Summer Safety Alert: Tick-borne Disease

The warm weather is finally here in Chicago. And along with the birds and the bees, ticks have woken from their winter slumber. These smaller, slow-moving cousins of the spider emerge from leaf-beds and wait for the next animal to walk by. They then latch on for a delicious meal of blood from its new host. This is both creepy and dangerous as many ticks transmit disease. Most notably, the Deer Tick can transmit Lyme disease. This bacterial disease is most likely to be spread during the months of June through September. 1 in 38 dogs in Cook County now test positive for Lyme exposure.

Lyme disease in dogs differs greatly from Lyme disease in people. In people, signs develop within the first few weeks of a tick bite and include rash, flu-like symptoms, joint pain, nerve and heart abnormalities. In dogs, the signs take much longer to arise – from several weeks to several months – and include joint pain and kidney disease. Luckily, if caught in time, Lyme disease in dogs can be treated with antibiotics.

Blood testing for Lyme disease is readily available. However, the test can only tell us whether the dog was exposed to Lyme disease. When a dog is Lyme positive, your veterinarian can help you determine whether he or she is actively infected. When disease is confirmed, antibiotics will be recommended.

If your dog spends time in a wooded area, or lives in a patch of the city where there are ticks, prevention is the key. This can be achieved either by vaccination and/or topical tick preventatives.

The most potent tick preventative we offer is Parastar Plus. This is similar to Frontline, which many dogs have used, but has an added ingredient that rapidly kills ticks. Parastar Plus cannot be used on cats.

We also offer a Lyme disease vaccine that is given on a yearly basis. For dogs encountering a heavy tick burden, the vaccine is a good idea.

Every dog’s situation is different and your veterinarian can help you determine whether Parastar Plus, the Lyme vaccine or both would be best for your dog. Feel free to call us or stop by our clinic, and we can help you decide.

Heartworm – the Basics

Heartworm is serious business. It’s a lot more prevalent than most people think. In fact, the average vet clinic in our area reports 6 to 25 cases a year. That’s a lot when you’re talking about a killer disease -especially one that is preventable.

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes. When they bite a dog, their microscopic larvae get under the dog’s skin and then over the next 6 months gradually migrate to the heart, following the heart’s electrical impulses. Once there, they live up to 7 years and grow up to 30 centimeters, all the while causing damage to both the heart and pulmonary vessels. If untreated, this often leads to death. These adult worms also give birth to new larvae in the bloodstream. When a mosquito comes along and bites the dog, it picks these up and within 2 weeks is able to infect another dog.

The good news is that all of this can be avoided. Heartworm preventative is simple, safe and cheap. This is why veterinarians focus on prevention. There are many choices, including once a month pills like Heartgard or Sentinel, once a month topicals like Revolution, or a 6 month shot called ProHeart. Heartworm testing is required once a year to ensure compliance. If a dog were positive for heartworm and received any of the above, they could have a very serious reaction.

On the other hand, treating an infected dog is complicated, dangerous and expensive. It consists of a series of injections that can lead to pulmonary embolisms, requires nearly 2 months of strict cage rest and costs hundreds of dollars. Our goal is to avoid this in every single dog.

So if your dog is not currently on a heartworm preventative, call to schedule a heartworm test today so we can get started.

Is Your Dog Ready to Romp and Play at the DFA?

Portage Park DFA

Keeping a dog leashed is extremely important, especially in a dangerous city environment, but who doesn’t love watching their dog running around unencumbered, wild and free? Luckily, we here in Chicago have Dog Friendly Areas (DFAs) in many of our parks and beaches. These are the only areas in the city where it is legal to let your dog off leash. The exercise and socialization these areas allow are very important to your dog’s health and behavior. And watching them play provides us humans with endless entertainment. 

In order to use these designated areas, so called “dog parks”, your dog must be up to date with vaccines for Rabies, DHPP, Lepto and Bordetella. They also must have a negative fecal result and a city license. These requirements help ensure that your dog is only interacting with other dogs who are vaccinated and free of worms. The DFA tag itself is not expensive - it’s only $5 - but without it the city can fine you up to $500! At Portage Park Animal Hospital, we will provide the tag free of charge if all 4 of the vaccines and fecal test are performed on the same visit.

The tag is good from January to December of each year, no matter which month it was purchased. Our nearest Dog Friendly Area is at 4100 Long Avenue, south of Berteau Avenue. More information can be found at http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/facilities/dog-friendly-areas.

Now if we could only convince the city to develop Cat Friendly Areas…

Portage Park DFA

Dry Winter Skin?

We all have to deal with dry skin in the winter, and our pets are no exception. As outdoor humidity plummets and indoor furnaces heat up, we humans run to lip balm and moisturizer. Unfortunately these won’t do much for our furry friends as the low humidity leads to dry, flaky and sometimes itchy skin. So what can we do to help?

Humidifiers are a good first line of defense. Ultrasonic humidifiers are safer than evaporative ones, as they do not use a heating element and thus are less likely to cause fires. A clumsy or curious pet may also knock one over and get scalded by the hot water or heating element within.

Moisturizing Omega-3 fatty acids are another good way to fight your pet’s dry skin. These can be given topically or orally. Topical moisturizing shampoos with fatty acids like Hyliderm can be used weekly for dogs with dry skin. Make sure to leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes before rinsing to ensure adequate contact time with the skin. Omega-3 fatty acids can also be given orally in both liquid and capsule form and are usually given once a day. Oral fatty acids are also very beneficial for the heart and joints.

Be aware that dry, flaky or itchy skin may also be the result of an underlying skin disorder. It can sometimes be hard to distinguish between the two, and we’re always happy to examine your pet to help you figure it out.

Dr. Ken Schwartz

February 2013 PPAH Furry Friends News

February is an exciting time at Portage Park Animal Hospital. We will be participating once again in theCook County Spay and Neuter Program (Save $40) and be offering a Dental Special (Save 10%).

If your pet has not been spayed or neutered yet and/or has bad breath and is in need of a good dental cleaning call us today to schedule.

Financing options available through CareCredit.

Does your pet have bad breath? It may be time for a dental

When was the last time you looked at your pet's teeth? Take a moment and flip the lip....
Did it look like any of the photos below? If so, you should schedule your pet to have their teeth cleaned, they may even need extractions.

Research shows that proper dental care is probably the most important thing you can do to add years and quality to your pet's life. Just like in humans, pets are susceptible to plaque and tartar build-up, which can lead to gingivitis and even periodontitis, a chronic form of the disease that can be painful. Whenever it is possible, preventing disease is preferable to treating it. 

 If your pet is not cooperating with you to look in their mouth, bring them by for a free dental consult. One of our dental specialists can evaluate your pet's teeth and let you know what stage dental cleaning they will require.

Our dental packages include IV catheter and fluid therapy, dental x-rays, scaling and polishing, pain medication (when required) and a dental care kit. Bloodwork is recommended prior to anesthetic procedures (additional cost).

We do dental cleanings Monday through Friday.

Call us to schedule a dental cleaning for your pet today! 

  

Remember prevention IS the best medicine!

Thank you for placing your pet's health and trust in us. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Roger Schrock 

Portage Park Animal Hospital & Dental Clinic

Winter Hazards

Now that the holidays are over and we’re in the thick of winter, a new set of toxins exist for your pet that we want to make you aware of: de-icers and antifreeze.

De-icers are commonly used in the winter and they can pose several problems for pets.

First, they can act directly as a skin irritant if they remain in contact with the skin for too long. This is most commonly seen in the feet, especially in the webbing between the toes. The skin may be red, swollen or painful and cause the pet to bite/lick the feet or possibly limp. If it’s impossible to completely avoid areas with de-icers, booties may be your pet’s best option. Not all dogs tolerate this, in which case rinsing the feet with warm water may prevent irritation. This can be done with either a bowl of water or with a wet towel.

Second, they can act as a gastro-intestinal irritant if orally consumed. The severity is directly related to the amount consumed. The typical signs are drooling, depression or vomiting. In very severe case, electrolyte imbalances and neurologic signs can occur.

In general de-icers containing calcium salts tend to be the most irritating to the skin and GI tract. Urea based de-icers tend to be the most pet-friendly, but unfortunately are supposedly the least effective at de-icing.

Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is another common hazard to your pet. Ingestion of just a few teaspoons is enough to cause potentially fatal kidney failure in dogs and cats. Unfortunately, it is very sweet and has a pleasant taste to most pets. Be sure to keep it in tightly closed containers and stored in secure cabinets. Thoroughly clean up any spills and keep your dog away from suspicious puddles on a walk. Pets that have ingested antifreeze may have an increased thirst or urination or may act lethargic. Contact your vet right away if you have any suspicions of antifreeze toxicity.

-Dr. Ken Schwartz.