AAHA party!

Last night was our clinic party to celebrate our AAHA re-accreditation. We are so lucky to have such a dedicated team who work together daily to achieve and surpass the requirements to be an AAHA clinic - including the 900+ standards of care! We are proud to be one of the 15% of hospitals in the US and Canada that are accredited. 

Enrichment for Indoor Cats

Enrichment for Indoor Cats: We all know that the safest place for our feline friends is indoors. 

Cats that are allowed to roam could be exposed to deadly viruses, dangerous encounters with other animals and all types of trauma related accidents such as being hit by a car. However, there are safe ways that we can allow our cats fresh air from time to time.

For the luckiest of felines there are outdoor enclosures. Just do a google search or get on pinterest and search for cat enclosures and you will be amazed at what you will find.

Another option is a containment system in the backyard such as Cat Fence-In (www.catfencein.com). Kittens can be taught to walk with a leash and harness. This is best done with kittens before 14 weeks of age.

Just remember, cats are remarkable creatures and fantastic escape artists. Even with enclosures and containment systems, they should not be left unattended!

- Dr. Hurley 

Dorothy Schuld-Johnson, LVT Featured in AAHA Trends Magazine

Animal Hospital of Rowlett Licensed Veterinary Technician, Dorothy Schuld-Johnson (bottom) was recently featured in American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) Trends Magazine. Way to go, Dorothy!

Animal Hospital of Rowlett Veterinary Clinic

Oral health month

October is Oral Health Month and you can SAVE MONEY with a discounted professional dental cleaning!  Call today to schedule your pet's appointment, as appointments fill up quickly. Does your pet have bad breath? Unfortunately, most pets do and this is not normal. The foul odor you smell is caused by an infection in their mouth. The most common cause of infection in your pet’s mouth is periodontal disease, which affects over 75% of pets over 2 years of age. Periodontal disease is a progressive and irreversible loss of the structures surrounding the teeth caused by chronic infection and inflammation in the mouth. When your pet eats, residual food particles in the mouth promote growth of bacteria. The bacteria form a slime layer, known as plaque, which attaches to the teeth and hardens to form tartar and calculus.  The first step in treating periodontal disease requires cleaning the teeth and surrounding tissues. Because your pet will not lie down quietly for a dental cleaning, general anesthesia is required. To prepare anesthesia, your veterinarian will do a thorough examination of your pet, perform blood work and discuss the procedure with you. Your pet will be monitored closely throughout the entire procedure: your pet’s safety is our primary concern. After the teeth are cleaned, X-rays will be taken of the teeth to check for pathology hiding below the gum line.  Your veterinarian will discuss with you any other procedures that may need to be performed.   Your veterinarian will take radiographs, like this one, to look for specific dental issues hiding under the gum line.  For more information about dental cleanings and other services provided by Animal Hospital of Rowlett/Animal Hospital of Heath, please visit www.ahrdvm.com or for an estimate you can reply to this email.  Sincerely, The Doctors and Staff of AHR/AHH   Dental Health

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Cat Food Myths

We polled our Facebook fans to see whether #wetcatfood or #drycatfood would be the winner...the question was "which food is better for cats - wet or dry"

Our poll ended with about 3/4 saying #wetcatfood and about 1/4 saying #drycatfood...

The correct answer to what your cat should be eating is.....

#WETcatfood

Here are some reasons why:

1)  There is more moisture:  helps to flush kidneys, cats are natural desert animals so they don't drink very much, you can even put chicken broth on food for added moisture as a treat! Bob loves this.

2)  There is more protein:  cats use protein for their quick energy, not glucose. Cats can't digest glucose and they use up all their insulin when they get too many carbs (dry food) and they become diabetic.  Yes, dry food makes cats diabetic.  Some cats have their diabetes cured just by switching from dry food to wet food.  Its that good.

3) The public embraces dry food because it makes poop firm, it doesn't smell, its convenient to leave out for the cat all day, etc. Since 1960, dry food has become more popular and the instance of diabetes in cats has skyrocketed.  They have even changed the "normal" values for what is considered diabetic because of the increase in instances of diabetes.  

4)  To make dry food, companies have to put in a certain number of carbs - it is what makes the "kibble".  Carbs for cats= bad!    

5)  Cats don't chew their food, they shovel, so dry food does nothing to keep their teeth clean.  In fact, cats have a tongue that acts as a natural toothbrush, so they are actually brushing their teeth all the time.  

Dr. Hurley wanted to add that "Cats are awesome" and Bob agrees.    

Don't forget the dog while kids are back in school...

While many of us are sending the kiddos back to class, we forget about the time they spent playing and chasing the dog around all summer. Now, doggie is bored at home alone and could use some enrichment so they don't start chewing up the furniture.

You can check out our AHRDVM Pinterest board for dog and cat enrichment ideas...many of them are free!

Puzzles, go-nuts and stuffed Kong toys can be great ways to keep your pet busy during their time at home.

Studies show a puzzle or treat game can tire out a pet mentally with the same level of stimulation they'd get from running around the dog park! So if you don't have time to go on the same long walks you took over summer, try out some of the fun ideas to keep them entertained and enriched!

They enrich our lives so much...let's take the time to give back!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pleas Use Caution at Human Pharmacies! Your Pet's Health Could Depend on it

Most pharmacy schools do not have any courses on veterinary pharmacy so most of the graduating pharmacists know very little if anything about the differences in drug metabolism and dosing in non-human patients. A survey conducted by five state VMA’s (Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Iowa, and Southern California) regarding pet prescription errors [revealed] in 2014.

• ~1/3 of respondents knew of occasions when pharmacies changed drug or dosage without consulting the veterinarian
• Showed “an alarming trend in recurring problems by pharmacists unfamiliar with veterinary pharmacology & physiology”
• 24-38% of veterinarians had at least one incident involving a drug or dosage change without knowledge or authorization
• ~9% reported an adverse health reaction related to a drug or dosage change by a retail or online pharmacy
• Overall, comments indicated that veterinarians are happy to talk to pharmacists if they are unfamiliar with dosages in non-human species
• Several comments regarding pharmacists telling pet parents that the prescribed dose is too high and will hurt their pet
• Many reports of pharmacies changing flea/tick medications or dosages without calling

We have had one local pharmacist "recommend" a drug for a patient that was contraindicated for the pet's medical condition and other medications. (Aug 2015) Fortunately, the client knew better, and the patient was unharmed.

We have had another pharmacist tell a client the dose of the medication was too high. (July 2014). And fortunately in this case client did not change dose and the patient was unharmed.

Please, please if you have any concerns about recommendations from us or suggestions by a pharmacist - please consult with us first.

Animal Hospital of Rowlett Veterinary Clinic