Fortunately, this potentially deadly scenario can be easily prevented. The most common place that pet’s find human medication is on the floor after it has been dropped. Be mindful with all medication, and store it in secured cabinets. Cats knock stuff off of shelves. Dogs can chew through plastic. Never use any kind of human medication on your pet without specific instructions from your veterinarian on how to do so safely.

Call for more information on pet poisoning from people’s meds. 208-726-7777. Maggie Acker, DVM

If one of the reasons you keep your cats indoors is to keep them free of tapeworms and roundworms, you might want to think again.

These feline parasites can be lurking inside the home carried in by fleas and rodents.

Because cats are such fastidious groomers they can have a flea infestation going on without you being aware of the problem – and the ensuing problem of tapeworms. Likewise, even in a meticulously clean household a mouse can find the smallest of holes to enter only to find your keen hunter ready to pounce on the roundworm-carrying host.

Prevention is simple.

Call us for an annual examination regardless if your cat lives in or out – or both, and routinely have your cat’s feces examined.

It does not take much to put your pet into a critical situation. A stick-and-a-half of some sugarless gums can poison a 10 lb. dog. Symptoms typically begin within 30 minutes of ingestion and can last for 12 hours with possible vomiting and diarrhea. This is an emergency and patients should be taken to the veterinarian immediately.

Once at the hospital, the dog will be made to vomit and then a sugar IV drip will be administered. Liver enzyme and blood clotting tests will be monitored for two to three days. This treatment hopefully counteracts the two deadly effects of Xylitol poisoning – hypoglycemia and hepatic necrosis, (liver destruction).

Fortunate dogs will experience temporary illness. However, Sun Valley Animal Center reports two recent cases in which one dog’s ingestion of Xylitol resulted in permanent liver damage and another case ended in death.

If you would like to learn more about Xylitol poisoning, please call Maggie Acker, DVM, 208-726-7777.

Sun Valley Animal Center’s new Class IV Therapy Laser is the hospital’s latest tool to enhance patient recuperation following surgery and to treat chronic arthritis and acute injury conditions.

This safe, non-invasive procedure does not require sedation and allows for faster wound healing and over-all recovery.It is considered new technology in the U.S. with acceptance being rapid on the human side in rehabilitation, wound care and sports medicine. Likewise, in veterinary medicine, treatment has quickly developed with significant results.

Any post-surgical pet presenting with pain, inflammation or healing tissue is a candidate for laser therapy. In a matter of three to six post surgical treatments inflammation is reduced, pain is reduced, healing and cell growth is accelerated, scar tissue formation is minimized and nerve cells are regenerated more rapidly. The final result is a faster return from trauma to normal function and faster post-surgical healing.

This new procedure joins the practice of acupuncture to set the foundation for a full service Physical Therapy Unit at Sun Valley Animal Center. The next step will be the installation of an under water treadmill for non-weight bearing post surgical rehabilitation for orthopedic patients. This therapy also will be used for musculo-skeletal disease and for arthritic and overweight patients.

Directing the Sun Valley Animal Center Physical Therapy Unit will be Heidi Woog, DVM and Maggie Acker, DVM. They will both continue advance studies in physical therapy and its comprehensive applications early next summer.

Comment that I hear frequently (and say myself!) is that pets don’t live long enough. As veterinary medicine advances and pet lover’s awareness grows, longer and healthier life spans are possible.

Average pet lifespan varies greatly between dogs, cats and breeds. That said, I was surprised by a recent survey of more than 1,000 people by PetAg, Inc. that showed one-third of American pet owners don’t know when their pet will become a senior. With 71 million pet-owning households in the U.S. alone, this “one-third” statistic translates to millions of households that do not know how to prepare for and provide the best care during their pet’s senior years.

Knowing when a pet is a “senior” will help people make appropriate changes in diet, exercise and health examination schedules to ensure a long, healthy life of their pet.

As a general rule of thumb, dogs and cats are considered “senior” around age seven. Larger dogs sooner (age 5 or 6), and smaller dogs later (age 8 or 9). Dogs have such a large variety of breeds and sizes that there isn’t a single age that automatically translates to senior status.

The most accurate way to plan for your pet’s senior years is to make an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss your pet’s specific needs and age-related plan for optimal health.

Here are some age-related myths from the Aging Pet Care Awareness Survey:

MYTH: Pets and their owners age differently.
FACT: While the rate at which pets age is certainly different than humans, the changes seen with advancing age are very similar: changes in weight (gain or loss), dental problems, arthritic joints and heart troubles, to name a few. “Many of the same health and wellness strategies may be implemented in pets to increase longevity,” notes Dr. Kelly Swanson, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois who teamed with PetAg to design the survey.A wellness/geriatric examination with your veterinarian is the perfect time to discuss an appropriate senior diet, supplements or medications to ease the pain of arthritis, and schedule adental cleaning to keep teeth, gums, heart and liver healthy.

MYTH: As long as my pet isn’t overweight, it isn’t a major health concern.
FACT: While obesity is a huge health concern and one that actually “ages” animals faster, sudden weight loss or being chronically underweight is also a serious health concern. Diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, and Diabetes Mellitus can cause weight loss along with other symptoms, and must be addressed for optimum health.

At the other end of the body weight spectrum, two of the age-related symptoms most concerning to survey participants — aching joints (55.7 percent) and lack of energy (36 percent), are common symptoms of obesity that can be managed with proper diet and exercise.

MYTH: Exercise and engaging toys are the best ways to prevent cognitive decline.
FACT: Cognitive decline, or geriatric dementia, is something that is most often associated with human seniors, but pets are prone to age-related dementia, too.

Dementia in pets may manifest in different ways, most commonly: inappropriate vocalization (barking or meowing in the middle of the night), loss of house training (urinary accidents), getting “lost” in a corner or part of the house, and not interacting with family members as before.

The general confusion from dementia along with the above behavior changes may cause additional stress/fear/anxiety for the pet as well as for the human family members.

From the study: “maintaining proper levels of exercise can help maintain cognitive function, but Dr. Swanson explained that there is more evidence supporting dietary intervention, including the use of nutritional supplements. He suggests looking for products that include antioxidants (i.e. vitamins E, C and beta carotene) or those with omega-3 fatty acids.” Please check with your veterinarian to see what product(s) or medications may be able to help your senior pet.