NEWSFEED:

Firstly may we apologise for the very late August email this month, due mainly to an increased number of animals requiring our assistance!  

We have welcomed Dr Ellie Duncan to the practice.  She has been very busy meeting many of you and your animals already and is thriving in her new job. Well done Ellie!

The cold wet weather has led to a flurry of calving cases again as the spring calving season heats up.  Remember to refresh your knowlege about when you should call for assistance  - check our web page for details.

We welcome Dr Ellie Duncan to the team this month.

Spring is just around the corner and as the days are getting longer, now's the time to ensure your pet is up to date with flea and tick prevention.

Eggs that were previously laid by fleas may have been lying dormant over the cooler winter months but as soon as we get some warmer days these eggs will hatch. This will lead to an emergence of fleas and lots of itchy pets!

Treat now to prevent these little pesky little creatures from bothering your pet. The saliva from their bites can set off a nasty reaction in your pet's skin leading to flea allergy dermatitis weeks after the bite. This often requires antibiotics and medication to break the itch cycle. This can be costly and time consuming and prevention is easier than the treatment!

Although we are not officially in a paralysis tick region here in Benalla, if you intend travelling up the east coast of Victoria and interstate, we highly recommend using a tick preventative product as paralysis tick bites are lethal.  Last month we experienced this first hand after a client had been travelling through NSW, and within a week of returning home the dog was completely paralysed, and despite tick anti-serum being administered, she unfortunately died.

The good news is there are plenty of excellent flea and tick products available for your pet. We will be able to recommend the most suitable and effective treatment.

There's no getting around this one. If you want your pet to live a healthy life, they need to have a healthy mouth!

There is now plenty of evidence to prove that dental disease is linked to other problems such as heart disease, so it is absolutely essential we keep an eye on your pet's oral health.

Dental disease strikes when plaque and tartar accumulate on the teeth and lead to infection of the gums. Bacteria from this infection can travel in the blood stream around the body and can impact the heart as well other organs such as the lungs and kidneys. 

The good news is that many of these problems can be reversed if dental hygiene is improved - and that's where we come in!

If we detect dental disease we will recommend a dental procedure to help remove the plaque and tartar and resolve any infection. We will also remove any diseased teeth that might be causing your pet significant pain.

Here are our top tips for preventing dental disease:

• Get your pet's mouth checked by us. We will be able to spot problems early - this is essential to good dental care. A check at least once a year is vital.
• Get your pet eating the correct food. A premium quality dry diet is essential for good oral health. There are excellent dental diets available and they really work so ask us for the best recommendation.
• Brush your pet's teeth. This is considered gold standard - just make sure you use a pet-safe toothpaste.

We recommend a dental check up at least once a year. Regular checks will help to protect your pet's overall health and might just save their life!

When it comes to your pet's oral health, you should always turn to us for advice.

Without an anaesthetic we cannot perform a thorough examination of your pet's mouth, and there is simply no way we can diagnose or treat dental problems while your pet is awake. When it comes to gold standard dental care, we can't just ask your pet to sit back and 'open wide.'

You may have seen anaesthesia-free dentistry advertised but it is often performed by people who lack appropriate training and qualifications.

It can also have a negative psychological impact on your pet and might cause your pet unnecessary pain (plus it also puts us in danger of being bitten).

It's also important to realise that a thorough dental examination requires a patient to be completely motionless for procedures such as radiographs and probing.

An anaesthetised patient allows us to look for any root problems and potential sources of pain. We can clean under the gums, which cannot be done correctly if your pet is awake. Removing only the calculus that is visible on the tooth is ineffective because it does not fix the source of the problem or enable healing and reversal of the dental disease.

Anaesthesia-free dentistry can potentially mask serious underlying disease and can cause your pet unnecessary pain. You can read more about this on the Australian Veterinary Association website.

If it's been more than a year since your pet's last dental check, please give us a call.

It's not uncommon for us to see an older pet with dental disease but many people are worried about their senior pet having to undergo a dental procedure.

In fact, as our pets get older, their immune system becomes less effective at fighting off bacterial and viral diseases so good dental health is more important than ever!

Senior pets may be missing or have worn down teeth and this can affect their ability to chew and digest their food. They are also very good at hiding dental pain and soldiering on, so many owners put changes down to 'getting old.'

The fact is, your senior friend may be in considerable pain and could have issues such as an oral mass or a broken tooth.

Prior to an anaesthetic, we may recommend blood and urine testing to check the overall health of your senior pet and tailor the anaesthetic protocol accordingly.

It's important to realise that veterinary anaesthetics are on par with human anaesthetics and are very safe. This means your pet will be able to undergo necessary treatment to ensure a pain-free mouth and will be able to live a happier and longer life.

Regular dental checks along with a thorough whole body examination at least yearly will help minimise the risk of oral disease in your senior pet.

Please ask us for more information if you are worried about your pet.

A common skin problem seen during the wetter months is greasy heel, also known as mud fever or pastern dermatitis.

This condition is painful for horses and owners alike. It can cause discomfort and lameness in the horse, and can be very difficult for owners to treat as the condition can be quite persistent and tricky to get rid of. Horses that have pink skin and white hair on their pasterns are the most predisposed to the infection. Another major predisposing factor is standing in constant wet and muddy conditions.

Presenting as painful thick, crusty, yellow scabs around the back of the heels and the pastern, greasy heel is most commonly seen on the hind feet but can occur on all four. In severe cases, it can spread around the front of the feet and extend up the legs, the skin becomes thickened and inflamed (red), and the legs swell up.

Greasy heel usually involves a bacterial infection in the skin. Cases that are not resolving with standard treatment may need further testing to ensure there is not another underlying cause such as mites, fungi or immune mediated conditions.

Treatment initially involves clipping the hair away and washing the legs to remove all mud, followed by keeping the horse housed in dry conditions. Soaking and scrubbing the affected areas with an antiseptic detergent such as chlorhexidine to soften and remove the scabs is critical for killing the bacteria.  Scab removal may need to be done in stages to avoid hurting the horse. Scab removal and washing should be followed by drying the legs and then applying a topical steroid based cream (please only do this under veterinary instruction). Pain relief should also be given.

If you're worried about your horse this winter, give us a call.