The Andy's Veterinary Clinic – Kiambu Road

Pet Care During Floods

admin456Qfff — Mon, 06 May 2024 09:54:51 +0000

Pet Care During Floods: Essential Tips from The Andys Veterinary Clinic Ltd
1. Keep an eye on weather forecasts and warnings. Stay informed about potential flood risks in your area and be prepared to take action.
2. Prepare a waterproof kit including essential items such as pet food, water, medications, copies of medical records, a first aid kit, and your pet’s favorite toys or comfort items.
3. Identify safe areas in your home where your pets can stay during flooding. Keep them away from areas prone to water accumulation or electrical hazards.
4. Ensure your pets are microchipped and wearing identification tags with current contact information. This greatly increases the chances of being reunited if you get separated during a flood.
5. Familiarize your pets with evacuation procedures and practice them regularly. Have a plan in place for transporting your pets safely in case of evacuation.
6. To keep your pet on high grounds on a leash or cage to prevent them from wandering into dangerous areas or being swept off by floods.
7. Keep a close eye on your pets for signs of distress or injury during floods. Watch for symptoms of anxiety, dehydration, or exposure to contaminated water.
8. Keep your pets away from floodwaters, as they may contain hazardous substances, bacteria, or debris that could harm them if ingested or if it comes into contact with their skin.
9. Pets can pick up on your emotions, so stay calm and reassuring during floods. Comfort them and provide a sense of security to help alleviate stress and anxiety.
10. Keep pets away from damp or moldy areas to avoid respiratory issues.
11. Keep pets away from areas treated with pesticides or other chemicals to prevent poisoning.
12. Keep living areas clean and dry to prevent the spread of disease and parasites.
13. Check on your pets frequently and ensure their safety and well-being.
14. Prevent pets from drinking or coming into contact with floodwaters which may be contaminated.
15. Be patient with your pets as they may exhibit unusual behavior due to stress.
16. If your pet experiences any health issues or injuries during floods, seek veterinary care immediately. Prompt treatment can prevent complications and ensure your pet’s well-being.

Reasons why your pet might be losing weight.

admin456Qfff — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 11:56:43 +0000

Reasons why your pet might be losing weight

Weight loss refers to unintended loss of body weight. Pet owners should be concerned when their pet starts losing weight after years of maintain the same weight. Sudden or gradual weight loss is a sign that something is not well with your pet. Here are the things to look out for when your pet is losing weight:

Poor diet

Proper nutrition for your pets is an essential component of their health and should be well managed throughout their life. Poor diet is where the food is deficient of macro and micro elements, for example, Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc etc, vitamin-D and proteins.

Your pet starts losing weight when these nutritional needs are not met on a regular basis. Apart from weight loss, other symptoms of poor diet include stunted growth, frequent infections, rickets, allergies, fur loss and behavioural problems.

Diet related behavioural issues in pets may include nervousness where the dog is overly submissive or aggression with no apparent provocation.

Diseases.

Weight loss in your per can be caused by decreased or insufficient food intake due to the systemic or dental diseases. Systemic disease might be from bacterial, viral or protozoal origin. Systemic disease will cause poor or no appetite leading to acute or chronic weight loss in your pet.

Kidney or gastrointestinal diseases will cause wasting of muscles and loss of proteins resulting to weight loss.

Diabetes seen mostly in cats will cause weight loss despite the cat having a ravenous appetite.

Uncommon disease, like hyperthyroidism seen in cats, where they are active and have good appetite, but they still lose weight.

Dental problems, especially seen with the geriatric patients will have pain or difficulties in eating. Bad breath, red gums and tooth discolouration are signs that your pet has dental problems.

Cancer, certainly causes weight loss, this is especially seen in pets that are not in restricted diet. Other signs that might indicate that your pet may be having cancer are poor appetite, wounds that never heal, bumps and lumps, difficulties in urinating and defecating, lack of energy, coughing and changes in behaviour.

Parasites

Serious health issues or even death may occur if worm infestation is left untreated. Worms can either be round, tape or hook-worms will cause loss of appetite, diarrhoea, lethargy, coughing and loss of weight. Inconsistent deworming schedule or poor choice of dewormers will contribute to increased worm burden in your pet.

Stress

Dogs and cats may start losing weight when they are stressed. Cats are easily stressed by small things like having a new person at home, loud or noisy environment and a dirty litter box.

Dogs get stressed from loud environment like fireworks, anxiety after being separated from their owner and social anxiety, where the dog was not socialised when they were young and go through a lot of stress when they are exposed to people or other dogs.

The Andys Veterinary Hospital.

Ngong Road, Nairobi.

Common Poisoning for pets.

admin456Qfff — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 10:22:29 +0000

Common Poisoning for pets

There are many ways your pet can get poisoned by ingesting things commonly found around homes. Other times pet owners unknowingly give food substances to their pets that are poisonous. Here are the most common pet poisons that come to our hospital.

House hold cleaning products

Ingestion of soaps may not be toxic but may cause vomiting and diarrhoea associated with gastrointestinal irritation. House hold bleaches contain hypochlorite or sulphuric compounds are toxic and will cause hyper salivation, abdominal pains, vomiting, coughing and dyspnoea.

Garbage intoxication

This comes from ingestion of spoiled food and compost. This is common with dogs and organisms implicated food poisoning includes E.coli, salmonella spp, staphylococcus, streptococcus among others. Signs of poisoning includes vomiting, diarrhoea (may be bloody), fever and endotoxic shock.

Incidence of food poisoning happens especially during t the festive season and the owner may provide the history of the dog scourging in the garbage.

Chocolate poisoning

This comes from ingestion of chocolate cakes, bars or cocoa powder. Chocolates have an active ingredient known as theobromine which dogs and cats cannot process it out from their body resulting to poisoning. Chocolate poisoning is seen during the holiday seasons or celebrations. Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle tremors confusion, seizures and sometimes death.

Ethylene Gycol intoxication

This commonly found in car coolants, solvents and rust removers. Dog just needs about 4 mls per kg and cats 1.5 ml/kg to cause neurological, cardio-respiratory and renal disease. Pets usually have history of exposure and pet owner’s report that the pet is walking like it is drunk. Other signs include anorexia, lethargy, seizures and vomiting.

Acetaminophen/Paracetamol Toxicosis

Paracetamol poisoning happens when the owner may have administered this over the counter medication to their pet or the pet accidentally swallowed the tablets that had been dropped on the floor.

Cats are more affected than dogs by damage to their RBC, while dogs may suffer hepatic necrosis. Signs of poisoning in cats develop within 1 to 2 hours of ingestions and include progressive depression, vomiting, dark coloured urine and abdominal pain.

Aspirin toxicosis

Aspirin poisoning is more severe in cats than in dogs. Cats lack glucuronly transferase, an enzyme which is necessary for breaking down and excretion of aspirin. Toxic dose in cats is 25 mg/kg and signs of poisoning include depression, anorexia weakness and death. These signs develop within 4 to 6 hours of ingestion.

Marijuana and Hashish Toxicosis.

Marijuana and Hashish oils contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which interacts with neurotransmitters and dogs get more affected than cats.

Pets usually gain exposure through ingestion of left over’s baked goods containing marijuana, or from ingesting the butts of marijuana cigarettes. Signs of poisoning are visible within 30 minutes to an hour after ingestion. These signs will include dullness, lethargy, dilated pupils vomiting, tremors and acute aggression.

Anticoagulant rodenticide Toxicosis

This happens when the owner has placed some rat baits, and the pet was poisoned primarily by ingestion of the bait or secondarily from consuming a poisoned rat. Some of the signs of poisoning will manifest clinically days and even up to weeks after consumption of the rodenticides.

Acaricide poisoning

They include Amitraz, Organophosphates and pyrethrins which are insecticides used in flea and Tick control. Poisoning occurs when the pet accidentally licks the acaricide or through the skin after the pet has been washed. Cats appear to be more predisposed to having severe signs of pyrethroid, organophosphate and amitraz poisoning. Amitraz should never be used on cats.

Others

Mushroom poisoning; some species of mushrooms cause death in pets especially the ones that grow in the wild. The owner may be able to provide history of exposure, and signs of poisoning include abdominal pain, weakness, diarrhoea, depression, hallucinations, seizures, vomiting and death.

Snake bite/Spider sting envenomation: Seen in dry and arid areas and the common bites come from puff adders and cobras. The toxicity of envenomation depends upon the species of snakes and the amount of venom injected. Boom slang envenomation, while it is not usually lethal to an adult human, may be lethal to a dog or cat.

Cats are more sensitive to spider bites (Black widow spiders), than dogs and signs may include hyper salivation, severe pain and paralysis.

Treatment

It is important to seek medical help from your veterinarian as soon you have noticed unusual behaviour from your pet or you suspect that you pet could have consumed a poisonous substance.

The Andys Veterinary Hospital.

6 Important Things You Need To Know About Your Pup’s Hygiene

admin456Qfff — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 16:13:40 +0000

6 Important Things You Need To Know About Your Pup’s Hygiene

Let’s be real here: in popular society, dogs are not expected to be clean. But there’s more to canine hygiene than just the occasional bath. There are teeth to brush, dog beds to clean, and even chew toys to de-slobber. Unsure of where to begin? Here’s a complete guide to everything you need to know about your canine’s cleanliness.

Bathing your dog

Source: @lili.t333

Most pet owners over-bathe their dogs. After all, we can’t have a dirty dog lying on the couch or leaping into beds with us. But surprisingly, dogs don’t need to be bathed that much. Veterinarians recommend for dogs to be bathed once every three months. Active dogs, long-haired dogs, or dogs who enjoy rolling in things should obviously be bathed more frequently, but the average dog is good with one bath every couple of months, according to the ASPCA. Frequent washing can irritate the skin, causing the skin to flake and the coat to become duller.

Brushing your dog’s teeth

The most common disease for dogs? Nope, not heartworm–periodontal disease. The disease is formed in the gums and is caused by tartar build up on the teeth. Periodontal disease can have dire side effects if not treated, including bacterial infections that could be lethal. The easiest way to avoid this? Brush your dog’s teeth–every day. That’s right, every time you brush your teeth, you should be brushing your dog’s too.

Although veterinarians recommend using a toothbrush designed for dogs when brushing your pup’s teeth, a quick way to clean their teeth daily is to use your fingers. But make sure you start training your dog on teeth brushing when they’re young. They’re less likely to nibble on your fingers that way!

Cleaning your dog’s bed

Unless there’s a soiled diaper lying somewhere in your house right now, chances are the dirtiest thing in your home is your dog’s bed. A dog’s bed is a haven for fleas, ticks, germs, and allergens. You can bathe your dog as much as you want, but if their bed is dirty, then so is your dog.

A good advice is to buy a dog bed with a removable fabric cover that can be taken off and thrown into the washing machine twice a month. If you have a dog that sheds, the dog bed should be vacuumed at least once a week. Your dog might not like the cleanliness, but your house (and guests!) will thank you for it.

Cleaning your dog’s toys

Source: @jessiekim0323

The cleanliness of your dog’s toys is especially important as these often go in your dog’s mouth. Cleaning a toy with disinfectant or cleaning sprays could harm or even potentially poison your dog. ASPCA recommends using water-diluted bleach to clean non-soft toys. For a greener solution, Apartment Therapy suggests soaking toys in a half water, half vinegar solution for 30 minutes. Whatever concoction you use, remember to wash toys at least once a month for safe playing.

Cleaning your dog’s paws

Source: @gretabanchieri

Your dog’s paws carry whatever they step in, that includes pesticides, pollens, molds, dust mites, and other pollutants. Because they don’t get bathed every day, it’s a good idea to clean their paws at least once a month either with a paw soak or a rub down with a wet cloth, according to Healthy Pets. If you have a hairy dog, don’t forget to trim and brush the hairs between their toes. Cleaning your dog’s paws regularly will cut down on the amount of paw chewing and licking they do, too.

Cleaning your dog’s collar/leash/harness

Source: @madebymarley

Any dog owner will know that a collar, after awhile, can start to smell funky. After bathing your dog and cleaning their bed, it doesn’t make any sense to slap a dirty collar on them. Collars don’t need to be washed that much, but as soon as it starts to smell or become brown/black, it’s a good idea to toss it in the washing machine with some pet-friendly detergent. A quick way to also clean a collar is to soak it in a bowl of a hot water and dog shampoo. Do a final rinse with cold water and you’re good to go.

How to Properly Feed Your Underwater Pet

admin456Qfff — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 16:11:31 +0000

How to Properly Feed Your Underwater Pet

The amount of food you give your fish is important. That said, do not overfeed the animal. You have probably heard this before and it is true. While overfeeding won’t make your fish explode, it will contaminate the water, making the tank an unpleasant place to live. In addition, an excessive amount of food particles in the tank can clog the filters, which also causes the water to become toxic.

So how much food is too much?

It depends on the type, size, and breed of your fish. Try sprinkling a small amount of food in the fish’s tank and watch. Your fish should eat its fill in about five minutes. Experiment and take notes until you find appropriate amount for your fish. However, it is better to err on the side of caution — at least at first — and feed the fish too little rather than too much.

How many times should you feed your fish daily?

This will also depend on the fish’s breed and size. Most fish only require a once-a-day feeding, though some people like to split it into two smaller feedings. Consult your veterinarian or the fish experts at your local aquarium to learn about the daily requirements for your particular breed. But be aware that a fish will eat even when it’s not hungry. So there is no point feeding your water-bound pet three times a day, when once a day is sufficient.

Hematological and Biochemical Changes in Horses

admin456Qfff — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 16:08:41 +0000

Hematological and Biochemical Changes in Horses

ABSTRACT

This was a prospective study, which involved following up cases of colic and from which blood samples for haematology and serum for biochemical analysis were collected. The haematological parameters measured were total erythrocyte count (TEC), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), Haematocrit (hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentartion (MCHC), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), platelet count, Total leucocyte count (TLC) and leucocyte differential count. The biochemical parameters measured were alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total proteins, serum albumin, serum globulin, blood glucose and serum lactate. The data obtained from the reported cases of colic was then imported into StatPlus pro 5.9.8 statistical package and means±SD were calculated and student t-test was then used to compare the means from horses that had impaction colic with those that had spasmodic colic as well as the means of those horses that recovered with those of the horses that died. The level of significance was at P<0.05.

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) was significantly higher (p=0.03) in horses with spasmodic colic (16.8±1.3 pg) than in those with impaction colic (15.6±1.2 pg). The mean leucocyte count (10⁹/L) was significantly higher (p=0.02) in horses with impaction colic (12.9±5.9) than in those with spasmodic colic (9.0±1.5). Similarly, mean neutrophil count (10⁹/L) was significantly higher (p=0.02) in horses with impaction colic (9.1±5.6) than in those with spasmodic colic (5.4±1.7). The mean values of blood glucose were significantly higher (p=0.02) in horses with impaction colic (5.7±2.0 mmol/l) than in those with spasmodic colic (3.7±1.4 mmol/l). The blood biochemical parameters that were significantly lower in horses that died than those that survived were total protein (P =0.002), albumin (P<0.01) and globulin (P=0.04). Apart from Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and slight leucocyte and neutrophil changes, there were no major significant haematological changes in horses with colic. Total blood proteins including albumin and globulin levels could serve as possible guides to prognosis of colic in horses. The general prognosis of spasmodic colic in horses was good, but fair to poor for impaction.

Spaying or Neutering your pet

admin456Qfff — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 15:18:10 +0000

Spaying or Neutering your pet

By spaying or neutering your pet, you’ll help control the pet population, which results in few healthy dogs and cats that are being able to be taken care of. There are medical and behavioral benefits to spaying (female pets) and neutering (male pets) your animals.

Here are some of the medical benefits:

Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
Neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems.

And behavioral benefits:

Your spayed female pet won’t go into heat. While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they’ll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house!
Your male dog will be less likely to roam away from home. An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate, including finding creative ways escape from the house. Once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other male animals.
Your neutered male may be better behaved. Unneutered dogs and cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Your dog might be less likely to mount other dogs, people and inanimate objects after he’s neutered. Some aggression problems may be avoided by early neutering.

Spaying/neutering your pets is also highly cost-effective. The cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is far less than the cost of having and caring for a litter.

Debunking Spay/Neuter Myths and Misconceptions

Spaying or neutering will not cause your pet to become overweight. Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor her food intake.
Neutering is not as a quick fix for all behavior problems. Although neutering your pet often reduces undesirable behaviors caused by a higher level of testosterone, there’s no guarantee that your dog’s behavior will change after he’s neutered. Although the surgery will reduce the amount of testosterone in your dog’s system, it won’t eliminate the hormone completely. Neutering will also not reduce behaviors that your pet has earned or that have become habitual. The effects of neutering are largely dependent on your dog’s individual personality, physiology and history.

When to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

For dogs: While the traditional age for neutering is six to nine months, puppies as young as eight weeks old can be neutered as long as they’re healthy. Dogs can be neutered as adults as well, although there’s a slightly higher risk of post-operative complications in older dogs, dogs that are overweight or dogs that have health problems.
For cats: It is generally considered safe for kittens as young as eight weeks old to be spayed or neutered. In animal shelters, surgery is often performed at this time so that kittens can be sterilized prior to adoption. In an effort to avoid the start of urine spraying and eliminate the chance for pregnancy, it’s advisable to schedule the surgery before your own cat reaches five months of age. It’s possible to spay a female cat while she’s in heat.

Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best time to spay or neuter your pet.

Helping Your Pet Before and After Surgery

Your veterinary clinic will provide pre-surgical advice that you should follow. In general, avoid giving your cat any food after midnight the night before surgery. A puppy or kitten, however, needs adequate nutrition, and your veterinarian may advise that food not be withheld.

Your veterinarian can also provide post-operative instructions for you to follow. Although your pet may experience some discomfort after surgery, your veterinarian can take various measures to control pain. Depending on the procedure performed, medication for pain may be sent home with your pet.

Here are tips for a safe and comfortable recovery:

Provide your pet with a quiet place to recover indoors and away from other animals.
Prevent your pet from running and jumping for up to two weeks following surgery, or as long as your veterinarian recommends.
Prevent your pet from licking the incision site, which may cause infection, by distracting your pet with treats or by using an Elizabethan collar.
Avoid bathing your pet for at least ten days after surgery.
Check the incision site daily to confirm proper healing.

If you notice any redness, swelling or discharge at the surgery site, or if the incision is open, please contact your veterinarian. Also call your veterinarian if your pet is lethargic, has a decreased appetite, is vomiting or has diarrhea or any other concerns following surgery.

Megaesophagus

admin456Qfff — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 15:05:08 +0000

Megaesophagus

Megaesophagus is loss of tone and motility of the esophagus, which often results to diffuse dilation of the esophagus and clinical sign seen is mostly regurgitation. This condition can be either congenital or acquired.

In addition to regurgitation, other signs includes aspiration pneumonia which develops when there is entrance of food or liquid into the lungs. Other common symptoms include vomiting, cough, nasal discharge increased respiratory noises, weight loss, extreme hunger or lack of appetite and poor growth.

Visiting your veterinarian will help in diagnosing megaesophagus after a series of tests which includes x rays. Treatment is normally addressed towards the underlying cause of megaesophagus, in addition to supportive care aiming at providing therapy for minimizing regurgitation, providing ample nutrition and resolving aspiration pneumonia.

Understanding why your dog is aggressive

admin456Qfff — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 15:02:10 +0000

Dog Aggression

Dog aggression is a character many dogs owners encounter with trepidation. There is no doubt that many dog owners are victims of bites from their own dogs, especially when they try to separate dogs fighting. While there are many others who have been ambushed by an aggressive dog.

There are animal factors like Hereditary or Genetic and Environmental factors that play a major role in dog aggression.

Animal factors include Breeds like Rottweiler are more likely to be aggressive than Golden retrievers. Females on heat or those that are nursing puppies can be aggressive as well.

Environmental conditions include lack of socialization, poor living conditions, excessive punishment and teasing by the children can be a source of aggression in dogs.

Dogs may exhibit more than one type of aggression;

Territorial: Normal between males or females
Fear: This is directed towards other dogs or even human which is as a result of nervousness from poor environment or handling of the dog.
Dominance: The dominant dog controls the pack and those that challenge his or her authority get into fights.
Frustration: Lack of socialization or playing with other dogs or even human cause aggression.
Misdirected aggression: Seen in dog fights where aggression is directed towards the person who is trying to separate them.
Predatory: Anything that can stimulate chase response or fast movements that stimulate even calm dogs.
Drugs: Some dogs on treatment with steroids (prednisolone) can exhibit aggression towards other dogs or human.

Early socialization of puppies and matching the right breed with the owner helps to prevent aggression. The goal is never to let a dog achieve dormant status on other dogs or even human. Behavioral modification like training on obeying crucial commands with food treats helps. Neutering helps in reducing aggression between dogs but has little effects on aggression towards human. When a dog is very dangerous to people, it is the responsibility of the owner to make drastic decisions to avoid unwarranted injuries or death to other dogs and more so to human beings.

Author

Dr. Anderson Gitari. Bvm, Mvet Surg

Spaying and Neutering Rabbits

admin456Qfff — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:59:27 +0000

Spaying and Neutering Rabbits

Rabbits can reproduce many times in a year and for those who keep them as pets, this can be challenging to take care of this rapidly increasing population. In addition, sexual aggression is common and this can be eliminated by castration of the male rabbit (buck) or spaying the female rabbit (doe). Spayed doe is likely to live longer and this reduces chances of them getting uterine cancer, compared to unspayed female where the risk is more than 80 %.

Surgery can be done when the rabbits are about 5 months of age and they should be offered food right up to the time of operation and thereafter, because rabbits cannot vomit and therefore no risk of aspiration pneumonia. It is important to know that males will still have sperms in their tubes 3 weeks after surgery. It is, therefore, recommended that they are kept away from the females for a while. The reproductive power of rabbits is amazing.

Author

Dr. Anderson Gitari. Bvm, Mvet Surg.