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Coral Veterinary Clinic is pleased to announce that we will be performing free dental radiographs of every patient that has a dental cleaning performed this summer. OUr new digital x-ray machine takes state-of-the-art dental radiographs that allow us to detect problem areas in your pets mouth before clinical signs are evident. OUr pets can't tell us if they have dental pain or discomfort, and subtle changes such as slight decrease in appetite or difficulty eating often go unnoticed. By taking full oral radiographs of your pet we can find hidden abscesses, impacted or fractured teeth, periodontal disease, osteomyelitis and or oral tumors. By finding these problems early, we can treat your pet before they suffer unnecessary pain, infection r possible tooth loss.
If you know your pet needs a dental cleaning, we hope you take advantage of this special offer and schedule the dental this summer. If you aren't sure a but the status of your pets' teeth, schedule a visit with one of our veterinarians to see if you dog or cat would benefit from a dental cleaning with full oral x-rays.
Coral Veterinary Clinic is very excited to announce that we are the first Veterinary hospital in Lee County to offer the revolutionary new treatment modality of Laser Therapy. We have recently purchased a new, state of the art Class IV K-Laser, and our Doctors and Technicians are being trained in Laser Therapy technique to apply to our patients for a wide variety of conditions.
Laser Therapy, or “photobiomodulation,” is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near-infrared) to create therapeutic effects. The effects include improved healing times, pain reduction, increased circulation, and decreased swelling. Laser Therapy has been widely utilized in Europe since the 1970’s. After the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in 2002, Laser Therapy is being used extensively in the United States. There have been thousands of published studies demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of Laser Therapy.
During Laser Therapy, the infrared laser light interacts with tissues at the cellular level, and metabolic activities increase within the cell, improving the transport of nutrients across the cell membrane. This initiates the release of nitric oxide that leads to a cascade of beneficial effects, increasing cellular function and health.
During each painless treatment, laser energy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen, and nutrients to the damaged area. This creates an optimal healthy environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscles spasms, stiffness, and pain. As the injured area returns to normal, function is restored and pain is relieved.
Laser Therapy applications are many and include muscular and arthritic pain of the back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and other joints, enhanced healing and pain reduction of trauma and wounds as well as post surgical healing.
There is no patient sedation or restraint required, and the experience is usually pleasant and comforting to them. Most pets do not require hair clipping, and sometimes the treatment area is moistened to move hair out of the way.
Although improvement is often seen after the first visit, most patients require several treatments (anywhere from 3 to 8 treatments) for greatest benefit. For most conditions, we recommend a multi-visit treatment plan. Treatments vary in length, but most sites require 2 to 8 minutes. Most patients display greater comfort and mobility within 12 to 24 hours after a laser treatment.
Class IV Laser Therapy treatments are cumulative in nature. The length and frequency of treatments vary with the pet’s condition. A typical treatment schedule would be 3 treatments the first week, 2 the second week, 1 the third week, and then boosters as needed. Different conditions may require shorter or longer treatment plans.
If your pet has one of the aforementioned conditions, call Coral Veterinary Clinic at 239-481-4746, and ask to speak with your veterinarian about Laser Therapy for your pet. Laser Therapy is often used to enhance or augment other therapies including pain relievers, joint support products, massage, physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and acupuncture. We are very excited to be able to offer this new technique for enhancing your pet’s quality of life!
Leptospirosis is a deadly bacterial disease that has been around for a long time, and is once again becoming a serious threat to our pets as well as ourselves. It is a worldwide disease that thrives in warm climates and affects wildlife, dogs, and people. It is shed in the urine, can survive for long periods of time in fresh water, and is carried by raccoons, skunks, opossums, squirrels, rats, dogs, and livestock. It can enter the body and cause infection via the oral route or through cuts in the skin. Any dog that goes outside is potentially exposed to Lepto (slang version.) Infection in cats is extremely rare, so it is primarily a dog and livestock disease. Dogs can easily acquire the disease by wading or swimming in or drinking contaminated water. The risk of contact with the disease has increased in recent years as suburban areas have expanded into the wildlife habitats. Golf courses with many lakes as well as new developments are frequent source sites for Leptospirosis, which, again, can survive for long periods of time in water.
The numbers of canine cases have risen dramatically in recent years. Today Lepto is the number 1 cause of acute kidney failure in dogs. There are several types or serovars of Leptospirosis. In the 1970’s, the most common serovars were L. canicola and L. icterhaemorrhegiae which primarily attacked the liver. The newly emerging serovars are L. grippotyphosa and L. Pomona, which largely assault the kidneys. The lepto vaccine that Coral Veterinary Clinic is using immunizes dogs for all four serovars.
The disease can be acute or chronic with a variable incubation period. If not treated rapidly with antibiotics, death can occur or chronic long-term kidney &/or liver damage. Clinical signs are non-specific but include lethargy, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, elevated kidney and/or liver values, muscle aches and pain, eye problems, and hemorrhage. There are specific blood and urine tests that can be run, but the tests are not run in our in-house laboratory, they must be sent to an outside-laboratory and it can take 1-2 weeks to receive the results. If treatment is prompt, the infection can be eradicated with no long-term problems.
Prevention is the key. As stated before, we do have a vaccine against the four main serovars (there are 8 total) of the Leptospirosis disease. Puppies should be given two vaccines the first year, and then all dogs should receive a yearly booster. Leptospirosis is part of the DHLPP vaccine, which also includes Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus. The DHPP components are viral diseases, and therefore have 2 year duration of immunity after the first adult vaccine. Since Lepto is a bacterium, the dog needs yearly boosters for proper protection. For this reason, our vaccine protocol is: year 1 – DHPP and Lepto; year 2 – Lepto, and will alternate yearly thereafter.
Virtually ANY dog that goes outside should be vaccinated for Leptospirosis. Puppies over 12 weeks of age should receive their first vaccine, followed by a booster 3-4 weeks later, and then you would follow the adult dog protocol. Care should be given to dogs under 12 pounds. Dogs that live 100% indoors may not need the vaccines, however this is a discussion for you (the pet owner) and your veterinarian.
We at Coral Veterinary Clinic firmly believe a yearly Leptospirosis vaccine is vital for your pet(s) and your human family, are all protected from this deadly disease.
As advances in Veterinary medicine and medical knowledge take place, we as veterinarians often modify or enhance our treatments and medical practices. This has happened at Coral Veterinary Clinic with the use of modern modalities such as ultrasound, digital radiography, both surgical and therapeutic lasers, as well as traditional yet effective modalities such as acupuncture and holistic medicine. We felt that now would be a good time to revisit our approach to heartworm disease in cats.
Research has shown that the prevalence of feline heartworm exposure in the United States may range as high as 33%, depending on the state. Florida’s range is anywhere from 11% to 15%. Another interesting statistic was that indoor cats represented 8-27% of the cases of feline heartworm. This means that indoor cats have exposure to heartworms via mosquitoes as do our outdoor cats, although obviously not as frequently.
Heartworms in cats are unfortunately very hard to diagnose, and most cases are only confirmed after the death of the cat. Neither of the two types of blood tests are completely accurate, as they are in the dog, and the clinical signs of the disease in the cat can be variable. Initial signs in the cat can include: difficult or rapid breathing, wheezing, vomiting, anorexia, weight loss, coughing, and/or sudden death. Signs associated with the first stage of feline heartworm disease, when the heartworms enter a blood vessel and are carried to the pulmonary arteries, are often misdiagnosed as asthma or allergic bronchitis, when they are actually due to a syndrome newly defined as Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (HARD.)
The two blood tests that most commonly used for detecting heartworms in cats are the Antigen test and the Antibody test. The antigen test, which we use at Coral Veterinary Clinic in a combination test including FIV and Feline Leukemia, is a test that identifies infections of female heartworms only, and that are at least 7-8 months old. If the test is positive, you definitely have heartworms in the cat, but about half of the cats that have heartworms test negative because of male only infections or heartworms that are too young. The antibody test looks for antibodies, which only indicate exposure to heartworms. The cat tests positive for the antibody may or may not have heartworms presently in the body. If heartworms are suspected, it is best to perform both tests.
In addition, it is much more risky and dangerous to treat cats for heartworms when compared to dogs. They are very susceptible to toxic reactions and death from the present heartworm treatment, so the University of Florida as well as the American Heartworm Society both recommend just treating the asthma-like secondary symptoms.
In view of the fact that feline heartworm disease is a far easier a disease to prevent then treat, and all cats are at risk for exposure, the University of Florida as well as the American Heartworm Society recommend all cats be put on heartworm prevention. We at Coral Veterinary Clinic support this recommendation.
It is generally recommended that all cats be tested for both antigens and antibodies prior to administration of a heartworm preventative. While we at Coral Veterinary Clinic support that recommendation, we do not require heartworm tests for cats prior to starting a preventative, unless a cat is showing obvious clinical signs of heartworm disease.
Coral Veterinary Clinic carries three feline heartworm preventatives. Feline Heartgard is a monthly beef flavored chewable that prevents heartworm disease and removes and controls infections of hookworms. Interceptor is another monthly beef flavored pill that prevents heartworm disease and removes adult hookworms and roundworms in cats and kittens. Finally Revolution, is a topical liquid that is applied to the base of the head once a month for protection against fleas, heartworm disease, and the treatment and control of hookworms, roundworms, and ear mites.
Please ask any staff member or your Doctor if you have any questions about Feline Heartworm Disease or the products mentioned here. We know you will agree with us in wanting the best care for your feline friends!
OFFICE LOCATIONS
FORT MYERS:
9540 Cypress Lake Drive . Fort Myers, FL 33919 | Telephone: 239.481.4746
SANIBEL: 1530 Periwinkle Way . Sanibel, FL 33957 | Telelphone: 239.472.VETS (8387)
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