By Dr. Carla Hubbard-Erickson
Truer words were never spoken. This old saying could save all of
us a ton of heartache and money. If we would learn to care for ourselves
properly - instead of living on fast-food, smoking, not getting enough
rest, etc., we would all be healthier. These are decisions that we
make for ourselves.
Unfortunately,
our animals rely on our decisions for their health. There are many
things to consider in prevention of problems that we could discuss
here. I hope to cover at least a small percentage of these.
Preventative health care is different for each species of animal.
Dogs, cats, horses, birds,reptiles, etc., all have their own set of
problems. Here are some of the most common things to do (or not to
do) for your pets:
For dogs, it starts with early vaccinations to decrease the chance
that they will come down with any contagious disease. Puppies should
have their first set of shots between the ages of 6 and 8 weeks. The
vaccines should be repeated at intervals of 3-4 weeks apart for several
doses. The number of times that they are vaccinated will depend on
the age of first vaccine, type of animal, veterinary preference etc.
Most dog vaccines given will help to prevent distemper, hepatitis,
leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvo virus, corona virus, kennel cough
(bordatella), lymes disease and rabies virus. I'm not going into detail
about each of these diseases right now, but if you need any information,
feel free to call our office or the office of your current veterinarian.
A
stool sample should also be checked to determine if your pet has intestinal
parasites. Puppies and kittens should be routinely worked at the age
of 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks for "round worms". These are intestinal
parasites with which puppies and kittens can be born or they can acquire
them shortly after birth. Stool samples are about 90% accurate for
detecting parasites in the feces. Proper medication can be given pending
the results of these tests. Getting rid of intestinal parasites will
prevent diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and possibly even death.
Another internal parasite is heartworm. We recommend that all dogs
be checked for heartworm disease with a simple blood test on a routine
basis. If they do not have the disease, they should be put on a preventative
medication to ensure that they don't get the disease. Which preventative
you choose depends on your preference and that of your veterinarian.
There are medications that can be given daily, once a month, or an
injectable that can be given every 6 months. Heartworm can also affect
cats and the same advice should be given to cat owners as well as
dog owners. The only prevention available for cats is a monthly pill.
Keeping your pets free of external parasites is of major importance
also. Fleas and ticks are the primary ones that affect cats and dogs.
We have seen animals that are dying from anemia due to fleas already
this season. Don't let your pets suffer. Many products are available
to prevent fleas and ticks on household pets. My personal preference
is to use "frontline", a topical product that works for
both ticks and fleas. This may not be the best for your situation.
Check with us, or with your veterinarian, to find out what would be
best for your pets. If your pets are scratching, itching, or losing
hair, have them checked by your veterinarian to determine the cause.
There is help available.
Dental care is another issue for prevention of disease. While it
may sound to you like a cosmetic concern, or an unnecessary expense,
dental care is a major health concern. The tartar and plaque that
build up on teeth harbor tremendous amounts of bacteria. If left on
the teeth, the bacteria will cause the gum line to pull away from
the teeth. Because the oral tissue has such a wonderful blood supply,
bacteria from the teeth will seed into the blood stream. This bacteria
is taken to the heart and lungs. The major cause of heart failure
and lung disease in animals is dental disease. Dental infection can
also seed into the other organs, such as liver or kidney, and will
cause major health problems there as well. Routine dental cleanings
will help to prevent these problems, but if your pet already has bad
teeth, come see us or go to your regular veterinarian to get the problem
resolved.
Prevention of problems is much simpler than fixing the problems once
they exist. There are so many other issues to discuss for prevention
of disease, but we will have to address more of them in a future article.
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