Fullarton Vet Clinic
210 Glen Osmond Road
FULLARTON SA 5063
t : 08-8379 9647
Cross Road Vet Clinic
181 Cross Road
WESTBOURNE PARK 5042
t : 08-8373 1699
Allergies are common in dogs and cats. While the most common allergy seen in small animals is Flea bite dermatitis, food, plant, moulds, dust and pollen allergies can occur.
Disease may show up as itching, sore ears, asthma, diarrhoea, skin infections and many other symptoms. Unless relieved these allergies can make your pets quality of life life pretty miserable.
Appropriate treatment may involve removing the allergen (always best), desensitisation (60% success), medicinal shampoos, diet modifications, antihistamines or corticosteroids.
Arthritis is a disease condition affecting the joints. The cartilage lining the joint is worn down, causing pain.
The symptoms of arthritis can be:
Generally arthritis is worse at the start of the day and improves as the day progresses - the joint warms up and hence loosens up.
Anti-inflammatory Treatments like PBZ, Rafen, Prednisolone and newer medications like Rimadyl or the newest drug available Previcox act by providing pain relief. However, they have little effect on cartilage degradation - the cause of arthritic pain.
CARTROPHEN INJECTION
This acts to protect the joint cartilage by:
By virtue of the other actions, provides pain relief.
USING CARTROPHEN
We recommend Cartrophen as the main treatment for arthritis. It is effective in 80% of dogs with arthritis. A course over a month of weekly injections is all that is required. The injections are painless and just given under the skin like a vaccination. This ensures the effect lasts generally 6-12 months. The ideal time to commence treatment is before winter when arthritis is at it's worst.
Note: CARTROPHEN IS A PROUD DISCOVERY OF THE AUSTRALIAN VETERINARY PROFESSION** IT IS NOW BEING TRIALLED ON HOMO SAPIENS.
We have ECG machines for monitoring electrical conduction in the heart. Cardiology entails many areas of diagnosis and treatment of heart problems. The cardiac services typically can include a physical exam, thoracic radiographs, an electrocardiogram (ECG), laboratory blood analysis, an ultrasound examination. This helps us evaluate and advise treatment options for these patients.
We offer short stay on-site cat boarding at both the Glen Osmond Road Fullarton and Cross Road Westbourne Park Veterinary Practices.
Accommodation
Our dedicated nurses take care to ensure that your cat's stay is as comfortable and stress-free as possible.
If you have two cats they can stay together, or be housed separately if you wish.
Food
Cats are fed Science Diet dry food twice daily. If your cat is a fussy eater or on a special diet then please advise our nurses and this can be easily accommodated. Please feel free to bring in the food that your cat most prefers.
Special Care
If your cat has any special needs - for example a medical condition - then medication can be given whilst in boarding. There is a small extra charge for this. If your cat needs any veterinary attention whilst in boarding please advise the nurses when you drop off your cat.
Stress Reduction
Cats can become anxious when in boarding as they are creatures of habit and dislike being taken out of their normal environment. We often find that cats will eat poorly for their first day in boarding but usually settle by the following day.
The aim of Cryosurgey is to destroy unwanted tissue by freezing it several times. Cryosurgery is in effect controlled frostbite.
In the case of Squamous Cell Carcinomas that are a result of sun damage we need to remember that because there has been enough exposure to the sun to trigger the cancer to develop, it is not uncommon to have more carcinomas develop later on.
The earlier we can treat them with Cryosurgery the easier it is to get a satisfactory response.
After cryosurgery your pet will be fairly sleepy. The wound will look angry for the next few weeks. This is normal. A scab will develop over the Cryosurgery site. This will then come away and will be replaced by another scab. This process will occur several times. Finally all that will remain is a nice healthy bed of scar tissue where the lesion originally was.
Before we domesticated the family dog and cat they were hunting animals. Tearing at carcasses no doubt kept their teeth cleaner than tinned food and crunchies do today. Dental problems in pets are most typically seen as dental plaque, tartar and gum inflammation which is known as gingivitis.
Plaque and Tartar
Animals can't clean teeth like we can and so plaque gradually begins to form on the sides of the teeth. It's a mixture of minerals and salts from the saliva glands, food particles and bacteria. The problem is that once it starts it's away and new plaque builds up on old. Soon enough there can be a yellow grey look and furry feel to the sides of teeth and tartar builds up.
Bad Breath
Before you see it though you usually smell it, a friendly lick becomes no fun at all. The bacteria love growing in plaque and as the tartar pushes back the gum, infection sets in between the teeth and gums.
The reddening, swelling and infection of the gums is gingivitis. It's not just the smell that's the problem, the gums retract and cause pain and infection which will cause problems with eating, tooth decay and if things get worse, no teeth at all.
What can the vet do?
Unfortunately pets are not good at sitting still with mouth open, that's why an anaesthetic is needed to have the job done properly. All tartar can be cleaned off using instruments similar to the dentists and teeth which are badly affected can be removed. Your pet might need a short course of antibiotics to control infection.
What can you do?
If any teeth have been removed think of it as as your mouth. It's best not to feed food that might get stuck in sockets... so no mince or canned food for a couple of days. Chopped meat or dry food is better.
Whether you're starting afresh or from scratch there's a few things you can do to reduce the problem. Try to encourage chewing to keep the teeth clean. Strips of raw meat flaps, hard biscuits, and raw bones help keep teeth cleaner.
If you are really keen you might buy "Fido" his/her own Oral-B and give the teeth a clean on a regular basis.
We recommend that all female dogs and cats that are not intended to be bred from are desexed at 6 months of age.
Female Dogs: For the female dog it means no more male dogs jumping fences, unwanted puppies and no more seasons. Entire female dogs often present later in life with reproductive disorders (eg. mammory cancer or pyometra (infected womb) These problems can be drastically reduced by early neutering.
Male Dogs can make good pets either castrated or entire. For the male dog castration can create a calmer, more serene pet who will have less aggressive tendencies. Dogs that show early signs of aggression should be considered for castration although this will not guarantee correction of the behavioural problem.
Female and Tom Cats that are not pedigree stud cats should all be desexed. The stray cat population and the resultant effect on Australian native wildlife is a problem which with responsible pet ownership can be better controlled. Castrated male cats also smell less, fight less and roam less (hence picking up less infections and reducing the risk of road traffic accidents through roaming).
When pathology testing is required for your pets we can receive results by facsimile machine often in less than four hours. Due to the proximity of our Fullarton practice to the major diagnostic laboratory in South Australia urgent samples are delivered immediately by us to Veterinary Pathology Services (VPS) for rapid analysis.
We have found over the years that this diet works very well.
1 pound of lean meat
8 serves of mixed vegetables
2 pints of waterBoil to a stew - remove from heat and cool to warm:
Add 2 ounces dissolved gelatine
Add 2 cups of dried dog foodplace in a mould to set
Give same volume of meatloaf in dish as usual.
Remember that weight loss will be a gradual process and will not be instant.
We welcome our clients to use the clinic scales to monitor your pets progress.
Heartworm has been a problem in parts of Northern Australia for many years. Over time the parasite has slowly migrated south. It is now a serious problem in ADELAIDE. At this practice we have diagnosed over 200 positive dogs. We are now seeing affected dogs dying as a result of heartworm infections.
LIFECYCLE
Heartworm (dirofilariae imitis) is a parasite which spends its adult life in the right side of the heart and the associated large blood vessels. The adult worms produce microfilariae (babies) which circulate in the dogs blood stream in not hundreds but thousands per ml. A mosquito is needed to transmit the parasite from dog to dog. The mosquito sucks blood, containing microfilariae., from an infected dog. Over a period of 2-3 weeks the microfilariae develop in the mosquito into larvae and then migrate to the mosquitoes mouth. If this mosquito bites another dog the larvae travel to the heart of the new host via the blood stream. These larvae then mature into adult heartworms. It takes approximately six months to complete this cycle.
CLINICAL SIGNS
Symptoms seen in dogs with heartworm start as a chronic cough or reduced exercise tolerance. As the disease progresses the symptoms become more sever. In extreme infections death will result from acute heart or liver failure.
PREVENTION
Before any preventative measure can be taken a dog must be shown to be free of heartworm. ALL dogs over 4-5 months of age should be blood tested before starting preventative measures.
TREATMENT OF INFECTED DOGS
Treatment involves a series of injections given over a two day period, these injections kill the adult heartworm.
Four weeks of absolute rest is very important after treatment as we do not want the dead worms 'floating' around in the blood stream. After this four week period we give another injection which kills the microfilariae stage. Four weeks later another blood sample is checked to see if we have cured the infection. If this test is negative then preventative treatment is started.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Preventative treatment means giving your pet daily or monthly tablets for the rest of his/her life.Owners are welcome to bath their own dogs for a small fee using our hydrobath facilities at both the Fullarton and Cross Road practices.
Great for a mid-winter treat the hydrobath enables you to wash your dog in the comfort of warm water and a safe enclosed environment. Please phone prior to make an appointment and bring your own towels, combs or brushes and shampoo.
Shampoo can be purchased within the clinic if required.
Your pets greatest chance of being returned home! External tags can be lost, damaged, chewed, become unreadable or simply not worn - microchips stay with your pet for life and guarantee your pet will always be able to be identified.
What is a microchip?
A microchip is your pet's permanent form of identification. The tiny chip (about the size of a small grain of rice) contains a unique identification number that is linked to your address and contact information on a national integrated registry.
How does microchipping work?
How is microchipping performed?
A microchip is simply and easily injected beneath the skin by your veterinarian - just like a vaccination.
The process is completed in seconds, does not require an anaesthetic and the chip then stays with your pet for its lifetime. During this process, you will also be required to complete a Microchip Subscription Form that will contain your pet's microchip number and your address and contact information. This information is then forwarded and recorded with Central Animal Records that is part of an integrated national registry.
We stay up to date on current techniques and are well-equipped to handle fractures, luxating patellas, ruptured cruciate ligaments and many other bone and joint problems.
Our combined experience as general surgeons exceeds 50 years in practice. With this knowledge behind us we recommend that:
After Care
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS OR WORRIES PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL.
The normal length of pregnancy in dogs is 63 days, although this can vary by a couple of days either way. The time period is estimated from the last day of mating (if known.)
During pregnancy, owners should ensure:
Puppy Preschool Classes are specifically designed for pups 8-16 weeks of age to help them become social and manageable pets.
Puppy Preschool Classes are specifically designed for pups 8-16 weeks of age to help them become social and manageable pets. Puppy Preschool classes assist in the prevention of behaviour problems by teaching you the skills you need to effectively socialise your pet.
The classes are designed to teach you basic dog training techniques and your new puppy good manners. The classes are based on a positive reinforcement technique, avoiding punishments as they often lead to behaviour problems and anxiety.
The 1 hour classes are run at the Glen Osmond Road, Fullarton clinic as part of a 5 week course by our head nurse Kym.
For further details please contact us or call Kym at the Glen Osmond Road, Fullarton practice on 08 8379 9647.
We offer up to date radiography facilities and the x-rays are developed on the premises. These services include skeletal and soft tissue studies as well as specialized contrast studies. All of our radiographs are evaluated in-house and may be sent to a specialist veterinary radiologist for review. This provides us with a timely and accurate diagnostic interpretation of each study. Our X-ray machine at the Fullarton practice is one of the more powerful machines in the state.
Ultrasound examinations are performed at the Fullarton practice and provide a noninvasive diagnostic tool used to evaluate internal organs and tissue structure. Ultrasonography evaluates these through size, shape, location, internal structure, and differences in density. In addition to the urogenital and gastrointestinal organ systems, the liver, spleen, numerous other organs, and the status of a pregnancy can be safely evaluated. Ultrasound guided biopsies can provide a precise and less invasive means of obtaining deep tissue samples for histopathologic evaluation.
Your best friend needs to be vaccinated once a year, a perfect time for your veterinarian to give your pet a full check-up. Come in and discuss these important issues with us soon. Vaccination reactions are very uncommon. You should contact us immediately if any reaction does occur.
DOGS
All dogs should be vaccinated against Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis and Kennel Cough on a yearly basis.
Pups should be vaccinated at 6-8 weeks, 12-14 weeks, and in some cases at 16-18 weeks. Older, unvaccinated dogs require two initial vaccinations 4 weeks apart. All dogs must receive a booster every 12 months to maintain immunity.
CATS
Cats should be vaccinated against Feline Enteritis and Feline Respiratory Disease.
Kittens are first vaccinated at 6-8 weeks of age , at 12-14 weeks of age and then a final Respiratory Disease vaccination is given at 16-18 weeks. After this an annual booster vaccination is required. Under certain circumstances this vaccination routine is varied.
A wide variety of animal de-worming preparations are available, including basic allwormers and combination medications which incorporate heartworm prevention, flea control and ear mite control.
Heartworm prevention should begin at 12 weeks of age and must continue the whole of the dog's life. Older dogs who are not on heartworm prevention must have a test before going onto the tablets. Heartworm preventatives are available either as daily tablets or monthly tablets.
Dogs should be wormed against Roundworm, Hookworm, Whipworm and Tapeworm.
As pups are infected before birth, they should be wormed at 2, 3 and 4 weeks of age with puppy worming syrup. They should then be wormed with an effective broad spectrum wormer at 6 weeks of age and again at 3 months of age. All dogs over 3 months of age should be wormed every 3 months. If heavy worm burdens exist, more frequent worming may be necessary.
Pregnant bitches should be wormed at 6 weeks pregnant, 3 weeks after whelping and at weaning. This program minimise infection of the pups.
Cats need to be wormed regularly to remove intestinal worms. Kittens should be treated for roundworm and hookworm every two weeks until they are 12 weeks old. After this cats should be treated for roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm every 3 months.
Heartworm can occur in cats although the incidence is very low. Preventatives are available.