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CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER 2010
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It's Christmas Newsletter time again! We have our usual December promotion, a wonderful Christmas hamper to be won, and a reminder to get your pets vaccinated for their holiday boarding if you haven't already done so.
Summer is upon us once more and with it the usual resurgence of fleas. Treat all pets in the household to avoid a flea problem this summer. See our article on Comfortis® if you have a dog in your family!
Sunny weather is great for uplifting spirits, and easing the ache of arthritic joints. This December 2010 we are running an Arthritis Awareness Month, with free arthritis checks for your pets. Arthritis is all too common in animals, but often goes unnoticed as pets are 'programmed' to hid their pain. Ring one of our friendly nurses to book your dog or cat in for a free assessment.
We wish you all a great summer, and all the best for the holiday season.
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Puppy in a Crate
Bringing home a new puppy can be an exciting time for the family, but can be frustrating if toilet training is not soon mastered, or your pup is destructive when left alone. This is where crate training can be a valuable tool.
A puppy is naturally reluctant to soil where he sleeps, so by putting his bedding in a bed-sized crate you should be able to leave him confidently for a few hours. For many dogs this means using a wire crate. For smaller dogs you may be able to use a carry-cage, as long as they can stretch out and stand comfortably.
It is very important to keep crate training positive. Never use it as a form of punishment. Your puppy should associate the crate with comfort and security; his very own 'den'. This can be invaluable in preventing separation anxiety so he doesn't get stressed when his humans are absent.
Encourage your pup to go in the crate while you are around by placing toys and treats in it. Praise him every time he goes in and reward him when he settles quietly. Once he is comfortable with being confined, begin to get him used to being left alone. Step out of the room for a few minutes before returning, gradually extending the time away until he can be left for at least an hour. Never leave him longer than he is physically able to hold his bladder or bowels, and of course always make sure he's been encouraged to go toilet before confining him.
Remember, putting your dog in a crate does not in itself toilet-train your dog, but must be combined with consistently taking him outside at regular intervals and praising him when he goes in the right place.
At night you may need to start with the crate by your bed, as dogs don't like to sleep alone. Once he's used to the crate it can be moved to the place you'd prefer him to sleep at night.
Crate training simplifies toilet training and ensures your dog feels happy and secure in his den.
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What is Ringworm?
Many people believe that ringworm is a species of worm found in cats and dogs. In fact, ringworm is not a worm at all...it is a fungus!
So where does the name come from? Originally people believed that the red, itchy, circular skin lesions in humans were caused by a burrowing worm, when in fact it's a fungal infection.
Ringworm is not a common disease, but when one person or animal is infected it can be very irritable and frustrating to get rid of. Ringworm is a zoonosis, which means it is transmittable between animals and people.
Pets require a month's worth of tablets, and often a topical treatment is needed as well to prevent the infection spreading to others. People generally respond to topical treatment (eg anti-fungal lotion) alone. Cleaning of the animal's environment is also important.
So next time you give your pet a worm pill you'll know that it has nothing whatsoever to do with ringworm!
Ringworm in a Cat
Ringworm in a Dog
Ringworm in a Human
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Staff Notes
 Bruce recently spent two days at a seminar in Auckland discussing urinary bladder stones in dogs and cats plus other related problems. See our article on Chester for more information. Bruce has wimped out on riding around Lake Taupo but has steeled himself to enter the bike ride around Mt Egmont, so hopefully he will survive to tell of success or otherwise in our next newsletter.
 Kylie is looking forward to summer, relaxing on the beach with friends. She is also planning her trip to Brisbane for her step-sister's wedding in February and to catch up with a few of her friends over there.
Andrea has been busy sprucing up her house ready for summer and getting this season's vege garden planted. Next job on the list will be decorating the house and garden with Christmas lights, and then in no time it'll be time to leave the house behind for a couple of weeks' camping!
 With the help of Gingko tablets (for the aging brain!) and some (well, heaps actually) rescue remedy, Geoff and his friend were able to master a very successful accordion concert of old-time favourites at the rest home for Geoff's dad's 83rd birthday. His dad said everyone enjoyed it, but it was perhaps a bit too long for those with weak bladders! In November Geoff and his crew are again tackling the adversities of three weeks' cruising the Northland coast. Life is so tough!
Saara recently enjoyed a sunny weekend away camping at Te Muri beach with her partner and his family. You can only get to Te Muri by boat or at low tide, so the trip over became a challenge when the winds and swell picked up! The weekend was spent fishing, sunbathing and walking over to Sullivan's Bay and back. A visit to the cemetery that dates back to the 1800s was also very interesting. Saara and her partner are now looking forward to their camping trip to Hahei for two weeks in January.
In the last newletter Barbara was looking forward to her son's wedding, to be held in Christchurch on September 4th. All the arrangements had been made and a fine day ordered. However, what everyone forgot to order was an earthquake-free day. At 4.35am on the morning of the wedding, Christchurch had a 7.1 magnitude earthquake! As you can imagine, everyone was pretty shaken at first and when they heard that both the church and the reception venue had been damaged, cancellation was looming. That's when family, wedding guests and some very kind Christchurch people came to the rescue. The church hall was soon decked out and the venue cleared of broken crockery and glass. Candles were found and gas stoves arranged and somehow the day was saved. The bride looked beautiful and the happy couple started married life on a day that they'll never forget!
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Why Do Cats Purr?
The sound of your cat's purr while he's sitting on your lap having a stroke usually indicates your cat's feeling happy and content. But can cats also use their purr to show signs of pain and discomfort? Could it possibly be a mechanism to help with traumatic moments and aid healing?
In fact cats may purr when they are in pain, feeling tense, scared or generally ill. Researchers have looked into the possiblility of vibration stimulation from a cat's purr being linked to the relief of pain and discomfort, and improved fracture healing, circulation and oxygenation to generate tissue growth.
It is also thought that a mother cat may purr during giving birth and purr to her kittens as a way to communicate with them.
A cat's purr is produced via the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles, purring on both inhalation and exhalation. The vibration frequency that has been found to be best for therapeutic use is around 25 to 50 Hz with the second best range being 100 to 200 Hz, which coincidentally is the same range in which cats purr.
Although not scientifically proven, some people believe a cat's purr can help lower blood pressure and relieve anxiety in humans. I think it's fair to say a cat's purr may be a sign of many different feelings and that they may even purr to communicate with us.
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Give a Dog a Bone?
I think it's safe to say that if a dog could speak, he would say, "Give me a bone please". But is it dangerous to feed your dog bones? Or does it benefit their health? What if both of these statements were true?
Dogs love bones. We can't deny that chewing bones gives dogs' lives enrichment, and allows them to show natural behaviour. Chewing bones also benefits your dog's oral health, cleaning their teeth and providing an effective way to help prevent tartar build-up and periodontal disease. It can also help freshen breath.
However some bones are potentially dangerous. Poultry, pork and small bones can splinter or break, ultimately blocking or piercing the digestive tract, which may lead to bleeding, infection and emergency surgery.
So the idea here is yes, feed your dog bones, but it's the right sort of bones that are the key. A sensible approach would be to feed large beef cannon bones with the meat and gristle still intact. Bones should always be fed raw. Remember that bones are for CHEWING ON NOT CHEWING UP, so once your dog's chewed off all the meat take the bone away and discard it.
HAPPY CHEWING!
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