FAQs

Anal Glands, or more correctly Anal Sacs, are small inversions or pouches of skin that sit either side of the bottom or Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets. They can become a problem from time to time and result in irritation, itching, rubbing or an unpleasant smell. If your pet has these signs, or the classic tobogganing or scooting behaviour, it often pays to check to see if your pet has any discharge or swelling just below their bottom, on either side.

If they have signs of problems, or you are just unsure, it is worth getting them checked out properly. Sometimes, if left, the Anal Sacs can go onto become blocked and burst, or infected. If they are left to abscess and burst, then they will generally need surgery to drain out the abscess.

We will often remove Anal Sacs in Ferrets to reduce their classic odour. We will also remove Anal Sacs in Dogs and Cats that are experiencing on-going problems.

Most dogs would prefer to have their owners around all day but adapt well to most situations if they receive sufficient exercise, playtime, and attention. However, some dogs do not cope at all and this can be a real problem. Separation anxiety is a behavioural problem that occurs in dogs that become highly attached to an owner or another dog in the family and become extremely distressed in their absence.

What are the signs of Separation Anxiety?

The signs include destructiveness, barking, urinating or defecating inside, escaping, or sometimes subdued inactivity or ‘sulking’. Often the signs of fear, or anxiety start as the owner prepares to leave the house, jangling keys and turning off lights. Affected dogs start panting, trembling, and following the owner around. Some owners report that dogs don’t eat food left out for them in the morning, but will eat at night after the owner’s return.

Why would my dog have Separation Anxiety?

There are several reasons for these dogs to develop separation anxiety, and it depends on breed, lifestyle, age, and a change in house or routine which causes stress (including children leaving home, or separation of partners).

How is Separation Anxiety Diagnosed and Treated?

Other canine behaviour problems have similar signs and must be differentiated from separation anxiety. A good physical exam and discussion with your Vet is the first step. Treatment of separation anxiety often involves the use of anti-anxiety medication as, used correctly, they may significantly decrease the time taken to train the dog to be less anxious when left alone.

Many people ask why you need to medicate an animal for a behavioural problem. Can’t the animal be ‘trained’ to make it behave? Anxious or fearful animals are often so aroused that it is impossible for them to learn how to act differently.

Thankfully, the new medications, such as selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, are very gentle and have few side effects. What these medications don’t do is equally important. They don’t make the animal dopey, and they don’t sedate the animal or tranquillise it. It does not affect the pet’s personality and in fact, many people say their pets’ personality is better because the pets are so much happier without their anxieties.

Generally, the animal is just like a normal pet except that its anxiety is reduced. In summary,

1. Medication must be used responsibly.
2. It does not replace behaviour modification or other methods of creating behaviour change.
3. If you use them on your pet, your view should be to use them for as long as needed to solve the problem and to then get your pet off the medication.
4. Usually, dosing will be needed for a minimum of two months before you can decide if it is working or not.
5. Medication is not a ‘Silver Bullet’

Most Dogs can’t help themselves around food sometimes! And, we don’t just mean naughty Beagles, Labradors or Dachshunds! One of the most common poisonings that we treat here at the Greenwood Vet Clinic is Dogs that have eaten CHOCOLATE.

Chocolate contains several compounds that act as stimulants. Unfortunately, Dogs and Cats do not have enough of a crucial enzyme in their Liver that is needed to breakdown the compounds. Therefore, it is really easy for them to get a toxic dose. And, the darker or higher quality the Chocolate, the more toxic it gets. Because of the stimulation caused by the Chocolate compounds, the signs that Dogs and Cats can develop, include excitement, salivation, gut upsets, and diarrhoea as well as muscle cramps. The scariest symptoms though are a rapid heart rate and seizures! If you think your Pet has eaten Chocolate, the best thing to do is to get him or her straight into the Clinic and the Veterinarians can make them vomit up any chocolate in their stomach.

To make matters worse, some Chocolate can also contain Raisins or Nuts. Raisins have recently been found to contain a compound that is toxic to the Kidneys of Dogs and Cats and can, therefore, cause Acute Renal Failure. Macadamia Nuts have also been recently found to be toxic in Dogs. They can cause vomiting, ataxia or weakness, fever, muscle tremors and depression. Dogs are the only species in which signs have been reported.

So, if you suspect your dog or cat may have been poisoned by any of these yummy treats, then call the clinic straight away on 9448 7555.

The knee is a fairly complicated joint, as it is not a ball and socket joint like a hip. It is made up of the femur (thigh bone) above, the tibia (leg bone) below, the kneecap (or “patella”) in front, and the bean-like fabellae behind. Cartilage called the medial and lateral menisci fit between the femur and tibia like cushions and there is an assortment of ligaments holding everything together allowing the knee to bend the way it should and keep it from bending the way it shouldn’t.

There are two cruciate ligaments which cross inside the knee joint: the cranial cruciate and the caudal cruciate. They are named for the side of the knee (front or back) where their lower attachment is found. The anterior cruciate ligament prevents the tibia from slipping forward out from under the femur. Injury to the cranial cruciate ligament is the most common orthopedic injury that Vets deal with in dogs and cats.

The key to the diagnosis of the ruptured cruciate ligament is the demonstration of an abnormal knee motion called a “drawer sign.” It is not possible for a normal knee to show this sign. Often deep sedation is needed to get a good evaluation of the knee. This is especially true with larger dogs. Eliciting a drawer sign can be difficult if the ligament is only partially ruptured so an assessment by someone experienced is essential.

Without an intact cruciate ligament, the knee is unstable. Wear between the bones and meniscal cartilage becomes abnormal and the joint begins to develop degenerative changes. Bone spurs called “osteophytes” develop and chronic pain and loss of joint motion results. This process can be arrested or slowed by surgery but cannot be reversed.

This is a hormonal condition seen mainly in dogs. It is brought on by excessive production of cortisol within the body.

Symptoms

Dogs with Cushing’s disease can show a wide variety of symptoms such as…

• Excessive drinking
• Excessive hunger
• Pot-bellied appearance
• Chronic skin problems
• Hair loss (alopecia) around the abdomen and chest

Causes

1. Excess amounts of cortisone therapy e.g. in long-running skin problems
2. Malignant tumour of the adrenal glands eg can result in excessive cortisol production.
3. Benign tumour of the pituitary gland in the base of the brain. This is the master gland of the body and this particular tumour makes chemicals which tell the adrenal glands to make excessive amounts of cortisool

Prognosis

Left untreated, complications like diabetes, poor wound healing, infections, poor skin, pot-bellied, fatty liver, Pancreatitis and Organ Failure can occur. Dogs with pituitary gland tumours can go on to live comfortably for some time until the tumour gets too big and starts to place pressure on adjacent parts of the brain. At this stage, we might see symptoms such as blindness and other hormone imbalances. Unfortunately, adrenal gland tumours are often malignant and can spread to other parts of the body. They often respond to therapy with Lysodren (see below) but require regular check-ups to rule out complications.

Diagnosis

Suspected cases have a series of blood tests done to confirm the diagnosis and try to find out where the excess cortisol is coming from. Sometimes an Ultrasound might be required to confirm the suspected diagnoses as the blood results cannot differentiate between the two forms of Cushing’s.

Treatment

Traditionally, most cases end up on life-long therapy on one of the two more popular drug regimes. They also require blood testing and monitoring on a regular basis. The treatment can be very successful and many of our cases live long and normal lives.

Dogs and Cats do best when eating a meat-based diet and have teeth that have evolved to help them hunt and eat meat. In order to eat well, they need to be able to eat in comfort. Also, the mouth is one of the few barriers where the body is open to infection or insult. For this reason, it is important to keep this part of the body as healthy as possible, keeping foreign matter like plaque and tartar and infection under control.

There are many ways that you can help to keep your pet’s mouth healthy at home. Your pet’s teeth and gums can be kept cleaner for longer by brushing them with special enzyme enhanced, flavored toothpaste or cleansing gels. Feeding RAW chicken necks or wings in smaller dogs, or lamb necks and larger meaty bones in larger dogs can sometimes help. There are also Chew toys designed to help keep the teeth clean. For those difficult to medicate pets, their are mouthwashes like “Healthy Mouth” which you can add to the drinking bowl, or a powder like “Plaque Off”, which you can add to the food.

Some foods have been designed to help keep teeth cleaner and healthier. One such diet is Hill’s T/d diet, or Tooth diet. This is a dry food which has been specially designed to clean your pet’s teeth as they eat. It is available for dogs and cats. Another such diet is the Eukanuba dry food biscuits (for dogs and cats) which now include the dental defense system which helps reduce plaque and tartar build up on teeth both during and after meals.

If you have any queries about dental care, then speak to the nurses who could give you a quick evaluation of your pets oral hygiene. Sometimes, in more severe cases, the only way to get your pet’s teeth clean is to undergo a full scale and polish under a general anesthetic.

Desexing Dogs

Unless you intend to breed your puppy, we advise that you sterilise your puppy between 5 and 12 months of age. This will make your dog a better pet, and on average will increase their life span, because:

• There will be no unwanted puppies
• They will suffer from fewer diseases (prostate disease, mammary cancer, uterine infections).
• They will be cleaner
• Female dogs won’t come on heat
• They will be easier to train
• They will be less likely to roam, especially if surgery is done early
• They will be less aggressive or dominant

There is no need for your puppy needs to have a litter of pups or a season prior to being desexed. Desexing will not change your puppy’s personality or make them fat.

How will your puppy be sterilised?

This is generally a day surgery where your dog is brought to the clinic on the morning of surgery and they go home the same evening. Dogs should be fasted overnight prior to the anesthetic. Your dog is fully examined for the general anesthetic and surgery and pre-anesthetic blood tests can be performed if required. The surgery is performed under general anesthetic and includes modern pain relief protocols. All patients undergoing a general anesthetic are placed on heart rate, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and respiratory monitors, which helps ensure the safest possible anesthetic.

Male and female dog’s surgery is performed in a separate sterile theatre suite to minimise any risk of infection or contamination. The Vets wear sterile theatre gowns, gloves, hats and masks and the nurses all wear sterile masks and hats. We use individual sterile surgery packs, instruments and drapes for each procedure. During the surgery, the nurses keep a detailed monitoring chart and they then carefully monitor them while they recover. There are very rarely any problems associated with sterilising dogs.

We do all this because we know it is the best standard of care and WE CARE.

Desexing Cats

We strongly recommend you to desex your kitten around 5 to 6 months of age. This will make your cat a better pet and will on average increase their life span.

Advantages of desexing include:

• No unwanted kittens
• Generally, your cat will be cleaner – sterilised male cats are much less likely to urine spray
• Fewer cat fights  (Feline Leukaemia and Feline Aids viruses are spread through cat fights)
• Fewer diseases, eg: mammary tumours, uterus infections, prostate disease
• Female cats won’t come on heat.

There is no need for a cat to have a litter of kittens before desexing. Desexing also doesn’t make cats overweight– how much they eat and their exercise level is what controls their weight.

How will your cat be sterilised?

This is generally a day surgery where your cat is brought to the clinic on the morning of surgery and they go home the same evening. Cats should be fasted overnight prior to the anesthetic. Your cat is fully examined for the general anesthetic and surgery and pre-anesthetic blood tests can be performed if required. The surgery is performed under general anesthetic and includes modern pain relief protocols. All patients undergoing a general anesthetic are placed on heart rate, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and respiratory monitors, which helps ensure the safest possible anesthetic.

A male kitten’s surgery is quite short and is performed in the treatment room suite. As the female kitten’s surgery is abdominal surgery, it is performed in a separate sterile theatre suite to minimise any risk of infection or contamination. The Vets wear sterile theatre gowns, gloves, hats and masks and the nurses all wear sterile masks and hats. We use individual sterile surgery packs, instruments and drapes for each procedure. During the surgery, the nurses keep a detailed monitoring chart and they then carefully monitor them while they recover. There are very rarely any problems associated with sterilising cats.

We do all this because we know it is the best of care and WE CARE.

What is Epilepsy?

It is a periodic disease which is characterised by seizures (convulsions) with partial or complete loss of consciousness. Idiopathic epilepsy (of unknown cause) is the most common type seen in pets.

What are the signs?

Attacks usually commence without any warning, the pet falling to the ground, then undergoing a series of muscular jerks. There is an extension (stiffening) of the limbs, followed by paddling and chewing movements. The eyes are fixed and staring. Loss of control can result in salivation and passing of urine and faeces. During an attack, a pet should be left alone as they cannot swallow their tongue.

Following an attack, the pet gets up, looks around in a dazed manner and may run away with no idea of where it is going.

Attacks may occur frequently or infrequently. Milder seizures, with the pet remaining conscious, may sometimes occur.

Which pets are affected?

Although it can be seen in all aged animals, idiopathic epilepsy is generally seen in pets between 1 and 5 years of age. Seizures in pets outside this age group are more commonly caused by some other disease process. Although it is seen all breeds of pets, there is an increased occurrence in certain breeds e.g. German shepherds, Beagles.

What causes Epilepsy?

The cause of idiopathic epilepsy is still unknown although it is likely to be a genetic problem in some breeds. A thorough veterinary examination including some pathology tests are required to help distinguish idiopathic epilepsy from other medical causes of seizures.

Can seizure episodes be prevented?

As the cause of idiopathic epilepsy is still unknown, there is no specific treatment to remove the cause of the seizure. However, medication with appropriate drugs can either prevent or considerably reduce, the frequency and intensity of the seizures, enabling the pet to lead a normal life. If you think your Pet is suffering from seizures then phone to arrange an appointment for a full physical exam and assessment.

Guinea pigs or Cavies are small rodents species originating from South America. They can make fantastic pets due to their small size, ease of care and quiet nature. There are several breeds available in Western Australia from the simple short haired varieties to some long and quite crazy hairstyles.

Feeding is perhaps the most important factor in maintaining a healthy pet guinea pig. Guinea pigs are herbivores and their teeth grow continuously throughout life – if not provided a correct diet they can grow out of alignment causing severe and sometimes permanent issues. The majority of the diet should be fresh good quality hay such as Timothy, oaten or wheaten hay. Hay encourages them to chew for longer periods of time and helps prevent teeth problems. Unlike most mammals guinea pigs cannot store vitamin C in their bodies. This means that they require a daily supply of fresh greens such as broccoli, Asian greens, celery, carrot tops, brussel sprouts, spinach, and parsley. Generally a packed cup of veggies to each guinea pig per day! Good quality pellets should provide only a small portion of a guinea pigs diet and commercial mixes are not a good diet for cavies. Never feed – cereals, biscuits, nuts, corn, bread or chocolate!!

Large wooden hutches are ideal for guinea pigs, they should always contain a solid floor with soft bedding. A golden rule is that guinea pigs should never be housed on wire floors – they have sensitive skin on the bottom of their feet and are prone to foot infections.

Bedding – hay, dust free shavings, and shredded paper can provide great bedding, always ensure the flooring is soft and clean the hutch regularly.

Heat and guinea pigs don’t mix! Heat stroke is a number one killer of guinea pigs in our summer months. Ideally, the hutch should be brought inside to air conditioning if the temperature rises above 30 degrees Celsius. Frozen 1-2 L water bottles can be put in the hutch on hot days and always keep plenty of cool fresh water available.

Rabbits and guinea pigs shouldn’t be housed together – guinea pigs can catch some diseases from rabbits and are often bullied due to their smaller size.

Depending on the coat types some guinea pigs require occasional brushing Nails should be clipped every 1-2 months – this can easily be done with cat nail clippers but some care is needed not to clip the quick! Weight loss, reduced appetite, drooling or hair loss are all signs your guinea pig needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible. Unlike dogs and cats guinea pigs generally ‘cover’ any clinical sign of disease until they are very sick. Once signs develop your pet may already be quite unwell and should be checked by your vet.

Male guinea pigs can be castrated from 4 months of age – this helps with inter-male aggression and prevents unwanted pregnancies!!

If planning to breed the female must have her first litter before 7 months of age. This is because the pelvis can fuse after this and make giving birth very dangerous to both the sow (female) and her babies.

Sometimes Cats and Dogs can be really challenging to medicate. Giving a Pill can be just like starting World War 3!

With Dogs, it sometimes helps to flavour or coat the Pill in something tasty that your Dog really likes. Cheese and Peanut Butter are really popular options, or perhaps a bit of “Dog Polony”, like Tucker time. Otherwise, sometimes we just need to play hard-ball and get them to sit, pull their head back slightly, open their mouth and pop the pill over the back of their tongue. Hold their mouth closed and tickle their nose and you know they have swallowed the pill when they lick their nose or lips.

With Cats, it can be a little bit trickier, so sometimes we resort to crushing the pill directly into their food when indicated by our Veterinarians. However, some medications are slow release formulas or bitter tasting and this does not work. In these instances, we either give the pill directly by hand or with a pet piller, or sometimes organise medications which can be applied to the inside of their ears. This is called “Transdermal medication”.

This is a hormonal condition seen mainly in dogs. It is brought on by excessive production of cortisol within the body.

Symptoms

Dogs with Cushing’s disease can show a wide variety of symptoms such as…

• Excessive drinking
• Excessive hunger
• Pot-bellied appearance
• Chronic skin problems
• Hair loss (alopecia) around the abdomen and chest

Causes

1. Excess amounts of cortisone therapy e.g. in long-running skin problems
2. Malignant tumour of the adrenal glands eg can result in excessive cortisol production.
3. Benign tumour of the pituitary gland in the base of the brain. This is the master gland of the body and this particular tumour makes chemicals which tell the adrenal glands to make excessive amounts of cortisool

Prognosis

Left untreated, complications like diabetes, poor wound healing, infections, poor skin, pot-bellied, fatty liver, Pancreatitis and Organ Failure can occur. Dogs with pituitary gland tumours can go on to live comfortably for some time until the tumour gets too big and starts to place pressure on adjacent parts of the brain. At this stage, we might see symptoms such as blindness and other hormone imbalances. Unfortunately, adrenal gland tumours are often malignant and can spread to other parts of the body. They often respond to therapy with Lysodren (see below) but require regular check-ups to rule out complications.

Diagnosis

Suspected cases have a series of blood tests done to confirm the diagnosis and try to find out where the excess cortisol is coming from. Sometimes an Ultrasound might be required to confirm the suspected diagnoses as the blood results cannot differentiate between the two forms of Cushing’s.

Treatment

Traditionally, most cases end up on life-long therapy on one of the two more popular drug regimes. They also require blood testing and monitoring on a regular basis. The treatment can be very successful and many of our cases live long and normal lives.

The thyroid glands are located in the neck on either side of the windpipe. They act like the choke throttle in a car where they control the rate of the body’s metabolism. If they are inactive (hypo-thyroidism), pets are lazy, overweight, have skin problems and greasy coats. Hyper-active thyroids (hyper-thyroidism) make cats act like a car all revved up- ravenous appetite, thirsty, hyper-active (just like my kids), underweight, often difficult to handle (again like my kids!) and may suffer from heart failure- rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, panting. The heart thickens at the expense of chamber size. This is called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Left un-treated, hyper-thyroid cats run the risk of high blood pressure and heart failure. With the rapid heart rate, the heart muscles get thicker and thicker- its a bit like a weight lifter doing extra work. This thickening happens at the expense of the chamber (ventricle) sizes and is called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). The ventricles become smaller and smaller and as a result, can’t fill up with the same volume of blood. Less blood in means less blood out of the heart, and reduced blood supply to the body and its vital organs eg kidneys, liver, heart. When high blood pressure develops, damage can occur to organs with delicate blood vessels. This is most likely to happen in the kidneys and the retina of the eyes and can result in blindness.

By performing a simple blood test, we can diagnose affected cats and institute therapy to kcontrol the thyroid hormones causing all the problems.

Treatment involves doing a trial with a drug to reduce thyroid hormone production. After the initial trial, and once the heart rate is returned to normal, owners can continue with twice a day medication or have the thyroids removed either surgically or by the use of radioactive Iodine (at an interstate specialist veterinary centre).

Cats in heart failure may be prescribed medications to slow the heart rate down and sometimes drugs to remove fluid from the lungs (diuretics).

Treated cases usually see an improvement in heart function and the heart drugs can be removed from the treatment regime at this stage i.e. the heart disease is reversible.

Congratulations if you have just got a new kitten! It will be the beginning of a playful, loving adventure with your new friend.

There are several things you need to know about owning a new kitten which we hope this handout will help you with. If there are any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Vaccinations

Depending on your new kittens living arrangements, we recommend vaccination against Feline Enteritis, Cat Flu, Leukaemia Virus, and the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. It is best if you can confine your new kitten to your yard until the vaccinations are completed. Vaccination should be done as a course of 2 or 3 kitten needles, and then annually.

Worming

Your kitten should be wormed for roundworms and hookworms at 6,8 and 10 weeks of age. After this they require worming every 3 months with an all-wormer, starting at 12 weeks of age.

Flea control

Fleas are the most common cause of dermatitis in Cats. Flea control should be started now and continued for the rest of your cat’s life. There are many new, excellent flea control products available. These can either be applied to your pets directly, or some are in tablet form. It is important to treat all animals in the household. Please discuss flea control with us, so we can determine the best protocol for your situation.

Reproduction

We strongly advise you to desex your kitten between 4 and 6 months of age. Desexing will make your cat a better pet and will on average increase their life span. There are many advantages of desexing, the most important one being no unwanted kittens! There is no reason for a cat to have a litter of kittens before desexing. Desexing doesn’t make animals put on weight – how much they eat and their exercise level is what controls their weight.

Desexing is generally a day surgery. Your cat is brought to the hospital on the morning of surgery, he/she is fully assessed for the general anesthetic and surgery, prior to it being performed, and they usually go home the same evening.

Finally, Veterinary care can sometimes become expensive and so you might like to consider taking out pet insurance. Many policies include cover for accidents, emergencies, and illness. Coverage could help pay for your pet’s medications, laboratory fees, surgeries, X-rays and more.

If it should be, that I grow frail and weak,

And pain should keep me from my sleep,

Then you must do what must be done,

For this, the last battle can’t be won.

~

You will be sad, I understand

Don’t let your grief then stay your hand,

For this day more than the rest,

Your love and friendship stand the test.

~

We’ve had so many happy years,

What is to come can hold no fear,

You’d not want me to suffer, so

When the time comes, please let me go.

~

Although my tail it’s last was waved,

From pain and suffering, I’ve been saved.

We’ve been close, we two, these years,

Don’t let your heart hold any tears.

~

Smile for we walked together for a while.

Patella is the medical term for the kneecap. The medical term “patellar luxation” refers to “dislocation of the kneecap”. The kneecap is simply a small bone located on the underside of the tendon of the quadriceps muscle.

The condition of patellar luxation is quite common, particularly the congenital form (i.e. the form present from birth) in which both hind legs are often affected (20-25% of cases). The direction in which the kneecap slips may vary, but mostly (in 75-80% of cases) is towards the inner (medial) side of the leg. There is also the much less common acquired form of kneecap dislocation resulting from a direct injury to the stifle (“knee”) joint. Because the forces causing or perpetuating the kneecap dislocation vary, there is a range of surgical procedures used to correct the problem. The original deformities causing the abnormal forces may be found in the hip bone (pelvis), the thigh bone (femur) or the shin bone (tibia).

The effects of the kneecap dislocation on the knee joint of the dog may be short term and/or long term. In the short term, there may be lameness manifest as not putting the foot to the ground and with the leg locked in a flexed position. Sometimes an acute lameness is accompanied by obvious sharp pain seen as yelping or screaming. A few dogs will carry the affected leg most of the time. Some dogs are reluctant to jump. Some dogs stretch their legs out backward in an effort to relocate the kneecap.

In the longer term, there may be arthritic soreness from the kneecap constantly rubbing each time it luxates (manifest as weakness and a dull ache) and secondary rupture of other ligaments.

Dogs that are either born with the condition or develop it at an early age often show minimal lameness until arthritis is the major sign. These dogs may have grinding or clicking sensations in the joint but are not lame, probably because they have become desensitised. An owner may actually hear the click whilst the dog is walking or may see the kneecap popping from side to side. But when these dogs are older the legs are typically bowed and arthritic, and the gait appears stiff and awkward. The knees are also more liable to develop a secondary rupture of the cruciate ligaments. Sometimes there can be stress on the hip joint leading to arthritis or dislocation there also.

When determining the best surgical treatment, each affected knee is assessed individually according to the various deformities that are causing the kneecap to dislocate.

The most common treatment is a deepening of the groove in which the kneecap glides combined with a tightening the supportive soft tissues on one side of the joint (that which is opposite the dislocation).

Sometimes a small piece of bone, the tibial crest, needs to be rotated or moved to straighten the patellar tendon. Very rarely the femur needs to be cut and straightened. As a last resort, the kneecap may need to be removed completely.

Surgery is indicated in dogs showing signs of lameness. It is also indicated in some non-lame dogs: those puppies in which severe dislocation is detected, and those dogs which belong to the large breeds. In young puppies, surgery is performed early (at 3-4 months of age) so as to realign the kneecap during growth and so reduce the overall deformity of the limb and prevent irreparable contracture of the quadriceps muscle.

In large breed dogs, the early prevention of arthritis is more important than in smaller breeds. Whilst these recommendations for surgery in non-lame dogs may be quite valid, they are not often taken up by owners because there is no problem apparent to the owner at that time.

If dogs are not operated on they should at least be kept from excessive stresses on their joints by preventing them from becoming overweight.

Needless to say, dogs with the hereditary form of the condition should not be used for breeding.

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas, which is the abdominal organ lying next to the small intestine, stomach, and liver, which produces digestive enzymes. Pancreatitis has a number of possible causes, including, 1. Nutrition – a high fat diet and especially feasting on high fat foods, like barbeque scraps, bone marrow and meat trimmings, 2/ Pancreatic abnormalities – dogs who have previously had pancreatitis or who have poor blood supply to the pancreas are at a greater risk of developing pancreatitis, 3/ Obesity or other medical conditions like Diabetes, or 4/ Trauma – possibly from sharp bones or a blow to the abdomen can also cause a bout of pancreatitis.

Dogs affected by pancreatitis will normally have a combination of the following symptoms: Loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, cranial abdominal pain, fever, lethargy, depression, jaundice and shock.

Treatment of pancreatitis will depend on the severity of the symptoms. The first step, however, is to confirm the diagnosis. This is done by a blood test and is used to differentiate between pancreatitis and other diseases with similar symptoms, to assess the severity of the diseases and to rule out any other complicating factors such as liver or kidney disease, infection or electrolytes disturbances.

Most Patients with Pancreatitis need to fast initially. This is important to reduce pancreatitis secretions and therefore limit further damage. It is also important to prevent smelling of food as this can also stimulate pancreatic secretions. Patients with pancreatitis often required fluid therapy to make up for those fluid losses through vomiting etc. and to help flush digestive enzymes out of the bloodstream. In most cases, intravenous fluids are required. In very mild cases where the animal can hold down fluids, then small frequent amounts of oral fluid can be given.

Medications such as Antibiotics, antiemetics, and analgesics are usually prescribed to treat the symptoms and prevent infection of the inflamed pancreas.

Once the vomiting is under control, a gradual re-introduction of low-fat food is required once the fasting period has finished. Diets such as Hills Weight Control or Waltham’s Digestive Support cans or cooked white rice with chicken may be used. Initially, a very small test fed of 1 tablespoon of food is offered and if this is kept down for several hours then this can be repeated several times that day and gradually increased to normal amounts over 48hrs. In patients that are prone to pancreatitis, a low-fat diet may be required permanently.

Some patients can have severe disease or an abscess or pocket of infection from within the diseased Pancreas. Surgery in these most severe cases of the disease can then be indicated.

If you have just got yourself a new puppy, congratulations! You can now look forward to an amazing and fulfilling relationship with your new pet. This is a brief outline of some important things to consider in the first few months of having a new pup.

We recommend vaccination against DISTEMPER, HEPATITIS, PARVOVIRUS, and KENNEL COUGH. Puppies should receive vaccinations at approximately 6-8 weeks, 12 weeks and sometimes at 16 weeks of age and then an annual booster as an adult. Your puppy is best confined to your yard until after his/her initial vaccinations have taken proper effect. The Vet will let you know when they can go to the park etc.

Your puppy requires worming (for round & hookworms) every 2 weeks up until the age of 12 weeks, and will then require worming with an all-wormer every 3 months for the rest of his or her life. Heartworm is quite different from Intestinal worms and is a parasite of dogs which is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is important to note that all-wormer medications do NOT protect dogs against heartworm and so your puppy will need separate treatment for heartworm prevention. There are several different products available for heartworm prevention, so please discuss this with us to find the most suitable one for you and your puppy.

Diet is very important for growing puppies and it is important that your puppy receives the correct amounts of protein, energy, and minerals such as calcium. Meat alone is a very poorly balanced diet for any dog, especially a growing puppy. If you wish to feed a meat-based diet to your puppy, please discuss this with us so we can advise the appropriate supplementation. Most commercial puppy foods are well balanced to supply the correct amount of nutrients to your puppy. Premium dog foods also make puppy food designed especially for different sized dog breeds (small, medium and large breeds) to make sure your puppy is getting exactly what they need. A simple diet plan that should meet your puppies requirements is 80% commercial puppy food (dry and/or canned) and 20% RAW meaty bones, vegetables, and table scraps. The amount of food your puppy will require will vary enormously depending on size, age, breed, growth, activity, and health. It is important to constantly assess your dog’s weight and adjust the amount fed accordingly.

Desexing your puppy will make him/her a better pet and on average will increase his/her life span. There is no reason that your puppy needs to have a litter of pups or a season prior to being desexed. Sterilisation is done under full general anesthetic and requires your puppy to be fasted overnight before bringing him/her into the hospital in the morning. Usually, dogs can be picked up the same evening after surgery.

We recommend that all Pets are microchipped. A microchip is a small device that is injected just under the skin. It can be used in all animal species and is the single best method of permanently identifying your pet as being owned by you. Your details, along with your pet’s and the microchip number are placed on a database. This database can be accessed by rangers and vets and used to reunite you and your pet if they go missing.

The Greenwood Veterinary Clinic runs a course of puppy classes with the aim of socialising young puppies, so they can learn about interacting with other puppies. A well-socialised puppy is more likely to be comfortable and well behaved around other dogs as an adult. Puppy classes also cover basic training, health care, and behaviour topics. All puppies must have had their first vaccination to participate and should be between 9 and 18 weeks of age. Please phone the clinic for details if you would like to attend puppy classes.

Finally, Veterinary care can sometimes become expensive and so you might like to consider taking out pet insurance. Many policies include cover for accidents, emergencies, and illness. Coverage could help pay for your pet’s medications, laboratory fees, surgeries, X-rays and more.

Rabbits can make fantastic pets however they do have a few special needs that need to be met to enable them to live a long healthy life.

Vital Statistics

Life expectancy 6-14years Adult body weight: 2-6 kgs

Breeding age: 4-10 months Pregnancy: 31 days

Litter Size: 1-12 kits Weaning: 4-6 weeks

Feeding

Feeding is perhaps the most important factor in maintaining a healthy rabbit in the wild rabbits eat grass and graze for 6-8 hours per day – their teeth and digestive tract is adapted for this.

HAY – hay should be the largest portion in a rabbits diet. Give them a constant supply of fresh good quality hay e.g. Timothy, oaten, wheaten or meadow hay (not Lucerne). Rabbits can also be allowed to graze on pesticide-free grass in the backyard.

VEGGIES – fresh dark leafy greens should be provided daily. Good examples are broccoli, cabbage, celery, carrot tops, brussel sprouts, spinach leaves, Bok choy, and other Asian greens. Herbs such as parsley can also be given.

PELLETS/ COMMERCIAL MIXES – these should only be a small portion of a rabbits diet. Concentrates provide a rabbit with its daily calories quickly however do not provide adequate roughage and don’t help to wear down the teeth at all. These diets often lead to obesity and dental disease.

TREATS – things such as fruits and carrots can be given in small portions daily. Biscuits, sweets, and processed foods should never be given.

Housing

Commercial hutches should serve only as a temporary enclosure. Rabbits need to have access to 1-2 hours of exercise outside of the hutch each day. Beware of power cords in the house! Hutches should be easy to clean and safe from predators. Rabbits need to be protected from extreme weather conditions especially the Australian heat. If the temperature rises above 30 degrees Celsius, rabbits should be brought inside wherever possible. Frozen water bottles can also be placed in the cage to provide cool areas. Flywire is vital! Mosquitoes in Australia can carry Myxomatosis, a viral disease which is almost always fatal. Avoid leaving rabbits out of the hutch at dawn and dusk.

Health and Veterinary care

Rabbits will require occasional brushing and nail clipping. Both male and females should be de-sexed at approximately 5-6 months of age to prevent disease and behavioural problems. It is important to note they usually reach sexual maturity before this so separate any males and females from 12 weeks!

Vaccinations – a calicivirus vaccination is available and recommended to be given to all rabbits as a single yearly injection over the age of 10 weeks. This is a great time to get your rabbit examined by a vet to help pick up any early medical problems.

What are the signs?

Seizures usually commence without any warning, the pet falls to the ground, then undergoes a series of muscular jerks. There is an extension (stiffening) of the limbs, followed by paddling and chewing movements. The eyes are fixed and staring. Loss of control can result in salivation and passing of urine and faeces. During an attack, a pet should be left alone as they cannot swallow their tongue. Following an attack, the pet gets up, looks around in a dazed manner and may run away with no idea of where it is going. Attacks may occur frequently or infrequently. Milder seizures, with the pet remaining conscious, may sometimes occur.

What causes Seizures?

The most common cause of seizures is a condition described as idiopathic epilepsy. A thorough veterinary examination including some pathology tests are required to help distinguish idiopathic epilepsy from other medical causes of seizures.

Can Seizure episodes be prevented?

If a medical cause of seizures is identified, then treatment for that condition would be indicated. If a diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy is suspected, the cause he epilepsy would remain unknown and there is no specific treatment to remove the cause of the seizure. However, medication with appropriate drugs can either prevent, or considerably reduce, the frequency and intensity of the seizures, enabling the pet to lead a normal life. If you think your Pet is suffering from seizures then phone to arrange an appointment for a full physical exam and assessment.

For many pet owners, watching your cat or dog grow older is a comforting and natural experience. It is often hard to believe the same bundle of energy that tore up the backyard or the curtains, is now the calm and kind old friend curled up on your couch. When your pet begins to slow down or stiffen up, they need your help and understanding. Unlike a fellow human, pets can’t take responsibility for their own care, they depend on you!

How old is your pet? Age varies according to species, breed, body size and individual variation. Large breed dogs age quicker than smaller dogs. Typically a cat reaches their senior years at about 8 years, small dogs at age 7, and large breed dogs at 5 or 6.

How does aging affect older pets? Like a cat or dog ages, two common changes can occur. The first is age-related changes such as hearing loss, changes in vision or reduced activity. These are normal and cannot be prevented. The second kind is related to what we would class as a disease. Commonly this would include heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, arthritis or dental disease. Often, these types of diseases can start to develop slowly, so we often make excuses or allowances for our pets getting old and miss the warning signs. The signs to look out for can include things like weight gain or loss, changes in water intake or urine output, smelly breath or difficulty chewing, increase or decrease in appetite and changes in activity levels or sleeping more than normal.

Many of these diseases require proper evaluation and diagnosis. Here at the Greenwood Vet Clinic we routinely perform x-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds and ECGs which can be used to help to evaluate your pet’s health. Pets who are experiencing signs of older age, or who have to take some medications on an on-going basis, should have a regular check-up and blood test to assess their progress through their older years.

What if my dog or cat isn’t a senior? The healthcare that cats and dogs receive during their lifetime can often help prevent or defer the onset of disease as they age. This can include preventative health care, appropriate exercise, dental care, regular visits to the vet and eating a balanced diet in the correct portions.

The first rains of spring often bring out that first flush of snails into the garden, and it is tempting to throw a few Snail Pellets around the place. Unfortunately, most pellets are highly toxic and can kill Dogs and Cats by causing muscle excitement, salivation, and seizures.

There are 2 traditional chemicals used in Snail Pellets. Metaldehyde is often contained in green or brown pellets and for some reason is often advertised as being “not attractive to Dogs”. That might be the case for some Dogs, but we still see a lot of Dogs poisoned by this compound and the effects are the most toxic of all the pellets and there is no antidote. Methiocarb is the other chemical and it is generally found in blue pellets. This compound seems to act a bit quicker, is still highly toxic, but does have an antidote.

Often, the first thing that an owner might observe is their Pet is unable to come when called, is uncoordinated, tremoring and slobbering more than normal. At the first sign of anything being wrong with your Pet, you should always ring the Clinic and let them know you are on your way. Patients who have been poisoned will generally be admitted to Hospital, placed on an IV drip and given drugs to reduce the seizures or muscle activity. If they are still conscious, they may be made to vomit up any pellets still in their stomach.

Obviously, the best way to avoid problems is to avoid using pellets altogether. If you must use them, then maybe only use 4 or 5 pellets at a time, or hide them in a part of the garden your Pet does not have access to. You could also use less toxic methods, like a size 12 boot, or stale beer in a saucer.

Perth’s beautiful bushland corridors and lakes provide a haven for all wildlife including snakes. Perth snakes tend to be shy Dugites, Gwadar’s and Tiger snakes and prefer to avoid confrontation, however, when attacked, bitten, chased or disturbed by an inquisitive dog and cat they can inflict a lethal bite.

Signs of snake bite can be subtle at first and can progress with devastating rapidity to complete paralysis and an inability to breathe which is the most common cause of death in animals. Additionally, snake venom may stop the blood clotting causing internal bleeding and with tiger snakes bites severe muscle damage also occurs.

If you see your pet in close contact with a snake it is important that you immediately phone your regular veterinarian or emergency service to inform them that you are coming down with a potential snake bite patient and if necessary obtain first aid advice. If your dog is small enough carry it to the car as activity accelerates the spread of the toxin.

Always take your pet to the vet immediately, while trying to keep it calm. Do not take a wait and see approach and don’t waste time looking for the bite as it is rare to be able to find bites in dogs and cats.

If the snake is dead, carefully pick it up with a shovel to take it to the vet(in a bucket helps). However, do not attempt to kill or catch live snakes (which are protected species). If necessary, Veterinarians can run tests to determine the best type of antivenom to use and we don’t want to have to deal with envenomated humans as well!

Keeping dogs on a lead when walking in bushland, preventing cats from wandering, having well-mowed lawns and ensuring there are no piles of rubble near the house, can all help prevent pets and snakes coming into close contact.