What Are E-Cigarettes?

Electronic cigarettes, more commonly known as e-cigarettes, e-cigs or vape pens, are small devices that dispense a nicotine vapor that people inhale to get the same effects of smoking. The battery-operated e-cigs hold a cartridge that has a liquid form of nicotine. When a smoker ignites the e-cig, it delivers a nicotine vapor. Each e-cig cartridge contains about the same amount of nicotine as found in 2 cigarettes but without all the other harmful chemicals found in tobacco. Unfortunately, with the rise in e-cig use has come a related increase in visits to emergency veterinary clinics.

Why Are E-Cigs Dangerous for Pets?

Nicotine is toxic to animals. Before the availability of e-cigs, an animal needed to consume several cigarettes to experience a toxic effect. Cigarettes are generally not enticing to dogs and cats, and therefore they are not a serious concern for pet owners. With the increasing popularity of e-cigs, that has changed. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, calls about nicotine poisoning in dogs or cats that have ingested the liquid nicotine in e-cig refill cartridges have increased significantly over the past couple of years.

The increased danger for pets is due to the amount of nicotine in an e-cig cartridge and the fact that the aroma of liquid nicotine can be attractive to pets—especially flavored nicotine cartridges. Plus, the nicotine cartridges are often sold in packages that may contain as many as 100 cartridges. Although a large dog that ingests one nicotine cartridge may show little or no toxic effect, in a small dog or cat a similar amount can be fatal. Also, since the nicotine is in liquid form, it’s absorbed into the bloodstream faster, producing symptoms and toxic effects very rapidly. Plus, the cartridge itself can injure your furry friend’s mouth or cause a life-threatening intestinal blockage.

What Are the Signs of Nicotine Poisoning?

Nicotine mainly affects an animal’s central nervous system, cardiopulmonary system and gastrointestinal tract. If your pet ingests liquid nicotine in an amount equal to 2 or more cigarettes, he or she will likely experience drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, agitation and rapid breathing. Other signs of nicotine toxicity include shallow respiration, decreased heart rate, muscle twitching, and cyanosis or bluish skin and mucous membranes.  If left untreated, cardiac arrest, coma and death can occur.

What Should You Do for a Nicotine Overdose?

Because the onset of symptoms is so rapid, immediate action must be taken to avoid serious, even lethal consequences. There is no home treatment to help your pet. Call your vet or an emergency veterinary hospital for professional treatment. The seriousness of the toxicity will depend on the size of the animal and the amount of nicotine ingested.  Of course the best treatment is prevention. Make sure you keep your e-cigs and nicotine refills where you pet can’t get to them, and be sure to impress upon your kids who smoke e-cigs the importance of keeping them away from your animals.

E-cigs may be a somewhat healthier alternative for humans than regular cigarettes because of fewer toxins, but they are definitely NOT safer for your pets. If you believe your cat or dog has consumed liquid nicotine from an e-cig cartridge, you can’t afford to “wait and see.” Call Powell Veterinary Service at 970-352-9164 and we can begin life-saving treatment for your furry friend.

The post E-cigs: Why This Popular Smoking Trend Is Not Good News for Your Pet first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

As the advancements in medicine where animals are concerned are made, we are making great strides at early detection and prevention of many curable diseases.

As with humans, the sooner a condition is noticed, the better the outcome.

Unfortunately and recently, family dogs that were otherwise very healthy and vibrant have taken a very sudden downward spiral and are dying because of what vets are discovering as autoimmune diseases.

An autoimmune disease is when the immune system, which is supposed to attack foreign objects in the body actually turns on itself, just like with humans.

Autoimmune disease attacks organs like the spleen, kidney, liver, skin, nails, eyes, and the body. This attack happens very suddenly and causes a dog to experience extreme lethargy, anemia, and even death.

It is not necessarily that there is an increase of autoimmune in dogs; it is that it is becoming more diagnosed and recognized.

As for one family, they discovered their family dog become very lethargic with little to no appetite and then the inability to move within one week.

There are several tests as well as ultrasounds (where they would discover enlarged organs) to be run before an autoimmune diagnosis can be made and even with a diagnosis, autoimmune is hard to treat because there is no cause.

Often, multiple blood transfusions are used to help make a dog feel better and the course of time when a dog begins to feel sick and the time when they are 100% better is very long.

Researchers are working hard to determine an exact cause or list of causes for autoimmune disease in dogs as well as a quick treatment plan.

For now, however, if you notice your dog or other pet acting strange don’t wait, get to your vet as quickly as possible.

Choose a reputable veterinarian Powell Veterinary Service. We take 100% care of your pets and provide you with the comfort that we have the experience and passion, to make your pet feel its best. Contact us at 970-352-9164 for more information today!

The post Beware Of Autoimmune Disease In Pets first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

Their teeth have to last a lifetime just like ours will.

With this being said, it is necessary to establish a routine and train your pets for teeth brushing.

There are a few different things to consider before beginning brushing your dog or cat’s teeth.

The first being the size of their mouths; you cannot pull out a regular toothbrush from your drawer and begin using that on your cat or dog.

You should use a brush that will be able to get to the back teeth easily without hurting them at all.

To start training your dog for teeth brushing you should begin by putting your hand near their mouth, and rewarding them when they don’t bite or pull away.

Once you are able to touch your dog without any negative reaction from him or her, you should be able to begin the teeth brushing process.

Some things that you need to work on with your dog to get them ready for teeth brushing would be lifting the upper lips, being able to open their mouth, and holding their head in place for the brushing to actually happen.

For puppies, this training process may take a bit longer than older dogs that may be easier to work with because the trust factor has already been established.

If your puppy has gotten over the bad habit of wanting to nibble at your fingers when they go towards his mouth, licking doesn’t count here; you may be able to get away with using finger brushes.

Next, pick out a great flavor of toothpaste that your dog will enjoy, there are so many available from chicken to peanut butter, to mint.

Make sure to check the labels for anything that your dog may be allergic to, and check with your vet for brands that they may recommend.

Once you get started brushing, make it into a daily routine with lots of praise and rewards. You can then reward yourself with the next visit to the vet when you can save some money on pet dental visits or surgery.

At Powell Veterinary Service, we are here to help keep your pet healthy and happy. If your pet is in need of specialized or common veterinary care, contact us at 970-352-9164 today!

The post Tips For Training Your Pets For Teeth Brushing first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

What they eat and how much they eat must always be carefully monitored. In other words, they are creatures of duality.

Thoroughbreds are very special horses; fit and athletic. Many of these horses are entered into the world of racing, which is an extremely strenuous occupation for any horse. Often thoroughbreds live under strict diets and conditioning to remain ready for the race.

But what happens to these horses when their days of competition are over?

The fortunate ones will end up in a program like The Retired Racehorse Project.

In 2016, 450 trainers across the U.S., Canada and England will have the opportunity to acquire and train a retired thoroughbred. The thoroughbreds and their trainers will enter the 2016 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium.

Racing thoroughbreds are hardworking horses and The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) gives these animals a new life.

One of the things that makes the RRP competition and event interesting and anticipated, is that ten finalists from last year’s event will come back to compete with seventy-three new thoroughbreds.

The event showcases not only the greatest horses but also the cream of the crop when it comes to trainers, riders, and Grand Prix dressage riders.

Whether you are a former horse racing fan or a horse admirer, the competition will offer a form of entertainment for all horse lovers.

Even more amazing is that the because of the RRP, more retired horses will be re-homed and given the chance to show trainers and enthusiasts their magnificence.

With the prize being $100,000, it is not difficult to gain press and attention for the event. The best of the best are coming out to either participate or enjoy the event.

All the attention is a wonderful thing because retired thoroughbreds will have an even greater chance of finding a new home.

At Powell Veterinary Service, we provide specialized care to treat a variety of common and specific conditions that you pets might be afflicted by.

For more information on our veterinary services or about boarding, please contact us at 970-352-9164 today!

The post Thoroughbreds Find A Second Life From RRP first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.