Capitol Illini Newsletter
In the WINTER 2011 Issue ...
DOWNLOAD PRINTED VERSION HERE, PDF FORMAT
"No Maybe's When it Comes to Rabies!" New Rabies Requirement for All Cats
We have seen an increase
in the number of
rabid bats in Sangamon
County. There were five
cases in 2006 and 2007,
no cases in 2008, one in
2009 and nine cases in
2010.Because of this the
county board adopted the
ordinance by a vote of 23-
0 to require Rabies vaccine
to all cats including
household pets.
Since bats are known to
get into houses, the risk
for an indoor cat isn't going
outside and coming in
contact with a rabid bat,
but instead, the bat coming
inside, without the
owner knowing, and potentially
biting the
cat. One infected cat
could pass the disease to
many people. Jim Stone,
director of the Sangamon
County Health Department
said" You have
more viruses in the community
and more potential
for it to spread. Our
main mission is prevention.
We don't want to
have a human case
here."
Costs for the Rabies vaccine
may vary slightly
with each veterinary hospital.
Rabies registration
will be $9 for a
spayed/neutered cat and
$38 for an unaltered/
intact cat. Contact
your veterinarian regarding
the cost for the feline
rabies vaccine. www.sj-r.com and www.sangamoncountyclerk.com
The Urination Situation: How can I stop my dog
from urinating when he/she is scared or excited?
Does your dog tend to have an accident on the floor when you or strangers bend down to pet him or her? When you or guests enter your home with over affectionate greetings? With an argument between people? With any type of scolding or loud noises? This can be a very frustrating problem for an owner and you may be asking yourself, "Is this ever going to stop?" Fortunately this problem is often easily corrected. Often times this behavior is seen with shy & timid puppies that outgrow this problem when they gain more confidence. Sometimes, however, this problem continues into adult hood and is more commonly seen in females. Submissive dogs often utilize subtle cues to prevent disputes or when they feel threatened. These behavior signs often include rolling over on their back, tail tucking between the legs and urinating. These signals show other individuals that they recognize their dominance, so it's important to understand that your dog isn't urinating in spite but rather as a natural response and possibly a lack in confidence. Before taking on treatment or training yourself, it is very important to consult your veterinarian to rule out a possible medical problem contributing to this issue. If a medical problem is present, your veterinarian will go over different options to help with the issue such as certain medications, surgery, or other coping strategies. There are two different strategies in coping with submissive urinating: one is increasing your dogs confidence, two is avoiding situations that elicit submissive urinating until your puppy grows out of it, or becomes more mature. Some ideas on boosting your dog's confidence are :
1. Encourage your dog with a game of tug of war or fetch.
2. Take your dog to an obedience school; one that enforces positive reinforcement would be the best confidence booster . Classes can also open up your eyes to what you may be unconsciously doing to reinforce the negative behavior and also help with well-timed praise and developing a healthy relationship with your dog.
3. Do not scold or punish your dog while he/she is submissively urinating. Doing so will only increase their lack of confidence and therefore the unwanted behavior.
4. Avoid greeting your dog using a high pitched voice or by hovering over him/her. Meet on their level and encourage him/her to come to you.
5. If your dog urinates out of excitement
when you return home and greet him/
her, try to downplay the greeting by
ignoring him/her for a few minutes
until he/she calms down. If the problem
occurs when friends greet him
her ask them to do this also.
These procedures will help avoid accidents
until your pet gains more confidence. It
may take a few weeks before you see any
positive results and accidents will happen.
Patience is key. If the prob
lems persists
past 2 years of age consult with your veterinarian
as a drug therapy regime may
need to be instituted. http://www.vetstreet.com/care/submissive-urination-in-dogs
Halloween Costume Contest Winner!
Online Pharmacies: are the products REALLY the same?
It is no secret. You have seen television
commercials and internet ads for online pet
prescriptions. Pet medications may appear
less expensive and more convenient when
purchased online, but BUYER BEWARE!
There are safer internet options to
choose from. You have the option to purchase
your pet's medications such as Frontline,
Heartgard, and Revolution online. If the
pharmacy is safe and ethical they will require
that your pet has been seen by their regular
veterinarian within the year. They will then
fax a request to the hospital, which must be
reviewed by a veterinarian. It is then faxed
back to the pharmacy to be filled, before
being mailed out to the customer.
This doesn't sound as convenient as the
commercials sound. Many online pharmacies
are not regulated by the FDA either. This
could mean the product you are purchasing
isn't the real thing, even though the packing
seems authentic, Products may be
expired,
may not have the correct storage conditions,
or worse yet, not even be the correct medication!
If you do decide to take the risk of using an
online pharmacy, be aware that any product
guarantees available by the company on that
product are void.
If you are looking for pricing and convenience, you may be interested to know about our online webstore. This is when veterinary hospitals partner with reputable veterinary manufacturers for added convenience.
Using our webstore ensures that all product guarantees are valid, provides authentic medications and ensures safe product handling. It will provide convenience of home delivery and "online pricing". What a deal!
A Very "Hairy" Situation
Molly, a one year old
dachshund, was presented to
us for vomiting that had been
occurring for the past two
weeks. Molly also had not
been acting herself; she was
hanging her head low and
was very lethargic. She had
been seen by her regular
veterinarian, who gave her
an injection of Cerenia (an
anti-vomiting medication) and
performed x-rays. They also
performed a special x-ray study
involving radio-opaque
liquid
called barium. With barium, it
is possible to see if there may
be a potential obstruction in
the intestinal tract or if objects
are able to move through normally.
Because Molly's barium
study showed an abnormality in
her stomach, her regular veterinarian
referred her to
Dr. McCall for stomach
surgery. During surgery,
Dr. McCall discovered
that the "foreign" object
in her stomach was actually
a large hairball
(measuring 7cm x 5cm x
3cm in size)! After surgery,
Molly was placed on
fluids, antibiotics, pain
medications, and food and
water restrictions until she
recovered. Today, Molly is
doing much better! She is
eating and drinking well
with no vomiting, and is
back to her playful self!
Who would have thought,
cats aren't the only ones
with hairballs!
Holiday Safety Tips
It's the most wonderful time of the year,
but one of the most dangerous for our pets.
Be aware of the lurking dangers
in your
home. Some common beautiful dangers
include:
1. Tinsel/Ribbon– once consumed can cause very serious injuries. If not caught in time, ingestion could be fatal as it twists and bunches inside your pet's intestines.
2. Ornaments-If chewed or swallowed, broken pieces may lacerate your pet's mouth, throat and intestines, they could also create a choking hazard
3. Holiday Lighting– If chewed, electric shock may occur causing lacerations on the tongue or even possible death.
4. Candles– If your pet comes into contact with the candle they may burn themselves or knock them over, creating a fire hazard.
5. Plants– Amaryllis, Holly Berries, Mistletoe and Poinsettias are a few of the common toxic household plants to cats and dogs.
6. Snow globe liquid and Ice melt for driveways and sidewalks– potentially fatal if ingested.
Some common foods that are hazardous to pets include:< Chocolate, cocoa powder, cooking chocolate, onions, white garlic, mushrooms, raisins/grapes and macadamia nuts. If you suspect your pet has ingested toxic plants, toxic food, or been injured by any tinsel, ribbon, ornaments, candles...etc Please give us a call at Capitol Illini Veterinary services to ensure your pets health and well being.
Staff Corner : Meet Kacie and Amy
Kacie joined the Capitol Illini Chatham
Team in Dec. of 2010. She grew
up in Jacksonville and graduated from
JHS in 2007. She recently graduated
from an online program for Animal
Care. She has 2 great pets at home;
Scarlet, a one yr old shepherd mix
and a one year old kitty named Veda.
Her free time is spent with friends,
family and of course her pets! Kacie
joined the Capitol Illini team because
she loves spending her time keeping
our pets healthy and with us for as
long as possible.
Amy started working at Capitol Illini Chatham on Dec. 2010. She has her B.S. degree from SIUC and has worked with animals most of her adult life including the Henson Robinson zoo as a zookeeper. She recently moved back from Mountain View, Ca. where she worked in a 24 hr emergency clinic. Her spare time is spent with her daughter Alise, doing outdoor activities, shopping and reading. Amy loves her job at Capitol Illini working with the team of employees, the clients and their pets, all together making it a wonderful place to work
