Time to Clean Your Pet's Ears?

Veterinarians see a lot of patients with ear infections. In fact, it's the second most common reason for a client visit, according to pet health insurer, VPI Pet Insurance. With ear problems prompting so many trips to the vet, should ear cleaning be a necessary part of grooming your pet?

Generally, cleaning a dog's ears on a routine basis is not necessary, according to Leonard Jonas, DVM, MS, DACVIM, a veterinarian with Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Colo. That's because animals have a naturally occurring self-cleansing process.

"I've had pets my whole life," Jonas said. "I don't remember ever routinely cleaning out their ears."

However, that doesn't mean pet owners should never take notice of their dog's ears. Certain breeds, lifestyles and physical characteristics will make a dog more prone to what Jonas calls "abnormal situations," in which the pet's normal homeostasis is disrupted. This is when something, either systemically or locally in the ear, interferes with the normal surface barrier defense system and the normal cleaning process that keeps bacteria and yeast under control.

There are signs to watch for if your pet is having an issue with its ears. These, according to Jonas, include:

• Shaking its head
• Flapping its ears
• Rubbing at its ears, either with a paw or by rubbing against furniture or carpet
• Self-massaging the ear to ease itch, pain or irritation
• Debris and/or redness inside the ear
• Sores inside the ear
• Odor in the ear due to abnormal oils and bacteria

"If you [the pet owner] look in the ear, you can see sometimes a lot of debris," said Jonas, explaining what an ear with an infection or problem may look like. "Then [you] see redness on the ear flaps (inside) or sores developing. And then there's also odor that occurs when you have an abnormal ear."

Breeds to watch
There are certain breeds of dogs—such as Shar Peis, bulldogs and poodles—that have narrow ear canals and have a higher chance of incurring ear issues. Poodles, especially, have more hair in the canals, Jonas explained. "The hair itself is not a problem, but if they've got something abnormal with their whole defense system, all that extra hair in there makes it difficult."

Cocker spaniels are notorious for ear problems, Jonas added.

When to clean your pet's ears
According to Jonas, it's best to consult your veterinarian before going forward with an ear-cleaning regimen. Unlike cleaning the teeth, cleaning the ears does not need be done regularly. If a pet owner suspects that something may be wrong with the ear, it's advised to visit the veterinarian and establish whether the dog's ear needs to be cleaned by the owner either routinely or for an instructed period of time.

Cleaning the dog's ears without first seeing a veterinarian is not a good idea, Jonas said, "because you don't know what's going on inside. You don't know if there has been a ruptured ear drum; you don't know if there's a stick or a stone or something stuck down inside the ear that needs to be fished out by a veterinarian."

A veterinarian can diagnose the problem and make the proper recommendations, which may be cleaning and/or medication.

Typically, there are two situations for which a dog's ears would need to be cleaned regularly. The first is when a veterinarian instructs for it to be done, and the second is when the dog is frequently in water. "Water in their ears disrupts the normal defense barrier system in that ear, and can make them prone to getting infections and irritation and inflammation," Jonas said.

If there needs to be ear cleaning
A veterinarian should show the owner how to properly clean the dog's ears because "there are a lot of different techniques, and it depends on what the problem is," Jonas advised.

There are a couple of precautions to always remember, according to Jonas. First, never use a Q-tip, because it tends to push the wax and debris further into the ear. Second, be sure a groomer does not pluck the hair out of the dog's ears, unless that hair is contributing to an ear problem; Jonas believes that doing so may cause irritation.

One thing pet owners should also consider is that if the dog has an ear infection, it could be very painful for them. Forcing the dog to get its ears cleaned or putting medication in them can be a dangerous situation for the owner and the dog.

"If your pet doesn't want you to do it, don't, because it hurts," Jonas said. "You're just going to create a problem, and you need to look to alternatives."

Originally published by Healthy Pet.

Make Sure They Can Get Home: Check Your Pet's Microchip

Is your pet's microchip up-to-date? If your pet were lost, would an animal hospital or shelter be able to contact you once your pet was found?

It's important to get your pet microchipped; but it's just as important to make sure that microchip contains the correct information in order for your four-legged friend to get home.

How does a microchip work?
The microchip, which is about the size of a grain of rice, is injected by a veterinarian or veterinary technician just beneath your pet's skin in the area between the shoulder blades. This is usually done without anesthesia, and the experience can be compared to getting a vaccination.

Each microchip has a unique registration number that is entered into a database or registry, and is associated with your name and contact information. If your lost dog or cat is found by an animal hospital, shelter or humane society, they will use a microchip scanner to read the number and contact the registry to get your information.

Make sure you can be found, too
While it may be comforting to know the microchip won't get lost or damaged, and that it will probably last the pet's lifetime, the microchip is useless if you're not updating your contact information with the registry. If your pet has been microchipped, keep the documentation paperwork so you can find the contact information for the registry. If you don't have the documentation paperwork, contact the veterinarian or shelter where the chip was implanted.

Keep in mind there are more than a dozen companies that maintain databases of chip ID numbers in the U.S. By using AAHA's Universal Pet Microchip Lookup at petmicrochiplookup.org, you can locate the registry for your chip by entering the microchip ID number. If you don't have your pet's microchip ID number, have a veterinarian scan it and give it to you.

Only about 17% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats ever find their way back to their owners. Prevent the heartache and ensure your pet has an up-to-date microchip.

Originally published by Healthy Pet.

August is Adopt a Homeless Pet Month

Did you know that August is Adopt a Homeless Pet Month! This day was created to help raise awareness about the large number of homeless animals in the world.

Below are a list of area shelters. The facilities in RED are local shelters. We urge you to adopt a pet in need. 

ASPCA
http://www.aspca.org/

ROAR- Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue
https://www.google.com/#q=ROAR+ridgfield+

Animal Welfare Society (NEW MILFORD) 
http://aws-shelter.org/

New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society
http://www.nfsaw.org/ 

Danbury Animal Welfare Society
http://www.daws.org/

Second Chance Rescue
http://www.nycsecondchancerescue.org/

ARF-Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons
http://www.arfhamptons.org/site/c.inKMINNjEkG/b.5495835/k.BE80/Home.htm

Stratford Cat Project
http://stratfordcatproject.org/

Animals R Family
http://animalsrfamily.org/

Adopt A Dog
http://adopt-a-dog.org/

Free the Chi (Chihuahua Liberation Front)
https://instagram.com/freethechi/?hl=en

Labs 4 Rescue
http://labs4rescue.com/index.shtml

CT Greyhound Adoption
http://ctgreyhounds.org/

Please contact the Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital at (203) 438-8878 with any questions you may have.

Summer Safety Tips

During July the sky will reverberate with the many sounds that accompany the Fourth of July Celebrations. We may enjoy the revelry, but for some pets, fireworks, like thunderstorms, can cause a great deal of stress including:

• Violent shaking, trembling
• Excessive drooling 
• Barking, howling
• Trying to hide or get into/out of the house, fence, or other enclosure
• Refusing to eat food
• Some animals may loose bladder or bowel control or experience temporary diarrhea from prolonged stress

So what can an owner do to protect their pets from the stress associated with fireworks? 

• Keeping pets indoors. Close the windows and drapes, turn on the TV or radio to provide some distraction. 
• A quiet place, such as a carrier or crate may provide your pet with a sense of security and comfort. 
• Using a leash or carrier if you must be outside with your pet to keep them from running off. 
• Making sure pet ID is current. Make sure that your pet has proper identification tags, with current information, in case they get away. Microchipping is strongly recommended. 

Some pets do fine and don't seem to notice the fireworks. But some pets cannot be calmed by petting or talking to them - they are simply too upset by the noise. Animals who are frightened or stressed can hurt themselves and possibly escape if left alone, and the result can be fatal. Frightened animals running loose are in great danger of being lost or, worse yet, hit by a car. 

If nothing seems to work to calm your pet talk to your veterinarian about tranquilizers. They are not for every pet but they can help calm some who are overly sensitive to loud noises. 

For many people, nothing beats spending time in the backyard with good friends and family -- including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to reqard our pets with scraps from the grill and bring them along to watch fireworks in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips: 

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases. 
• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems. 
• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pet's reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing -- or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop. 
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. Keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes and raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals. 
• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestion and intestinal blockage could  occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers. 
• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestion can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets. 
• Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium.

Also, 

• Walk with caution. Don't walk your dog during the day's highest heat and humidity, which is usually between 1 and 4pm. This is especially important for dogs with short snouts, who can't pant as efficiently in humid weather due to their narrowed nostrils and windpipes. 
• Look out for heat exhaustion. If your dog shows signs of heat stress -- heavy panting, dry or bright red gums, thick drool, vomiting, diarrhea, or wobbly legs -- don't place them in ice cold water, which can put them into shock. Instead, move them to a cool place, drape a damp towel over their body, re-wetting the cloth frequently, and get them to the vet as soon as you possibly can. A dog's normal temperature is between 100 degrees and 102.5 degrees, so once they hit 104 degrees, they are in dangerous territory (106 degrees F or higher can be fatal). 
• Don't share. Barbecue scraps and fatty leftovers can give your pup pancreatitis, causing severe abdominal pain or death. Corn on the cob is also a huge no-no because they can lodge in a dog's intestines. 

Contact the Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital team at (203) 438-8878 with any questions you may have. 

Top 5 Summer Tips for Your Pet

June is Pet Preparedness Month, and at Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital, we recommend the following tips to help keep your pet safe this upcoming summer season:

1) Microchip Your Pet- Your pet's collar can easily fall off and become lost. Having a permanent form of identification is very important. Many microchip companies supply a collar tag with your pet's microchip number, so be sure to keep the tag safe. Adding it to your key chain can provide easy access to the microchip number and the microchip company's contact information.

2) Create a First Aid Kit for your pet and have it ready should your pet experience an emergency. We recommend including a rectal thermometer, bandage scissors, bandage material, triple antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, and Benadryl (ask your veterinarian about the recommended items for your pet).

3) Always make sure to have enough prescription medication for your travels and keep medications in their original container.

4) Many states require proof of Rabies Vaccination. Make sure to keep your pet's annual vaccinations up-to-date and have a copy of the Rabies Certificate available.

5) Add your veterinarian's contact information to your mobile phone's contact list or your address book. This could save time should you have to visit an emergency hospital during your vacation.

These tips may require modification depending on your pet's needs. Contact us at (203) 438-8878 with any questions you may have.

We hope you and your pet have a fun and safe summer!!

Missing dog found 4 years later in Iowa, nearly 1,000 miles from home

United Airlines flew a lost dog home Wednesday in first class for free — four years after he went missing. The Lambert family didn’t think they would ever see Sam, a Yorkshire Terrier, after he disappeared from their yard in Louisiana. But he was found by an animal control officer in in Cedar Rapids, Iowa earlier this month. He was straggly and weighed less than 6 pounds. Luckily, staff at the shelter were able to use the microchip he had to identify the Lambert family as the owners. Danielle Lambert said she was “shocked” when she got the call. “I first thought that there was no way it could be Sam. He’d been missing for four years,” she told CNNMoney. Sam was a birthday gift for her daughter Karisa when she turned 10 years old. Now she’s 15. The Yorkie was nursed back to health at the shelter until he was fit to fly home. He landed in New Orleans on a United flight at 11:16 a.m. “This just makes all of us feel really, really happy that we can make this miracle come true for this family and their little dog,” said Diane Webber, a manager at the Cedar Rapids shelter. No one knows how Sam got to Iowa, which is nearly 1,000 miles away. “We have no clue,” said Lambert. “I guess that’s the piece we’ll never know.”

SOURCE: http://wqad.com/2015/04/29/missing-dog-found-4-years-later-in-iowa-nearly-1000-miles-from-home/

Lyme Disease Awareness Month

Lyme disease is an infection than can affect both dogs and cats all over the country. Caused by ticks (usually the deer tick and American dog tick in the Ridgefield area), this disease can cause lameness and even kidney failure if left untreated. This is why it’s so important to protect your pet with a preventative and to have them tested annually. If your pet tests positive, we can administer treatment—ideally before any clinical symptoms are seen.

Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital has a number of tick prevention products available in house. These include monthly topicals, such as Frontline, Advantix/Advantage, and Vectra. Topicals are designed to sit in the oil glands or on the hair shaft and are applied between the shoulder blades. We also offer spray products, including Vetri-Repel, Avon Skin-So-Soft, and Frontline. For cats, we offer Preventic, Seresto, and Breakaway collars. And if you or your pet isn’t a fan of the topical or spray preventatives, consider Nexgard, the first chewable monthly flea and tick control tablet.

In addition to using a preventative product for Lyme, we recommend that you have your pet screened for tick borne diseases at least once a year. In addition to Lyme, some of the most prevalent diseases in our area include Anaplasma and Ehrlichia Canis. Our screening test is a color change test that screens for tick borne diseases and even heartworm disease. If a test comes back positive, we typically recommend following up with a titer, which gives an actual number that can be tracked to ensure successful treatment.

Contact Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital today at (203) 438-8878 to schedule an appointment, so we can determine which preventative product is best for your pet.