Naperville’s Family Practice for Dogs, Cats and Exotic pets
1827 Wehrli road, Naperville, IL 60804 (630)544-3333
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Newsletter |
In this issue
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Dental care |
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| Dancing dog | 1 |
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Dental care |
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| Your pet's
life depends on it. A healthy mouth is the door to a healthy body.
Bad breath and brown, deformed teeth are the most disturbing oral
disease signs. They are, however, the tip of the iceberg. What you
see and smell is the expression of much bigger problems at the
microscopic level. A bad mouth is loaded with numerous harmful
bacteria that cause progressive damage to the teeth, gums and the
rest of the mouth. These bacteria invade the tissues and spread to
the rest of the body in the circulating blood. Over time, vital
organs such as heart, lungs, liver and kidneys become infected which
results in damage and functional impairment.
The preventative answer is continuous dental care. Daily brushing, chew toys and tartar prevention diets are the hallmarks of oral hygiene. Start with a visit to the vet in order to assess your pet's oral condition and overall health. |
It is a good idea to start at a young age. If you get your puppy used to brushing, things become much easier when he is eighty or a hundred pounds. Your veterinarian will ensure that retained puppy teeth are not left in place to accumulate material and tartar. Retained puppy teeth need to be extracted. Use a finger brush or a square gauze to brush the teeth and massage the gums. Special flavored enzymatic tooth pastes are widely available. It is important to brush the teeth daily. A visit to the groomer once a month for a hair job and teeth brushing will do no good. Odor control products may cover up the bad smell but are not substitutes for brushing. Chew toys and tartar control diets and treats help prevent plaque and tartar build up. All dogs are not created equal. Some will have better teeth than others. When brushing alone fails to keep the teeth clean, ultrasonic dental scaling and polishing is needed.
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Your veterinarian will tell you if and how often your
pet needs such care. These procedures require light anesthesia. A
pre-anesthetic blood test is also recommended. As the years go by,
your pet ages and will need more care. Teeth will become loose and
root infections, cavities and fractures will develop. These problems
are painful and may cause pets to go off their food and become sick.
Diseased and injured teeth need to be extracted or restoration
procedures must be started.
Keep up with your pet's regular wellness and oral/dental exams so that you can ensure them the best possible care. Address dental problems before they become complicated, painful and costly. Pets over six years of age need at least two visits a year and a periodic blood test. Remember, when looking in your pet's mouth, what is there is much more than what you see.
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Dancing Doberman Disease |
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| Doberman
Pinchers are very special and popular. One of the breed-specific
diseases is Dancing Doberman Disease. The disease is
progressive and is characterized by the animal holding up one rear
leg while standing and switching to the other leg, back and forth in
a motion that looks like a dance. Over the years, the back legs
become weaker and the muscles atrophy.
Dobermans of any age or gender can present signs that start with holding the rear leg up. |
Over time both legs are involved and the dog presents the typical "dance" signs. Some dogs will knuckle and will prefer sitting on standing. The condition is not painful and affected dogs can run, jump or play. The disease is similar to hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies in humans. In some cases, there is a sensation of burning soles or discomfort with pressure on the feet. | A similar
sensation might cause constant lifting of the feet in dogs with
Dancing Doberman Disease. At the present time there is no treatment
or cure, nor cases of spontaneous recovery.
Despite the progressive nature of the disease, affected dogs appear to have a full and comfortable life and the long-term prognosis is good.
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- Friday Free Rabies. Free Rabies booster vaccine with your periodic wellness visit.
- 50% off dental scaling/polishing (March promo)
- Free heartworm test with a blood panel
Bird flue in cats
The bird flu continues to spread claiming lives of mammals and birds. Last February a case of Avian influenza in a cat was reported in Germany. The cat was found dead on the island of Ruegen. Numerous Tigers and wild felines died of the virus in Asian zoos. Poultry meat is the probable source.