Glendale May Newsletter
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HEARTWORM AND WELLNESS TESTING 2023 Wellness tests are blood tests performed to ensure the health of your pet. These blood tests allow us to anticipate any problems before your pet becomes clinically sick, in an attempt to modify the disease process and improve your pet's quality of life. |
Pets are great at hiding disease and often by the time they look sick it is more difficult to help them. Wellness testing also establishes a baseline for your pet that can be used to monitor their health as they age. Wellness blood tests are tailored to your pet's age and known health status.
The 4DX Heartworm + Tick Borne Disease Panel checks for Heartworm Disease, Lyme, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia Disease.
Wellness panels evaluate red and white blood cells, platelets, kidney, liver, pancreas and thyroid (if selected with T4 or FT4) function, proteins, minerals, and electrolytes.
Fecals (stool samples) check for the presence of intestinal parasites.
Starting in March, our external lab offers a FREE HEARTWORM AND TICK BORNE DISEASE TEST when done with a wellness blood panel. We are happy to extend this discount to your furry family so please take advantage of this offer which is available until July 31st 2023.
The 4DX Heartworm + Tick Borne Disease Panel checks for Heartworm Disease, Lyme, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia Disease.
Wellness panels evaluate red and white blood cells, platelets, kidney, liver, pancreas and thyroid (if selected with T4 or FT4) function, proteins, minerals, and electrolytes.
Fecals (stool samples) check for the presence of intestinal parasites.
Starting in March, our external lab offers a FREE HEARTWORM AND TICK BORNE DISEASE TEST when done with a wellness blood panel. We are happy to extend this discount to your furry family so please take advantage of this offer which is available until July 31st 2023.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: BRAVECTO FOR DOGS AND CATS, MILBEMAX FOR CATS AND INTERCEPTOR FOR DOGS.
There are many flea, tick and intestinal parasite products on the market. The products we recommend are prescription and available at Glendale. We use products for fleas/ticks heartworm and intestinal parasitism in tandem to provide the best overall protection for your pet. Some are applied to the skin, and some are given by mouth (orally). Some are given monthly (puppies until 6 months of age or until their weight stabilizes receive Credelio for tick and flea prevention), and some can last 8-12 weeks depending on the indication (ticks vs fleas for cats). |
Depending on your lifestyle, your pet's lifestyle, your needs and preferences, we will help you choose a product that works best for you and your pet. Examples of available products include the following:
Topical tick/flea combination products that we recommend (dogs and cats):
Bravecto which lasts 12 weeks in dogs for fleas and ticks; and in cats it lasts 12 weeks for fleas and 8 weeks for ticks. Oral tick/flea combination products that we recommend (dogs only):
Bravecto (12 weeks) and Credelio (monthly, which we use in puppies up until 6 months of age or until their weight stabilizes). Bravecto is used for the prevention of Lyme and other tick borne disease as well as flea control.
Intestinal and Heartworm Parasite Prevention we recommend:
Milbemax for cats (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms) which we recommend quarterly for outdoor cats and twice yearly for indoor cats.
Interceptor Plus for dogs (heartworm prevention, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms including Echinococcus m.) which we recommend be given once monthly from June 1st until November 1st. This product works backwards in that it covers the month before as we typically see mosquitos starting in May, sometimes April. Please call us to have any questions anwsered about these and other products.
We are beginning to recommend year round treatment for tick prevention as this winter saw many ticks! If your pet is not currently being treated, now is the time to start.
Topical tick/flea combination products that we recommend (dogs and cats):
Bravecto which lasts 12 weeks in dogs for fleas and ticks; and in cats it lasts 12 weeks for fleas and 8 weeks for ticks. Oral tick/flea combination products that we recommend (dogs only):
Bravecto (12 weeks) and Credelio (monthly, which we use in puppies up until 6 months of age or until their weight stabilizes). Bravecto is used for the prevention of Lyme and other tick borne disease as well as flea control.
Intestinal and Heartworm Parasite Prevention we recommend:
Milbemax for cats (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms) which we recommend quarterly for outdoor cats and twice yearly for indoor cats.
Interceptor Plus for dogs (heartworm prevention, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms including Echinococcus m.) which we recommend be given once monthly from June 1st until November 1st. This product works backwards in that it covers the month before as we typically see mosquitos starting in May, sometimes April. Please call us to have any questions anwsered about these and other products.
We are beginning to recommend year round treatment for tick prevention as this winter saw many ticks! If your pet is not currently being treated, now is the time to start.
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MAY IS LYME PREVENTION MONTH May is Lyme Prevention Month, and it's a good time to talk about ticks and tick-borne diseases. As the weather warms up and we begin to spend more time outdoors, it's important to remember that ticks are also transitioning from their winter dormant phase, hidden in the leafy debris, to their active feeding phase. |
Deer ticks (also known as black-legged ticks) become active as soon as the temperatures rise to 4°C (39°F) and they remain active all through the spring, summer, fall, and can still be active on warm winter days. Deer ticks carry the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) that causes Lyme disease, a tick-borne disease that causes painful lameness in dogs.
Lyme disease is transmitted to dogs through the bite of a deer tick (black-legged tick). Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease is carried to many parts of the body and commonly localizes in the joints and kidneys. Deer ticks range from the Midwest to the Eastern United States and throughout Canada with the highest numbers found east of Manitoba. Not all deer ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, but certain areas have been identified as higher risk areas for Lyme disease. Check with your veterinarian to find out if your area is a high-risk area.
Dogs cannot transmit Lyme disease to one another nor to humans. The infection always comes directly from a tick bite.
In dogs, signs of Lyme disease can take 2-5 months to appear. Lameness and joint pain, especially in the knee and elbow joints, are often the first signs noticed with Lyme disease. This lameness may shift from leg to leg or may occur intermittently. Dogs may also have a fever. In some cases, the disease resolves on its own, but in other cases it may be long-term and may affect the kidneys and heart resulting in death. Some dogs don't have any obvious signs, so yearly testing for Lyme disease, along with heartworm testing is highly recommended.
While there is treatment available for Lyme disease, it can be difficult to treat, especially if it's not caught early. Prevention is always easier than treatment.
You can help protect your pet from becoming infected with Lyme disease by:
-Using a tick preventive
-Avoiding wooded or grassy areas and stick to trails
-Performing daily tick checks and removing any ticks that you may find (see below)
-Discussing the Lyme vaccine with your veterinarian for dogs living in high-risk areas
Many different tick preventives are available, and your veterinarian will help you chose a preventive that suits you and your pet's lifestyle. Options include topical preventives (typically applied on a pet's skin and at the back of the neck) such as Bravecto Topical Solution. Chewable preventives include Credelio and Bravecto.
Check your pets daily for ticks, especially if you live a high-risk area. Give your dog a full once over, but be sure to focus on the following areas: in and around the ears, around the eyelids, under the collar, between the toes, around the tail, between the back legs, and under the front legs. If you find a tick on your pet, it's important to remove it right away. The bacteria that causes Lyme disease can pass through small cuts or wounds in your skin, so be sure to wear disposable gloves when removing ticks. Juvenile deer ticks are about the size of a pinhead but are more obvious in the adult phase and after feeding on a blood meal. If you find a tick attached to your pet, grasp it with tweezers near the dog's skin and firmly pull it straight out. Pull the tick with even, steady pressure, it may take a minute or two for the tick to release its grip. If you are unable or unsure of how to remove the tick, or if the tick's body breaks away from its head, leaving the head in the skin, contact us as soon as possible.
We are available to help you protect your pet against tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease. Call us to see how tick preventives are being prescribed this year, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
LifeLearn News
Note: This article, written by LifeLearn Animal Health (LifeLearn Inc.) is licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients.
Lyme disease is transmitted to dogs through the bite of a deer tick (black-legged tick). Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease is carried to many parts of the body and commonly localizes in the joints and kidneys. Deer ticks range from the Midwest to the Eastern United States and throughout Canada with the highest numbers found east of Manitoba. Not all deer ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, but certain areas have been identified as higher risk areas for Lyme disease. Check with your veterinarian to find out if your area is a high-risk area.
Dogs cannot transmit Lyme disease to one another nor to humans. The infection always comes directly from a tick bite.
In dogs, signs of Lyme disease can take 2-5 months to appear. Lameness and joint pain, especially in the knee and elbow joints, are often the first signs noticed with Lyme disease. This lameness may shift from leg to leg or may occur intermittently. Dogs may also have a fever. In some cases, the disease resolves on its own, but in other cases it may be long-term and may affect the kidneys and heart resulting in death. Some dogs don't have any obvious signs, so yearly testing for Lyme disease, along with heartworm testing is highly recommended.
While there is treatment available for Lyme disease, it can be difficult to treat, especially if it's not caught early. Prevention is always easier than treatment.
You can help protect your pet from becoming infected with Lyme disease by:
-Using a tick preventive
-Avoiding wooded or grassy areas and stick to trails
-Performing daily tick checks and removing any ticks that you may find (see below)
-Discussing the Lyme vaccine with your veterinarian for dogs living in high-risk areas
Many different tick preventives are available, and your veterinarian will help you chose a preventive that suits you and your pet's lifestyle. Options include topical preventives (typically applied on a pet's skin and at the back of the neck) such as Bravecto Topical Solution. Chewable preventives include Credelio and Bravecto.
Check your pets daily for ticks, especially if you live a high-risk area. Give your dog a full once over, but be sure to focus on the following areas: in and around the ears, around the eyelids, under the collar, between the toes, around the tail, between the back legs, and under the front legs. If you find a tick on your pet, it's important to remove it right away. The bacteria that causes Lyme disease can pass through small cuts or wounds in your skin, so be sure to wear disposable gloves when removing ticks. Juvenile deer ticks are about the size of a pinhead but are more obvious in the adult phase and after feeding on a blood meal. If you find a tick attached to your pet, grasp it with tweezers near the dog's skin and firmly pull it straight out. Pull the tick with even, steady pressure, it may take a minute or two for the tick to release its grip. If you are unable or unsure of how to remove the tick, or if the tick's body breaks away from its head, leaving the head in the skin, contact us as soon as possible.
We are available to help you protect your pet against tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease. Call us to see how tick preventives are being prescribed this year, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
LifeLearn News
Note: This article, written by LifeLearn Animal Health (LifeLearn Inc.) is licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients.
