January 2005
The Newsletter of Dwight – Pine Bluff – Lakewood Animal Hospitals

 
THANK YOU!

 All the staff at all our clinics would like to thank everyone who brought us presents and goodies for the holidays.  Your heartfelt gifts warmed our hearts and filled our stomachs!  Thanks again, and we hope you and your furry family members also had a wonderful holiday season.

What If….

You love your pets.  You give them the best care possible.  But what if you were unable to care for them?  What if an emergency kept you away from home?  What if you never came home?  Would your pets be taken care of the way you want them to be?
 Your pets will be safe, if you have emergency care instructions; a sort of “living will” for your pet.  A Pine Bluff client shared this great idea with us.  Make a paper with the name, address, and phone number of several relatives or friends who can be trusted to take care of your pets in an emergency or if you cannot be reached.  (Make sure your friends are aware of your wishes!)  Your veterinarian’s name and phone should be on this sheet too, so caretakers can obtain your pets’ medical records.  Keep a copy in your vehicles and also with your important documents, such as in your safe deposit box.
 If you do not have someone to care for your pets, or if you have pets with special needs (for instance, large animals such as horses), you may entrust them to the care of a skilled humane society.  A shelter can house and care for your pets until you can take them home again.  If you are dead or permanently unable to care for your pets, they can adopt them to a good second home.  Remember, if you choose this option, also “will” enough money to the shelter to cover your pets’ care.
 You may want to include instructions in case your pets are gravely injured (for instance, what if you and your dog are both in a car accident?).  Would you want your pets euthanized?  What about aftercare—cremation or burial?
 Tell your friends and family about your wishes for your pets’ care.  Update your records regularly (for instance, as you add new pets or lose a pet).  This is a piece of information we hope you never have to use, but in an emergency, it may save your pets’ lives!

A Fungus Among Us…
Ringworm!

Our three clinics have been seeing increasing cases of ringworm lately!  This common skin disease is actually not a worm, as the name implies, but a fungus.  Ringworm got its name from the characteristic, circular, halo-like skin sores.  Like any fungus, ringworm can survive in the environment (on clothing, furniture, etc) and can be spread from pet to pet, human to human, and pet to human.
 Ringworm commonly appears as a red, circular, itchy sore on the skin.  It grows slowly in an expanding circle; often the middle appears to be healing while the perimeter of the lesion expands.  Ringworm is very contagious, and new sores can be caused when the person or pet scratches the sore, then touches another body area.  You can get ringworm from touching an infected animal, and you can also spread ringworm to your pet.  In fact, it is common for pets to get ringworm from their owners!  Common human sources of ringworm include workout gyms (high school athletes) and child care facilities.
 A variety of treatment options are available for ringworm.  For small, single sores, topical creams may be effective.  However, for animals, whole body treatment is often needed.  Lym-Sulfur dips (a medicated rinse that is sponged over the entire animal) smell horrible, but are inexpensive and do the job!  For severely affected pets, several dips may be needed.  If dipping is not an option, oral medications can be prescribed.  However, these medications are expensive, may have side effects, and are not appropriate for all animals (for instance, very young pets or pregnant animals).  Because it is common to carry ringworm without visible sores, all pets in the house should be treated.
 If you notice a suspicious sore on your pet or on yourself, have it checked immediately.  Ringworm is on the rise…don’t be its next victim!

Rabies Diagnosed in Local Horse


A horse in LaSalle County was diagnosed with rabies in December.  This is the first case of rabies diagnosed in Illinois in over 5 years in an animal other than the bat.  Further testing is being conducted to determine what animal the horse got rabies from.  Several people who had contact with the horse were treated with post-exposure rabies shots.
 Rabies may be on the rise in Illinois.  More bats were diagnosed with rabies in 2004 than ever before.  This may represent a true increase in the number of rabies cases, or it may simply reflect more thorough testing throughout the state.  While there is certainly no need for panic, these cases underline the importance of keeping your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date.  For the safety of your pet and your entire family, make sure rabies vaccinations are current!
 

A Coat of Many Colors

Did you know that the markings of Siamese  and Himalyan cats are temperature dependent?  That’s right – a Siamese cat’s coat turns darker in colder temperatures.
Siamese kittens are born pure white, and their breeder will not know their true color for several weeks.  As the kittens grow, their extremities – tail, legs, ears, and nose – will become cooler than the rest of the body.  Hence, these areas, called “points,” will turn darker, and the traditional Siamese look – seal point, blue point, etc – will emerge.
Adult cats usually have a lower body temperature than kittens, and so over the years many Siamese turn darker.  Seal point cats (deep chocolate brown markings) often change from a light ivory color as a kitten to dark brown adults.  If a Siamese cat has his hair clipped (for instance, for surgery), the new hair may grow in a darker shade than the rest of the body, since the exposed skin is cooler.  As the cat sheds and regrows his hair, the odd patch will eventually blend back in.  Cats who live outdoors may even turn colors with the seasons!
This color-changing tendency is why many an owner of a Siamese or Siamese-mix cat finds that their almost-black adult cat looks entirely different from the creamy white kitten they adopted!
 



 
 

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