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Calle Manolete edif Pointer
29660 NUEVA ANDALUCIA
Puerto Banus - Marbella
e-mail: pointerclinic@pointervet.com
Annual health examinations may save your pet's life
Discovering too late that a beloved pet has cancer, heart disease, distemper or some other serious illness is heartbreaking. But many of these disorders can be detected and treated through annual health examinations.
TEETH AND GUM PROBLEMS
Dental problems , for example, often are not discovered without health examinations. In fact, veterinarians have found that by age 10, many dogs and cats that have not received dental care will lose some teeth to disease. Though common, teeth and gum disorders can be dangerous. When tartar builds on the teeth bacterial growth will develop and bacteria can enter the blood stream and seriously damage the kidneys, liver and heart valves. However, these health problems easily can be avoided if the pet receives annual health exams and regular dental cleaning.
VACCINATION
Animals also should be vaccinated against several contagious and life-threatening viral diseases. A few of the more dangerous health threats are distemper, rabies, viral hepatitis, kennel cough, leptospirosis and parvovirus in dogs; and feline leukemia virus, rabies, flu, herpes and infectious peritonitis in cats.
OTHER MEDICAL DISORDERS
Cancer: What seems like a harmless bump on your pet's skin actually may be malignant skin tumor or cancer of the lymph nodes. If detected early, many tumors can be treated successfully with radiation, chemotherapy or surgery.
Fleas: If untreated, your pet may develop an allergic reaction to flea saliva. Fleas can transmit serious infections to the blood of cats. In severe itch, the animal may scratch its skin until it bleeds and secondary infections can occur.
Cardiovascular problems: Disorders causing heart murmurs or heart failure can be discovered, evaluated and treated.
Ear infections: Without medical care, ear disorders can cause hearing loss and chronic infections requiring surgery or ear canal reconstruction.
Ticks: Aside from the blood loss and local irritation ticks can transmit several serious blood infections to dogs, cats and humans!
Worms:
Rites of Spring can bring worms
Pets are especially vulnerable to worm infection in the spring, partly because of the increased contact with insects and other animals. Some parasites are transmitted through the faeces of infected animals or through carriers such as fleas, mice, birds and squirrels. Other worms can be passed from an infected mother to her puppies or kittens either before birth or while nursing. Heartworm, the most deadly parasite for dogs, is spread by mosquitoes.
Roundworms: |
Tapeworms: |
Hookworms: |
Canine Whipworms: |
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At various stages of their life cycle, roundworms live in the intestines, organs and muscle tissue. In the intestines, they can grow up to 6 inches long. One of the most common internal parasites in dogs and cats, roundworms can cause a dull coat, diarrhea and "potbellied" appearance. Infection in young pets can be fatal. |
Tapeworm segments resemble small pieces of rice and can be seen in the hair near the animal's tail or in the faeces. If visible, these segments should be placed in a small amount of water and brought to us for examination. |
Tiny, thread-like and difficult to see, hookworms enter a dog or cat through its mouth or feet. Once inside, hookworms feed on blood and tissue by piercing the intestinal lining with hook-like teeth. Signs of these killers include bloody diarrhea, dark stools, listlessness, dehydration and weakness. |
Thick at one end and slender like a whip at the other, these 3-inch worms can burrow into a dog's intestinal lining. Although less serious than hookworms or roundworms, whipworms can cause poor general health, weight loss, blood-speckled diarrhea, abdominal pain, listlessness and dehydration |
TREATMENT
To identify the above parasites we will need a few fresh stool samples. Samples should be refrigerated until tested.
HEARTWORMSAs many as 200 adult heartworms can lodge in the dog's heart and surrounding blood vessels, growing to 14 inches. Signs of infections are difficult breathing, coughing, fatigue, listlessness and weight loss. The result of heartworm can be congestive heart failure and death. Preventive treatments are available for heartworm, but dogs must be tested first. If the animal is already infected, the treatment itself can cause severe side effects or death. Annual or bi-annual screening is highly recommended. |
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LEISHMANIA
Leishmaniosis is a disease caused by a parasite (protozoa) called Leishmania
Donovani.
This disease is very common on the Costa del Sol. Investigations have
suggested that a percentage of 5-35 % of all the dogs in the Mediterranean
countries are be infected. The parasite is transmitted by a little mosquito
(Phlebotoma) which is an inhabitant of the Costa del Sol. If a dog is
stung by an infected mosquito, the parasite enters in the blood circulation
and penetrates the white blood cells of the dog. These cells are a part
of the immune-system and due to the infection the immune status of the
dog weakens and makes the animal more susceptible to secondary infections.
High levels of antibodies against Leishmania in the bloodstream cause
damage and inflammation in the tissues.
If you want to know more about Leishmania click NEXT
Processionary caterpillar:
Seen from February to april and can cause serious life-threatening allergic reactions to dogs and cats. When in oral contact their tongue will swell up to ten times the size and they will be unable to swallow. Air contact causes eye, ear or skin irritations. Link to caterpillar site. (read more)
PET HEALTH BARGAIN
Considered a bargain by many pet owners, health exams are a relatively inexpensive way to uncover medical problems early, when they are often much easier to treat.