Spring in Adelaide is a curious affair – sometimes we have days where the skies are clear and sun starts to feel a little bit warmer; other days we see nothing but rain. But whatever the weather, little changes are still occurring – the ground softens, grass and other new sprouts push their way up to see the sun, and the days slowly start to lengthen. Spring brings the promise of new energy and new life.

Your animals feel it too, and they’re keen to get outside more often to explore the new sights and smells. How ready are you and your home for Spring? Here’s a checklist for you to help keep your pets safe, happy, and healthy:

How Does Your Garden Grow?

• How lovely it is to see the flowers blooming in your garden again! Are you aware of which flowers are toxic to dogs? The Animal Emergency Centre provides a list of potentially toxic plants, some of which may be poking their pretty little heads up in your garden right now. Daffodil, lily of the valley, iris, and hibiscus all have toxic properties, just to name a few! Keep your dogs away from those flowers, or replant your beds with something non-toxic.
• Using fertiliser on your gardens and lawns does wonders for their growth, but it’s not so great for your dogs. We’ve had a number of cases where a dog has eaten freshly laid fertiliser because they were attracted to the “wonderful” aroma. Try to keep your pets away from your neighbour’s lawns as well in case they’ve also decided to do a little fertilising of their own. Where possible, opt for organic methods to fertilise your gardens.
• Be sure to choose a mulch that is safe for pets. Avoid anything made from cocoa hulls, and opt for something like untreated wood shavings. Also be on the lookout for mushrooms that often appear in Spring, especially on newly laid mulch and wet lawns. Some mushrooms are extremely toxic (and not just to animals so keep an eye on the children).

Spring Cleaning

• Give your vacuum cleaner a break – brush your cat or dog twice a day to control shedding. Try brushing them outside (where able) to avoid excess hair in your home. Don’t worry if you don’t catch it all as it wafts away – many birds love to use the hair to line their nests.
• Spring cleaning is the perfect time to review your cleaning products’ pet-friendliness. If the bottles do not say they’re pet-safe, it’s best to keep these products out of reach or locked away in a cupboard. If your pet ingests a household cleaner, seek immediate veterinary attention.
• If you’re an allergy sufferer, you probably dread the arrival of Spring more than anything else. Some dogs suffer from pollen allergies too. If your dog is itching, give them a soothing bath with an oatmeal-based shampoo and ask your local veterinary clinic for advice.

Beware of Pests!

• As you take time to appreciate the emerging bird-song, don’t forget that other less melodious creatures are lurking both above and below too. Fleas, ticks, and other biting insects (spiders, flies, etc.) are all going to be more active with the warmer weather. It’s recommended to use a monthly flea and tick preventative such as Revolution or Nexgard. This will give you and your pets a fighting chance to beat a bug infestation. Also remember that, if using pesticides and herbicides, please keep your pets out of the yard for a safe period of time after application as these are extremely toxic.
• Get a head start on the peskiest of pests, the mosquito! Make sure your dog is on a monthly or yearly heartworm preventative. If your dog isn’t currently on any such preventative, speak to your vet about getting a blood test done to make sure they’re heartworm free. Remember to give your pets an intestinal worming tablet every 3 months as well.
• When using any sort of baits (rat, snail, roach etc.), place these products in areas inaccessible to your pets. Most baits contain ingredients that are as attractive to your pets as the pests you’re trying to kill – and they will kill your animals just as easily. If you can’t guarantee your pet won’t get access to them, avoid the use of baits at all.

Put Some “Spring” In Your Step

• Why not add an extra walk in to your daily routine? Your dog will think all its Christmas’ have come at once when they see you go for the leash a second or third time in one day! Springtime exercise will help shed some of that lazy Winter weight (from the dog, of course). Be sure check them all over when you get home for any invading grass seeds that may cause an abscess or infection.

This article is the 5th and final in our series on National Pet Dental Month, educating pet owners about the importance of proper dental care for your dogs and cats. Click to read Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 – and here to view our special offers for the month of August 2016.

“Dog Breath” could be an indication of dental disease …

Have you ever heard anyone use the term “dog breath” as a compliment? Bad breath is not a positive for anyone, even our pets. In fact, it could very well indicate dental disease. Poor dental hygiene can lead to a host of other diseases affecting the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Take a look at the facts!

• 28 million: The number of pet owners who mistakenly think bad breath is normal for pets.
• 365: The number of days per year pets need dental care to prevent bad breath.
• Bacteria is the #1 cause of bad breath in pets. It builds up below the gum line, causing disease when plaque is not removed regularly.
• Pets with short faces like pugs, bull terriers and bulldogs are the highest at risk for bad breath and oral issues.
• Small dogs and cats experience bad breath due to tightly space and difficult to clean teeth.
• Bad breath can also occur is your pet has liver or kidney problems.

(Information via Greenies)

The team here at Pet Doctor are offering free dental checks all through the month of August. Plus, everyone who comes in for a free dental check goes in the draw to win one of two dental gift baskets valued at $250! Please contact our Woodville or West Lakes clinics to book your free appointment today.

*Conditions apply.

This article is Part 4 of our series, educating pet owners about the importance of proper dental care for your dogs and cats. Click to read Parts 1, 2 and 3 – and here to view our special offers for the month of August 2016.

It’s never too late…

August is National Pet Dental Month here at Pet Doctor and our aim is to help you detect and prevent dental issues for your dogs and cats.

This month’s initiative is in conjunction with the Australian Veterinary Association’s (AVA) campaign titled, “It’s Never Too Late – Seniors Need Dental Care, Too”. The campaign’s aim is to educate pet owners about the benefits of annual dental health checks and regular tooth brushing for older pets.

Did you know that 4 out of every 5 dogs and cats over the age of 3 years (or 21 dog years) have some sort of dental disease? This only becomes more severe with age and can be a real problem for pets and their owners – the longer dental disease goes undiagnosed, the higher the risk of your pet losing most (if not all) of their teeth due to infection and decay.

All of that bacteria has to go somewhere!

If your pet has long-term dental disease, all of the bacteria in their mouth that causes plaque and tartar gets swallowed with their saliva and can invade the blood stream, leading to more serious problems such as illnesses related to the heart, liver or kidney.

Regular dental checks by your vet can help prevent the serious consequences of gum disease in older pets.

The team here at Pet Doctor are offering free dental checks all through the month of August. Plus, everyone who comes in for a free dental check goes in the draw to win one of two dental gift baskets valued at $250! Please contact our Woodville or West Lakes clinics to book your free appointment today.

*Conditions apply.

This article is Part 3 of our series, educating pet owners about the importance of proper dental care for your dogs and cats. Click to read Parts 1 and  2 – and here to view our special offers for the month of August 2016.

Dental Disease – a common problem

Dental diseases are becoming more common in pets, with up to 85% of animals aged three years and over now affected. Does your dog or cat have halitosis (smelly breath)? This is often the first sign of a problem – but it can be prevented!

As with human teeth, residual food and bacteria and calcium deposits form plaque and tartar on our pet’s teeth, with painful and sometimes serious results.

Failure to address the problem can result in bacteria being carried into the animal’s bloodstream, resulting in severe or even fatal complications with their stomach, heart, liver, and kidneys. Your pet’s dental care is an important part of their overall health.

How to prevent dental disease

There are a number of ways to prevent dental disease, including:

• Diet – provide pets with regular access to special dental treats and chews, bones and dental diets.
• Dental water additives.
• Regular brushing with pet toothpastes and tooth brushes.
• Rinsing with special gels.

Our helpful staff will be able to recommend the best option for your pet. The team here at Pet Doctor are offering free dental checks all through the month of August. Plus, everyone who comes in for a free dental check goes in the draw to win one of two dental gift baskets valued at $250! Please contact our Woodville or West Lakes clinics to book your free appointment today.

*Conditions apply.

This article is Part 2 of our series, educating pet owners about the importance of proper dental care for your dogs and cats. Click here to read Part 1 and view our special offers available at both Pet Doctor Woodville and West Lakes locations in August.

How do you know if your pet has a toothache?

August is National Pet Dental Month here at Pet Doctor and our aim is to help you detect and prevent dental issues for your dogs and cats.

When it comes to dental care, pets often won’t show pain. Even pets with sore gums, infected mouths and broken teeth will still continue to eat – so owners may not see any problems. So, how can you tell if your dog or cat has a toothache?

Some of the signs that may point to a pet with dental issue include:

• Drooling
• Bad breath
• Reluctance or inability to eat
• Lip smacking
• Pawing at the mouth
• Mouth hanging open, with tongue protruding
• Using one side of the mouth/dropping food while chewing
• Rejection of hard/crunchy foods in preference for tinned/soft food
• Poor appetite
• A build-up of plaque and stains on teeth
• Redness, swelling and bleeding of the gums

Your pet’s breath should not smell bad – bad breath is a sign or infection. Gums may be red and inflamed and the teeth stained with tartar, or they may start dropping food.

Annual dental health checks are an ideal opportunity for owners to find out if their pet has existing problems which have gone unnoticed. Dental health checks also help ensure bacteria and poisons from dental infections do not spread to the heart, liver and kidneys through the blood stream.

The team here at Pet Doctor are offering free dental checks all through the month of August. Plus, everyone who comes in for a free dental check goes in the draw to win one of two dental gift baskets valued at $250! Please contact our Woodville or West Lakes clinics to book your free appointment today.

*Conditions apply.

August is National Dental Month at Pet Doctor!

To raise awareness, we’ll be sharing with you a series of blog posts to help you improve the dental health of your furry friends, including appropriate pet dental care, combating your pet’s bad breath, and dental care for your senior pets.

Also, to help you maintain your pet’s dental hygiene, our team is offering heaps of great discounts and specials until 31st August 2016, on all dental related services and products. Take advantage of the below special offers throughout this month:

• Free dental checks
• Free dental show bags
• $5.00 off any bag of Greenies for dogs
• $3.00 off any bag of Greenies for cats
• 20% off our great range of dental diets and products including Royal Canin Dental, Hill’s t/d, Aquadent Oral Solution, Petosan Toothpaste and Toothbrushes, and Prozym Dental Chews and Toothpastes
• 50% off your second bag of Royal Canin Dental for cats or dogs
• 20% off dental procedures

Plus, everyone who comes in for a free dental check goes in the draw to win one of two dental gift baskets valued at $250! Please contact our Woodville or West Lakes clinics to book your free appointment today.

*Conditions apply. These discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

All pet owners should be extra cautious!

Some concerning news has come to our attention regarding heartworm. If you are not too sure what heartworm is… it is a nasty parasite that causes a deadly disease that’s known to affect dogs here in South Australia.

Several cases have been reported within a 10km radius of our clinic.

The latest figures from the Heartworm Surveillance Project show an increasing number of dogs have been reported to have this distressing and deadly infection over the last 18 months.

40% of the infected dogs were on a monthly heartworm tablet or spot-on treatment.

Why monthly prevention is leaving dogs at risk of the disease isn’t entirely clear.

What’s the solution? Well, the Australian Heartworm Prevention Guidelines state that “year-round heartworm protection is recommended for all domestic canines throughout Australia.”¹

Given that it is almost impossible to remember to give treatment on the same day every month, we can discuss a free heartworm antigen test and a simple year-round heartworm prevention injection.

Why not make an appointment today to secure guaranteed year-round heartworm prevention for your dog?

We won’t leave your dog at risk of heartworm… Not on our watch!

1. Australian Heartworm Advisory Panel (AHAP). Australian Guidelines for Heartworm Prevention in Dogs. March 2014.

HOW DO DOGS GET HEARTWORM?

• Mosquitoes transmit the disease to dogs by injecting tiny heartworm larvae into their skin
• Larvae develop in the tissues and migrate to the heart where they grow into adult worms
• The adults live in the heart and the large blood vessels surrounding the heart
• They reproduce and release more larval offspring into the dog’s bloodstream
• Larvae are transmitted to another pet via mosquitoes

WHAT ARE SIGNS MY DOG MAY HAVE HEARTWORM?

• Lethargy
• Tiring easily with exercise
• Coughing
• Loss of appetite
• Enlarged abdomen

HOW DO VETS CHECK FOR HEARTWORM?

• A blood test
• Chest radiographs
• Ultrasound

WHEN SHOULD I START MY PUPPY ON A HEARTWORM PREVENTION PROGRAM?

Protect your puppy against heartworm by starting them on heartworm prevention from 12 weeks of age. Ask the vet about heartworm prevention:

• Get protection all year long
• Don’t miss a dose

For more information, visit: pawclub.com.au

Free* heartworm antigen tests at Pet Doctor when you book your dog in for a Proheart SR-12 injection, the only product that will give your pet 12 months protection against heartworm infection.

What is heartworm?

Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is a parasitic worm that can be transmitted to animals via mosquitoes. An infected mosquito can bite your pet and inject the larval stage of the worm, which enters the body and inhabits the organs until maturity at approximately 5-6 months of age. Once the worm has reached maturity, it will migrate to the heart and blood vessels of the lungs. Adult heartworms then breed and reproduce, releasing microfilaria (baby heatworm) into the blood stream where they are potentially picked up by the next mosquito that feeds on your pet. Thus the cycle begins again, without your pet ever having to come in contact with other animals. As we’re all aware, mosquitoes can find their way into most homes (with out without fly screens), which means even indoor pets can be at risk of infection.

Heartworm disease symptoms:

• Dry and persistent cough
• Lack of stamina when exercising
• Weight loss
• Dry coat
• Listlessness or weakness

In more advanced cases, there may be heart failure, laboured breathing, a distended abdomen, severe damage to organs, and sometimes collapse from the sudden destruction of a pet’s red blood cells. It is important to understand that this disease can be fatal and often takes time for symptoms to develop. By the time an infected pet starts to show symptoms, at least half of the pet’s lungs are infested and deteriorating, thus the importance of early diagnosis and prevention.

A blood test is the best way to tell if your pet has heartworm disease!

*Conditions apply. Please call us for more information, or to make an appointment today!

Every Christmas, veterinarians across the country see a marked rise in the number of cases of pancreatitis in dogs of all ages. This is because the holiday brings an increased number of scenarios that can potentially lead to a dog becoming sick. This acute, painful pancreas inflammation can be deadly in many cases, so it’s vital that dog owners understand the causes of pancreatitis, the symptoms, and what measures must be taken to prevent cases of canine pancreatitis.

Causes of Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is the term for inflammation of the pancreas, an organ that works to help the body metabolise sugars and produce insulin. In addition, the dog’s pancreas produces enzymes that are vital for digesting nutrients.

Pancreatic inflammation is seen most often during the holidays, when dog owners are doing lots of home cooking. Many dogs are affected by pancreatitis when they’re fed table scraps that are greasy and high in fat. In addition, a significant percentage of animals fall ill after stealing fat trimmings or other fatty food scraps from the garbage.

Symptoms of Pancreatitis

Dogs with pancreatitis usually fall ill fairly suddenly, within a matter of hours. The most common symptoms of pancreatitis include:

• Hunched posture
• Painful abdomen
• Distended, enlarged abdomen
• Poor appetite
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Dehydration
• Diarrhoea

Symptoms of pancreatitis can become very acute and a dog can become critically and even fatally ill very quickly, so if you suspect your dog may have pancreatitis, you should seek veterinary attention immediately.