What's New December 08

Hello everybody and welcome to the December issue of What’s New. It’s hard to believe that we are into the last month of the year already and Christmas is just round the corner!

Firstly we would like to thank all the staff from both Midland and Bullsbrook Hospitals for making our recent team building day such a success! We all had a wonderful time outdoors in the sunshine learning lots of fun and rewarding team building exercises. 

As the weather continues to get warmer, we tend to walk our dogs more and cats might tend to stay outdoors for longer periods of time. Heat stroke is of more critical importance at this time of the year so it is important that we learn to recognize heat stroke in our pets early and before they start to affect them more seriously. Heat stroke is relatively rare in cats as they tend to cope better with the heat but it is relatively common in dogs, especially those that are older, overweight or have an upper airway obstruction such as our brachycephalic breeds (pugs, bulldogs etc). Dogs that get exercised in hot humid weather also are prone to getting heat stroke. Severe heat stroke if not caught early can lead to heart problems, kidney and liver damage, gastrointestinal compromise (leading to vomiting and diarrhea) and even brain swelling.

Early signs include panting, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea and an increase in heart rate. This may then progress into severe breathing difficulties, bloody vomit and diarrhea, straining to urinate, seizures and collapse.

It is important to get your pet into the clinic as soon as possible if you suspect they have suffered from heat stroke. Cool them down by spraying them with cool water from hose. On your way to the clinic, attempt to cool the animal by placing wet towels on them or immersing small animals in tub of cool water. A fan can be used to cool them down. DO NOT USE ICE WATER.

Preventative measures include

1.      Do not cage animals outdoors without adequate shade or water

2.      Keep pets indoors if it is a very hot day – especially if your pet is          an elderly brachycephalic breed

3.      Never leave pets in a stationary car.

With Christmas and New Year’s round the corner, just a gentle reminder that chocolates and onions are a big no no for our pets, especially with our parties and barbeques! Keep them out of trouble, give them lots of love and cuddles. Here’s wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We will see you back next year!