Prevention – Page 2 – Moorabbin Veterinary Hospital

Dogs

Chocolate Poisoning and Dogs

Chocolate is no friend to your dog! No matter how much they beg, giving chocolate to your canine is very unhealthy for them. To be extra safe you should always keep your chocolate treats hidden and out of reach of your mischievous dog. Why do dogs get sick from chocolate? Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which are poisonous to dogs. The effects are worsened by how quickly dogs eat, especially puppies! Meaning they can have finished an entire cake before they even start feeling sick. The poison causes a rapid and weak heart beat, constricted blood vessels, and stimulates the nervous system. The most dangerous types of chocolate to dogs is dark and cooking chocolate, but semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate and hot chocolate are also poisonous to some degree. Basically the higher percentage of cocoa the worse off the dog.How

February 15, 2016

Cats

Lumps, Bumps and Cancer

Although most lumps are harmless, some can be very dangerous if left untreated, especially those that are cancerous. Non-cancerous lumpsYour pet can get lumps from insect bites, mange, cysts, calluses, infected skin and warts, all of which might appear dangerous. These conditions may cause your pet pain but are not nearly as dangerous as malignant cancer. Cancerous lumpsCancer is a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells forming a lump.Cancer lumps can usually be classed as malignant or benign. Benign lumps stay in one place. Although these cancers can be painful they are not as feared as malignancies as there is a good chance they can be removed, especially if diagnosed early. The most common benign lump diagnosed is the lipoma. Malignant lumps spread around the body. These cancers cause the most pain and suffering and it is

July 23, 2014

Dogs

Dental Health for Dogs

Clean teeth can boost the health and happiness of your dog, not to mention improving that breath! Bad teeth and gums can increase the chance of heart, liver and kidney disease. Healthy teeth also help prevent dribbling, toothache and any reluctance to eat. Toothbrush & toothpasteWe stock finger brushes as well as small and large head toothbrushes with specifically designed long stems, allowing you to reach a dog’s back teeth. As dogs tend to swallow some of the toothpaste, human toothpastes are best avoided as they can cause health problems. The Moorabbin Veterinary Hospital stocks specially made chicken and beef flavoured toothpastes that your dog will love and are completely safe to swallow. How to brush teethPlaque on dog teeth takes 24 hours to begin converting to tartar (that hard brown stuff on the sides of teeth), so you only

July 23, 2014

Cats

Pet Food and Prescription Diets

Food for healthy petsDietary requirements of healthy pets vary depending on a number of factors including breed, sex, age and activity level. Whenever feeding it is important to ensure that an adequate supply of clean, fresh water is readily available. Moorabbin Veterinary Hospital stocks Advance Pet Food®, a range of premium pet foods for all ages, lifestyles and special needs. All Advance Pet Food® products come in both dry and wet form, are made here in Australia and offer excellent digestibility. Advance Pet Food® delivers guaranteed palatability and contains no artificial colours. As additional proof of our confidence in the performance of our products, all the Advance Pet Food® range comes with an unconditional full money-back guarantee. Our team is fully trained to assist you in making the right decisions for your pet’s diet. We can organise a weight control

July 23, 2014

Cats

Heartworm

The symptomsHeartworms are blood parasites. Adult heartworms can live in the large blood vessels of a dog that connect the heart and lungs. The parasites can cause blockages in blood flow and stimulate inflammatory reactions within the lining of the blood vessels. These serious health problems can then be transferred to other blood vessels throughout the body. The inflammation can have far-reaching, life threatening consequences. Signs include: How it is spreadHeartworms are blood parasites spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, much the same way malaria is spread. It is not a disease that humans contract, but dogs are at risk. The spread of the disease has been well contained inside Australia since it was first identified, but pockets of infection continue to emerge around the country. Some factors can increase the risk of the spread of heartworm: PreventionAlthough

July 23, 2014

Cats

Vaccinating Your Cat

Vaccinations for pets are important to ensure they live a fulfilling life without preventable disease or illness. We can vaccinate cats to protect against several diseases. Feline respiratory disease (Cat flu)This disease is debilitating and can be fatal to kittens and older cats. Symptoms of this complex disease include mouth ulcers, sneezing, coughing and discharge from the eyes and nose. The disease is commonly passed on from mother to her kittens. Feline immunodeficiency virus (Cat AIDS)This is a fairly commonly seen disease with cats that fight and wander outside. It is spread from cat to cat through biting, also through grooming and sexual transmission. The virus attacks the immune system, leaving the cat prone to infection and cancer. We recommend all wandering cats to be tested and vaccinated for this disease. Feline enteritis (Parvo)There have been recent outbreaks of this

May 28, 2014

Dogs

Vaccinating Your Dog

Vaccinations for pets are important to ensure they live a fulfilling life without preventable disease or illness. We can vaccinate dogs to protect against several diseases. ParvovirusOutbursts of this disease are seen intermittently in parts of Melbourne. This is a serious viral gastroenteritis which causes severe vomiting and debilitating bloody diarrhoea. Death may occur within 24 hours and treatment is often ineffective. Puppies are especially prone to this often fatal disease. The virus is highly contagious and can survive for over 12 months through infected diarrhoea in garden soil, contaminated cages or shoes with faecal material. Canine kennel coughA complex disease spread through casual contact with other dogs. While not usually fatal, the harsh, hacking cough can persist for weeks and can lead to further health problems especially in puppies and older dogs. DistemperThis is a highly contagious disease which

May 28, 2014