Dental Disease

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, most dogs over the age of 3 have some form of dental disease. It’s the most common disease in adult dogs and includes conditions such as tartar buildup, plaque formation, inflammation of the gums, tooth decay and periodontal disease. It’s never too late to start a dental regimen that can stop or even reverse the effects of poor dental care in your dog.

The All Important Dental Exam and Cleaning

As part of your dog’s annual health checkup, your veterinarian will check his or her teeth for tartar and plaque buildup, chipped or loose teeth and inflamed gums. Your vet will also let you know when it’s time for a dental cleaning. During a dental cleaning, your dog will be anesthetized while the doctor cleans the tartar and plaque off your pup’s teeth, extracts any loose or damaged teeth, and if necessary, performs a root canal to save an infected or decaying tooth. The anesthesia is necessary because most dental disease occurs below the gum line and not visible without deep probing or even x-rays. The anesthesia allows your veterinarian to work without danger of injury to himself or the patient.

Preventing Dental Problems at Home

There are steps you can take to keep your furry friend’s mouth healthy in between dental exams. The following tools and procedures will help prevent common dental problems and their associated health concerns.

• Brush your dog’s teeth a few times a week. Use a brush designed specifically for dogs or a child’s soft-bristled brush. Don’t use human toothpaste, which can make your pet sick. Choose a pet toothpaste that contains chlorhexidine gluconate, which has antiseptic properties and helps prevent plaque buildup. .
• You can also use a dental spray after meals to help fight plaque and bacteria that can lead to gum disease.
• Dental chews are doggie treats specifically designed to remove tartar and plaque. Choose one that contains chlorhexidine gluconate or other plaque-fighting agent. Dental chews are a better option than real bones, which can damage the teeth or cause gastrointestinal problems.
• Another way to prevent plaque formation and fight bacteria is by adding a commercial plaque-fighting additive to your pet’s drinking water.
• Provide a proper diet. There are many dog foods specifically designed to help build strong teeth and prevent plaque. Choose one that has the Veterinary Oral Health Council Seal of Acceptance.
• Get familiar with your dog’s mouth. When you brush your dog’s teeth, note the color of the gums and look for redness or swelling, check for loose or chipped teeth and smell his or her breath. If you notice any changes, a visit to your vet is in order. Also look for any signs of pain, such as reluctance to eat or pawing at the face.

Don’t let your dog down by neglecting his or her teeth. Start good dental health practices early, and your pup will get use to and even appreciate the attention you give his or her mouth.

If its been awhile since your furry friend’s last dental exam or cleaning, or you’ve noticed any changes in his or her teeth and gums, give Powell Veterinary Service a call to schedule a checkup to keep your pup smiling and in good health.

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Ear infections are common this time of year, and we at Powell Veterinary Service are seeing quite a few cases. Many ear infections are due to foreign bodies such as foxtails, arrow grass, or plant awns—all the little sharp grasses that stick to your clothing and your dog’s fur. These nuisances can get into your pup’s ears and work their way down deep where they are difficult to remove. They cause irritation, which causes your furry friend to scratch and rub on the ear. This can cause open sores that allow bacteria and yeast to grow, causing an ear infection. Environmental or food allergies and damp ears can also cause ear infections.

So What Do You Do?

If you notice your dog incessantly scratching her ears, take a look. Are they red and inflamed? Is there a discharge or dark, crusty scabs? If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to consult your veterinarian promptly. A foreign body or infection can penetrate or spread to the middle and inner ear causing damage to the ear canal and ear drum, causing hearing and equilibrium problems

Treatment

Your veterinarian will take a look deep into your pup’s ear’s to see what might be causing her problems. If it’s an embedded foxtail or grass awn, it will need to be removed—sometimes requiring sedation. The doctor may also take a swab of the infected ear to determine the microorganism causing the infection so it can be treated appropriately. He or she will likely thoroughly clean the ear and send you home with cleaning materials and antibiotics.

Prevention

If you live in an area with lots of weeds and tall grasses or frequently visit them on your outings with you dog, it will be difficult to prevent contact with foxtails and other sharp grasses. But you CAN reduce the likelihood that the grass will cause an infection. After every outing, check your furry friend thoroughly for foxtails and other sharp grasses. If they are in the outer ear canal or ear flap and easily removed without getting into the ear, carefully remove it. If it is deep in the ear canal, Do Not try to remove it yourself, as you can push it deeper into the ear canal and perhaps rupture the ear drum.  And don’t forget to check her body, tail, belly and between her toes, as foxtails can bury themselves most anywhere and cause problems.

Summer may be ear infection season, but that doesn’t mean your pup has to suffer. If you notice your dog scratching her ears constantly or shaking her head a lot, give Powell Veterinary Service a call at 970-352-9164. We’ll uncover the problem and provide the appropriate remedy.

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If not discovered and treated, heartworm can be a death sentence for your pet. Fortunately, it’s easily preventable through a heartworm blood test, then a monthly preventative. If you understand the heartworm lifecycle, you’ll better understand the reasons why annual testing and monthly prophylaxis are imperative for ensuring that your furry friends stay free of this deadly parasite. Here’s a short summary of what you need to know.

A dog or cat with heartworm disease will have adult heartworms living in the pulmonary artery. These worms steal nutrients, block blood flow and inhibit breathing. Eventually, they mate and produce microscopic larvae called microfilaria that circulate in the blood.

When a mosquito bites an infected animal, it ingests the microfilaria, which grow in the mosquito into an infective state. The mosquito then transmits these microfilaria to the next animal they bite. If the heartworm larvae are allowed to survive, they will grow into adult worms in about 6 months. These worms migrate through the blood and body tissues, eventually taking up residence in the pulmonary artery, where they begin the lifecycle all over.

The good news is heartworm is easy to prevent through a monthly preventative. However, starting heartworm preventative without first testing for the presence of heartworm can result in a serious even fatal condition. The medication does not kill adult heartworms, so they will continue to thrive causing severe problems for your animal. If heartworm microfilaria are already present, the medication can cause an anaphylactic shock reaction that could be fatal to your pet.

If your dog tests positive for heartworm, it’s important to start treatment immediately as the effectiveness of treatment depends on how far the disease has progressed and how much damage has occurred.

Although both dogs and cats can get heartworm disease, it’s much less common in cats, and the test is less effective. Therefore, many veterinarians do not test or advise the prevention methods described above. However, if your cat shows signs of lethargy, trouble breathing or coughing, do contact your veterinarian, who may recommend testing for the parasite.

So yes, starting your furry friend on heartworm preventative is important, but only after you test to make sure the parasite is not already present. There are several types of prophylactic medications and they do require a prescription. More and more veterinarians are recommending year-round prevention to better ensure protection. Contact Powell Veterinary Service at 970-352-9164 to schedule a quick blood test, and get your dog the type and frequency of heartworm protection he or she needs.

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In severe cases, puppies as young as five months old will show symptoms, but the condition does not typically reveal itself until later in life. Similar to arthritis pains, symptoms include a stiffness of movement, a hard time climbing stairs and discomfort while exercising. Obesity and a lack of nutrition can increase a dog’s susceptibility to the disease.

While hip dysplasia cannot be prevented, there are a range of treatment options available for animals suffering from this condition. Worried your young dog may be at risk? Here at Powell Veterinary Service, we can perform PennHip and OFA evaluations to determine the likeliness of them developing the condition. OFA certification cannot be provided until age two. A highly credible evaluation, The PennHip evaluation can be done on puppies four months of age or older.  A distraction index is measured for each dog and is compared to the breed’s PennHip data to determine where the dog falls on a percentile basis. Above a certain percentile and your dog is not likely to be dysplastic, but below a certain percentile and they likely will be.

If symptoms are seen on the PennHip evaluation, a procedure called Juvenile Pubic Symphodiesis (JPS) can be performed to prevent osteoarthritis from occurring in the hip joints. A Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO) can also be performed on young dogs to reestablish joint stability and proper development before the onset of osteoarthritis.

For dogs already displaying symptoms of hip dysplasia, the first course of action is usually medicinal treatment. Anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers are often provided for older dogs to help them get around comfortably.

Hip dysplasia is especially common in purebred dogs and we recommend purchasing your purebred puppy from a recognized breeder whose dogs have been tested for hip dysplasia and other genetic diseases. PennHip testing is recommended for all working and hunting dogs to ensure their health and avoid the passing on of this hereditary trait.

Regardless of age, if your dog shows signs of stiffness or pain during exercise and movement, contact Powell Veterinary Service to set up an appointment. Located in Kersey, Colorado we happily serve surrounding areas including Brighton and Platteville.  Contact us online or by phone at 970-352-9164 to set up an appointment today.

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A hereditary condition that usually displays itself in dogs between the age of six months and two years, bulldogs, bloodhounds and cocker spaniels are among the breeds most commonly affected. Cat breeds like the Persian and Burmese are known to have cherry eye as well.

If you notice that a cherry eye has developed in your pet, contact your vet for treatment options. Here at Powell Veterinary Service we recommend surgical correction to push the gland of the third eyelid back into place. While a topical steroid can be applied, this medical approach is rarely successful. Performed under local anesthesia, surgery allows for a small piece of the gland to be removed and the rest to be tucked back into place, allowing for proper tear production to continue. If this option is not successful, the third eyelid can be removed. This procedure is usually suggested as a final attempt to fix your pet’s cherry eye, since it can lead to trouble with “dry eye” later in life.

After surgery, pay close attention to your pet’s eye as it heals, watching for redness in the lining of the eyelid, a cloudy cornea or thick discharge. Inflammation is normal and will take one to two weeks to go down.

Quick action is an important part of successful surgery, so please call us right away if your dog or cat is experiencing cherry eye. Located in Kersey, Colorado, we service an array of neighboring towns as well. To set up an appointment for your pet, call us at 970-352-9164.

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Many owners of guard dogs prefer to have their ears cropped to create an intimidating look to ward against intruders. Working and hunting breeds also have their ears cropped, historically for safety reasons. For example, hunting breeds used to have them cropped to protect from the bites of wild animals.

While ear wounds are not usually life threatening, they do bleed a lot and frequently need to be stitched, often resulting in scarring. For owners with multiple dogs, ear cropping can prevent your animals from harming each other during rough play.

Also, ears that flop hang over the ear canal can prevent air and light from getting inside. This can result in an increase in bacteria and infection, which can lead to permanent hearing loss. For pets with frequent ear infections, cropping can reduce the problem.

While many people still believe the AKC breed standards of cropping, we feel your pets ears should be allowed either way. Deciding to have your dog’s ears cropped is a personal decision and the choice is yours alone! If you do decide to get your pup’s ears cropped, please have a professional perform the procedure. We have seen many botched home procedures that result in pain and infection, something we don’t want any pet to experience.

At Powell Veterinary Service, we typically perform the ear crop procedure on puppies between the age of eight and twelve weeks. Ears can be cropped in a variety of lengths and in a rounded or bell shape.

Performed under general anesthesia, this surgical procedure includes the measuring, trimming and suturing of the puppy’s ears. Ears are then bandaged for support. Follow up visits take place at five to seven days to ensure proper healing and again at ten to fourteen days for suture removal. Most ears will stand in a week or two, though longer ears often take longer to stand.

To view the ear cropping procedure and some of our work, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page. Contact our Kersey, Colorado office at 970-352-9164 to learn more and to schedule an appointment for your pup.

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