Ask the Vet

There are a lot of common questions people have that are best answered by a Veterinarian. Below is a list of common questions that will be helpful to you in keeping your pet healthy and happy. Answering these questions is Dr. Carter, our on-site Veterinarian that takes care of all the adoptable animals that we save.

What Are Tapeworms? 

The most common type of tapeworms found in pet dogs and cats are those that are acquired from eating an infected flea. This type of parasite is most often diagnosed by the owner seeing flattened white segments on the surface of a fresh stool or crawling around the anus. This type of tapeworm does not cause weight loss. The only way to catch this type of parasite is to eat an infected flea, even if another animal eats one of the segments directly it will not develop into an adult tapeworm in the intestine. It can take 2 weeks to two months from the time the flea is ingested until you may see evidence of the tapeworm so it is important to practice good flea control at all times of the year that fleas are a problem.

When is it safe to take my puppy to the dog park or dog beach?

Puppies need a series of vaccines to be fully immunized. The vaccines must not only be given multiple times but it also depends on how old your puppy is at the time of vaccination. It is safest to not take your puppy to places where lots of dogs visit until they are at least 5 months old and have had at least two sets of vaccines the last one when the puppy is at least 16 weeks old. Puppies also like to pick up and eat or chew on anything, so monitoring your puppy to make sure they do not pick up things that could make them sick while at the beach or park is also important. Puppy classes where everyone is at the same age and vaccination level, is a safer way to socialize your puppy to people and other animals without the risk of being exposed to a serious disease.  

What is kennel cough and how did my dog or cat get it without being in a kennel?

“Kennel cough” is a common term for infectious tracheobronchitis. It is a disease characterized by a harsh dry cough which can sound as though the dog or cat is choking or has something caught in his throat. Tracheobronchitis is not caused by just one thing, several viruses and bacteria seem to be responsible either in combination or alone. Stress and therefore lowering of the animal’s immune system seems to be an important factor in whether an animal comes down with clinical signs of the infection. There is a vaccine against some of the infectious organisms implicated in causing “Kennel Cough”, the vaccine is not 100% effective in preventing disease in each individual animal but if your pet has been vaccinated and comes down with the disease the length and severity of the signs is typically much shorter than in unvaccinated animals. In most dogs kennel cough can resolve on its own but most veterinarians will prescribe an antibiotic to prevent against secondary pneumonia and to help speed resolution of the disease in those cases in which a bacterium is involved.

 

Is it a bladder infection or has my pet forgotten their housebreaking?

If you have an older pet that was previously well housebroken but now is having accidents you should consider the possibility that there is a problem that warrants a visit to your family veterinarian. Typical signs of urinary tract infection are inability to wait until let out, asking to be let out very frequently. When urinating straining or squatting for long periods of time with very little out put and then squatting again within a few minutes. Cats with a urinary problem may stop using the litter box entirely and squat right in front of you or on unusual surfaces like the tub, sink or counter. Not treating a urinary tract infection at the outset can lead to more severe problems down the road like bladder or kidney stones, kidney infections or even death. Puppies and kittens can also get urinary tract infections. Since puppies are often not housetrained at the onset the signs can sometimes be hard to recognize but if the puppy seems to be squatting every few minutes with just a small spot or is crying when urinating then it is time to go see the Doctor.

 

If your pet is in need of veterinary care, we suggest that you contact Rancho Santa Fe Veterinary Hospital located on the campus of Helen Woodward Animal Center at 6525 Calle Del Nido in Rancho Santa Fe.

For more information call 858-759-8797.