Dr. Flake's Animal Wellness Clinic
3570 Chambersburg Road
Biglerville, PA 17307
(717)337-2785
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Bring in Spring
Good- bye snow! Good- bye ice! Sure the groundhog says there will be six more weeks of winter, but like most weather forecasts, that is subject to change. I have Spring Fever, and I know my pets do too. The cats are already bugging me to open the windows, and the dogs are so happy to be spending more than just “business” time outside. I admit it, I was not out there partaking in January is Walk Your Dog Month.
Spring is in the air, and oh, how wonderful it is. The birds are singing! The sun is shining! The female cat is in heat, and the male cat is spraying! What?!? Okay, so not everything about spring is wonderful. Beat the heat! There are many health benefits to having your female pet (cats and dogs) spayed before their first heat cycle, as well as there is to have males neutered before they “feel their oats”. Most pets come into season in the spring, so now is the time to get their surgery scheduled.
The Scoop on Poop
Ever wonder why we request you bring a stool sample to your pet’s appointment? It is because testing your pet’s feces (poop) is an important part of a wellness exam. Dogs, cats and most other animals are susceptible to having internal parasites. Actually puppies and kittens are born with them. Internal parasites are not limited to just worms, but also include protozoan infections. The most common protozoan infections are coccidia and giardia.
Parasites can be picked up from licking the ground, drinking contaminated water (such as run-off from the winter thaw), casual contact with an infested animal, and from mother to offspring before and after birth. Fleas, rodents and birds can also give your pet tapeworms. What’s a pet to do when it is so easy to become infected? It is important to realize that not all infected pets will have outward symptoms, be thin, or have diarrhea. Many look and act quite normal. Owners are unlikely to ever see worms in their pet’s stool. During an active worm infection, the adult worms are at work feasting on the pet’s digestive system. When you bring a stool sample to your pet’s veterinary appointment, a microscopic evaluation is performed on the feces, looking for the eggs of the adult worm. Depending on when a stool sample is checked, eggs may be absent on the microscopic evaluation even if an active parasite infection exists. That is why it is recommended to check stool samples more than once a year or when a pet appears sick. In general, it is recommended to have a fecal examination done every six months for indoor- only pets, and as often as every two months for outdoor pets or those at greater risk of exposure (pets that frequent public parks, dog/ cat shows, daycare, pet stores, grooming and boarding facilities). Intestinal parasites have very sophisticated life cycles, which makes it impossible to truly eliminate them; we can only control the infection. Like some cancers, worms merely go into remission. Stress or illness can reactive the infection at any time. Keeping pets on a heartworm preventative year round provides a monthly, general deworming for the most common internal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms. Medicating a pet with an over-the- counter dewormer is like treating an illness for which you do not have a diagnosis for. Dewormers purchased from pet stores or mega-marts are not recommended for several reasons. First, many over-the-counter dewormers are often not safe; many contain drugs no longer commonly used because safer, more effective drugs exist. Secondly, just the opposite-companies manufacture the medications to be very safe; to the extent they do not do anything. Also, most over-the- counter products are labeled for one or two types of parasites, and do not treat more prevalent intestinal parasites or protozoan infections.
I saved the best part for last. Did you know you can get worms from your pet? Ever been kissed on the face from you loving pooch? Little things like that, which most people don’t think about as they are happening, is an opportunity to acquire worms from your pet. Infections passed from pet to owner are called zoonoses (zoe-o-NO-sees) or zoonotic (zoe-o- NOT-ick) infections. The most commonly shared worms are hookworms and roundworms. Zoonotic infections DO require fecal to oral contact, and usually happens by chance. Pets infected with these worms contaminate their surroundings by passing eggs in their feces. Because pets will poop anywhere, they can infect a large area quickly. The eggs are tough and can survive anywhere (including homes) and through any weather conditions. People can often become infected by eating unwashed vegetables, grown in soil that was contaminated by a pet defecating in the garden. Hookworm larvae (immature worms) penetrate the skin, making children most vulnerable to infection because they are more likely to play on the ground and in the dirt. Remember, uncovered sandboxes are highly likely to become community litter boxes! Children are also in the highest risk group because they are most likely to put dirty things in their mouths, including feces. Everyday contact with your pet offers little risk of zoonotic infection, just be sure to wash your hands after petting/ handling an animal, cleaning up your pet’s stool/ changing litter box, and before you eat.
Calendar of Events March is Adopt- A- Rescued Guinea Pig Month
March 1st is Dr. Flake’s Birthday Observed (she’s a Leap Year baby)
March 1st is Bridget’s cat, Jester’s 5th Birthday!
March 1st- 7th is Professional Pet Sitters Week
March 6th is Employee Appreciation Day!
March 26th is Melissa’s cat, Murrey’s 10th Birthday!
March 27th is Justine’s Birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTINE!!!!!
March 28th is our 6th Annual Spring Vaccine Clinic 9am -1pm, rain or shine, no appointment.
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
April is Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
April 10th is Go Orange for Animals Day in celebration of the American SPCA.
April 12th is Easter. HAPPY EASTER!
May 3rd through May 9th is Be Kind to Animals Week, National Pet Week and Celebrate the
Animal- Human Bond Week. Busy week!
May 5th is Melissa’s cat, Manny’s 1st Birthday!
May 10th is Mother’s Day!
May 17th is Melissa’s cat, Ben’s 2nd Birthday!
May 17th- 23rd is Dog Bite Prevention Week
May 22nd is Bridget’s 3 Year Anniversary at the Animal Wellness Clinic!
In the Spotlight- Bridget, Our Veterinary Assistant May 22, 2009 marks Bridget’s three year anniversary as a member of our team. Along with her long time love and experience with animals, Bridget brings excellent reception skills, and of course humor to our office. Getting to Know Bridget… Age: A lady never tells!
You live where: Fayetteville
From where originally: Frederick, MD
Educated: I obtained ratification as a Certified Veterinary Assistant through Merial
EDU.
Family: My husband James and I have four furry kids- Apollo, Pip, Camelot,
And Jester.
Job: Veterinary Assistant and Receptionist
Job Duties: A little bit of everything.
Job’s reward: Tons of stuff! I love working with clients, and educating others
about pet care.
Toughest part of your job: Seeing abused animals.
Very first job was: I worked on a horse farm.
Best friend: My Great Dane, Apollo.
Favorite food: Tacos!
Pets that you have: A Great Dane, Apollo; a miniature schnauzer, Pip; a
Bengal, Camelot; and a Domestic Shorthair, Jester.
Ever been bitten by an animal: Oh yes!
What animal traits should people practice: Unconditional love.
Hero(s): My parents.
Hobbies: Dog training and competitions.
Pet peeves: Noisy eaters, slow drivers, kids who tease dogs, and telemarketers.
You collect: Great Dane collectibles
With a magic wand: lose weight.
You would have liked to have witnessed what event in history: dinosaur days.
Event that changed your life: getting married.
Your scariest moment: breaking my hand at the horse farm.
Color I would not be caught dead wearing: neon colors!
Trait inherited from parents: confidence.
Who needs a hug: members of the armed services and their families
Who needs a kick in the pants: Melissa, for making me do this!!!
Your bucket list (things to do before you die): become a millionaire, own the first
Dane to win Westminster, and move out of PA.
Music: rock.
TV: House, Desperate Housewives, and Animal Planet.
One bad habit: procrastination!
Five minutes with: an old friend I have lost touch with.
What skill would you like to learn: dog grooming.
Place you’d like to visit: Australia and Europe.
What would people find surprising about you: I am allergic to cats and dogs.
How would you like to be remembered: I’d like to be remembered for my humor.
Recession- Proof Your Pet The economy is failing! The economy is failing! It’s all everyone is talking about, and no matter what channel you flip to-it’s there. Research done by the University of Florida has determined pets, especially dogs, are more perceptive of human conduct than previously understood. Other research over the years has described humanlike cognitive and emotional characteristics in pets, such as an ability of dogs to read body language and sense fear in humans. Thus, it holds that your head-in-hands, slump-shouldered, glum-faced dejectedness over the tanking economy and the recession can be telegraphed to your pet who might perhaps start fretting - and grieving about it along with you. Whether you believe your pet feels what you feel or not, you will notice your pet may get anxious if your routine varies, as could be the case were you to lose your job because of the recession. Of course, it's not possible to engage your dog or cat in reasoned discussion to put them at ease, there are ways to help your pet avoid sharing your recession-induced funk. For starters, maintain your pet's accustomed routines. Walks in the park, having him or her sit in your lap while you watch a favorite television show, even visiting the vet for periodic checkups and vaccines should be continued in order to provide a reassuring sense of stability despite the instability of your recession-plagued finances just now, experts recommend.
In 2008, Americans spent over 3 billion dollars on their pets. This does not include food, regular grooming, or veterinary care. The $3 billion was spent on luxury items such as designer leashes, collars and clothing; gourmet pet treats; day spa treatments (exercise with a personal trainer, massage, and “specialty grooming); as well as doggy daycare. So what is a pampered pet to do now that we are facing a recession?
Shelters are already overrun with pets from those who have lost their homes in the mortgage crisis. Pet food banks are popping up all over the place. Have you considered your pet with the current economic craziness?
Tough times are upon us. I, myself, looked to make cuts from my family budget. My Old English Sheepdog’s monthly grooming appointment seemed like a logical and easy cut to make. I tried for a few weeks to maintain his coat myself, but I am only one person and he is one hairy dog! Some pet owners, in an attempt to save money during a recession, skip vet checkups. Preventative medicine will save money in the long run, because when pets routinely see a veterinarian to evaluate any changes in their health have an increased chance of catching problems early. Neglecting checkups can lead to big health problems, which are often difficult and expensive to treat.
Did you know pet insurance is available? There are fifteen pet insurance companies on the market. Many only offer sickness coverage, while some offer a wide variety of plans, covering everything from annual vaccines to big, expensive, orthopedic surgeries. Pet insurance can be purchased for pets of any age and breed (of canine, feline, avian, equine, and some exotics). I recently obtained coverage for my new puppy; I have Superior Well Coverage and Standard Comprehensive Coverage for $35/ month ($420/ year). It reimburses me $400 towards his preventative care-exams, vaccines, heartworm medication, etc. That means I am only paying $20 a year for coverage of illnesses and accidents that may arise. That $20 ensures reimbursement up to $1200 if my dog swallows a toy that needs to be surgically removed. Not bad!
Another way to plan for veterinary costs is the use of a third party credit company. Our office participates with Care Credit®. Care Credit® is a line of credit that can be used on preventative veterinary care, emergency care (most animal e.r.’s accept it), as well as at the dentist, eye doctor, etc. Care Credit® has lower interest rates than most credit cards, offers interest free plans, and low monthly payments. Unlike a traditional credit card, Care Credit® limits use to “medical” offices, leaving available credit on your other cards for the other emergencies in life.
Maybe your credit is a little under the weather or pet insurance not in your budget, your bank may be able to help. Some local banks have developed special savings accounts to save money for your pet’s needs. These accounts generally have a decent interest rate, low minimum balance requirements ($5), and no early withdrawal fees.
This year, at the Animal Wellness Clinic, we are offering twice the amount of vaccine clinics, the return of male cat neuter clinics, and economy spay packages for young, female cats. Also, we are continuing our efforts to raise money for The Calvin Fund through bandana sales and all proceeds from the vaccine clinics will be contributed to the fund.
Kid’s Corner This time, the Kid’s Corner is a little different. Instead of an activity, we are holding a contest! The winner will receive a Webkinz. The contest runs from March 1, 2009- May 3, 2009. Entries MUST be received by April 13, 2009 to ensure enough time for judging. The contest is open to all children 13 and younger. You do not need to be the child of a client to enter.
The contest is….
Celebrate the human-animal bond!
Write a story about you and your pet’s relationship. Include a picture or drawing of you and your pet. Be sure to have your parent’s permission, photos/ drawings will be displayed in our waiting room.
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