HOW COLD IS TOO COLD?

As north Texas finally gets to freezing temperatures, a daily question is how cold is too cold? No easy answer, unlike the TV stations telling you that a magical temperature says bring them inside. It depends on the breed most of all. A Chihuahua thinks 50 is cold, a Husky says that is hot. It depends on the age. Young pups are not too bright. They will get soaking wet and get very cold, while geriatric pets cannot handle low temperatures. It also depends on the transition. In the Midwest and North, pets are adapted to much cooler temperatures, while our pets are more adjusted to the Texas Summer.
So, what should you do? Use common sense and judgement. Provide bedding and shelter from rain.
Lastly, from my experience, I see ten times more problems with heat over cold. Very few

EARS - PART TWO

So, if ear mites are not that common in dogs, what do I see? Most issues involve fungal (malassezia) or bacterial. A swab is commonly done to differentiate via microscopic exam, allowing us to choose the right medicine. The number one underlying cause of repeat otitis (assuming the initial treatment worked) is allergies. As your pet ages, tumors can also be a problem, but in many cases, the initiating agent is long gone and I treat what I see.
What can you try at home? Cleanser are a good option. Avoid peroxide and alcohol in the canal, as if not done properly, it will make matters worse. The only home solution I can recommend is half and half white vinegar and water. Try flushing the canals once a day for several days, if not improving, see a veterinarian.
Do not stick any swab down the canal. You could just pack in the infection more.

Case of the week - Ear problems and ear mites

Ear problems seems to be the health issue most home treated before calling our clinic. All kinds of oils, alcohols, pet store drops, and flushes are tried - then we are called. The biggest goof is most people think ear mites. I do commonly see ear mites, but two problems. The over the counter medications are basically worthless and 99% of the time it is not ear mites anyway.
Almost all my ear mite cases are in cats, with 90% of those either kittens or strays. Very rare in dogs, especially adult dogs..
So, what to do? See your Veterinarian and get a correct diagnosis and treatment. Old topicals in the ear are out dated and rarely clear the problem totally. My favorite is Advantage Multi, but Revolution is good too and can be used at a younger age.
Next time I will chat on other ear problems which I see every day.

HANG IN THERE

I have not posted for awhile, waiting for word to get out to my clients as I update them as they come in the clinic. Texas heat is the big issue here. At my house, I saw 105 yesterday. Fleas and ticks seem to love it, dogs and cats not so much. This week brought a bunch of hot pets who got the bad end of another pet who nailed them, probably made fiesty by the heat. Keep cool.

WEB SITES TO KEEP

Just a few more words about my new blog. I will try to keep them short. Nothing beats me down more than lots of verbose and little meat.
If more information is appropriate, I will add more later, or send you to a link.
This week, I want to give you a couple web sites which I hope will help you with your pets.

First, how about a few of my own sites.
South Arlington Animal Clinic has had a web site for a few years, but only recently have I been really trying to use it for communication. http://www.arlingtonanimalclinic.com/
Pay it a visit. I am currently taking some training to improve it, so visit again in a few months and see the changes.
The big craze right now is twitter, and yes, look for me there too. Just a warning, twitter is more personal than Veterinary related, but I will throw a little of both. http://www.twitter.com/joedvet
Lastly, my e-mail address is joedvet@aol.com.

One more site. Every day I get people come in with crazy ideas about what is wrong with their pets from the internet. Is there a site I recommend? My favorite is http://www.veterinarypartners.com I find it gives the most accurate information around. It is a branch of VIN, which is a site for us Veterinarians out in the field to get information and referral sources fast.

Finally, a personal note. Soon to come, my second grandchild is due in December. Congrats to my daughter Sarah and her husband Dave.

WELCOME

Welcome to my new blog. My goal is to provide current information related to your pet's health.
Blogs may be related to current cases or news, or just updates about pet care. I will also provide personal updates along with alerts as to when I may traveling or out of the office. Please feel free to contact me with suggestions for future blogs.
Thanks for visiting.