CLINIC NEWS

October Newsletter 2015

It's almost unbelievable that it's now October - how the years goes by so quickly! With the weather warming up, this month is known by many in the veterinary profession as itch-tober due to the fact that it is around this time that we see a huge increase in skin related issues with our patients. 

So what causes all this itching? The four main causes we see for itching are parasites, infectoin, allergic dermatitis, and atopic dermatitis (airbourne allergies). The most common cause for itching is fleas and although fleas are a problem throughout the year, it's in the warmer months that fleas become prevalent. Having a comprehensive flea-control programme is extremely important all year round to keep your pets comfortable. There are a variety of flea products available from tablets, topical treatments, collars, and sprays that work quickly and efficiently to relieve your pet from the unwanted pests. It is much easier to control fleas with regular treatments than to have to get rid of the fleas after an infestation has set-up in your home, so if you are wanting to set up or change flea prevention, speak to one of our nurses to find the product that's right for you and your pets. 

If you already have a flea-control programme for all your pets but one is still suffering from itchiness, a vet visit is the next port of call. After gathering a full history on your pet, the vet will then perform a medical examination which includes looking at the skin, eyes, ears, and paws, which are the most common areas where skin issues can be identified. The vet may perform a skin scrape or collect a sample with sticky tape to check under a microscope, or bring out the ultraviolet light in order to check for any fungal infections. Using these methods as well as the examination and full history, the vet can make a diagnosis. With treating skin issues, in many cases the skin disease is an underlying cause and is only brought to attention due to secondary infection and the secondary infection must be treated before the vet can truly assess the primary problem. In other cases, it is something in the diet that is causing the itchiness so a food trial may have to be started with low-allergen food to assess if food is the cause. 

As there are many causes for skin issues, and sometimes multiple causes at once, finding a diagnosis and a suitable treatment that works for your pet can be an uphill battle but it is worth it in order to relieve the discomfort and greatly improve your pet's life. If your pet is showing signs of excessive itching, licking, or chewing, speak to one of our nurses about booking your pet in a for a skin check. We also have many handouts that go into more depth about skin issues so if you would like more information on this, please don't hesitate to ask for some at the front desk!

Specials

To help you with your flea-control programme, we have several flea-control promotions available for the month of October:

We have two chances for you to win a year's supply of Bravecto tablets, a chewable oral flea and tick treatment for dogs that lasts 12 weeks. To do so, either buy a packet of Bravecto in store to go in the draw, or head over to our Facebook page and answer the question there to be in to win! Ends 12th October.

Until October 31st, Revolution is giving you the chance to win $350 to use towards vet fees or to put towards boarding facilities. Simply buy a 3 or 6 pack of Revolution and you will be given an entry form with a code to text in to put you in the draw.

Nexgard is a chewable oral tablet given to protect against fleas and ticks that lasts one month. Until the end of October, if you purchase any 3 pack of Nexgard, you will receive a single treatment free! This is the same for any 3 pack of Nexgard SPECTRA which is an oral treatment which protects against fleas, ticks, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.

With any pack of Frontline Plus comes a free pet groomer to help your pet get their summer coat looking sleek and shiny!

For the months of October and November, we are offering $50 off cat speys and $20 off cat neuters so if you are interested in getting your cat desexed, please contact the clinic for more information and to book in the surgery.

If you have any questions about any of the topics covered in this month's newsletter, please don't hesitate to ask any of our staff as we are more than happy to discuss this with you.

All the best,

The team at Whangaparaoa Vet Centre.