I have had many similar conversations with pet owners uncertain about what the products they are giving their pets actually do.  With the multitude of options available for heartworm and flea and tick prevention, it is no wonder there is confusion.  There is no one product that does it all.  The best way to be sure that what you are using is safe and effective is to consult with your veterinarian.

Safety is an important consideration when using flea and tick products. I spoke to a woman last week who had applied a store-bought product on her dog. She had no idea what product she had used.  Her pet became so sick that she needed to take it to the emergency clinic for care.

Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of many of the ingredients found in flea and tick products. Some can even cause death. It is important to be aware of the products you are using on your pet and to use them correctly. It is also important to have the advice and support of the veterinarian and the manufacturer when giving a heartworm preventative or applying flea and tick medication.  Most products do not have the manufacturers support when purchased outside of a veterinary hospital. If your pet has an adverse reaction or becomes ill after applying or administering a flea, tick or heartworm preventative and you purchased your product on–line or in a store you are on your own.

Did you know that in most cases, by purchasing from your local veterinarian, you will spend less than you would spend on-line or at a pet or “big box” store?  Most veterinarians have made a point to price heartworm, flea and tick products very competitively. Manufactures are also offering incentives including extra doses and rebates that have made veterinary products even more affordable.  Dr. Ward in his article also points out that not only are you getting the advice and information you need and the veterinary product guarantee, but you also are supporting your local economy.

None of us likes using topical medications on our dogs and cats, yet the risk from mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and the diseases they transmit is ever increasing.  Lyme disease, anaplasma, Ehrlichia canis, bartonella, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and babesia are among the many emerging vector-borne diseases we are finding in Minnesota, Wisconsin and many other states. For more information on these and other parasites click here. To view interactive prevalence maps detailing the incidence of parasites in each state click here.

Be aware that these diseases are a real threat and get the protection you and your pet need to stay safe and out of harm’s way.  Don’t be afraid of using a flea and tick preventative but understand what you are purchasing and get educated about the safe and effective use of heartworm, flea and tick products.

Dr. Ginger Garlie

I recently returned from an incredible journey to Tanzania, in East Africa.  I went to Tanzania with a group of twelve adventurous men and women, led and organized by Richard Leider who is the founder of a company called the Inventure Group.  The trip was inspired to lead us on our own personal journey of discovering purpose in our lives as we explored the beauty and wonder of this region of Africa.

Three weeks went by quickly as we toured northern Tanzania with the Dorobo Safari Company.  We discovered the wonder of viewing incredible animals, including elephants, zebra, lions, hyenas and giraffe in their natural settings. We experienced the cultures of the Maasai pastoralists and the Dorobo and Hadza, hunter-gatherers.  We were touched by these people as they generously opened their lives to our group.  We shared campfires, dancing and singing.  There was so much joy and happiness in a people who live much simpler lives than our own.  And we shared a bond of discovery with our fellow travelers.

I learned about an important fund managed by our group called the Dorobo Fund.  The Dorobo Fund supports many grassroots projects that promote community conservation and leadership education of youth (especially women) in Tanzania. I was in awe of the efforts that our new friends on this journey have taken and of the accomplishments thus far in protecting the environment and the indigenous people of Tanzania.

The personal journey was different for each of us.  In Richard’s book “The Power of Purpose”, he tells us, “We all want to find our purpose—that thing that makes us feel like our life matters.” I like to think that for me that purpose is what has led me to be a veterinarian.  Although there were struggles along the way, including veterinary school, student loans, and later managing a business,  I can truly say that I love getting up every morning and doing the life work that I do.  We have defined the purpose in our practice as:”Providing compassionate, exceptional care for your pets.” To me this means helping our patients stay healthy, sharing compassion during times that are difficult and offering the best care we can when they are sick.   It is impossible to bond with every client and every patient.  But I think it is a worthy goal…to share that bond and recognize the power of compassion.

In Africa, I saw the compassion that people have for others, the generous sharing of cultures, opening of hearts and discovery of what is truly important in our lives.     This was a journey of rediscovery of why I love being a veterinarian.

Dr. Tangawizi-Swahili for Ginger

Veterinary Dentistry

Does your pet have a smelly mouth?   If your dog or cat has bad breath, brown stains or calculus on the teeth and inflamed gums, this could very well be an indication of a serious infection in the mouth called periodontal disease. Periodontal disease affects 80 percent of our pets at one time or another.  Often this means they are at risk of systemic infection in the kidneys, heart and liver, not to mention severe discomfort and pain. Often broken or fractured teeth can lead to abscesses or an infection involving the roots of the teeth. An infected mouth is a painful mouth!

The best way to find out if your pet needs dental care is to see a veterinarian who has training and experience in treating dental disease in pets.  The first question to ask is, do they have dental x-ray?  If they don’t they will miss 90 percent of what may be going on in your pet’s mouth.  If you are going to have a pet’s teeth cleaned, evaluated and treated for dental disease they will require general anesthesia. This is a very safe procedure if your veterinarian is taking all the safety precautions; this includes a thorough physical exam, preanesthetic blood screening, IV catheter and fluids, blood pressure and anesthesia monitoring, patient warming and good pain control.   If your pet is having a dental procedure, dental radiographs are essential. No extraction should be performed without x-rays.

The first step to a healthy mouth starts with prevention.  This is the best way for your pet to avoid the loss of teeth and experiencing the pain of dental disease. Start getting your pet used to brushing at an early age.  Nothing substitutes for good home care.  Daily brushing with a pet toothpaste is recommended. If you can thoroughly brush your pets mouth three or more times a week, you will see  significant benefist including whiter teeth, fresher breath and a healthier mouth.  Other tools  available include: special diets, rinses, chews and gels.  Only use products that are made for pets.  Fluoride pastes are unhealthy for pets and should not be ingested.

The next step is having your pet periodically evaluated by your veterinarian for dental disease.  This usually happens at the time of your annual or semi-annual exams.  If a recommendation for a dental cleaning is made, don’t put it off.  We can reverse gingivitis, but we can’t reverse periodontal disease once it sets in.

Rivertown Animal Hospital has long been known for excellence in veterinary dental care.  We were among the first veterinary hospitals to have dental x-ray and our doctors have received extensive training in veterinary dentistry.  Should your pet require a root canal or a specialized dental procedure, we have a close association with several  board certified veterinary dentists.

If you have questions regarding your pet’s dental health give us a call today or visit our Dental page by clicking here.

-Dr. Ginger

On Saturday we had a call from a gentleman looking for Dr. Arnesen because his three year old Dachshund, Zoey, was unable to walk.
Zoey ‘s owner had met Dr. Mary about 10 years ago when his other Dachshund, Abbee, had a similar problem.  At that time he had been told by another veterinarian that the only hope for Abbee was to have spinal surgery at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital.  Dr. Arnesen treated the Dachshund with a series of acupuncture treatments.  Her therapy resulted in a remarkable improvement.  The dog eventually regained the full function of his rear legs and lived to be 14 ½ years old.

Zoey, the little dog I examined on Saturday was unable to use her rear legs. She was suffering from a common condition of Dachshunds called Hanson’s Type 1 Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). With this condition, the soft material that cushions the vertebra will suddenly herniate into the spinal canal and compress the spinal cord.  The resulting impingement of the spinal cord causes pain, inflammation and decreased sensation and mobility in the rear legs.  The dog may also lose the ability to urinate and defecate.

Unlike most dogs with less severe forms of IVDD, Dachshunds quickly lose full function of the rear legs and without rapid treatment will be permanently paralyzed.  The standard recommendation for dogs with this condition is to have rapid surgical spinal decompression.  Even with this aggressive treatment the dogs may remain paralyzed.

Zoey was unable to move her rear legs but could feel deep pain when the toes were pinched. This gives us some hope that the nerve function can return. Realizing that surgical treatment is the recommended approach to severe IVDD, Zoey’s owners chose to treat her using acupuncture and chiropractic therapy.  Standard medical therapy with prednisone, muscle relaxers and pain medication was started on Saturday.  On Sunday,  Zoey received her first acupuncture and chiropractic treatment with Dr. Arnesen. I do not know yet what the outcome for Zoey will be. This can be a slow process.  I hope she will be able to walk again.  I will let you know.

Updated March 24, 2012

Great news for little Zoey.  According to her “mom” Michelle, Zoey is doing “wonderful!”  She is walking and running again.  They are very pleased and happy with the results of the acupuncture and chiropracitic treatment Zoey received with Dr. Arnesen.  Visit our testimonial page for more on Zoey.

– Dr. Ginger

We’ve launched our new website! With clearer navigation and even more helpful info, we hope it will keep you connected and informed. Learn about us, the services we provide, and special events we have planned for you and your pet.

I am excited about our new website and blog. The goal of this effort is to let others know about the exceptional care provided by Rivertown Animal Hospital. Our new logo and tagline – “Compassionate, exceptional care for your pets.” – were created to help reflect our professionalism and the quality of care we provide for our patients.

Our goal is to help you keep your pets as healthy and happy as possible. When they are sick or injured we want to alleviate pain and help you make the best choices for recovery and healing. Through our website you will have access to information regarding your pet’s care that will also provide a better understanding of our role as veterinary providers. The human/animal bond is amazing. I hope to share stories from our daily experiences that may warm your heart and others that could help save your pet’s life.

As a veterinarian, I am constantly trying to balance the overload of information that is available. Sometimes I think we overwhelm our clients in our effort to keep them informed about how to keep their pets healthy. We strive for excellence in veterinary care, which means keeping up with changing vaccine protocols, emerging diseases and advances in medical technologies. There is a great deal to share! The Internet can be an excellent resource for pet information. Our website will direct you to the best of those resources. Future blogs will cover a wide variety of topics, including veterinary care for cats; alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic and Chinese herbal medicine; heartworm and tick diseases; pet dentistry, pet insurance and euthanasia, just to name a few.

If you have a topic you would like me to cover in this blog, please let me know! You can also join us on Facebook or email us at questions@rivertownanimalhospital.com

  – Dr. Ginger

Bobby had his teeth cleaned at Rivertown on a Friday morning. He had been thoroughly examined, had blood work completed, and was a healthy little five-year-old, six-pound poodle. Bobby’s stay in the hospital went smoothly and he left with clean and shiny teeth. The following Monday, John called and said Bobby wasn’t feeling well. He came to the hospital and had another blood test done. This time his red blood cells were not normal and he was extremely anemic. It was a puzzle. Bobby’s dental had gone off without a hitch and we had no explanation for the anemia. Bobby was initially treated for a possible allergic or autoimmune reaction. After three or four days his anemia was worsening. More blood was sent off to the lab and I asked the clinical pathologist to help me figure out why Bobby was anemic. John’s beloved little dog was sick and I had to find out why. The report came back. Bobby’s blood cells had oxidative damage – possibly caused by onion toxicity (Heinz Body Anemia).

I called John – a big, soft-hearted guy – and asked him, “John, have you been feeding Bobby onions?” John’s reply surprised and delighted me because now I knew why Bobby was ill. “Of course I have! He loves onions!” John, raised on hamburger hot dish loaded with onions, loved to share his favorite dish with his little dog Bobby. Over the weekend he had several bowls of the favorite comfort food. On the Thursday before his dental procedure, John took Bobby for a special treat to White Castle. The usually plain burger this time came with onions. They both shared the tasty snack.

After finding out that the onions were making Bobby sick, I told John I was sure Bobby would be better within a week if he stopped feeding him onions. John felt badly that his giving Bobby what he thought was a good treat had caused his little dog great harm, but was relieved to learn that a simple change in diet would solve the problem.

A happy ending, thanks to perseverance and some exceptional lab work! And a good reminder that not all the foods we eat are safe for our pets.

  – Dr. Ginger

Rivertown Animal Hospital has set the date for the next session of our popular Mini Vet School: the afternoon of Saturday, November 5. This is our fourth year of teaching Mini Vet School.

The Mini Vet School program is open to children between 7 and 12 years of age who are interested in animals and want to see what happens in a real veterinary clinic. The three-hour program is designed to be fun and informative. For more information about the program, visit our Mini Vet School page. To register your child for this fall’s Mini Vet School, please call our office at 651.430.2229.

P.S. Mini Vet School makes a great gift for children who love animals!

Purina Care published an excellent article on ticks in their July newsletter. You can read the full article here. You can also visit the site www.dogsandticks.com for more information on tick disease prevalence.