Looking for more information about your pet's health and wellbeing? Look no further!
Below are some resources put together by Newbury Vet Clinic to help you make well-informed decisions about your pet. If there is anything that you want to see that is not currently available, please let us know!
Below are some resources put together by Newbury Vet Clinic to help you make well-informed decisions about your pet. If there is anything that you want to see that is not currently available, please let us know!
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General Resources
Dog-Specific
Cat-Specific
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LOCAL URgent & Emergency Clinics
Urgent Care: LAVES .................................... phone: (855) 265-5533 59 West Main Street, Littleton, NH 03561 website PEAK ..................................... phone: (802) 878-2022 158 Hurricane Ln #2072, Williston, VT 05495 website Emergency: SAVES .................................... phone: (603) 306-0007 63 Evans Dr. Lebanon, NH 03766 website CAVES .................................... phone: (603) 227-1199 1 Intervale Road, Concord, NH, 03301 website BEVS ....................................... phone: (802) 863-2387 1417 Marshall Ave, Williston, VT 05495 website Flea Control
There are two main components of flea control - the animals/people, and the building itself. For cats, we recommend - Vectra, a monthly topical that controls fleas - or - Catego, a monthly topical that controls ticks & fleas - or - Seresto collar, which lasts 8 months and controls fleas & ticks. Dogs: Vectra and Seresto are also available for dogs, along with oral preventatives like Credelio and Simparica Trio. YOu can learn more about flea-tick and heartworm products in the FAQ section here. It's very important to treat all pets in the household, including indoor-only cats and any outdoor-only pets (such as barn cats) if your pets have any contact with them or their bedding. If you have visiting dogs or cats to your house, or if your pet goes to someone else's house to play, make sure the other pets are treated as well. Make sure you do a thorough vacuum of your whole house; throw the vacuum contents away when done, as fleas can live in the vacuum and trash, too! Even if you have hardwood or vinyl tile floors, eggs and larvae can get in the cracks between the boards, so vacuum all of the crevices too. Make sure you wash all bedding where your pets lie down, as well. You should also wash any slip covers, throw rugs, pillows, etc., that you can and dry them in a hot dryer -- the heat helps kill the fleas and immature fleas. Using a spray such as VetKem Carpet and Premises Spray (Siphotrol) on carpets and under cushions and furniture helps to de-flea the house. VetKem Carpet and Premises Spray comes in a can that you can turn upside down and direct where you want it to go -- it is not a bomb that will get on your countertops and tables. The spray should be repeated in 2-3 weeks. It will last for several months after the second spray and has an "insect growth regulator" to help control the immature stages of fleas so that they never become adults. Because flea eggs and larvae can continue hatching for months after the first adult fleas have been killed, it's important to keep the flea control going for at least three months in a row on all of the pets in the house and outside. BRAChycephalic pets (Short-nosed breeds)
For more information about some of the issues that dogs (and cats) with short faces can have, take a look at this website: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/for-owners/brachycephalic-health/ Deworming
In general, we recommend deworming twice a year for most dogs who aren't on heartworm protection and for indoor-outdoor cats or cats who catch mice in basements or attached barns, etc. For dogs who are on heartworm prevention, we recommend that once a year we use pyrantel between heartworm doses to maximize deworming for roundworms and hookworms. For dogs who aren't on heartworm prevention, we generally recommend deworming about half-way through the summer and at the end of the fall when the ground is getting frozen. You should use a dewormer that covers roundworms and hookworms, which are very common in the environment and are carried by dogs, cats, and wildlife, and one that covers tapeworms, which are carried by rodents and fleas. The most common dewormers are pyrantel (for roundworms and hookworms, needs to be given once then repeated in 2-3 weeks) and fenbendazole (given three days in a row and then repeated in 2-3 weeks). For animals with heavy infestations of roundworms or hookworms, we recommend treating every 2 weeks for 3 doses, followed by a fecal float to confirm treatment success. For tapeworms, fenbendazole will cover *only* the kind of tapeworm that comes from fleas -- it does not cover the kind of tapeworm caught by eating a rodent or rabbit. Praziquantel and espirantel are two dewormers that cover all forms of tapeworm. These compounds are found in some types of heartworm prevention such as Interceptor Plus, in Profender topical for cats, and in Drontal plus. We carry several dewormer options for both cats and dogs - you can find them here in "Flea, Tick, and Heartworm Prevention". Allergies & Food trials
Food allergies can cause skin and ear problems in some dogs and cats, vomiting or diarrhea in others, or sometimes both. Many pets have both food allergies and other allergies. Allergies can happen any time in a pet's life and can sometimes get worse as they get older. Diagnosis: Skin tests and getting a thorough history of the pet's problems help to diagnose a food allergy. Food allergies tend to be a year-round problem, not seasonal. If your pet might have a food allergy, the best way to diagnose it is by a "food trial," where we try to identify the ingredient that might be causing the allergy. Food trials can take up to 8 weeks. If there is a food allergy, we expect to see your pet's skin and/or stomach problems get 50% or more better by four weeks. During the food trial, your pet will only be able to eat a limited ingredient food and cannot have ANY other thing pass his/her lips. No dropped food from the table, no snacks, no treat, no chews, no people food, and not even flavored chewable medicine. The goal is to do a food trial with a food that has proteins your pet hasn't been exposed to before. Proteins are in most food ingredients, including meats, fruits, vegetables, oats, corn, and wheat. Potatoes don't have much protein, so they are unlikely to cause an allergy. The best option for a diet is a prescription diet, because those diets go through quality control to make sure there isn't any cross-contamination from other ingredients. (Kind of like when labels on people food say "made in a facility that does not use soy, peanuts, or wheat" - the prescription diets have the same sort of quality control). You can get prescription diets directly from us or you can order them through an on-line service such as chewy.com -- chewy will contact us to approve the prescription for you once you've placed your order. There are some over-the-counter limited ingredient diets that you can try if a prescription diet is not the right choice for you. For example, Merrick, Natural Balance, Wellness, and Fromm's all have limited ingredient diets. See "Dog-specific: Allergies & Diet" for more information. Don't get a grain-free diet; some have been possibly linked to heart problems in dogs. Keep us posted as to how your pet is doing. You should schedule a recheck for 4 weeks after starting the food trial. KIDNEY disease: Treatment, etc.
While both dogs and cats can have kidney issues, renal disease predominantly affects cats over the age of 10. Kidney disease is broken into two diagnoses: chronic (CKD) and acute (fast on-set). Elevated kidney values in blood work is the primary indicator used in diagnosing chronic renal (kidney) failure, as visible symptoms only appear when the disease is fairly advanced. Pre-symptom identification of CKD is one of the reasons we recommend that cats over 7 years old get blood work done annually. The treatment plan has several parts: -- a special kidney diet -- medicine to keep phosphorous levels down -- medicine to try to slow down progress of disease and help Daisy Belle feel better for longer -- increasing hydration as much as possible Some pets will also need medicine to help lower blood pressure and/or decrease loss of protein through the kidneys. The first step in management is to get your pet started on a kidney prescription diet. This is easiest with a pet who is still eating normally. For pets who are not eating well, we do the best we can. It's more important for your pet to eat something than it is to eat the kidney diet. Prescription kidney diets are best because they help to minimize phosphorous intake -- many dogs and cats with kidney failure have elevated phosphorous levels that can cause significant internal damage, specifically to the kidneys. Unfortunately, no over-the-counter diet is as low in phosphorous as the kidney diets. Whenever possible, canned kidney diet foods are better than dry diets because they help increase moisture intake. If your pet's phosphorous level is above 6.0, we introduce a phosphate binder called aluminum hydroxide. Aluminum hydroxide is a powder that is tasteless and mixes with canned food or other soft food easily. Once your pet's phosphorus levels are below 6.0 (monitored with blood work), we generally start them on a medicine called calcitriol. Calcitriol helps to decrease levels of a hormone called PTH, which can be toxic to the kidneys during kidney disease. It helps to keep dogs and cats with renal failure feeling better for longer. Once stabilized, we generally plan to recheck blood work and thyroid hormone levels every six months to a year, unless her behavior or weight changes significantly enough to cause concern. Calcitriol is a medicine that we get from a compounding pharmacy. We'll call out a prescription to the pharmacy and they will send the medicine directly to you. You'll be able to order refills online from the pharmacy directly. Offering as much hydration as possible is important for pets with kidney diseases. Other helpful things can be fish oil and herbal supports such as Vetri-Science's Renal Essentials. For more information about kidney disease in dogs and cats, a good place to start is veterinarypartner.com. You can go to that page and search "begin kidney failure" and the first article that will show up is the basic kidney disease page. To learn more about the signs and causes of kidney disease, read here. LOW-COST Spay & Neuter options
The following programs provide low cost spay-neuter services (some have eligibility requirements): Vermont Spay-Neuter Incentive Program (VSNIP): see http://dcf.vermont.gov/esd/vsnip Phone number: 1-855-478-7647 NH Plan B Animal Population Control: http://www.agriculture.nh.gov/divisions/animal-industry/animal-population-control.htm Phone number: (603) 271-3697 VT-CAN: http://www.vt-can.org/home.php Phone number: 802-223-0034 (NH or VT residents) VSNIP and NH Plan B spays and neuters are done at your vet's office, while VT-CAN is only in Montpelier. Also check with Second Chance Rescue in Littleton, NH. Puppy behavior & training
Congratulations on your new puppy! If you're looking for books to help you get your pup off to a good start, there are several to choose from that we recommend. Some of the ones we especially like are:
Muzzle training
While muzzling has been commonly associated with aggressive or "bad" dogs, it can actually be a beneficial training tool for any dog. A great example of responsible and successful muzzle-training can be seen here: This dog showed some nervousness in puppyhood, and the owner decided to muzzle-train her as a way to limit bite risk and help vet staff safely handle her during appointments, even though she has not tried to bite anyone. With guidance from MuzzleProject.com - and diligent training at home! - this dog transformed from needing 4-person restraint during exams (a stressful situation for all) to being cooperative and quiet at her last visit! We are happy to answer any questions you have about muzzle-training, and Dr. Amy Cook offers hour-long behavioral consults if you would prefer a more individualized training toolset and plan. Allergies & Diet
The common types of allergies for dogs are environmental (pollen, etc.) and food-based. Food sensitivities or allergies can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from itchiness to gastrointestinal upset. One way to determine a food allergy and keep an "allergy dog" healthy is by feeding a "limited ingredient" diet, and a hypoallergenic food. Consult with your vet to see what diet would be best for your dog. Some examples of over-the-counter (OTC), limited ingredient diets for dogs include:
*Make sure to look for diets that are not "grain-free" -- grain-free diets have been linked to heart disease in some dogs. Prescription limited ingredient diets include:
Prescription hydrolyzed protein diets include:
Home-cooked meals: If you're interested in cooking a hypoallergenic meal for your pet at home, we recommend using www.balanceit.com as a starting point for information about how to cook well-balanced meals. This website offers free homemade diet recipes developed by veterinarians as well as for-fee individual consultations that can tailor a diet to your pet's specific needs. Any way you choose to try a hypoallergenic diet, remember that the food needs to be the ONLY thing that passes your pet's lips for 6-8 weeks. If your pet eats anything else (a treat, a chewie, human food that fell on the floor, licking your plate clean, anything at all), that one little piece of food could be enough to send a really sensitive pet into another allergic episode that makes it impossible to tell whether the hypoallergenic diet is working or not. We'd be happy to discuss homemade diets or prepared (store-bought) diets with you if you have questions about your pet's specific needs. In addition to the food trial, we can also provide you with some medicated shampoos or ear/skin treatments to help alleviate the itchiness and other skin-related allergy symptoms in the meantime. These are often not sustainable solutions long term but can help get the pet comfortable while the source of the allergies is sorted out. Aging pets - Supplements & More
Helpful things for dogs with arthritis or older joints include: 1. Maintaining a lean weight, target weight: your vet can give you a healthy weight range for your pet when you come in for your next appt. 2. Increase low impact exercise like walking and swimming and discontinue fetching and rough play on land. 3. Start supplements out lined below: A) Find a good source of fish oil on International Fish Oil Standard website and give 3,000 mg combined EPA + DHA daily (taper up to minimize the chance of soft stool from the oil) or choose our Catalyst fish oil supplement in treat form. B) Give a 1/2 tsp Turmeric mixed with a pinch of black pepper and a source of fat such as peanut butter or a 1/2 tsp coconut oil twice a day with a meal. (The black pepper and fat help absorption) C) Give 900-1200 mg Glucosamine daily using reputable source. As an alternative to sourcing your own turmeric and glucosamine you can use our Synovi G treats which combine glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, turmeric (curcumin), and anti-inflammatory herbs such as Boswellia. Using a prescription diet that contains glucosamine and high levels of EPA and DHA, while expensive, is sometimes cheaper than buying your regular dog food *plus* glucosamine *plus* fish oil. We do carry Purina JM and Hill's Science Diet Mobility diets. If you would like pricing information on these diets, please ask. Another option is to add Adequan (PSGAG) injections, which are given under the skin. We start with twice a week injections for 4 weeks then taper to once a month. The injection contains cartilage precursors that help with prevention of joint inflammation and degradation - learn more about it here. When advised by a veterinarian, pain medication can also be prescribed to help make pets more comfortable. There are several options for dogs and your vet will be able to advise you as to the best choice for your specific circumstances. Allergies Cont'd - First signs & Long-Term treatments
The 3 most common signs of allergies in dogs are ear issues (inflammation, infection), itchy/red feet (they'll often chew or lick them a lot), and anal gland issues, which are characterized by butt scooting or licking behaviors. Dry, flaky skin is also a common indication of underlying inflammation, and hair loss is one of the more noticeable symptoms of skin issues. If your dog is experiencing repeated episodes of ear infections, itchiness, or anal gland issues (especially if they seem to happen every year at the same time), it's worth asking your vet whether allergies - environmental or food - could be the cause of your pet's discomfort. If your vet determines that your dog is likely suffering from allergies, there are a few newer medications that can help dramatically improve your dog's health and quality of life. While they can be pricey, the cost of the treatment of secondary issues (skin/ear infections, anal gland expressions, etc.) usually far outweighs the cost of the medication long term. Each dog has an individual response to these medications; some dogs respond better to Apoquel, and some to Cytopoint. It will be up to the vet and you as owners to determine which course of action is working better for your pet - it may take a trial of each to see which yields better results, and choice may also depend on lifestyle (i.e. how many months a year does your pet need coverage?). Apoquel is a medication in pill form that is given daily and has anti-itch and anti-inflammatory properties. It works very well for both food and environmental allergies, and is appealing due to its flexible dosing - you can increase the dose during flare-ups on a day-to-day basis, and see results within 4-8 hours. Cytopoint is an injectable medication that is given every 1-3 months depending on the individual dog's response. It also has anti-itch properties, and is ideal for dogs who don't take oral meds well. The injection can be done at home or at the vet, and is useful against food and environmental allergies as well. Cytopoint works well when the dog needs to be on year-round allergy medication for steady exposure, whereas Apoquel is often preferred when allergies will come and go throughout different seasons, as it can be stopped and started as needed. Find out more about the differences between these two medications, and how they work and effect dogs here. there are also plenty of resources online if you search for "Apoquel" or "Cytopoint" online. We encourage the use of veterinary websites or those produced by the companies themselves as opposed to blogs or review-based sites, for the accuracy of their information. LOW-cost spay/neuter options
The following programs provide low cost spay-neuter services (some have eligibility requirements). Please ask at our receptionists for an application, or contact the programs directly for more information. Vermont Spay-Neuter Incentive Program (VSNIP): See http://dcf.vermont.gov/esd/vsnip or call 1-855-478-7647 for more info. NVC can also provide you with the necessary application paperwork. NH Plan B Animal Population Control: http://www.agriculture.nh.gov/divisions/animal-industry/animal-population-control.htm or call (603) 271-3697 VT-CAN: see http://www.vt-can.org/home.php or call 802-223-0034 (NH or VT residents) *VSNIP and NH Plan B spays and neuters are done at your vet's office, while VT-CAN is only in Montpelier. Also check with Second Chance Rescue in Littleton, NH at 603-259-3244 for info about their scheduled spay/neuter clinics. HYperthyroidism
An abnormally high thyroid hormone level (measured by a blood test) means that your cat is "hyperthyroid". Thyroid hormone regulates a number of body functions, including metabolism, blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and bowel function. Hyperthyroidism is a disease often diagnosed in cats older than 10, and while it can cause serious and potential fatal issues, it is very manageable with medication and monitoring. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats include significant weight loss, increased appetite/thirst, hyperactivity, poor coat or skin condition, and diarrhea/vomiting. A diagnosis of hyperthyroidism usually means life-long medicine. There are surgical and radioactive iodine treatments as well. Those treatments can eliminate the need for daily medicine, and the iodine treatment especially can work very well. There's some information about the iodine treatment below. The thyroid medicine we use is called "methimazole" and it comes in several forms. The most common form is small tablets, but we can also get flavored liquid or chewable medicine or a gel that you can apply to the skin of the inside of your cat's ear. The tablets tend to be a little less expensive than the other forms of methimazole. In the beginning of treatment, we start your pet on a low dose of methimazole to lower their T4 (thyroid) hormone level. After a few weeks, we recheck their bloodwork and determine whether we need to increase the dose of medicine. We also recheck their kidney health, as sometimes treating thyroid disease can un-mask kidney disease. In that case, it's important to treat both diseases and not just the thyroid disease. Radio-iodine therapy for hyperthyroid cats is offered in Williston at a facility called BEVS. Their website has much more information about the procedure. The general estimate for the procedure at BEVS is $1700-$1800. That price includes blood work, a consult with their doctor, and the hospital stay and treatment. They also want x-rays, which if we take them would be about $150 and if they did them would be about $300. If you consult with the doctor but decide not to do the treatment, the consult is $150. The cost for a month supply of regular, unflavored pills is less than $30 here. Compounded flavored tabs or liquid will probably be a little more costly. Repeat bloodwork to look at kidneys and thyroid levels is $75 the first time and then potentially as low as $40 after that. Bloodwork is once a month or so until we know the levels are well-regulated, then usually once a year after that. If you have any questions about hyperthyroidism, please do not hesitate to ask! LOW-CARBohydrate Cat foods
Although manufacturers do change their formulas sometimes, this is the most current list that we have of canned cat foods that contain 7% or fewer carbohydrates:
Hairballs & Vomiting
There are a few approaches to resolving constipation and hairballs in cats. Once you've confirmed with your vet that your cat is medically healthy and the vomiting is due to hairballs, you can: 1)Try canned food 2)Try gradually switching to hairball formula dry food 3) can try hairball treats or Laxatone paste 4) can try pumpkin pie filling The goal is for your cat to be producing snake-like bowel movements (BMs) every day and have very few hairball vomit incidences. More information: www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/danger-hairballs Urinary issues and behavior
Lower urinary tract problems in cats are usually part of a complicated disease often called "feline lower urinary tract disease" (FLUTD) or Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC). Most of the time, the signs of a problem are related to inflammation and not to bacterial infection, but without culturing a urine sample at a lab, it's not always clear whether an infection is present or not. Often, the signs (such as blood in the urine or urinating small amounts frequently) will go away on their own within a few days, but cats can have flare-ups later. We know that there are a few predisposing factors to FLUTD in cats, including being overweight, eating dry food only, and living indoors or being stressed. Cats can be stressed by lots of different things, such as having household guests, changes in owner's routines, adding new pets or the loss of a pet, or even something as simple as moving a favorite cat bed. Regardless of whether there's a bacterial infection, we generally recommend using several different techniques and/or medicines to help cats get through flare-ups of FLUTD and try to reduce the number of flare-ups overall. During a flare-up, we often prescribe pain medicines and/or anti-inflammatory medicine (such as buprenorphine, gabapentin, cerenia, and/or onsior). Some cats will need medicine to help reduce stress and anxiety, such as in situations of inter-cat conflict. There are also herbal supplements that can help minimize the recurrence of FLUTD. Proviable (a probiotic) and UT Strength treats (which contain D-mannose, cranberry extract, and glucosamine, along with other ingredients) can help. If possible, getting your cat to eat a canned-only diet will help to increase its water intake and dilute its urine, making FLUTD less likely. There are special prescription diets, such as Hill's c/d and Purina's UR, that are designed to minimize FLUTD. Experts recommend that because FLUTD in cats is a stress-related condition, it is critical to use "multi-modal environmental enrichment." The Ohio State University's Indoor Cat website is a fantastic resource for ideas about how to add things to your house to help keep your cat entertained and happy. Cat Enrichment Ideas & resources
We're lucky that the internet is filled with pages by people who love cats and have great suggestions on how to entertain them with games, feeding toys, and furniture. If you have an iPhone or iPad, there's an app called iTunes U that has a free course called "Cat Mastery." Topics include Reading Cat Body Language, Household Resources for Indoor Cats, Helping to Make Your Cat Thrive, and Enrichment Plans for cats. You can find information about the course at this web address: https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/cat-mastery/id868264019 If you don't have an iPhone, similar information can be found at https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/resources. Here are some of the best ideas we've found for resources for cats: For indoor cats, especially, but good ideas for all cats -- "Keeping Cats Indoors" "Basic Indoor Cat Needs" For good ideas on ways to direct your cat to scratch on appropriate surfaces, the CatFriendly.com website has great tips here. For homemade, interactive feeding toys that provide opportunities for play, "hunting," and slowing down a cat who tends to gulp its food, Foodpuzzlesforcats.com is a fantastic resource that shows how to use lots of different kinds of interactive feeding toys (it even has a section with a lot of homemade DIY cat toys). For a DIY interactive cat feeder, look here! For homemade cat furniture, hiding places, cat trees, and play spots: 1. Cat trees 2. Outdoor Cat Habitat 3. "Catio" Outdoor Run If you have any questions or want to talk about what might be best for your kitties, we always love helping people make fun things for their cats (and dogs) to play with and cuddle up in. Just give us a call! |
