Close Call!!!!

Looks like this one is going to pass us by! 

 But are you ready for the next one? 

 We want to make sure all our South Florida pets are ready for hurricanes.  Don’t forget to microchip your pet and make sure we can always find their homes…………………. in any situation. 

To Spay and Neuter: A Good Idea

There is no question:

To spay or neuter your dog or cat is good for your pet’s health, for you as a caring pet owner, and for your community.

Spaying/neutering offers a variety of medical benefits that helps your dog or cat live longer and remain healthy.

1. Spaying reduces the chances of females developing mammary tumors and eliminates future uterine infections and uterine and ovarian cancers.

2. Neutering of males reduces the likelihood of prostrate disease and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.

"Early-age" spaying/neutering is medically sound and can be achieved as young as eight weeks of age.

This assures your pet will not accidentally mate and can also prevent some undesirable habits from forming.

Consult VPAH about all of the benefits of having your pet spayed/neutered and the appropriate age for surgery.
Learn how easy it is for you and your pet. 

Behavioral Benefits
 In general, spaying or neutering means you should enjoy a calmer and more even-tempered, people-oriented pet.

Spaying females eliminates the nervous whining, yowling, pacing behavior normally associated with a heat cycle.

Neutering male cats reduces or eliminates territorial marking (spraying of urine on surfaces).
Neutering also reduces excessive aggression in dogs and cats towards other animals.
Spaying/neutering of males and females reduces the desire to roam in search of mates. There is less risk of injury from traffic accidents or from fights with other animals.
Spayed and neutered pets are more likely to adapt well to human households and turn their attention and affection towards their owners.

Community Benefits
Spaying/neutering prevents unexpected or unwanted reproduction, often the cause of homeless animals and the reason for higher costs of animal control and the need for animal sheltering programs.

Spaying/neutering reduces a dog’s or cat’s desire to roam, resulting in fewer traffic accidents and neighborhood complaints of nuisance animals.

Your veterinarian plays a key role in your pet’s continued good health. Regular check-ups, vaccinations, and spaying/neutering are all part of responsible pet ownership.

If cost of spaying/neutering is an issue, Broward County Animal Control have established a low-cost spay/neuter program that makes the surgery affordable.  
Visit their website for more information: http://www.broward.org/ANIMAL/PROGRAMSSERVICES/Pages/SPOT.aspx

Health Benefits

The Mystery of Bladder Stones

Mystery is a female, spayed 6 year old Havanese, she was taken in by a Havanese rescue group and placed with a foster family. The day after being placed with her foster parents, her foster mom noticed that Mystery was urinating frequently. She brought her in to VPAH to see Dr. Birken.


Examination revealed a healthy dog except for a large, hard mass that was palpable in the area of the bladder. Radiographs (x-rays) revealed a thickened, distended bladder with 4 large bladder stones.

Xray showing 4 Lg stones in bladder

Stones in the bladder can form secondary to many causes including diet, breed and water intake. They are a painful condition for pets and can cause many types of urinary problems including infections, incontinence and most seriously, complete blockage. They can occur not only inside the bladder but also in the kidneys, ureters or urethra. Patients can urinate out some small stones, but the large ones must be removed surgically. Usually they must be diagnosed with a radiograph or ultrasound.


Mystery had blood work performed to check her kidney and liver function and her red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in preparation for surgical removal of the bladder stones. Her blood work was normal and on her day of surgery, she also had an intravenous catheter placed and was hooked up to intravenous fluids to support her kidney function and help maintain her blood pressure during anesthesia and surgery


Mystery underwent a procedure called a cystotomy. This procedure involves opening the bladder, removing all stones, flushing out the bladder, and closing the bladder wall tightly to ensure no leakage. A total of 4 stones were extracted from Mystery’s distended bladder. She was kept hospitalized on fluids, antibiotics, and pain medications until normal urination was confirmed.

Bladder

first stone removed



all 4 stones removed


Our plans to control Mystery’s Stones are:
1. Diet change –Prescription Diet C/D Canine Urinary Tract Health
2. Urinalysis - We will monitor her urine for any infections to prevent stones from forming.


Mystery was a very sweet girl during her stay with us.


Mystery is available for adoption
Contact Havanese Rescue (916)792-2426
(Foster mom is Claudia)

IS YOUR PET READY FOR HURRICANE SEASON?

The harsh reality in South Florida is that you can never tell when a hurricane will hit; a harsher reality is that 90% of lost pets never find their way back home.  Protect your loved ones from loss with Datamars pet recovery and identification system.  

Microchipping offers pet owners the only truly permanent method of identifying your pet and linking the animal back to you.   Collar tags can break or become unreadable and tattooing can become illegible. So, if you want to improve your pet’s chances of getting home fast and safe in case it were to go missing, microchipping is your best option.

Since 1988, Datamars has been designing the most complete portfolio

of RFID solutions for companion animal identification as well as the

Empowering online application Pet Link that supports the reunification

of pets with their owners. Datamars' products include rice-sized glass

and plastic-encapsulated RFID transponders, painlessly injected

under the skin of the animal for permanent identification.

Applications:

v  Companion animal identification

v  Lost pet reunification

v  Companion animal health record management

Key benefits:

v  Error-free identification

v  Universal readability

v  Extreme durability

v  Fast and painless injection

v  Complete pet ID package

Visit Pet Links online registration at www.petlink.net

Your pets safety and security is our #1 priority…

VPAH is promoting microchipping & safety during Hurricane season.

Special Hurricane price of $50.00