West Coast Veterinary Clinic Ltd.
546 West Coast Rd,
Oratia, Auckland
Phone: (09) 818 4104
Fax: (09) 818 4102
Welcome to our latest newsletter designed to keep you up to date with what’s happening in the practice.
Our services:
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No time limited appointments.
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All routine surgery performed.
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Special attention to skin problems.
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On site blood laboratory.
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Electro-surgery.
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X-ray, dental, export certificates.
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Dedicated and qualified staff.
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Inspections welcome anytime.
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Easy off street parking.
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Full medical and intensive care.
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Personal attention for all our valued clients and their pets.
NEWS
Cat owners are less likely to have headaches or catch the flu.
Haywards Heath, England – A new study has found that cat owners are significantly less likely to suffer the physical and emotional symptoms of the “winter blues”.
Findings from the five year research project that was carried out for the UK charity Cats Protection show that cats help ease the stress of winter gloom. The study shows that during the winter months cat owners:
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Suffer 60% fewer headaches than non-cat owners.
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Are 21% less likely to catch the flu.
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Feel significantly less miserable, impatient and tense.
Psychologist June McNicholas PhD conducted the research and found that cat owners suffer fewer sleep problems, are less likely to feel sad and are more able to relax than those who do not own a cat.
The findings are quite spectacular and show that cat owners are much better equipped to deal with the depressing months of winter.
McNicholas said “Medical opinion has long held that in times of stress or anxiety one of the most valuable assets is a supportive relationship. This study suggests that cats are just as able to provide that support as humans. The study shows benefits to owners of both
Web Site: www.westcoastvet.co.nz E-mail: zorand@xtra.co.nz

genders and across all age groups, but male owners (younger than 40) seem to especially benefit from the companionship of a cat during the winter”.
Lou Gehrig’s Disease Linked To Canine Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
Columbia, Mo. – The genetic mutation responsible for degenerative myelopathy (DM) in dogs is the same mutation that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, according to researchers from the University of Missouri and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. As a result of this discovery published in the proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, researchers can now use dogs with DM as an animal model to help identify therapeutic interventions for ALS.
DM is a spontaneously occurring spinal cord disorder in dogs and is most common in the German
Shepherd but also affects other breeds.
Currently, there is no way to stop progression of DM and treatment currently used to slow it down is very expensive. Owners of dogs with DM usually elect euthanasia six months to a year after the disease has been diagnosed – when the dog’s back legs can no longer support its own weight. In contrast, people with ALS typically progress to a state of complete paralysis and succumb to respiratory failure.
SKIN REFERAL’S
In the past few months, a few dogs have been referred to us from other clinics with difficult long standing skin problems. We are happy to report all of them have been cured with only one of them requiring long lasting maintenance treatment.
CANINE ATOPIC DERMATITIS (CAD)
PART ONE
CAD is a common skin disease affecting dogs worldwide. It is a very complex disease that cannot be cured and requires life long management so a basic understanding and repeated client education is important to avoid unnecessary frustration on the client’s side.
CAD is a genetically predisposed inflammatory and puritic (itchy) allergic skin disease with characteristic features like itchiness, typical lesion distribution and a familial history. The involved allergens are dust mites, pollens, mold spores, dander’s, insects and other miscellaneous allergens.
Today it is widely accepted that CAD is no longer an “inhalant allergy”. Allergen gains entry into the body through defective skin barrier. You can say that the skin is in a state of high activity stimulated by various factors like allergens, bacterial infection, yeast infection, concurrent flea bite
Web Site: www.westcoastvet.co.nz E-mail: zorand@xtra.co.nz

hypersensitivity, concurrent adverse food reaction, contact and irritant reactions, temperature, and humidity.
Each of these trigger factors may impact the already stretched skin immune system of an atopic dog. When several problems or trigger factors are present, the dog reaches a point above where he cannot be controlled or managed and starts scratching again.
This is very important, because if you don’t control possible trigger factors your dog will flare up despite being on proper treatment.
Typically, clinical signs are first noted between six months and three years of age. Rarely develops in younger or older dogs.
Atopic animals will usually rub, itch, chew, bite or scratch at their feet, muzzle, ears, armpits or groin, causing hair loss and reddening and thickening of the skin.
As mentioned before in some dogs several skin problems (trigger factors) can “add” together to cause an animal to itch where just the allergy alone would not be enough to cause itching.
Eliminating some trigger factors may allow a patient’s itchiness to go away.
Therefore it is important to treat any other problems that could be making your pet itch while dealing with allergy.
The diagnosis of CAD starts with getting a good history and recognising the primary clinical signs, performing a dermatological examination to recognise lesions and distribution, creating a differential list to work from and performing basic diagnostic tests to refine the differential list.
The first steps are typically to treat and control ectoparasites and resolve secondary infections. The second step is to perform a food trial. Food trials are important prior to confirming atopy in a dog with non-seasonal itchiness.
In summary, the diagnosis of CAD is made based upon typical history, presentation of compatible clinical signs, the systematic exclusion of all other possible diagnosis, intradermal testing and blood testing.
Web Site: www.westcoastvet.co.nz E-mail: zorand@xtra.co.nz

ZiwiPeak
We are now currently stocking a new pet food for dogs and cats called ZiwiPeak. ZiwiPeak is a
100% New Zealand made pet food that is a natural real meat diet and promotes:
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Energy and vitality
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General well-being
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Digestion
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Healthy coat and skin
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Reduced bad breath
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Reduced flatulence and stools
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Long-term joint health
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Weight control
Web Site: www.westcoastvet.co.nz E-mail: zorand@xtra.co.nz