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CLINIC NEWSLETTER - SPRING 2018CLINIC NEWS
SO LONG WINTER.. WELCOME TO SPRING! Anyone else keen to wave goodbye to cold winter mornings! I know we are! Thank goodness for Spring... You can come out from under the covers now guys! ~STAFF NEWS~ Our little clinic has been getting busier and busier recently which has lead to the need for some new members of staff! While we welcomed Dr Jess Grice to the NCVC team recently, Jess is now taking a few months away from the clinic for travels with her family. We will be eagerly awaiting her arrival back at the clinic! When one vet heads off, another comes back, and we have recently welcomed Dr. Carly Cheung back to the team after her maternity leave. She will be consulting for us on Wednesdays from now on and we are very glad to have her back with us! BABY ANNOUNCEMENT! Congratulations to our nurse Dani and her husband Zac on the safe arrival of their son Jordan! Everyone is doing well and we wish them all the best! NEW NURSES! When Dani headed off on her maternity leave we added 2 new veterinary nurses to our team and we hope you all get a chance to meet Nurses Georgie and Abbey at the clinic soon! You can check out their profiles in our staff section! TOPIC OF THE MOMENT ALLERGIES AND OUR PETS Spring is the season for all things allergy related. As humans suffer from conditions such as hay fever; with itchy/watery eyes, sniffles and headaches; our pets are more prone to skin irritations, mucky ears and eye conditions. Allergies are a complicated thing, and can require a lot of investigation, time, effort, cost and patience from owners to get to the bottom of what is causing our pets discomfort. Seasonal allergies, atopy, food intolerances, contact allergies, skin conditions, flea allergy dermatitis, allergic conjunctivitis... the list goes on and on.. ATOPIC DERMATITIS Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition which is associated with allergies. It causes our pets (mostly dogs but can occur in cats) to become itchy and can be either seasonal or year round. Generally, skin conditions are caused by one of following: fleas, food or environmental allergens. Determining which of these is the culprit can be a long process of trial and error, tests, medications, eliminations, and more tests! Unfortunately there is no "one size fits all" fix. Regular consultations with the vet and sometimes even a dermatology specialist are required. If you suspect your pet may be suffering we encourage you to make note of when your pet is showing signs/symptoms - do they increase at a certain time of year, after you mow the grass, has their diet changed, are they on regular flea prevention, etc; then consult your vet to help you get to the bottom of the problem. FOODS FOR ALLERGIES After consultation with the vet about your pet's skin condition it may be recommended to trial a new food. Both Hill's Prescription Diet and Royal Canin have foods specifically designed to help improve the skin barrier, which is vital in preventing harm caused by environmental allergens. If a food allergy is suspected, your vet may recommend a 'food trial' which involves feeding a novel protein (something our pets are not usually fed such as crocodile, duck or rabbit) exclusively for a period of approx 6-8 weeks to see if symptoms improve. Always consult your vet if your pet is having skin issues, as diet alone may not always be sufficient in treating the condition and all trials should be undertaken only after seeking veterinary advice. FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is a condition caused by none other than the pesky flea! Fleas are very small parasitic insects that infest the skin and coat of our pets. They live in environments such as dirt and carpets and are capable of jumping up to 150 times their own length. This easily allows them to jump from the environment to our pets, who then act as a host off which the fleas feed. Fleas are a common cause of skin disease in our pets and cause itching, scaly skin, sores, and even a condition known as flea allergy dermatitis; where saliva from a flea bite sets off an allergic reaction in the skin. Fleas are prolific breeders with one female able to lay up to 50 eggs per day. For this reason, we recommend year-round flea prevention on all pets in your household to effectively break the lifecycle. There are a range of products available these days to prevent against and kill fleas. Topical ‘spot on’ preparations are easy to administer and are used monthly on the back of your pet’s neck. Newer medications in tablet or chewable form are also becoming more popular and are extremely effective, especially if your pet is suffering from Flea Allergy Dermatitis. BOARDING CATTERY We have your feline friends all catered for here at the clinic with on site boarding available year round. Comfortable and affordable, you can rest assured on your trip away that your best kitty friend is being pampered by our dedicated nurses, with vets on hand if required. Rates are as follows: *Single cat - $17 per night *2 friends together - $30 per night *Cats requiring medications - $22 per night (all boarders require proof of a minimum F3 vaccine) For a reservation please phone 9726 9616 |
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