LEPTOSPIROSIS ALERT!

The Animal Medical Clinic Group is informing all our canine pet owners that we are identifying cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease, in the Midwest.
 
What is Leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis can be found in many animals, including livestock and wildlife. The bacteria are passed with urine into the environment.

Is This a Problem Where I Live?
The bacteria can be present in any stagnant surface water, moist soil, ponds and lakes. Additionally, natural disasters such as our current floods present an increased risk of exposure to this disease. Raccoons, opossums and rats are natural carriers even in suburban and urban areas.

Can My Dog Get Leptospirosis?
Your dog can become infected with leptospirosis by drinking, swimming in or walking through contaminated water. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream through a cut in the skin or through mucous membranes. Leptospirosis is a contagious disease and can be transmitted from dog to dog. Exposure risk increases during periods of high rainfall, such as in our early fall months.

Can People Get Leptospirosis?
Yes. While rarely fatal, it can cause severe illness.

What are the Sign of Leptospirosis in Dogs?
Flu-like symptoms are most common, including fever, loss of appetite, weakness, vomiting and diarrhea. In the most severe cases, the disease can lead to kidney or liver failure and may be fatal.

Is Leptospirosis Treatable?
Your veterinarian is the best person to diagnose leptospirosis because leptospirosis can look like many other diseases. To effectively treat leptospirosis, your veterinarian may recommend a combination of intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

Is Leptospirosis Preventable?
Yes! Vaccination is the key in preventing your dog from this potentially fatal disease. The Animal Medical Clinic Group carries a leptospirosis vaccine that can easily be incorporated into your dog's current vaccine schedule. Your veterinarian will initially recommend a two-shot series. Revaccination frequency will be based on your dog's risk of exposure.

Please call any one of our member clinics to schedule a vaccine visit for your dog. For more information about leptospirosis, please call or visit your veterinarian.

Animal Medical Clinic              815-398-4410
Animal Medical Clinic North   815-282-8387
CherryVale Animal Clinic        815-332-7387
Winnebago Animal Clinic        815-335-2314
 

Newly Available Medications

New heartworm preventative alternative
Animal Medical Clinic has recently begun offering an alternative to Heartgard Plus, the once monthly canine heartworm and intestinal parasite preventative. We now recommend Iverhart Plus, which contains the same pharmaceutical make-up, as well as identical safety studies and money-back guarantee as Heartgard Plus. Where as Heartgard Plus is a beefy meat chunk, Iverhart Plus is a smaller pork liver chewable tablet. Iverhart Plus is also more affordable with even greater cost savings when purchased in 6 or 12 packs. Please ask our veterinary staff for more details about Iverhart Plus and the new canine tapeworm preventative, IverhartMAX.

Do you need help managing your dog's obesity?
Animal Medical Clinic is excited to introduce Slentrol, a dependable weight loss medication from Pfizer. Slentrol is a convenient, once-daily oral solution than achieves and helps maintain weight loss in a 2-phase process. As with any weight loss program, Slentrol is recommended in combination with a balanced diet and physical activity. Your dog will receive a customized treatment plan that includes monthly weight monitoring.

Vomiting stops here with the new once-daily Cerenia
Cerenia is the first and only FDA-approved veterinary anti-vomiting drug developed specifically for dogs. Cerenia treats and prevents canine vomiting caused by a wide range of conditions including the prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness. For more information about Cerenia, be sure to talk to your veterinarian.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FECAL TESTING

Bringing in a stool sample every six months may sound gross, but it is beneficial to you AND your pet! Spread by passing wildlife or other dogs or cats, intestinal parasites can hide out in our beloved family pets causing nothing more than diarrhea. However, should these little beasties transmit to a human, they can result in severe GI upset...even blindness. Checking a stool every six months will help find any parasites that may take up residence in your loved dog or cat. They are easily treatable, and your entire family will be safer.

GIVING YOUR PET THE MENTAL STIMULATION THEY NEED

While many owners promote a physically healthy regimen such as walking or running in the park with their pets, most of us do not provide enough mental stimulation! Did you know that 30 minutes of play with a treat-stuffed Kong is equivalent to a one-hour walk with Fluffy? It is just as important to work a dog’s mind as his muscles for a healthy, well-balanced pet. Bored pets will try to find things to amuse themselves but those activities may not coincide with what humans deem appropriate (i.e. chewing furniture or shoes, digging...) To keep Frisky happy and satisfied, try giving her a treat-filled toy such as a Kong or Busy Buddy while you are away. These toys are even freezable for longer-lasting fun! Please see our staff for toys and recipes.

Hip Dysplasia and Large Breed Dogs

Owners of large breed puppies are justifiably worried over the risk that their new puppy will eventually develop hip dysplasia. Large breeds, whether from a kennel, private owner or a pet store are at risk of this crippling disease. It can be very painful, and by the time it is diagnosed and treated the dog has often suffered for weeks or even months. Preventing this suffering has been everyone's goal for many years.

Treating hip dysplasia is expensive. In mild cases aspirin and other pain relieving drugs can be used, but must be given for the life of the dog and are eventually irritating to the gastrointestinal tract. Surgery, which is very expensive and a lot more debilitating to the patient can treat more severe cases. The most common surgical options are:

1. TPO (triple pelvic osteotomy) -- This $1,200-$2,000 per hip surgery cuts and then re-attaches 3 bones in the pelvis to change the angle of the hip socket. Only done early in life (6-10 months of age), there is a loss of range of motion.
2. FHO (femoral head ostectomy) -- This $700-$1,000 per hip surgery removes the femoral head. This surgery results in a loss of the normal hip anatomy, and the larger the dog, the less successful the surgery is.
3. THR (total hip replacement) -- This hip $3,500-$5,00 per hip surgery replaces the abnormal hip joint with a prosthesis. It is only done at specialty and university clinics.

Different surgeons recommend different procedures based on their skill level, instrumentation, age of the pet, severity of the disease, and finances available. The entire process can be very complex, costly and emotionally draining. Most of all, this very painful disease is now largely preventable!

Hip Screening

Testing is now available that can predict which puppies are at greater risk of developing hip dysplasia. Furthermore, a surgical procedure is now available that should allow the hip bones of a puppy to develop and form a better hip joint.

Screening of large breed puppies (over 50lb adult weight) MUST be done before eighteen weeks of age (the earlier the better).

The screening consists of general anesthesia and palpation of the hips. If palpation is positive, this indicates a loose or lax joint. "PennHip" x-ray may be done to provide further verification.

Those puppies that test positive benefit from a procedure (Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis) that destroys the growth plate in the pubic bone. This causes early fusing which changes the angle of the hip as the puppy grows, ultimately providing the puppy a much better hip joint. Benefits of the surgery, compared to those required for hip dysplasia, are remarkable. There is very little discomfort after surgery. There is no "bone" surgery and no loss of range of motion of the joint; integrity of the hip joint is maintained. There is rapid healing with few complications. Also, the cost is low when compared with dysplasia surgeries.

This surgery reduces the degeneration of the hip joint beginning at a very early age. The most important factor in its success is the timing of the surgery -----IT MUST BE DONE AS CLOSE TO FOURTEEN WEEKS OF AGE AS POSSIBLE! Early detection is imperative.

Hip screening total cost only $150.00: Office consultation, pre-anesthesia blood tests, isoflurane gas anesthesia, and palpation.

**Dogs that receive JPS surgery should not be bred and spaying or neutering is MANDATORY at the time of the JPS surgery.

Remember: This surgery SHOULD BE DONE AT 13 WEEKS OF AGE OR IT BEGINS TO BECOME LESS EFFECTIVE!!

Call Animal Medical Clinic, Animal Medical Clinic North, or CherryVale Animal Clinic to make an appointment with Dr. Thompson or Dr. Buhl for your puppy's hip screening today.