Off the Hook

The Bay Area has been experiencing some intense weather these last few weeks. With these kind of storms comes all kinds of disruptions into our daily lives: leaks, traffic, telecommunication interference, and of course wet pets. Yesterday, here at Bishop Ranch, we felt the effects of the stormy weather when our phones went down for about an hour. It was a frustrating time, where we couldn't place outgoing calls or receive calls.  We understand how frustrating and concerning it can be when you are trying to call us to check on your pet, need some advice, or have an emergency and you can't get through. We want to let all of our clients know that in situations like this we are available through email and our chat feature on our website. Most importantly, our doors will be open and you can always just come on down- especially if it is an emergency. Rain or shine, we are here for you and your pet!

Flower

Time for a bath!

All warm and soapy.

Okay, I'm not sure what I think about this . . .

Phew! All done.

Flower

 Flower is up to 367 grams today & she is drinking almost 3 tablespoons per feeding!

Great Question

This week’s Great Question is from Mike:

Should you put sunscreen on pets with fair skin if they go outside?

Answer:

It is a good idea to put sunscreen on your cat or dog if they are white and go outside.  The UV rays affect your pet's skin as it does ours, especially where there is no fur.  In cats this is typically on their ears and in dogs it's usually the top of their nose.  Sunburn in dogs and cats can lead to skin cancer just like it does in people.  Protect your pet and use sunscreen for those sensitive areas.

Larry Gilman, DVM

Send your Great Question to info@webvets.com

Flower

New pictures of our lil' miss Flower! She can be quite the diva and refuses to stay still for her photo shoots.  Luckily, we managed to snap a few cute ones!

She loves her fuzzy yellow snuggy- she always purrs when she is touching it.

 Feeding time is quiet time.

 Yummmmmm.

 A full belly makes her calm and sleepy.

 But not for long . . . we tried measuring her but she just wouldn't stay still.

She has a lot of exploring to do in her little kitten world!

Flower

Flower now weighs 212 grams. Her eyes are completely open now and she is much more mobile.  Her colors are starting to change as well. There are now some clear stripes on the top of her head, some spots on her feet, and a dark color on her tail. New pictures will be posted soon!

Flower

Being measured is a good time for toe sucking . . .

Here's a close up!

I'm growing so fast!

Flower

Flower is just starting to open her eyes!

She wants to be fed!

Her tummy is full, her hair is looking good- she is ready for a nap!

Flower

Flower is up to 161 grams and is nursing well- she is up to a tablespoon per feeding now! Here she is sleeping soundly after a big meal.

Parasites by Frank Utchen, DVM

True or false: Although parasite infestation is a common health problem in developing countries, it’s not a problem that exists in this country. Answer: false. And the real worrisome news is that the source for many parasite infestations in humans is our “best friends”: our dogs.

Studies show that more than 1/3 of the nation's dogs are infected with intestinal parasites. These can be microscopic single-celled organisms, or larger worms that are several inches long. For complicated biological reasons, most puppies are actually born with a type of intestinal worm called Ascarids, otherwise commonly referred to as “roundworms”. And the Centers for Disease Control estimates between one and three million people are infected each year in the U.S. from their dogs.

Statistics for some areas of the country are shocking: as many as 4–20% of children in some areas of the U.S. contract roundworms from their pets each year. In some parts of the country, especially the Southeast, transmission of these intestinal parasites is so prevalent that many children test positive for exposure to intestinal parasites and become sick. Children are one of the groups that are most susceptible to these infections because they are frequently grabbing and touching things, and then sticking their hands in their mouths without regard to whether they are clean. In our area of California, these problems are less common, but not absent. The diseases with the greatest chance of transmission to people are various intestinal parasites.

The good news is that these infections are entirely preventable. Using a year round parasite preventative product to treat pets and reinforcing common sense hygiene in children helps families reduce the risk of exposure to these conditions. The most common parasite preventative medications are Sentinel, Heartgard, and Interceptor. These are all once-a-month medications (chewable tablets) that are given to dogs to prevent the major types of intestinal parasites as well as heartworms. Sentinel also helps prevent fleas. They generally come in boxes of 12 tablets to last a year, and these medications can be purchased at any veterinary hospital. One tablet, once a month.

Preventing Zoonoses

Basic hygiene is essential in preventing transmission of these parasite infestations from pets to people. Parents must wash the family's pets regularly and teach children about hands and mouths. Instruct children to wash their hands after playing with pets, after playing outdoors, before eating, and to wash often. Kids don't wash their hands on their own. Parents must encourage this behavior.
 

Here are some easy ways to help protect your family from diseases that can potentially be carried by house pets:

• Wash your hands with soap and running water after coming in contact with dirt.
• Take your pet to the veterinarian on a regular basis and keep up with all recommended vaccinations.
• If your dog bites you, wash the area right away with soap and water.
• Wash your hands after handling your pet—especially before eating or preparing food.
• People with weakened immune systems should take special precautions, including never letting pets lick them on the face or on an open cut or wound, never touching animal feces and never handling an animal that has diarrhea.
• Don't let your pet eat feces they discover outdoors (or in the litter box).
• Remove your pet's fecal matter from your lawn or surrounding outdoor environment daily. Feces can be bagged and put in the trash or flushed down a toilet.
• Cover your children's sandboxes when not in use.
• Use appropriate methods to reduce mosquito populations in your outdoor environment.
 

Meet Flower

There is a new addition to the family at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center! A neonatal kitten was found near the Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center, abandoned and crying, this weekend. The director there has his hands full with wildlife and did his best, feeding her skunk milk replacement every 2 hours, until he was able to get the word out. A client here, Lauren Kawakami, contacted Dr. Ikezawa to see if she may know anyone who could help and Dr. Ikezawa decided to lend a helping hand. 

The kitten, who we have named Flower (after the skunk in the movie, Bambi) weighs 119 grams today and is about 5 days old. She still has her umbilicus attached, eats about every 2-3 hours from a bottle, and her eyes and ears are still closed. She goes everywhere with her adoptive mother for now, stumbles around but doesn't really walk, can't thermoregulate on her own, but can already meow and purr. She eats slightly less than a teaspoon per feeding. 

We'll be tracking her development here, so keep following along for updates! You can also check out more pictures of Flower on our Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/kittyflower.

Great Question

This week’s Great Question is from Carol:

Question:

As my dog ages I am seeing more growths on her skin – do dogs get warts and do I need to do anything about them?

Answer:
Dogs can develop several different kinds of skin growths. The most common types are benign growths of grease glands or the surrounding cells, referred to as Sebaceous Adenomas and Follicular Adenomas. There are other types of benign growths as well, and less commonly dogs will develop cancerous skin growths. None of these growths are true warts, which are skin growths caused by a virus called a papilloma virus. Dogs, like humans, do have their own papilloma virus, but true skin warts in dogs are uncommon compared to other benign and cancerous growths. My advice is to have your dog examined by a veterinarian to determine what type of growths your dog has. Often these can be removed by freezing, or by simple surgery using a local anesthetic.
Frank Utchen, DVM