Friday's Furcast - Allergies!

Allergies in Wisconsin are common. Unfortunately many of you have to deal with allergies in your pets.  Even more challenging is that the former allergy seasons (spring and fall) no longer exist as they once did.  This is due to the inconsistent weather which increases the likelihood that allergies are seen throughout the season changes.

Because allergies present differently in pets than they do humans, you may not understand why your pet is exhibiting peculiar behaviors. Pets will lick their paws or scratch their skin excessively. Their skin will become dry and often times you will notice hair loss. In acute cases, an antihistamine like Benadryl will help relieve these symptoms. Prior to administering Benadryl, please consult your veterinarian for recommended dosages as they do differ from the recommended human dosages.  

For those chronic cases, a bigger arsenal is necessary to combat the symptoms and keep your pet maintained at a comfortable level as long as he/she is exposed to the specific allergen in question.

Possible allergens include:

Inhalant and/or Contact Allergens: These are environmental allergens including mold spores, pollens, dusts, perfumes, dust mites, grasses, fabrics, mites, and laundry detergents.

           

Food Allergens: These are either from protein or carbohydrate sources.  Protein sources most commonly include chicken and beef.  Carbohydrate sources include corns, grains and potatoes.

Flea Allergy Dermatitis: Some pets can have an allergic reaction to just ONE flea bite, while exposure to fleas in general can cause a sensitive pet to flare up.

Should your dog have certain symptoms that flare up during certain seasons, we would refer to these as “seasonal allergies”. If he/she gets itchy skin when the weeds are out, trees are pollinating, or lawns are in their active growing season your dog would be considered a “textbook” seasonal allergy case.

I recommend allergy testing to help determine the cause and severity of the allergy, as well as the best treatment protocol for your pet.  Treatments could be as simple as a change in diet or laundry detergent.  If these are the cause of the symptoms and changes are made, your pet will experience great relief.  If your case is chronic, it’s best to work with your veterinarian.  Regardless of your treatment option, the key to success is patience in following your veterinarian’s recommendations. 

911... WE ARE READY...ARE YOU?

If you own animals long enough, sooner or later you'll confront an emergency health crisis.  Prior to being consumed by the hustle and bustle of any Holiday Season; we urge you to prepare for a medical emergency affecting your dog, cat or horse.

You must know how to recognize serious problems and promptly take the appropriate action.  Preparation is vital when confronted with a medical emergency.  No matter what situation may face, mentally rehearse the steps you'll take to avoid letting panic take control.  

Follow Badger Veterinary Hospital's guidelines to help you prepare for a medical emergency.

• Keep your veterinarian's number by each phone, including how the practice can be reached after hours.  
• Do you have a first aid kit? Consult with your veterinarian regarding preparation of a species appropriate kit. First aid kits can be simnple or elaborate.  Regardless, make sure family members know where the kit is.
• Many veterinary practices provide after-hours emergency care only to established clients; others don't provide after-hours emergency care and you may be referred to an emergency clinic in a distant location.  Ensure you clearly understand your veterinary practice's policy regarding emergency care prior to confronting an emergency health crisis with your animal.  
• Consult with your veterinarian regarding a back-up veterinary practice in case your regular veterinarian cannot be reached quickly enough.
• Record the names and contact numbers of nearby friends and neighbors who can assist in the event of an emergency. For exapmle, if your horse requires transport to a critical care facility and you are unable to haul the horse, have an alternate arrangement.

Badger Veterinary Hospital is a full-service practice, providing 24 hour emergency care, having provided emergency assistance to nearly 150 patients in the past 12 months.  Naturally, we strongly recommend establishing a relationship with our practice prior to a crisis.  We strive to provide routine health care and diagnostic screenings to minimize the occurrence of late-night emergencies!

Quick action can minimize the consequences of an injury or illness and as a Badger Veterinary Hospital client, you have the peace of mind knowing no matter what time of day your crisis occurs, our staff is here for you and your animals!

We are... Dedicated to the life and love of your pet!

Scott Spaulding, DVM    Steve Servantez, DVM    Kevin Kreier, DVM
BVH Owner                   BVH Owner                    BVH Owner

My Pet's Weight Determines His Age???

We hear about obesity in humans frequently.  In fact, we hear it so much that, unfortunately, we let that thought travel in one ear and out the other.  But when we hear that our pet is obese, we stop dead in our tracks!

The startling reality is that we can see the impact of the extra weight much more rapidly in the brief 8-20 years that our pets are with us.

By the time our healthy 50 pound dog is 8 years old (51 in human years), he is considered a senior in a dogs world!  Add 10 pounds (or 20% of his weight) and our canine companion, just lost a year!  This is the big picture of reality.

More specifically, our overweight pets are much more likely to develop arthritis, diabetes, endocrine disorders, some cancers and orthopedic issues to name a few. Each of the health issues associated with obesity are costly to address and maintain!

Putting your pet on a diet is really much easier and much more cost effective than you may think.  Here at Badger Veterinary Hospital, we have a variety of nutritional programs that will help our animal friends lose that deadly weight!

As always, the best approach to optimal health is prevention.  Maintaining your pets annual wellness visits provide emotional ease and financial freedom!

For your pet's sake,
Kevin Kreier, DVM

Take a look at this AVMA video for a bit more information on nutrition to get you started.

For more detail on the impact of obesity in pets, click here.

authored on behalf of Kevin Kreier, DVM by 
Sue Schumacher
Marketing & Public Relations
Badger Veterinary Hospital

Dopey Little Doggie!

C-Section!

The Low-down On Limping

With four legs, our dogs are bound to limp on one of them at some point in their life, right? Could it be a soft tissue injury such as tendonitis or bursitis?  A pinched nerve?  What about a traumatic fracture?  Did you consider Lyme disease?  These are all problems that get ruled out when you bring your dog into Badger Vet due to lameness.

Does his lameness shift from one leg to another?  Does he have a fever?  Have you seen and/or removed any ticks from him this year?  These are all important factors in ruling out Lyme disease, one of the most common tick borne diseases in the world.  If caught early enough, this disease can be treated and managed without any long term affects.  Should Lyme disease be left untreated for a period of time, it can cause severe damage to the kidneys and often times the Central Nervous System.

So your dog is limping on a rear leg.  It happened sporadically, and he's not putting any weight on the leg.  He doesn't cry if you touch it, and it doesn't necessarily change his overall attitude at home.  Did you know that the culprit of his pain is probably one of the most common orthopedic injuries in dogs?  Like humans, our canine counterparts can tear their Anterior Cruciate Ligament, also known as an ACL.  Generally ACL tears are pretty painful and problematic, and require a surgical repair that takes roughly 12-16 weeks to fully heal before your dog can chase squirrels again.

Click ACL Injury for more information.