Halloween emergencies: chocolate toxicity in dogs

Although Halloween is an enjoyable holiday and celebration for many, there are an increased number of dangers to pets that are particularly prominent at this time of year.

We have discussed chocolate on numerous occasions, however this is the number one toxin that is seen in emergency practices – it is a topic you can never be too familiar with.

The Symptoms

Theobromine (found in chocolate) mainly affects the heart, central nervous system and kidneys. Symptoms will occur from 4-24 hours after the dog has ingested the chocolate and will vary depending on the amount of chocolate (theobromine) the dog has eaten.

Restlessness and hyperactivity
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Rapid breathing
Muscle tension, inco-ordination
Increased heart rate
Seizures

How much chocolate is too much?

The VetsNow Chocolate Toxicity Calculator for Dogs is a useful tool.

The symptoms of poisoning vary depending on the size of the dog and the amount of chocolate eaten – the larger the amount of chocolate eaten, the more severe the symptoms tend to be. However, signs of toxicity can occur with small amounts of ingestion. For example, this is how chocolate is likely to affect a dog weighing 30kg:

Ingestion of 200g of milk chocolate is likely to cause a digestive upset (vomit and diarrhoea).
If the dog had eaten 500g of milk chocolate, it is likely that cardiovascular problems would occur (increased heart rate)
If the dog has eaten 750g of milk chocolate, it may experience seizures.

How do we treat chocolate toxicity?

The following steps are taken:

Identify how much chocolate the dog has eaten – look out for empty wrappers as these can be a useful indication. The type of chocolate and the time it was consumed are also important factors in identifying whether the dog has eaten enough to be a toxic dose and what treatment should follow.
There is no antidote to theobromine. Depending on the timeframe, in most cases inducing emesis with apomorphine will aid in retrieving some of the ingested chocolate. Activated charcoal may also be used to absorb any chocolate remaining in the intestine. In more severe cases, intravenous fluids may be necessary as well as close monitoring of mentation, heart rate, blood pressure and kidney function.
With prompt intervention and treatment, the prognosis for a dog who has experienced chocolate poisoning is often positive.

Top tips for managing chocolate toxicity cases successfully

Don’t forget about the packaging – was this also ingested? Could this cause a risk of GI obstruction?
Chocolate can be an additional ingredient in seemingly innocuous food items (e.g. cakes, protein supplements) so make sure you check the list of ingredients.

If your dog has consumed chocolate, please call your vet.

Meet one of our latest patients..

cat swallowed kids toy

This adorably cheeky kitten is 12 week old Freddie!

He recently stayed at our Conway Drive practice after his owners noticed he wasn’t himself after chewing on a children’s toy.

foreign body cat preston and clitheroe

After blood tests, medications and fluids he was much brighter but still not back to his normal self and an ultrasound revealed a blockage in his intestines.

The blockage was caused by a foam letter that poor Freddie had swallowed. This is referred to as a foreign body and needed an exploratory laparotomy operation to find and remove it from Freddie’s intestines.

As you can see from the photos he was soon back to his normal happy self, playing with toys and wrapping our nurses around his paws!

Could your pet be affected by pyometra?

Although pyometra is a fairly common condition, many people don’t know what it is.

Pyometra is an infection of the uterus (womb), common in female dogs and cats that haven’t been spayed.

In dogs, every time they have a season (usually about twice a year) they undergo all the hormonal treatments associated with pregnancy, regardless whether or not she is pregnant.

The changes that occur in the uterus during each season, increases the chances of an infection with age. A very common organism called E. coli, found in your dog’s faeces, usually causes pyometra. Some injections with hormone, either to prevent seasons or for the treatment of other conditions can increase the chances of pyometra developing.

pyometra dogs preston

The signs usually develop around four to six weeks after the female has finished bleeding from her last season. In some cases, the bitch may appear to be having a prolonged season.

The signs and symptoms to look out for are:

Early stages:

Licking back end more
Season lasts longer than usual
Off colour
Off her food
Drinking and urinating more
Vomiting

Advanced stages:

Pus coming from vulva
Swollen abdomen
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If your dog has this condition, urgent treatment may be required, if left untreated these signs will worsen to the point of dehydration, collapse and death from septic shock, so please contact your vet as soon as possible.

Diagnosis and treatment

Your vet will probably suspect your dog has pyometra based on your description of the signs and from their examination of your pet.

They may suggest procedures such as ultrasound and blood tests to confirm the diagnosis, rule out other possible causes, and to check that your pet is well enough to undergo treatment.

The treatment of choice for pyometra is surgery to remove the uterus. The operation is essentially the same as a routine spay.

However, there is more risk involved and a higher chance of complications when the operation is being carried out on a sick pet. Your dog will also be given intravenous fluids (a drip), antibiotics and pain relief.

Can I prevent pyometra?

Most dogs will make a full recovery after treatment for pyometra, if the condition is caught early. Spaying your dog before she develops a pyometra will prevent this condition occurring.

If left untreated, or if the dog has had a pyometra for a while before presentation, she may be septic (bacteria has gone into the bloodstream) and more prolonged hospitalisation and treatment may be required. In this situation the prognosis is usually worse.

The importance of regular health checks for your dog

Owning a dog is great fun and immensely rewarding, but they’re also a big responsibility.

Although you get to know and understand different aspects of their behaviour and their day-to-day routines, it isn’t always obvious to know if your dog is ill, it’s even harder to spot any potential dog health problems.

Most people don’t take their dogs to the vets unless there’s an emergency or obvious signs of illness, however a regular health check may detect issues earlier.

A health check up usually includes 10-points that include:

10 point health check dog preston vets oakhill veterinary centre

If any abnormalities or issues are found, the vet will discuss them with you and a plan for further investigation can be discussed.

Health checks every 6 months are great for your dog as the vet can detect subtle changes in your dog’s overall health. This is especially important for older dogs as these checks play a huge part in the ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach. As part of our 365 Care Plan, dogs and cats get a 10 point health check with a vet every 6 months included.

Oakhill Veterinary Centre puts an emphasis on preventative health care and our 365 Care Plan for dogs and cats was designed with this in mind.

To find out more about the 365 Care Plan click here. If you’d like to book your dog in for a health check, then please contact us.

Cat Poisoning

Permethrin toxicity remains one of the most common causes of poisoning in cats, and yet many owners don’t know what it is.

Permethrin is an insecticide commonly found in over the counter ‘spot-on’ flea treatments for dogs as well as some shampoos and household flea products.

In most mammals, permethrin has a good level of safety, but for some unknown reason when it comes to cats it’s highly toxic, which means it’s important that pet owners who own both cats and dogs understand the dangers of permethrin to a cat.

Cats are most commonly poisoned after their owners mistakenly use a dog product on the cat, but they can also show mild signs after close contact with a recently treated dog.

Signs of poisoning

Signs usually develop within a few hours, although they can sometimes be delayed by up to 72 hours. It can often take 2-3 days for the signs to improve.

The effects of insecticide poisoning in mild intoxications include; paraesthesia (pins and needles) caused by direct contact with permethrin, which may result in paw flicking, ear twitching and uncontrollable contractions of the cutaneous trunk muscles.

If your cat begins grooming the contaminated area, you may notice hypersalivation and vomiting. In cases of severe intoxications severe muscle tremors, seizures and / or depression may be present.

Treatment

If you think your cat has come into contact with the substance, it’s important you that any remaining product should be washed from your cat’s hair coat (or clipped in long haired cats) using cool water, NOT warm water as this will increase absorption of the product.

Controlling the convulsions is often difficult, and your cat may need to be hospitalised for several days.

The Veterinary Poisons Information Service reports that 15% of cases of insecticide poisoning result in death or euthanasia. However, cats that receive immediate treatment typically survive and usually suffer no long-term effects.

Prevention

If you do own both cats and dogs, the easiest way to prevent any kind of permethrin dangers is to only use licensed flea treatments on your cat, but also check your dog’s flea treatments to make sure it doesn’t contain the substance.

Household treatments such as flea sprays may also contain permethrin, therefore check the label before spraying around your home, if you’re still unsure- talk to your vet about which products can be safely used.

If you do need to use a flea treatment on your dog that contains permethrin, the safest option is to keep yours pets apart until the dog’s treatment has dried. This is to prevent mutual grooming, which could result in poisoning if your cat became exposed to sufficient product. There may be advice on this situation on the packaging of the dog product.

If you suspect your cat has been poisoned, please get in touch.

Do you have a brachycephalic dog?

Brachycephalic dog breeds are increasing in popularity, but one thing most new owners don’t realise is that they can be quite a challenge to care for.

What is brachycephalia?

Brachycephalia means ‘shortened head’ and refers to the dogs flat and wide skull shape. The appearance of the head appears as though the skull has been severely compressed from front to back, they will also appear flat faced with short noses.

Ownership of brachycephalic dog breeds have increased by 3104% since 2007 according to Kennel Club Figures, the rise could be a result of more celebrities being pictured with these dog breeds, resulting in a dog ‘trend’.

Popular breeds that are classed as brachycephalic include:

Boxers
Bulldogs
Boston Terriers
Pugs
Shih Tzus
Chihuahuas
Chow Chows
Pekingese
Lhasa Apso
Bull Mastiffs
English Toy Spaniels

(Please note, not all breeds affected are listed above)

The reason that these breeds may be more challenging to care for is due to the number of health conditions they can possess.

Although these flat-faced dogs are cute, their short noses can also cause breathing problems. These dogs often suffer from snoring and snorting, and although these may seem harmless, it could be an indicator that their airway is becoming partially obstructed, and this can become worse over time.

These dogs have been bred mainly for their looks, but the flat-face look is a result of a smaller upper jaw, in which the tissues inside are bigger than the jaw can allow. The airway problems that result from this overcrowding are collectively known as ‘brachycephalic airway syndrome’.

Brachycephalic airway syndrome

This syndrome refers to a particular set of upper airway abnormalities that affects these particular dog breeds. This syndrome is also called brachycephalic respiratory syndrome, brachycephalic syndrome or congenital obstructive upper airway disease.

The upper airway abnormalities that occur in this syndrome include:

Stenotic nares
Elongated soft palate
Hypoplastic trachea
Everted laryngeal saccules

A dog with brachycephalic syndrome may be affected with a combination of one or more of these abnormalities.

Signs & symptoms

Not all brachycephalic dogs will have all these symptoms, but if your dog is presenting more than one symptom, it’s important to get them seen by the vet as soon as possible. The following signs and symptoms you should keep an eye out for are:

Dyspnea (breathing difficulty)
Noisy/labored breathing
Stridor (high pitched wheezing)
Continued open-mouth breathing
Extending of head and neck to keep airway open,
Sitting up or keeping chin in an elevated position when sleeping
Sleeping with toy between teeth to keep mouth open to compensate for nasal obstruction
Cyanosis (blue/purple discoloration of the skin or gums)
Sleep apnea
Stress and heat intolerance.
Snoring/gagging/choking/regurgitation/vomiting
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If your dog does any of the above, and you’ve come to think of it as ‘normal’, it’s still worth visiting your vet to check their health. Symptoms generally progress with age and typically become more severe as they age.

What other problems do brachycephalic dogs have?

Eyes and Eyelids: Brachycephalic dogs’ eyes tend to protrude out of their skull a bit more than other dogs. Sometimes it’s difficult for eyelids to close over their eyes (even while sleeping), this can lead to a lack of lubrication over the cornea and can also cause corneal ulceration.

Teeth: Brachycephalic dogs have the same number of teeth as other dogs, but less space to fit them all, which can lead to periodontal disease.

Treatment

Usually your dog will not require active treatment unless it shows signs of clinical problems. pug laboured breathing

Treatment will vary depending on the type, cause and severity of the problem(s). Surgery, such as shortening an elongated palate or widening the nostrils, can prevent some breathing problems. Your vet will monitor the dog’s breathing, pulse, heart rate, temperature and other factors when surgery is performed.

How can I help my dog?

You can help your brachycephalic dog by protecting it from warm, humid weather and keeping its weight in check as obesity can worsen respiratory problem.

It’s important you schedule check-ups for your pet, this will not only monitor their overall health, but also offer you advice on diet and exercise, to give you peace of mind and to also keep your canine happy.

The importance of Vaccinations: when should my kitten have its first vaccination?

Bringing a new kitten into your home can be a big step, but also very rewarding. Now you’ve decided you want to share your home with a new kitten, you have on average the next 14 to 15 years with your new feline friend.

Over this time frame a lot can happen that can affect your cats health, but there’s serious and common diseases that can be avoided.

Vaccinations

Having your kitten vaccinated is very important as it prevents against some serious and common diseases that can prove costly. It also prevents them from passing on diseases to other animals.

When it comes to getting your kitten vaccinated, in general, an initial vaccination course is made up of two separate injections three to four weeks apart. In the UK, most kittens have their first vaccination at nine weeks and the second vaccination at 12 weeks. After this, kittens and cats usually need ‘booster’ vaccinations every twelve months.

What do vaccinations protect against?

The vaccinations your cat receives will vary, but in the most part they cover a combination of serious and common diseases, which include:

-Feline Infectious Enteritis (FIE, feline panleukopenia, feline parvovirus)

-Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1) and feline calicivirus (FCV)- Cat flu

-Feline chlamydophilosis (Chlamydophila felis, feline chlamydophila infection)

-Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)

These diseases are thankfully fairly uncommon amongst vaccinated animals these days, but this is mainly due to the widespread vaccination regime in operation. In areas where animals aren’t vaccinated, these diseases are very common and often fatal to the animals affected.

“I’ve read that annual vaccinations are a way for my vets to make money and are not needed”

Ultimately it’s up to you to decide if you want your cat to have annual vaccinations. Annual vaccinations are important as viruses change over time (think flu), by vaccinating your kitten/cat annually, this will provide them the best cover.

If you live in an area with low vaccination rates, many of the diseases listed above are still common. It’s heart breaking to see an animal die of a readily preventable disease and while they may have had their two vaccinations early on in life, they could still come into contact with new diseases that weren’t around then, this is why it’s important for your cat to keep up to date with annual vaccinations.

Are annual vaccinations expensive?

Annual vaccinations aren’t going to leave a hole in your purse; in fact they can prevent against any costly treatments.

Our 365 Care Plan which includes annual vaccinations* can be paid in easy and affordable monthly direct debits. (Click here to view the full 365 Plan).

Are kittens vaccinated when adopted?

This would depend entirely on where the kitten was adopted. Cat centres such as Cat Protection and the RSPCA will vaccinate a kitten or cat before they move to their new home.

If your kitten has come from a private breeder or anywhere else, it’s important to ask the person who has been looking after the kitten/ cat if they’ve had them vaccinated, if they say yes- make sure they provide you with a vaccination record.

BUY 3 get 1 FREE on pet parasite products

During July we are offering BUY 3 get 1 FREE on selected small animal parasite products.

We currently have selected pet parasite products on a BUY 3 GET 1 FREE OFFER and for July we’ll be adding even more popular products to this great offer.

Please contact your Oakhill Veterinary Centre for further details.

Oakhill Nurses WIN BVNA competition

Our team of Registered Veterinary Nurses have been celebrating winning first place in the BVNA ‘Best Display Showing the role of the Veterinary Nurse’ competition.

May is BVNA Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month in which Veterinary Nurses and their practices across the country celebrate their role by taking part in a number of activities and competitions run by the BVNA, which demonstrate their important qualifications.

During the month, our nurses took part in World Horse Welfare Penny Farm Dog show, by offering free weight checks on their Oakhill stand and discussing the importance of preventative healthcare with dog owners.

Each client who attended a nurse clinic throughout May was entered into a free prize draw to win some great prizes.

Every year, the nurses create decorative displays for each branch, highlighting the role of the veterinary nurse. The year’s displays consisted of a colourful A-Z of veterinary nursing theme, explaining the vet nurse qualification and the services they are qualified to offer in branch.

It was recently announced that our Conway Drive branch had won first prize in the BVNA Best Display ‘Showing the role of the Veterinary Nurse’

Well done to our fantastic team of veterinary nurses!

Free Heart Blood Cardio Test for predisposed dog breeds

Certain large and giant breed dogs over the age of 3 are at an increased risk of developing DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy).

If you have one of the predisposed breeds* over 3 years old, currently not on heart medication/treatment, we would like to invite you to bring your dog/s to the practice to discuss a new screening programme for a type of heart disease called Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM).

*Predisposed breeds include Boxers, Dobermans, Newfoundlands, German Shepherds, St Bernards, Great Danes, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dalmations, Deerhound, Dogue de Bordeaux, Leonberger, Rottweiler, St. Bernard.

There are two phases to DCM; firstly a long silent phase, in which the heart has the disease and is slowly deteriorating but there are no outward signs of a problem yet. Dogs in this first phase appear outwardly healthy and happy. The second phase is a shorter overt phase where the heart can no longer cope and starts to fail. At this point outward signs of the disease start to be seen.

As dogs in the first phase of the disease appear outwardly normal it is incredibly difficult to identify which dogs have a problem. We can only diagnose dogs in this phase if we perform specific screening tests to assess the heart.

A simple screening programme is now available; which involves us checking your dog/s and performing a FREE heart blood test. This blood test measures the levels of a substance called pro-BNP, which is released into the blood stream when the heart muscle stretches excessively, such as in dogs with DCM.

If your dog returns an abnormal blood test result, one of our vets will discuss next steps with you, which could involve a non-painful, non-invasive ultrasound scan of the heart.

Offer ends 30th June 2017

Please click here for the information leaflet on DCM.