Benalla Veterinary Clinic
16 Church Street
Benalla, VIC, 3672
admin@benallavetclinic.com.au
www.benallavetclinic.com.au
Phone: 03 5762 2788

NEWSFEED:

Arthritis is the focus in this newsletter - mainly because so many pets are afflicted with this painful condition and often show more obvious signs over the colder months.  

With the onset of the colder weather now, many people have been laying baits for rats and mice who are organising themselves for the winter.  So please take heed and keep the dangerous rodenticides like Talon and Ratsac well away from inquisitive pets, who are also attracted to these lethal cereal based products. 

Dr Becky Hallett was recently injured during a calving procedure and we take the opportunity to reflect on cattle crush safety.

We take the opportunity to also remind our farmers that conditions suitable for deadly Grass Tetany have arrived with the colder wet weather and the re-established fresh green pastures. So add Causmag to your hay and always carry a few bags of '4 in 1' injectable mineral pouches in your vehicle, as time is of the essence when attempting to save cattle with grass tetany. Early detection by knowing the conditions and symptoms is very valuable.  Check our website for more information.

An arthritic knee joint of a dog who has ruptured a cruciate ligament.

Nelly is a two year old male curly coated retriever dog who was observed to have blood in his urine intermittently.  The owner was concerned that he also seemed to stand and strain to urinate long after the flow had ceased.  Dr Stacey Hall found pain when feeling his abdomen in the region of his bladder.

After failing to respond to a previous antibiotic course, and having found evidence of sharp- edged struvite crystals now in his urine, X-rays of the abdomen were taken so we could take a peek at his bladder and its contents.  Poor Nelly had three large, smooth-edged stones within his bladder, which was grossly thickened.  The ultrasound exam was then not necessary; however Nelly needed an operation called a cystotomy so that the stones could be physically extracted via an incision in the abdominal wall. 

All went to plan with the operation in which the bladder was opened, stones carefully removed and the bladder flushed with copious saline to remove any smaller stones and crystals.  His bladder was then sutured closed and pressure tested for potential leaks.  Nelly was also desexed at the same time as the bladder surgery for practical reasons! 

These stones were then sent off for analysis, and the result was indeed struvite, a common crystal found in dog and cat urine.  Luckily for Nelly, treatment to prevent reoccurrence involves eating a prescription veterinary diet….and nothing else!  These diets are designed to optimise the urine acidity so that these nasty crystals do not return.   He has now fully recovered, has crystal clear urine literally, and is enjoying his new diet.

If your dog or cat produces blood-stained urine, please do not ignore this sign as more often than not, it will mean your pet has a very painful condition which can be treated.  Pets are very good at hiding their pain from us.

Last month Dr Becky Hallett suffered a very painful injury to her arm while out calving a heifer.  Unfortunately a chain had been placed around this heifer while she was standing in the old-style cattle crush because the farmer believed that it was not possible to trust the head bale to fully restrain her head.  Unfortunately this heifer decided to suddenly and unexpectedly drop while Dr Becky had her arm inside her manipulating the calf into the correct position.  This left poor Dr Becky in agony as she tried to unclip the chain which was now pushing into her arm with the weight force of several hundred kilograms of Hereford heifer!  As you can appreciate from the photo, Dr Becky’s arm was badly bruised and she was extremely lucky to have not done serious damage.

This accident highlights the ever present risk of injury that exists when vets and farmers work with livestock.  We would like to take the opportunity to stress the importance of safe cattle handling, including the use of a well-designed efficient cattle crush maintained in good working order.  Together with yard design, the crush is an essential element of farm safety, and really deserves significant investment so that injuries can be avoided.

Australian Cattle Veterinarians have an interesting article on crush design and selection for farmers thinking of upgrading to a safer alternative.  There are a multitude of crush styles on the market and unfortunately no one design will suit all situations.  Click on mycattlevet.com.au/cattle-crushes

Arthritis is a sneaky condition. It tends to creep up over time and our pets won't always show obvious signs until they are in considerable pain. 

The disease is caused by the wearing down of the cartilage that covers the bones at the end of a joint. This 'cushioning' cartilage helps joints move freely and without discomfort but as it wears down, the ends of the bones become exposed and can rub together. You can imagine the pain this might cause your pet! 

It is very important to understand that your pet won’t necessarily limp or yelp or whimper if he is in pain.

Most of the signs of arthritic pain are subtle and here's what you should watch out for if you own a dog (we'll cover cats in more detail below): 

• Hesitant to jump into the car or up on furniture
• Slowing down on walks or a reluctance to walk as far 
• A bit slow to get going after getting up 
• Lowers his body slowly when going to lie down 
• Behavioural changes e.g. grumpy when touched on the back
• Slipping on floorboards or hesitant to use stairs

Don’t be tempted to put these changes down to 'he's just getting old' as your pet may be in significant pain - he just can't tell you!

Thankfully there is now a number of things we can do to slow the progression of the disease and keep your pet pain free.

Phone us to arrange an arthritis check up and we'll be able to work out a suitable treatment plan for your pet. 

If we’ve diagnosed your pet with arthritis we will work with you to come up with the best management plan to keep your pet pain free.

The key to success is a multi-targeted approach as this can help reduce the need for large amounts of medication and lessen the potential side effects of any one treatment.

Things YOU can do: 

• Keep your pet’s weight in a healthy range  - ask us for a diet recommendation
• Exercise your pet in moderation to keep the joints moving and muscles toned
• Think about getting a portable ramp to help your dog in and out of the car
• Provide an additional piece of furniture so your dog or cat doesn't have to jump so high to reach his favourite spot

Medical treatments might include:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): these help to reduce pain and inflammation quickly and may be used in the short or even long term.

Disease-modifying drugs: given as a regular injection, these help to relieve pain and help to preserve joint cartilage - ask us for more information.

Nutriceuticals: supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin may be helpful in improving your pet’s joint function and may help slow down the progression of arthritis.

Diet modification: a diet high in essential fatty acids (with added nutriceuticals) can help reduce inflammation and improve your pet’s mobility. Ask us about the specific arthritis prescription diets we have available.

Don't forget, it’s absolutely essential you return with your pet for regular check ups so we can monitor their pain and mobility and adjust the program if necessary.

Cats are even better than dogs at hiding or covering up pain caused by arthritis. If you think about it, cats spend much of their time sleeping and we generally don't take cats for a walk, so it is hard to see a change in their mobility.

Try to keep an eye out for these subtle signs:

• Landing 'in a heap' when jumping off furniture 
• Hesitant when jumping up or down from the furniture
• Reluctant to climb the fence or trees
• No longer using the litter box properly (especially if it has high sides)
• Resistant to being picked up or moved
• Matted or scruffy coat (as grooming is painful)
• Long nails - simply because of reduced activity

If you notice any of these signs you should arrange a check up with us.

Good pain management can make a huge difference to your cat's quality of life and this is one of the most important things we can do for our pets. 

One of the most common injuries we see in dogs is a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. This is the same injury seen in many a footballer - the notorious ACL, and it can can lead to dramatic arthritis in your dog's knee if it is not treated effectively.

Many dogs will 'snap' the ligament after suddenly jumping off a height or turning quickly. These dogs present to us non weight bearing on the injured hind leg. As cruciate disease can also be a progressive and degenerative condition, other dogs will present with a mild, intermittent lameness and chronic thickening of the joint. 

Examination of a dog under sedation or general anaesthetic will help diagnose the condition and we are able to detect movement in the knee that should not be there if the ligament was healthy. Radiographs will also assist in identifying arthritic changes and evidence of swelling within and around the knee joint. 

Surgery to stabilise the knee joint is the best option for treatment. Some small dogs may respond to conservative treatment, such as rest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication but due to instability in the joint, the risk of developing painful arthritis is high.

There are a few different surgical techniques for cruciate ligament repair and new procedures are continually being developed. If your dog ruptures his cruciate ligament, we will be able to give you more information on the most suitable type of surgery. 

It is important to realise that arthritis may still develop in the affected joint following surgery, but will be significantly reduced than if surgery was not performed.

If you are worried about your pet please call us for advice. 

Many horse owners are aware that horses can become sick after long periods in transit, but what really is travel sickness, how do we recognise it and how do we prevent it?

Travel sickness in horses refers to a bacterial infection of the respiratory system known as pleuropneumonia. As horses graze with their head down the mucus and bacteria from their lower airways drains out, keeping their airway clean and healthy. During transit in most floats and trucks horses are unable to lower their head for long periods of time. This can lead to a build up in their lower airways and lungs causing infection. Low grade viral respiratory infections and immunosuppressive stress around travel also play a role in the development of travel sickness. 

Signs to look out for initially include: dullness, loss of appetite and a high temperature. These can progress to fast and laboured breathing, rapid weight loss and even death. Horses are highly susceptible to respiratory tract infections and previously healthy horses can deteriorate rapidly. Early recognition and treatment is vital.

To minimise travel sickness in your horse:

• only travel horses in good health, and which have adequately recovered from exercise
• make rest stops every 4-6 hours to allow grazing or feeding from the ground
• feed only on the ground