Click on one of the sub-heading links below to jump directly to that section.
Once again, all of us at Ingleburn Veterinary Hospital would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. As usual, we will be open for business right through the holiday period, with the exception of these 4 days:
Christmas Day – Closed
(Tuesday, 25th December 2001)
Boxing Day – Closed
(Wednesday, 26th December 2001)
New Years Day – Open 9am-12noon
(Tuesday, 1st January 2002)
Australia Day Holiday – 9am-12noon
(Monday, 28th January 2002)
We've designed our site to be informative, very fast and easy to navigate. The menu bar on the left gives quick access to the main areas of the site.
Under the Pet Health and Newsletters links, you will find a wealth of information to help you to care for your pets. There's also a special section devoted to First Aid and Emergencies. Check out what's new at our hospital and read about any current discounts or special offers. Follow the links to find out about us and about our range of products and services.
You'll find the site quite comprehensive. In fact there are already over 50 separate pages. We've included copies of all of our previous newsletters, as well as our client handouts on various pet care topics, with more to be added in time.
You can now save a lot of money on some of our most effective flea control products – just in time for summer. For more information on any of these products or advice on flea control, drop in and see us or check our web-site.
Give us your e-mail address (using the Feedback page on our web site) and we’ll send you news updates including any special offers running at the hospital.
A recent change to its pricing structure means that we are able to offer you
significant price reductions on most sizes, especially for cats and small dogs.
For example, the price of Revolution for cats has reduced from $48.00 to $41.00.
And this is not a limited offer; it’s a permanent price reduction.
In addition, the "6 tubes for the price of 5" special offer has
been extended until the end of February. Buy 2 packs of Revolution for Cats
for only $68.33 (previously $96.00).
Revolution is our number one recommendation
for parasites in cats, controlling fleas, heartworm and most intestinal worms.
It's a simple spot-on formulation, which means no more fighting to give tablets!
Buy any pack of Advantage before 31/12/2001 and receive an extra dose for free, plus a free tennis ball (for your pet!) and a chance to win a VIP trip for two to the Australian Open. There's 100 Dunlop Slazenger tennis racquets to be won instantly. Advantage is a spot-on style flea control product, applied once-a-month to the back of the neck. It gives excellent flea control and it works very fast. Advantage DUO prevents heartworm disease too.
Buy a 6-pack of Frontline Top-Spot and receive an extra dose for free. Frontline is a spot-on style flea control product, applied once a month to the back of the neck, and gives excellent flea control, even after bathing or swimming. If you're holidaying on the coast, Frontline can also help control paralysis ticks for up to 2 weeks (please discuss tick control with our staff). Offer closes 31st January.
Related articles: NL6: Flea Control - Act Now, NL2: Are you ready for the flea season?
Dermatitis means inflammation of the skin. One of the most common types of dermatitis is allergic dermatitis. In the allergic state, the body's immune system overreacts to foreign substances (allergens or antigens) to which it is exposed. In people, allergies commonly cause signs of hay fever. In dogs and cats, the most common sign of allergy is itching of the skin, either localised (one area) or generalised (whole body).
Various factors make allergic dermatitis a lot more common in the summer months. There are many different types of allergic dermatitis, all with the same primary symptom - itchy skin. Correct diagnosis is the key to successful treatment and a veterinary consultation is always recommended. There are however 2 very important things that you can do at home to ease the symptoms in minor cases, and to help prevent allergic dermatitis in healthy dogs:
is one of the most common forms of allergic dermatitis in dogs and cats. It is often the cause of the skin disease that people sometimes refer to (wrongly) as eczema or mange.
A normal dog (or cat) experiences only minor skin irritation in response to flea bites. Even in the presence of dozens of fleas, there will be very little itching. On the other hand, the flea allergic dog has a severe, itch-producing reaction to flea bites. This occurs because the dog develops an allergic response to the flea's saliva. When the dog is bitten, flea saliva is deposited in the skin. Just one bite causes intense itching. You might think your dog has no fleas, but just one bite every 2 weeks can lead to continuous itching.
The dog's response to the intense itching is to chew, lick, or scratch. This causes hair loss and can lead to open sores or scabs, allowing a secondary bacterial infection to begin. Over time, the skin can become black and very thickened. The areas most commonly involved are the tail-base, rump and the backs of the legs. Cats develop multiple small scabs, especially over the neck and back.
Treatment. The most important treatment for flea allergy is to rid your pet of all fleas. This involves treating your pet directly, treating all in-contact animals and removing fleas from the environment. There are many products available for flea control, and in some cases, multiple products may be needed. The most effective single product for flea allergy is Frontline Spray used (at the full dose) every 2-3 weeks.
Initially, or when complete flea control is not possible, corticosteroids (such as prednisolone) can be used to block the allergic reaction and give your pet some relief. Antihistamines are usually not effective.
is an inherited sensitivity to various allergens in the environment, such as pollens (from grasses, weeds and trees), dust mites and moulds. Pollens are air-borne, so a dog may react to pollens from a plant that isn't even found in your yard.
Dogs with atopy will often itch all over. Chewing and scratching causes hair loss and inflamed skin. Saliva will stain white hair a reddish-brown colour. This is often seen on the feet. Secondary infections often result from the constant biting and scratching.
Atopy may be either seasonal or year-round. It is common for animals to be allergic to more than one thing, which can make diagnosis difficult. Atopy will usually get worse every year, and what was once a seasonal allergy may develop into a year-round problem.
Treatment.
Food Allergy is another common cause of allergic dermatitis and there are many other potential causes of itchy skin that we don’t have space to discuss here. Veterinary consultation is essential. The treatment of allergic dermatitis can often be frustrating and time-consuming. Complete cure is not always possible, but in most cases the problem can be successfully managed.
Lumps, Bumps and Other Neoplastic Nasties was the title of a 3-day course that Karen recently attended, dealing with the management of various cancers.
Peter has just been to a 5-day course called Diagnostic Dilemmas and Therapeutic Solutions. This course dealt with some of the more difficult areas of small animal medicine. It was conducted by 2 of our country’s best veterinarians – Jill Maddison and David Church.
Our veterinarians strive to stay up-to-date. Textbooks, journals and other industry magazines are all important sources of information. We also frequently discuss difficult cases with experts in their fields including medicine, surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, radiology, pathology and nuclear medicine. We will offer you referral to these specialists whenever it is appropriate. Our goal is to provide the right diagnosis and the best possible treatment for your pets. It’s all part of our creed, which is to provide high quality health care for family pets.