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Home , Anaesthetic machine

Dr Vicky McClure BVSc Hons Dr Blair Kennedy BVSc Hons

4 Lyster Street Coffs Harbour NSW 2450 Tel: 02 6652 1577 Fax: 02 6652 6450 Email: [email protected] Website: www.coffsharbourvet.com.au

Issue no: 02/2016 – June 2016

enter their shelters each year. It was wonderful for us to see so many of our clients and patients CRACKER’S CLINIC CHRONICLES taking part as well.

Dr Vicky attended the Veterinary AVA Welcome to the conference in May. This conference ensures that CHVH winter we maintain, improve and broaden our newsletter. This knowledge, expertise and competence as well quarter we focus as staying at the forefront of veterinary on our senior and technologies. doggies and kitties

to make sure they A Fresh Look are comfortable and healthy during their sunset years. National Desexing Month is held in

July and August is dental month. Thank you for your patience whilst we have been CHVH participates painting the inside of CHVH. It is now looking in these initiatives fresh, crisp and clean and studies show that blue and provides great is a soothing colour for dogs and cats, so hope it discounts during makes them feel relaxed and happy to visit us. these months, see below for further Flea and tick treatment details. Please remember to keep up with your pet’s flea and tick treatment during the winter months. We In May 2016, CHVH and are still treating animals for tick paralysis during our own doggies joined the this period. RSPCA and the community in the RSPCA’s Million Nexgard is a monthly chewable tick prevention for Paws Walk to raise money dogs. We are running a Nexgard special until the in the prevention against end of June (whilst stocks last). When you animal cruelty and care for purchase a 3 pack of Nexgard from CHVH, receive the 35,000 animals which a single dose free (of the same size).

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Fear Free Rewards

We are developing a Fear Free Rewards program REGULAR AND ONGOING MEDICATION with aim to making visits to CHVH stress and anxiety free for both our patients and our clients. PLEASE REMEMBER TO CALL AHEAD IF Watch this space. YOU REQUIRE A SCRIPT OR DISPENSING OF MEDICATION FOR YOUR PET. SMS messaging

 Please call ahead to ensure that we have the CHVH now sends SMS medication in stock and can have a Vet Text messages to remind you of your appointment. dispense it for you or have the script drawn Please let us know if you up and signed by the Vet. need to update your  For a Vet to dispense medication or a script, contact details. your pet must have been seen by one of our Vets within the last six months.  Medication ordered from our compounding Hendra Vaccinations for Horses – now annually chemist (BOVA) is ordered (via script/online) by CHVH. The invoice, statement and The Hendra vaccine has now been registered to medication is sent directly to the client protect horses for one year rather than six months. (medication can be sent to us for collection on request).

Horses have If we issue you a script or order medication previously been through BOVA (outside of a consultation), required to have there is a $10 prescription fee. six-monthly boosters of the Equivac HeV CARING FOR OUR FURRY SENIOR shot, which CITIZENS provides immunity against the virus that has claimed the lives of four people and 70 horses What age does a pet become senior? since its discovery in 1994. A dog or cat over Fruit bats are the natural hosts of Hendra, which the age of 7 can be transmitted to horses before potentially years is generally spreading to dogs and humans. It has a mortality considered a rate of more than 75 per cent in horses and most senior pet and infected animals die within one or two days of we notice they showing symptoms. Last July, a major usually start to advancement in understanding how the virus is slow down. spread revealed horses were most likely to catch it from bat urine, rather than saliva or faeces. Caring for our senior pets Hendra protocol overview The best approach to caring for your senior pet  Both Dr Vicky and Dr Blair are accredited includes preventative diagnostics such as a to administer Hendra Vaccinations. check up twice yearly and an annual blood and  The horse must be microchipped before urine test. receiving a Hendra vaccine (this can be done at the same time). Keep on eye on your pet and let us know if you  Initial vaccine, booster 21 – 42 days later notice any of these symptoms: and then another booster six months later.  Then annually for remainder of the horses’  Is your pet slow to get up? Limping or life. slowing down?  Is your pet drinking and/or urinating more than usual?

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 Any sign of coughing or getting tired consultation (sample collection kits are available quicker? from reception).  Sudden weight loss or weight gain? Coat changes? JULY - DESEXING MONTH – 15% OFF  Can you smell a bad breath or spot tartar on the teeth? July is National Desexing Month, which  Any abnormal growths visible? promotes desexing in an effort to prevent the thousands accidental and unwanted litters born These symptoms may be indications of some of every year. the common senior pet diseases. During your pets senior six monthly check, please make us In conjunction with this campaign, CHVH, is aware of any of these symptoms. offering 15% off full price desexing during the month of July. We recommend desexing of Senior pets may begin to develop diseases puppies and kittens from 4-6 months of age and common to their senior human counterparts, adult dogs and cats can be desexed at any time. such as diabetes, heart disease, endocrine disease, cancer and arthritis. These can go There are many benefits to desexing your pet unnoticed in their early stages; therefore including reduction in unwanted litters (and preventative health care is very important. If left unnecessary euthanasias), reducing unwanted undetected, many diseases can put our pet’s behaviours (reduces wandering, spraying etc) as health and lives at risk. well as health benefits to your pet, which are listed below. If you consider the cost of having to treat your pet for these health issues in the future, you really can’t afford not to. So take advantage of these great savings and call us today to book in for July.

Diet

As our pets age, their dietary requirements change considerably. Knowing what to feed your dog or cat as they enter their senior years is the key to a healthier, happier more agile pet. We can advise you of a diet to suit your pet.

Arthritis AUGUST - DENTAL MONTH

The most common cause of impaired mobility is August is Dental month and focuses on the arthritis. Arthritis is a degenerative joint importance of dental health care in our pets. disease resulting in pain and stiffness due to wear and tear of the joints. Your pet does not CHVH Dental month specials: need to suffer from this debilitating disease. We have many options available to manage arthritis  Free dental checks and give your pet better quality of life.  Grade 1 Dental Scale and Polish for cats and dogs: $220 (saving $60) Senior Offer  10% off other dental procedures.

Please give us a call to book in for a free dental At CHVH when our senior pets (over 7 years of check. age) have a consultation with our Vets, we offer a free in-house urinalysis test (value $48). Any abnormalities in a urinalysis may indicate a requirement for further diagnostic testing such as a urine culture or blood testing (not included). Bring a sample of your pets urine with you to the 3

ROCKY’S DAY AT THE DENTIST He was given an anaesthetic so that he fell asleep enough to place an endotracheal tube When we go to the dentist we are happy to sit (which provides a clear airway and provides a back in the chair, keep our mouths open and we sealed circuit for and anaesthetic ). would (most likely) not bite our dentist as they work. Unfortunately pets are designed a little Once he was ‘tubed’, he was attached to the differently, their mouths do not open as wide and (providing a mixture of even the most well behaved dog or cat will not oxygen and anaesthetic). He was allow a full dental exam and clean. It is attached to a number of machines impossible to properly clean your pet’s teeth (which read his , respiration, and without having them under anaesthesia and oxygen levels) as well as continually monitored safely intubated to protect their lungs from by a Nurse to ensure his vitals remained stable inhaling water and stray bits of tartar and and at an adequate level of anaesthesia. bacteria during the clean.

All our patients having surgery or dental Rocky is a lovely 7 year old border collie x staffie procedures at CHVH receive warmed and he was in recently for a dental scale and intravenous fluid therapy (IVFT). This helps polish with possible extractions. Read below for maintain blood in the anaesthetised the story of his dental at CHVH. patient, replaces any lost fluids during surgery, and improves recovery times, as well as reducing heat As with all our surgery and dental cases, Rocky loss. was required to fast the night before his procedure. On arrival he was weighed and The Dental received a health check. He also had blood taken to assesses his liver and kidney function All of Rocky’s teeth were then scaled by Nurse and protein levels which are responsible for the Darlene with an ultrasonic scaler (like what your safe metabolism and elimination of anaesthetic dentist uses) which removes plaque and calculus. agents and therefore a safe recovery. Rocky All his teeth were also polished to ensure the was deemed healthy and well to go under a surfaces were smooth and less likely to attract for his procedure. plaque in future.

Each tooth and the surrounding gum were then checked by Dr Vicky with a specialised probe to determine if there were any deep pockets between the gum and tooth. Rocky was then administered his pre- medication. These drugs assist in helping him Any teeth that had deep periodontal pockets or relax and provides pre-emptive pain relief. looked like they may cause concern were x-rayed to check the bone around the tooth. Once Rocky was a little bit more drowsy (about 15 minutes after his ), he was ready for X-rays did indicate that Rocky required a number an intravenous (IV) catheter (cannula) to be of extractions. He received a local anaesthetic placed in the cephalic vein of his left front leg. block (which provided additional local pain relief). An IV catheter provides us direct access into his Teeth were extracted by sectioning and gentle blood vessel so that medication and fluids may elevation to remove the teeth with minimal trauma. be given without having to inject him repeatedly. 4

Dissolvable stitches are sometimes required to close the pocket where teeth are extracted. Rocky’s teeth and gums not only look and smell better but he will be much more comfortable and pain free.

MEET THE STAFF

This month, Darlene celebrated her 10 year anniversary of working at CHVH.

An enormous love and respect for animals inspired Darlene to start her vet Whilst Rocky was waking up from his nursing career at CHVH anaesthetic he was given a pain relief injection and she’s never looked (which will last for 24 hours). He was also given back. Straight into the pain relief tablets to take at home. study she gained her Certificate II in Animal Studies and attended many courses including We monitor patients carefully following their Dog Grooming and Puppy Training. anaesthetics until they are fully awake and able to stand. Rocky received lots of cuddles and Being a vet nurse has allowed her to fulfil her comfort from nurses Darlene and Laura. dream of providing support and care for animals of all shapes and sizes. With a Ongoing dental care collection of qualifications under her belt, All our dental patients go home later that including Painter & Decorator & Art Teacher, afternoon with home care advice following their she’s useful in more ways than one and procedure. This includes: brings a diverse approach to everything she does. While her gorgeous (and cheeky!)  Rest for the first 12-24 hours following Beagle “Lennie” keeps a smile on her face, their anaesthetic all the many and varied patients who come  Soft foods for one week and go through the doors of CHVH inspire  Recommend a pet mouth rinse such as her to learn more and more and continue to Hexarinse. raise social awareness about the importance  A recheck in 7-10 days time to ensure of having animals in our lives. that the extraction site and any stitches are healed well and the gums are now healthy.  At the recheck we provide owners with post dental care including teeth brushing and diet.

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