While waiting for your appointment at our clinic, you may have noticed our monthly newsletters.
We have posted them on our website for your information.

January Newsletter

What To do If You Lose Your Pet

If you've lost a pet, first search your neighborhood. Go door to door and talk to your neighbors. Search in the evening, when it's quiet. Call or whistle. If your pet is injured or frightened, he may be hiding. Drive around the neighborhood; a dog will sometimes recognize the sound of your car. Put up posters and distribute flyers with a photo and description of your pet. Contact the local veterinary clinics. Try to keep up-to-date photos in case you have to identify a lost pet. Don't include every detail about your pet; hold back a distinctive feature or trait. That way, if someone calls claiming to have found your pet, you can determine if they are legitimate by asking about a feature or trait that only someone who actually has your pet would know.

Contact your local animal shelter to see if your pet has been picked up. In Torrance, you can contact the City of Torrance Animal Control Office at 310-618-3850, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. At all other times, please contact the Torrance Police Department at 310-328-3456. You can also contact Animal Control via e-mail at AnimalControl@torrnet.com. Other cities use the Los Angeles County Animal Control in Gardena. All pets from Torrance are transferred to the LA County Shelter at the end of each day. Contact them at 216 W. Victoria St. Gardena, CA 90248, (310) 523-9566. Their hours are Monday – Thursday 12 PM – 7 PM, Friday and Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM. Closed Sundays and Holidays.

Make sure you have proper identification on your pets. This will ensure that they are quickly identified and returned to you. All pets (whether indoor or outdoor) should have collars with Id tags listing your name, address and phone number. All dogs should also wear their LA County rabies registration tags which will assist the animal control officers to return your pet. You should also microchip your pet, in case the collar comes off while you pet is loose. Animal control or vet clinics can scan your pet and get your contact information. 

February Newsletter

February is National Pet Dental Month

A very important part of keeping your pet’s teeth healthy is dental home care. With proper home care, your pet may not need that six month dentistry, thus saving you the expense and your pet the extra anesthetic.
What kind of home care is available?
The Toothbrush Kit
Just as with your own teeth, nothing beats brushing. The fibers of the tooth brush are able to reach between teeth and under gums to pick out tiny deposits of food. A toothbrush acts as a tiny scrub brush for the closest possible cleaning.
Notice the shape of the canine and feline brushes and how they conform to a pet's mouth. You can use a human toothbrush but you will probably find it difficult to manipulate in the pet's mouth. Finger brushes are available and are smaller for puppies and kittens.
Toothpaste
Do not use human tooth past on your pet!! Toothpaste for people contains sudsing agents which are not expected to be swallowed. These will upset your pet's stomach as your pet is not able to rinse out his or her mouth. Pet toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors: mint (which people tend to prefer as a scent but animals do not prefer as a flavor), chicken, liver, and malt (generally preferred as a flavor by pets).
Dental Spray
Some pets will not allow anyone to actually touch their teeth. For these pets there is dental spray which can be sprayed into the mouth as an anti-plaque wash. As noted above, the spray can be applied to a tissue or cloth and rubbed on the teeth as well.
Dental Treats
Some cats will not allow anyone to reach into their mouths for any reason and will not tolerate brushing, spraying, rinsing or any other home care. For these animals dental treats represent an excellent method of dental home care. Feline dental treats are freeze dried fish pieces specially treated with enzymatic dentifrice to help remove plaque. We recommend a treat daily for routine home care. In the dog, research has shown that daily rawhide chewing can be as beneficial as brushing.
Do’s and Don’ts of Dental Home Care
Don’t use a human toothpaste on your pet.
Do use a toothbrush without any paste at first so that your pet may get used to the object in the mouth before having to contend with the taste.
Don’t attempt to clean the inner surface of your pet’s teeth. Natural saliva cleans this surface on its own.
Do try to perform dental home care at least once daily.
Don’t perform dental home care during the first week after a full dentistry in the hospital as you pet’s gums may be tender.
Don’t let your dog chew on cow hooves as these are too hard and teeth may break against them.
Don’t consider dental home care as an alternative to full dental cleaning if your pet has more advanced dental disease.
Special "starter" dental kits for puppies and kittens are available as well. These will help you accommodate your young pet to dental care right from the start.
Copyright 2001 - 2004 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

March Newsletter

Is Your Pet Obese?

An estimated 45 percent of all U.S. pets are overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. While the best treatment is prevention, it’s never too late to help your pet stay in better shape. Obesity is the most common nutritional disease in dogs and cats. It’s more common with advancing age and in females.
Obese animals—those with a 15 percent increase over optimum body weight—have much higher incidence of arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and impaired reproductive ability and greater risks with surgery and anesthesia. Most research in both humans and animals suggests that increased weight shortens life.
How do I know whether my pet’s overweight?
If you’re unsure what your pet’s optimum weight should be, perform this simple test: Place your hands on your pet’s rib cage with your thumbs on the back.
> If you feel the ribs easily, your pet is considered to be normal weight.
> If you can feel fat between the skin and ribs or the ribs are difficult to feel, your pet is overweight.
> If you can’t feel the ribs, your pet is definitely obese.
In some pets, particularly cats, a large abdomen that hangs down may indicate obesity. It’s important to have this judgment confirmed by your veterinarian; he or she can rule out other diseases that look like obesity such as heart, kidney, or glandular disease.
How can I help my pet lose weight?
If your animal is overweight, there are usually painless methods for losing those unhealthy pounds. With careful dietary management and oversight by your veterinarian, changes in diet and lifestyle can lead to a much more productive life. There are prescription diet formulations available from your veterinarian that can make dieting easy for you and your pet. Routine walks and playtime combined with sensible feedings can avert the need for medical intervention. As your pet ages, we recommend changing to a low-fat, high-fiber senior maintenance diet. Contact your veterinarian for professional
recommendations.

Handout courtesy of Dr. Ernest Ward Jr., Seaside Animal Care, Calabash, N.C.

Ideal pet weight ranges

Labrador retriever . ...... 55 to 80 lbs
Golden retriever . . ..... . 55 to 75 lbs
Yorkshire terrier . . ..... . 8 lbs
German shepherd . .... 70 to 95 lbs
Beagle . . . . . . .. . . .. .... 26 to 31 lbs
Dachshund .. .. . .......... Less than 16 lbs
Boxer . . . . . . . .. . . ....... 53 to 70 lbs
Poodles (miniature) .. 11 lbs
Shih tzu . . . . . . .... .. . .. 8 to 18 lbs
Miniature schnauzer. 11 to 15 lbs
Domestic cat . . . . .. . . 8 to 10 lbs
Persian cat . . . . . . .. . 10 to 11 lbs
Siamese cat . . . . . .. . 5 to 10 lbs
Maine coon cat . . ... . 11 to 15 lbs

Daily caloric needs for pets

10-pound cat . . . ... 275 calories
10-pound dog . . . . 300 calories
20-pound dog . . . . 500 calories
50-pound dog . .. . 1,200 calories

Your pet is a healthy weight if ...
> You can easily feel its ribs.
> It has a tucked abdomen and no sagging stomach.
> You can see its waist from above.
Your pet is overweight if ...
> You have difficulty feeling its ribs.
> It has a sagging stomach, and you can grab a handful of fat.
> It has a broad, flat back and no visible waist.

                April Newsletter       
                  

Springtime Safety Tips

Spring is the perfect season to enjoy quality time outdoors with your pet. With warmer weather and lovely plants in bloom, yards and gardens are beautiful places for pets and their owners to be outside together. But changing seasons also bring budding poisons, blossoming allergies, and fleas. Follow these simple tips to make sure that your pet stays safe this spring.

Check before you plant. As lovely and fragrant as they are, many flowers and plants can be poisonous, even deadly, to pets. Lilies, daffodils and hyacinths are just few common plants that are toxic to pets Ask you veterinarian for a complete list of plants and flower to avoid.

Be mindful of your mulch. Commercial mulch sometimes contains cocoa bean shells, which many dogs can’t seem to resist. The chemicals and caffeine that are naturally present in cocoa can be very dangerous to pets if ingested. Make sure that any mulch you buy is safe for pets.

Read the label. Fertilizers and pesticides may help you garden thrive, but they can be deadly to pets. Always check the label to be sure that anything you apply to your plants is also safe for your pets. When in doubt, don’t’ use it! Better yet, try pet-friendly organic alternatives for repelling pests.

Allergy alert! Your sinuses may tell you when spring has arrived, but didn't you know that pets can suffer from seasonal allergies too? The effects range from skin irritation and hair loss to ear infections, excessive sneezing and runny nose. If your pet displays any of these symptoms, make an appointment to see your veterinarian.

Be careful with snail bait. Snail bait constitutes the most common poisoning agent in dogs in California. Snail bait is commonly formulated in pellets (which can resemble dog food) and flavored with molasses or bran to attract snails (unfortunately attractive to dogs as well). Snail baits are also available as liquids and powders which can get onto paws and be licked off in normal grooming. Less than a teaspoon per 10 lbs of body weight of snail bait is required to cause poisoning Signs of poisoning begin fairly quickly after the poison is consumed. The dog will begin anxious twitching at first only slightly and then uncontrollably. This progresses to seizures and potentially to death. The muscle contractions of the twitches raise body temperature so high that brain damage can result. Patients can also exhibit racing heart rates, vomiting, diarrhea, rigidity, and respiratory failure. Liver failure occurs in some patients approximately 2 to 3 days after poisoning, so it is essential to monitor liver enzymes by blood tests through out the recovery period. Since there is no direct antidote for metaldehyde toxicity. treatment is aimed at controlling the clinical signs. If less than one hour has passed since exposure, it may be possible to induce vomiting. If the patient is already twitching badly the stimulation involved in inducing vomiting may not be in the patient's best interest. In this case, the patient can be anesthetized and stomach pumped. Activated charcoal can be given to prevent absorption of metaldehyde into the body from the intestine. Cathartics (used to induce diarrhea) can also be used with the activated charcoal to assist in removing the metaldehyde from the intestinal tract promptly. Twitching can be controlled with methocarbamol (a muscle relaxant) or injectable Valium® (diazepam). Fluid therapy and body temperature monitoring will be needed through the recovery period. Chance of recovery depends on how much poison was ingested, how quickly therapy was initiated, and the general health of the patient. While this is a very serious type of poisoning most patients have a good chance at recovery if treated properly. At home the yard should be hosed down with water to dissolve remaining metaldehyde and the dog should be restricted from the treated area for a 2-week period. 

May Newsletter

Foxtail Season is Here

Now that the weather is getting warm, more pets will be outside on long walks. During the warm weather in Southern California many different grasses grow along the paths and in fields. One of the more common we see are the hard seed-bearing structures of some kinds of grasses, often called "foxtails". These grass awns have sharp points at one end, and microscopic barbs, so that they easily move in the direction of the point, but not the other way. They "work in", but they don't "work out". They can become imbedded in the hair, especially the paws and ears, and in nostrils and even eyes. As they work their way in, they cause infection, and if not treated can sometimes be fatal.

After each walk carefully run you hands over your pet to check for these grasses. Feel between each toe and look inside the ears and eyes.

If the fox-tails become imbedded into your pet’s skin, minor surgery will be needed to remove them. If your pets seems to be in pain or has a swollen area, call us immediately to examine the area. Chances are there is a fox-tail in the skin.

Be sure to keep grass trimmed back in your yard and try to avoid them during your walks with your pet.

June Newsletter

Itching and Allergies in Your Pet

Coping with an itchy pet can be an extremely frustrating experience for you, the pet owner, and can truly test the limits of the human-animal bond. Persistent scratching and grooming by a cat can also result in more skin damage and even cause open wounds. The following information is intended to provide the cat owner with a basic understanding of the most common underlying causes of itching and allergies.

The Most Common Causes of Chronic Itching
The common causes fall into three groups: ringworm, external parasites and allergies. External parasites that most commonly cause chronic itching dermatitis include fleas and various types of mange. In itchy cats, we do some culture tests for ringworm, so we can be sure that is not the problem. We often recommend therapeutic trials for mange in chronically and severely itchy cats. We always recommend stepped-up flea control and monitoring for fleas, as flea infestation can really make allergy worse!

What are Allergies?
Allergy is a state of hypersensitivity in which exposure to a harmless substance known as an allergen induces the body’s immune system to “overreact.” The incidence of allergies is increasing in both humans and their pets. People with allergies usually have hay fever (watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing) or asthma. While cats can rarely also have respiratory allergies, more commonly they experience the effects of allergic hypersensitivities as skin problems. Though there are a variety of presentations, this can often be seen as redness and itching, a rash called ‘miliary dermatitis,’ and over-grooming with hair loss.

What are the Major Types of Allergies in Cats and Dogs?

Flea Allergy
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common skin disease in dogs and cats. For the flea allergic patient, 100% flea control is essential for the pet to remain symptom-free.
“But doctor, I never see fleas on my pet.” You may not see them, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. The allergy is caused by the flea’s saliva, and it only takes a few bites to induce the problem. Also, the itchy pet often grooms so much that adult fleas are removed, making them hard to find.
“If fleas are the problem, why is my pet still itchy in the winter?” In warm climates or in our homes, fleas may survive in low numbers year-round. Because flea allergy is so common, we recommend that complete flea control be instituted before proceeding with diagnostics for other allergies and that year-round flea control be maintained for all allergy patients.

Food Allergy
Some pets develop specific hypersensitivities to components of their diets. The allergen usually is a major protein or carbohydrate ingredient such as beef, chicken, fish, corn, wheat, or soy. Minor ingredients such as preservatives or dyes are also potential allergens. The diagnosis of food allergy requires that we test your pet by feeding special strict diets that contain only ingredients that she has never eaten before. This is often achieved by feeding a prescription diet for a period of 10 to 16 weeks. If the signs resolve, a challenge is performed by feeding the former diet and watching for a return of the itching. If this occurs, a diagnosis of food allergy is confirmed.

Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inherited predisposition to develop skin problems from exposure to variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances, including the pollens of weeds, grasses and trees, as well as house dust mites and mold spores. Diagnosis of AD is made based on the results of intradermal skin testing or by in vitro blood testing. Evaluating the results of these tests helps us compile a list of allergens for a vaccine that is made to decrease the pet’s sensitivity. Sometimes multiple skin and/or blood tests are necessary to accurately assess the patient’s allergies.

Secondary Infections
Allergies are often the underlying cause of recurring skin and/or ear infections. Bacterial and yeast infections, though secondary to the allergy, can cause an increase in your pet’s level of itching. Long term treatment with antibiotics medications may be required.

Can Allergies be Cured?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for allergy and it is usually a life-long problem. We seek to control allergy and improve the quality of life for both you and your pet. We will formulate the best program of management that suits all involved with your pet’s care.

Can I have the Itching Treated without the Expense of Diagnostic Testing?
Symptomatic drug therapy can help to reduce itching. Steroids, such as prednisone tablets or steroid shots, are often employed to stop the itch. However, without addressing the underlying cause, the itching will return. Long-term use of steroids can result in many health problems. This is the reason that we encourage diagnosis of the underlying cause of the allergy and more specific or less potentially harmful treatments.

By Carol S. Foil, DVM, MS, Diplomate A.C.V.D. Board-certified specialist through the American College of Veterinary Dermatology

July Newsletter

Ten Top Hot Weather Tips

In summertime, the living isn’t always easy for our animal friends. Dogs and cats can suffer from the same problems that humans do, such as overheating, dehydration and even sunburn. By taking some simple precautions, you can celebrate the season and keep your pets happy and healthy.
1. A visit to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer check-up is a must. Do parasites bug your animal companions? Ask your doctor to recommend a safe, effective flea and tick control program.
2. Never leave your pet alone in a vehicle—hyperthermia can be fatal. Even with the windows open, a parked automobile can quickly become a furnace in no time. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day.
3. Always carry a gallon thermos filled with cold, fresh water when traveling with your pet.
4. The right time for playtime is in the cool of the early morning or evening, but never after a meal or when the weather is humid.
5. Street smarts: When the temperature is very high, don’t leave your dog standing on hot asphalt. His or her body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.
6. A day at the beach is a no-no, unless you can guarantee a shaded spot and plenty of fresh water for your companion. Salty dogs should be rinsed off after a dip in the ocean.
7. Provide fresh water and plenty of shade for animals kept outdoors; a properly constructed doghouse serves best. Bring your dog or cat inside during the heat of the day to rest in a cool part of the house.
8. Be especially sensitive to older and overweight animals in hot weather. Brachycephalic or snub-nosed dogs such as bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzus, as well as those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.
9. When walking your dog, steer clear of areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals. And please be alert for coolant or other automotive fluid leaking from your vehicle. Animals are attracted to the sweet taste, and ingesting just a small amount can be fatal. Call your veterinarian or your local emergency clinic if you suspect that your animal has been poisoned.
10. Good grooming can stave off summer skin problems, especially for dogs with heavy coats. Shaving the hair to a one-inch length—never down to the skin, please, which robs Rover of protection from the sun—helps prevent overheating. Cats should be brushed often.

Portions reprinted from www.aspca.org

 August Newsletter

Warning on Toxic Foods 

 Dog owners should not feed grapes nor raisins to their dogs, which echoes a similar warning issued by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in 2002. Veterinarians are not sure why, but grapes and raisins have indeed proven poisonous to dogs in a significant number of cases reported over the past 15 years. Symptoms, which include vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia and lethargy, can last for days or weeks. Without prompt treatment, severe kidney damage and death may result.

Beside raisins or grapes, the following should not feed or make sure they are kept away from your pets:

Onions or garlic—contain sulfoxides and sulfoxides which can damage red blood cells.
Milk—without lactase enzymes, dogs can get diarrhea
Coffee, chocolate, tea—Caffeine can be toxic, effecting heart and nervous system
Tylenol—can cause death if given to cats
Fat trimmings—can cause pancreatitis
Macadamia nuts—unknown toxin, can effect digestive, nervous systems, and muscles.
Raw bread dough-alcohol poisoning
Gorilla glue– this can solidify internally if consumed
Sugarfree gum-contains alcohol based sugars
Paintballs—the balls are made from pig tissue, dogs love these!

September Newsletter

Ear Infections (Otitis Externa)

As Demonstrated by the illustration above, the dog's ear canal has a vertical and a horizontal component. This predisposes the dog to ear infections as debris must work its way upward rather than straight out.
Disease of the ear usually stems from over-production of wax as occurs in response to irritation. Allergic skin disease affecting the ears is one possible cause (especially in recurring cases); other causes of ear infections include ear mites (rare), foreign bodies (such as grass awns or foxtails), or hair growth deep in the canal (common in poodles and schnauzers especially). The moisture of the wax promotes bacterial growth and infection. Soon wax in ears is joined by pus. Dogs show discomfort around their ears by scratching, rubbing their ears on the floor or furniture, or by shaking the head. If the infection reaches the middle ear, affected animals may have a head tilt, a lack of balance, and unusual eye movements.

Aural Hematoma
When a dog with uncomfortable ears shakes and scratches vigorously, a blood vessel in the ear flap may rupture. This leads to bleeding into the tissues of the pinna. The usual recommendation is to have the blood clots removed and the ear bandaged and cleaned under anesthesia.

Treatment
  Step One
Most ear infections are cleared up simply with professional cleaning followed by medication at home. If only mild debris is present in the ear canals, simple disinfection and washing of the ear is adequate; however, in most cases, a full ear flush is needed to even examine the ear drum. For patient comfort, we recommend sedation for this procedure as the ears are sore.
  Step Two
Some dogs have chronic ear problems (the infection is not controlled by general medication or returns when general medication is discontinued). In these cases, regular treatment at home with disinfecting ear washes should become part of the pet's grooming routine. Further testing may be in order to determine why the infection continues to recur. Allergy is the most common reason for recurrent ear problems.
  Step Three
Depending on the severity of the problem, the vertical canal may need to be opened surgically. This enables debris to be removed more effectively. This is done to prevent severe scarring after prolonged specific medical therapy has been ineffective. This procedure is called a lateral ear resection, Zepp procedure, or LaCroix procedure.
If the canal becomes so scarred that it is practically closed, ablation may be the final option. In this surgical procedure, the entire ear canal is removed and healthy tissue is allowed to grow in. This procedure is a last resort after severe infection has made effective medical treatment impossible. Although surgery is expensive, dogs with chronic severe otitis usually require no further ear treatment for the rest of their lives.

Some Special Information on Pseudomonas Infection
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a very special species of bacteria; it is resistant to almost every possible antibiotic. It is common for ear infections to be recurrent and in time, many antibiotics have been used. The unfortunate tendency is for most bacteria to be killed off, leaving infection with the very resistant and practically immortal (not to mention especially smelly)

Pseudomonas.
If one is lucky, the Pseudomonas is sensitive to oral quinolone antibiotics such as enrofloxacinor orbifloxacin. It should be noted that especially high doses of this type of antibiotic are needed to treat Pseudomonas in the ear and that inadequate dosing will just make Pseudomonas even more resistant. In other words, a Pseudomonas must be treated definitively from the moment it is diagnosed; once it becomes resistant to oral therapy, treatment becomes vastly more difficult.
Oral therapy is generally combined with some kind of topical treatment of the ear.

Injectable Medications
It would be unusual for a Pseudomonas species to be resistant to absolutely everything. While there may not be an oral treatment available, sometimes an owner may be taught to give injectable treatments. These are often expensive, however. These same medications can also be mixed up for topical use; many are already available as commercially prepared solutions.

Chronic ear infections, as mentioned, typically have an underlying cause (usually allergy). It is important to address this problem in addition to the infection itself so as to minimize on-going ear inflammation.

Portions reprinted from the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. Copyright 2001 - 2005. All rights reserved.

October Newsletter

Pet Tips for Halloween

With Halloween soon approaching, here are some tips to keep your pets safe during these holidays.

Chocolate
After Trick or Treating, parents need to make sure the Halloween chocolate candy is well out of reach from the pet dogs or cats. Many pets and people do not realize that chocolate can be a poison. Unsweetened baking chocolate carries a much higher dose of the toxin “theobromine” than does milk chocolate, but even normal milk chocolate can be dangerous; a small dog sharing candy can wind up in big trouble. Toxic doses of theobromine are 9 mg per pound of dog for mild signs up top 18 mg per pound of dog for severe signs. Milk chocolate contains 44mg/ounce of theobromine while semisweet chocolate contains 150mg/ounce, and baking chocolate contains 390 mg/ounce.
Often the pet dog or cat will find the children's’ stash and consume a large amount of chocolate candies. Clinical signs of chocolate poisoning include hyperexcitability, nervousness, vomiting, and diarrhea and death. If you find your pet has gotten into the candy, please call the clinic at once.

Black Cats
If you own a black cat, please remember that Halloween can be a dangerous time. Keep your black cats indoors at least a week before and during Halloween night to keep them safe.

Halloween Doorbells
During Halloween night, be kind to your dogs and cats. Put them somewhere safe and quiet where the frequent doorbells and children will not scare them. If they are in a back bedroom or bathroom, this will ensure a safe and quieter night for everyone.

November Newsletter

Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease is one of the most common disease in dogs. Although you may think heartworm disease is a fairly new problem, Veterinary News Network indicates it was first discovered in Italy in the 1600s. Heartworm disease has been documented in all 50 states and is transmitted by mosquitoes. In many mosquito-prone states, if a dog is not on heartworm preventative, the chance of becoming infected is around 95%. Cats can also be infected with heartworms and have been shown to have an infection rate of 30%.
Heartworms can be found in the heart, however a large majority of the worms are actually in the pulmonary artery, which is the artery from the heart that supplies blood to the lungs. Initially, the pet does not show any clinical signs so you may not realize how severe the disease can be. And by the time symptoms develop, severe damage has usually already occurred. For this reason, heartworm testing and the use of heartworm preventative is important to prevent infection in your dog. Even if your dog stays in the house much of the time, heartworm preventative is still important. Considering the severe damage that heartworms can cause and that treatment of the disease is expensive and dangerous, prevention of the disease with a single monthly tablet is a great deal.
Here in California, we may have riots, earthquakes, mudslides, and fires but we seem to have gotten off easy with parasites. Whipworms and hookworms that plague dogs and puppies in other states are rare here. Ticks are few and far between (with some regional exceptions) and Lyme disease is not felt to occur south of Bakersfield. We have mosquitoes but we don't have heartworm. Or so we have always thought.
And because we have been so secure in our belief that heartworm infections do not occur here, we have not tested routinely for it nor have we strongly encouraged use of the monthly preventives.

What Happened in Salt Lake City, Utah
It seems very basic to say that mosquitoes do not live in the desert. Mosquitoes like the humid muggy summers that most Angelenos have left behind. For mosquitoes to suddenly establish in Los Angeles, it would seem that a major climatic change would be needed and no one is expecting anything like that to happen, at least not in this lifetime. But is a major climatic change really necessary to change an areas heartworm status? Salt Lake City, like Los Angeles, was relatively free from mosquitoes and was considered a non-endemic area for heartworm. Then a city beautification project led to the planting of new trees throughout the city. This suited Aedes sierrensis, the tree hole mosquito, just fine and soon heartworm cases began appearing. Salt Lake City is now considered as endemic an area for heartworm as Texas, Louisiana, Florida or any other place we associate with heartworm disease.

Could it Happen in Los Angeles?
The real question is has it already happened here or is it happening now and can we stop it? From 1996 to 1998, Dr. Jerry Theis at the U.C. Davis Veterinary School conducted a survey to find out what the real situation in Los Angeles County truly is. A total of 4,350 dogs in 103 Los Angeles County cities from 21 participating animal hospitals were tested. The following questions were answered.

What is the incidence of heartworm infection in Los Angeles County?
Out of the 4,350 dogs, a total of 18 positive dogs were identified. While positive individuals were located all over Los Angeles County, the incidence of infection was approximately THREE TIMES HIGHER in West Hills, Woodland Hills and Canoga Park than in any other L.A. County region. Overall, in L.A. County the incidence of infection was one in 250.
Were dogs that had a history of travel at higher risk? Two surprising findings came from this study regarding travel history.
The first surprise was that 63% of dogs had a history of travel outside of L.A. County at some time in their lives. Previous surveys of local veterinarians had indicated that L.A. veterinarians are under the impression that they are recommending heartworm prevention for their canine patients that travel. These findings indicate that a great deal of travel is taking place without veterinary consultation and that many dog owners are taking their pets into heartworm areas without heartworm warning or protection.
The second surprise was that in L.A. County travel did not pose an additional risk for infection. Dogs that had never traveled out of L.A. County were infected as commonly as their traveling counterparts.

Were dogs living primarily indoors protected from infection?
Many people believe that mosquitoes are an outdoor hazard only and that their dog is safe if kept primarily indoors. In fact, 50% of the infected animals were described by their owners as “always indoors.” Indoor dogs had just as much risk as outdoor dogs.

Is the infection rate expected to increase?
Some species of mosquitoes will actively come inside through unscreened windows or other open areas. The L.A. County heartworm vector (Culiseta incidens) primarily breeds in flowerpots and swimming pools. We do not yet know enough about this mosquito’s behavior to know if it is actually coming indoors or what time of day or night it might be doing so.
At this time, this is the only mosquito species that we know of in Los Angeles County that is able to transmit heartworm. Luckily, it is not an efficient vector (for every 10 larval heartworms this mosquito picks up from an infected dog, only one is transmitted to the next dog). This keeps the heartworm population from rapidly expanding.
More construction of homes means more gardens and more swimming pools and thus more Culiseta incidens mosquitoes. Climate plays a crucial role as well. If there are floods in the winter, the mosquito season is longer. If there is a drought, the mosquito populations plummet. There is certainly potential for an increasing heartworm problem in Los Angeles County.

What the Doctors at Country Hills are Now Recommending
Due to the increase of heartworm cases in the Los Angeles Area, our doctors are now recommending annual heartworm exams for their patients. This will ensure that our pets will remain healthy. Our doctors also will recommend two medications to prevent your pets from becoming infected; Sentinel Flavor Tabs or Heartgard. Also, if we can start your pet on regular heartworm prevention before the age 6 months, there should be no need for a blood test at that visit. We will periodically evaluate for heartworm with a blood test depending on your dog’s prevention program.


SENTINEL Flavor Tabs are the monthly oral preventive that guards against heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) and fleas as well as adult roundworms (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina), adult hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum) and whipworms (Trichuris vulpis). Just one tablet, once a month with a meal, gives your dog the most complete protection possible.As with other heartworm preventives, dogs must be tested for heartworm prior to using SENTINEL Flavor Tabs. In a small percentage of treated dogs, digestive, neurological and skin side effects may occur.


HEARTGARD® Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) is highly effective in preventing heartworm disease. To protect your dog from heartworm disease give HEARTGARD (ivermectin) once-a-month year-round or as directed by your veterinarian. HEARTGARD Plus also provides treatment and control of roundworms and hookworms in a Real-Beef Chewable that dogs love.
It is approved for use in puppies as young as 6 weeks, small dogs regardless of weight, pregnant or breeding bitches, stud dogs, and Collies. Dogs 6-months of age and older should be tested for, and be negative for heartworm disease, prior to starting a preventative program. Dogs should be retested 6 months later and then annually.

December Newsletter

Holiday Safety Tips

Be careful how you deck your halls! The holiday season is generally a time of family togetherness in which even our pets participate. One’s thoughts generally are far from thoughts of injury; however, one must be aware of some important seasonal hazards in order to insure a happy holiday season.

RIBBONS & TINSEL
These are of special interest to playful cats and kittens who see these materials as toys (or prey) to be chased, pounced upon, chewed or swallowed. While chasing and pouncing pose no health threats, chewing and swallowing do, as these strings or “linear foreign bodies” can catch in the GI tract, leading to bunching of intestine as the body tries in vain to move the string or ribbon through. This is a life-threatening condition requiring surgery for correction. Supervise animals who play with string closely.

ELECTRIC LIGHT CORDS
These are also tempting to cats who like to play with string as well as to puppies who are teething and interested in chewing. If a pet bites through an electrical cord, it could result in a severe burn to the tongue which causes the pet’s lung to fill with fluid, causing respiratory distress. This is also an emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention.

POINSETTIA
Consuming this festive-looking plant can be irritating to the mouth and stomach of the dog or cat that chews on or eats it. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettia is not specifically toxic.

MISTLETOE
The fact that there are several types of mistletoe makes it difficult to predict the clinical signs of poisoning. Some mistletoes produce only stomach upset while others may lead to liver failure or seizuring. Consider mistletoe to be a hazardous substance and keep it inaccessible to pets and children.

HOLLY
Any pet that consumes holly may suffer intense vomiting and diarrhea, also depression.

CHOCOLATE
Many people do not realize that chocolate can be a poison. Unsweetened baking chocolate carries a much higher dose of the toxin “theobromine” than does milk chocolate, but even normal milk chocolate can be dangerous; a small dog sharing candy can wind up in big trouble. Clinical signs of chocolate poisoning include hyperexcitability, nervousness, vomiting, and diarrhea and death.

ANTIFREEZE
If traveling with pets to where there is ice or snow, be sure to wipe down your pet’s paws and belly when they come in from outdoors. If you believe your pet has stepped in antifreeze, wash its paws with soap and water.

COOKING
Keep pets out of the kitchen during the hustle and bustle of the season. The last thing you want is for someone you love to get underfoot and get burned from spillage.

DIETARY INDISCRETION
We all like to include our pets in Holiday meals along with the rest of the family, but try to keep in mind that sudden rich diet changes are likely to upset a pet’s stomach. Vomiting and diarrhea are not uncommon. If leftovers are of an especially fatty nature, the pancreas may become inflamed and overloaded. This condition is serious and may require hospitalization.

WATCH YOUR PETS
Sometimes the hustle and noise of holiday guests can frighten animal and cause them to run away. Keep your pets in a quiet and secure place away from the party. Be sure your pet is microchipped and wearing a collar with current ID tags.

Portions reprinted from the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. and VPI Pet Insurance