Spring and summer are marvelous for many reasons. Not on the list of seasonal splendors? Parasites, of course. Yes, bugs are a natural consequence of warmer weather, but with a proactive approach to parasite prevention, they don’t have to bother your pet – or spread dangerous diseases!

Consider the Lifestyle

Due to an indoor-only lifestyle, many pets are perceived as being “safe” from bugs and vector-borne illness. However, due to their stealthy natures, fleas, ticks, and heartworm-carrying mosquitos can quietly enter the home, unnoticed and unharmed. Yes, even pets who aren’t exploring shady, woodsy undergrowth or rolling around in the grass can become easy targets for blood-thirsty bugs.

No Fault of Their Own

Pets who remain unprotected from parasites (and the diseases they carry) are unwittingly placed in the crosshairs. Even pets who used to take a preventive but went off it, even for a short time, are at risk. Luckily, most parasite prevention medications are easy to administer; some even come with reminder stickers. We can also help with reminder apps or smart phone calendar tasks.

A Closer Look

Fleas, ticks, and mosquitos pose obvious threats (e.g., flea allergy dermatitis, Lyme disease, heartworm, etc.), but parasite prevention should also take internal parasites into consideration. Roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, ear mites, and whipworms can all be prevented. Without ongoing treatment, these parasites can thrive off an animal’s blood.

If you have more than one pet or if you frequent public spaces, remember the eggs of these parasites are typically found in the feces of infected animals.

See the Signs

Throughout the year, it’s important to groom your pet. This is not only satisfying, but also gives you insight into the condition of the coat and skin. Keep a close eye on any inflammation, bumps, and swelling. Bring your pet in for an exam if they are:

• Extremely itchy
• Excessive scratching
• Biting one area repeatedly
• Twitching
• Shaking the head
• Showing signs of stress, pain, or anxiety
• Developing red, raw, or bald spots

Parasite Prevention All Year Long?

Many pet owners subscribe to the idea that parasite prevention isn’t necessary between, say, November to March. Certainly, it’s less common to see bugs after the first frost, but because of the life cycle of many parasites, they can live in a dormant stage throughout the winter (even inside the home!). They wake up and become active in the spring and have the ability to wreak havoc on a pet before they’ve started their medication.

That’s why we recommend a year-round approach to parasite prevention. We’re happy to discuss the process with you during your pet’s next wellness exam. Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions!

The post The Year-Long Itch: Parasite Prevention That’s Year Round appeared first on West Park Animal Hospital Blog.

It makes sense to assume city-dwelling pets are generally healthier than rural ones. They don’t typically find themselves spending long hours in bordering farms or fields, wandering far from home. Urban pets also usually have quicker, easier access to veterinary care.

Sure, city-dwelling pets have a lot going for them. However, that doesn’t mean we can ignore the risks from parasites. If you’ve ever wondered about parasite prevention in the city and whether it’s a major part of overall health and longevity, we can assure you it is!

Truth in Numbers

When we look at the sheer number of animals living close together in a city, the focus is certainly on disease prevention. Urban pets may be separated by floors and walls, but they definitely share common spaces like hallways, entries, sidewalks, and enclosed yards. As a result, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and distemper are natural components of any urban pet’s vaccination schedule.

Pests vs. Pets

Most pet owners are proactive about vaccinations because they value the importance of protecting their animals from dangerous, contagious illnesses. While city-living pets may have fewer encounters with wild, disease-carrying predators, they can undoubtedly be exposed to disease via other common city-dwellers: rodents.

Shifting Focus

In general, city pets don’t have grassy lawns to roll around in, compost piles, standing water puddles to lap up, or brushy undergrowths to explore. This might limit the incidence of fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, but these parasites are still found in urban areas. In some cities, heartworm-carrying mosquitoes are more prevalent than in nearby wide open areas (thanks, in part, to the high heat and humidity).

Don’t be Fooled

As for the areas that seem to attract rodents and other feral animals that harbor parasites, it’s a good idea for your pet to stay away. It only takes a second for a tick to attach itself or a flea to jump onto your pet’s body. Common wildlife to watch out for includes:

• Mice or rats
• Raccoons
• Squirrels
• Other cats and dogs

As they pass through shady, dark, overgrown areas or passageways next to trash bins, pets can pick up fleas hatched from eggs dropped by other animals. Similarly, puddles or any standing water can have heartworm-carrying mosquitoes seeking their next blood meal.

If a rodent gets into an apartment, it can bring fleas and/or eggs and leave them to wreak havoc on a pet and their home. Ticks can also be dropped from one animal to another, and they’re responsible for Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Parasite Prevention in the City

We recommend keeping pets on a year-round parasite prevention schedule. This will keep your city-dwelling pet safe from heartworm, tick-borne diseases, and the heartache and frustration associated with fleas. Plus, parasite prevention the city also keeps you and your family safe from roundworms, hookworms, and other zoonotic parasites.

In addition, keeping an urban dwelling clean, maintaining grooming habits, and establishing rules about off-limits areas can all keep parasite prevention in the city a priority.

Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns. We’re always here for you!

The post Urban Bugs: Parasite Prevention in the City appeared first on West Park Animal Hospital Blog.

There are few things more disgusting than receiving a big slobbery kiss from your dog only to realize they recently helped themselves to a litter box snack. It’s likely this common but annoying habit has had you Googling answers furiously looking for help. So, what’s up with this unsavory behavior and how can you keep your dog out of the litter box?

You’re in luck! The team at West Park Animal Hospital is here to help.

Dogs and Litter Box Behavior

When your dog raids the litter box, they’re exhibiting normal dog behavior. This can be a relief (there’s probably nothing wrong medically) but also a disappointment (can’t a simple pill fix this?).

Dogs are omnivores and amazing scavengers in the wild. They gobble up anything they can get their, er, paws on. So the short answer as to why your dog raids the litter box is simply because it’s there and they can.

Most likely, the situation began as a simple investigation. However, as soon as they realize there’s the potential for a yummy snack in there, this behavior quickly becomes routine. When you think about it, if one of your dog’s favorite treats is cat food, then it stands to reason that a cat box delicacy comes in at a very close second.

Is This Bad for My Dog?

For the most part, litter box snacking doesn’t pose much of a health risk to most dogs. Some vomit or have diarrhea while others are fine. Keep in mind, however, that cats may have parasites in their stool that may be transferable to dogs (and humans). Lastly, if your dog ingests a large amount of litter along with their snack, it could cause gastrointestinal upset or blockage (this doesn’t happen often but it bears mentioning).

Ways to Keep Your Dog Out of the Litter Box

It’s nearly impossible to train your dog out of this bad habit since every time they score a snack from the litter box, the behavior is strongly reinforced. You could try scooping the box immediately after a deposit is made, but unless you’re superhuman, this probably isn’t a realistic goal. Instead, let’s look at more attainable ways to keep your dog out of the litter box.

Cat door — Keep the litter box in a cat-only room, and install either a cat door or a cathole.

Baby gate — Many people use baby gates to separate their dog from the litter box. Most cats have no trouble navigating it, but then again, neither do some dogs, so you may need to look for specific models. Another option is to install the gate a few inches off the floor so it’s high enough for your cat to get underneath, but low enough to prevent your dog from going under.

Door chain — Some owners install a door chain that offers a narrow opening to the litter box room that’s big enough for your cat to squeeze through but not your dog.

Covered litter box — There are some good options on the market for top entry covered litter boxes, but make sure to introduce this slowly to your cat. Some cats reject them, as they may be too small and cause your cat to feel claustrophobic. If your cat has asthma, they’re not recommended.

Hopefully this has provided some helpful information to keep your dog out of the litter box. If you know of other effective ideas or if you have any questions, please give us a call. We’d love to hear from you!

So, what’s up with this unsavory behavior and how can you keep your dog out of the litter box?

The post Eww, Fido Did What? How to Keep Your Dog Out of the Litter Box appeared first on West Park Animal Hospital Blog.

Dogs and cats explore the world with their mouths, and chewing, biting, gnawing, and chomping are parts of that exploration. It probably comes as no surprise that chipped and broken teeth are common occurrences among pets that many veterinarians see on a weekly basis.

Besides being unsightly, a broken tooth can spell big trouble for a pet. If the pulp (internal blood supply of the tooth) is exposed, bacteria can gain access to the root, leading to tooth and bone loss. Systemic infection throughout the body may result as the bacteria leak from the root into the bloodstream.

What would you do if your pet broke a tooth? Call your friendly team at West Park Animal Hospital, of course!

Signs Your Pet Broke a Tooth

Sometimes you may not see your pet’s fractured tooth, but these signs can alert you to the problem:

• Drooling
• Trouble eating
• Signs of pain, such as pawing at the face and mouth
• Chewing only on one side of the mouth
• Refusal to eat
• Blood in the saliva
• Facial swelling
• Changes in behavior (grumpiness, aggression, etc.)

It’s important to remember that, in many cases, pets show no signs of pain. Pets naturally try to hide signs of injury, and may continue to eat and behave normally even if they’re in pain.

Treatment

If you know or suspect that your pet broke a tooth, give us a call right away. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough examination, which may include digital x-rays, to determine the severity of the injury. Depending on the results of the exam, treatment may be as simple as filing down the rough edges, or as involved as a root canal or extraction to prevent further damage and infection from occurring.

Preventing Tooth Injury

Tooth breakage in pets generally stems from chewing, but can also happen as a result of rough play, falling from a height, being hit by a car, or other accident. You may not be able to completely prevent your pet from ever breaking a tooth, but you can stack the odds in their favor with the following tactics:

• Keep antlers, hooves, bones, hard nylon toys, and other very hard chew items away from your pet.
• Don’t allow your pet to chew on hard surfaces, such as fences, rocks, etc.
• Supervise your pet while outdoors.
• Make sure your pet gets plenty of exercise, and provide them with safe chew toys.
• Give aggressive chewers softer toys that they cannot get their whole mouths around.
• Bring your pet in for all of their regularly scheduled wellness visits, and follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for professional dental examinations and cleanings.

Your pet’s dental care is important to us. If you have concerns about your pet’s teeth, please let us know.

The post Help! My Pet Broke a Tooth! appeared first on West Park Animal Hospital Blog.

Modern pets enjoy lives their ancestors would hardly recognize. Not only do we provide them with the best in nutrition and medical care, we also have a respect for animals that has grown considerably in recent decades. Studies show that most pet owners now consider their four-legged companions family members.

Indeed, pets are wonderful additions to our homes and families. But what happens when the desire to include our fur babies in every aspect of our daily lives leads to problems?

It’s easy to purchase a service animal vest online and hop on a plane or walk into a restaurant with your pet these days. Unfortunately, the rise in these fake service animals has significant costs to those who truly depend upon an animal for their independence and, in many cases, their lives.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Legislated in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that state and local government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that provide goods and services to the public make reasonable modifications in order to accommodate individuals with disabilities. This includes allowing service animals into facilities with a “no pets” policy.

A service animal, as defined by the ADA, is one that is trained to do work or perform specific tasks for an individual with a disability. Therapy and emotional support animals (pets that provide comfort by simply being there) are not considered service dogs under the ADA.

The Problem with Fake Service Animals

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act defines what a service animal is and isn’t, it doesn’t state any requirements or provisions for training, registration, licensing, or documentation of service animals. A loophole in the ADA also prohibits businesses or individuals from asking a pet owner for proof that their animal is a service animal.

The loophole, which was put in place to respect the privacy of disabled individuals, also presents several problems, including:

• Fake service animals in public places can be disruptive, as they are typically not trained as real service animals.
• Fake service animals can pose a risk of distraction or injury to real service animals.
• A distracted service animal can inadvertently cause harm to their handler by not being able to perform their trained functions properly.
• The damage and disruption caused by fake service animals has led businesses to put pressure on legislators to change ADA rules, which could have negative impacts on disabled individuals.
• The rise in fake service animals in recent years has caused individuals with real service animals to fall under suspicion.

Times, They Are a-Changin’

Incidents in which a service dog or handler has been harmed due to a fake service animal have inspired legislation in 19 states. The most recent states to pass laws against people trying to pass their pets off as service animals are Virginia (2016) and Colorado (2017). Massachusetts is currently considering a similar law.

The Bottom Line

Service animal handlers have difficulty functioning in their daily lives without their four-legged companion. Fake service animals diminish and undermine the daily challenges faced by people with disabilities, as well as the hard work and dedication it takes to lead an independent life in the face of a disability.

Would you like to learn more? The team at West Park Animal Hospital welcomes your questions about service animals!

The post The Problem with Fake Service Animals appeared first on West Park Animal Hospital Blog.