Call the Vet - an insider's guide to dog and cat health

Does your puppy or kitten have more teeth than they should? Have you noticed their baby teeth sticking around? If so they can end up causing serious problems. This is what you need to know!

• For most dogs and cats, the deciduous baby teeth are all present by 2 months of age, and then become replaced by the adult teeth by 6 months. In some breeds it is more likely that some baby teeth fail to fall out.
• Retained teeth can push the adult teeth out of normal alignment, causing problems. they can also result in food becoming trapped, something that can quickly lead to advanced dental disease.
• At the standard spay/neuter age of 5-6 months, one of the pre-op checks should be for retained teeth. These can then be removed at the same time without the need for a second anesthetic.

Head over to the full show notes and download my free guide to keeping your pet as healthy as possible

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Do let your cat explore outside? What about at night? It could just be safer for your cat to keep them indoors!

"Will my cat be okay if I let her sleep in a close room at night?" - Maricar

• Your cat will be absolutely fine in a closed room at night so long as it's not too hot or cold.
• She should have access to fresh water and I'd recommend having a litter tray for her to use as well as a comfortable bed!
• I fact, your cat will most likely be better off inside than being allowed outside at night. It is typically during the night that cats get into fights (that can also spread diseases like FIV), or get hit on the road.

Head over to the full show notes and download my FREE guide to keeping your pet happy, healthy, and out of the vet clinic!

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Bravecto is one of the newest kids on the block when it comes to the control of fleas and ticks. While it works very well, some people question this drug’s safety and others struggle with the tablet’s price. So can you split Bravecto tablets, and when should you be worried about an overdose or Bravecto side effects?

• Bravecto is isoxazaline parasite control product that is a tablet which: Kills fleas for 12 weeks, kills most ticks for 12 weeks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus and D. variabilis), but only kills the lone star tick for 8 weeks
• The Bravecto data sheet clearly states: "The chewable tablets should not be broken or divided". This is because the active ingredient can not be guaranteed to be evenly mixed throughout tablet and so half a tablet may contain less or more than half the total tablet dose.
• It is uncertain how significant the difference could be but it could mean that a dog is either under-dosed or overdosed. This will depend on the size of your dog compared to the supposed dose given
• That being said, the dose rate for dogs within 1 dosing band corresponds to a dose of 25 – 56 mg fluralaner/kg body weight which is clearly quite a large dose rate to work with. You may be happy with this and so choose to split the tablet, but it is not something that I can specifically recommend.
• Overdose testing has been carried out for Bravecto and:  "No adverse reactions were observed following oral administration to puppies aged 8 – 9 weeks and weighing 2.0 – 3.6 kg treated with overdoses of up to 5 times the maximum recommended dose"
• As with any drug there are potential side-effects which include: diarrhea, vomiting, drooling and inappetence, and in rare cases muscle tremors, wobbliness and even seizures in dogs taking these drugs. It might be that your dog is at a higher risk of side-effects - for example, I would be cautious about recommending its use in epileptic animals or those suffering from other types of seizures

Head over to the full show notes

Download my FREE guide - 5 Steps to Keeping Your Pet as Healthy as Possible

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If your dog or cat isn’t responding to treatment as well as you’d like, or their problem comes back, it’s tempting to either just sit on it or go to a different vet for a second opinion.

Today I want you to meet Molly and her owner Bex, whose story is a great example of checking in with your vet when treatment wasn't going to plan, and how seemingly simple common problems can actually be the result of something much more unusual!

Lessons for Everyone - Bex had a great approach to Molly’s illness, with lessons that we can all learn:

• Looking for information online but knowing that a vet visit was needed. No information online (even on this site!) can replace a consultation with your veterinarian so that a thorough history and physical examination can be performed.
• Not ignoring the fact that treatment hadn’t worked as well as expected. Seeking additional help early rather than wait until Molly was really sick, and not going to a different vet because things hadn’t gone to plan first time. Working through a health problem is a process, and you shouldn’t expect your veterinarian to be able to cure every problem in a single consultation.
• Common things occur commonly. If you hear hoofs sometimes it’s zebras rather than horses (but normally it’s horses)! For animals that are really sick it may well be best to run a whole barrage of tests immediately. For most though, when time is not so critical, there is a process of testing for or treating the most likely diagnosis. If there isn’t the response expected then the more unusual causes will begin to be investigated.

A big thank you to Bex and Molly for letting me share their story! Find the full show notes with pictures here

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What do you think? Is pet insurance a needless expense? Or is it, in fact, a vital life-saver? In Australia, the pet insurance industry has just been given a Shonky Award for being one of the dodgiest products in the country! On the other hand, pet insurance could allow your pet to receive life-saving treatment you would not otherwise be able to afford. So is insurance for your dog or cat something you should be thinking about?

• Choice, on reviewing 86 different pet insurance policies, claimed it couldn't recommend a single one. Some key reasons were that pet insurance is "Riddled with exclusions and technicalities, pet insurance is one of this country’s worst value insurance products," and "It relies on emotionally manipulating your love of your pet to sell you worthless insurance".
• Insurance doesn’t cover: routine care - vaccinations/parasite control, often excludes dentistry, and there are serious exclusions based on breed as well as your pet’s medical history.
• I often tell people that an insurance companies job is to NOT pay out so that they can make money for their stakeholders. The fact is that, on average, a pet owner will pay more in insurance than they will ever claim back
• BUT - insurance can be the difference between life and death! Serious illness, expensive diagnostics, and complex surgeries will often be unaffordable without insurance. The alternative is less than ideal care, not making a diagnosis and trying to cut corners, euthanasia, or death

One pet insurance alternative is to have an emergency savings fund for your pet dog or cat.

• Talk to your vet about how much this should be for your pet. A rough guide might be $5000 - $10,000 depending on the size and breed, as well as where you live.
• One draw-back to this is that if you are only just starting a savings fund, what are the options if the fund is not enough to cover your vet’s bills. Credit cards, finance and other loan options are very expensive ways to access money. Borrowing from family may be an option. You need to have a plan.

Insurance can be a worthwhile product that can give you peace-of-mind and may also save your pet’s life. It is though not the only option

For more information about pet insurance and all the links discussed, head over to the full show notes.

Insurance is my bonus tip in the 5 steps to keeping your pet happy, healthy, and out of the vet clinic! You can download your free guide here.

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Antibiotics are an incredibly valuable treatment for all manner of infections and diseases in pet dogs and cats (as well as us humans of course!). But if your pet needs long-term antibiotic treatment you might be worried about the potential for side effects. Here are some questions you need to answer…

• Different antibiotics have different potential side effects. Neurotoxicity could be seen with metronidazole treatment for example, but not with amoxicillin.
• Side effects are most often (but not always) either individual or dose-dependent rather than time-dependent. Antibiotics kill bacteria throughout the body, not targeted to a single area, can result in chronic diarrhea and may lead to the development of resistant infections.
• Are antibiotics really needed long-term?
  • There are conditions that require the long term use of antibiotics such as: antibiotic responsive diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease and metronidazole, and chronic snuffles treated with azithromycin
  • In other conditions, antibiotics are just treating the infection that is happening because of another disease. Addressing the primary disease may eliminate the need for antibiotics
• Is the right antibiotic being used?
  • If repeat of long term antibiotics are needed then always worth asking
  • Is the diagnosis right - is more testing needed?
  • Are there any other treatment options?
  • Is the right antibiotic being used?
  • Is the dose correct?

Check out the full show notes on long term antibiotic use.

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Anal sac abscesses are not particularly common in cats. They are though painful and there are some causes that mean a vet check is always a good idea.

Tracey asks: “My 4 year old male cat seems to have a burst abscess anal gland on the right side his anus. He seems okay. He has been licking it and hasn’t been sick in any way. He is very active and it seems to be healing now and closing up.”

• Not a common cat problem - anal gland abscesses normally develop after the anal sacs fail to empty as normal, become impacted, infected and then burst out into the surrounding tissue
• Causes of anal glands failing to empty properly include: Soft stools, Inflammation of the surrounding tissue, Anatomical issues, Masses in or beside the anal glands
• Anal gland abscesses are typically very painful and require treatment: Antibiotics, Pain killers, Expression/flushing which may need sedation
• An urgent visit isn't needed but, given anal gland problems are not a common issue in cats, it will be worth getting them checked and emptied to make sure there is no sign of a mass or other problem.
• Straight after an AG abscess, I often find that the anal glands fill up quicker than normal and will often recommend a re-examination 2-4 weeks later to make sure there is no recurrence

Head over to the full show notes

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If your dog or cat's treatment is not going to plan then what should you do? It might be tempting to take them to a different vet for a second opinion. While this is certainly an option, it may not actually be the best idea

• Important that if a problem isn’t resolving, or if there are unexpected changes, to revisit with your veterinarian. Record what problems you are seeing at home by writing down list and take video as often pets won’t “perform” during a consultation
• If signs are non-specific and no particular issues are found on exam then we often start with a symptomatic treatment trial. Lack of response, or progression, will then trigger further investigations such as blood, xray, or urine testing
• If you don’t feel that your pet is getting the care you expect then can consider getting 2nd opinion. It is important you have realistic expectations of your veterinarian. 2nd opinions definitely have their place but in my experience it is very seldom that I end up recommending anything particularly different compared to the first vet
• The importance of having a relationship with your vet based on trust can not be overstated
• For complex cases, especially where tests have been inconclusive and response to any treatment has been poor, being referred to a specialist may be best.

Head over to the full show notes

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If your cat is breathing fast, even if it’s only for a short period of time, then you need to know that they could be incredibly sick. Cats are great at hiding signs of being unwell, and while they may be completely healthy, in my mind, a cat who is breathing quickly of heavily should be seen as a potential emergency.

• Heavy and fast breathing is always a bit of a worry in cats. Cats are great at hiding signs of being unwell and so it might only be noticed that they are struggling when they are almost on deaths door - this is not an exaggeration!
• Breathing heavily can be a sign of a number of different things including: Normal (physical exertion, fright), pain, lung disease (e.g. asthma, cancer), fluid in the chest (e.g. due to heart failure, liver disease, and trauma), infection (a cat bite to the chest is a common cause), air in chest (caused by e.g. lung pathology, trauma), chest mass (cancer, diaphragmatic hernia), anemia (caused by bleeding or red blood cell destruction).
• About 30% of Maine coon cats have a genetic mutation that makes it likely that they will develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This makes heavy breathing even more significant in this breed
• Any cat that is breathing heavily should be checked over as a matter of urgency, if they are “panting” then this is a potential emergency. Keep your cat quiet and handle/move/stress as little as possible. Stress can result in respiratory arrest and death. These cats can really be on the very edge of survival

For more information head over to the full show notes

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Spaying your female dog is one of the biggest surgeries she will have in her life. You need to know that you are doing the right thing. So should you spay your dog, and if so what is the best age?

• Known benefit of spaying a female dog include: eliminate pyometra risk, massively reduce mammary cancer risk, spayed dogs live longer lives, reduced roaming and trauma risk, and eliminate pregnancy risks (such as c-section, eclampsia)
• Potential risks of spaying: risk of anesthetic and surgery, increased risk of developing urinary incontinence, increased obesity risk, increased potential of joint problems in larger breed dogs, and there may be an increased risk of certain cancers (especially in Rottweilers)
• From all of the available evidence, it is impossible to make any sweeping generalizations.
• Simple, one-size-fits-all rules are much more appealing and far easier to apply than a subtle, complicated decision based on various risks and benefits that are not fully understood.
• What is right for one individual may be wrong for another, because of the breed of your dog, or because of the different risks that people are comfortable living with.
• For small breed dogs, I would still recommend spaying when they are around 6 months old before their first season.
• For larger breed dogs, however, where there is no risk of them becoming pregnant and where they can be successfully managed while on heat, I recommend delaying this operation until they reach 1 year of age or a little older.

Full show notes and links to several related articles can be found here

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