Dr. Alicia's monthly Newsletter - APRIL

DR. ALICIA’S NEWSLETTER

April 2017

Dr. Alicia Rueschhoff

Happy Easter! My monthly newsletters are available for tidbits of information regarding pet healthcare. My intention is to educate clients and enhance their relationship with me. I am 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 for your consideration. The answer will be in the next month’s newsletter.

2. New information regarding any recalls or other matters pertaining to your pet’s health.

3. Updates on new recommendations

4. Seasonal recommendations for your pet.

5. Behavior training recommendations for your pet.

6. Question of the month. One client’s burning questions will be answered by a veterinarian.

7. Pet of the month

FACT or FICTION:  

• March: A wagging dog = A happy dog

  

  Picture from: http://www.freekibble.com/you
  -might-be-wrong-about-what-your-dog-is
  -saying-when-he-wags-his-tail/

• False
• Perhaps the most common misinterpretation of dogs is the myth that a dog wagging its tail is happy and friendly. While some wags are indeed associated with happiness, others can mean fear, insecurity, a social challenge or even a warning that if you approach, you are apt to be bitten.
• April: Cat’s always land on their feet.  

Tune in next month to find out the answer for April. Let us know what you think on in the comments!

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that I recommend Interceptor for your dog’s heartworm and intestinal parasites instead of Heartgard. But why?

• Although Heartgard is a wonderful product, Interceptor is a medication that protects against another intestinal parasite called Whipworm. It also protects against Heartworms, Roundworms and Hookworms, just like Heartgard. You may not know this, but these types of heartworm preventatives protect against the month prior of heartworm infection. Therefore, since it is now April, the preventative you give this month protects your pup against microfilaria they may have picked up in March. Interesting, right??
  

IMPORTANT MONTHLY INFORMATION

Products recalled in February

• Evanger’s, Against the Grain dog food that has potential pentobarbital medication. This medication is used for euthanasia.
• Wellness Beef Topper for dogs because it contained beef thyroid hormone.
• Blue Wilderness, Rock Mountain Recipe Dog Food for containing beef thyroid hormone.
• Barnsdale Farms, Hounds Tooth and Mac’s choice Dog treat – Pig Ears recalled for Samonella contamination.

SEASONAL REMINDERS:

Easter! As Easter comes, so does candy! Remember that chocolate is toxic to our furry friends. Signs of chocolate toxicity are as follows:

1. Vomiting/Diarrhea
2. Hyperactive
3. Shaking
4. Seizure  
5. Can lead to death.

Call me at Brentwood Animal Hospital (314-962-2900) or the Emergency Center right away (Our phone # 314-842-0403 or ACC # 314-822-7600) to see if your pet ate too much chocolate - This is if you are in the St. Louis area. The first thing to do is give Hydrogen Peroxide at 1 mL per pound (NO MORE THAN 45 mL PER DOG!) by mouth to try to induce vomiting. This does not take the place of calling us, as chocolate ingestion can be lethal.

Picture from: http://animal-animal-animal.blogspot.com/2013/03/easter-animals.html

BEHAVIOR:  Leash Aggression

Do you hesitate before taking your dog on a walk because you don’t want to deal with a feisty pet? Here are some behavior modifications to try the next time. Remember that this can take time, so do not give up.

1. Every dog has a threshold line. A threshold line is a distance away from the trigger of anxiety – be it another dog, squirrel, person, car, etc. Pay attention to this. Find out how close you can get to the object before your dog loses control.

2. Every time you take your pup on a walk, bring their favorite treat – string cheese, turkey hot dogs, carrots, etc. Start giving these to your pet only when they are outside and calm. The next step is when you see a pet walking towards you, walk your pet to right before that threshold line, make them sit, give them a treat and walk the opposite direction; away from the stimulus. Eventually you can start making that gap with the threshold line smaller and smaller, then start walking on the same side of the street as the stimulus.
3. The goal is to be able to have the stimulus stroll by while your pup is sitting, looking at you politely, waiting for their treat. ☺

4. Another good idea is to use either a head harness, such as a gentle leader, or a front attaching harness. These restraints enforce your pup to look at you when being corrected.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

In the month of February we asked if your dog needs heartworm prevention, but does your cat?

YES, YES, YES!!!! Even indoor kitties can get heartworm disease from infected mosquitoes. Being a person that regularly gets bitten, I can say with 100% confidence that mosquitoes will come inside to find a blood meal. Unlike dogs, we have no treatment for heartworm disease in cats. This makes prevention in cats even more important. I recommend Revolution once a month for ALL cats, indoor or outdoor. This product not only covers heartworms, but also roundworms, hookworms, fleas and ear mites. Call and order your Revolution today!!

Here is a link that goes over more information regarding this disease: https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm-basics  

PET(S) OF THE MONTH

There were no submissions for pet of the month for April.  PLEASE send us a picture or two with a small description of why your pet is so special! We would love to show them off!

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 Attention PET OF THE MONTH.