Do you know our pets age much faster than we do?

Your pet begins entering his or her senior years around the age of seven. While it may not seem that long ago that your faithful companion was a frisky kitten or playful puppy, your senior pet requires a different health and wellness plan than was necessary in his or her younger days. The staff at Kingston Veterinary Hospital understand the medical needs of senior pets - that's why we've developed a comprehensive senior pet wellness program.

Preventive health care is critical for senior pets. Like humans, older pets are at an increased risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, endocrine disease, cancer and others. Because not all pets exhibit visible symptoms, these diseases can often go undetected. Early detection of these diseases results in faster treatment and better overall health for your pet.

We encourage you to take an active role in the care of your senior pet. Below is a list of key symptoms to look out for as your pet ages.  Detecting disease before the clinical symptoms appear is the key, however, by monitoring your pet for these symptoms we may be able to act sooner!

Key Symptoms

Please contact Lisa, our Senior Pet Care Consultant at the Hospital to discuss any questions you may have OR telephone us to make a Senior Health Check Up appointment for your pet today!

Did you know that over 40% of Australia’s canine population and 1 in 3 cats are overweight?
 
Obesity in animals can cause all kinds of health problems including early onset of arthritis, diabetes, pancreatitis, cancers, respiratory disease, liver problems, urinary tract problems and even death!
 
It is very important as a pet owner to ensure your pet stays within the healthy weight range so they can live a long and happy life. Here are some easily identifiable causes of weight gain in pets:

• Overfeeding
• Overeating
• Feeding habits eg: feeding table scraps
• Lack of exercise
• Age
• Gender
• Neutering                                                                                   

At Kingston Veterinary Hospital we understand that it is not always easy to know what and how much to feed our pets which is why we offer a FREE in house weight loss clinic. At our Hospital you will be advised of your pet’s ideal weight and given a healthy weight management plan along with ways to get your pet more active.
 
Once your pet has been overweight he or she may be prone to weight gain and should have an ongoing weight management plan comprising of a good nutritional diet, exercise and regular check ups and weigh ins.
 
If you are concerned about your pet’s weight please call us and arrange your FREE appointment with Ingrid, our Weight Management Nurse.

'Jabba' the (fat) cat.

Why shouldn’t I feed my dog bones? I thought they were good for his teeth?

Bones used to be recommended as an integral part of a dog’s diet to keep their teeth pearly white. These days, with the introduction of new products on the market to help keep dog’s teeth clean, we recommend that bones are not offered to your pet and that there are safer alternatives.

Why is this?

1. While bones can certainly help to keep your dog’s teeth clean, they can also fracture teeth. A fractured tooth may result in the nerve being exposed, resulting in pain for the dog, and an expensive surgery to have the tooth removed.
2. Bones, especially if cooked, can break into tiny shards, which can pierce through the walls of the gastrointestinal tract and potentially cause massive damage.
3. Both cooked and raw bones are very appealing to most dogs and some dogs have a tendency to gobble them up quickly without properly chewing them. This can result in them getting stuck somewhere along the gastrointestinal tract. If they cannot be passed, surgery is often required to remove them, and this is often somewhat risky, particularly if they are lodged close to the base of the heart, a common location. Damage to the oesophagus (food pipe) is also a big risk in this location, and if a hole is made in the wall of the oesophagus, a massive, potentially fatal, lung condition can develop.
4. Bones that contain marrow are very very high in fat. In some dogs ingestion of marrow bones can cause the pancreas to become inflamed due to the high fat content, and due to the close location of the pancreas to the liver and bile ducts in the abdomen, these can become damaged too. Signs of pancreatitis include severe abdominal pain, a bloated belly, lack of appetite, depression, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever. The condition can be life-threatening, and, even if treatable, a long period of hospitalization may be required.

If your dog’s teeth are prone to developing dental tartar, there are plenty of alternative options available from the clinic or from the supermarket that can help to stop plaque building up on the teeth (which, when it turns hard like cement, is known as tartar).

1. Daily teeth brushing – while this is the gold standard in dental care, this is very labour intensive and is most useful when introduced to your dog at a young age
2. Dental diets – several different brands are available. Some act by mechanically removing plaque from the teeth, and others also contain enzymes to break down the plaque
3. Treats and chews – these can be fed once or twice a week. Pigs ears are great, as are products such as Pedigree Dentabones available from the supermarket. At the recent Australian Veterinary Association conference, a leading Australian veterinary dentist recommended Dentabones as one of the best available products on the market. As a guide, a dental treat or chew should last about half an hour at least in order to be having any positive effects on the teeth.
4. Toys – some toys, such as Kongs and Gumabones, which encourage dogs to chew, promote good oral health but should not be solely relied upon, and dogs should be supervised when chewing on these as they are not designed to be ingested.
5. Dental prophy – once tartar starts to build up, the above options will not be able to effectively remove this from the teeth. A dental clean, scale and polish will probably be recommended by your vet (much like what we have when we go to the dentist), and after this has been performed and the teeth are pearly white again, the above options can be then be used.

Pets can go missing for many reasons, they may become lost, sick/injured, stolen or impounded.  The disappearance of a dearly loved pet from the home can be a cause of great concern.  Having the best means of identifying a missing pet may offer the best chance of reuniting them with their family.

Microchipping is the best form of permanent identification for your pet.  A microchip cannot be lost, unlike local council tags and ID tags fitted around the collar.  And as of 1st May 2007, it is a State Government requirement that all newly registered cats and dogs be microchipped. 

Microchipping must be performed by an authorised microchip implanter.  This involves the insertion of a very small silicon chip under the skin between the shoulder blades.  The microchip number can be detected by a scanner, which is then used to retrieve the contact details of the pet owner to inform them that their pet has been found.  This allows the pet to be safely returned home.

Once your pet has been microchipped, it is important to keep your contact details up to date with the microchip registry.  Remember to inform them of any changes to your details, for example when moving house, changing your phone number, or becoming the new owner of a pet.  

If your pet has not yet been microchipped, this will be simple to arrange with us.  All the Vets at Kingston Veterinary Hospital are authorized microchip implanters and the procedure can be easily performed within minutes.  To book a time for your pet to be microchipped please call our practice and we will be happy to do this for you.