Office Hours:
 Monday-Thursday - 7 AM -7 PM
Friday -  7 AM - 6 PM
Saturday - 8 AM - 12 PM
*Sunday - 5:30 PM-6:30 PM
 * (boarder pick-up only)
 

Pet News: 

 

The Truth About Pet Dental Care

            

For most of us, caring for our teeth and gums has been part of our daily routine for as long as we can remember. Just like it for you, oral health care is important for pets – regular, professional care from veterinarians and home care from pet owners to keep plaque removed. Daily brushing and feeding special pet foods, such as Hill’s® Prescription Diet® t/d®, can help.

PET DENTAL FACTS

• Periodontal disease is the most prevalent disease among dogs and cats.

• An astounding 80 percent of dogs and cats show signs of oral disease by age three, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS).

• Periodontal disease is common in dogs of smaller breeds because dogs' teeth often are too large for their mouths, forcing the teeth closer together.

• Dogs start out with 28 deciduous (baby) teeth, cats start out with 26 deciduous teeth. By six months of age, these baby teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth, 42 in the dog and 30 in the cat.

• Broken teeth are a common problem for dogs, especially among outdoor dogs. According to veterinary dental experts, aggressive chewing on hard objects is a primary cause of broken teeth in dogs.

• Odontal clastic resorptive lesions are the most common tooth disease in domestic cats. Studies show that about 28 percent of domestic cats develop at least one of these painful lesions during their lifetime.

CAUSES OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Plaque is a colorless film that contains large amounts of bacteria. If left unchecked, plaque builds up, creating infection, destroying gums and resulting in the loss of the tissues and bone that support the teeth. Preventive oral care can reduce the formation of plaque and help maintain proper oral health throughout a pet’s life.

SIGNS OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE

All pets are at risk for developing dental problems. Once a pet displays any of the warning signs below, serious periodontal disease may be present. Don’t let clients wait for these signs. Rather, encourage them to start a preventive program of veterinarian-supervised dental care today.

• Tooth loss                                 • Subdued behavior

• Abnormal drooling                          • Dropping food out of the mouth

• Swallowing food whole                      • Bad breath

• Yellow-brown crust on teeth                • Bleeding gums

• Going to the food bowl, but not eating     • Change of chewing or eating habits

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

• Poor Oral Hygiene: Ignoring the condition of a pet’s mouth can lead to periodontal disease, tooth loss and other health problems.

• Breed: Periodontal disease is more common in smaller breeds of dogs and certain breeds of cats.

• Age: Periodontal disease is more common as pets grow older.

TREATMENT OF ORAL DISEASE

• Pet owners should look for warning signs of oral disease. Common indications include bad breath, a change in eating or chewing habits, pawing at the face or mouth and depression. If any of these signs are present, the pet should be taken to the veterinarian for a dental exam.

• Pet owners can reduce the risk of oral disease. The first step in preventing oral disease is a routine physical examination, including a dental exam.

• Pet owners should practice a regular dental care regimen at home, which may include brushing the pets’ teeth with specially formulated toothpaste.

• Pet owners should schedule regular follow-up care with their family veterinarians and ask about specially formulated foods with proven benefits in plaque and tartar removal.

# # #

Pet News:  

Canine Influenza Virus

type A H3N8      

                  

A new respiratory viral disease, Canine Influenza virus (CIV), aka “Canine Flu” was discovered in the USA as the cause of respiratory disease outbreaks in thousands of greyhound dogs at 20 different race tracks in eight states from 2003 to 2005.

 Prevalence: Laboratory testing and surveillance has now identified dogs in 30 states and the District of Columbia that had confirmed CIV infections. The virus is now established in communities in the states of Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and New York.

Source of infection: CIV originated from the interspecies transmission of the equine influenza, A H3N6 virus from horses to dogs sometime prior to 2004.

All dogs are at risk: Since this is a new infectious agent for dogs there is no natural immunity. An individual dog’s risk is dependent on its lifestyle and exposure to other dogs i.e. the highest risk for contracting CIV is for dogs housed in kennels, pet shops, shelters and rescue groups, going to day care, dog parks, dog shows/ competition trials, veterinary hospitals and grooming establishments.

Dogs of any age breed or health status are susceptible. CIV does not infect people.

Transmission is either by oro-nasal contact with infected dogs, contaminated surfaces or by inhalation of aerosols produced by coughing and sneezing. Because it is highly contagious, virtually all exposed dogs become infected. Within 2 to 4 days of exposure approximately 80% will shed the virus and suffer varying degrees of illness: fever, coughing (for up to 3 weeks), sneezing and eye or nasal discharge.

The other 20% will have a subclinical infection with no signs of illness but still readily shed the virus and can infect other dogs.

Most  sick dogs recover without complications but approximately 1 in 5 can develop a severe infection with pneumonia that can be life threatening and  require hospitalization and intensive care to survive.

There has been one reported CIV outbreak in a shelter in Northern Virginia but the situation could change due to our mobile population.

he good news is that a CIV vaccine has been approved by the USDA and is now available to vaccinate dogs. It is reported that the vaccine does not prevent the disease but does significantly reduce the severity of the pneumonia and shorten the duration of coughing and viral shedding. The vaccine is administered to dogs, 6 weeks and older in two doses given two to four weeks apart and then annually for those dogs considered at risk of exposure. The vaccine has been reported to be very safe with no side effects.

 Due to the potential for serious illness and the contagious nature of CIV to a highly susceptible canine population, we encourage you to vaccinate your dog(s) for CIV if their lifestyle puts them at risk of exposure.

 Please call if you have questions or to schedule an appointment for the vaccine series.

 For additional information on Canine influenza virus, see the American Veterinary Medical Association website:  www.avma.org    

 


Augusta/Valley Animal Hospital
310 Betsy Bell Rd.
Staunton, VA  24401

540-851-1500 | 540-851-1501 (fax)