Tick Paralysis in Cats Dogs and Other Species

Tick Paralysis in Cats, Dogs, and Other Species? Unfortunately, this is an issue for all animals, not just cats and dogs. Injecting a poison into the host’s bloodstream is what ticks do when they connect to the skin. Paralysis is one of several symptoms caused by the toxin’s effects on the nervous system, which worsen without treatment.

What causes it?

Ticks inject their poison into an animal’s bloodstream once they’ve hooked themselves to it. The neurological condition known as tick paralysis is not contagious and affects a small number of animals, including canines and felines. The condition begins with acute ataxia. The quick start of clumsy motions, which progress to lower-limb paralysis and then upper-limb paralysis, is a hallmark of the disease.

Common symptoms

Your pet may exhibit any combination of the following tick paralysis symptoms:

Incoordination in the hind legs, often known as “wobbliness,”
Abdominal heaving, grunting, labouring, or fast breathing
Barking changes or disappears
Coughing
Nausea and vomiting
Trouble staying upright
Discomfort when seated
Appetite loss
A single or bilateral inability to blink

What are the symptoms of tick paralysis?

Tick paralysis may occur in cats and dogs when the parasite causes them to be clumsy or shows other symptoms of the disease. It may be difficult to diagnose tick paralysis because ticks are not always easy to see. Immediately notify your veterinarian if you see any signs that might indicate tick paralysis in your pet.

Treatment of tick paralysis in cats, dogs, and other species

Several therapies are available for tick paralysis, the choice of which is dependent on the severity of the sickness. The veterinarian who treats your pet may provide you with treatment recommendations. To combat the effects of tick toxin, a serum is on the market. Toxic exposure almost always necessitates hospitalisation and ongoing supportive care for the dog. It may be essential to use a ventilator to help a dog breathe while it recovers in severe cases.

The first two or three weeks after returning home from the vet are always highly important for a pet’s rehabilitation.

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Common Skin Conditions in Cats

Common Skin Conditions in Cats: There are many potential causes of skin disorders in cats, from insufficient grooming to infections and everything in between. For effective therapy, it is crucial to identify the root cause of the skin disease.

Common Skin Conditions in Cats

Cats often have dry skin, tumours, eosinophilic granuloma, allergic dermatitis, and flea allergy dermatitis. Additional disorders that cats may have include ringworm, pemphigus foliaceus, superficial pyoderma, abscess, and acne. The signs and symptoms of each of these diseases are unique, and so is the therapy for them.

Symptoms of skin conditions in cats

Cats’ skin problems may manifest in a wide range of ways, depending on the underlying cause. Some of these symptoms include itching, a change in skin tone, red or inflamed skin, tiny raised bumps, flaky skin, open sores, excessive grooming, lumps, and itchy or irritated ears.

Treatment of skin conditions in cats

The root cause of a cat’s skin issue dictates the course of therapy. Antifungals, steroids, antihistamines, antifungals, or immunomodulating drugs may be part of the treatment plan. When treating some illnesses, such as abscesses, or removing huge masses, surgery may be required.

Recovery and management of skin conditions in cats

How quickly a cat’s skin issue improves is conditional on what caused it. Medications or surgery may swiftly alleviate most feline illnesses, and most cats make a complete recovery thereafter. Nevertheless, it may be necessary to treat cats with allergies or autoimmune illnesses for the rest of their lives.

Preventing Skin Disorders in Felines

There is currently no way to avoid developing certain skin problems, including autoimmune diseases. But if your cat goes in for wellness exams and inspections regularly, the vet will be able to spot skin problems before they worsen. Itchy, dry skin might be less likely to occur with a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Dog Skin Issues

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What Does Pet Insurance Cover

What Does Pet Insurance Cover: To assist in covering the expense of medical treatment in the event that a pet becomes ill or injured, many pet owners have gotten pet insurance policies. Pet medical insurance, pet health insurance, or comparable offerings protect pet owners against the financial burden of unforeseen medical expenses. This gives them peace of mind and financial stability.

Insurance for pets: how does it work?

By covering a percentage of authorised vet bills, pet insurance may help owners save money. While specifics may vary per policy, here is a general outline of how pet insurance often works:

If you take your sick or wounded pet to a licenced veterinarian or animal hospital, your insurance will reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. Your veterinarian visit should be paid for at the time.
Fill out an insurance claim form and send it in by regular mail, mobile app, or web browser. Keeping all of the papers and invoices from your vet visit is important. Certain pet insurance providers may need them to complete your claim.
You should expect to get 70% to 100% of your covered expenditures back if you hit your deductible. The typical timeframe for policyholders to get their reimbursement after lodging a claim is 5 to 9 days.

What Does Pet Insurance Cover

Unanticipated harm, such as swallowing a foreign item or breaking a bone, among other things.
Examinations (such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), blood tests, and X-rays)
Costs of an urgent medical checkup
Cancer, glaucoma, hip dysplasia, parvovirus, and other unforeseen diseases
Surgical procedures (such as repairs to torn cruciate ligaments, cataracts, and
Medication

Illness and accidents

For example, if your pet gets hit by a vehicle or hurts themself by sliding down the stairs, an accident-only coverage will only pay for emergency treatment. Coverage of this kind does not extend to illnesses or problems unique to a particular breed.

In the event of an accident or unforeseen sickness, an accident-illness plan will pay for medical expenses. It accounts for almost all pet insurance policies (98%) and is therefore the most common. Although this plan does not pay for pre-existing diseases or preventative treatment, it will reimburse you for the vast majority of medical expenses.

Saving Money on Your Pets Medical Costs

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Grooming Service for Your Dog

Grooming Service for Your Dog: It’s no secret that dogs may spend hours upon hours grooming themselves, what with licking paws, smoothing hair, and rubbing ears and tails.

Did you know that regular grooming is essential to your pet’s physical and mental health? Grooming your dog entails a lot more than just giving them a good brushing.

Let’s look at some of the benefits proper grooming can bring to your pet.

The Benefits of Grooming Service for Your Dog

Assisting your pet in feeling clean and cosy offers several advantages. Grooming not only guarantees their physical and mental well-being but also considerably enhances their mood and attitude.

Some benefits include:

A clean coat and skin
Unobscured eyes and vision
Clipped, healthy nails
Healthy teeth
Reduced risk of eye, ear, skin, teeth and nail infections
Easier toileting, by clipping area around the tail
Getting your pet comfortable and used to being at the vet
Increased sociability

The Side Effects of Neglecting Your Pet’s Coat

Neglecting to provide dogs with the correct grooming may have far-reaching effects on their health and well-being. Dissatisfied, unpleasant, or even violent behaviour in a pet might result from neglecting its grooming requirements.

You may not know that dogs dislike knotted or matted hair. The hair tangles so tightly that it obstructs blood flow. This may lead to skin disorders and ulcers in cats and dogs. In addition to increasing the danger of overheating, matted hair may make dogs feel very weighed down.

In addition to being very unpleasant, parasites like fleas, ticks, and mites may be deadly to dogs if they live on unclean, uncared-for coats.

How Often Should Your Pet Be Groomed?

More regular home grooming is a duty that owners of long-haired cats or dogs with unique coats must embrace.

Depending on the species, pets often need grooming every four to twelve weeks. It’s best to ask local veterinarian near you to schedule grooming appointments to follow to best take care of your cat or dog’s coat.

Professional Grooming Service for Your Dog

At Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital we offer a wide range of affordable wellness packages for cats and dogs to Rockingham, Warnbro, Baldivis and surrounding. Pet grooming, tests, and vaccines are included in these bundles. Make an appointment at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital for your pet’s grooming now and use this time to talk about your pet’s health plan.

By keeping track of your pet’s essential health metrics in this manner, you can ensure that you won’t neglect any aspect of their care, including regular trimming and clipping.

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Special Vet Care for Kittens

Essential Vet Care for Kittens: Health Tips & Expert Advice

Special Vet Care for Kittens It’s important to make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible after adopting a new kitten. After all, you’re bringing a new family member into your home. You should arrange a thorough health check to make sure your kitten is healthy but also to ensure they aren’t bringing any infectious diseases or parasites with them that could affect other pets or people.

The First Check Up

Your kitten’s first check-up will start with a comprehensive physical exam. This will involve a visual check on the health of their eyes, ears, fur and teeth, as well as measuring your cat’s temperature and weight. Your vet will listen to their heart and lung health and feel for any abnormalities in other internal organs to make sure kitten’s life gets off to the best possible start. Faecal and blood tests may also be taken at this time.

Vaccinations

Kittens are particularly at risk of contracting several diseases as they gradually lose the antibodies passed on by their mother and are left with no protection. There are three essential ‘core’ vaccines for your kitten – rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia. These vaccines can begin to be administered around 6-8 weeks of age and then boosted over the following few months. Your vet will provide you with a schedule of vaccinations to follow to ensure your cat gets the best possible protection against infectious diseases.

Microchipping

Microchipping is a legal requirement in Western Australia and should be completed in the first few months of your kitten’s life. The process is as simple as a small injection in the back of the neck and it means your pet has a very high chance of being returned to you if it gets lost.

Flea Prevention

All pets will be exposed to fleas at some stage once they are outside and interacting with other animals. Kittens can begin to receive preventative treatment against fleas from 2 months of age, and all pets in your household must be treated at the same time.

Worm Prevention

Kittens need to be treated to protect against heartworms and intestinal worms regularly from a very young age. When you purchase our kitten wellness package, this includes 12 months of protection against these harmful parasites.

Desexing

All male cats outside of breeding colonies must be desexed and it is highly recommended to desex females as well. Pets who have been spayed or neutered are healthier, more relaxed, less likely to roam or fight, and ultimately better to live with. Your kitten should be desexed before 6 months of age at the latest.

Total Wellness

All of the treatments listed above are available in the Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital kitten wellness package, designed to give the best possible chance of preventing, detecting and managing any illness your pet may develop. The wellness package provides an excellent start to your kitten’s long life of health and happiness.

If you’d like to purchase one of our popular wellness packages for your kitten, call Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital now on 08 9524 6644 or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.

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How to Perform CPR on Cats and Dogs

Why Pet Insurance is Important All pet owners know that footing a veterinary bill can be quite expensive and ongoing medical care for your pet can quickly put financial pressure.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Perform CPR on Cats and Dogs to Save Lives

It might surprise you to know that being able How to Perform CPR on Cats and Dogs is an important skill to have if you own a pet. Whether your cat or dog is an inside or outside pet, knowing CPR will mean you can act quickly in an emergency and you could save a pet’s life in the process.

An emergency isn’t really the time to be searching on Google, so make sure you read this handy guide now so you are able to save the life of your pet or the pet of somebody else if you need to.

Here’s our guide to CPR in cats and dogs

Remove Any Obstruction if Possible

Your cat or dog may be choking on something that is obstructing their breathing. Before attempting any CPR, open your animal’s mouth and check to see if their air passage is clear. If there is something caught in their throat, remove it carefully. Your pet may be conscious and distressed which could cause them to snap or bite. If this is the case, it’s best to take them straight to a veterinarian.

Give Artificial Respiration

If your cat or dog is unconscious and their airway is unobstructed, you can attempt to give artificial respirations. This is done by closing the animal’s jaw tightly and breathing into their nose. You should see their chest rise. If this isn’t working or your pet is a small dog or cat, you could try covering their nose and mouth with your mouth and breathing over them. When doing artificial respirations, 2 breaths are sufficient.

Perform Chest Compressions

The way you perform chest compressions on an unconscious pet depends on its size. Large dogs can be positioned on their backs similar to humans and compressions can be done in the centre of their chest. This is difficult for small dogs and cats so you may need to do their chest compressions while they are lying on their side. Compressions are then done on the side of their rib cage. The rate of compression also varies depending on the animal’s size but generally, 80-120 compressions per minute are suitable for small to medium-sized dogs and all cats. 60 compressions per minute are sufficient for large dogs.

Alternate between Breathing and Compressions

Now that you know how to perform breaths and compressions during CPR, it’s also important to alternate between the two. If you’re giving 80 compressions then you should give a breath after 40. If you’re doing 60 compressions, give a breath after 30. Alternating between breaths and compressions helps to give CPR more of a chance of being successful.

What Now?

Once your cat or dog is breathing independently again you can cease CPR. You should take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible afterwards to determine the cause of the problem and to do a general health check. If CPR has failed, take your pet to the vet immediately.

The team at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital understands, values, and respects the very special nature of the human-animal bond and are happy to assist you with how to perform CPR. We are also there for you in any emergency pet situation. Contact us to find out more today.

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5 Reasons to Join a Puppy Training Class

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5 Compelling Reasons to Enroll in a Puppy Training Class Today

Reasons to Join Puppy Training Classes: When you bring a puppy home they are instantly the star of the house but if they aren’t trained young, you might find your puppy becoming less popular. Chewing your belongings, aggressive behaviour and poor toilet training are all examples of bad habits your dog may exhibit. As they get older, these habits might be harder to break and some of them may even become dangerous to the wellbeing of others and result in extra vet visits.

Early education and socialisation are essential for the behavioural development and well-being of puppies. Young puppies learn obedience skills, toileting behaviour and social etiquette quite easily. All of these things set your puppy on the path to being a well-adjusted dog.

Here’s why you should join puppy training classes immediately.

1. Your Puppy will Learn to Be Social

This is one of the most important reasons to send your dog to puppy school. If your puppy doesn’t have the opportunity to mingle and mix with dogs and people of all different shapes and sizes, they won’t know the appropriate way to behave when approached by another dog or people who aren’t in your family.

2. Your Puppy will Learn to Hold Back the Bite

Some puppies won’t naturally learn to hold back from biting. The nature and breed of your dog also influence whether they are more likely to bite. At puppy school, you’ll be given the skills to make sure your dog learns that gentle mouthing is ok but biting hard won’t be tolerated.

3. You will Be Confident in Housetraining Your Dog

A lot of the time, a simple “No!” each time your dog commits a housetraining crime isn’t enough to train them to be obedient. At puppy school, you’ll learn specific techniques to make sure your dog isn’t destroying your home or garden.

4. Your Puppy will Learn How to Be Restrained

If your puppy doesn’t learn that humans might need to touch their paws, pick up their leg or pop them on a lead then it will be difficult when the time comes and they need to be washed or have an injury inspected. At puppy school, your puppy will learn that it is OK to be held and restrained for a period.

5. Your Puppy Will Become a Happy, Well Adjusted Dog

Puppy training sets your dog up for a lifetime without aggression or fear. A puppy school allows your puppy to become a dog that isn’t fearful of certain situations and one that knows how to handle a domestic home life around children, cars, street sounds and more.

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital approx 17 mins from Rockingham or Baldivis runs weekly Puppy Classes. We offer a safe and secure environment for your new puppy to learn and meet new friends. Classes are small and tailored to the needs of you and your puppy – and they are great fun too.

5 Reasons to Join a Puppy Training Class. It is recommended that you commence Puppy Classes between 8 and 14 weeks of age. Contact us today about enrolling your puppy in our Puppy Classes.

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Ways to save on Pet Expenses

Save on Pet Expenses with Preventative Healthcare

Being a pet owner is a truly wonderful thing, with our little animal friends bringing companionship, love and joy into our lives. As well as this, caring for a dog or cat is a significant investment, both in terms of time and money.

Before you go ahead and adopt a new puppy or kitten, you need to make sure that you’ve carefully considered whether you have the financial capacity to responsibly care for them. The expense of keeping a pet can be considerable for some owners, particularly if their cat or dog becomes ill or needs emergency vet care.

Fortunately, there are also ways to save on pet expenses. Today we’ll look at how wellness packages for your dog or cat can allow you to look after their health and wellbeing while saving money in the process.

Properly Caring for Your Cat or Dog

Owning a pet is a long-term responsibility. You have to be committed to caring for them for their entire life, providing them with a safe and comfortable home.

Annual health checks by a professional veterinarian are recommended for all cats and dogs, even if your pet appears to be completely healthy. If your pet has an ongoing condition or is older, they may need to visit the vet more frequently – generally twice a year, or as advised by your veterinarian.

Save Money with Preventative Healthcare

By practising preventative healthcare, your cat or dog will receive regular health checks by a qualified vet. This will help you to keep track of their well-being and detect any signs or symptoms of ill health.

This proactive approach to your pet’s wellbeing will keep them healthy, reducing the need for emergency treatments or operations. This will also reduce the likelihood of more expensive vet bills further down the track.

Things You Can Do At Home

You can also save on expenses by making sure that your cat or dog is taken care of properly at home. Coupled with professional preventative care, the following strategies will help to protect your pet and keep your costs down:

Nutritional foods – feed your pet a vet-approved diet to maintain their health and wellbeing
Regular cleaning – clean your pet’s beds, bowls and other living areas to prevent infection and other sicknesses
Pet grooming – have your pet groomed regularly to create a healthy coat and reduce possible complications
Entertainment – playing games and engaging your pet will improve their emotional well-being while nurturing their physical.th

Wellbeing Packages – for Easy, Affordable Monthly Payments

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital offers a range of affordable wellness packages that provide regular preventative care. Working with you, we can ensure optimum health for your cat, dog, kitten or puppy. With a wellness package, you’ll also know you have somewhere to turn to in case an of emergency. Our professional and qualified vets are always on hand to offer you guidance and support at any stage of your pet’s life.

At Port Kennedy, we understand the monetary aspect of looking after an animal, and we offer services to make life a bit easier for pet owners. Monthly payment plans provide you with much-needed peace of mind about the health of your cat or dog while taking the emotional and financial stresses out of being a pet owner.

Talk to your trusted Port Kennedy vets about how wellness packages can benefit you and your best mate.

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Benefits of Sterilisation and Desexing for your cats or dogs

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The Benefits of Sterilisation and Desexing for your cats or dogs

Have you become the happy owner of a new puppy or kitten? Benefits of Sterilisation and Desexing for your cats or dogs.

Congratulations! Welcoming a little canine or feline friend into your home is always an exciting time.

There are many things you’ll need to consider to properly take care of your new pet. These considerations ensure that you’re giving them the happiest and healthiest life possible. One of the most important things you’ll need to take care of is getting your cat or dog desexed. As well as reducing the risk of unwanted litters, neutering has several benefits for your pet’s health and wellbeing.

We’ve put together some practical information about desexing to help you create a better experience for your cat or dog.

What is Desexing or Neutering for Pets?

The benefits of Sterilisation and Desexing for your cats or dogs, also sometimes called neutering or spaying, is a common surgical procedure that prevents pets from being able to reproduce. If you don’t want your new kitten or puppy to become pregnant and breed, you’ll need to organise to have them desexed at a professional veterinarian clinic.

The most common age to desex your pet is between 4 and 6 months, however, the procedure can be completed at any stage of an animal’s life.

The Benefits of Sterilisation for Your Pet

With the world already full of stray and abandoned animals, pet owners must take responsibility and make sure that they’re not contributing to that number of unwanted animals. If you don’t want your cat or dog to have a litter, you must organise for them to be desexed. This applies to both males and females.

As well as removing the risk of unwanted pregnancy, there are also some other surprising benefits of sterilisation for cats and dogs.

These advantages include:

Stopping the heat cycle in female cats and dogs
Living a longer and healthier life
Preventing testicular cancer and prostate disease in male pets
Preventing pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumours (breast cancer) in female animals
Decreasing aggression towards humans and other animals
Being less prone to wander, especially in male pets

Preparing for Your Pet’s Desexing Procedure

Your vet will give you detailed instructions before your pet’s procedure, but here are some things to expect before your cat or dog’s spaying appointment.

Your pet will need to fast before their procedure. No food is to be given to your cat or dog after 10pm on the night before surgery. The next day, before surgery, no water is to be given after 8am.

At the clinic, the vet may take a blood test before surgery to check vital organ function. They will also perform a thorough physical examination before administering a general anaesthetic and pain relief medication.

Some cats and dogs might require intravenous fluid support during their surgery.

Caring for Your Cat or Dog after Desexing

Most pets will recover very quickly from the sterilisation procedure, although they may have a little tenderness at first.

Limit your pet’s food and water to small portions on the first night that they return home. Make sure you administer the post-surgical medications properly and check the incision at least twice daily for any signs of infection or disruption, such as bleeding, swelling, redness or discharge.

Prevent your pet from licking or chewing their stitches and always return to your vet to remove the stitches and have a post-surgery check-up.

Desexing Your Pet in Port Kennedy

Pet owners in Port Kennedy, Rockingham, Baldivis and the surrounds can organise to have their cat or dog desexed at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital.

Sterilisation procedures can also be included as part of the clinic’s range of affordable wellness packages. These packages provide regular preventative care for the health of your cat or dog, puppy or kitten.

Book a desexing appointment today or talk to our team about healthcare packages for your pet.

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