Today is Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

Did you know that your cat should be in to see us once a year all their life, and sometimes twice a year when they’re over seven years of age? Today is National “Take Your Cat to the Vet” Day—if your cat is due for a visit, call and schedule one today. Regular visits can help your cat live longer, because we can identify and treat problems sooner.

Visit us online at www.apcnw.com today! 

Pet Travel Safety

Going on an end of summer vacation with your dog? Don’t forget to be prepared to have him or her with you so that they can enjoy the trip too! Remember to pack as much food as your dog will need for the trip, and bring a jug of water with you on the road so they can have a drink if they get thirsty. Keep in mind that more than a few laps of water can be too much for a dog when you have many hours of travel ahead because it can cause a need to use the bathroom or nausea.

Visit us online at www.apcnw.com today! 

Pets & Microchipping

Is your pet an adventure-seeker? Make sure they’re protected by having them microchipped, if they’re traveling with you, or even if they just like to wander. Microchipping ensures that your pet has a permanent form of identification linking them to you, in case you should be separated. Call us today at 210-684-2273 for more details about having your pet microchipped. Have you ever lost your pet before...and how did you go about recovering them?

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Heartgard Promotion

Did you know that heartworm disease is contracted from mosquitoes, but were you aware that this disease could also be prevented? We are proud to offer Heartgard with a 15% discount for a 1 year supply! The manufacturer will then give back $15 for a year supply purchased. Call us today at 210-684-2273 for more details about Heartgard and this incredible promotion!

Visit our website for more details: http://apcnw.com/ 

Feline Periodontal Disease

The most frequent complaint of senior pet owners is dental problems, including bad breath and difficulty eating. More than 85% cats over four years of age have some form of periodontal disease, a painful inflammatory condition in which bacteria attack the gums, ligament, and bone tissues that surround and support the teeth. Senior cats, those seven or more years of age, are especially susceptible to periodontal disease.

That’s why it’s important to have your cat’s teeth examined by your veterinarian on a routine basis. If left unchecked, bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and travel to major organs, starting infection there and seriously compromising the health of your cat.

Most periodontal infections begin simply enough. Plaque, which is composed of bacteria, salivary proteins, and food debris, builds up in the groove between teeth and gums, causing irritation, redness, and swelling. Eventually pockets form and deepen, allowing bacteria to damage the tissues that hold teeth in place.

At this stage, bacteria from the oral infection have a clear path to the animal’s bloodstream and vital organs. The organs with the highest blood flow are most susceptible to infections: lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and even the brain. Damage to these organs caused by infection may shorten a cat’s life.

Look for these warning signs:

·      Bad breath – one of the first signs of dental disease

·      A yellowish-brown crust of plaque on the teeth near the gum line

·      Red and swollen gums

·      Pain or bleeding when your cat eats or when the mouth or gums are touched

·      Decreased appetite or difficulty eating

·      Loose or missing teeth

If your cat displays any of these signs, periodontal disease may be present.

Regular dental checkups are important to maintaining not only your cat’s oral health, but overall health as well. In fact, because cats age more quickly than humans, dental exams should become more frequent, perhaps every six months, as your pet ages. Think of it as a necessary part of your cat’s preventive care plan. Talk to your veterinarian about professional dental care and what you can do to keep your cat’s teeth and body healthy.

Heartworm In Cats

Heartworm disease is caused by a parasite named Dirofilaria immitis. Heartworms are most commonly found in dogs, but now are known to infect cats and other mammals. The adult heartworms live in the heart and major arteries of the lungs were they interfere with the function of the heart and lungs. The adult heartworm lives for 1-2 years.

TRANSMISSION:

Heartworms can only transmitted from one animal to another by mosquitoes. Adult worms living in the heart produce offspring called "microfilaria," which are found circulating in the blood of infected dogs. A mosquito must then feed on the infected dog and ingest some blood containing these "baby heartworms" if the mosquito later feeds on another pet, the baby heartworms that have developed to the infective stage in the mosquito now escape from the mosquito into the second pet during the "blood meal" of the mosquito. Once these infective larvae pass through the pet's skin, they begin migrating through the tissues, eventually making their home in the heart and lungs where they can mature into adult heartworms and start the cycle over again. Heartworms can occur in cats kept totally indoors if an infected mosquito should enter the house.

HEARTWORMS IN CATS IS A SERIOUS DISEASE:

Whereas dogs can live with quite a few heartworms in the heart, because of their smaller size heart, 2-3 adult heartworms can be fatal to the cat.

SIGNS OF HEARTWORMS IN CATS:

Clinical signs of heartworm disease in cats are quite variable. Many cats do not show any signs of heartworm disease until they die. In some acute cases, death may come so rapidly that there is insufficient time to make the diagnosis or provide any type of treatment. There are cases reported where the cat can appear clinically normal one hour before death. However some cats will show such signs as vomiting, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Coughing may be intermittent or occur in severe, sudden attacks that take place days apart.

DIAGNOSIS:

Clinical signs of heartworm are very similar to several other cat diseases. The diagnosis is confirmed with a combination of radiographs, ultrasound, and blood testing.

TREATMENT:

Treatment of heartworms in cats is not nearly as successful as in dogs. Treatment is complicated by the fact that after even one heartworm is killed in the heart; it can lead to an arterial blockage that has the potential to be fatal. Blood vessels in the cat are so much smaller than larger dogs creating much more risk while the dead heartworm is being removed from the body. Another one of the major problems is that no clinical signs are observed in many cases until close to death.

PREVENTION:

Since treatment is not very successful, prevention is very important. As stated earlier, even cats kept totally indoors can become infected from a mosquito in the house. Fortunately, a heartworm preventive is available. The medication is given to the cat once/month.

June is Social PETworking Month

June is Social PETworking Month! This is a month designated to help pair families with homeless pets. The campaign allows Facebook, MySpace and Twitter addicts to put their hours online to good use by advertising adoptable pets to their networks to help get them seen and into loving homes. So if you know of any pets in need of good homes, take to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and get the word out this June!

Pets & Potting Soil

If your indoor cat likes to play in potting soil – be sure to put them on a parasite preventative because 15% of potting soils harbor round worm! Roundworms can be a health risk for humans so bring in a fresh fecal sample to be tested and get your pet is on a parasite preventative today!

Pets & Swimming

Is your dog a swimmer? Remember to protect their ears from infection. Dogs can develop chronic “swimmer’s ear” from water that gets lodged in the ear canal after a dip in the water. Because of the shape of a dog’s descending ear canal, it is difficult for water to drip out. The moisture left over in the ear canal is the perfect environment for ear infections. After your dog is finished playing in the water, take a towel and gently cover your dog’s ear and gently shake their head. This will keep any excess water from settling in your dog’s ear canal. When bathing, water can get trapped in a pet’s ear canals and cause the same kind of infection. If your pet is still experiencing irritation, call us and we'll be happy to help in any way we can.