Learn the skills to help you and your dog coexist happily together:
*Recall, Come when called
*Sit, Sit Stay, Down, Down Stay
*Watch, focused attention on you
*Go to bed, Settle on bed
*Off, Take it
*Leash walking
*Jumping problems
$185 for 6 sessions
Meets Wednesdays at 7 PM
Starts April 7th, 2010
Taught by Richard Fischhof, M.Ed., CPDT-KA, CTC
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Call 404-874-6393 or Richard at 404-626-0036
Individual Training also available
Schaumburg, IL
— It is estimated that 80 percent of people brush their teeth every day, but far fewer pet owners do the same for their pets. Pet Dental Health Month, celebrated every February, teaches pet owners proper dental hygiene is equally as important for their pets.
“Most people have no idea that dental health is so important to their pets, and that’s why Pet Dental Health Month is such a great idea,” explains Dr. Larry Corry, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). “In fact, veterinarians report that periodontal disease is the most commonly diagnosed problem in dogs and cats. This can lead to painful infections of the mouth, and in severe cases these infections can spread and become life-threatening conditions. During Pet Dental Health Month, the AVMA is encouraging all dog and cat owners to regularly brush their pet’s teeth and regularly see their veterinarian for checkups.”
The AVMA, a sponsor of Pet Dental Health Month, offers an informative video giving step-by-step instructions on how to brush your pet’s teeth. The Pet Dental Month Web site, www.petdental.com, includes tips from a veterinary expert on pet dental health, Dr. Brook Niemiec.
“Periodontal disease, an infection of the gums, is incredibly common in pets, and it can be quite serious,” explains Dr. Niemiec, a board certified veterinary dental specialist. “It’s estimated that by the age of two, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontal infections have been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and other life threatening disorders. The best way to prevent periodontal disease is by regularly brushing your pet’s teeth and by regularly visiting your veterinarian.”
For more information, please visit www.avma.org, and to show off your pet’s pearly whites upload their photos at the AVMA Flickr site Pearly White Pets.
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The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 80,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. AVMA members are dedicated to advancing the science and art of veterinary medicine including its relationship to public health and agriculture. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org to learn more about veterinary medicine and animal care and to access up-to-date information on the association’s issues, policies and activities.
Bannette was abandoned here at our clinic. She is a very sweet and very smart girl. She can sit on command. She does pretty well on a leash too! Bannette LOVES belly rubs and loves to cuddle. She would make a great family dog. Bannette is full of love, she just needs someone to give it to. Could you be her new family?
If you are interested in adopting Bannette give us a call or email us adoptablepets@briarcliffanimal.com .
A foreign body is anything ingested by your pet that is not digestible. Sometimes these foreign objects will pass through the gastrointestinal tract with little complication but many times a foreign body will become lodged somewhere along the way causing a dangerous medical condition. Learn what you can do to keep your pet safe and what to watch for if you think your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have.
Dogs and cats have a knack for getting into places they shouldn’t and finding “toys” to chew on. Even toys made for pets can be dangerous if they are not the appropriate size. To guarantee your pet’s safety you should do your best to keep small objects, or items that your pets like to chew on, out of reach. If your pet enjoys the occasional dumpster dive, make sure your garbage is secured. Children should know that leaving their toys lying around can not only be dangerous to a pet that eats it, but also to a toy that can get chewed up. Make sure guests are aware of what they are and are not allowed to feed your pets. And finally, keep an eye on your pet while they are playing with toys and chew treats. Even things that are meant to be ingested, like rawhide treats, can cause problems if your dog swallows too big a piece.
Foreign body obstructions can occur in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract depending on their size. Large objects such as corn cobs cannot pass through the stomach; smaller objects like gravel are able to pass through the stomach but may still become stuck in the small intestine.
Objects such as string can be the most dangerous because they can become tangled in the many twists and turns of the small intestine. This can lead to a condition known as a linear foreign body where the small intestine becomes bunched up around the length of string. Sections of the small intestine may lose blood flow, causing the tissue to die. The bunch may even become so tight that the string slices through the wall of the small intestine.
If you suspect your pet has eaten a foreign object seek veterinary attention immediately. The sooner the problem is addressed the fewer complications will be encountered in treating the condition. Signs of a foreign body can vary depending on where in the GI tract the obstruction has occurred, but general symptoms include:
• Depressed attitude/lethargy
• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting
• Abnormal stools (diarrhea, constipation, strange color)
• Tense abdomen
• Pale gums
• Weakness/Collapse
When you bring your pet in to be examined the doctor will take x-rays to determine where the object is in the GI tract and determine the best way to treat. Your doctor may perform a procedure known as a barium series. This involves feeding your pet barium, a liquid that is radio-opaque (meaning it can be seen on x-ray), and taking several x-rays over the course of a few hours to see how the barium is moving or where it seems to stop.
Sometimes the object is far enough along the GI tract that your doctor may opt to see if it passes, other times the doctor may induce vomiting in order to produce the object (if the object is small enough and still in the stomach), but most cases will require removal. Foreign body removal may be performed by endoscope or surgery.
Endoscopic removal is an option for small objects still in the stomach. With this procedure a fiber optic tube is ran from the mouth into the stomach, it will have a grabbing instrument attached at the end to retrieve the object. While this procedure is considerably less invasive than surgery it does have limitations; it can only be used on smaller and lighter foreign objects and only on blockages in the stomach.
Surgery is required for most foreign body removals. In the case of a small intestine blockage the foreign object will be removed as well as the damaged section of intestine. The pet will usually stay in the hospital post surgically for a day to ensure they are recovering well.
The most common objects to require surgical removal are:
• Socks
• Underwear
• Pantyhose
• Rocks
• Balls
• Chew toys
• Corn cobs
• Bones
• Hair ties and ribbons
• Sticks
January is ‘National Train Your Dog Month’
ATLANTA, GA (Jan. 6, 2010) – Briarcliff Animal Clinic, voted Atlanta Magazine’s best of 2009, is debuting Puppy Kindergarten with convenient open enrollment for Puppies ages 7 to 14 weeks. The structured curriculum gives dogs a head start and positive reinforcement program to live by to prevent problems before they start. Briarcliff Animal Clinic is Atlanta’s premier veterinary hospital serving generations of pets with leading-edge medical care and personalized attention.
“Our goal is to help owners better understand how their puppies learn with a non-aversive training program that uses proven, positive reinforcement methods,” said Dr. Peter Mueller III, owner of Briarcliff Animal Clinic.
The comprehensive course addresses how dogs learn with:
- Crate and housetraining
- Chew training and bite inhibition
- Anti-jumping and basic control behavior
- Loose leash walking
- Commands such as Sit, Sit-Stay, Down, Go To Your Mat, Leave It and Recall
Additional benefits of Puppy K include the opportunity for socialization and canine communication, learning how to keep puppies busy, and reliable off-leash obedience so puppies willingly respond to verbal commands, even when distracted.
Classes are taught by Richard Fischhof, a twice-certified dog trainer and honors graduate of the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, considered to be the “Harvard” for dog trainers, where he earned his CTC designation (Certification in Training & Counseling) and trained under Jean Donaldson, renowned author and dog expert. He is also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), and an AKC® Canine Good Citizen Evaluator®.
Puppy Kindergarten is held every Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon at the Clinic’s Emory-Morningside branch at 1850 Johnson Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 (Tel: 404-874-6393).
The cost for six sessions, including training materials and a busy buddy® toy, is $185.00. For more information or to sign up, contact Fischhof at 404-626-0036. The Clinic will introduce group classes in ‘Basic Manners’ and ‘Canine Good Citizen’ this spring.
Briarcliff Animal Clinic has a 50-year reputation for bringing pet care and medical advancements to Atlanta. Pets receive care from expert staff, including routine exams, preventative medicine and educational programs. For more information, visit www.briarcliffanimal.com.
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Contact:
Richard Fischhof
Briarcliff Animal Clinic
404-874-6393
Atlanta magazine, in its “Best of Atlanta” edition, names Briarcliff Animal Clinic as Atlanta’s best pet hospital. Thanks to all our families and pets for more than 50 years of support.
LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY
Briarcliff Animal Clinic is now offering laparoscopic surgical procedures. A laparoscope allows the surgeon to make a very small incision and introduce a camera into the abdomen to easily visualize everything he or she needs to see. The benefits of laparoscopic procedures over traditional surgical methods include decreased pain, faster healing, better visualization during surgery, and a quick return to normal function for your pet.
The services offered laparoscopically include spays, cryptorchid (when one or both of the testicles do not descend and are in the abdomen) neuters, gastropexies (a prophylactic procedure to prevent the stomach from bloating and flipping causing extreme pain and even death), and intra-abdominal biopsies and exploratories.
Briarcliff Animal Clinic strives to offer the most cutting-edge medical and surgical procedures in order to better your pet’s health. Call today about a laparoscopic procedure for your dog, and in some cases your cat, and Drs. Shannon South and Catherine Lane will be happy to discuss the details with you.
Ferrets are wonderful, fun-loving, and curious pets. If you are a ferret owner, you probably know that ferrets can be a handful, but well worth the time invested! Did you know that ferrets need vaccines? The canine distemper virus can be devastating to ferrets, and they can contract the virus as easily as a dog can. We recommend a yearly Ferret Canine Distemper Vaccine. Ferrets also need Rabies vaccines, and we use the 3 year canine vaccine.
Other tips to keep your ferrets healthy include bringing them in for yearly physicals, feeding them a healthy ferret carnivore diet such as Wysong or Evo (kitten food is too high in fat and most ferret treats are high in carbohydrates; these are not recommended), and monitoring for signs of illness. Ferrets typically live about 7-8 years, and there is a variety of common illnesses that can affect them, such as adrenal disease, gastrointestinal disease, and cancer (lymphoma and pancreatic insulinomas). Signs that could indicate that your ferret is sick include hair loss, itchiness, diarrhea, poor appetite, drinking more water/urinating more frequently, weight loss, and decreased activity.
If you note any of these symptoms or if you want to set up a yearly physical and vaccines, please make an appointment with Dr. Peter Muller III or Dr. Shannon South today!
Oral Health and Dental Disease
If your pet has bad breath, it may be a sign of dental disease or other serious illness.
The oral health of our pets is an often overlooked aspect of general healthcare for dogs and cats. The American Veterinary Dental Society estimates that, by age three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have signs of oral disease.
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that surround and support the tooth. Initially, bacteria begin to build up on the tooth, forming a film of plaque. At first, this film is soft and can be removed by at-home brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Over time the plaque can become calcified from calcium in the saliva, forming tartar. This hard, rough surface allows yet more plaque to accumulate.
Eventually, if left untreated, gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums may develop. As this inflammation of the gums progresses, plaque and calculus begin to accumulate below the gum line. In the end stages of periodontal disease, infection can form around the tooth root and the tissues surrounding the tooth begin to erode, causing the tooth to become loose.
Progression of periodontal disease is a painful process. In addition, infection of the oral cavity may affect other body systems or organs, including the heart, kidney and liver. Many of these problems can be avoided with regular oral examinations, dental cleanings and at-home care. In fact, the AAHA Dental Care Guidelines recommend annual oral examinations and dental cleanings under general anesthesia for all adult dogs and cats.
At Briarcliff Animal Clinic, assessment of your pet’s oral health begins during the routine physical exam. Prior to any dental cleaning or other dental procedure, a pre-anesthetic exam, including bloodwork, is performed to assess your pet’s health and suitability for general anesthesia. If needed, further tests including x-rays, cardiac ultrasound or electrocardiograph may also be run in order to ensure the safety of your pet. While under anesthesia, vital signs including heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, EKG, blood pressure and oxygen saturation are continuously monitored.
The teeth are scaled to remove plaque and calculus, then polished to smooth the surface of the tooth. After cleaning, a periodontal probe is used to evaluate the teeth and measure periodontal pockets. All findings are recorded in the dental chart and compared to past and future evaluations. Digital dental x-rays are another tool used to help assess your pet’s oral health; they can help confirm the need for dental extraction as well as uncover abnormalities that are not detectable by visual exam and periodontal probing alone.
After a thorough dental cleaning, at home care can help control plaque and tartar buildup, improve gum health, and prolong the time between subsequent dental cleanings under anesthesia. At-home brushing with a soft-bristled tooth brush and pet toothpaste is the best way owners can help to maintain their pet’s oral health. For an excellent article on how to brush your pet’s teeth refer to the American Animal Hospital Association’s website for pet owners at www.healthypet.com. If your pet will not tolerate brushing, an anti-plaque rinse or water additive can be tried. In addition, there are prescription diets designed to control plaque as well as special treats and chews; look for products approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council.
Maintaining good oral health throughout your pet’s life can help improve their health and overall quality of life. Ask us about developing a dental care plan for your pet and more at-home care tips at your next office visit.
Dr. Tessa Horslev
1850 Johnson Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30306
Phone (404) 835-1216 Fax (404) 885-97046
Mon-Fri 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sat 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sun 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
1662 Virginia Ave, College Park, GA 30337
Phone (404) 835-1216 Fax (404) 885-9704
Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Sat 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
