Fitzalan House Veterinary Surgery

May Special Offers

strawberrysoup — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:03:03 +0000

Pet of the Month – May

strawberrysoup — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:02:58 +0000

Dusty, a delightful ten month old kitten, suffered a terrifying ordeal recently when he was hit by a car. Although no bones were broken his breathing was laboured after the trauma and xrays showed he had suffered a diaphragmatic hernia. The force of pressure on Dusty’s abdomen had created a tear in, and made an abnormal opening through his diaphragm, the muscle that helps you breathe. This opening allowed part of the organs from the abdomen (stomach, spleen, liver, and intestines) to go up into the chest cavity near the lungs. Severe breathing difficulty developed, because of ineffective movement of the diaphragm and crowding of the lung tissue, which caused a degree of lung tissue to collapse. Prompt surgical intervention enabled us to repair a huge diaphragmatic hernia in which there was 40% avulsion from the body wall. Involved post-operative care including chest drainage and potent analgesics saw daily improvements and we are delighted to report that Dusty is now doing very well at home.

Make sure your pets stay worm free

strawberrysoup — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:01:32 +0000

Does worming your pets seem like a constant battle? Unfortunately you can’t vaccinate against worms, so regular worming treatment is the only way to ensure your pets stay worm free! Until recently our main concerns regarding worms have been with
roundworms and tapeworms. However a new and serious threat to dogs is lungworm infection.
Roundworms are spaghetti-‐like in appearance and live in the small intestines. The adult worms shed thousands of tiny eggs, which pass out in the faeces and contaminate the environment. Dogs and cats are re-‐infected by unwittingly ingesting the eggs. The eggs also pose some risk to children if accidentally swallowed.
Tapeworms also live in the small intestines and shed
segments containing eggs, which pass out in the faeces. An intermediate host, such as small rodents or fleas, must then eat the eggs. Cats catch and eat small rodents and both cats and dogs swallow fleas as they groom, so re-‐infecting
themselves with tapeworms.
Lungworm – caused by the parasite Angiostrongylus vasorum, only affects dogs. Adult lungworms live in the pulmonary arteries and right ventricle of the heart. Affected dogs can show a wide range of symptoms – some severe, including coughing, fits, blood clotting problems and lethargy. However many pets may show no obvious symptoms. The lungworm parasite is carried by slugs and snails which act as an intermediate host. Dogs sometimes eat snails, but even snail slime trails left on grass and dog toys can be infected with lungworm eggs. Feline lungworm is less common
and severe than in dogs.

The good news is that by following a few simple rules worms can be controlled: worm your pet regularly, use regular flea control, prevent dogs eating snails and slugs, and clean up faeces. Finally, please let us advise you on the best worm and flea treatments

Pet of the Month – April

strawberrysoup — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 07:57:40 +0000

When Joe came to the surgery in December he was off colour and had a cough as well as nasal discharge. On examination he was found to have a heart murmur and a small mass on his neck, which we suspected to be a thyroid growth. Tests confirmed Joe to be hyperthyroid (ie suffering from an overactive thyroid), to have a leaky heart valve and to have elevated liver enzymes. Antibiotics and specific thyroid therapy improved Joe’s health but a few weeks later he suffered from a short period of ataxia, wobbliness and twitching. This quickly passed and further investigations revealed spondyloses of the spine, which are degenerative arthritis-like changes, and constipation. Joe was treated and initially improved, although he did suffer from snuffly respiration a month later. Although he again responded to antibiotics, follow-up blood tests showed his kidneys were starting to deteriorate. Not long afterwards Joe suffered once more from strange behaviour, wobbliness and nystagmus (flicking of the eyes from side to side). These symptoms were not explained by his overactive thyroid nor by his liver and kidney problems so he was referred to a specialist for a brain scan. The consultant neurologist discovered on MRI scans that on top of everything else poor Joe had a brain tumour. The specialist felt however that the location and extent of Joe’s tumour made him a good candidate for brain surgery. The operation was extremely successful and confirmed that Joe had developed a brain tumour called a meningioma. In the photograph you can see the staples in the skin on Joe’s scalp where the operation site was. Throughout everything Joe has been an absolute star and we are delighted to report that he is making excellent progress at home.

Spring Garden Peril for Pets

strawberrysoup — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:26:14 +0000

It’s lovely to be out and about in the garden in the spring, but beware of unwittingly introducing hazards for your pets as some of the plants and products we commonly use in our garden can be very toxic to animals.

Slug pellets commonly contain the chemical metaldehyde and are generally blue or green in colour. Metaldehyde is very toxic to pets and since many dogs will eat almost anything, slug pellets should only be used with great care, keeping pets away from areas where they are used and stored.

Cocoa shell mulch is also to be avoided if you have a dog. Many gardeners apply a thick layer of mulch to their flowerbeds in the spring and summer months. A little known, but potentially lethal hazard is the use of cocoa shell mulch. Dogs are attracted to these shells by their smell, but they contain theobromine, which is very poisonous to dogs. As a result, it is safer to use an alternative such as tree bark.

Spring bulbs are another seasonal hazard and can be fatal if dug up and eaten by your pets. Tulips and daffodils are toxic to dogs and cats; although all parts of the plant are toxic, it is the bulbs that actually contain the most toxins. Lilies are also very toxic to cats and pose a hazard in the garden and also as cut flowers.

As a general rule, when adding anything to your garden, ALWAYS read the label carefully regarding the hazards to pets.

Pet of the Month – March

strawberrysoup — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:54:44 +0000

This is Darlene, a 6yr old Bedlington Terrier and Whippet cross. She came to the clinic because her owner noticed that she was urinating with increased frequency. Darlene was diagnosed as having Uroliths ie bladder stones which were irritating and inflaming the bladder wall. Stones are a common occurrence in animals, varying in size and numbers; they can occur secondary to infection or because of dietary influences and genetics. Some stones can be dissolved using dietary modification, so Darlene was put on a special Urinary diet. Unfortunately the diet failed to dissolve the stones and it was agreed that surgery was necessary.

Darlene was admitted for a cystotomy to remove the stones. The operation was successful and two large stones were removed from Darlene’s bladder. Darlene recovered well from her operation and we are very pleased to say she is doing well.

You can see the stones on the radiograph as well as in a kidney dish after surgery was completed.

April Special Offers

strawberrysoup — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:18:15 +0000

Pet Travel Scheme Update 2012

strawberrysoup — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:15:54 +0000

Do you fancy taking your pet with you on a foreign holiday in 2012? The good news is that taking your dog or cat abroad has become much easier since new Pet Travel Scheme rules came into force on 1st January 2012.

Since 2000, the Pet Travel Scheme has allowed pet owners to take their dogs and cats to other EU countries and approved non-EU countries without having to put their pets into quarantine.

In order to comply with the new rules you will now simply need to have your pet microchipped and subsequently vaccinated against rabies. Having completed these two steps your pet can then be issued with a Pet Passport and will be free to travel 21 days after the rabies vaccination.

There is no longer a requirement for tick treatment before re-entering the UK, although it is very important to use it when travelling abroad because of the potentially life threatening effects of tick borne diseases. You will however still need to have your pet treated by a vet against tapeworm before travelling back to the UK.

Please contact us for further advice or visit: www.defra.gov.uk

March Offers!

strawberrysoup — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:04:36 +0000

20% Off Neutering**

10% Off Rabbit Vaccinations

March 2012 Only

** Applies to operation cost only

Please present a printed copy of this newsletter as your voucher

Pet of the Month – February

strawberrysoup — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:32 +0000

Daisy is a three year old Border Terrier. For the first two and a half years of her life she suffered repeatedly from skin irritation and rashes which would become infected and require antibiotic and steroid therapy.

Daisy was seen by a dermatologist who initially tried dietary elimination to determine if Daisy was suffering from a food allergy. A lack of response led to Daisy having blood allergy tests undertaken. and she was also put on to the drug cyclosporine, which works by suppressing the part of her body’s immune system which is “over-reacting”.

This means that even if the trigger for the itching is still present, the reaction is stopped and the itching should subside. Daisy was found to be reactive to certain tree pollens and weeds. An immunotherapy vaccine was ordered and treatment was commenced in February 2011. We are delighted to report that Daisy is now a happy dog once more and her skin problems have resolved. She receives monthly immunotherapy injections as well as daily cyclosporine capsules, a weekly medicated bath and food appropriate for dogs with sensitive skin.