drphilvet

Nutrition Fact #8

2012-02-28T15:15:00.002-08:00

If a pet food label includes the phrase" with ingredient X", the pet food is required to contain only 3 percent of X (beef, chicken, seafood etc.)

Nutrition Fact #7

2012-02-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

Pet foods that are labeled "dinner", "platter", "entree", or "formula, etc. are required to include only 25% of the main ingredient (chicken dinner, beef entree, etc.). If you purchase a can of cat food labeled as "seafood entree", the manufacturer is required to include only 25% seafood in the product.

Nutrition Fact #6

2012-02-03T22:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients are listed in descending order by their predominance by weight. However, weight values are not included in the ingredient statement, meaning that the listed ingredients could vary by weight only 0.1 percent, or by 20 percent.

Nutrition Fact #5

2012-02-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Formulation method v. feeding trial method: If your pet's food label says something to the effect of "This food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials..." rather than "Animal feeding test using AAFCO procedures substantiate that this food provides complete and balanced nutrition...", it means that the food did not undergo actual feeding or digestibility trials. The formulation method is quicker and cheaper, but does not document the effect on animals.

Nutrition Fact #4

2012-01-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

Are by-products bad? Not really. They may actually be the best thing to feed pets because of the nutrition they contain and because they use parts of animals that would otherwise be thrown away when producing human food. By-products include vegetable oils, chicken fat and pork, chicken, and beef liver-the internal organs of animals used for human consumption that would otherwise be trashed.

Nutrition Fact #3

2012-01-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

So what is organic? Foods that are labeled "organic" must be certified as organic in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and AAFCO regulations. In order for a product to carry the USDA organic seal, at least 95% of its content must be organic by weight. To be organic, the components of a product must be grown with only animal or vegetable fertilzers, such as manure, bone meal, compost etc.

Nutrition Fact #2

2012-01-09T22:25:00.000-08:00

We hear the word "natural" all the time. When it refers to pet food what does that mean? According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) the term "natural" requires a pet food to consist only of natural ingredients that have not been subjected to chemical synthesis. (My note: that would include most pet foods whether they are labeled "natural" or not). Natural does not mean that the food is also organic.

Nutrition Fact 1

2012-01-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

Does your pet's food boast the label "holistic"? Don't believe it. There is no legal definition of the term under pet food laws. Anyone can claim that their food is "holistic".

New Year's Resolution

2012-01-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

I resolve to blog more in 2012. The past few months have been extremely busy, not just with patients but we are in the process of computerizing the practice. We also started a facebook page and a website. The website for now is just a "canned one" that we'll be personalizing as we have time (www.southviewanimalclinic.com).

I'm going to start a series of blogs on 9 nutrition facts that appeared in an Article in "Trends" a publication for veterinarians published by the American Animal Hospital Association taken from the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Some of these surprised me.

August Topics

2011-08-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

Blue Green Algae (Microcystin) blooms are a common late summer/fall problem in Iowa lakes and ponds. They're important to keep track of because the toxin from the algae can be deadly to pets and humans. The Iowa DNR and Iowa Public Health have issued warnings for Black Hawk Lake and Lake of Three Fires. I get notice of public health threats through IRVIN, the Iowa Rapid Veterinary Information Network, and try to pass them on as they occur. For more information on Microcystin toxin see my blog post for Sept. 15th, 2009.

I haven't seen the usual high numbers of fleas so far this summer. A couple of possible reasons: flea reproduction can actually slow down in extreme heat and dry conditions when fewer larvae survive to pupate. This will change soon. Also, the newer flea medications are getting more and more effective. Studies on Vectra have shown that that only 25 percent of fleas live long enough on protected pets to bite. This is the best in the industry. For more information see the Sept. 21st, 2010 post.

Cat Food Recall

2011-08-02T13:51:00.001-07:00

Nestle Purina has issued a voluntary recall on Purina One Vibrant Maturity 7 Plus cat food because of possible Salmonella contamination. The 3.5 pound and 7 pound dry food bags are the target of the recall. No other Purina foods are suspected. The packages carry a "best by" date of 5/12. The UPC codes are 17800 01885 for the 3.5# bags and 17800 01887 for the 7# bags. If you have purchased the recalled food discard it and call Purina @800-982-6559 or visit their website for refund information. Iowa is one of several midwest states affected. If you're an out of state visitor to our blog google Vibrant Maturity cat food recall, you'll get a gazillion hits that list the affected states.

Pig's Ears and Salmonella

2011-06-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

Just received a bulletin of another pigs ears recall due to Salmonella contamination. Pigs ears are a notorious source of salmonella infections in dogs as are raw meat diets. Since the raw diet craze there have been numerous reports of not only associated infections in dogs but reports of infections in humans who had contact with dogs who ate raw meat diets. Just a little "buyer beware".

Top 10 Medical Conditions

2011-04-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

Veterinary Pet Insurance of Brea, CA released the 2010 top 10 medical conditions from a data search on insurance claims on nearly a half million pets.
For Dogs:
1. Ear infection
2. Skin allergy
3. Skin Infection
4. Vomiting/Gastritis
5. Diarrhea/Enteritis
6. Arthritis
7. Bladder infection
8. Soft tissue trauma
9. Non-cancerous tumor
10.Hypothyroidism

For Cats:
1. Lower urinary tract disease
2. Vomiting/gastritis
3. Chronic kidney failure
4. Hyperthyroidism
5. Diabetes
6. Skin allergy
7. Enteritis/diarrhea
8. Periodontitis/dental disease
9. Ear infection
10.Upper respiratory infection

April Things

2011-04-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

Easter lilies are highly poisonous to cats. In a communique from the Pet Poison Helpline released April 4th to the media and veterinarians they warn that all parts of the plant are toxic- the petals, leaves, stem, and even the pollen. Cats that ingest as few as one or two leaves or even a small amount of pollen while grooming their fur can suffer severe kidney failure. Symptoms start within six to 12 hrs. after exposure. Clinical signs include loss of appetite, lethargy and dehydration. As symptoms worsen some cats will have disorientation, staggering and seizures. Since there is no antidote veterinarians attempt to lessen the toxic effects with drugs to inhibit intestinal absorption and i.v. fluids to flush the poison through the kidneys.

April 15 was the traditional date in Iowa (earlier south of us and later north of us)to start dogs back on heartworm preventive. Now, most heartworm preventives also contain drugs to control intestinal parasites and year round prevention is recommended. It's only an additional three months of the year anyway and it also protects dogs from exposure of a very late or very early mosquito hatch. Remember also that heartworm preventives don't kill the heartworm larvae until they have been in the body from a mosquito bite for six to eight weeks. That's why we give it until very late fall or early winter. If your dog hasn't been on heartworm preventive or if you have interupted the monthly preventive you should test now. If your dog has been on continuous monthly preventive you should test one year after the last test regardless of what time of year it was.

Its also time to restart flea and tick control if you haven't been using something year around. There are some new products this year. Stop by the office for more info.

Hormone Creams Risk to People and Pets

2011-03-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

From a recent comminique from the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association to its members: An article in the October 26th, 2010 issue of The New York Times reported that some veterinarians have been seeing mysterious hormonal changes in some dogs and cats such as males showing swollen breasts and hair loss while spayed females exhibited signs of "heat" (estrus). It was discovered that the animals had had close skin to skin contact or had licked their owners skin after they had applied creams that are used to control symptoms of menopause. You can find the article from the Times and a report from the F.D.A. on the risk of accidental exposure to pets and children related to human estrogen hormone products by going to these links:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/when-creams-expose-others-to-risks/

http://www.avma.org/issues/drugs/Evamist_10079.asp

More Rocks

2011-02-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

This case doesn't involve ingested rocks but "rocks" or stones (cystic calculi) that can form in the bladder when minerals that are normally dissolved crystalize out in the urine. At first the crystals are microscopic but can build on each other like a lattice work until they are large enough to irritate the bladder lining or even block the flow of urine. I've seen bladder stones that ranged from the size from grains of sand to hen's egg. These photos show the stones visible on x-ray, the stones following surgical removal, and the placement of the last suture in the bladder following removal. The patient is an 8 year old Miniture Schnauzer.

Please Don't Eat the Rocks

2011-02-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

Bottom photo: 2 rocks visible in the small intestine. The angular one was blocking the small intestine. A 3rd. rock is in the stomach to the left of the other two, not as easily seen because it is partially whited out by the stomach. The rocks were successfully removed surgically through 2 incisions in the small intestine (enterotomy) and 1 in the stomach (gastrotomy).

Top Photo: Ben on suture removal day feeling much better.

Don't Ignore the Lump!

2011-02-15T14:09:00.000-08:00

The huge majority of growths in the skin (cutaneous) or under the skin (subcutaneous) are benign. The problem is that you can rarely tell the difference from just looking at them. The most common malignant cutaneous skin tumor in the dog is the mastocytoma, also called mast cell tumor. It makes up 16 to 20 percent of all skin tumors in dogs. They can vary greatly vary in appearance. While most malignant cutaneous masses are firm and often nodular, the one in the photo on a dog's abdomen had the appearance of a fleshy benign patch of skin on a mammary gland. A "needle biopsy" revealed mast cells and subsequent surgical biopsy comfirmed that it was a mast cell tumor.

Fleas, Fleas, Fleas

2010-09-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick flea quiz: In which of these months do we see the highest numbers of animals coming into the clinic with fleas? February, May, August, or November? In ideal weather conditions fleas can double their numbers every 2 weeks. This doubling causes a geometric progression in flea numbers (like 2x2=4, 2x4=8, 2x8=16 and so on) so in just 8 weeks a single male and female flea hiding under your sofa can produce 1024 offspring! It doesn't take too many more doublings until the numbers are off the chart. Flea numbers don't begin to slack off until we get several killing frosts. Also, when it cools down in the fall fleas will stay on the animal to keep warm and jump off to lay their eggs in a warm environment like your living room where they will continue to reproduce (although at a lower rate) indefinately. So, when would you expect to see the highest numbers of fleas? Just before a killing frost in the fall like early November. The point of all this: don't slack off flea control in the late fall. Continue with monthly control at least through December. So far this year we're seeing excellent control with Vectra (monthly spot-on), Comfortis (monthly oral tablet), Sentinel (oral tablet that prevents eggs from hatching into larva), Revolution (monthly spot-onthat also prevents heartworm) , and good to very good control with Frontline. Remember that Sentinel and Comfortis do not kill ticks.

Microcystin Toxin Alert

2010-07-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

The Iowa Department of Public Health has issued a microcystin toxin alert for Lake of Three Fires near Bedford in Taylor County. These toxins from blue-green algae are a serious health risk to both humans and dogs. See previous blog post for Sept. 15, 2009.

Public Health Warning

2010-05-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

The American Veterinary Medical Association has issued a public health warning regarding rodenticides that contain phosphides, usually in the form of aluminum phosiphide or zinc phosphide. Common brand names include Gopha-Rid, Arrex, Phosvin, and Ratol. Human exposure has occurred when an animal who has ingested the rat poison vomits either from exposure to the poison or when vomiting is induced to rid the animal's stomach of the poison. The chemical produces phosphine gas in the stomach which is released into the air after vomiting. The dry form and the gas are extremely poisonous to humans and pets. If a pet ingests phosphide rodenticide and vomits in a indoor setting all humans and pets should vacate the building and call your local fire department for further instructions from Haz-Mat personel.
For more information go to www.avma.org/public_health/phosphine_gas/default.asp.

Arthritis Studies

2010-05-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Two recent studies on the effects of omega -3 fatty acids and arthritis in dogs were published in the January 1 and March 1 issues of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The studies involved 274 dogs with osteoarthritis. In each study one group was fed a diet supplemented with 3.5% omega-3 fatty acids (Hill's Prescription Diet JD). The other group (control group) was fed the same diet without the added omega-3 fatty acids. Each study lasted about 3 months. The first study looked for improvement of arthritis symptoms with the use of force-plate analysis, a computer assisted machine that measures how much weight the dog is placing on each limb, as well as subjective evaluations of the researchers. The study showed that 82% of the omega-3 fed group were improved versus 38% of the control group.

In the second study both groups of dogs (omega-3 group and a control group) received carprofen (Rimadyl (c) Pfizer) a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NASAID). The study showed that by supplementing omega-3 fatty acids the dosage of carprofen could be reduced. This is significant because of the relatively high cost of prescription NASAID drugs.

(The photo shows severe osteoarthritis in the knee of a 13 year old dog)

Rabies Post Script

2010-04-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

Just after I posted the Iowa rabies cases I picked up an article in the journal Veterinary Medicine (Jan 2010) regarding world wide pet overpopulation and its effect on humans. In India 20,000 people die of rabies every year mostly from bites from the country's estimated 30 million stray/unwanted dogs. Many of the deaths are children. In contrast in the United States only 27 people have died of rabies since 1990. Just another reason to be thankful for where we live.

2009 Rabies Cases in Iowa

2010-04-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

The state veterinarian's office has released the 2009 rabies case numbers. There were 35 total for the year. Usually the majority of cases in the northern part of the state. In 2009 there were 24 cases in the counties north of Polk County and 11 south of Polk County. There were no cases in Polk County which is kind of unusual. There were 5 cases in the 8 counties that surround Polk. The species distribution for the state was: 13 skunks, 11 bats, 5 cows, 3 cats, 2 dogs, and 1 squirrel. Squirrel rabies is very uncommon. The remainder of the species distribution was not surprising.

Heartworm Testing

2010-03-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

If you're not using monthly heartworm preventives year round you should have your dog tested between now and April 15. This is the optimum time to test since there is a 6 month lag between the time heartworms are contracted from an infective mosquito to when the heartworm test can first detect adult worms in the heart. We are actually testing for last summer's infections. As soon as your dog tests negative you can begin the preventive again. You should give it monthly at least from April 15th through December 15th. Many people stop heartworm preventives after the first frost which is usually way before December 15. Since the preventive doesn't kill the immature heartworms until they have been in the body for 6-8 weeks stopping prior to then will allow the immature heartworms to enter the heart and mature into adults. The safest method of heartworm prevention is to just give it year round. It's only an additional 3 months and you get intestinal worm prevention which is present in most heartworm preventives year round. Another reason to give it year round: we've had mosquito hatches in the past during that 3 month period.
If you're using 12 month protection you can test your dog 1 year after the last heartworm test regardless of the time of year. Check with us if you missed any doses though.

A Little More Toxicology

2010-02-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

Veterinarians have known for a long time that there are certain foods that are safe for people that are toxic to pets, chocolate for an example. But it seems like the list grows a little every year. In the past year or two we've learned that grapes/raisons and xylitol (an artificial sweetener used in gum and candy) can cause life threatening illness. I've had 3 cases of xylitol ingestion in the past 6 months. One dog was a repeat offender. In all 3 of these cases the dog got into a purse and ingested several sticks of gum.

I found an article for pet owners on the a.s.p.c.a website regarding this problem with a list of potential toxins. There was one on there I didn't know about (avacados? I had no idea- sometimes these things hit the mass media before the veterinary literature.) Check out the article at www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/people-foods.html

Human Medicine Poisoning in Pets

2010-02-10T14:54:00.000-08:00

The Pet Poison Helpline reports that nearly half of the calls they receive involve human medications both over-the-counter and prescription. The top ten are:

1. NSAIDs (eg. Advil, Aleve, and Motrin)

2. Acetaminophen (eg. Tylenol). Side note: acetamenophen is especially deadly in cats.

3, Antidepressants (eg.Effexor, Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro)

4. ADD/ADHD (eg.Concerta, Adderall, Ritalin)

5. Benzodiazepines and sleep aids, (eg. Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien, Lenesta)

6. Birth control pills (eg. estrogen, estradiol, progesterone)

7. ACE inhibitors (eg. Zestril, Altace)

8. Beta-blockers (eg. Tenormin, Toprol, Coreg)

9. Thyroid hormones (eg. Armour desiccated thyroid, Synthroid)

10. Cholesterol lowering agents (eg. Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor)

Pet Poison Hotline is a service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for pet owners, veterinarians and veterinary technicians that require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. The helpline fee is $35 per incident and includes follow-up consultation for the duration of the poison case. Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/

Canine Influenza Update

2010-01-18T15:11:00.000-08:00

I chaired a continuing education meeting of the Greater Des Moines Veterinary Association last Tuesday on an unrelated topic but since we had 40 to 50 local veterinarians there, at the end of the meeting I asked the audience for a show of hands if they had seen any confirmed cases of Canine Influenza. No one had so I asked if anyone had seen any suspected/unconfirmed cases and 4 or 5 raised their hands. The big question is whether or not to vaccinate. I've heard that some boarding and grooming establishments are requiring it. Most infectious disease experts believe it will be everywhere eventually like distemper and parvo. I'm leaving it up to the individual dog owners to decide and a small percentage are opting to vaccinate to be prepared for when or if it becomes endemic in this area.

No panic pet food recalls

2009-11-17T12:41:00.000-08:00

The following brands of pet foods have some lot numbers under recall for reasons not considered highly serious:
Diamond Pet Foods, Premium Pet Foods: cat foods, several lots, thiamine (vitamin B1) deficient.
Wysong: certain lots of dry dog foods, mold contamination (but no mycotoxins).
Nutro Products: several lots of dog foods contaminated with worker's plastic hat.

If you are feeding any of these foods please contact us and we will give you the affected lot numbers.

H1N1 in an Iowa cat

2009-11-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

The state veterinarian's office and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health issued a press release today ( so you may see it in tomorrow's news) that the human H1N1 virus was isolated in an Iowa cat whose owners had had the H1N1 virus. Dr. Anne Garvey, Iowa Public Health veterinarian says that cats can get sick from the H1N1 virus with similar symptoms as people. In most cases the cat gets the virus from humans living in the same household. They caution people with suspected H1N1 to wash hands frequently to decrease the chance of spreading it to their cats. (A truth in blogging disclaimer: The cat in this picture is not the cat that tested positive for H1N1)

Zoonosis Risk for Hunters

2009-10-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

With the onset of the hunting season I wanted to pass on some information on Zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans). According to a fact sheet from the American Veterinary Medical Association, "Hunters can be exposed to infectious diseases not only from infected animals, but also via insect vectors and contaminated soil and water." To access the A.V.M.A. report go to: http://www.avma.org/public_health/zoonotic_risks/hunters.asp.

Dog Flu

2009-10-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

I'm sure some of you have been hearing news reports about canine influenza. Some have been grossly sensationalized ("KILLER DOG FLU!"). Since the first reports of it in 2002 it's been found in about 30 states but has only been commonly seen in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. It was reported in Iowa a few years ago at a dog track. In checking with the State Veterinarian's office and the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association I haven't been able verify any other cases. It is considered an "emerging virus" however which means there's good chance that we'll see here eventually.

Canine Influenza is caused by the Influenza Type A , subtype H3N8 virus. Sympoms are much like human flu viruses: cough, fever, lethargy, nasal discharge, and lack of appetite. Symptoms can be similar to "kennel cough" and it is spread the same way-by aerosal tranmission or contact with contaminated objects such as food bowls etc. The percentage of dogs exposed to it that become infected with it (morbidity rate) 80%. The mortality rate is 1 to 5%. The most common risk senario would be dogs that go to boarding/grooming facilities, dog parks, and retail pet stores that allow dogs in the store.

There is a vaccine available (Schering/Plough). It requires 2 doses spread 3 weeks apart and then annual boosters. I plan to have some of the vaccine on hand for those who want to vaccinate their dogs in anticipation of an outbreak but I'm not recommending widespread vaccinations unless I hear of outbreaks closer to home. I'll keep you posted.

If you'd like more information on H3N8 like what the H and the N stand for or how many nanometers wide the virus is the best website I've found is http://www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/canine_bgnd.asp.

A Bad Kind of Bloom

2009-09-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

I recently received some information from the state veterinarian's office about a blue-green algae (Cyanobacter) bloom in Pleasant Lake near Fairfield. While that won't likely affect any of us algae blooms can occur in any body of water and can be a threat to people and pets. The report stated that "Blue-green algae blooms can occur in warm, slow moving waters that are rich in nutrients such as fertilizer runoff or septic tank overflows. Blooms can occur in late summer or early fall. Within a few days a bloom can cause clear water to become cloudy. The blooms usually float to the surface and can be many inches thick, especially near the shoreline. Microcystin toxin is released by the algae. Both humans and animals can get microcystin poisoning from exposure to contaminated water. Animals can get sick if they have been swimming in water where algae blooms have been and ingest significant amounts of water containing microcystim toxin by licking themselves after leaving the water. In addition, animals can be exposed to fatal doses of microcystin toxin if they drink from the water's edge where scum layers accumulate." Microcystin is a liver toxin. Symptons can include weakness, reluctance to move, lack of appetite, pale mucous membranes (eg. gums, conjunctiva) confusion and/or behavior changes, acute liver failure and/or death.

Blossom 3-1-92 to 9-2-09

2009-09-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Blossom came to us in August 2006 to be euthanized because her previous owner was moving and didn't want to take her with her. She was 14 but in good health. We couldn't seem to get the euthanasia solution out of the lock box. After a few days we called the previous owner and got permission to find a home for her. She adapted well to life at the clinic. In December a lady expressed interest in her so we adopted her out thinking a home home rather than a clinic home would be nice. In a few days the lady called us saying that the cat had "invisible mites" that were biting her so Blossom came back to the clinic to live out her days.

A couple weeks ago she developed a serious infection that despite antibiotics her old body couldn't fight off. We had to get the euthansia solution out of the box and put her to sleep last Wednesday.

Thanks to all of you who gave her a little attention when you were here and we apologize to those pets who got too close that she wacked with her clawless paws. She never got over the idea that this was her clinic and all of the pets that came in every day were intruders.

Teeth and Hearts

2009-08-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

Veterinarians have long suspected that there is a link between periodontal disease and certain types of heart disease in dogs. Studies have shown that to be true for people but little research had been done in dogs. A veterinary epidemiology study at Purdue University that involved examining medical records of 118,000 (!) dogs has just been completed. 59,000 dogs with periodontal disease were compared to 59,000 dogs without periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is defined as disease of any of the structures that surround the tooth, primarily the gums (gingivitis) and the bony sockets. Each group was similar in age. The group with periodontal disease had a significantly more endocarditis (infection of the tissue lining the heart and heart valves) and cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle). It is suspected that bacteria from infected gums (gingivitis) and the other supporting tissues of the teeth including the bones migrate through the bloodstream to the heart and cause infection. Congestive heart failure from valve and myocardial disease is a major cause of death in dogs. Periodontal disease is present in 75% of adult dogs. Regular professional dental cleanings with appropriate treatment of periodontal disease has now been found to be an essential preventative medicine measure to prevent cardiac disease and extend life expectancy in dogs.

Heartworm Disease

2009-07-23T22:50:00.000-07:00

The American Heartworm Society, a group of scientists dedicated to the study and elimination of heartworm disease recently reported that heartworm disease is increasing in incidence nationwide. This mosquito borne disease has been reported in all 50 states and has been in the Des Moines area since about 1973. Heartworm disease is easily prevented but difficult and expensive to treat. With the ideal conditions for mosquito reproduction this summer it is likely that we could experience an increased number of cases next spring. There is about a 6 month delay from when a dog is infected from a carrier mosquito bite until the heartworms develop into the adult stage in the heart and cause symptoms or death. Bottom line: Be sure to give the heartworm preventative to your dog every month. If you dog hasn't been tested in the past year please make an appointment and begin the preventative as soon as possible. We recommend year around preventative as the new heartworm preventatives also contain medications to prevent intestinal parasites as well. Iverhart Max provides the most comprehensive protection for both heartworm and intestinal parasites. Also be aware that heartworm preventatives and prescription monthly flea medications are sold exclusively to veterinarians. Products sold over the internet are diverted and possibly counterfeit products and their authenticity and effectiveness cannot be guaranteed. For more information on heartworm disease check out the American Heartworm Society's website at www.heartwormsociety.org and click on pet owner resources.

Important Info on Rabies Revaccination

2009-07-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

The State of Iowa has recently clarified rabies revaccination requirements. A memo from the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association to their member veterinarians states: "An initial rabies vaccine should be boostered in one year. At that point, Iowa law follows the vaccine manufacturer's recommendation for booster vaccination. (then) If a 3 year vaccine is administered, the vaccine should be boostered prior (emphasis mine) to the 3 year expiration date....Iowa Department of Agriculture rules require a booster in one year if the 3 year vaccine has expired." Basically this means if you are 1 day late getting a revaccination of a 3 year vaccine your dog is considered unvaccinated for rabies and we can only issue a 1 year certificate and must booster again in 1 year rather than 3.

Why a blog?

2009-07-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

On an almost daily basis several bits of information come across my desk that would be of help to our clients and other pet owners. I thought that a blog would be the easiest and quickest way to pass that information along. In addition, I thought it would be fun to feature a particular patient or an interesting case. I'm looking forward to the opportunity for more communication with you and I hope you will check in with our blog frequently.