Hi, I’m Dr. Hendrickson from Hillchester Hospital For Animals.

Today we’re doing a physical exam on our house kitty in order to give you an idea of what we do when we do an exam. My assistant’s name is Kurt. He’s going to help restrain Mercedes. She’s called Mercedes because she purrs so nicely. She’s purring quite nicely right now. Mercedes has been with us for quite a few years. She came to us as a stray when she was pregnant. She nursed all of her kittens, and she all of the kittens that we had during that summer. She was injured, and she had a bad crushed foot. We had to amputate her leg. She was not up for adoption. We kept her because she’s such a nice kitty.

In order to start a physical exam, we start at one end and work our way towards the other. The first thing we do is to check the eyes for any abnormalities. Her skin looks good. She doesn’t appear to have any parasites. We check the teeth, open the mouth, and look for tumors in the mouth. We make sure that her teeth are clean and that there are no holes or broken teeth. We check the ears by using an otoscope. Mercedes’ ears are just fine.

When a pet comes in, want to know if they have fleas. We look for flea dirt and use a flea comb. Mercedes doesn’t have any fleas because she’s on Frontline for cats. In an animal hospital, it’s easy for her to pick up fleas when other pets or strays come in that have had fleas. Thus, we have to keep protecting her against that.

The next thing that we look for are the lymph nodes on the various areas of the body. We check under the chin to make sure that her thyroid gland is ok and not enlarged. We look for lumps as well. It’s easier to check the heart and lungs after Mercedes has stopped purring. It’s also important to check the abdomen for any possible abnormal growths. The final check is to look at the tail and rear end for any problems.

Mercedes appears to be just fine.

Once again, Mercedes has passed her annual physical exam. Thank you for watching.

Schedule an appointment online at www.HillchesterAH.com

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Dog Gone Sick with the Flu?

Canine Diarrhea is a “Sick Dog  Symptom”.

Since canine diarrhea can cause  potentially deadly problems like dehydration, you should IMMEDIATELY get your pet pooch over to Hillchester Animal.  Diarrhea is a symptom.  Diarrhea is not a disease.   The causes of diarrhea can include canine flu, dog food poisoning, canine intestinal blockage, tapeworms, or a number of other causes. The sooner a veterinarian corrects theses causes of your dog’s diarrhea, the less your dog suffers and the less expensive the Veterinary treatments for diarrhea are.

For the price of diarrhea treatments  from Hillchester Animal Hospital, please submit the form to the right (including age, species, breed, and weight).

Can’t I just wait and see if my dog gets well?

By playing Animal Doctor, you are gambling with your pet’s health . Many mild cases of diarrhea can be resolved quickly with simple treatments.  Even diarrhea caused by mild illnesses may become fatal if treatment is not begun early enough to prevent severe fluid and nutrient losses.

Very serious “sick dog symptoms”.

If you observe vomiting and  bloody diarrhea, quick reading and schedule an appointment NOW for today or tomorrow during normal doctors’ hours.   (If you wait until 2 AM and go to a Veterinary  Emergency Room, your Veterinary Treatment costs skyrocket.)    Your dog may have eaten junk from the trash bin, spoiled food from the garbage can,  turkey bones,  roadkill, bird droppings,  raw chicken bones, a sock, dead birds, or a lot of chocolate. You can’t guess what your Dog Gone Best Friend Forever just ate or just caught. We can’t guess either and perform a series of tests that may include performing canine tapeworms tests,  pet ultrasounds , X  rays, or  blood tests for the N3H8 canine Flu.

However, even diarrhea caused by mild illnesses may become fatal if treatment is not begun early enough to prevent severe fluid and nutrient losses.

Schedule an appointment online at www.HillchesterAH.com

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Dog Gone Sick with the Flu

For more advice visit www.HillchesterAH.com or call 708-449-6300.

Has my dog got the flu?  (Canine Flu Symptoms and Canine Influenza Diagnosis)

The most common dog flu symptoms include “my dog acts sick” combined with wheezing, coughing and “my dog has a runny nose”. There is an old joke about “you can tell if your dog is healthy because your dog’s nose is cold” is just a joke. A blood test is needed to diagnose canine influenza from canine kennel cough, canine distemper and etc.

For the price of any vaccination or service from Hillchester Animal Hospital, please submit the form to the right (including species and weight).

Does my dog really need a canine flu shot?

If your clothes and your  “Best Dog Gone Friend Forever” (BDGFF for you text messaging addicts) absolutely NEVER comes in contact with another canine companion animal, the answer is NO.  However, if your former puppy ever gets within tail sniffing of distance of another pet pooch,  the answer is YES.  Canine flu is highly contagious and becomes very fatal at the “my dog is coughing blood” symptom level.

The Contagious Canine True / False Quiz

True or  False:    My dog goes to a boarding kennel

True or  False:    Somebody walks my dog with other dogs.

True or  False:    My dog goes to a pet groomer.

True or  False:    My dog goes to dog obedience classes

True or  False:    My dog goes to pet stores with me

True or  False:    My dog goes to dog parks or gets to run free on occasion

True or  False:    My dog meets other dogs during walks with me

True or  False:    My family and friends bring their dog over to my house.

True or  False:    My dog goes to dog shows.

True or  False:    My dog sneaks out of the house on occasion

True or  False:    My dog share toys, balls, or food bowls with the neighbors.

Any True statement indicates canine influenza risk.  Every dog flu shot  involves some vaccination risk. Veterinary Science is part “art”. However, canine influenza is highly contagious, very painful, and very deadly.   The time for a dog flu shot is before canine flu symptoms appear.   Better very safe than very sorry.

Schedule an appointment online at www.HillchesterAH.com

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Why has my veterinarian prescribed Pimobendan?

Pimobendan is used to treat congestive heart failure in dogs. This medication helps to strengthen the muscular contractions of the heart and dilates blood vessels.

How do I give this medication?
Give this medication to your pet as directed by your veterinarian READ THE LABEL CAREFULLY.
Give the medication approximately one hour before feeding.
Try to give this medication at about the same time each day.
DO NOT give the pet more medicine than directed.
DO NOT give the medicine more often than directed.
Try not to miss giving any doses.
DO NOT stop giving this medicine without checking with your veterinarian.
To avoid running out of this medication, contact your veterinarian ahead of time when your pet requires a medication refill.

What if I miss giving a dose?
Give the dose as soon as possible if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose, and continue with the regular schedule. Do not give the pet two doses at once. Contact your veterinarian if you miss giving doses for two or more days in a row.

How do I store this medicine?
Keep this medicine out of reach of children.
Store this medicine in a cool, dry place below 30oC. Store away from heat and direct sunlight.
Do not store this medicine in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink or in other damp places. The medicine may break down if exposed to heat or moisture.

Are there any potential side effects?
The following side effects have been reported with pimobendan: vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, changes in behavior (e.g. uneasiness, incoordination, convulsions), drinking or urinating excessively, or rapid beating of the heart. Contact your veterinarian if these adverse effects occur.
Other side effects may occur. If you notice anything unusual, contact your veterinarian.

What are some possible drug interactions?
Make sure to tell your veterinarian if you are giving your pet any other medication or supplements.
Quite often, your veterinarian may prescribe two different medications, and sometimes a drug interaction may be anticipated. If this occurs, your veterinarian may vary the dose and/or monitor your pet more closely. Effective treatment of congestive heart failure generally requires the use of multiple medications and pimobendan has been tested and safely used with various cardiac medications including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and diuretics.
The following list of medicines may potentially interact with pimobendan: other positive inotropes and drugs that are highly protein bound. Concurrent use of beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers may decrease the effects of pimobendan.
Contact your veterinarian if your pet experiences any unusual reactions when different medications are given together.
This client information sheet is based on material written by: Rita Ozolins, B.Sc, Phm
© Copyright 2009 Lifelearn Inc. Used and/or modified with permission under license

Schedule an appointment online at www.HillchesterAH.com

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