We have seen a dramatic increase in preventable diseases
here at VACC over the last few months.
This month alone, we have diagnosed five cases of heartworm infection – more
cases in one month than all of last year combined. A multitude of reasons play contributable
factors to this and other trending preventable diseases.
Heartworm disease in dogs used to
be something rarely seen in the North East. Many believe the change in the number
of infected cases is due to the increasing number of pets being rescued from Southern
parts of the United States, and being relocated to Northern areas of the Country.
Regardless of the reason, our local Cape Cod wildlife
canids (the coyote and fox) will now suffer and likely be at be at greater risk
of heartworm disease.
When discussing
heartworm prevention with our community, we really should be utilizing the term
“parasite prevention.”
Did you know that
a very low dose of ivermectin, the active drug found in many “monthly heartworm
prevention” products, also kills hookworms as well as a round worm called bay
Lisacaris?
This roundworm spreads
through the feces of raccoons and can cause permanent blindness or even death,
needless to say, keep your children’s sand box covered at night!
Although many of the medications we use for
monthly parasite prevention are relatively inexpensive, we find the process of giving
the medication on time every month appears to be our ultimate obstacle.
Be cautious of products your veterinarian
does not endorse, as many of these products have proven themselves ineffective.
It is sad to see our clients with the best
intentions using a product that does not work, resulting in his/her pet falling
victim due to ineffectual protection.
If
your mind has wandered since you’re under the impression that furry feline companions
are not susceptible to this disease,
I’m
sorry to say, cats can contract heartworms too.
Missed
opportunity for prevention does not stop at parasite control. Keeping up to
date on annual vaccines is vital for the well-being of all furry family members. As a region, New England did a fantastic job keeping
Parvovirus primarily out of our area, thanks to strict compliance on vaccines;
Parvo is something most veterinarians haven’t seen in years. Parvovirus is a serious
gastrointestinal virus which frequently results in fatalities – especially in
puppies. The good news is this virus is vaccinated against as part of the
annual shot your veterinarian often refers to as “distemper.” Recent news stories have highlighted cases indicating
that it can take only one breeder who didn’t “believe in” vaccines and suddenly
we are faced with a Parvo outbreak. While a breeder is an excellent source for
advice for specific breed related questions (i.e. temperament, expected
lifespan, expected size at maturity, etc), leave it to your veterinarian to
advise you on vaccinations – given your veterinarian is the person who attended
a minimum of eight years of higher education to give you advice on scientific-
based facts.
Let’s
take this opportunity to address the controversial lyme vaccine.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection
transmitted by the deer tick.
Is this
infection actually preventable on Cape Cod?
The vaccine is estimated between 65-80% effective in preventing lyme
disease.
It is certainly a safety net,
especially for our larger breeds that tend to spend more time romping in the woods;
however your first line of defense is monthly flea and tick prevention.
Your veterinary support staff can help you
select the appropriate preventative, but a key criterion for an effective tick
preventative is the duration of time it takes to kill the tick once it has
bitten your pet.
This is important because
there is a direct correlation between the risk of a tick borne illness being
transmitted to your pet and the amount of time the tick is biting your pet.
In other words, the longer it takes the
preventative to kill the tick, the greater the chance your pet has at
contracting a tick borne illness.
Some
products are repellent and some require the tick to bite before it is killed,
thus your veterinarian’s advice on this subject is imperative when making the
decision of which product to choose.
While we’re on the topic of ticks,
you’ve all heard about the lone star tick having made itself at home right here
on the Cape!
This unwelcome wash-ashore brings
us Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
This
disease is known to have a high mortality rate, and like lyme, is able to be
transmitted to humans.
Again, the most
effective protection from ticks is your first line of defense – selecting the right
preventative and administering it on consistent monthly basis.
We want to be part of your pet’s
health care team for a very long healthy life.
Let’s do what we can in order to reduce the odds of treating diseases
that are easily preventable.
If you’re
not positive that your pet has adequate preventative care, please give us a
call or come on down!
