As summer kicks off, high temperatures can become a health risk to pets. It is important to take extra precautions to prevent heatstroke on hot days. Often, on days with mild temperatures, pet owners might be tempted to leave their pet in the car for “just a minute” while they run into the store. But a recent Stanford University study showed that on a 72-degree day, a car’s internal temperature could climb to 116 degrees within one hour. While most responsible pet owners are aware of the “animal-in-car” danger, pets can suffer from heatstroke in other surprising ways, from a walk around the neighborhood to other simple outdoor activities.

Heatstroke occurs when the pet’s natural defense system cannot handle the heat building up inside his body. Usually, a dog handles heat through respiratory measures such as panting. When the dog cannot pant away the heat, his body will overheat. Heatstroke that occurs as a result of physical activity or exercise usually takes place when pets are exposed to hot temperatures. Heat index is particularly important, because even if the temperature is 85 degrees, it may actually feel like 100 degrees.

Heatstroke is a veterinary emergency and should be treated immediately when signs are noticed.

Signs of heatstroke in pets include excessive panting,

profuse salivation, glazed eyes or staring , anxiet-

ies or restlessness, gums and tongue that

appear bright red or purple, confusion, trouble standing or

walking, collapse, and vomiting. If you notice these signs in your pet,

contact your veterinarian immediately.

Brachycephalic breed pets (flat faced) such as pugs, English bulldogs, boxers, and French bull-dogs are especially vulnerable to hot weather. These pets have smaller airways than other breeds causing

them to overheat easily.

To prevent your pet from overheating on a hot day, here are a few guidelines to follow:

1. Keep pets inside on hot days, even if your yard has shade.

2. Always have fresh water available, indoors and out. Take portable water with you if you take your pet for a walk.

3. Keep your pet well groomed. Excessive hair and mat-ting can hold in heat causing your pet to get hot easily.

4. Maintain your pet at a healthy weight. This can be done with proper diet and exercise. If your pet is overweight, talk to our staff about a weight loss program.

5. Walk your dog at the coolest times of the day (before 11:00 am and after 7:00 pm)

6. Walk your dog in shady areas to avoid the hot sun and avoid hot concrete and asphalt surfaces to protect his sensitive paws.

7. Never leave your pet unattended in your car where temperatures can climb very quickly to dangerous levels.

GazetteA newsletter for people and their pets in this issue:

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3401 E.P. True ParkwayWest Des Moines, Iowa 50265

Hot Weather SafetyFeline RevolutionEmergenciesPeriodontal DiseaseCats and ADHD DrugCancer in PetsHospital NewsMeet the Editors

SUMMER 2010

Enjoying the Dog Days of Summer Hot weather safety

Contact us by calling 515-224-9500 or visit our website at www.jordancreekanimalhospital.com

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - BE PREPARED

Feline RevolutionThe outdoors has a way of inviting itself in everyday. Men-tion heartworms and one immediately thinks of dogs, but did you know that 25% of cats with proven heartworm in-fection, according to their owners, are kept indoors exclu-sively? Make sure your cats are protected. With a simple monthly dose of Revolution, you can not only protect your cat from heartworm, but a whole host of other parasites. Don’t think your cat is at risk? Here’s how parasites can come in contact with even the most sheltered indoor cats.

HEARTWORM…can be carried indoors by mosquitoes. Heartworm is a potentially lethal parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. Although cats are more resistant to infection, it only takes one or two worms to cause a potentially fa-tal illness. There are currently no approved treatments for cats. Luckily, with regular medication, heartworm is eas-ily prevented. Heartworm disease is often difficult to diag-nose in cats. There may be no signs in early stages. Later stage symptoms include: coughing, vomiting, shortness of breath, weight loss, and lethargy. Heartworm disease is one of the most common causes of asthma in cats.

FLEAS…can be brought in by other animals or people. Any animal, from the family dog to an uninvited mouse, can bring fleas into your home. The flea is not only a nuisance; it can also be a host for tapeworm and other parasites. Its bites are irritating to both people and animals, and it can be difficult to eradicate once it has taken up residence. In just 30 days, 25 female fleas can multiply to over a quarter million! Itching, scratching, unusual amounts of chewing or licking, and black specks on pet’s skin or hair coat are some of the signs of a flea infestation.

HOOKWORM…larvae are often found in sandboxes. Hookworm can not only be a serious threat to your cat, but can also be transmitted to people. Larvae burrow into hu-man skin that comes in contact with infested soil. The adult hookworm lives within the cat’s small intestine. Cats be-come infected through ingestion of other infected animals such as birds or rodents or through mother’s milk. Signs of

hookworms are poor appetite, vomiting, poor condition, pale gums, dark tarry stools, constipation, weakness, or bloody diarrhea.

ROUNDWORM…eggs are tracked indoors from dirt on shoes. Roundworm can easily be passed to people and is particularly dangerous to small children. The adult round-worm lives in the cat’s small intestine and is transmitted to people through ingestion of soil containing roundworm eggs or through mud contaminated with eggs tracked into houses. Vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal bloat-ing, dull or poor hair coat, loss of appetite, coughing, or pot-bellied appearance could be some of the signs you see when roundworms are present.

EAR MITES…find their way indoors with dogs and other pets. Mites live in your cat’s ears, feeding off the ear lining and producing a coffee grounds like substance. Infected cats are at greater risk for potentially serious bacterial in-fections. They are highly contagious and an infected cat should be kept from contact with other animals. Some signs of ear mites include the following: intense scratching or head shaking, particularly around the ears, head and neck; red-brown or waxy discharge in the ear; thick crust around the outer ear; and possibly crust and scales on the neck, rump and tail in advanced stages.

Simple monthly topical treatments of a product called Revo-lution can keep cats safe from their worst enemies: heart-worm, roundworm, hookworm, fleas and ear mites.

When medical emergencies happen, we often find ourselves unprepared. The same thing can happen with your pet. Being pre-pared for an emergency situation can help you stay calm when you need it the most. Here are three numbers that you should have posted in an easy to find location.

Jordan Creek Animal Hospital – 515-224-9500

Iowa Veterinary Specialties – 515-280-3100 – for after hours emergen-cies.

ASPCA Poison Control Hotline – 888-426-4435 - provides 24-hour-a-day, year-round advice on animal poison-related emergencies. They have specially trained staff, including veterinary toxicologists, to help quickly give treatment advice regard-

ing any poisonings in your pet. There is a $65 consultation fee, payable by credit card, for this service. This includes follow-up consultation should you or your vet need further assistance with your pet’s case.

We hope that you never have to deal with an emergency situation with your pet, but being prepared can make the difference between life and death.

Maltese

Havanese

Pomeranian

Pappilion

Toy PoodleStandard Poodle

DachshundShetland Sheepdog Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Yorkshire Terrier

TOP 10 BREEDSAT HEIGHTENED RISKS FOR

PERIODONTAL DISEASENearly four out of five dogs over the age of 3 show some signs of oral disease.*All of the pictured pets are patients of Jordan Creek Animal Hospital and have been past recipients of “Boarder of the Week”!

In the United States, Adderall is cur-rently the most widely prescribed medicine for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children. As a result, the incidence of accidental consumption by pets has been steadi-ly rising according to poison control centers. What sets this drug apart as a veterinary risk is that unlike most hu-man medicines, Adderall apparently appeals to the finicky cat palate. In general, poisoning cases typically in-

volve dogs because they are fairly in-discriminate about what they will eat. Cats are more likely to sample a pill or capsule out of curiosity but tend to walk away after discovering that the medication is bland or that they dis-like the flavor. Adderall is the excep-tion – cats not only bite into the pill but readily finish every bite, which has toxic effects.

Signs of Adderall poisoning in cats include distressed vocalizing, anxi-ety, agitation, pacing, disorientation, and tremors. Affected cats will easily become overheated and are unusu-

ally disturbed by any type of sensory stimulation such as sound, light, and physical touch. With quick treatment many cats recover, but owners need to call or visit their vet immediately after the pill is ingested by their cat and not wait for signs of poisoning.

The best way to avoid poisoning in your pet is to keep prescription medi-cations out of reach, never on a coun-ter top or in cabinets that your pet can get open. If you think your pet has in-gested a prescription medication, call your vet immediately.

Attracted to ADHD DrugCATS

Dr. Pam Erdman, originally from West Bend, Iowa, received her Bach-elor of Science degree in Biology from Iowa State University. She then went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Med-icine degree from ISU in May 2005. Before joining the staff at Jordan Creek Animal Hospital in January 2006, she practiced at a pet hospital in Darien, Il-linois, a suburb of Chicago.

Dr. Erdman and her husband Matt share their home with their black lab Clover and cat Ace. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing guitar and piano, boating, and reading.

Amy King, RVT grew up in Milford, Iowa near Lake Okoboji. In September 1999, she received her Associate of Applied Sciences degree from the Med-ical Institute of Minnesota. She moved to the Des Moines area shortly after and began working at Jordan Creek in April 2001.

Amy, husband Rawley, daughter Eliza-beth, and son Ethan share their home with their “3 Felines” – Rudy, Buzz, and Ace. When she isn’t busy at work or spend-ing time with her family, she enjoys biking, swimming, and shopping.

MEET THE STAFF/our editors for this issue of Pet Gazette

Monthly Meetings

The doctors and staff at Jordan Creek Animal Hospital feel that monthly employee meetings are essential to promoting communi-cation and educational opportuni-ties. Because of this, we will be closed from 1:30-2:30 PM on the following Wednesdays: July 14, August 11, September 8..

Our companion pets live safer, health-ier and longer lives now than ever before. With longevity can sometimes come an increased risk of cancer, which is often an old age disease. There are many types and many possible causes of cancer, including chemicals in our environment, ciga-rette smoke, sun exposure, assorted viruses, infections and genetic fac-tors as well. Cancer starts with one or a small group of cells that have “gone wrong.” It appears that such cells arise in our bodies all the time, and we have an assortment of natural mechanisms to destroy these cells be-fore they get out of hand. Sometimes these cells escape our natural mecha-nisms and cancer develops.

What should you look for to help protect your pet? Although cancer can strike different tissues and organs, there are some common signs and warnings to be aware of.A lump that grows or changes – As ani-mals age they often develop lumps or bumps under the skin. Not all of these lumps are cancerous, but if a lump ap-pears rapidly, looks very red, oozes, or gets larger and then smaller, discuss it with your vet. Growths can be aspirat-

ed, biopsied, or removed to determine if they are cancerous.

Unexplained weight loss – If your pet loses weight without explanation or eats poorly, this may be a sign that should cause concern.

Cough – Any cough that persists or does not resolve with medical treatment can represent a problem. Your vet will need to take chest x-rays to determine the cause.

Limping that does not resolve – Bone cancer in dogs can start out with a limp, although many other diseases such as ar-thritis or Lyme disease can cause limping too. X-rays will be needed to determine the cause of the limp.

Enlarged lymph nodes – While large lymph nodes, especially when present in multiple sites over the body, can occur in infectious diseases, this can also be seen in lymphoma. Lab work and aspirates of the lymph nodes are needed to deter-mine the cause.

Anemia – Pale gums can be a sign of many different diseases including certain types of cancer. Be sure to address this with your vet.

Difficulty chewing or swallowing – While this may be a sign of problem

teeth or other diseases, a complete oral exam under sedation may be needed to determine the cause.

Vomiting or Diarrhea – Changes in bowel habits and digestive problems can be warnings of ill health.

Although aging pets are at a higher risk of cancer, catching the disease early can often extend the life of your pet. If you notice any of the above signs in your pet, discuss it with your veterinarian.

How Do I Know if my Pet has Cancer?