Spring 2013

Hi and welcome to our Spring 2013 Newsletter!

What about the amazing weather we are having lately? There is nothing that raises our spirits like warm weather.

Some music trivia – Here Comes The Sun by George Harrison was written in his garden on a sunny spring day after a particularly bleak English winter when his good friend Eric Clapton came over for a visit. It is worth a listen at this time of year.

However, after 22 years of being a vet I know that spring can also be a tough time for a lot of our pets. Lets talk about some of these things:

Allergies

If you are a hay fever sufferer you know that spring pollens and winds can make you miserable. Now it might surprise you to know that our dogs and cats can be affected by similar allergies. However, instead of getting runny eyes and noses they get itchy skin. This skin disease is called Atopy.

I recently listened to an online seminar from Australia’ leading expert on this condition who said that this is the second most common skin disease of our pets after flea allergies. However, as most pets are on better flea products we see this condition more often.

The most common breeds of dogs affected are: Terriers of all sizes (from Fox to Bull), Poodles, Pugs, Schnauzers like my poor Zoli and big dogs like Labradors and German Shepherds.

All breeds of cats can be affected but less is known about this disease in this species.

As an owner of an itchy dog with Atopy, I know how unhappy they can be and how their scratching can keep you awake at night. The best news is that there are very safe and some newer treatments for this disease. Our staff have recently had comprehensive inhouse training on Atopy and will make your pet more comfortable when you come in for a consultation. We can also talk about newer medications even if your dog has already been previously diagnosed.

You can read more about Allergies on our Fact Sheet.

Ticks

Ticks simply are a nuisance on the Coast and Spring is their time to show their ugly heads (actually they have just have jaws and a body but you get the idea). If you are new to the Central Coast then ticks may be a new problem for you.

We have a tick facts sheet on our website that can give you some helpful information.

Rather than focus on negatives, ticks can be prevented in many cases. In the unlucky situation of your pet becoming unwell we are well versed in treatment and if caught early we have a very high success rate.

An exciting new prevention for dogs is a tick collar called Scalibor which lasts 3 months and has no odour. It takes up to 2 weeks to become effective so it is best to fit them early in the tick season. Our other preventatives such as Advantix and Frontline are still excellent but unfortunately nothing is 100%.

Our worst months for seeing tick cases are October – December but have already seen cases as early as July due to the mild weather. It is also worth being more vigilant when warm weather follows rain as anecdotally we seem to see more tick cases with these conditions. Interestingly, despite some theories we still do not know why this is the case.

The best advice is if you find a tick on your pet please call us as we love to help and we are always able to arrange to see your pet if they are unwell.

Grooming

This is the link for all of the other problems we have mentioned. A well groomed coat in your pet makes it easier to search for ticks and treat skin problems. And importantly they also smell good and look fantastic.

Something I have learned is that not all grooming is the same.

We are so fortunate at Gosford Vet Hospital to have a fully qualified and experienced groomer in Glenda Collins from Groomingdayles working under our roof for the past 9 years.

I have learned so much about the importance of good grooming from Glenda as her motto says- hair cuts not crew cuts. We have seen many dogs that should have had loose hair stripped out rather that cut off too short as their coat can be permanently damaged.

As a vet we received no lectures on Grooming so I respect Glenda’s wisdom and experience in this area.

You can read more about Groomingdayles or if you want an appointment with Glenda either say G’Day on the days she is working if you are in the clinic or preferably call her on 0411 888 711.

As the old joke goes: My dog has no nose. How does he smell? Beautiful because he has just been to Groomingdayles.

That’s all for now.

As George said…….. “Here comes the sun … It’s all right.” at Gosford Veterinary Hospital.

Best wishes,

Graeme