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Archive for January, 2015

Neutering Offer

by on January 30th, 2015

Category: Special Offers, Tags:

Neutering Offer-1

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Pet of the Month – February 2015

by on January 30th, 2015

Category: Pet of the Month, Tags:

ReggiePoor kitty! Reggie was brought in as a stray, having been involved in a road traffic accident. Although he did not seem to have significant external injuries he began to deteriorate rapidly and internal injuries were suspected. Blood tests, radiology and ultrasound examination revealed a ruptured bladder.

When surgery was performed his bladder was found to be badly torn and it was feared that a repair might not be effective. We are delighted to report that despite this his bladder healed quickly and completely and he has now been rehomed with one of our nurses!

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Head Tilt in Dogs

by on January 30th, 2015

Category: News, Tags:

Dog Head TiltWhat Does it Mean if My Dog has a Head Tilt?

A persistent head tilt is a sign of a balance (vestibular) centre problem in dogs. It is very similar to ‘vertigo’ in people and is often accompanied by a ‘drunken’ walk and involuntary eye movements, either side to side or up and down.
The feeling that the room is spinning due to the eye movements is what causes a feeling of nausea in both people and dogs. The signs may not be as severe as mentioned here and can just consist of a mild head tilt. Signs often seen associated with a head tilt but unassociated with balance abnormalities include a facial ‘droop’ and deafness.
Causes of a head tilt
A head tilt represents a disorder of the balance centre. However, the balance centre resides in the inner bony portion of the ear as well as the brain. So a head tilt could represent a simple ear problem or a very serious brain disease.
Ear problems which are responsible for head tilts include:
  • Infections
  • Polyps
  • Reactions to topical drops or solutions if the ear drum is damaged
  • Hits to the head
  • (Occasionally) ear tumours
  • (Rarely) a genetic abnormality affecting puppies, especially those of the Doberman breed
  • Idiopathic vestibular disease

 

The most common cause, is what is called idiopathic vestibular disease. There is no known cause of this disease, a variant of which is also seen in people. The signs can start very suddenly and be accompanied by vomiting in severe cases. This condition, however, will resolve given time without any specific treatment.
Brain diseases responsible for balance centre dysfunction can include:
  • Tumours
  • Trauma
  • Inflammation
  • Stroke
  • Rarely, similar signs can be seen in dogs that are receiving a specific antibiotic called metronidazole. Recovery will often take place within days of stopping this medication.

 

Clinical signs of vestibular disease – is it the ear or is it the brain?
In addition to a head tilt, signs of vestibular disease (balance centre dysfunction) include ataxia (a drunken, falling gait) and nystagmus (involuntary eye movements). There are several signs to look for which help separate out whether the origin of the disease is inner ear or brainstem (central nervous system – CNS).

Central nervous system localisation will often be associated with weakness on one side of the body that can manifest as ‘scuffing’ or even dragging of the legs, in addition to lethargy, and sometimes problems eating and swallowing, or loss of muscle over the head.

A balance problem associated with an inner ear disease is not likely to be associated with any of these signs. However, some dogs will exhibit a droopy face and a small pupil on the same side as the head tilt.

Tests recommended for a dog with a head tilt
Evaluation of an animal with a head tilt includes physical and neurologic examinations, routine laboratory tests, and sometimes x-rays. Your veterinary surgeon may carry out a thorough inspection of the ear canal, which may require sedation of your dog – this can be useful to rule out obvious growths or infections. Additional tests may be recommended based on the results of these tests or if a metabolic or toxic cause is suspected. Identification of specific brain disorders requires imaging of the brain, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Collection and examination of cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the brain, is often helpful in the diagnosis of certain inflammations or infections of the brain.

How do we treat head tilt in dogs
Treatment for vestibular dysfunction will focus on the underlying cause once a specific diagnosis has been made. Supportive care consists of administering drugs to reduce associated nausea and or vomiting. Travel sickness drugs can be very effective. These must only be given following advice from your veterinary surgeon. Protected activity rather than restricted activity should be encouraged as this will potentially speed the improvement of the balance issues.

Outlook (prognosis) for head tilt in dogs
The prognosis depends on the underlying cause. The prognosis is good if the underlying disease can be resolved and guarded if it cannot be treated. The prognosis for animals with idiopathic vestibular disease is usually good, because the clinical signs can improve within a couple of months.

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Pet of the Month – January 2015

by on January 5th, 2015

Category: Pet of the Month, Tags:

DoobeyHandsome Doobey is seen here showing his best side as he reflects on the wisdom of eating the contents of his owners bin!

Doobey was violently sick and then went on to have a seizure and developed neurological symptoms, including head bobbing and twitching. This necessitated his admission for intravenous fluids to try and flush the unidentified toxins out of his system, and tranquilising medication to keep him calm. We are delighted to report that he is now back to his former bouncy self!

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Dental Offer

by on January 5th, 2015

Category: Special Offers, Tags:

DENTAL OFFER JAN 2015

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Winter Coughs – Be prepared

by on January 5th, 2015

Category: News, Tags:

Coughing Dog

We have seen a surprising number of coughing dogs over the last few weeks all caused by a contagious form of  infectious tracheobronchitis otherwise know as Kennel Cough – an unfortunate name as you do not need to be in kennels to catch it!

These infectious coughs, very similar to what we can catch, are caused by a strain of doggy flu (parainfluenza) and a bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica working together.

This infection can be vaccinated against with a few droplets up a nostril. This vaccination needs boosting annually to keep protection as high as possible.

Kennel cough usually presents as a harsh honking cough, often with the poor dog retching at the end.  This is due to coughing with such force that the windpipe collapses trigging the gag reflex.  Understandably many people worry that their dog initially is choking with something stuck in their throats.

These germs are extremely contagious, every time a dog coughs it releases thousands of infectious droplets which can survive in the environment and even on our clothes!  Infected dogs should be rested and isolated until the cough has gone. This can mean your dog is not allowed to go for a walk for some weeks!

Just like our human flu vaccinations, kennel cough vaccines can never give 100% protection but will often manage to reduce the severity of signs and duration of signs if any new strains emerge.

If  your dog is walked in busy parks or is likely to be mixing with other dogs, either in kennels or with a dog walker, we would definitely recommend vaccinating against Kennel Cough. As always if you are at all worried about your dog or not sure of his/her vaccination status then please contact the surgery for advice.

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