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www.poundroadvetclinic.com.au

Welcome to our June 2015 newsletter.

We are now into winter and at this time of year we like to look at how it is going to affect our pet family. Many of us

tend to put on a few kilos over winter but this should not become the trend for our pets - with this in mind we would like

you to check out our first article below: Is your Pet OVERWEIGHT.

In our other articles this issue we have: Have you seen a lump or bump on your pet, How often do you bath your bird,

a great new word search puzzle and some humour.

Please enjoy our newsletter and if anything sparks an interest or raises a question let us know.

Also feel free to take a copy and give to your friends or family with our compliments.

Best Regards,

The Pound Road Vet Team

Is your PET OVERWEIGHT ?

Did you know that if your dog is only 20% overweight, it still puts him/her at risk of some serious health problems!

An overweight pet is one of the most common nutritional diseases of dogs and cats.

Weight gain in our pets usually indicates that the pet is not exercising enough or eating in excess and is has an increase in body fat. In Australia, 41.5% of dogs and 32% of cats are overweight or obese.

Issue #10 10 June 2015

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Causes of obesity in pets

The causes of obesity are varied:

Overfeeding as a result of leaving a bowl of kibble down as an anytime buffet Dogs spend 60-70% of their day lying down with no physical activity Weight gain is the result of an increase in body fat. Eating too much usually causes this, especially when

combined with lack of exercise. But there can be other contributing factors too.

Age: Older pets are less active, have less energy, and require fewer calories.

Breed: Some breeds are more likely to gain weight. These include Labrador retrievers, Cocker and King Charles

Spaniels and mixed breed cats.

Neutering/ spaying: Clinical studies have shown that the basic metabolism of neutered pets is lower; their

energy requirements are reduced by about 25%. Therefore they require fewer calories.

Medical Problems: Very occasionally weight gain is associated with a medical disorder that may require

specific treatment.

Obesity is most common in older female animals.

Is your pet overweight?

All pets have an ideal weight for their size and breed, BUT a general rule, if you have difficulty in feeling the ribs, then your pet may have a problem.

You should be just able to feel the ribs with a small amount of pressure.

Dangers of carrying extra weight

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We understand it’s not easy for pet owners to admit that their pets have a weight problem; actually most don’t see that their pets are overweight. But you are not alone, we are here o help you face and tackle this problem, as we believe it is vital to the health and longevity of your pet.

Excessive body fat has detrimental effects on your pet’s health and lifespan, and often impacts on your pet’s enjoyment of life.

Diseases associated with or made worse by obesity include:

Diabetes Arthritis and other joint disorders, spinal disc problems and ruptured ligaments Heart and respiratory disease High blood pressure Skin problems Heat intolerance Risk with surgery and anaesthesia

The reason for obesity

The food your pet eats and the quantity of food plays an important role in their overall health and well-being. A nutritionally balanced diet is an essential part of an active, healthy lifestyle for your pet. Although there can and may be some other causes for obesity in your pets, essentially the primary cause is eating too much food.

We do understand that many owners (ourselves included) find this difficult to face this fact. An interesting and eye opening way to see what we are actually feeding our pets when we give them treats and so forth is to compare the amount of calories you are giving your dog or cat compared to the equivalent for a human, it soon adds up….

Management of overweight pets should include:

Reducing your pet’s calorie intake by feeding a low calorie high fibre food specifically formulated for reducing weight, e.g. Hills & Eukanuba has food for weight loss and weight management, as well as food specifically formulated for neutered pets.

Keep your pet out of the room when food is being prepared or eaten. Do not feed overweight pets with other pets, as they are more likely to thieve from the fur siblings bowls. Do not feed anything other than the amount of food prescribed by your weight loss consultant. This includes

ALL edible material taken by mouth including sweets, treats, milk etc. Exercise your pet regularly. At least once a week weigh your pet and record its weight. Feel free to come into the surgery and use our

scales. We can then record the weight on your pet’s file and make any necessary adjustments to the feeding plan.

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Exercise your dog’s playfulness

If you’re trying to reduce your dog’s weight or help your dog maintain a healthy weight, you can complement food with simple and fun exercises.

Create a natural obstacle course with benches, trees, ditches or anything you encounter along the way that your dog can jump over, crawl under or balance on.

Take a 30-minute walk around your neighbourhood. This is a great way to exercise and bond with your dog. Play fetch with a ball or toy (never use a stick, as these can splinter and cause injury to your dog).

Hide a toy or some kibble and let your dog find it. (The kibble used MUST be out of the quantity they are allocated for the day)

Five steps to a healthier dog

How to make sure your dog attains an ideal weight – and maintains it for life.

1. Watch what your dog eats

Different dogs have different needs when it comes to nutrition. That’s why you should work with your veterinarian to make the right food choices for your dog. Together you can discover the right type and amount of food for your dog’s life-stage and health condition.

2. Track your Dog’s weight

Losing weight can help your dog achieve better health, but only if the weight is lost in a healthy, controlled manner. To make sure your dog is losing weight at a healthy pace, make sure to weigh your dog regularly and use a weight tracking chart to track your dog’s progress. Feel free to bring your dog into the surgery and use our scales.

3. Maintain a healthy activity level

Your dog’s weight management program isn’t complete without a healthy amount of physical activity. Whether it’s a game of fetch or a walk in the park, make sure your dog is getting the physical activity needed to get and stay healthy.

4. Visit your veterinarian often

Regular trips to the veterinarian ensure that your dog’s weight management program is going smoothly. Your veterinarian knows your dog’s ideal weight, how fast he should be losing weight and which foods are best for each stage of the weight loss plan.

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5. Maintain an ideal weight for life

Your dog’s weight management plan should be life-long. Once your dog has attained an ideal weight, switch to a simple weight maintenance plan that consists of regular exercise and proper nutrition.

Need some help and guidance?

The good news is that you do not have to do this alone.

Pound Road Veterinary Clinic runs a free Weight Loss Clinic and we are here to help you and your pet

on your way to a healthier lifestyle – phone the clinic today to get help.

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Have you seen a lump or bump on your pet ?

Lumps and Bumps

By Dr Philip McConachy BvSc

Many dogs develop skin lumps at some stage of their life.

About 70% of skin lumps on dogs are benign, where as in cats about 70% are malignant.

A benign tumour is not capable of spreading throughout the body like a malignant tumour can.

However, some benign skin tumours can still cause problems.

A good example is when they occur on the edge of the eyelid and rub against the eye.

These are quite common and are best to be removed early, as some eyelid must be sacrificed in order to remove

them.

In fact, I believe all lumps should be checked by a veterinarian as early as possible as this will enable us to achieve

the best outcome, with the least expense and distress to your pet.

common lumps

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Malignant tumours are capable of spreading through the blood stream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

It is especially important that these are dealt with as early as possible as the wait and watch approach can be deadly

to the pet.

Tumour what a biopsy looks like

Many people assume that if a lump is not bothering the pet, it is probably benign. In fact, many malignant tumours do

not cause the pet any discomfort at all.

Our vets can often differentiate benign from malignant lumps by visual examination or an in-house biopsy.

Sometimes we need to send biopsies to an external laboratory for more detailed analysis.

So keep your eyes open for lumps, and don’t hesitate to get them checked by the vet.

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How often do you bath your bird ?

Bathing is very important to the proper maintenance of feathers.

All birds do it!

In the wild a bird may bathe during a rain shower, find a puddle, lake or stream to splash in or nuzzle playfully in wet

grasses and vegetation.

Bathing encourages healthy preening or grooming of the feathers.

It keeps feathers free of dirt and will help preserve their wonderful, natural lustre.

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How often should my bird bath?

Birds should be offered a bath regularly. The frequency will depend on the bird. Many birds enjoy bathing every day,

while others only bath occasionally. Start by offering a bath to your bird once or twice weekly. You will quickly learn the

bird’s preferences.

How do I bath my bird?

The bird will actually do most of the work. You will simply supply the lukewarm water.

Some birds enjoy using a dish of water. There are special bathing chambers that attach to the side of a small bird’s

cage and keep water from splashing about the room. A shallow sink of water is often convenient and many birds will

frolic under a gentle trickle of water from the tap while dipping their head and fluttering their wings in the water.

A clean spray bottle such as that used to mist plants can be utilized gently to simulate rain. Your bird may dance about

excitedly with its wings in the air, tail fanned out and turning frequently to catch as much of this light “rain” as possible.

Often you will tire of spraying before the bird tires of being sprayed.

Your pet may take pleasure with you in the shower as water splashes off you. Care should be taken as direct water

pressure in the shower may frighten or even hurt the bird. Some smaller birds such as finches and canaries will wet

themselves on the moisture dripping from freshly washed vegetation in the cage such as carrot tops or other greens.

Please ensure you monitor a bird’s bath time to help avoid accidents such as drowning.

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This Month’s Word Search Puzzle

WORD LIST BARIUM SWALLOW BONE PINNING CASTRATION CRUCIATE DENTAL ENTROPIAN EXPLORATORY LAPROSCOPY GASTROPEXY LAPROSCOPY LUMPECTOMY NEUROSURGERY OVARIO HYSTORECTOMY PERINEAL URETHROSTOMY RADIOGRAPHY SKIN GRAFTS SOFT TISSUE SURGERY SPEY SPLENECTOMY TIBIAL CREST TRANSPLANT TOOTH EXTRACTION

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Forget About It

After an elderly couple starts getting forgetful, they visit their doctor. Their doctor tells them that many people find it

useful to write themselves little notes.

When they get home, the wife says, "Dear, will you please go to the kitchen and get me a dish of ice cream? And

maybe write that down so you won't forget?"

"Nonsense," says the husband. "I can remember a dish of ice cream."

"Well, I'd also like some strawberries and whipped cream on it," the wife replies.

"My memory's not all that bad," says the husband. "No problem -- a dish of ice cream with strawberries and whipped

cream. I don't need to write it down."

He goes into the kitchen, and his wife hears pots and pans banging.

The husband finally emerges from the kitchen and presents his wife with a plate of bacon and eggs.

She looks at the plate and asks, "Hey, where's the toast I asked for?"

Devil in the Church

Satan appeared before a small town congregation. Everyone started screaming and running for the front church door,

trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away.

Soon everyone was gone except for an elderly gentleman who sat calmly.

Satan walked up to him and said, "Don't you know who I am?"

The man replied, "Yep, sure do."

Satan asked, "Aren't you going to run?"

"Nope, sure ain't," said the man.

Satan asked, "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

The man replied, "Been married to your sister for over 48 years."

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