What is Canine Influenza?
Canine influenza is a newly emerging (last 8-10 years) infectious disease caused by a flu virus in dogs. Just like the human flu, Canine Influenza is highly contagious and 100% of dogs will get the virus if they come in contact with it.
What are the signs of Canine Influenza?
Persistent Coughing
Low-grade fever
Nasal discharge
Lack of energy
Loss of appetite
How serious is Canine Influenza?
This virus is typically mild but some cases can become quite serious. Pneumonia can occur in about 20% of cases along with a very high fever (104°-106°). A small number of dogs have succumb to the disease or complications associated with the disease. Most dogs don’t show signs of this disease until they have already been spreading the disease for one week!
Is you dog at risk for contracting Canine Influenza?
Dogs at a greater risk include dogs that:
· Came from a shelter, rescue center, breeding kennel or a pet store.
· Board regularly or go to day care
· Attend group training
· Go to grooming facilities, dog parks
· Come in contact with other dogs
At PetWell we believe that being proactive in an effort to prevent Canine Influenza is the best way to avoid an outbreak. Immunized dogs have a significantly decreased risk of contracting this disease. Furthermore, immunized dogs pose a lesser risk to the dogs that they come in contact with. We are urging you as responsible pet owners to talk to your veterinarian about this disease and determine if the Canine Influenza vaccination is right for your pet.
Thanks for reading and we hope to see you soon!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Resolution 2011
I'm going to post one blog per month! I think that that is very do-able. I think I got overwhelmed last year with PetWells' growth, my familys' growth, etc. Blogging just wasn't a priority.
Please feel free to write, email or call with topic suggestions. The first and second topic are predetermined as January will be canine influenza awareness month and February is Dental Healthcare month. Please stand by for more information on canine influenza as I'll be posting soon...
Thanks again and happy new year to everyone!
Dr B
Please feel free to write, email or call with topic suggestions. The first and second topic are predetermined as January will be canine influenza awareness month and February is Dental Healthcare month. Please stand by for more information on canine influenza as I'll be posting soon...
Thanks again and happy new year to everyone!
Dr B
Friday, April 2, 2010
Weekend hours!
Hey everyone!
Just a quick note to let you know that I will not be in the office this weekend! We will be checking messages though so call or email if you have questions or concerns...
Thanks,
Dr B
Just a quick note to let you know that I will not be in the office this weekend! We will be checking messages though so call or email if you have questions or concerns...
Thanks,
Dr B
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Zoonotic disease!
Hey everyone,
It's been a while since I posted, as usual, but not without good reason! We are very busy :) Things are going very well at PetWell. Our client base continues to grow and we are so pleased to continually visit with so many pet lovers.
I wanted to drop a line today to briefly discuss Zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are ones that are can be transmitted from dogs or cats to humans.
These include, but are not limited to:
Intestinal parasites:
Round worms
Hook worms
Intestinal protozoa:
Giardia
Fungi:
Ring worm
I am seeing a large increase in the volume of pets with these issues and I think that the reason for this is multifaceted.
First, there has been so much rain over the last year that these little bugs are more easily accessible in the moist ground and in puddles.
Second, with the advent of dog parks (it seems like there is one on every corner now:) so many pups are coming in contact with more parasites. These parasites are ubiquitous, meaning that they are everywhere and that they are constantly encountered, but they are certainly in higher concentrations in areas where there is a higher concentration of dogs.
There is no way to eradicate these bugs for good but we can minimize the chance of transmission (from dog-to-dog and from dog-to-human) by following a few simple rules.
1. clean up after your pup whether in the dog park, on a walk OR in your yard. dogs can actually reinfest themselves after treatment by sniffing their own droppings!
2. try to prevent your pup from sniffing droppings in the park and in your yard. I realize that this is nearly impossible but do your best to minimize the behavior.
3. practice good hygiene habits. This is especially true with puppies. We (veterinarians) typically assume that all puppies have worms. make sure to minimize face licking behavior, etc especially with children, elderly and immuno-compromised folks as worm transmission is more likely in these groups of people.
Now, before everyone gets upset and starts giving away their dogs for fear of catching worms from them let me qualify the above statements: This is simply information passed along for your own good. Zoonosis happens very rarely but we can make it even less common by following this advice...
Feel free to call or write with any questions
Dr B :)
It's been a while since I posted, as usual, but not without good reason! We are very busy :) Things are going very well at PetWell. Our client base continues to grow and we are so pleased to continually visit with so many pet lovers.
I wanted to drop a line today to briefly discuss Zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are ones that are can be transmitted from dogs or cats to humans.
These include, but are not limited to:
Intestinal parasites:
Round worms
Hook worms
Intestinal protozoa:
Giardia
Fungi:
Ring worm
I am seeing a large increase in the volume of pets with these issues and I think that the reason for this is multifaceted.
First, there has been so much rain over the last year that these little bugs are more easily accessible in the moist ground and in puddles.
Second, with the advent of dog parks (it seems like there is one on every corner now:) so many pups are coming in contact with more parasites. These parasites are ubiquitous, meaning that they are everywhere and that they are constantly encountered, but they are certainly in higher concentrations in areas where there is a higher concentration of dogs.
There is no way to eradicate these bugs for good but we can minimize the chance of transmission (from dog-to-dog and from dog-to-human) by following a few simple rules.
1. clean up after your pup whether in the dog park, on a walk OR in your yard. dogs can actually reinfest themselves after treatment by sniffing their own droppings!
2. try to prevent your pup from sniffing droppings in the park and in your yard. I realize that this is nearly impossible but do your best to minimize the behavior.
3. practice good hygiene habits. This is especially true with puppies. We (veterinarians) typically assume that all puppies have worms. make sure to minimize face licking behavior, etc especially with children, elderly and immuno-compromised folks as worm transmission is more likely in these groups of people.
Now, before everyone gets upset and starts giving away their dogs for fear of catching worms from them let me qualify the above statements: This is simply information passed along for your own good. Zoonosis happens very rarely but we can make it even less common by following this advice...
Feel free to call or write with any questions
Dr B :)
Friday, January 8, 2010
Hey everyone!
Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a great holiday season and a safe New Year. Things are going well at PetWell - We have been very busy lately. So busy, that we had to hire some new employees.
Please help me welcome Melissa and Zena to our staff.
You will get to know Melissa quickly as she is going to be answering the phones most of the time. She is very eager to learn, however, and I could see her becoming a nurse before long.
Zena is a registered veterinary technician with years of experience and we are very fortunate to have her on board. Her knowledge base is exceptional and her bed-side-manner is second-to-none!
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon,
Happy New Year!
Brian
Please help me welcome Melissa and Zena to our staff.
You will get to know Melissa quickly as she is going to be answering the phones most of the time. She is very eager to learn, however, and I could see her becoming a nurse before long.
Zena is a registered veterinary technician with years of experience and we are very fortunate to have her on board. Her knowledge base is exceptional and her bed-side-manner is second-to-none!
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon,
Happy New Year!
Brian
Saturday, December 12, 2009
We are AAHA Accredited!!!
It's been 4 months of hard work but we did it! We passed our AAHA accreditation on Monday, December 7th :)
Anyone know what AAHA is? It's the American Animal Hospital Association and It's the Standard of Excellence in the Veterinary Profession.
You can check AAHA out at WWW.AAHAnet.org.
In a nutshell, PetWell Veterinary Healthcare is now one of 15% of Veterinary Clinics in North America and Canada to boast this prestigious accreditation. It is something that we voluntarily elected to pursue in an effort to let you know how much we care about you and your pets!
What does being AAHA accredited mean?
It means that we have protocols and standards. It means our records are accurate. It means we are up to OSHA standards and it means we have excellent client service practices. It means that we have protocols for almost every scenario including how to handle potentially contagious diseases in an effort to minimize the chance of spread and it means we are prepared to handle any emergency situations.
At PetWell Veterinary Healthcare we strive to practice excellent patient care and provide excellent customer service.
This AAHA accreditation means we are the standard of excellence and I am proud of that! :)
Looking forward to seeing you soon. Have a great holiday season and a safe new year
Brian
Anyone know what AAHA is? It's the American Animal Hospital Association and It's the Standard of Excellence in the Veterinary Profession.
You can check AAHA out at WWW.AAHAnet.org.
In a nutshell, PetWell Veterinary Healthcare is now one of 15% of Veterinary Clinics in North America and Canada to boast this prestigious accreditation. It is something that we voluntarily elected to pursue in an effort to let you know how much we care about you and your pets!
What does being AAHA accredited mean?
It means that we have protocols and standards. It means our records are accurate. It means we are up to OSHA standards and it means we have excellent client service practices. It means that we have protocols for almost every scenario including how to handle potentially contagious diseases in an effort to minimize the chance of spread and it means we are prepared to handle any emergency situations.
At PetWell Veterinary Healthcare we strive to practice excellent patient care and provide excellent customer service.
This AAHA accreditation means we are the standard of excellence and I am proud of that! :)
Looking forward to seeing you soon. Have a great holiday season and a safe new year
Brian
Friday, October 23, 2009
Is it almost Halloween?!
Hey everyone!
Hope you are all doing well. Things have really picked up at PetWell and we are grateful! October was a very busy month for us. Lots of new pups and kittens and lots of great new owners. I feel very fortunate when I think about how wonderful all of my interactions with my new clients have been :)
Just a quick reminder - There is alot of chocolate available this time of year. please keep it out of the reach of your pets as some sweets can cause some pretty significant damage!
Take care...
Brian
Hope you are all doing well. Things have really picked up at PetWell and we are grateful! October was a very busy month for us. Lots of new pups and kittens and lots of great new owners. I feel very fortunate when I think about how wonderful all of my interactions with my new clients have been :)
Just a quick reminder - There is alot of chocolate available this time of year. please keep it out of the reach of your pets as some sweets can cause some pretty significant damage!
Take care...
Brian
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