Chocolate toxicity

With the Easter festivities coming up, there is always the risk of a dog being tempted to eat one of those tasty Easter eggs!

Dogs are most commonly affected, due to the common 'sweet tooth' they seem to have and their habit of rapid consumption, however it is important to remember that cats and other species are susceptible to the toxic effects of chocolate too.

The chemical in chocolate that is highly toxic to dogs is theobromine. Half a small bar of dark chocolate (around 50g) is enough to end the life of a little terrier. Small dogs are much more at risk as the toxic effect is dose-dependent, so a 40kg Labrador would need to eat eight times as much chocolate as a 5kg terrier to be affected.

Vomiting and diarrhoea occur 2-4 hours after the intake. Nervous system stimulation leads to hyperactivity, tremors, and seizures. The heart rate becomes rapid and irregular. Excessive urination may result from the diuretic action of the chocolate. Heart failure, weakness, coma and even death can occur 12 to 36 hours after intake.

If your animal has possibly ingested some chocolate, or if there is vomiting, nervousness or weakness, take your animal immediately to your veterinarian.

We suggest you keep your Easter eggs to yourself this Easter!  

Permethrin toxicity

Fleas are annoying insects that thrive on our pets, many products are available on the market to control fleas within our homes and on our pets, and the most common types of insecticide contain pyrethrins and permethrins. The latter has a much greater potential for causing toxicity especially in cats. Permethrin-based products are usually labeled "for use in dogs only". Application of these products to a cat can result in toxic signs including drooling, lethargy, muscle tremors, vomiting and seizures within 6 hours of application. Prolonged seizure can cause brain damage and death if left untreated. To protect your cat from permethrin toxicity, avoid using any of those products if possible, always read labels on packaging thoroughly and never give more than the dosage stated on the packet. Avoid using these products on your dogs if you have cats in your home as your cat can become poisoned by licking the dog or even by sleeping next to your dog. If your cat displays any symptoms of poisoning, seek veterinary attention immediately.

Some safe products you can use on your dogs and cats include Advantage, Advocate, Revolution and Frontline. Even with these products, ensure you read the packet and use the correct type and weight range for your pet. 

Vaccination

Vaccination is important all year round to protect your dogs and cats against serious diseases. Puppies and kittens will be temporarily protected against many diseases by their maternal antibodies (in mother's milk). However, these antibodies decline in the first few months of life and this is why a series of vaccines is necessary. After their initial course of vaccinations, the immunity weakens over time and your pet can become susceptible to diseases again, therefore annual vaccination boosters are necessary to maintain good immunity against these serious diseases.

A consultation with the doctor will be performed at the time of your pets' vaccination. This includes a general check-up, physical examination and this also gives you the opportunity to discuss any concerns or ask any questions you may have about your pet.

In general, our recommended vaccination schedule for a dog is:

Time schedule (age)	Vaccination Coverage
6-8 weeks	Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis (C3)
12-14 weeks	Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis, Para-influenza virus, Bordetella bacteria, Coronavirus and Leptospirosis (C7)
16-18 weeks	(C7)
Every year for life	(C7)

 In general, our recommended vaccination schedule for a cat is:

Time schedule (age)	Vaccination Coverage
6-8 weeks	Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Enteritis (F3) + Leukemia (FeLV) + Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
12-14 weeks	(F3) + (FeLV) + (FIV)
16-18 weeks	(F3) + (FeLV) + (FIV)
Every year for life	(F3) + (FeLV) + (FIV)

Types of vaccination can be different depending on your pet's lifestyle, please ask one of our friendly staff for a tailor-made vaccination protocols for your dogs and cats.

Tick Prevention

The paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) occurs mainly along the coast of eastern Australia, however it may also be found further inland in valleys and forested areas. If you are planning to spend your Easter break in these high-risk areas, the best possible advice regarding ticks is to avoid them- do not walk your dogs in bush areas. Perform a thorough search of your dog's skin and coat at least once a day. Use the fingertips to feel through your dog's coat, ticks or tick craters which can be felt as lumps on skin surface. If a tick is found, quickly remove the tick by a vet or if veterinary attention is not available, remove the tick with a special tick key or tweezers, without squeezing the engorged abdomen. In addition to the daily search, apply a spot-on product such as Frontline Plus or Advantix for tick prevention every fortnight and use a tick collar to reduce the risk of tick paralysis during your trip. Signs of tick paralysis including lethargy, change of voice, vomiting, a grunt when breathing or staggering in the hind legs may occur as early as two days after the tick attachment. If left untreated, the paralysis progresses to the front legs and muscles associated with breathing and swallowing, and death eventually occurs due to respiratory arrest and aspiration pneumonia. Prevention is always better than cure!