Monty and Dr. O’Quinn in the Morning on 107.9
July 2010
HurJuly is family vacation month! It’s the best time for picnics, beach trips, and camping. It’s also our anniversary. Riverwalk Animal Hospital first opened its doors on July 5, 2000. And we’re celebrating this month with a 10% discount on boarding all month to give you the freedom to vacation with your two legged family while we play with your four legged family. Dr. O’Quinn and Monty Jett are taking this opportunity to share with our listeners helpful tips on getting safely through a fun filled summer with our furry buddies.
A big concern in the summer is snake bites. We have seen our fair share of pit viper bites this summer, and we will see more with the summer’s camping, hiking, and just playing in the grass. Realize that whether it’s a water moccasin, copper head, or rattle snake, venomous snakes in our environment are most likely to be pit vipers. This means they all cause local reaction, can cause systemic reaction, and they can all be treated with the same antivenin. Luckily this is rarely needed as it is quite expensive and can lead to severe reactions itself. Most snake bite victims are treated with anti inflammatories, antibiotics, and pain medication along with monitoring of blood tests. The most important thing to remember is not to use tourniquettes, ice packs, or any type of suction or incision at the bite wound. A quick cool water hose to remove surface bacteria and a trip to the vet is the best treatment! Most pets will survive if treated properly.
Our next summer hazard is heat stroke. We see a great deal of heat stroke during the “dog days” of summer. The best treatment is prevention. Absolutely never leave your pet in a hot car. In a matter of minutes an uncomfortable car can reach lethal temperatures. Watch your pets closely when outside. Be sure that shade, rest, and cold water is constantly available. Watch your pet for signs of heat stroke: excessive panting, difficulty breathing, weakness, collapse. If these are noted, cool the pet quickly. A cold hose or bath or ice water poured over the back can be effective. Then get your pet straight to the veterinary hospital. Heat stroke can lead to damage to the intestinal tract, kidneys, liver, or lungs. Blood work should be done, and fluids should be administered by injection. With quick appropriate treatment, our pets can survive mild heat stroke with no repercussions.
As we plan our summer trips, we may need to board our pets. How can you keep your pets safe and healthy while boarding? The most common diseases in boarding kennels are respiratory or gastrointestinal. You can help protect against respiratory disease by choosing kennels with good ventilation, good hygiene, and not too many animals per room. Make sure your dog has been vaccinated for kennel cough and influenza before boarding, and the vaccine should be a two-part series for the initial injection, given about three weeks apart. Also bring your own food when you board so that there is not a diet change. This can help to prevent an upset stomach. If your pet routinely gets diarrhea when boarding, ask your vet for medication to give the kennel staff so they can start treatment right away if the problem develops. And remember we board at Riverwalk and offer a 10% discount through the month of July!
My last summer hint is to protect against fleas and ticks. We get more of these parasites in summer months than any other time. There are plenty of great topicals such as Advantage and Advantix for dogs or Advantage and Revolution for cats that you can apply to the skin monthly to help prevent parasites. However, the effectiveness of these products can be reduced by frequent bathing or swimming. For dogs, there is now a chewable called Comfortis. This is a monthly treat that can eliminate fleas for an entire month. This is great for dogs that swim frequently or for people who don’t like that greasy liquid on the dog’s skin. And don’t forget to keep up with monthly heartworm prevention through the summer as those mosquitoes carry deadly parasites!
So enjoy your summer! Listen to Monty Jett and Dr. O’Quinn every Wednesday at 8:40 am on 107.9! |
