Canine Influenza - What You Should Know

I'm sure you've heard of the Doggy Flu (aka Canine Influenza) before, right?  Well, if you haven't we have some information about this disease that you should definitely know!

The American Kennel Club has recently confirmed cases of Canine Influenza in dogs who have been to dog shows NC , SC, GA, FL, TN, KY, TX. Influenza is a highly contagious disease in dogs.  Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, discharge from the nose and eyes, lethargy, and decreased appetite.  A dog may only have a cough or may exhibit all of these signs.  Influenza is similar to Bordetella (kennel cough), but has more of a chance of progressing into pneumonia and possibly resulting in death.  Symptoms typically last for a few weeks, but may continue for up to 3 months.

 

The disease generally has an airborne transmission, so being in the same room as a dog who has the flu puts that dog at risk.  It may also be contacted through shared water or food bowls.  A dog who has contracted Influenza is contagious even before he starts to show clinical signs.

 

There are currently two strains of canine influenza:. H3N8 and the more recent H3N2.  There are vaccines for both and there is a combo vaccine a well.  We at Great Falls Animal Hospital strongly recommend that dogs at risk be vaccinated for both strains of the flu.  Dogs at risk include dogs who go to dog shows, dog parks, dog classes, boarding kennels, groomers, or doggie day care.

 

If your dog has never had a flu vaccine and his lifestyle puts him at risk, he will need an initial flu vaccine plus a booster two to four weeks later.  He will be considered protected two weeks after the booster vaccine.  Dogs who have already had this initial series only need a booster annually.

     

 If your dog is exhibiting any of the signs of flu, please isolate him from other dogs and make an appointment for our doctors to check him over.  Let's all do our best to help control this potentially dangerous situation.  Many thanks to our own Dr. Cook for helping me write this article to share with you!

Til next meow,



MASON



Great Falls Animal Hospital

703-759-2330

POISON CONTROL HELPLINE

PET POISON HELPLINE: (800) 213-5774

ASPCA POISON CONTROL: (888) 426-4435

24 EMERGENCY FACILITIES

THE HOPE CENTER- Vienna: (703) 281-5121

THE LIFE CENTRE- Leesburg: (703) 777-9968

VCA SouthPaws Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center Fairfax: (703) 752-9100 

Fall: Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitoes, and You!

Good day, humans!  With Fall blustering in and temperatures dropping, you might think it's ok to stop giving your cats and dogs their Flea & Tick and Heartworm medications.  But it's not!  If anything, Fall is one of the worst times for fleas and ticks as cooler weather doesn’t kill fleas and ticks!  For example, the cat flea – the most common flea of dogs and cats – hits peak infestation in late summer and fall.  And deer ticks are at their peak during the fall and spring.   Fleas can carry tapeworms and other disease-causing organisms, and ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis!  Mosquitoes, of course, are carriers of the heartworm parasite, a life threatening nematode that can cause severe disease and even death.  Even in areas where residents do not have to worry about mosquitoes during the winter, their return in the spring and summer months can catch you off guard. It is best to be pre-prepared.

Here are a few facts that are worth remembering:

• Fleas can live outdoors in temperatures as low as 33 degrees for up to five days (long enough to latch onto your dog, come into your home, and relish in the warmth of your living room).
• Flea eggs can live year round in protected areas such as crawl spaces or porches.
• Ticks are certainly more active in the late summer and early fall. However, even in the winter, if the temperature exceeds 32-40 degrees ticks will become active again.

So, how do you make sure your pet is protected against fleas/ticks and mosquitoes during the colder months?  The same as with the warmer months: apply Flea & Tick medication to your pet!  There are several brands out there that we recommend and offer at our hospital: Frontline Tritak, Vectra, Bravecto, Revolution, Heartgard, Interceptor, Seresto collars, and Certifect.  Another great product to use is Advantix.  We have had great success with these products and use them on our own pets (including myself!)  (You can see a product comparison chart here and here.) 

Now, we know what you might be thinking - "I don't want to put chemicals on my pet!"  That's fine!  Bravecto is a wonderful product that is a chewable tablet and prevents fleas/ticks for 3 months per pill.  Our own veterinarians use it on their pets and it works very well!  You may also be thinking, "I want to try a natural approach/product to flea and tick control."  Sadly, there really aren't any.  Over the years, we’ve spent some time looking into the more natural or holistic approaches and as yet there are none that are actually effective.  You can try tea tree oils, peppermint, lavender, garlic, citronella, etc, but they just will not prevent fleas and ticks from attaching and feeding off your pet.  The brewer’s yeast?  All the research shows none of that works.  The ultrasonic devices? The data shows they don’t work.  Also, just because something is “natural” or “organic” that doesn’t mean it’s safe.  Some of the citric extracts used in these "natural" products can be fairly toxic to cats.


There are also ways to protect your home from becoming a hangout for these parasites.  To eliminate fleas and their nesting places outdoors, keep the area surrounding your home clear of debris.  Remove leaf or mulch piles, tall grasses, and brush around the home and at lawn edges.  Separate lawn from surrounding wooded areas with a band of gravel or wood chips to limit tick migration.  Keep the lawn mowed.  Apply pesticides around bushes and shaded areas, as well as near doors and windows.  Keep the areas outside your home dry and free of standing water, which can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Remember that while fleas, ticks and mosquitoes may seem to be merely nuisance pests, they are actually capable of causing severe health problems, from the above mentioned heartworm infection, to skin disorders and infections, to anemia and life-threatening diseases.  These diseases are definitely better off being stopped before they start with a little bit of diligence and preventive products.  Remember to use these medications once every month, year round (unless otherwise specified by your veterinarian)!  As the old saying goes: It is better to be safe than sorry.

Til next meow,



MASON



Great Falls Animal Hospital

703-759-2330

POISON CONTROL HELPLINE

PET POISON HELPLINE: (800) 213-5774

ASPCA POISON CONTROL: (888) 426-4435

24 EMERGENCY FACILITIES

THE HOPE CENTER- Vienna: (703) 281-5121

THE LIFE CENTRE- Leesburg: (703) 777-9968

VCA SouthPaws Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center Fairfax: (703) 752-9100 

AAHA Accreditation - Standards for Excellence

It's time for another one of Mason's Mewsings!  Today, we'll be talking about AAHA, the American Animal Hospital Association.  You may have seen their logo on our website or around the hospital.

So, what is AAHA?  Per Wikipedia, "The American Animal Hospital Association is a non-profit organization for companion animal veterinary hospitals.  Established in 1933, the association is the only accrediting body for small animal hospitals in the U.S. and Canada.  The association develops benchmarks of excellence, business practice standards, publications and educational programs.  Any veterinary hospital can join AAHA as a member, but must then pass an evaluation in order to receive AAHA accreditation."

And what does this accreditation entail?  Well, to become an AAHA-accredited practice, animal hospitals and clinics willingly undergo a rigorous evaluation process to ensure they meet the 900+ individual standards of accreditation put forth by AAHA.  These 900+ standards include but are not limited to: "Patient care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, pain management, pharmacy, safety, surgery, client service, anesthesia, contagious disease, continuing education, dentistry, examination facilities, medical records, leadership and emergency/urgent care. To maintain their accredited status, hospitals undergo comprehensive on-site evaluations every three years, which ensures that hospitals are compliant with the Association's mandatory standards."  And it's not just limited to general practice veterinary facilities - specialty hospitals can become accredited as a "Referral" practice, as well.

So, what does this mean for you, our clients?  It means that you can expect a higher standard of quality and veterinary care from us.  It means that we are holding ourselves to higher expectations and that we try to maintain and exceed current veterinary medical standards.  It means that we provide a safe, clean, contagion-free environment to come to, that we use high quality medications and anesthesia, and that our hospital protocols are designed to meet AAHA's high standards of quality.  AAHA also recommends continuous learning and keeping staff skills up-to-date.  This helps members build team confidence and ultimately helps hospitals provide a positive client “experience,” while improving the level of patient care.  AAHA-accredited practices use a team approach to meet the needs of their clients and the pets they love.

We're proud to say that we are AAHA accredited and have been for many years!  If you have any questions regarding our accreditation or practices, please contact us and we'll be happy to speak with you.  My favorite part is when the staff gives me copious amounts of treats and lets me stay at the hospital as their cat!  

Well, you cool cats, that's all for me today!  I have some much-needed napping to attend to!

Til next meow,



MASON



Great Falls Animal Hospital

703-759-2330

POISON CONTROL HELPLINE

PET POISON HELPLINE: (800) 213-5774

ASPCA POISON CONTROL: (888) 426-4435

24 EMERGENCY FACILITIES

THE HOPE CENTER- Vienna: (703) 281-5121

THE LIFE CENTRE- Leesburg: (703) 777-9968

VCA SouthPaws Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center Fairfax: (703) 752-9100 

TNR - Trap, Neuter, Return

Mason, here!  Talking to you about a very important topic with regard to felines who live outdoors.  We all know the problem with feral cat colonies and cats who live outdoors: a lot of them aren't spayed/neutered and their population keeps increasing!!  Trap-Neuter-Return (called TNR) is a humane and effective approach for cats living outside.  Scientific studies show that Trap-Neuter-Return improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the people who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time.

Trap-Neuter-Return is exactly what it sounds like: Cats are humanely trapped and taken to a veterinarian to be neutered and vaccinated, and to have their ears tipped to indicate that they have been neutered and returned to the outdoors.  This practice stops the breeding cycle of cats and improves their lives.   Since most feral cats are not adoptable, they have been trapped by animal control services and subsequently killed in pounds and shelters due to their wild nature and lack of domesticity.  Trap-Neuter-Return helps prevent the need for euthanizing these felines while allowing them to live without adding to the problem of overpopulation.

Our own Dr. Snellgrove and Vet Assistant Elizabeth Board participate in TNR clinics and love talking about their experiences in aiding outdoor felines!

 

Here, Elizabeth is helping another volunteer to prep cats for surgery. This involves removing hair from the surgical site and scrubbing it clean.

 

Here, Dr. Snellgrove (in the red top) and another doctor perform neuter and spay surgeries while technicians monitor the patients and stand by to give additional anesthesia if necessary.  The doctors have to work very fast because the felines are anesthetized with injectable medications versus gas anesthesia, to prevent any medical complications.

  

Don't worry, this cat is just asleep!  Each cat has an ID number and paperwork that accompanies it, so there's no worry of getting the animals mixed up.  You may also see animals laid out on trays in preparation for the surgeries - this helps cut down on time that the cats have to stay asleep so the neuter and spay surgeries can be done quickly and efficiently.  

This kitten just had her ear tipped in surgery prep (she's asleep, too!).  The clamp will stay on through her surgery and be removed in recovery.  Chances are if you see a cat with a clipped ear, it was once an outside cat who has gone through a TNR program and was adopted!

With Trap-Neuter-Return, veterinarian professionals can stabilize the feline outdoor population humanely, improve the cats’ lives, save taxpayer dollars, address neighbors’ concerns, and help the entire community reach a solution that benefits everyone!  If you are interested in helping with Trap-Neuter-Return programs, you can contact Alley Cat Allies or Metro Ferals for more information.  Here at Great Falls Animal Hospital, we work with 4Paws Rescue Team directly to care for their cats and spay and neuter them!

I hope that sheds some light on a very interesting and life-saving practice that we believe in wholeheartedly!  Well, kittens, that's all for now.  I'm going to snuggle up here and wait for Christmas!

Til next meow,



MASON



Great Falls Animal Hospital

703-759-2330

POISON CONTROL HELPLINE

PET POISON HELPLINE: (800) 213-5774

ASPCA POISON CONTROL: (888) 426-4435

24 EMERGENCY FACILITIES

THE HOPE CENTER- Vienna: (703) 281-5121

THE LIFE CENTRE- Leesburg: (703) 777-9968

VCA SouthPaws Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center Fairfax: (703) 752-9100 

Why Microchipping Your Pet Works

Hello, blogger fans!  It has been a long and fun summer and everything is now winding down for the fall.  That also means lots of moving, kids going to school and moving for college, and fall changes.  So, today, I would like to talk to you about microchipping.

What is microchipping, you may ask?  Well, a microchip is a tiny electronic device (about the size of a grain of rice) that uses radio waves to transmit stored information when it is read by the right kind of scanner.  Microchips for pets store a unique identification number and do not need a power source, and they have no moving parts, so they do not wear out.  Microchips are made of a material that is compatible with body tissues, so rejection and infection at the site are rare.  After injection, the microchip becomes encased in the tissue at the injection site (usually around the back and shoulders). It may move slightly, but it usually stays at or near the place it was injected.  To read the chip, a compatible scanner must be passed over it.  Different microchip companies use different chips; however, there are scanners that can read all kinds of chips.

To complete the microchipping process, you must register your pet’s microchip with the microchip company.  Unless the microchip company has your information, there is no way for the identification number on the microchip to link you with your lost pet!  This is the number one way to reunite an owner with their pet, and we here at our hospital have many happy stories about reuniting pets and owners due to a microchip and the information attached with the microchip.

So, what happens if your pet becomes lost?  When a lost or injured pet is taken to an emergency room, veterinary office, or shelter, he or she can be scanned for the presence of a microchip.  If the pet has a chip, the scanner reads the pet’s identification number.  If the chip has been properly registered, the shelter or hospital can provide the number to the microchip company, which maintains the owner's contact information.  The microchip company or hospital then contacts the owner, and the pet can be reunited with his or her family!

The use of tattoos as permanent identification for pets has for the most part been made obsolete by microchip technology.  A microchip and an ID tag, however, work best together, and I recommend that every pet have both.  The most important thing to remember about any form of pet ID is to keep your contact information current!  If you move or change your phone number, update your microchip information immediately.  Don’t wait, because a move is a high-risk time when your pet is more likely to slip out and go missing.  And get a new ID tag as well: Many pet-supply stores have machines that make them while you wait, in five minutes or less!  No excuses!

The bottom line, though, is that if your pet is lost, you want to make sure you have done everything you can to make his return home as quick and easy as possible.  You don’t want to have to rely on posters plastered around town or hope a harried shelter worker will have the time and resources to figure out where your pet belongs.  Tags, microchips and other innovative ways of identifying pets all help to produce happy endings for lost pets and their owners.

To sum up, here's why you should use a microchip as an identifier for your pet:

Microchips are a way of permanently identifying your pet.

Microchips must be registered with a microchip company to reunite you with your pet.

Microchipping is a simple, quick procedure that can be performed by your veterinarian.

Many lost pets are never returned to their owners because they do not have any form of identification.

To keep your pet safe in the face of the unknown, try a microchip today!  Coupled with an ID tag or ID collar, your pet will have the best chance possible to be reunited with you.  And I should know - I'm microchipped, too!

Til next meow,


Mason



Great Falls Animal Hospital

703-759-2330

POISON CONTROL HELPLINE

PET POISON HELPLINE: (800) 213-5774

ASPCA POISON CONTROL: (888) 426-4435

24 EMERGENCY FACILITIES

THE HOPE CENTER- Vienna: (703) 281-5121

THE LIFE CENTRE- Leesburg: (703) 777-9968

VCA SouthPaws Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center Fairfax: (703) 752-9100 

 

http://www.vetstreet.com/microchipping-your-pet
http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/microchips-and-id-tags-work-best-when-pets-have-both?page=2
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/microchips-and-tags-why-your-pets-need-id

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/why-pet-microchips-arent-always-foolproof

Mason's Mewsings on Intestinal Parasites

Happy August everyone!  This summer sure did fly by.  Sorry I’ve been lacking with my words of wisdom however I took my own little vacation to another exam room just to get away for a while.  The seclusion was fantastic, though it got rough at meal time on occasion since I wasn’t sprawled out on everyone’s papers emitting sad pleas for food.  It really is hard to be me sometimes.

Mason's at nap time

Today’s topic is the fascinating world of intestinal parasites.  Those two words together just sound really icky and they definitely are exactly that!   When your vet recommends having your pet’s stool checked at least once a year, believe me, it’s not because they love poop.  Dogs and cats often pick up intestinal parasites outdoors; however, it can happen inside the home too.  While keeping cats strictly indoors is a much safer environment, it is possible for them to pick something up without you knowing; hence our recommendation for routine stool checks.

Did you know that there are several intestinal parasites that can be passed on to humans?  Children and the elderly are especially susceptible, although children may be more likely to become infected.  The biggest problem seems to be with smaller children who do not yet have any concept of good hygiene and do not know any better.  Kids are curious and you never know what they may have put their hands in outside or if they walked in anything they shouldn’t have.  Your best bet is to make sure that kids, regardless of age (and it would be a good idea for adults too) to wear shoes when outdoors and make sure you are monitoring them!  For children who are a bit older, make sure they understand that they should watch where they step outside and of course, everyone should be washing their hands!  Cryptosporidium, Giardia, hookworms, and roundworms can be passed on to humans.  Treatment for parasites varies and some are easier to combat then others; however none are fun to have so prevention is best!  For more information about human symptoms, transmission and treatment, please speak with your doctor.

Giardia, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, coccidia, and whipworms are common intestinal parasites that we test for when we check your pet’s stool.  Dogs especially can pick up parasites when out in the yard and on walks, as well as doggy day care and dog parks.  Am I saying that you should avoid these places?  No, but I am stressing always picking up after your dog, and monitoring where they are playing and of course what they are ingesting.  Even drinking water off the sidewalk, street, creeks or even in your own backyard can lead to infection.  As for my fellow felines, you are not off the hook either!  If a cat ingests a mouse for instance, even if they are in the house, they are susceptible as well.  Tapeworms are contracted when an animal ingests an infected flea or flea egg or an infected rodent, and you will often see what looks like little grains of rice around your pet’s rear-end or in stool.  Sometimes you may never even see fleas but that doesn’t mean one didn’t sneak in.  Keeping your dog and cat on heartworm medication is one of the best ways you can prevent these nasty infections as most of those medications have preventatives for several parasites.

Moral of the story?  Keep up good hygiene for both humans and pets (including litter box & yard upkeep), and have your pets stool tested at least once a year. 

For once, I think I have lost my appetite after all this intestinal parasite talk so I think a good nap is in order!  Til next time…

Meows, Mason