A sad goodbye.....

Dear friends,

We at the Animal Hospital of Avon and Rockville Road Animal Hospital have some news to share with you. Dr. Patty Kovach has decided to take a break from the practice of veterinary medicine. She is going to take some time off to enjoy her family and reassess her goals and options. Her last day was Wednesday, February 12th.

We appreciate all the wonderful care she has given to our four-footed friends over the years. We know she will be missed and wish her much success and happiness in this new chapter of her life.

Sincerely,
The doctors and staff of the Animal Hospital of Avon andRockville Road Animal Hospital

Technician Corner: Benefits To Caring For Your Pet's Teeth

Here are the facts on your pets dirty mouth:

*Over 85% of pets over age 4 have some form of dental disease.

*Dental disease has been directly linked to liver, kidney, and heart disease.

*Dental disease, including gingivitis (inflamed gums) and abscessed or fractured teeth, are painful for you pet. Your pet may not show pain until the problem is severe.

*When your pet has dental disease, one of the main side effects is Halitosis, which is better known as bad breath.

Ways to help prevent dental disease:

*Brushing daily.  Imagine going a day without brushing your teeth, YUCK!

*Yearly dental exams (Help maintain your pet's overall health.  Older pets & small breed dogs may need to be done more often.)

*Dental chews/Toys (we offer fingerbrushes for cats/dogs called C.E.T. & toothpaste)

*Dental sprays (we offer a brand of oral spray *Vedco).   The oral sprays that contain chlorhexidine are said to kill 99.9% of the bacteria in an animal's mouth. It is important to use these sprays after brushing your pet's teeth to insure all bacteria is killed (just like a mouth wash would after we brush our teeth).

*T/D treats are a prescription diet treat that help prevent tartar buildup

What to expect when your pet comes in for a dental:

*Temporary sedation from anesthesia

*Sore gums from ultrasonic scaling

*If your pet has extractions you may need to feed soft food for 1-5 days

*Your pet may get a mild cough or have a sore throat from the trachea tube that we use to provide the anesthetic throughout the procedure

*Expect a clean mouth with lots of fresh breath kisses when you arrive to pick them up at the end of the day

Sources:
http://www.superioranimalhospital.com/resources/pdfs/dentalcare.pdf
2005 Pfizer Inc. (Dental Brochure)

*Written by:  Technicians - Kelly Fehnel/Andrea Kessens/Jenni Rogers

Free eye exams for service animals!

The American college of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) will host it's 7th public service event providing free eye exams to Service Animals, May, 2014.  Approximately 220 ACVO board certified veterinary ophthalmologists will donate their services to provide complimentary screening eye examinations to Service Animals across America and Canada.  Best of all, the Service Animal's owner/agent will incur no cost for these services.  It is anticipated that through these efforts Service Animal health can be improved and potential disease averted for thousands of animals.

Please share this important information with all Service Animal owner/agents.

Qualification information and registration available at:  www.ACVOEyeExam.org

Registration is open April 1-30, 2014

Complimentary eye screenings take place in May 2014

Bordetella Vaccine - Not just for boarding!

Bordetella Bronchiseptica, or just plainly Bordetella, is a bacterium that is commonly associated with respiratory disease in dogs.  Many people believe that they only need to vaccinate for Bordetella if their dog is going to be staying at a kennel.  However, did you know that your dog can be exposed to the bacteria anywhere an infected dog has been?  This includes veterinary clinics, grooming facilities, pet stores, bark parks, and walking in your own neighborhood.

The Bordetella vaccine prevents against a respiratory infection known as Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis (aka Kennel Cough).  In most healthy, adult dogs, it is typically only a mild illness that presents with a raspy cough.  It can be more serious in puppies and older pets, also pets with underlying health issues.  In more severe cases, it may progress to pneumonia, which can be fatal.

The Animal Hospital of Avon/Rockville Road Animal Hospital require that your dog is vaccinated for Bordetella when coming in for any routine surgery, because your dog will be spending the day with us, and in some cases overnight.  Due to the number of sick pets we do see, there is always the possibility of airborne infectious bacteria and viruses in the environment.

How infection occurs - An infected dog sheds the infectious bacteria in respiratory secretions.  The bacteria then floats in the air and is inhaled by another dog, where it attaches to the ciliated cells in the throat.  The organisms then secrete substances that disable the immune cells normally responsible for consuming and destroying bacteria.  When enough of the host defenses are disabled, an infection is established and illness ensues.
The incubation period, the time from infection until symptoms will start to show up, is 2-14 days.  A dog will typically show symptoms for 1-2 weeks.  Infected dogs will continue to shed the Bordetella organism into the air for about 2-3 months after first being infected.

Treatment - In mild cases, an animal may improve without treatment after the disease runs it's course.  Often times, a veterinarian will prescribe a cough suppressant to lessen the severity of symptoms.  In more advanced cases, an antibiotic will also be given.  If there has been no improvement after one week, we recommend that the dog be brought back for further testing.

Preventative care - We highly recommend vaccinating all dogs for Bordetella.  Puppies get vaccinated on their 12 week visit, and get boostered every 6-12 months, depending on lifestyle.  Pets that are boarded at a kennel, or groomed, should have their Bordetella vaccine boostered every six months, due to higher exposure risk.  Boosters should be given at least 5 days prior to boarding or grooming in order to be most effective.

Contraindications/Precautions - There are some cases where vaccinating may not be in the pet's best interest.  For example, if a dog is currently ill or pregnant, or has vaccine reactions.  One of our veterinarians will be able to help you in your decision to vaccinate in these cases.

If you have any questions regarding Bordetella, you may contact our office at any time during our regular office hours.  You may also schedule an appointment with any of our veterinarians if you are suspicious of a cough your dog has developed.

Written by:  Erricka Jones with Dr. Aimee Hossler

Information collected from:  www.vetstreet.com & www.veterinarypartner.com