Welcome to Nurse Yolanne May 2014

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1 Holbrook Veterinary Centre Cnr Byng and Hay Streets Holbrook, NSW, Phone: Welcome to Nurse Yolanne May 2014 If you have been down to the vet center over the past few weeks you may have met Yolanne our new vet nurse/receptionist. Yolanne hails from Sydney and is currently studying her Certificate IV in vet nursing through distance education. Yo has a strong background in companion animal health and management, and is looking forward to expanding her knowledge in the production and equine sectors of the industry. Yolanne currently lives in Wagga with her partner Kenny who is studying to be a vet at CSU and her fur child Astro who is a very cute Hungarian Visla. 1/8

2 We are very excited to have Yo join the team and think she is going to be a very valuable addition! Make sure you say hi next time you are in. With the weather getting colder a number of health issues arise in our companion and production animals. This month we have included some articles related to arthritis in our pets which is a health issue often seen as the weather gets colder. We have also included a detailed article on Grass Tetany which is a topical health issue during the colder months. Yolanne and her pup Astro Contents of this newsletter 01 Clinic News: New X ray machine 02 Production: The Season of Grass Tetany 03 Companion: If your dog told you he was in pain would you want to help? 04 Companion: What can you do to make your arthritic pet more comfortable at home? 2/8

3 05 Companion: Cats get arthritis too 06 Companion: 'Is Piper pulling the wool over my eyes?' 07 Companion: One very agile pooch! 01 Clinic News: New X ray machine Seumas and Shane enjoying In other news we are excited to announce that we have upgraded our x ray processor and have now gone digital! What this means to you as clients is that we can now produce higher quality radiographs in less time. You also have the option of getting a copy of your pets x rays to take home on CD to show the family or just to keep with your own records. With the digital era this upgrade also gives us the capability to send our x-rays to specialists in a simple format for second options in more complicated cases. If you are interested in having a look at the new set up feel free to talk to Emma and she will show you through some radiographs. 02 Production: The Season of Grass Tetany As we have enjoyed a strong autumn and now come into some cooler weather towards the end of the season and the start of winter we must be conscious of the metabolic disorder known as Grass Tetany. Grass tetany (hypomagnesaemia) is a disorder caused by low levels of magnesium in the blood and fluid that surrounds the brain (cerebrospinal fluid). Low magnesium levels can be primary, due to inadequate intake commonly a disease of the late pregnant or lactating cow (magnesium required for milk production is greater than intake and the body cannot store magnesium), or secondary due to reduced absorption in the rumen. Typically grass tetany will first be noticed due to the presence of 3/8

4 animals found dead in lateral recumbency with evidence of struggling. If animals are identified early there will be a typical excitement phase consisting of excited behaviour, galloping, bellowing and staggering. There is then a depression phase involving the recumbent down cow that will eventually die. The development of grass tetany is complex and multi-factorial, however risk factors include the cooler weather associated with late autumn/ early winter, heavily conditioned cows, older cows, high milking cows, mustering and holding cows off feed for a period of time, pastures with short green grass and low legume contents, heavy potassium/ nitrogen fertiliser applications and stress factors (late pregnancy, lactation, age, transport, etc). Outbreaks occur during periods of cold wet weather due to the additional stress load and the reduced grazing during these periods (cows will use their body tissue, particularly fat for milk production). For more information on management and treatment of Grass Tetany please refer to our Grass Tetany Blog. 03 Companion: If your dog told you he was in pain would you want to help? Dogs are very good at hiding pain. It is a matter of survival, as in the wild, a weak or sick animal is easy prey. Add to this your dog's desire to please you all the time and it is not uncommon for pain to go unnoticed. One of the most painful conditions in dogs is arthritis and as the weather is getting cooler we will start to see many more painful arthritis cases raise their ugly heads. Your dog MAY be trying to tell you he has arthritic pain and you need learn to look out for some of the warning signs: Difficulty jumping in to the car, up on the furniture or climbing 4/8

5 stairs Stiffness especially in the morning Difficulty getting up or lying down; you may notice your dog slowly lower himself down Reluctance to walk, play or chase the ball Sleeping or resting more Lethargy Less excitement when greeting you Muscle loss over spine, hind legs and shoulders The good news is that there are PLENTY of tools we have up our sleeve to help your dog. Many people are surprised at the change in their dog's personality after we start a treatment plan. If you have any inkling your dog might be in pain arrange a check up with us as soon as possible. 04 Companion: What can you do to make your arthritic pet more comfortable at home? If we have diagnosed arthritis in your pet we will have worked out a suitable treatment program to help relieve your pet's pain. As well as medical treatment, there are plenty of things you can do at home to improve your pet's quality of life. Here are our top tips: 1. Keep your pet s weight in a healthy range to reduce the load on the joint 2. Provide a dry and comfortable bed, away from draughts and with plenty of padding 3. Heated beds can provide relief in winter 4. Coats and jackets will help prevent your pet feeling the cold 5. Reduce the number of stairs your pet must climb - use a non slip ramp 6. Use a portable ramp to help your dog in and out of the car 7. Make sure food and water bowls are easily accessible 8. Provide an additional piece of furniture so your cat doesn't have to jump so high to reach his favourite sunny spot 9. Exercise your pet in moderation; gentle daily walks for dogs help keep the joints moving and muscles toned 5/8

6 05 Companion: Cats get arthritis too Because cats are relatively small and very agile they are even better than dogs at hiding or covering up mobility difficulties caused by arthritis. We generally don't take cats for a walk around the block so it is hard to see a limp or change in gait. Pain commonly goes unnoticed in our feline friends so watch out for these subtle signs: Arthritic cats often have a scruffy and unkept coat as they have trouble grooming themselves Mobility Your cat may hesitate when jumping up or down from your lap or from the furniture She may not land very gracefully when jumping down Will be reluctant to climb the fence or climb trees Will be unwilling to move freely in and out of cat flap She may no longer use the litter box, especially if it has high sides Temperament She may be less tolerant around people and be reluctant to be picked up or moved Hissing, scratching or even biting when touched More withdrawn and less likely to interact with you or other pets she usually tolerates Appearance image: Matted or scruffy coat; she may be too sore to turn around and groom herself Your cat s nails may not wear down as quickly as they once did simply because she is less active 6/8

7 06 Companion: 'Is Piper pulling the wool over my eyes?' Piper, the boisterous eight year old labrador had always loved his walks. He had slowed down a bit during summer but his owner Sue thought it was just due to the heat. When the days started to cool off, Sue became confused as Piper seemed even less enthusiastic about his walks. Every time Piper and Sue went for their usual 6km morning walk he had started to want to turn back at the end of the street. Sue was convinced Piper was being just being a bit lazy and stubborn and asked her vet if Piper could be pulling the wool over her eyes and trying to get out of going for a walk? A vet examination revealed Piper had sore hips, and X-rays confirmed early arthritic changes in the hip joint. Sue was shocked - wasn't Piper too young to be developing arthritis? He had never had a limp, he wasn't whimpering and he still jumped around at dinner time! It is sometimes a surprise to owners when we tell them their dog is in pain. Remember, dogs won't always whine or yelp, particularly with chronic pain - they simply learn to live with it. Piper was started on a course of anti-inflammatories, a special joint diet and arthritis injections. Within two weeks he was a new dog - Sue couldn't believe it! And he was loving his walks again. If you've noticed a change in your dog's personality or habits he might be trying to tell you something! 7/8

8 07 Companion: One very agile pooch! This dog doesn't seem to have any mobility issues...yet! Oh, and we don't recommend your dog attempts all of these moves at home! The Fine Print This contains comments of a general nature only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary advice. It should not be relied on as the basis for whether you do or don't do anything. All content Pet Pack 2014 You received this because you're subscribed to our newsletter or are a client of Holbrook Veterinary Centre This was sent to: Click here to unsubscribe 8/8