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Vet Medical Information Page
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The following is written by DiAnna Pfaff-Martin the founder of Community Animal Network and the Animal Network of Orange County through her personal professional experience of working with sick animals and consulting with Orange County veterinarians for animals that need help surviving using critical care management at home or need daily or weekly fluid therapy for animals with kidney disease. BEST BUY FOR SUB Q FLUIDS (Known As Lactated Ringers) Best Price on Line and will ship to California without tax It is a fact that water sustains life. Animals that become sick and /or are in critical condition receive fluid therapy as order by a veterinarian. Community Animal Network caregivers administer fluids in life threatening situations such as treating URI's (upper respiratory conditions/colds) if an animal shows signs of being dehydrated and becomes listless. Veterinarians prescribe fluid therapy to patients to be administered at home by their pet-parents for animals that are diagnosed with kidney problems and other conditions that require daily hydration. Our organization may administer warm sub-Q fluids to newborn kittens if their weakened condition is compromising their life. This rescue procedure has increased our life-saving ability. There are several ways of administering the fluids subcutaneously; one is with an IV line that is connected to the needle and the bag is squeezed to inject the fluids. The other way is to inject with a syringe. Both ways injecting the subcutaneous fluids allow a visible bubble to protrude at the injection site which is customarily at the shoulder blades.
Pictured Feline Lactated Ringer (1000 mL Plastic Bag) These 1000 ML IV fluid bags contain subcutaneous fluids, which is used for the treatment of dehydration and electrolyte depletion in animals. May be injected intravenously, subcutaneously or intraperitoneally (except horses) using aseptic technique. This
product can be purchased at discounted prices with a prescription
from www.EntirelyPets.com |
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You do not have to be a veterinarian to give vaccinations, breeders, pet store employees and some everyday people give their pets shots because of convenience. Vaccines can be purchased at feed stores through out the country and through internet pet supply companies. The following is written by DiAnna Pfaff-Martin the founder of Community Animal Network and the Animal Network of Orange County through her personal experience of vaccinating the organizations animals and authorizing and consulting with veterinarians to treat the organizations animals, as well as guiding the many concerned caregivers when a vaccine reaction occurs. FAQ'S Will every animal have a vaccine reaction every time? No. How can I tell if my animal is having a vaccine reaction? There are different symptoms varying with the degree of the reaction, but commonly the animal is out of character and tired. See specific symptoms of a reaction listed below. How long does a vaccine reaction last? 24 -48 hours. Can an animal die from a severe vaccine reaction? Yes, if the reaction is severe and he/she doesnt get vet medical treatment. If there a risk of an
animal dying, is it really necessary to vaccinate my animal? Yes. Laws
state dogs must have a rabies vaccine. Cats are not required by law in Vaccine Reaction Symptoms Common
vaccine reactions last 24 -48 hours
We
frequently receive calls from worried pet parents. This is what we tell
them
Most Common Reactions
Out of Character, Tired, Not Eating.
Meows when being petted or touched at the injection site. Symptoms to Consider Seeing A Veterinarian
Moderate swelling around the face. Runs a temperature. Severe
Vaccine Reaction Symptoms That
Require Immediate Medical Attention.
Difficulty Breathing
Listless, Limp
Becomes Catatonic, vomits and has diarrhea almost at the same time |
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Quality Flea Treatments Capstar - (immediate acting pill) Capstar is your best option for the cleanest, fastest relief from fleas possible without leaving a pesticide residue. Capstar tablets begin working within 30 minutes of application, killing more than 90% of fleas on dogs and cats within 4 to 6 hours. Capstar has no side effects and is proven safe and effective for both dogs and cats. This flea treatment can be used on puppies and kittens as young as 4 weeks old who are at least 2 pounds, as well as with pregnant or nursing dogs and cats. Revolution - (a monthly behind the neck topical) Revolution is a wide-spectrum treatment for fleas, roundworms, Sarcoptic mange, ear mites and prevent heartworm. Advantage (TM)- (a monthly behind the neck topical) Advantage (TM) works well as a flea treatment. Animal rescue groups use a "drop" of Advantage on each tiny kittens that is under the recommended age package labeling instructions (known as "Off Label" use for under eight (8) week olds.) At the peak of the flea season, during the hottest summer months, many rescue animals are treated every two weeks with Advantage (TM). If more people knew about using a drop of Advantage (TM) for healthy under eight (8) week old kittens like rescue groups do we believe that more people would consider rescuing tiny kittens from their yard. Kittens growing up outdoors without human touch and house manners will be limited in their ability to ever be rescued. People adopt pet-quality kittens from rescue organizations "not yard animals". Many well-meaning people feed back yard cats and cause problems by not touching the kittens and bringing them indoors. Using a drop of Advantage (TM) could encourage more people to bring kittens needing rescue indoors if they could be "flea free". |
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Tape Worms A tapeworm is the name for the parasitic flatworm that spends its adult phase in the stomach of a primary host, such as a dog, cat, or fish. Customarily all puppies and kittens are treated for worms. Cats have tapeworms more commonly than dogs have round worms. animal rescue groups usually use Drontal (TM) a Bayer pharmaceutical wide spectrum drug killing round worms, hook worms and tape worms. Many animals infected with tapeworms may show no symptoms until tapeworm segments are found in the feces. Tapeworm segments are white, pinkish-white, or yellow-white and look like grains of rice laying on the feces or animals bedding or on the hair around the anus. Dogs usually become infected with tapeworm after eating fleas or small mammals (rabbits, hares, etc.) which are infected with tapeworm larvae. Preventing animals from roaming, hunting and eating dead animals will all help decrease the numbers of tapeworm infestations. Praziquantel is a drug of choice that has been shown up to 95% effective in the treatment of adult tapeworm infections associated with both dog and fish species. Praziquantel does not kill tapeworm eggs, so to prevent reinfestation a second treatment is recommended after two weeks.
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Roundworm, Hookworm and Tapeworm Treatment Bayer Animal Health Product
"PROFENDER" (Emodepside / Praziquantel) "Topical" Wide Spectrum Solution currently for Felines Only (Safe for Nursing and Pregnant Cats) Ask Your Veterinarian For It My professional experiences working with rescue animals over the last decade and using prescription medicines under the guidance of veterinarians as well as being included in seminars for veterinarians with Bayer and Elli Lilly Corporation have given me vast amount of knowledge and experience using fast effective medications and treatments that not all veterinarians currently utilize. Currently Used at the Following Vet Hospitals : Cat Care Clinic of Orange 714282-2287 All Creatures Care Cottage - 949.642-7151 |
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Ear Mite Infestations, Product Information and Rescue Tips Ear mites are small parasites which live around and in the ear canal of dogs and cats. The mites feed on the tissue debris and secretions of the ear canal lining. Ear mites are contagious to household pets and if left untreated, intense itching can lead to more serious conditions, such as bleeding ears. Ear mite symptoms include, continuous scratching of the ears, shaking of head. Ear mites usually induce the formation of a dry, dark brown, waxy discharge and crusts that look like coffee grounds. Ear mite infections are easily treated by a veterinarian. Minor infestations can be effectively treated with Revolution (TM) "topical" which is placed behind the neck. Revolution (TM) also works as a flea treatment. Animal rescue groups use Revolution (TM) for the treatment of minor ear mite infestations "Off Label" by using the product every two weeks instead of the recommended package labeling instructions for minor ear mite infestations. All animals in the home must use Revolution (TM) "topical" monthly to avoid mite infestation. You can clean the animals' ear with a cotton ball and white vinegar or a good ear cleanser. Use Revolution (TM) topical monthly treatment on other animals in the house to prevent future outbreaks. Advantage (TM) works well as a flea treatment. Animal rescue groups use a "drop" of Advantage on each tiny kittens that is under the recommended age package labeling instructions (known as "Off Label" use for under eight (8) week olds.) At the peak of the flea season, during the hottest summer months, many rescue animals are treated every two weeks with Advantage (TM). Revolution - (a monthly behind the neck topical) Revolution is a wide-spectrum treatment for fleas, roundworms, Sarcoptic mange, ear mites and prevent heartworm. Acarexx - A VETERINARIAN PRODUCT ( an inner ear "one-time" treatment) The company guarantees the product will kill all living ear mites or the company replaces the product. Ask your veterinarian. Animal rescue groups use products such as these in conjunction with Revolution (TM). |
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Sarcoptic Mange and Possible Treatments Sarcoptic mange, more commonly known as Scabies, is caused by a tiny mite called the Sarcoptes scabei. This tiny mite burrows into the outer layers of the skin where it spends most of its life and also deposits its eggs. The entire life cycle of this mite only lasts about three weeks and can only live a few days off the dog. This mite can also affect people in close contact with infected dogs, but human infestations usually clear up quickly on their own. All dogs are susceptible to the Sarcoptic Mite, but infestations are more commonly observed in younger dogs. To treat scabies you must follow four important steps very closely. First, isolate your dogs, and if possible shave the infected areas of the skin. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when handling an infected dog or using dips and shampoos. Secondly, bathe the dog with an anti-seborrhea shampoo to remove crusts and other skin debris. Thirdly, treat with a lime-sulfur or other parasitical dips such as Paramite according to product directions. Lastly, thoroughly clean the kennel area to prevent reinfestation or the spread of mites to other dogs.
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HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common form of heart disease in cats. Diagnosis reveals that as the heart muscle increases in size (hypertrophies). As these muscles hypertrophy (get bigger), the lumen of the left ventricle gets smaller (the space that blood can occupy is smaller and thus impairs blood flow. This leads to increased left ventricular diastolic pressure and can lead to severe pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) and both left and right sided heart failure. HCM can be an inherited disease and male cats have a higher risk. The disease can be seen in cats as young as 3 months of age to 19 years (average age is 5-7 years old). Common signals are difficulty breathing, panting, open mouth breathing, lack of appetite, inability to exercise, vomiting, collapse, paralysis of rear legs and sudden death. A heart murmur or arrhythmia may or may not be heard on physical exam. Because of poor blood circulation, a blood clot can form, usually in the caudal iliac arteries, which leads to a painful paralysis of the rear legs. Prognosis is guarded to poor when this occurs. HCM is definitively diagnosed with ultrasound. A thyroid test and blood pressure should also be performed to rule out hyperthyroidism and hypertension as causes of HCM. So that medications can be safely given, a comprehensive blood chemistry and complete blood cell count (CBC) should be performed to assess liver and kidney function. A veterinarian can give the prognosis based upon the animals clinical signs, testing and suggest treatment. Animals diagnosed with this disease cannot tolerate extremes of heat or cold as easily as they once did. Some cats are placed on aspirin (NEVER GIVE TYLENOL TO CATS!) to help with thromboembolic disease. If your pet is showing signs of heart disease, your veterinarian will recommend a special diet. However, if your pet will not eat the special diet, let your veterinarian know right away. Call or see a veterinarian immediately if you notice any of the following signs:
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ANIMAL NETWORK... of Orange County
