Dr. Moore's Veterinary Update

ON HOLD

2010-10-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are following my blog, thank you. But, for now, I will discontinue posting until I can get a bigger audience. I will continue my twitter posts which you can find by searching for joedvet.
Thanks.

Getting a puppy/ Dog - Part 2

2010-08-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

Last month I addressed getting a purebred dog and finding the right dog for you. This month, I want to talk about where to get your dog (or cat)

Or better, where should I not get my pup?
I see my worst specimens from pet stores and flea markets. These are also where impulse purchases happen and many times, the price is greatly inflated. I can't count the number of herediary defects and parasites come with these creatures.
The healthiest pets come from either casual breeders, family, and friends. I define casual breeders as an individual who has a dog which has a litter every few years. Fine purebred dogs can come from professional breeders, but think about what you want in a dog. Do you want to pay 500 to thousands for nice conformation or should you aim at a personality match.
Getting a dog from the shelter is a great idea, but I recommend to brouse online. Once you go to the shelter, it turns into an emotional decision.
There are numerous rescue societies now run by good hearted people. Your Veterinarian should have some numbers you can call.
Next month, I want to address which pup in the litter should I pick and how old of a puppy is right for me.

Dog Breeds

2010-07-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

This month I got reminded fo the importance of choosing the right breed, the right puppy. Most pups are bought on emotions and appearance, which leads to disaster. If you looking for a purebred dog, you need to look at the general qualities associated with a certain breed. Some are hyper, some are stubborn, some aggressive. Not every dog in a line fits the mold, but I can predict in most cases what to expect based on what is waiting for me in the exam room. Consider a couple helpful online aids. AKC.com an online aid: http://www.akc.org/future_dog_owner/find_breed.cfm

Also, Iames has one too that I like: http://www.iams.com/iams/breed-information.jsp

Next month I will address what applies to all purebreed and mixed dogs: Which puppy in a litter is right for me? Where should I go to get a pup?

VACCINATIONS

2010-06-17T06:59:00.000-07:00

Simple topic, simple solution to expensive to treat, life threatening diseases, yet my clinic has been flooded with Parvo cases this last week. I have seen a resurgence of distemper. I have seen more leptospirosis. And in cats, many positive cases of Leukemia. Why?
None of these pets were currently vaccinated. If you ae reading this, you are probably a concerned pet owner and I am preaching to the choir, but encourage your friends, remind your neighbors. It is life or death issue.

Missed last month on blogging. I should settle down again now.

April 2010 Updates.

2010-04-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry I am a little late on updating. I missed the Month of March. It just flew by. Early March, my wife and I took a great cruise from Barcelona to Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira, and Granada. A great break from real life. Soon followed Spring break with my Grand daughter, then followed by visits from relatives. Now back to normal, for awhile.
I want to touch on parasite control just briefly, as there are so many aspects, a dozen books would maybe cover the whole arena. I like to keep it simple. Stay away from most OTC products for fleas and ticks; flea collars, dips, and shampoos. They cause more damage than help. Look to the new generation products. Topicals that are not absorbed systemically like Frontline and Advantage are great. But not all topicals are created equal as most OTC products contain permethrin, a systemic insecticide.
I will address other parasite controls later, such as heartworm and intestinal worm, but to avoid a long blog, I will stop and aim for a new one soon.
OTC - means over the counter.

Thanks for your time

Clinic news and dental stuff

2010-02-20T12:54:00.000-08:00

Good day to all. I wanted to let my clients know I will be out of the office a few days coming up over the next two weeks. Call the clinic to get a current schedule and find out which Veterinarians will be there. I can't let February go by without commenting on dental month. We try to provide discounts every year in February to encourage good dental care. This year, we offer 25% off dentals. It is a great deal and I hope you take advantage of this offer. But keep in mind, dental care is a year round effort. I don't mention brushing teeth as much as I should - secret - I don't brush my own pets teeth - but it is the best way. You need to start young and keep it up. I love dental treats. There are so many good ones and they help with stress too. There is also tartar control foods, one of which we carry made by Science Diet. Call for ideas and suggestions.

Dr. M

My old pet is losing weight.

2010-01-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

Too fat, too thin. Veterinarians see it daily. The causes multiple. This month, I will address the older pet losing weight. Yesterday, an older cat came in with weight loss and reminded me what owners often say, "I thought Fefe was just getting old"
Although it varies with breeds and species, senior issues start cropping up around 10 years of age. Weight loss is not necessarily bad, but if they are losing muscle mass, that is, you can feel their spine easily or head ridges, something could be wrong. 90% of the time, simple blood tests can identify issues which can either be corrected, slowed, or managed. Anyone with a senior pet should consider yearly blood tests.
Also, a common problem I will see is senior pets losing weight and they have them on senior diets, which encourage weight loss. Many seniors (like us) need added calories, not less.
Next month, I will address younger pets losing weight.
Thanks for listening.

HOW COLD IS TOO COLD?

2009-12-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

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

2009-09-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

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.