GRANTVIEW AH NEWSLETTER
February 2017
Dr. Alicia Rueschhoff
Happy Valentines Day
and Pet Dental Month! Grantview’s monthly newsletters are available for tidbits
of information regarding pet healthcare. Dr. Alicia Rueschhoff is in charge of
the newsletter and is hoping this will help increase clients education and
their relationship with Grantview Animal Hospital. We are hopeful this will aid
you in keeping your furry family member healthy! Please feel free to share these with your
family and friends
What to expect from our monthly newsletters:
1. Fact or Fiction?
We will provide a “True” or “False” statement and you will receive the answer
with the next month’s newsletter
2. Information
regarding services we offer at our practice, that you might be unaware of.
3. New information
regarding any recalls or other matters pertaining to your pet’s health.
4. Updates on monthly
discounts offered at Abell
Animal Hospital
5. Seasonal
recommendations for your pet.
6. Behavior training
recommendations for your pet.
7. Question of the
month. One client’s burning questions will be answered by a veterinarian.
8. Pet of the month
FACT or FICTION:
- Since
this is the first e-mail; there is no answer to last month. Expect an
answer to this month’s fact or fiction here next month :)
- February: Dogs can see color.
Tune in next month to
find out the answer for February. Let us know what you think on our facebook page!
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that we are
getting a new Dental Chew in…Perfect timing for Dental Month J
- The
dental chew is called Hills Dental Care Chews.
- This
is a VOHC certified product
- This
means the product met VOHC’s Standards for effectiveness in retarding
plaque and tarter when used as directed.
- So far
this chew has been approved by all our four-legged family members!
IMPORTANT MONTHLY
INFORMATION
Products recalled
this January/February:
- Grange Co-op Rouge Rabbit
Pellets because of high levels of Vitamin D.
- Blue Ridge Beef Raw Dog
and Cat Food for Listeria monocytogenes.
- 9 lives TM, EverPetTM, and Special Kitty TM canned cat food for possible low levels of Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
MONTHLY OFFERS:
This month Grantview Animal Hospital is offering a discount
on Dentals.
Dental procedures are very important to keep your pet healthy (see the previous
blog for an explanation why). This is a painful disease and if left untreated,
dental disease can lead to liver, kidney and heart disease. Stop by today for us to evaluate
your pet’s mouth to see if a dental procedure will be needed in the near
future.
SEASONAL
REMINDERS:
Remember that Valentines
Day is this month. We see many dogs and cats that week for chocolate
toxicity. Please remember to keep these tasty sweets out of reach from your
pet. If they happen to get a taste, either call our clinic or an emergency
clinic for further recommendations. Our phone number is (314) 842-0403 and the
emergency clinics are VSS (636-227-6100).
Signs of
Chocolate Toxicity are vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and can lead to
life-threatening seizures.
BEHAVIOR: FELINE OVER GROOMING
Why does a cat over
groom?
- Psychogenic: Cats
release soothing endorphins when they lick, so over grooming is commonly
due to a cat being anxious or stressed. Cats, like children, need a
consistent routine. There are several environmental factors that can cause
a cat to feel apprehensive. These changes include rearranging furniture or
their litter boxes, addition or subtraction of a family member, changes of
cat hormones, etc. Once a cat gets into an over grooming routine, it can
easily become an obsessive behavior.
- Disease Processes:
There are several medical reasons cats over groom, which is why it is very
important to make an appointment with a veterinarian when this behavior is
noticed. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, parasites, pain,
allergies, endocrine diseases, anal sac impaction and more. Your
veterinarian will be able to rule this diseases out as the root of the
problem.
What are the clinical
signs of over grooming?
Cats normally spend a significant amount of time grooming
themselves each day (30-50%), so it is very easy for an owner to miss this
problematic behavior. Below are some clinical signs you can look for:
- Skin damage and hair loss to regions of the body a cat can reach (abdomen, chest, inner thighs and back)
- Other signs of stress (hiding or anorexia)
- Occurring at a time when the cat has a right to be stressed
- Is it a female cat coming into puberty – they seem to be more prone to this behavior
- Feeding: Keep food bowls in the same location and keep them clean. It is also important to keep feeding to a consistent schedule.
- Litter boxes: Make sure litter boxes are always kept clean and kept in the same location of the house. You should also make sure you have enough litter boxes per cat in the house. The general rule for the number of litter boxes is 1 per cat + 1 additional box (If you have 3 cats, you should have 4 litter boxes).
- Play time: Take time each day to play with your cat. You can play with cat toys, laser pointers or just brush your cat each day.
- Environment: Include cat trees, scratching posts and window perches. This can help make your cat entertained.
- Ask your veterinarian about pheromone sprays that are used to help make a cat feel more relaxed. If nothing appears to be working, there are anti-anxiety medications that can be prescribed as a last resort.
Sources:
QUESTION OF THE
MONTH
Does my dog really
need heartworm prevention all year?
- The
quick answer to this question is YES!!
- The
American Heartworm Society recommends year-round heartworm prevention.
Most heartworm preventatives protect for the month prior (ex. you give
your dog heartgard in December, it is killing off the larvae they picked
up in November). This year especially, there have been several days above
40 degrees, which means mosquitoes are out!!
- The other reason we want to keep your pet on preventatives is because heartworm preventatives also protect against intestinal parasites, such as roundworms, whipworms or tapeworms. Your pet needs protection from these parasites all year round.
PET(S) OF THE
MONTH
Riley Renee Rueschhoff
is Dr. Rueschhoff’s 12 year old mutt. Dr. Rueschhoff rescued Riley when she was
approximately 2 years of age. Riley loves running and is still as playful as a
puppy.
Please send us a picture and a small paragraph about your pet
to get them featured in our next newsletter. Send the information to dr.rueschhoff@gmail.com
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