Dog Health
Vaccination
Dogs can be vaccinated against a number of potentially fatal diseases.
These are distemper, viral hepatitis,
parvovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis, coronavirus and kennel cough.
Vaccination can commence in puppies from as early as 8 weeks of age.
For full immunity they require 2 vaccinations 2 weeks apart and annual
vaccine boosters thereafter. As part of the annual booster your dog is
given a free health check. A vaccination certificate will be given to
you as this will be inspected by kennels before boarding your dog.
Annual booster reminder cards are sent out by the practice by post .
This is a puppy with parvo virus, this is a life threatening condition and can be easily prevented with vaccination
Fleas
Fleas are common
external parasites of dogs all year round. It is recommended that
veterinary prescription flea control preparations are used regularly to
prevent conditions such as flea allergic dermatitis, rashes and sores.
These same preparations can also be
used to control other skin parasites such as, ticks, mange mites and
lice. Contact the surgery for more detailed information.
Worms
It is important to regularly worm your dog for the health of you dog and for public health.
Adult dogs should be wormed at least 4
times a year. Wrking dogs, hunting dogs or dogs that eat raw meat have
higher exposure to worms so should be wormed every 1-2 months,Puppies
should be wormed every 4-6 weeks until they are 6 months of age then
change to the adult worming interval. There are many different worming
preparations available and the veterinary surgeons will be happy to
advise which is the most appropriate.
Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be prevented with
different insecticides. Heartworm is not in the UK at the moment so
they are only significant if you travel abroad with your dog.
Neutering
Male dogs
Dogs can be castrated as early as 6 months of age. Castrating dogs stops the sexual behaviour of searching for bitches in season and prevents unwanted pregnancies. It can reduce dominance behaviours. It prevents testicular cancer, significantly reduces the incidence of prostate disease and other hormone related conditions.
Female dogs
Bitches should be spayed 3 months after their first season. It is advised to allow them to have a first season as this reduces the incidence of urinary incontinence later on in life. Spaying eliminates the risk of pyometra which is a life threatening infection of the uterus. Spaying prevents false pregnancy. If spayed early in life the incidence of mammary cancer is significantly reduced. The older an entire bitch gets, she becomes more at risk of developing mammary cancer. The disadvantage of spaying is that they may have a tendency to gain more weight but this can be controlled by careful feeding and exercise
Nutrition
Healthy nutrition leads to a healthy
dog. In the same way as humans change with age by having different
requirements, both quality, quantity and type of food so do dogs. For
this reason we recommend to change your dog food with changing age and
expectancy of your dog. Our trained veterinary nurses are available to
give advice on the correct diets which will maximise the health and
life expectancy of your dog.
Tooth care
It is just as important to look after
your dog's teeth as it is to look after your own. Dental disease is a
very common problem. It causes:
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bad breath
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red, swollen, bleeding gums
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yellow/brown deposits of plaque on the teeth
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pain
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decreased appetite and difficulty eating
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loss of teeth
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tooth root abscesses
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bacteria from the mouth enter the bloodstream and travel to organs, particularly the kidneys and heart and can seriously compromise your dog's health
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dogs can become quite depressed
PREVENTION
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Regular dental check ups and professional cleaning by your vet are recommended.
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Brushing your dog's teeth on a regular basis is an excellent and highly
effective means of prevention
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Giving hard textured food or chew toys. A prescription diet is available to reduce plaque build up
Dental Checks
Routine dental checks are recommended. An ideal time is when you bring your pet in for vaccination. You can check your pet's teeth yourself by lifting the upper lip and inspecting the outer surface of the teeth. If you see areas of yellow brown staining or red bleeding gums or if your dog has bad breath it is best to bring you pet into the surgery for examination.
This is a dog with dental disease. Note the areas of yellow/brown tartar on most of the teeth. If this is not treated it will progress to gum recession, root infection, bad breath, pain and tooth loss
This is the same dog following dental treatment. His teeth have been scaled and polished and the mouth is now clean, disease free and pain free.
Routine Dental Work
Your pet may need a routine dental done. This involves a general anaesthetic and your pet will stay with us for the day. We have state of the art dental facilities which are the same as used by human dentists. This enables us to provide the best dental care. The dental machine has a sonic scaler and this removes the layer of scale and tartar on the teeth without damaging the teeth. The teeth are closely inspected and any teeth with damage or loss of gum support are extracted. Animals cope very well with tooth extraction. Even if multiple teeth have to be removed they can still eat normally and are much happier and healthier in themselves as their mouths are now pain free. We polish the teeth and this smooths the surface so delays the rate at which plaque builds up again. After a dental procedure is done it is recommended to follow up with home care. This significantly reduces the number of dental procedures we have to do and ensures your pet has healthy clean teeth for longer. There are several things you can do to achieve this and everything you do manage to do makes a significant difference.
Brushing your dogs teeth
This is by far the most effective
method of tooth care. It significantly reduces dental disease. It does
take patience but if mastered it will be worth while. Each stage should
be taken slowly and give your pet lots of praise and reassurance.
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-For the first few days gently stroke the outside of the cheeks to get your pet used to you near the mouth.
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-When your pet is comfortable with this let your pet sample some of the toothpaste. It is usually palatable and flavoured so will soon be considered a treat.
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-Put some toothpaste on the tooth brush or finger brush and allow your pet to lick that. This gets them used to the brush.
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-When your pet is used to this lift the upper lip and gently brush one or two teeth slowly in a circular motion. Over time gradually increase the number of teeth brushed working all the way to the back teeth.
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-Only brush the outside of the teeth. There is no need to open the mouth and do the inside. The animal's tongue cleans the inside of the teeth so you don't have to.
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-Use only toothpaste formulated for animal use. Do not use human toothpaste. This can upset them if it is swallowed.
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-It is important to go through these stages slowly and to praise your pet as they get used to it.
It is possible so best of luck and remember it is well worth it.
What to do if you can't brush their teeth
Prescription
dental diets.
This is a prescription diet for dogs and cats
especially formulated to clean the surface of the teeth when the animal chews
on it. The food does have nutritional value so can be fed as a complete food or
can be used in conjunction with normal diet.
Plaque
reducing gels.
This is a paste that can be given daily to dogs
and cats. It is administered into the mouth where it spreads to coat the teeth.
It contains enzymes that reduce plaque production. It is flavoured so is
palatable to most pets.
Dental chews.
These hide chews contain enzymes to reduce plaque
formation. Also the action of chewing on the abrasive hide reduces food
particles.
Latest News
11/06/2010
Veterinary Nurse Emma Keddie and partner Adam Jewitt announce the birth of their baby boy Harry.
15/05/2010
Veterinary Nurse Sarah Davis marries Chris Vincent at Longhope Church, Gloucestershire
