more than 10 days or if your cat's behaviour is affected (lethargic, not eating), please don't hesitate to call your veterinarian.

Client Feedback - Sirius the Cat Star

There are some pretty wonderful things about being a veterinarian - puppies and kittens, great owners and fantastic pets that you get to know over the years, just to name a couple. Unfortunately, though, conversations about the end of life stages for beloved pets is a reality that owners and  veterinarians face nearly every day. It is never easy. So, we do the best we can to make those decisions as comfortable for the owner and for the pet, but we don't always know how that is received by you, our clients.

A little while ago we received an email from a client who is new to our practice here at GLVH, but who wanted to share his thoughts with us and specifically asked us to make sure that we let you see it, too.

Thank you, Francois, for your kind words. We look forward to seeing you and your other feline family members under healthier circumstances.

The email, in its entirety, is posted here.

::  ::  ::

Sent: Tuesday May 26, 2015
Pet's Name: Sirius the Cat Star
Subject: Exceptional Support and Service from the Staff at Guelph Lake VH

My wife, Carolyn, and I would like to express our sincerest thanks to Dr. Gardiner and the staff of the Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital. We recently moved to Guelph and have found a sympathetic, understanding and truly supportive team of professionals. We brought our cat, Sirius, in for an assessment and treatment. 

The entire team from beginning to end provided support and assistance in determining what was troubling our feline family member. Everyone took time to explain exactly what was happening to our "boy" and what we needed to try to bring him back to health. 

Despite all attempts, Sirius did not improve after the first week or so of treatment. Tonight, we called after hours and Dr. Gardiner, who was still in the hospital, answered the phone. He remained after hours to help us ease the passing of our little boy. 

We wish to express our sincerest gratitude to Dr. Gardiner for his sympathy and kindness. You can be sure that if you need help with your animal companion, that the staff of the Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital will provide unparalleled service.

Do you brush your dog's teeth?

This post was written by our own Dr. Mel Cirinna and originally posted on our sister hospital's blog at www.woodlawnvet.ca. Your dog's teeth are very important, and we wanted to share the story of Cora here, too!

Can you guess how old the owner of these teeth is?

View fullsize

“Cora” is a surprising 8.5 years old with the teeth of a young pup!  Her beautiful teeth speak volumes about her overall health. Good oral hygiene is extremely important to the health of our pets.  Without proper oral hygiene plaque will begin to accumulate on the teeth.  Over time the plaque hardens into tartar.  The presence of plaque and tartar accumulating below the gum line leads to inflammation of the gingiva called gingivitis.  As the level of dental disease progresses we can have attachment loss which appears as loose teeth, a receding gum line and pain.  In addition to the oral signs of dental disease, dental disease can also lead to a condition known as bacteremia where bacteria are found within the blood stream.  The presence of bacteremia can result in disease of the heart, kidneys and liver which are all involved in moving and filtering the blood.  We can help our pets to have great oral health by following a good home oral hygiene routine.

Oral hygiene routines include brushing and a prescription dental diet.  Cora’s teeth are brushed on a regular basis using toothpaste specifically formulated for pets.  The toothpaste even has a great chicken flavor that she loves! Brushing should last about 1 minute and be performed on a daily basis.  While it is easiest to train a puppy or kitten to accept brushing, older dogs and cats can also learn to enjoy this grooming routine.  In addition to regular brushing, Cora also receives a prescription dental diet.  Prescription dental diets work as both a toothpaste and a toothbrush.  Many pets swallow their kibble whole with minimal to no chewing action.  Prescription dental diets are formulated with large kibble that cannot be swallowed whole.  Pets have to chew the kibbles which act as a “brush” to remove plaque from the tooth surface.  Prescription diets also contain enzyme formulations to prevent plaque from sticking to the tooth surface, similar to toothpaste.

We encourage you to bring your pet in for an oral health assessment so we can help your pet to have pearly whites just like Cora.

Hallowe'en Pet Safety

A Daschund dressed up as a hotdog?  Who can resist?!  For many people Halloween is a time to dress up not only themselves, but their dogs and even cats as well.  However, before you get Fido all dressed up for a night of trick or treating, keep in mind that the most important thing for Hallowe'en night is to have a safe and fun evening and to accomplish this your four legged friends might be better off at home. 

While wearing coats, dresses, sweaters and boots may be regular attire for some dogs, the vast majority of pets are not used to sporting duds of any kind.  If you are considering putting your pet in costume for Hallowe'en take the time to consider what your pet is used to when picking a costume out.  Those dogs that usually wear a coat, would likely be quite comfortable in a coat or onesie type costume.  An animal that never wears any clothing other than their collar is probably better off with a dressed up collar than a full body suit.  Once you have picked out a costume provide ample time to “test drive” the outfit before the big day.  Assess how your pet is acting when in costume.  Do they appear their normal selves?  Are they shying away from people?  Do they seem “embarrassed”?  Unless your pet is displaying their normal attitudes and behaviours, you should think twice about whether they should be in costume.  Even if your pet is super confident in their costume, be sure to provide lots of positive reinforcement – treats, pats and fun games.  Cats can be more difficult than dogs, but the same concepts apply; pick an appropriate costume, test drive it first and make sure to have lots of positive reinforcement. 

It's also important to always supervise your pet while they are wearing their costume. Cats and dogs are curious and may try to chew at their costume, or become tangled in it themselves or in their environment. 

Now that the costume is all sorted out, where to go?  While it may be enticing to think of trick or treating with your dog, it is usually a safer bet to keep them at home.  Even very well socialized dogs can become frightened or startled by children running around in costume in the dark.  Additionally, costumes often make it difficult for us to read our pets’ body language so we may miss vital clues that they are becoming anxious in the situation.  If you must bring your pet with you try to stay away from large crowds, have lots of treats available to reward good behavior and act as a distraction, use an appropriately sized leash and collar so that you have good control.  Remember, the safest place for your pet this Halloween is usually at home in their familiar environment.  

Keep in mind, also, that chocolate and artificial sweeteners can be harmful to your pets. If they decide to taste-test the candy stash and you are concerned, please don't hesitate to give us a call. We can help determine whether they have ingested enough to be toxic. The type and quantity of chocolate as well as the size of your pet will let us know if there's a reason to be worried. Artificial sweeteners like xylitol can cause reactions in your pet as well, and they should be monitored if they've eaten sugar-free candies.

Whether you end up leaving the furry family members at home or taking them along for the evening, we wish you and your pets a safe and happy Halloween!

P.S. Did you know that we now have a Facebook page? Find us at Guelph Lake Vet Hosp!

GLVH sponsors U16-18 Guelph Soccer teams

Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital is proud to be sponsoring two Guelph Soccer house league teams! We'll be watching their progress as the U16-18 Girls Royal Blue team and the U16-18 Boys Kelly Green team work their way through the season. We're also looking forward to cheering them on in person at the Eastview Sports Park, just across from our location at Eastview Rd and Watson Pkwy N.

Goooooo, Team(s)!