Mountainview Small Animal Hospital Blog

It’s really (finally) happening!
For those of you who have been in the office in the last 6 months, you may have already been subjected to the trials and tribulations of our on-going march towards being a paperless practice. For that, we salute you. Thank you all, for your extraordinary patience while we convert from utilizing those giant, paper-packed medical charts to the computer based files. “I am really going to miss searching for those misplaced, over-stuffed, 15 pound charts”, said NO ONE, EVER.
Over our six month journey to be good Earthlings, we’ve set up Medical Exams, Pet Report Cards, Dental Charts and ‘Petly’ Prescription Requests (just to name a few) in our Cornerstone Program. However, we still have a few more processes to work out before our proposed “Kick-the-Charts-to-the-Curb” launch date of January 1st 2016. Even then, we know there will still be a de-bugging period before we can become the seamless medical note taking, well-oiled data entering machine, that we aspire to be.
In advance, we would like to thank you again for your patience while we continue to streamline the process. In the end we will be better able to serve you with easily accessible medical records (through Petly for our clients and via computer files for us), clearly written Dr’s notes (yay! no more Doctor’s handwriting!), online RX requests via Petly and so much more.
Until January 1st, we will continue to obtain paper cuts (the big ones that can only be inflicted by those super thick manila charts, that hurt REALLY bad, especially when you get alcohol in them), to have over flowing charts explode on us, and generally continue to curse their existence. After that, we will only have to worry about the computers going down…..
Wait…WAIT…. WHAT?!

–THIS IS A VERY SHORT, BUT VERY IMPORTANT BLOG–
This cannot be stressed enough….when you have a (life threatening) pet emergency:
PLEASE-MAKE SURE YOU CALL THE FACILITY YOU ARE GOING TO…either before, or, if able, as you are headed over. Do not waste one minute of precious time driving to a hospital, where there may, or may not, be a vet available to immediately treat your pet. Also, a head’s up to the vet regarding what the emergency is, will allow them to prepare ahead of time and render the best care, in the fastest time possible.
We realize that in an emergency, it is difficult to keep a cool head and think about this type of thing, but it may make the difference between saving your pet, or not.
Quick tips:
**Keep your regular vet’s and the nearest 24 hour emergency facility’s phone number on your refrigerator at home and in your wallet or store them in your phone.
**Learn where the nearest 24 hour emergency facility is located BEFORE you need them. (We have California Veterinary Specialists in Murrieta open 24/7 as well as The Emergency Pet Clinic in Temecula which is open nights and weekends)
**Whenever possible, have someone go with you to the vet during an emergency. They can be on the phone calling ahead, or driving for you while you call.

Hello again everyone! Let’s talk about FOOD!
Nutrition is a topic that is close to my heart, and anyone who has seen me for an exam, will have noticed that I ask many questions regarding their pet’s diet. Most people have heard the famous saying “You are what you eat” and in many ways this statement is true. One of the most common problems that we see pets for is ear and skin infections. Very often, the cause of these infections is an allergy. Typically, pets can be allergic to food, environmental exposures, and parasites. How food plays a role, is that if a pet has an allergy to something they are eating, the body will cause inflammation, which then leads to overgrowth of yeast and bacteria. This occurs most frequently in the ears, between the toes, and armpits, leading to ear infections, licking and chewing of the paws, or skin rashes.

The reason for my food obsession is because it’s one of the main things we have control over. We have minimal control over the environment around us, and fleas, in particular, are an easy fix with monthly flea control. (that topic will be covered at a later date) There are many components of food that can be the causative agent. The most common, is the protein source, soon followed by the carbohydrate. Unfortunately, the massive rush towards “Grain Free” foods has led to a huge increase in allergies to potato and peas. Honestly, unless you are feeding a food that has a history of being very poor quality, even if it’s a food I don’t particularly like, if your pet does not have a history of allergy issues I’m not going to recommend a major change. The old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” does in fact, apply to this topic.

Also, just like in people, certain foods tend to increase insulin resistance, general inflammation, and weight gain. Pets have similar responses to food and in some instances, certain diseases can be partially or even completely managed with diet changes.

When I do recommend a change, there are certain brands that I tend to favor, but again, it is a case by case basis. Also, food isn’t the only thing that’s important. You can buy the best food in the world, but still have problems because the treats haven’t been addressed too. Food counts as anything that crosses your pet’s lips and this sometimes includes unplanned items outside, off the kitchen table, or presents from the baby’s high chair. In general, I recommend avoiding any edible chews like Rawhides, pig ears, dental sticks, greenies, and of course, no jerky treats of any kind. Ideally, I would recommend no treats, but if this isn’t an option, we can discuss during the exam what will work for your particular pet’s lifestyle. I do recommend Nylabones of the right size and shape for your pet, and if there is no known venison allergy, Antlers are great chewing alternatives. The most important thing to remember is to get the right size for your pet. I recommend at least 2 times the length of the pet’s muzzle, and 50% of the diameter of the muzzle to decrease the risk of biting off pieces, choking or swallowing the bones.

So please, when you come see me at Mountainview, bear with my numerous food questions because I feel that it warrants attention, and could be involved with whatever symptoms your pet may be showing that elicited the office visit.

When it comes to food, I can talk forever, so I figure I’ve blogged enough on this. Any particular questions, you know where to find me. Thanks again for reading.

JERKY TREAT TOXICITY:
Since 2007, the Food and Drug Administration has received over 3600 reports of dog and cat illnesses, including 580 deaths, related to the consumption of jerky treats. The FDA has not recalled these products as of yet, due to the fact that the definitive cause or potential toxin has not been identified.

Symptoms may occur within a few hours or up to several days after ingesting the treats. These symptoms can include depression, anorexia, vomiting and diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, tremors and convulsions. In addition, some pets may exhibit skin irritations such as hives or a general rash and in severe cases, kidney failure has been reported. If your pet is exhibiting any of the above signs after consuming these types of treats, please call us to schedule an exam as soon as possible.

In general, we at Mountainview recommend avoiding any and all Jerky Treat type products regardless of where they are manufactured.
For more information, please click on this link for the FDA consumer fact sheet

PANCREATITIS AND THE HOLIDAYS:
Being in the midst of the holiday season, we thought it prudent to bring up the most common disease we see during this time: PANCREATITIS.
This is a disease in which the pancreas (the digestive enzyme organ of the body) becomes inflamed due to inappropriate food or treat consumption or a pet getting into the trash and helping themselves to leftovers. The most common history we hear from clients on a pancreatitis patient is: we gave them table food, or some scraps off our plate, or they got into the trash, etc. All of these can cause anywhere from a mild upset stomach, to acute vomiting and bloody diarrhea with severe gastroenteritis. The easiest way to prevent this from occurring is not feeding people food of any kind and encourage guests to refrain from doing so as well. Obviously, if the pet is persistent enough, some may be able to wheedle a bite of food here and there or get into the trash when no one is looking, even if the trash cans are covered. If that happens and your pet seems out of sorts, the most common symptoms to be on the lookout for are depression, anorexia and vomiting (often with bile) and diarrhea. If your pet seems only mildly ill or “off”, it would still be best to have him checked- just to be on the safe side. This is not a condition one wants to wait on.
The standard treatment is to run bloodwork to verify if the pancreas is inflamed and if so, hospitalize with IV fluids, antibiotics, anti-nausea medication, and once the vomiting stops, a bland diet which will allow the pancreas to heal. Pancreatitis often has a good prognosis if you catch and treat early and once the pancreas has had a chance to heal, there is usually no long term effects.
Occasionally, some pets may have a chronic pancreatitis that lasts a long time, but symptoms may be sporadic. This disease is more difficult to treat and can sometimes lead to loss of pancreatic function later on in life, like diabetes or pancreatic insufficiency. Prevention is still the best treatment, so if you can avoid feeding your dogs people food, the risk is low for pancreatitis. However, some breeds are more predisposed to this disease, like small breeds like Maltese, Yorkies, Dachshunds, also Schnauzers and Shelties have a higher risk of this disease. Cats can also develop this disease, but it is less common and is more likely associated with liver inflammation also. Cats must be treated more aggressively as well.
I hope this answers some questions, and also helps prevent some dogs from getting pancreatitis.

LEPTOSPIROSIS? What the heck is that?

Hello again, more news on the Mountainview Blog.
We’ve been getting this question a lot: What is Leptospirosis, and why should I vaccinate for it?

I figured I’d answer publicly to help explain this disease. Leptospirosis is actually a disease caused by bacteria. This bacteria is usually found in rodent urine, in most areas of the southwest, including Riverside County, CA. Your pet may be exposed while running in parks, on hiking trails, or anywhere rats/mice live like orchards or trash areas. The most common way to be infected is for a dog to walk through water, including a small puddle, that has been contaminated by rodent urine or the bacteria, which then gets into the skin through microscopic breaks. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can then infect the kidneys and the liver causing anorexia, fever, kidney and liver failure. If the liver has been affected, pets will often have a yellow hew to their eyes, skin, and gums if severe. The pet will often start drinking a lot followed by excessive urine, but as the disease progresses, the urine output can actually decrease, or even stop in failure cases. This disease needs aggressive early treatment with IV and oral antibiotics and intravenous fluids if the pet is to be saved. Of huge concern is the fact that this is a Zoonotic disease, meaning that people can get this disease from their dogs, and easily at that. Any patient with these symptoms, we will often recommend their owners see their own doctors.

Now for the good part, there is a vaccine. There are actually 2 different vaccines for this disease. The most common vaccine is combined with the Distemper/Parvo/Adenovirus/Parainfluenza (DHPP) that most people have heard of. This is the vaccine that most veterinarians use locally. It contains 2 of the 9 known strains of this disease. There is also a separate vaccine that contains 4 other strains, and must be ordered separately. If your pets go hiking, camping, are “off road” a lot, or live near bodies of water in our area, we strongly recommend the Lepto vaccine. If you have a small dog who never leaves your side, we are less likely to vaccinate as small pets may have an increased risk of reaction to this vaccine including pain, swelling or a mild temporary fever. So, again, if you have questions, ask your veterinarian, but if you are worried, the vaccine is the way to go.

Thanks again for reading everyone.

Well, Parvo season is back, and in full force. Parvovirus is a virus that attacks dogs intestines and eventually the bone marrow too. The common symptoms, are anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, and as it progresses, diarrhea with blood. The main cause of death in puppies or dogs with Parvo, is dehydration and infection from bacteria getting into the blood stream from the intestines. This disease is rampant in our area year round, but the cooler, wetter weather of fall through spring tend to bring it out and it is much harder to kill in the environment. This disease is completely preventable with proper vaccination. The recommended protocol for proper vaccination for a puppy is: start at 8 weeks, and vaccinate with a DHPP, with or without corona, every 2-3 weeks until the puppy is 16-17 weeks. If you are unsure of the puppy’s age, give one more and err on the side of caution because if vaccines stop before 16 weeks of age, or are more than 3 weeks apart, the puppy will not be protected against this disease. Corona is another virus that causes diarrhea, but it has been shown that if a puppy gets both parvo and corona at the same time, there is little chance it will survive. This is why we recommend the corona vaccine in our area. If you find or adopt an older puppy, 2-3 sets of vaccines 2-3 weeks apart should be sufficient. These vaccines should also be boostered at 1 year of age, and in our area, with all of the parvo, we recommend yearly thereafter as well. Adults can also get parvo if they have been improperly vaccinated as puppies, or not boostered, or years have passed.
If your pet should happen to show any of these symptoms, please contact us or your veterinarian as soon as possible because time is of the essence in treating parvo patients. Aggressive treatment includes hospitalization with IV fluids, antibiotics, blood work to monitor bone marrow function and ability to fight the infection, and calorie administration as these pets are unable to hold down any food or water. IF this is not an option, some pets will do well with outpatient care, but often this takes much longer, and in some cases, fails completely. Hopefully, this blurb about Parvo can help save a few lives, as we’ve already seen 6 cases in the last 7 days. Any questions, always, feel free to call us at Mountanview.