Autumn animal health

Joseph A. D’Abbraccio, D.V.M.
Posted 8/21/12

Autumn across our region is nothing short of spectacular. While in awe of the amazing colors and contrast, it is also important for you to prepare your pets for the winter months ahead.

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Autumn animal health

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Autumn across our region is nothing short of spectacular. While in awe of the amazing colors and contrast, it is also important for you to prepare your pets for the winter months ahead.

Whether you have dogs, cats, horses, sheep, or cows, it is important to have your veterinarian provide a thorough check up to ensure that your pet is healthy and ready for winter. In our region, the winters are generally long and can be very difficult on people as well as animals. For dogs and cats, it is important that your pets are treated for fleas and ticks. Many of them have been exposed to these parasites over the summer, and despite what many think, the cold weather is not a repellant. These parasites will continue to live off of your pets by feeding the dog’s/cat’s blood supply and often transmitting very serious diseases. One of the most serious is Lyme disease, which is transmitted during feeding by a tick that is infected with the bacteria. Given that New York has such a high prevalence of Lyme disease, fall is a very good time of year to be sure that your pet did not contract Lyme, or any of the other diseases spread by ticks. Early detection and treatment is very important to ensure that your pet does not have long standing affects of Lyme disease.

Internal parasites are another common concern as the seasons change. During the warmer months, intestinal parasites are commonly found out in your yard or pasture. Internal parasites compete for the nutrients your animals consume and therefore no matter how well you feed them they can continue to lose weight, have loose bowel movements and have poor fur coats. The best way to identify the proper deworming medication to give to your pet is to have a fecal sample evaluated. This is a simple test that can be provided by your veterinarian’s office. In many cases you may receive results within an hour; however some specific tests may take one to two business days.

Horses are animals that are greatly affected by seasons changing and often lose weight over the winter. Horses that are harder to maintain at a balanced weight are referred to as “hard keepers,” and those that have no issue with weight are termed “easy keepers.” Weight loss can be attributed to internal parasites or to severe cold requiring more energy to keep warm, but also may be caused by something as simple as dental disease. Given the way they chew their food, horses have teeth that continue to erupt. When a horse’s teeth problems are not properly addressed, there is strong risk of their not being able to properly digest their food, and they become unable to absorb nutrients completely. At least once a year a thorough oral examination should be performed to evaluate the architecture of your horse’s teeth, and your veterinarian can then discuss how to correct these issues. Often this involves rasping their teeth with either hand rasps or mechanical rasps. This procedure is called “floating.” Some horses need their teeth to be looked at every six months.

Lastly, vaccinations are also an important way of being sure that your pets are ready for the winter. Animals of all types and kinds should be current on their vaccinations. The best way to vaccinate your pet is to speak with your veterinarian about where your animal goes and what you do with them. This way you and your veterinarian can create a custom vaccine.

Be sure to enjoy the beautiful colors and the crisp air and be sure to contact your family veterinarian to schedule your pet’s check up.

[Contact Dr. D’Abbraccio at www.facebook.com/CatskillVeterinaryServices, www.catskillvetser vices.com, or jdabbracciodvm@icloud.com.]

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