Carried by bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes, most humans come into contact with the rabies virus through the infection of their household pets. If an incidence of rabies is noted in your area, keep cats indoors and watch dogs while they are out in the yard. Early symptoms of rabies include restlessness and a sudden change in mood, as well as fever and the licking or biting of the affected area.

Here at Powell Veterinary Service, we would like to stress the importance of keeping your pet up-to-date on their rabies vaccination. A requirement for domestic dogs and cats, one and three year vaccine options are available and all pets must wear a rabies tag on their collar. Since there is no accurate test for the rabies virus, animals that have not been vaccinated are frequently quarantined and put down for the safety reasons.

If you believe your dog or cat has been bit by a rabid animal, contact your veterinarian immediately to receive a booster vaccine. Wear gloves and protective clothing while handling your pet and call your local health department to alert them of the incident.

Located at 25505 Co Rd 53 in Kersey, Colorado, we provide preventative care, surgery and specialty services for dogs and cats in the surrounding areas. Request an appointment online or by calling our office at 970-352-9164.

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Laser therapy is the application of a coherent light. The laser light consists of multiple light waves in which all the waves support one another. Laser therapy is a holistic, non-invasive, effective way to treat and manage many different conditions.

How does laser therapy work?

The laser beam stimulates the cells and tissue to be healthy. It also reduces inflammation so that healing can begin. By reducing inflammation, the laser is also a great tool for helping to minimize the pain of many chronic conditions, like arthritis.

What will my animal feel when receiving the laser treatments?

Laser therapy is a painless application of healing light. You animal might feel a slight tingling as the light enters the tissue and cells, but it is very minimal if at all.

How long will each treatment take?

The treatment time depends on how chronic the condition is and the depth the laser light needs to reach and be effective. However, almost all treatments will be between two and ten minutes.

How many treatments will my animal need?

The number of treatments can vary greatly based on the condition, but many pet owners notice a positive difference within three or four treatments.

What are the costs of the treatments?

At Powell Veterinary Services the charge can be a one-time charge of $33.00 as of June 1, 2015 or a four treatment package for $119.50. These services are covered by most pet insurance policies. Ask us about Embrace Pet Insurance!! More affordable than you might think!

Are the results guaranteed?

We are not able to guarantee results on every animal. However, laser therapy has been proven effective in clinical studies and in rehab settings in both human medical and veterinary medical. There are over thirty years of research which supports the efficacy of this holistic treatment. Powell Veterinary Services has several clients who have had good experience with the laser treatments.

What conditions can the laser treat?

Acute & Chronic Otitis

Intervertebral Disc Disease

Anal Glands

Gingivitis & Periodontal Disease

Hip Dysplasia

Cranial Cruciate Ligament

Chronic Pain & Inflammation

Degenerative Joint Disease

Dermatological Disorders & Hot Spots

Arthritis and Lick Granulomas

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As the 5th in our series of Top Five Tips for Assuring your Pet’s Health and Wellbeing we have compiled this general information to remember in handling your pets.

To see our 4 other blogs on this subject go to powellvets.com and select the Blog tab.

 Love & affection

• Just like people, pets thrive on attention! The more love you give, the more you’ll get back.  Studies show that a lovingly handled pet is a healthier pet. The touch of the human hand improves the function of virtually all of the sustaining systems: respiratory, circulatory, digestive, and so on, in newborn puppies. A frequently petted pet is not only healthier and happier; but also better behaved. Dogs, like humans, find solace in touching another living being, which is why they get along so well together
• Give your pet plenty of hugs, kisses, gentle pats, and love. Okay, so maybe you can’t pet a fish, but you can still show you care by talking to it, watching it, and feeding it special treats.

Exercise

• Dogs need plenty of exercise. Physical activity keeps them healthy, happy, and fit. Make sure you walk, run, hike, or play fetch with your dog every day. Not only is exercise good for your pup, but it’s good for you, too!
• Cats, especially if they live indoors, also love some quality playtime with you. This is a chance to have fun and get creative with cool cat toys.

Grooming

• It’s a good idea to brush and comb your pets every day to get rid of loose or shedding hair.
• Poke around to check for fleas, ticks, leaves, and other things that might be tangled in your pet’s fur.
• If you can, bathe dogs once a month in the summer, every three months in the winter using a hypo-allergenic conditioner (oatmeal). Most cats rarely need bathing. Cats do not care for baths, so if you feel that your cat needs a bath use a lingerie sack for bathing. But don’t overdo it! Too many baths take away the natural oils from a pet’s skin and can cause itching or rashes. Brushing both dogs and cats can often be adequate in most cases
• Cats will have fewer hairballs and shed less if they’re combed on a regular basis.

Training, if you have a dog

• Yes, Bowzer is your buddy, but you need to be his boss! If you don’t set up rules for him to follow, he may act aggressively and out of control. You don’t want your dog dashing into oncoming traffic, jumping on little kids, or growling at your neighbors, right? So you need to set up rules for him to follow and help him follow them.
• You can do this sometimes in a very gentle manner without raising your voice or becoming mean. Work with your parents to determine the rules of the house. If there’s a “no dogs on the sofa” policy, don’t let Spot on the couch the minute your parents leave the room. It’s best when all of you work together to teach your new family member how to behave.
• An obedience class is a great way to learn how to speak a dog’s language and teach her the rules of your household. But don’t expect her to be perfect — there will be accidents! Just be patient and loving, and eventually the hard work will pay off.

Pet Don’ts

• Don’t use insect sprays and weed killers around your pets or allow antifreeze to spill in any area where pets hang out. If animals get poisons on their fur or paws, then lick themselves, they can get very sick or even die.
• Don’t ever feed your pet chocolate, no matter how much they might beg. Dogs can die from eating too much dark chocolate.
• Don’t let your dog wander the neighborhood without you. She could get lost, hurt, or catch a disease from another animal. Always keep her on a leash when in public areas, like a park or busy street.
• Never give pets human medicine. Keep all medicines — human or pet — out of your pet’s reach.
• Never leave a pet alone in a car on a hot day-even with the windows cracked open. Temperatures can go up quickly and cause an animal to overheat, which is sometimes fatal.

The post A Lovingly Handled Pet is a Healthier Pet first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

^{This information is provided as the 4th in our series of fundamental instruction on assuring the health and well-being of your pet’s health.  See our other blogs at :
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http://powellvets.hms.c247.website/feeding-your-pet-the-right-food-and-the-right-amount-of-food-is-a-cornerstone-of-his-health/
http://powellvets.hms.c247.website/cleen-teeth-essential-to-the-health-of-your-pet/}}

 Keeping pets’ ears clean contributes to their health and wellness by preventing irritation and infection that can be painful and potentially lead to hearing loss. Ear infection (otitis externa) is one of the most common and significant small animal problems that is preventable.  If infections are left untreated, they can lead to hearing loss or extend into the inner ear and become life threatening. Pets are prone to otitis externa due to the long length and L-shape of their ear canals. Otitis externa is estimated to affect 20% of dogs and 7% of cats in the United States.

Remember, prevention of ear infections is the best “medicine!”

Observation of the ears regularly, and proper cleaning with appropriate cleaners go a long way to prevention of both acute and chronic otitis. I recommend cleaning healthy ears monthly. A small amount of ear wax buildup is normal for your pet. Excess hair around and inside the ear should be removed to allow for better air flow and prevention of infection. It is also recommended to treat any underlying condition (such as allergies or hypothyroidism) that predisposes your pet to ear problems. If there is a bad odor from the ears, the ear canals look abnormal, or your pet shows discomfort during routine monthly ear cleaning, see your veterinarian promptly to avoid long term painful ear problems.

Directions for ear cleaning:

1. Dry clean ears first with cotton balls and a hemostat.
2. Place a good amount of ear wash into the ear canal.
3. Massage the base of the ear for 30 seconds to soften and release any wax or debris.
4. Allow your pet to shake his or her head to further loosen the debris.
5. Wipe out the loose debris and excess fluid with a cotton ball.
6. Repeat steps 1-4 as needed until all debris is removed.

Infections of the ear

Causes or inciting factors of infection include:

• moisture (swimming, not drying after a bath)
• parasites (ear mites, ticks)
• allergy to inhalant topics, food allergens,
• foreign bodies such as grass, seeds
• bacterial/yeast overgrowth often due to inflammation of the ear canal

Endocrine disease, such as hypothyroidism, can predispose an animal’s ears to inflammation. Polyps and tumors in the ear canal or middle ear also can prevent drainage of wax and debris thus setting the ear up for infection. Narrowing of the ear canal due to tissue thickening (hyperplasia/fibrosis) prevents drainage as well.

What are signs that your pet may have an ear infection?

• Scratching or rubbing of the ears and/or head
• Head shaking or tilting the head to one side
• Pain around the ears—your pet may shy away from you petting his or her head
• Odor or discharge from the ears
• Redness or swelling of the ear flap or the ear canal
• Changes in behavior—ear infections are painful and many pets will become snappy or irritable

If you witness any of these signs in your pet, see your veterinarian for a thorough ear examination to determine the cause of the problem

Treatment of infections at your veterinarian’s office

When we see an infection in an ear we start by examining the ear canal with an otoscope checking for foreign bodies, etc. We are often unable to see very deep in the ear due to debris so the next step is to remove some debris to examine under the microscope using special stains for bacteria and yeast. We are also looking for mites, etc. With chronic infections we would have to first culture the ear before doing anything else. Next we clean the ear, tubes are often required to flush the ear canal clean. Some pets allow us do this while awake, other do not. Hopefully after cleaning we can see the ear drum (tympanic membrane TM). Topical medications will depend on whether the TM is intact or not and depends on the organisms we see on cytology. With chronic ear infections we clean and apply anti inflammatory medications until we receive the results of the culture.

Home care after treatment Home care is critical for the prevention of ear infections. This consists of dry cleaning and instilling some type of liquid ear cleaner to get deeper into the canal on a daily basis. Once ears are cleaned and dried, instill a small amount of an appropriate medication. Some animal’s ears only require twice weekly or less cleaning. I use a small hemostat and a cotton ball. Use a piece of cotton larger than the ear canal but small enough to get deep into the ear. Trust me, you can’t hit the ear drum. Gently clean all the crevices in the ear as deep as you can go. Cotton size depends on ear size. Good cleaning is the most important part to resolve your pet’s ear infection. Stay after them. It’s a long term project, often months. Just because you can’t see the infection doesn’t mean it’s gone. Ear canals are long. At least every 2 week rechecks by your veterinarian with an ear scope while the infections are active is important to be sure things are improving. I like to medicate after every cleaning.

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Many years ago I was talking to my son about his work. Although he rarely shares stories about his work as a firefighter, we were talking about a response from their crew to a horrific auto accident where there were several fatalities. I had thought often about how difficult it must be for these responders to handle this type of accident, but as he described the scene my admiration for him and all emergency responders rose immensely. To give you an idea one of his comments was “it wasn’t just that there were dead bodies, but that it was mainly body parts strewn everywhere.” Made me realize we don’t always appreciate what all is involved in someone’s work.

It is that way in a veterinary clinic also. We often think it is just the vaccinations that are required, the microchip placement, the occasional illness or the toughest of times, the euthanasia of an elderly pet, but it can be a very tough job for veterinarians and technicians on a daily basis. I think much more than what we realize. When they want so badly to help the animal and they can’t, or worse when they know the emergency could have been prevented.

This occurred in the Powell Veterinary offices recently when a beautiful five-year year old boxer was brought into the clinic. He was coughing and choking like had never been seen before. In the words of Dr. Powell “this is the closest I have seen to the walking dead.” He was suffering from congestive heart failure quite possibly caused by heartworm disease.

Now, I know I have been guilty of thinking that the veterinarian was just trying to “pad the bill” when he suggested further treatments and preventative treatments such as heartworm medication, or when it is recommended by the Veterinary Association that your animal have an exam twice a year. But this situation brought the realization that for the two to three hundred dollars spent on preventative treatments I could possibly avoid a situation such as this. Why is it that we listen to our doctor and we are willing to spend the money on examinations and medication to prevent serious illness but are not willing to do the same for the animals that we so dearly love?

I can’t imagine the guilt and the “if onlys” that this owner must be facing. Is there anything you can do to assure your pet’s health? Not always, but there certainly are some simple steps to know you did everything you could.

The post Is there anything I can do to assure my pet’s health? first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.