PET TALES
Newsletter from Countryside Veterinary Service
June 2007
WARM WEATHER is here! With the return of plants and flowers comes the return of allergies. Like humans, animals can be allergic to pollen from flowers and trees. Animals can also be allergic to fleas and ingredients in their food. Unlike humans, pet allergies don’t usually cause stuffy noses and sneezing. Instead, itching is the most common symptom noticed by owners. Red skin, hair loss, constant scratching and licking, and sometimes hives or open sores may be seen. Symptoms can be treated with steroids or antihistamines depending on the severity. Identifying and eliminating the offending allergens when possible is the best way to reduce symptoms. Animals that are allergic to one thing are often allergic to multiple things, so it can be difficult to eliminate allergies. Allergy tests can help determine the cause, but often it’s a matter of trial-and-error to find effective treatment.
FLEA ALLERGY
Can be caused by a single flea bite
Sever itching, bald spots over hindquarters
Fleas may not be apparent
Need to eliminate fleas, keep on flea preventative, may need medication to calm the itchiness.
FOOD ALLERGY
Symptoms occur year round, often will have other allergies or ear problems
Try a change in diet. Can take up to 6 weeks to notice results. One bite of food can cause symptoms to reoccur
SEASONAL ALLERGY
This is a pollen allergy
Worse in the spring and fall, licking feet, swollen face, red runny eyes.
Manage symptoms with medication. Allergy shots may be effective.
INDOOR ALLERGY (mold, mites)
Symptoms occur year round. Licking fee, swollen face, red runny eyes.
Reduce pet’s contact with carpets and fabric, wash bedding frequently.
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Now that swimming season is drawing near, it is a good time to discuss EAR INFECTIONS. Yeast is naturally found in a dog’s ear, and normally doesn’t cause a problem. But under the right conditions, yeast can bloom out of control.
Moisture in the ears from swimming or bathing, and changes in skin pH due to allergies are two conditions that encourage yeast to grow. Secondary bacterial infection is not uncommon. Head shaking, pawing at the ears, crying when ears are touched, red ears, brown discharge, and foul odor are common symptoms of an ear infection. An ear cytology allows identification of the organisms responsible, and also the degree of infection, allowing us to customize medication to the individual patient. Customizing treatment in this way helps us to maximize relief in minimum time.
Cleaning your pet’s ears is fairly simple, and can be done after swimming or bathing, or any time the ears look dirty. Using an ear cleaner for pets (these are available without a prescription), fill the ear canal with a generous squirt and massage the base of the ear. You should hear and feel a “squishy” sound. The idea is to loosen debris in the ear canal and let it float to the surface for easy removal. Wipe away any excess cleaner with some tissue or cotton balls. Or clean the ears outside and let the debris fly! Most dogs will grunt and lean into the massage, it feels good. Look for a cleaner with a “drying agent” if you are trying to prevent swimmer’s ear, these cleaners will displace water in the ear canal and can reduce the occurrence of yeast infection. It is not necessary or advised to use cotton swabs when cleaning your pet’s ears. The ear canal in cats and dogs makes a 90 degree turn, so it’s unlikely that you would injure the eardrum, but you can pack debris down in there without realizing it. Homemade cleaners using vinegar or alcohol can sometimes be effective in reducing swimmer’s ear, but WILL HURT if used in an irritated or infected ear. Hydrogen peroxide is not an effective ear cleaner. It can be very irritating, even in a healthy ear, and does not treat or prevent infection.
Mites vs. Yeast
MITES:
Parasite
Itchy, sore ears
Mild to no odor
Dry brown discharge
Most common in cats
Infectious to others, requires close contact between animals
Recurrence unlikely if exposure is prevented
YEAST:
Fungus
Sore, itchy ears
Strong odor
Moist brown discharge
Most common in dogs
Not infectious to others
Recurrence is common
FABULOUS FUN FACTS FOR FELINES:
-an adult cat has 30 teeth, 290 bones, and 527 muscles
-a cat can run as fast as 30mph over short distances
-a cat can jump 5 to 7 times its own height
-Sir Isaac Newton invented the kitty door
~ ~ Source: trivia-thepetprofessor.com