Fear Free Vet Visits

Going to the Vet can be very scary for your pet, especially if they are not handled properly. As a Veterinarian I love my patients, and I would never want them to be afraid or stressed when coming to the clinic. I want them to not only to feel comfortable when coming in for their check ups but I want them to be HAPPY to see me! This is why, I and my clinic pride ourselves in practicing "low stress handling" or "Fear Free"veterinary visits.  We do this for lots of reasons, but the most important is for the comfort and safety of everyone involved. I would like you to imagine what your pet is thinking when they are brought in for a visit.

Dog

Imagine someone you trust getting out one of your favorite things (the leash) and then putting you into a big metal box (the car).  Sometimes this ends up bringing you to good things (dog park) but every once in awhile you end up going somewhere where bad things happen (the vet). If you go to the vet, there are weird smells, sounds you don't understand.  They start poking and prodding you and making you hold still.  You are panting and pacing and not sure what you should do.  And worst of all, this person that you trust lets this happen and acts like everything is normal and you should just accept it. They try to reassure you but it still hurts and you're not sure what to expect the next time you get in that metal box.

Cat

You are sitting there minding your own business, enjoying your morning nap.  Your trusted owner picks you up and stuffs you into this little box (the carrier).  They take you outside where you are never allowed to go on your own and put the little box into a bigger box (the car).   It feels like you are moving but you can't really see what is going on.  You cry and cry, trying to get someone to get you out of this box and back where it is safe.  No one responds.  Finally the big box stops and you are taken into a building that has weird smells and sounds.  You still are not sure what is going on but at least you have stopped moving now.  You hear people talking and then the little box you are in is picked up and you are dumped out onto a cold table.  You freeze in fear just hoping this will end soon.  People start touching you, looking into your ears and opening your mouth and you have no idea why.  Then they hold you down and start poking you with needles.   Finally they let you go and all you want to do is get back home and hide. 

Can you see why this could create problems with getting your pet to go into the carrier, or a car or to not like going to the vet? We can't control the whole process. It's still sometimes difficult to get cats to like their carrier and some dogs still have problems with car rides (if this is your pet let us know we have some ideas that might help). Once you get to the clinic though, we can do our best to make the visit as enjoyable as possible.

Using lots of treats can help. If your pet has a sensitive stomach or is on a special diet please let us know. We do have treats we can use for them too.  You can bring special treats from home as an option as well. If your pet has been scared when they came in previously we might ask you to skip breakfast and bring it with you. A hungry dog is more likely to take a treat from us than one who just ate breakfast.

You might not realize some of the things we are doing, but something as simple as not making eye contact or turning sideways to your dog as we are greeting them can make them much more comfortable approaching us. With cats we try to take as much of a hands off approach as possible. When you get here we try to get you into an exam room right away. No sense in having a dog try to investigate what is in the carrier and really upset them. If we don't have a room available immediately, we might suggest putting them somewhere where it is a little quieter until we can get you into an exam room.  We put a towel with Feliway (a calming feline pheromone) over them to try to calm them even more. The towel blocks some of the sights and sounds and Feliway has a calming effect on most cats.
Once you are in an exam room it's best to open the door to the carrier and let your cat decide whether they want to come out to investigate or not. If they don't that's OK. They feel safe where they are. We will get them out when we have to. We try to have everything ready and do things as efficiently as possible. We usually try to take the carrier apart and leave the cat in it if they don't want to come out.  The less we move them the happier they are.  Sometimes the only thing we need them out of the carrier for is to get a weight so we might do that last.

All animals appreciate when we respect their space and handle them in a comforting manner.  Some pets are more anxious than others and for some it may be better to bring them back on a different day for the care they need and try some medication to ease their anxiety.  If you feel your pet has been very anxious here in the past and want to try medication please let us know.  We want to make things as easy on you and your pet as possible, and make it a safe experience for everyone involved.

Veterinary visit are vital to your pets health and well-being. Our pets don't understand what we are doing is only trying to help them. We wish we could explain to them that poke they felt wasn't us trying to be mean, it was us giving them a life saving vaccine that will protect them again deadly viruses. But with a calm gentle FEAR FREE approach we can ease some of that stress. We take the extra time and go the extra mile to make your pet feel safe, comfortable and happy!

For more information on our Fear Free Vet Visit and Low-Stress Handling you can visit our website at http://harveyanimalhospital.com/lowstress.pml

The Most Common Types of Cancer in Cats

Many cat owners are surprised that felines and humans sometimes suffer from the same types of cancer.  What often astounds them is learning that one out of every five cats will develop a malignant condition.  Understanding the most common types of cat cancer and their signs helps prepare owners who visit an animal clinic in St. Clair Shores to decide on the best treatment options for their pets.


Most Common Feline Malignancies


Three kinds of cancer in cats are the most common:

• Squamous cell carcinoma:  Cats are most likely to develop it on areas of the skin that remain exposed, such as the eyelids, nose, and ears.  Cats that are white and that reside in areas with a lot of sun face elevated risk.  Overall, the prognosis for this type of cancer is poor.  However, when it is related to sun exposure and treated at an early state, the results tend to be good.  While the most frequently used treatment is surgery, scientists are looking at new ways to treat cats with this condition to improve their quality of life.

• Fibrosarcoma:  This type of aggressive malignancy forms in a cat’s fibrous connective tissues.  Veterinarians treat this type of malignancy with surgery, often combined with chemotherapy or radiation.

• Lymphoma:  Lymphocytes are blood cells that fight infections.  Lymphoma results when these cells reproduce in an uncontrolled manner.  Tumors most often develop in a cat’s intestinal tract, lymph nodes, nasal cavity, liver, or kidneys.  The prognosis for a cat with lymphoma is linked to where it occurs and certain other factors.  However, as many as 75 percent of cats treated with chemotherapy experience remission.

Cat Cancer Symptoms


Even a few decades ago, cancer in a cat was invariably a terminal condition.  Even today, it is difficult to prevent it because experts are unaware of exact causes.  Survival is typically linked to spotting the signs of a malignancy and getting early treatment.

The most common signs of cat malignancies include:

• Any sore that won’t heal
• Alterations in urinary or bowel habits
• Lethargic behavior
• Vomiting
• Significant weight loss
• Reduced appetite
• Breathing difficulty
• Objectionable odor
• Trouble eating or swallowing
• Bleeding or other discharge of unknown origin
• Swelling of lymph nodes
• Prolonged lameness or stiffness
• Difficulty passing urine or stool
• An enlarging mass or lump

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The Importance of Weight Management for Pets

Pets have a healthy body mass index, just like humans do. Although a person may feel like he or she is not spoiling his or her pet by giving them all types of human food or overfeeding them their own food, it's not always healthy for them. In fact, sometimes it causes a great deal of health problems for the pet.


What a Vet Will Do


A veterinarian in St. Clair Shores may recommend an owner place a pet on a special diet if the pet gains a considerable amount of weight over a short period of time or has become overweight. The doctor may even prescribe a special variety of food to help the owner manage the pet's weight.


Why Pet Weight Management is Important


Pets may suffer from similar complications as a result of having too much body fat. For instance, the pet may become diabetic as a result of the weight and may require medications. When a pet has diabetes, it is hard on his or her small bodily organs such as the heart and kidneys, causing even more health problems for the cat or dog.


Excess weight is hard on a pet's heart. The average life expectancy of pet dogs ranges between 10 to 15 years. A pet with a heart problem has less of a life expectancy, which means the owner has less time with his or her pet. Just like with humans, being overweight has the potential to cause hypertension.


Some animals naturally have joint issues more so than other breeds. For instance, larger dogs like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds are already more prone to osteoarthritis. The excess puts even more stress on the joints, making it more difficult for animals who already have a joint problem. Moreover, dogs who are overweight are more likely to develop arthritis.


Cancer is common in certain breeds of animals. Animals who are overweight are more prone to certain types of cancer.  The extra weight can cause health issues, it also has the potential to decrease the pet's quality of life.







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Boarding Kennels and Pet Vaccinations

Dog guardians who choose to board their beloved canines at boarding kennels are sometimes surprised that the state mandated rabies and DHLPP vaccines (Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus) are not sufficient for some facilities. Many require dogs not only be up to date on these vaccines but also have been vaccinated against Bordetella within the year as well.


Bordetella


While most people are familiar with the term kennel cough, they are not familiar with the Bordetella Bronshiseptica bacterium that spreads it. While cats, rabbits, and in rare instances, humans can also be infected by Bordetella, it is most known for causing canine infectious tracheobronchitis, the above-mentioned kennel cough which spreads like wildfire through certain dog populations. Characterized by a hacking cough and a runny nose, its effects on healthy dogs are actually superficial, but in puppies or those with underlying health issues or compromised immune systems, Bordetella can be fatal. This is also true for cats that contract the condition. Since it is so highly contagious, it is highly recommended that dogs, who will be boarded, frequent dog daycare facilities, doggy parks, or grooming facilities, receive Bordetella vaccinations every six to twelve months in addition to the regular schedule of pet vaccinations in Detroit.



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When to Take a Pet to the Vet

Whether you have a Fluffy, Fido or Tweets, they all can make excellent companions. No matter what kind of pet you have, they require a certain level of care. Unfortunately, this oftentimes means taking care of the pet when she is ill or injured. You obviously want to give your pet the best care, which a pet owner can find by searching “vets near me in Detroit." You must know when it's the appropriate time to take your pet to the vet.


1. The Pet is Losing a Lot of Blood 
If your pet is losing a large quantity of blood, it's important for you to contact the vet immediately. A significant amount of blood loss may lead to the pet requiring a blood transfusion or even worse losing his or her life. The first step to addressing a blood loss problem is to contact the vet and inquire what to do to lessen or stop the bleeding until you can get the pet emergency care.


2. The Pet is Dehydrated 
If a pet isn't drinking; it's oftentimes the sign of a serious problem. Not to mention, it doesn't take long for the pet to experience side effects related to dehydration. In more serious cases, the pets' kidneys may begin to shut down. If you aren’t careful, the kidney damage maybe starting before you are aware there's a problem.


3. The Pet Has a Significant Change in Temperature 
The only way you'll be able to actually tell the temperature of your pet is with a thermometer, and generally it's stuck in a place you probably don't want to put it. However, you can tell significant changes in temperature by touching or holding the pet. A temperature that is too high indicates the pet has a fever, just like a human can get. The increase in temperature may signify an infection or another serious issue is occurring in the pet. The best treatment is to take the pet to the vet for an examination.


4. Pet is Extremely Tired
It's normal for a pet to be tired at times as a result of heightened levels of activity; however, if the lethargy lasts for an extended period of time for no reason, it may indicate an infection or another health problem is occurring. Treatment is needed to correct the problem and stop the tiredness.



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