LA LUCIA VETERINARY CLINIC 23 Oakleigh Avenue, La Lucia 031 5628435 www.laluciavet.co.za Fun facts Cats have better memories than dogs. Tests conducted by the University of Michigan concluded that while a dog's memory lasts no more than 5 minutes, a cat's can last as long as 16 hours exceeding even that of monkeys and orangutans. Reward yourself and your pet with the Eukanuba Loyalty Programme Does your pet love their Eukanuba and Iams food? Why not join the loyalty programme? You will receive 4 vouchers a year as well as a celebratory Birthday Bonus for your special companion. It s simple to sign up 1. Online: www.eukanuba.co.za 2. Email: eukanuba@cuberoute.co.za 3. SMS: Pets2, name, cell number to 32545 SHOP ONLINE: Don t forget about the epetstore Veterinary Buy- Online platform that became active last year. You can purchase pet foods and accessories online just as if you were right here in our store and have them delivered to your door! Register once off and save R100 on your first online purchase. Convenient, time saving and cost effective. Go to www.epetstore.co.za to start shopping. Our store code is LAL1 Bravecto Flea and Tick Tablet Bravecto is a chewable flea and tick oral protection that starts working in 2 hours and lasts up to12 full weeks. Bravecto flea and tick provides your dogs with 12 weeks tick and flea protection in a single chew. With Bravecto you can give your dog longer lasting protection. Just one Bravecto chewable starts killing in just 2 hours, and provides up to 12 full weeks of continuous protection. Available from your vet and vet stores.
Allergies in pets All dogs and cats can get allergies, and the most common reaction is scratching. Allergies are frustrating for vets, they're frustrating for clients and the dogs and cats itch like crazy so we know it is frustrating for them. Allergies are very challenging to diagnose accurately because it's a diagnosis of exclusion. It takes a lot of money and a lot of time. It takes a very dedicated owner. There are four kinds of pet allergies: airborne (tree, grass and weed pollen; mold, mildew and dust mites), fleas, food and contact (like carpeting or detergent). The most common pet allergy comes from fleas. People and pets can cause each other problems: People can be allergic to pet hair and pets can be allergic to products humans use. Most pet allergies cause scratching. Some other symptoms include discoloration of hair between toes, rashes, open sores, watery eyes, ear infections, runny noses, vomiting and diarrhea. Treating a pet that has an allergy takes time. There is no quick fix, it can take months, going on years, to find the answer. Flea allergies pose unique problems. One flea can jump on a dog, bite it and keep it symptomatic for seven days. Food Allergies It is a common mistake to think that your pet can t be allergic to food because you ve been feeding them the same brand or type of food since day one. If your pet has allergy symptoms and you have been feeding him the same food since he came to live with you, you may be overlooking the fact that his immune system has been overloaded with allergens for a long period of time and his body is fighting back. Foods that dogs and cats can be the most allergic to are Wheat, Corn, Chicken and Beef If you suspect that your pet has a food allergy, a food trial, or allergy elimination diet, can help you figure out which foods are preying on your animal s immune system. Allergy Elimination Diet Once your companion has developed an allergic reaction to a substance, those reactive antigens can circulate in his bloodstream for up to 6 weeks, causing inflammation and irritation. This is the reason it is recommend to put your pet onto a full three-month food trial. During this three-month period, you absolutely cannot feed your pet any foods or treats that contain the suspicious ingredient. A single bite of a problematic food can cause a flare up that lasts several days; so complete elimination is the only way for the process to be successful. After the three month trial is up, new foods can be added slowly back in. Track your pet s reaction after each food is added, and if your pet has an adverse reaction, you know to eliminate it. You may find that many of the foods that were previously considered allergenic can slowly be incorporated back into the diet.
Ever-Changing Allergy Symptoms It is so important for pet owners to recognize that allergy symptoms are very diverse, and expand beyond the typical itching or sneezing. Here are the symptoms that you should look out for: * Itchy body * Red eyes * Nasal discharge * Oozy skin * Asthma * Coughing and sneezing * Inflamed ears * Swollen paws * Gastrointestinal disease (vomiting, diarrhea, gas, chronic hairball issues, anal gland problems) Hill s Transforming Lives Pets have the ability to transform our lives, good nutrition has the ability to change theirs. Hills has recently launched a website where you can brag about how the Hill s food has transformed your pets life. The website features real pets, real pictures and real stories, shared by their pet parents. You can search this website for stories close to your heart, pets with the same condition as your own and even Hill s pets in your neighbourhood. By sharing your story and your picture you stand a chance to win some fabulous prizes. Visit: www.hillstransforminglives.co.za Hill s Science Plan Canine Metabolic and Mobility Just like the human epidemic, almost 50% of the pet population is overweight. Even a little extra weight can impact the pet's quality of life and relationship with family because that extra weight can reduce play time, impact mobility and affect the lifelong general health of your dog. Nutritionists & veterinarians developed Prescription Diet Canine Metabolic & Mobility specially to help manage your dog's weight and joint health. Metabolic & Mobility has clinically proven nutrition to improve mobility in as little as 21 days and reduce body weight by 13% in 60 days. Key Benefits: * Naturally works with your pet's unique metabolism * Improves your dog's ability to run, walk and jump * Helps your pet feel full & satisfied between meals
Dogs are social creatures. Your puppy needs interaction with you, other people and other animals, beginning very early in life. Companionship is necessary for your puppy s emotional well-being. Involve your puppy with your family, as well as friends and new faces, right from the start. A properly socialized puppy is: Handled from birth and learns to accept touching of all body parts. Exposed to as many people, other animals, places and situations as possible. Encouraged to explore and investigate his environment. Allowed to experience a variety of toys and games, surfaces and other stimuli. Brought along often on car rides to new environments with his owner. Proper socialization will engage all of your puppy s senses through exposure to the sights, sounds and smells of day-to-day life. This exposure will desensitize and condition your pup so that he develops a comfort level with different and new situations. Socialization also helps you train your young dog to handle new experiences and challenges with acceptable, appropriate behaviour. An unsocialized dog is unlikely to cope well with changes in his environment or situation, making him difficult to handle for his owner, veterinarian, groomer, pet sitter and any visitors to the dog s home. If your puppy isn t properly socialized, he can develop permanently ingrained fear responses and generalized anxiety. Almost half of all dogs turned in to shelters have at least one behaviour problem - - aggression and destructiveness are among the most common. Both of these behaviours can be caused by the fear and anxiety that develops from improper or incomplete socialization. Make socializing your puppy a positive experience. Start socializing your pup from his first day home with you, but take it slow. Set the stage for him and then let him move at his own pace. Take care that your puppy doesn t become overwhelmed, frightened or harmed in any way. Don t hurry or force his progress and don t try to do too much at once. Puppies tire quickly, so keep his socialization sessions frequent but relatively brief and always positive. When your puppy shows hesitance or fear -- and most puppies will as they attempt to adjust to a big, noisy world -- do not reward his fearful behaviour with a lot of attention and affection. Stay close by to reassure him he s safe, but remember that your puppy views your attention and affection as a reward for a particular behaviour. Rewarding his fearful behaviour can encourage his fearfulness. Socializing your puppy should be an enjoyable, satisfying experience for both of you -- one that will pay dividends for the rest of your life together as pet and owner. There is no greater joy than a welladjusted, well-behaved four-legged member of the family.