Thursday, November 10, 2016

Myths About Dreaded Ticks




Dr. Ronald G. Biese
The book of Matthew in the New Testament (10:27) says “What I whisper in your ear shout from the housetops for all to hear”.  That is good advice for knowledge that simply needs to be heard and distributed to the masses.  There are so many myths about ticks that I would love to shout from the rooftops for all to hear to dispel these myths.  The two main ticks we see in Wisconsin are wood ticks (Demacentor variabilis) and deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis).  What is fact and what is fiction about these dreaded beasts?

It is common knowledge that deer ticks carry diseases.  That is correct.  Most people know that they carry Lyme disease.  That is correct.  Deer ticks are very small.  Right again.  That is about the only facts all people understand. 

A common myth is that deer ticks are always small even when engorged.  What many people don’t know is an engorged deer tick can be up to ½ inch long.  This is sizeable and to an untrained eye can look like an engorged wood tick.   Shout this information from the rooftops.  A large engorged tick DOES NOT mean a wood tick.  It could be, but it should be identified by an expert (your veterinarian should know).  

Another myth is that ticks are gone by fall.  That is dead wrong!  No pun intended.  Deer ticks are always available to prey on unsuspecting mammals ANY time the temperature is near or above 32 degrees.  They do not hibernate, nor do they look at a calendar.  I have seen ticks in my practice on dogs every month of the year.  They are not gone after the first frost!  DON’T stop using flea/tick preventives until there is snow that does not leave the ground.  In fact, it is a good idea to use the product all year-round, as some winters are mild enough with thawing occurring any time.  In addition, you will get flea protection which can occur any time of year from other animals. 

The most popular myth is a tick burrows its entire head under the skin.  This is simply not true.  They bite with their mouth parts that sink into the skin.  The head can’t go below the skin! 
    
Removing a tick couldn’t be any easier.  People make a huge deal out of this and have all kinds of “tricks” to get them out.  Did you ever hear of burning them out; using Vaseline to back them out; using diesel fuel to get them out?  DO NOT EMPLOY ANY OF THESE METHODS.  Again, warm up those lungs and shout this to your neighbors and friends.  The easiest and best way to remove them once they are embedded is to grab them as close to the skin as possible with a pointy tweezers and SLOWLY pull.  They will likely release once there is enough pressure applied.  Do not worry if some of the mouth parts are left behind.  They will not cause a local infection and the body will kick it out within a few days to a week.  I have had several clients trying to “dig out the head” with needles and cause more harm than good.  Be much more afraid of what these little buggers transmit into the body!!


Lyme disease is the only disease that ticks transmit.  This is very wrong!  There are several known diseases that they transmit to our pets and us, and likely many more that we don’t know about.  To name a few, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Tularemia, and several others.  

Ticks are creepy in many ways.  My wish is to educate as many people about the above myths and dispel as many as possible so that our lovely pets are safer from their wicked ways.  So, I hope you “shout” to as many people as you can about the things you learned about ticks.   By the way, you don’t have to do it from your rooftop.  That is dangerous!


Click on the link below for more information



Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Kaukauna Veterinary Clinic Celebrates National Veterinary Technician Week



Dr. David Gagnon

This is Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week.  Kaukauna Veterinary Clinic employs some very skilled and compassionate technicians.  These are men and women who devote themselves to caring for animals in similar, though different, capacities than veterinarians.  Although not being able to diagnose diseases or prescribe medications, they are your pets’ primary caretakers when they’re staying with us.  Technicians are dental hygienists, anesthetists, phlebotomists, x-ray technicians, emergency/triage nurses, parasitologists, laboratory workers, and many more things!

Not only do our techs need these skills, but they will use them on pets who don’t always want to sit still.  The skills and patience required to be a veterinary technician is unmatched.

When your beloved pets are hospitalized, technicians are the ones feeding them, medicating them, walking them, cleaning up after them, and talking to them when they’re hurt or scared.

Veterinarians are the doctors you see in the exam rooms, but so much more goes on behind the scenes.  If not for technicians, our clinic would crumble, or at the very least, slow down to a snail’s pace (don’t ask ME how to run our blood machines).  Not only do they have the medical know-how, and physical ability to hold your pet for blood draws or other procedures, they’re often the ones dealing directly with you, the pet owner, giving take-home instructions after surgeries and other procedures.

Veterinary technicians devote their lives and careers to the health and safety of animals.  I consider myself fortunate to work with such a talented and dedicated group of people.  The next time you see one of our awesome techs, please thank them for all they do.  Not enough can be said for their help!




Our Veterinary Technicians

Mark

Nicole

Patty
McKenna 

Anita 
Tricia 
Diane 

Christy    

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

National Pet Obesity Day




Diane, LVT
Just as in the human population, obesity in pets is reaching near epidemic proportions. In the United States alone, 2013 statistics show approximately 58% of pet cats are overweight or obese. That is equal to roughly 55 million overweight cats and 26 million obese cats. Statistics for dogs in the US are not much better – approximately 53% of pet dogs are overweight or obese; roughly 43 million dogs are overweight and 13 million dogs are classified as obese - staggering numbers, to say the least.

Excess weight can reduce life expectancy and negatively affect quality of life. The reality is: obesity kills. Other significant health concerns are Type 2 Diabetes, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, and many forms of cancer. Pets with excessive weight can have many joint issues that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Overweight pets are just not as comfortable as those at an ideal weight. Overweight cats in particular,  are not able to groom themselves effectively – the fat gets in the way and prevents them from reaching the anal area, possibly resulting in urine scald (almost like diaper rash in babies) and that can cause much discomfort.  

To determine if your pet is at a healthy weight, please be sure to talk to your veterinarian. A weight check is included in every physical exam done at Kaukauna Veterinary Clinic. The first stop after getting checked in for appointments is the dreaded scale! The veterinarian will also do a visual and “hands on” check of the body status and assign a number on the weight scale. Some weight scales are 1-5, some are 1-9, with 1 being severely underweight/emaciated and 5/9 being the highest or morbidly obese. The goal is to strive to keep your pet in the middle of the range (3 on the 1-5 scale and 5 on the 1-9 scale). 

To aid you in assessing the weight status of your pet, general rules of thumb for those at a healthy weight:
      *Ribs are easily felt
      *Stomach doesn’t sag
      *Waist is easily noted from the side/above

When assessing overweight pets:
       *Ribs are difficult to feel under the fat
      *Stomach sags – you can grab a handful of fat!
      *The back is broad and flat
      *Waist is barely visible or absent

Dog Body Condition Chart                         Cat Body Condition Chart

Tips for keeping your pet’s weight in check –
1.     Talk to your vet, discuss the weight and monitor it with routine weight checks.
2.    Control food – check labels, limit treats (use healthy alternatives for treats such as carrots, broccoli, frozen green beans).
3.    Stay consistent – use a measuring cup for feeding (not a spoon, scoop or other container). Have one person in the house be responsible for feeding so no double meals are offered – some dogs would eat three or four times if it’s offered!
4.    Get up and exercise! The more calories burned versus calories consumed, the better!


Exercise for pets is of vital importance. If your pet is feeling well and healthy enough for exercise, do your best to encourage it. Keep in mind, for some overweight pets and especially those who are obese, you need to slowly implement an exercise program. If you start out too fast, injuries can occur and that will derail your plan and cause your pet pain and suffering. 

     To help your cat get additional exercise, you may want to move the food and water bowls to a different location that may involve doing stairs for additional activity. There are many interactive toys you can get to play with your cat: flashlights/laser lights, crinkly balls, feathers, strings…average at least 10 minutes of play time twice a day to start out. You can increase the time as your cat becomes more fit. 

     To help your dog get additional exercise, brisk walking is a good way to start out for both of you. Walk for a minimum of 10 minutes, twice a day if possible, gradually increase the time and distance as your dog starts to lose the weight and develop more stamina. Just a few words to remember when walking an overweight or obese dog, do not walk too far initially – you have to be sure you can get home again!

     Many dogs love to play with balls and toys that involve fetching. As with cats, moving the food and water bowls to a different location to force additional walking within the house can help a bit too. 
 
As pet owners, our primary goal is to provide the best life possible for our companions and to give then every health benefit to keep them with us for as many years as possible. Keeping them at their ideal weight will not only lengthen their lives, but will also make their lives more enjoyable. There are web sites you can utilize to help you figure out the caloric intakes your pet should have on a daily basis. We can also provide you with a chart that has the calorie content of many common dog treats/chew products to help you – just ask any of the staff for this chart. We look forward to helping you keep your pets at their ideal weights.