Lancaster Small Animal Hospital
Volume 1, Issue 1
June 2012
JUNE NEWSLETTER
Hyperthyroidism in Cats
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Heartworm Disease
2
New Product
2
Fleas
3
Cold Laser Therapy
3
Garden Poisons
4
About Us
4
Special points
of interest:
 Learn about
Hyperthyroidsim in
Cats
 Learn about
heartworm disease
 Learn about cold
laser therapy!
 Learn about common
garden dangers
Hyperthyroidism is a very
common endocrine disease in
older cats, although it can be
found in cats of any age. The
thyroid glands are found in
the neck in cats. The thyroid
gland is mainly responsible
for maintaining metabolism,
assisting
with
oxygen
consumption in the body,
maintaining
body
temperature, and helping with
normal growth and maturity.
Hyperthyroidism causes an
increase in the production of
thyroid hormones, namely T4
and Free T4. Since the thyroid
glands are responsible for
many factors in the body,
secondary problems can occur
with hyperthyroidism. One
common secondary side effect
is hypertension, also known as
high blood pressure. The
thyroid hormones cause the
heart to beat faster which can
lead to high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, if left
untreated, can lead to damage
of the eyes, kidneys, heart and
brain.
Signs can vary in cats with
hyperthyroidism.
However,
some common signs include
weight loss although there is
an increase in appetite,
increased heart rate and
hyperactivity. However, these
signs can also be symptoms of
other diseases. If you notice
these signs in your pet, it is
important to have your
veterinarian
perform
a
physical exam. The only way
to diagnose hyperthyroidism
is by performing blood work.
This blood work should
include a complete blood
count,
chemistry
panel,
electrolytes panel and a T4
and/or Free T4. Some cats
can have a normal T4 level
which is why the Free T4
blood
test
is
usually
recommended. In cats with
normal
T4
levels,
but
abnormal Free T4 levels, this
can
be
diagnostic
of
hyperthyroidism.
There are many treatment
options for hyperthyroidism.
These treatment plans include
anti-thyroid
medication
(methimazole),
radioactive
iodine, surgical removal of the
thyroid glands and a new
veterinary diet by Hill’s
Prescription Diet called Y/D.
There are advantages and
disadvantages
for
each
treatment option.
Source: “What is Hyperthyroidism”
from Cornell Feline Health Center
at Cornell University College of
Veterinary Medicine.
Our Annual Dog Wash
Please join us on Saturday, August
4, 2012 for our annual dog wash
to benefit the Pet Emergency
Fund. This year, the dog wash will
take place at the hospital from
9:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M.
The Pet Emergency Fund is
designed to helps pets and their
owners in need, particularly
during unanticipated emergency
situations when treatment would
otherwise be limited. All proceeds
raised at our dog wash will go
directly to the Pet Emergency
Fund to help those pets receive
the treatment that they need.
This year, we will be providing
baths and pedicures for our
canine friends and pedicures for
our feline friends. We will be
having a Chinese auction where
baskets and other donated items
will be on display at our hospital
prior to the event. On the day of
the dog wash, we will be having a
bake sale that will have many
delicious goodies. We will also
have Wild Eye Photos which is a
pet photography studio available
to take pictures of your pet. Signups for the pet portraits will be
available prior to the dog wash.
Please stay tuned for further
activities.
Please come out and support our
hospital as we raise money for
this worthy cause!
Page 2
JUNE NEWSLETTER
Heartworm Disease
Heartworm season is upon us
in Western, NY. So what exactly is
heartworm
disease?
What
effect(s) does it have on my
animal? Heartworm disease is a
very serious and potentially fatal
condition.
Heartworms
are
classified
as
nematodes
(roundworms) and are filarids, a
type of nematode. The specific
filarid responsible for infection is
Dirofilaria immitis. These parasitic
worms live in the arteries of the
lungs and right side of the heart,
and are found in dogs and cats
with large worm burdens. Other
mammals that can be infected
include wolves, fox, ferrets, sea
lions and (in very rare instances)
even humans! Heartworm disease
was first diagnosed in cats in the
early1920’s. Since then, naturally
acquired heartworm infections in
dogs and cats have been identified
as a worldwide problem.
Heartworms have a complex
life cycle and require many hosts.
Dogs or other mammals harboring
adult worms are recognized as the
reservoir for heartworm infection.
The disease is spread by
mosquitoes that become infected
with larvae (microfilariae) while
taking a blood meal from an
infected dog. Within the mosquito,
the larvae mature and when the
mosquito bites another dog, cat,
or susceptible animal, the larvae
are deposited on the skin and
actively migrate into the new host.
It takes approximately 6 months
for the infective larvae to mature
into
adult
worms.
Adult
heartworms can live for five to
seven years in the dog.
Heartworm disease has been
reported in all 50 states! The
incidence report from the
American Heartworm Society in
2010 for Western NY was 1-5
cases per clinic! This number is
reduced from the reported 2007
incidence report of 6-25 cases per
clinic!
Despite
improved
diagnostic methods, effective
preventatives and increasing
awareness among veterinary
professionals and pet owners,
cases of heartworm infection
continue to appear in pets around
the world.
Clinical signs observed in our
pets can be a wide range from
asymptomatic in early infections
to coughing, exercise intolerance,
difficulty breathing, abnormal
lung
sounds,
collapse,
arrhythmias and death.
Diagnosis of heartworm disease
is dependent upon a thorough
history, clinical signs and a simple
blood test. What if my pet is
positive? If your pet is heartworm
positive the next step is staging.
This is done to determine the
specific stage of heartworm
disease and the proper treatment
for your pet. Further consultation
with your veterinarian is needed
at this stage for the appropriate
treatment.
Currently
recommended by the American
Heartworm Society is multimodal
treatment with elimination of
New Product: Iverhart Plus
We are now offering a new
canine product – Iverhart
Plus. Iverhart Plus is a
heartworm preventative and
intestinal dewormer that
comes in a chewable tablet.
This once a month tablet
prevents heartworm and
roundworms and hookworms
(intestinal parasites). This
product can be used in dogs as
young as 6 weeks of age and is
safe to use on pregnant and
nursing dogs.
adult and larval stages. The adult
heartworms are eliminated with
Melarsomine
dihydrochloride
(Immiticide); currently the only
FDA approved drug for this
purpose. The larval stages are
eliminated
using
monthly
heartworm preventatives such as
Heartgard, Iverhart Plus or
Interceptor.
The key to heartworm disease
is prevention! While treatment of
heartworm disease is usually
successful, prevention is safer and
more economical. There is a wide
array of preventatives available
including monthly tablets, topicals
and chewables. When these are
administered on time and
properly heartworm disease can
be prevented. Please contact us, if
you have questions about
available heartworm products for
your pet today!
Source: American Heartworm
Society.
Page 3
JUNE NEWSLETTER
Fleas
Spring has finally arrived here in
Western New York! With the warmer
weather upon us, we not only welcome
nicer weather and exciting outdoor
activities, but also the beginning of flea
season.
The most common type of flea is the
Ctenocephalides
felis,
which
is
commonly known as the cat flea. This
flea can be found on both cats and
dogs. Although fleas can bite humans,
they prefer cats and dogs as their
hosts. One of the first signs that an
owner may notice is that their pet is
scratching more than usual. Unless
you look closely at the animal, you
probably won’t notice fleas unless they
are heavily infested.
To understand fleas and how they
come to life, it is important to learn the
stages that they go through. The life
cycle of the flea consists of:
The Egg Stage: An adult female flea
can lay up to 40 eggs per day. These
eggs fall off the animal into the
environment where they mature into
the next stage.
These eggs need
warmer temperatures in order to
mature.
The Larval Stage: At this stage, they
resemble little crawling caterpillars
that feed on flea dirt from adult fleas.
They go through various molting
stages where they form a cocoon and
mature into the next stage.
The
timeframe for this stage depends on
environmental conditions, but can be
as short as 9 days.
The Pupae Stage: The pupa mature
into the adult flea inside the cocoon.
These pupa are commonly found in
carpets. They can remain in this stage
for many months, often up to a year,
waiting for the right time to emerge
and find an appropriate host
The Adult Stage: Once the adult flea
finds a suitable host, it feeds off the
host’s blood. After this first blood
feeding, changes occur in the flea and
once it is separated from its host, it will
die within a few weeks unless it can
find another host and feed. Once a
female flea begins feeding, she will
continuously lay eggs until she dies.
The lifespan of an adult flea can range
from 4 to 6 weeks. When you see live
fleas on an animal, it is the adult stage
that you are seeing.
The average time period from the
egg stage to the adult stage is about 3
weeks depending on environmental
conditions.
Fleas are a nuisance to owners and
animals alike. However, they can also
cause many problems for the animal.
Adult fleas feed on blood from their
host and can cause anemia in the
animal. Younger and older animals can
become anemic quickly since they have
a weaker immune system.
Fleas
also
cause
tapeworm
infections in cats and dogs. The flea
tapeworm is called
Dipylidium
caninum. If a cat or dog has fleas, they
often ingest them while grooming
themselves. Once the flea is ingested it
goes through its life cycle inside the
host in 2 to 3 weeks. Owners usually
notice the adult stage of the tapeworm
when they see white, rice-like
segments around the animal’s rectum.
These little segments are called
proglottids.
These proglottids can
cause itchiness for the animal.
We strongly recommend year-round
flea prevention for both cats and dogs.
A misconception with indoor cats is
that they cannot get fleas. This is
incorrect as other animals carry fleas
and the eggs fall off into the
environment and grow into adult fleas.
We can also bring fleas home with us
after visiting other animals.
We carry many types of flea
prevention here at Lancaster Small
Animal. Some of the products that we
carry include Advantage, Advantage
Multi, Advantix, Frontline, Revolution
and Vetri Repel Wipes & Spray (an all
natural product). Please ask us for our
professional recommendation for your
pet.
Cold Laser Therapy
We are pleased to offer cold
laser therapy with our new Class
IV Companion Therapy Laser!
Cold laser therapy has been used
in the human medical field and is
becoming a useful tool in
veterinary medicine in treating
various conditions.
Laser therapy involves a light
beam which provides light energy
to deep tissues where it is
absorbed by the cells. These cells
are then able to generate ATP,
which is the energy or fuel that
cells require for growth and
repair. By increasing cell growth,
the body is able to heal and
reduce pain or inflammation. The
Class IV Companion Therapy
Laser is programmed to take into
account the species of the animal,
the weight, body type, type of fur
coat (long vs. short), color of fur
and skin and the condition of the
animal (medical problem).
The benefits of cold laser in
animals are an increase in cell
growth, reduced pain and
inflammation
and
increased
healing. Cold laser therapy works
in conjunction with other forms of
treatment and can even work by
itself.
A few examples of
conditions that can be treated
with cold laser include stomatitis,
arthritis, wounds, post-surgical
healing,
pain
relief,
lick
granulomas, otitis, degenerative
joint disease and inflammation.
Cold laser can also be used in
conjunction with acupuncture.
Treatment time varies in
animals depending on what they
are being treated for. As is usually
required in other forms of
treatment, no fur needs to be
clipped on the animal. The laser
light is delivered by a noninvasive hand piece to the area
being treated. Pets may feel a
gentle and soothing warmth that
is often experienced during a
massage. This allows the animal
to relax during treatment. The
animal is also able to relax with
their owner in a quiet room which
helps to reduce stress to both the
animal and their owner.
Usually
after
the
first
treatment, owners often notice
that their pets are more
comfortabl, are able to move
around better, don’t seem as stiff
and are more like their old self!
Treatment plans vary depending
on the condition being treated.
However, most animals require at
least 6 to 8 regularly scheduled
treatments.
We are offering cold laser
packages. Please feel free to ask
any questions that you may have
and how we can provide this great
service to your pet!
Page 4
JUNE NEWSLETTER
Poisons In Our Yards and Gardens!
1
Now that spring has arrived,
outdoor enthusiasts are spending
more time outdoors with their pets.
Although there are many outside
dangers for our pets, one of the most
common places is our yards and
gardens.
The Pet Poison Helpline reports
that this time of the year, they
receive a high volume of calls
regarding pets ingesting yard and
garden items. Some of the most
common yard and garden dangers
include:
Mulch Products: Some mulch is
made from cocoa beans which are a
by-product of chocolate. Chocolate
can be toxic to both cats and dogs.
Animals often eat mulch because it
may taste like chocolate. Not only
can mulch be toxic, but it can also
cause an obstruction in the animal’s
Lancaster Small Animal Hospital
5156 Genesee Street
Bowmansville, NY 14026
Phone: (716) 681-3033
Fax: (716) 681-3170
Email: lsahonline@yahoo.com
Visit us online:
www.lancastersmallanimalhospital.com
intestines, which can be life
threatening.
It is best to
supervise your pet whenever
they are outside and keep them
away from mulch!
Fertilizers, Soil Additives &
Pesticides: Although these items
can make our lawns and gardens
beautiful, they can be extremely
toxic to our pets. Some of these
items contain blood meal and
bone meal products which can
cause problems with the pet’s
gastrointestinal tract.
Other
products contain iron which can
lead to iron poisoning. Most
pesticides
and
insecticides
contain organophosphates which
are toxic to pets even in small
amounts. Remember, an animal
doesn’t have to actually eat these
items, they can ingest them while
grooming.
Compost Piles:
As materials
decompose, mold and bacteria
grow and an animal can get sick!
Some common symptoms include
agitation, drooling, vomiting,
tremors and seizures. Prompt
medical attention is required.
Flowers and Plants: There are
many toxic plants. Some of the
more popular ones include: Sago
Palm, Lily-of-the Valley, crocuses
and lilies. To err on the side of
caution, assume that all flowers
and plants are toxic to pets
If your pet has ingested any of
these items, please contact us as
soon as possible. Even small
amounts can be toxic!
Source: “Protecting Pets from
Poisons in the Yard and Garden”.
Pet Poison Helpline website at:
www.petpoisonhelpline.com
About Lancaster Small Animal Hospital
We are committed to promoting responsible pet
ownership, preventative health care and health-related
educational opportunities for our clients. Lancaster Small
Animal Hospital strives to offer excellence in veterinary
care to all of the surrounding areas in Western New York.
We believe in serving the Western New York community
by keeping you – our valued clients – informed about your
pet’s condition and the latest advances available in
veterinary medicine. We actively undergo continuing
education to enable us to keep abreast of these changes.
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Greater Buffalo Veterinary Emergency Clinic
(716) 839-4043
Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center
(716) 662-6660
Pet Poison Helpline
(800) 213-6680
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
(888) 426-4435