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By: Chris “The DogFather” Renehan
Does Spot love you so much that when you leave she can’t stand it? Does she get so upset that your rugs, furniture, and anything else she can reach or knock down show signs of her affection? If she is a well-behaved dog when you’re home and only turns into a nut case when she can’t be with you, then Spot is probably suffering from separation anxiety. It is estimated that 10-15 percent or 10 million of the canine population experiences some type of separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is tied to a dog’s natural instinct to be part of a pack, which explains why cats do not seem to suffer from this problem. But there are many things you can do to help your lonely pooch out. She certainly deserves the help; after all, she acts out because she wants to be around you.
Signs of Separation Anxiety(SA) are as follows:
Signs to look for at home can include distress during departure rituals, behavioral or physiological problems occurring during the owner’s absence, and exaggerated greeting(s) when the owner comes home. Many of the above behaviors are not witnessed by the owner, but signs of the behavior are found when the owner returns home. Sometimes neighbors will inform the owners of incessant vocalizations. Videotaping the dog while owners are gone is a good way to confirm the diagnosis of SA. You should not assume the behaviors are because of spite, jealousy, and/or anger. Also, do not assume submissive behavior indicates guilt. Once she associates your absence and return with punishment, her anxiety will increase (punishment can simply be a stern voice upon your return). Your dog will automatically become submissive; they behave this way because it is natural to submit to the leader when they become angry, not because she knows what she did wrong. Punishment can actually make things worse. The dog is actually experiencing a panic attack, and is suffering psychologically. The owner is too, suffering emotionally and psychologically, as well as financially due to the dog’s undiagnosed condition. Without help, the bond between owner and pet can be seriously damaged. Frequently, this leads to euthanasia or relinquishment of the dog. 96% of relinquished dogs have not received any obedience training.
The good news is that we can help these dogs by using medications and a behavioral modification plan geared toward restructuring the owner/dog relationship. Medications used for SA include Reconcile (Fluoxetine) and Clomicalm (Clomipramine). These are psychoactive drugs that are given daily to the dog, and must be prescribed by your vet. Owners should first take their dog to their vet to determine if the pet has SA, and make sure there are no medical problems that would prohibit the use of one of these drugs. A sound behavioral modification plan should also be started that is geared toward restructuring the owner/pet relationship. The owner must not reward attention-seeking behavior such as aggression toward owners or other pets, lunging, growling, nipping, biting or barking at the owner, or escaping from confinement. Owners need to desensitize their dogs to departure cues such as picking up the keys, putting on work clothes, getting a purse or briefcase, putting on shoes, etc. The best way to do this is to do these behaviors when you are NOT planning to leave the dog alone.
The following are suggestions to help reduce your dogs’ SA.
For more information please visit: www.reconcile.com, www.clomicalm.novartis.us, http://bit.ly/bEbvXa
Remember,
It’s not your fault
It’s not your dogs fault
42% of dogs, on Reconcile, showed improvement within the first week, which was significantly higher than with behavior modification alone.
The staff of Coral Veterinary Clinic wants to have a Pet Fair! It has been a few (probably several) years since our last fair. We want you and your pets to have a fun experience at our office! We hate that any pet hates, or is scared to death, to come see us. So, we have arranged to: have a dunk tank with “Dunk the Doc;” the Fire Department will be here to answer questions and show off a truck; a Lee County Sheriff VOICE volunteer will be here to fingerprint your 2-legged children; Face and Paw Painting; Obedience, Agility, and Lee County K-9 Unit demonstrations. We will also feature informational booths: demonstrating Veterinary Acupuncture, Laser Therapy, Dentistry, Behavior, and a Vector/Parasite booth. We will have a Microchip booth with information and implantation (Follow our Facebook page for specials!) Inside the clinic we will have a “mock” x-ray and surgery set up for you to view and understand what your pet might go through while in our care.
Brad from Ceva, the manufacturer of D.A.P. the Dog Appeasing Pheromone, and Eric, from Elanco, the manufacturer of Reconcile, will both be here to answer any behavior related questions. We are still working on food (for people!) and we will be raffling off gift baskets and anything else we can get our hands on!
ALL proceeds will be donated to the Save the Pets Alliance;
please bring canned or dry pet food donations.
We hope you can come out and have a fun-filled afternoon with the Doctors and Staff of Coral Veterinary Clinic!!
Sign up to be a fan of our Facebook page for special promotions and details!
On January 1, 2010, Lee County raised the price of a County License for a non-microchipped pet to $35.00 for a 1-year license or $65.00 for a 3-year license. This applies to all dogs, cats and ferrets when they get their first Rabies vaccine, or when they are getting a Rabies booster vaccine. Pets who are spayed or neutered and have a microchip will pay only $8.00 for a 1-year license or $15.00 for a 3-year license.
Since the microchip implantation costs $42.00 (which includes 1-year of registration with the HomeAgain Pet Recovery System), you will save $8.00 if you get a microchip implanted and a $15.00 license as opposed to spending $65.00 for a 3-year license. You will then save $50.00 on your pets’ following 3-year licenses as long as your pet lives. You could save more than $250.00 in license fees if your pet live to 15 years or more, plus have the additional security of the microchip.
Since many of our patients have microchips we are not aware of, be sure to inform our staff if your pet already has a chip so we can scan it, and enter the number into our data base. This is important, since it will save you $27.00 on a 1-year license and $50.00 on a 3-year license. Those of you who have not microchipped your pet, now is a good time to do it. Save money and protect your pet! Visit Lee County Domestic Animal Services website for more information. www.leelostpets.com/Pages/PetLicensing.aspx
We recognize the hazards caused by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke,
effective immediately, it shall be the policy of Coral Veterinary Clinic to provide a smoke-free environment for all employees and visitors. This policy covers the smoking of any tobacco product and the use of oral tobacco products or “spit” tobacco, and it applies to both employees and non-employee visitors of Coral Veterinary Clinic. No smoking or use of tobacco products is permitted within the facilities or on the premises at any time.
Secondhand smoke is a toxic air contaminant. Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States. There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke affects nearly every function of the body, causing heart disease, lung cancer, breast cancer, and other cancers, breathing disorders such as emphysema and asthma, and sudden infant death syndrome. For more information, please visit the National Cancer Institute’s Fact Sheet on Second Hand Smoke. www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tabacco/ETS
Thank you helping our staff, clients, and your pets stay smoke-free.
Protect Yourself and Your Pet:
Be A.W.A.R.E.
“Affordable pet prescriptions!” “Pet meds at discount prices!”
“No prescription required!” “Your best source for pet meds!”
If you’ve ever searched online for prescription pet medicines, you’ve no doubt seen eye-catching, attention-grabbing claims. They sound convincing in their promises of convenience and lower prices. But are these claims really true?
Internet sites that sell pet drugs can be reputable pharmacies. However, others are fronts for businesses breaking Federal, State, and sometimes, International laws. Illegal online pharmacies may sell medicines that are counterfeit, outdated, mislabeled, incorrectly formulated, or improperly made or stored. These medicines may not contain the actual drug, or the correct amount of drug, may contain contaminants, may not work as well due to age or being stored in conditions that were too hot, cold, or humid, and may not have the proper directions for use. If you are unhappy with ordered products, illegal online pharmacies may fraudulently leave you with no way to get your money back. In the end, you may find buying prescription pet medicines online costly to your pet’s health and your wallet.
You should know that neither the drug maker nor your veterinarian will stand behind a product’s guarantee if you purchase the product online.
If you still want to purchase your pet’s prescription medicines online, remember there is no fool-proof way to tell if an online pharmacy is legal. However, you can protect yourself by doing your homework and being online pharmacy A.W.A.R.E.
Be Online Pet Pharmacy AWARE:
A- Ask your veterinarian
W-Watch for red flags
A-Always check for site accreditation
R-Report suspicious online pet pharmacies
E-Educate yourself about online pharmacies
The best defense you have against illegal online pharmacies is education. Do your homework and be online pharmacy A.W.A.R.E. before you purchase your pet’s medicines online.
An informed consumer is an empowered consumer.
Whenever your pet needs prescription medicines, your veterinarian is your best, most reliable source, because your veterinarian:
For the FDA’s complete article, please visit their website at: http://bit.ly/aLaQKo. Check our prices before you buy online. There are many occasions when we are cheaper!
Hyperadrenocorticism, or Cushing’s Disease, is a very interesting and complicated disease of the adrenal glands. It is relatively common in older dogs, but is under diagnosed because the symptoms are often subtle and not life threatening. It also takes specific blood tests to confirm the diagnosis, which can be costly and time-consuming for the owner.
Hyperadrenocorticism is caused by an oversecretion of glucocorticoids or corticosteroids (cortisol) by the adrenal cortex, the outer layer of the adrenal glands. This is caused by either a benign tumor of the pituitary gland secreting too much ACTH, which tells the adrenal gland to produce more cortisol OR a tumor of the adrenal gland itself, which produces too much cortisol. See, I told you it was complicated. Anyway, excess cortisol in the body causes the symptoms of Cushing’s disease.
The main symptoms of hyperadrenocorticism, which are first noticed by the owner, are often confused with symptoms of old age, and are therefore not always reported to the vet immediately. Main symptoms are excessive drinking, excessive urinating, excessive appetite, lethargy, panting, muscle wasting and weakness, a “pot-bellied” appearance, and a poor hair coat, including hair loss that is not itchy. It is a gradual, insidious disease which is not immediately life threatening, but which can definitely affect the dog’s (and the owner’s) quality of life. At Coral Veterinary Clinic, we strongly believe it is worth treating, as treatment can greatly improve a dog’s longevity, overall health, appearance, and life quality.
The good news is that there is a new, safer, FDA approved medication for the disease. This new drug is called Vetoryl (trilostane). Until now, no treatments for hyperadrenocorticism were FDA approved and potentially dangerous. The one exception to this was a medication called Anipryl, used for senility in dogs that occasionally was effective for one form of Cushing’s disease. The primary drug that has been used for years for Cushing’s disease is called Lysodren or Mitotane. Lysodren’s mode of action was to destroy adrenal gland tissue, which has the potential of dangerous side effects, such as pushing the dog into HYPOadrenocoricism, or Addison’s disease, which can be life threatening. Vetoryl acts by blocking chemical pathways toward the production of cortisol by the adrenal glands, and does not damage the glands themselves. Its effectiveness is monitored by follow-up blood tests after starting the medication, and by improvement of clinical signs.
The advantages of Vetoryl are 3-fold. It treats both the pituitary and adrenal forms of Cushing’s disease. It is much safer than Lysodren and other drugs used in the past. Finally, clinical trials and our experience have shown it to be more effective than Lysodren and earlier treatments.
For those of you with dogs already diagnosed with hyperadrenocorticism that are on Lysodren or other drugs, talk to your vet about switching to Vetoryl. Switching does entail a withdrawal period off Lysodren for at least one month to allow the adrenals to regrow. If your dog is showing any of the clinical signs of Cushing’s disease talk to your veterinarian about running laboratory tests and the possibility of starting them on the new safer drug, Vetoryl, for Cushing’s disease. Visit www.dechra-us.com/page/vetorylreg-info for more information on Cushing’s Disease and Vetoryl.
Congratulations to one of our own: “Sammy” Pontiff, winner of the 2010 Florida Veterinary Medical Associations “Pet Hero” of the year award. This award is presented annually to a pet who has unselfishly saved or preserved human life. You may recognize Sammy’s photo as he has been a fixture at Coral Veterinary Clinic for the past 15 years. Sammy was rescued by his mom, “Kimm Pontiff” as a puppy, when he was brought to CVC with a broken leg. He became the first dog ever allowed visitation to the Children’s Hospital of HealthPark Hospital in Fort Myers where he visited children who were sick, injured, with chronic illnesses or cancer. Every Thursday Sammy would go to “work” to bring cheer to the children, Doctors and nurses at HealthPark. He welcomed everyone’s touch; from the shy patients, to babies pulling on his ears and hair, trying to touch his eyes, MS patients with shaky hands, to children on multiple life support systems with all sorts of noises and attachments; nothing seemed to interfere with Sammy‘s determination to lay beside a child that needed comfort.
Sammy passed away on December 22, 2009 at the age of 16. We are honored that he will be remembered for a lifetime of dedication to providing love and comfort to those in need.
Congratulations Sammy – We miss you!
Many of you have asked about Red, the wonderful Pit Bull mix who came to live with the Nichols family after cancer surgery last summer. Our Sanibel clients have been especially concerned, since Red had been a fixture at the Sanibel Outpatient Clinic for nearly four months. She went to work every day with Jennifer, where she was able to enjoy the day with her other mom, Debbie, who offered her many treats and gave her so much love. The sad news is that we had to let Red go a week after Thanksgiving, as the cancer had come back aggressively and she was getting weaker. We would like to thank those people who contributed to PAWS to offset the cost of Red’s surgery. Special thanks go to Kathy Boone of PAWS for unconditionally agreeing to help a dog in need. Jennifer and I are grateful for all the encouragement and support we received, and we are especially thankful for Debbie’s assistance and for giving Red a part of her heart.
Red was one of the most stoic and noble dogs we have ever had the pleasure to have known and treated. She wore a diaper wrap with a stockinette over the tumor on her head for most of the four months we had her, and toward the end, Jennifer was changing the wrap 3 or 4 times daily. Never once did she paw at it to get it off, or growl or cry or make any protest when the wraps were changed. In fact, her tail would often wag when Jennifer approached her with the bandage material. I think she knew we were trying to help her, and was happy to tolerate it in exchange for a loving home.
Jennifer and I will never forget Red and the unconditional love and trust she gave us for those few short months. Her story is a reminder to us all why we have pets. She gave us so much more than we could ever give her. So rest in peace, Red. You are in our hearts forever.
Loyalty and commitment. These are two of the most important attributes a business wants to see in its employees. At Coral Veterinary Clinic we feel very proud to be blessed with many extremely loyal and committed employees, many of whom have dedicated their working life to serving our patients and clients.
We would like to salute ten Coral Vet Clinic employees who have passed the 10 years or more mark with us. We will name them, the anniversary year they will reach in 2010, and their job title. Kimm Pontiff, CVT, 28 years, Hospital Administrator. Bev Walter, 27 years, Office Manager. Dave Nichols,DVM, CVA, 26 years, Veterinarian and Practice Co-Owner. Daryl Davis, 21 years, Cat Nap Inn Manager. Shelly Barnhart, CVT, 19 years, Vet Tech Supervisor. Kirk Andazola, DVM, 15 years, Veterinarian and Practice Co-Owner. Carrie Gallman, 14 years, Technology Manager. Sheila Flynn, 12 years, Veterinary Assistant. Patty Curtis, DVM, 11 years, Veterinarian. Dennis Oyer, DVM, 10 years, Veterinarian. Kim Coleman, 10 years, Veterinary Assistant.
In addition to these dedicated folks, there are several more employees who are approaching the ten year mark. Besides loyalty and commitment, these years of experience represent years of knowledge, compassion, and teamwork that only improve with time on the job. We have been able to develop long-term relationships with countless clients and their pets, and have had the profound feelings of joy and occasional sadness watching the passing generations of our patients as well as our clients. Join us in saluting these dedicated staff members who have made a career commitment to serving the clients and patients of Coral Veterinary Clinic!
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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