The Importance of Regular Maintenance
Dr Jules Wilson MRCVS of the Maunu Rd branch of the Northland Veterinary Group HAS THIS SAY...
Anyone who owns a car or has a chimney will acknowledge the need for regular simple maintenance. By carrying out little checks and procedures the smooth operation of the item in question is assured for another period of time.
Just in the same way that you may go for a regular check up with your optician, dentist or GP, have a cervical smear, mammogram or prostate check, it is a good idea to take your beloved pet to the vet periodically for a "Warrant of Fitness" examination. At these consultations problems can be identified at an early stage and treatment or management of the problem can start before it gets beyond redemption. Taking a urine sample (from your pet) along with you is really helpful, too.
Arthritis, kidney problems, cataracts, diabetes and a host of other problems can be spotted and sensible treatment started in a timely manner.
Don't forget, too, that SIMPLE HOME CHECKS are also important and should be done regularly:
FLEAS are a problem all the year round in Northland. Fleas are the cause of many allergic skin problems and also carry the dreaded tapeworm. Regular control will keep your pet (and you) more comfortable without those itchy flea-bites, and with better nutrition (not feeding those pesky tapeworms) and less anaemic from chronic blood loss.
ROUND WORMS are also picked up from rummaging around in soil, as well as from a pup or kittens mum (through the milk and placenta). Every 3 months you should use a GOOD wormer bought from your vet. These are the wormers with the 90+ % kill rate.
I always talk about NUTRITION and today is no exception. You will remember that 'you are what you eat', so please try to feed a good quality, balanced diet to your pet. Many organic problems e.g. kidney failure, skin problems, hairball situations can be helped by feeding an appropriate diet. Each stage of life has different nutritional requirements and so the good petfood manufacturers tailor their foods to suit the age of your pet.
As Christmas is approaching I will remind you again NOT TO HANG foil-wrapped chocolate Xmas tree decorations within reach of your dog. Other food items should not be left wrapped at the foot of the tree....temptation can be too much. Around the festive season avoid feeding lots of fat in one go to your middle aged slightly overweight dog if you want to avoid calling the duty vet out in the middle of the night for emergency treatment.
The same of course goes for cooked bones from almost any species, I know we only see the disastorous cases but those are the ones that give us a jaundiced view on allowing dogs to swallow boney foreign bodies.
TOOTH BRUSHING is another easy home care procedure that can be done by most dog owners (many cats really do not like their teeth being brushed but there are the usual exceptions around). Start brushing when your dog is still young and aim for at least twice weekly brushing with dog toothpaste and a good contra-angled dog toothbrush.
Groom those long coats, clean those floppy ears, wipe those 'hang dog eyes' and trim those toenails before they are too long and curly. If you need help, phone your smiling vet nurse at your local vet clinic, who will be only too glad to help you.
What other maintenance is there to do? I hear you cry.............don't forget to keep those vaccinations up to date especially for Rat Jaundice (heaps more rats about than ever before) and for Infectious Bronchitis (we used to call it Kennel Cough, it's similar to Whooping Cough in children) as well as the more 'routine' vaccinations against Canine Distemper & Parvovirus.
Here's wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas, especially to all the students out there with 3 months of vacation sunshine ahead of them. Be sunsmart and be sensible and avoid calling out the emergency vet at 2am....
HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL THE VETS AND STAFF AT THE NORTHLAND VET GROUP.
SUPPORT THE SPCA AND THEIR TIRELESS FIGHT AGAINST THE INJUSTICES DONE TO ANIMALS.
Finally a plea from the big hearts of local vet nurses: When you bring your cat to the vet clinic KEEP THAT CAT IN A SECURE CAT BASKET until you are in the consulting room. Once or twice a year the staff of every vet clinic goes through the heart rending trauma of a cat esaping from the arms of their loving owners and then trying to dodge the rush hour traffic . Happily most of these escapees are returned unharmed to their owners, some, however are killed, all due to the lack of a secure basket.......buy one, make one, borrow one but make it secure (i.e. NOT cardboard).
Issue Apr 2007
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