The construction of our new facility is progressing at a rapid rate.  Workers have been focusing on the interior finishing including the reception counter, shelving, installation of counters and the laying of floor tile.  In the coming weeks, we hope to see the landscaping begin to take shape and anticipate the completion of the roof and exterior painting.  We expect to "move in" to our new hospital in early March, at which point the demolition of the current facility will begin.  This will be followed by the construction of the new parking lot.  We ask that our clients pay close attention to all street signs during this time as traffic flow and parking patterns will change as the construction moves forward.  We continue to appreciate your loyalty and patronage and renew our commitment to providing the best care available for your pets.

NATIONAL DENTAL HEALTH MONTH IS HERE!

February is National Dental Health Month!  This month we ask all of our clients to remember that keeping their pet's teeth clean and healthy is an important part of their welfare.  Each time your pet is examined by your veterinarian, the general condition of their teeth is noted and treatment plans can be made as necessary.  Bring your pet in soon to have their teeth and gums evaluated by one of our veterinarians.  We are happy to offer general dental cleaning and  treatments and would love to help you establish a regular dental regiment that works for you and your pet.

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                      Volume 5, Issue 2                               

Never Ignore Bad Breath!

The following article appeared in "Feline Forum," as produced by the Cornell Feline Health Center, Copyright 2002.

Your cat jumps onto your lap for its morning scratch session, nuzzles your face in appreciation, and you get a whiff of "morning mouth" that you thought was only a human condition.  Now we humans would race to the bathroom, brush, gargle, and hope we smelled sweeter.  But your feline friend can't do that, and what you smell could be signaling a serious problem.  Do not ignore it!

Ninety percent of the time, bad breath in cats almost always indicates a dental problem.  Cats get gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque and tartar build up on the surface of the teeth.  One indicator of gingivitis is bad breath, and the problem is easily treated by having your cat's teeth cleaned.  When signs of gingivitis (red, bleeding gums and bad breath) are ignored, your cat is at risk of developing a more serious oral problem.  Periodontitis, which results from gingivitis that has been neglected, affects the structures supporting teeth.  If your cat shows any of the signs of gingivitis, combined with an unwillingness to eat, the gingivitis may have advanced to periodontitis, which makes it painful and uncomfortable to chew food.

Another complication of untreated mouth ailments is stomatitis, inflammation of the entire mouth.  By this point there may be large painful sores in your cat's mouth and she is likely not eating.  Because currently there is no good treatment for it, sometimes the only remedy is to pull the teeth.

Early diagnosis and treatment of dental disease is the best way to keep morning breath away.

Can you guess the breeds of the cats pictured below?  Check you answers on page 4.

1)

2)

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                      Volume 5, Issue 2                               

Justin King is February's Employee of the Month.  Justin has been working with us for about seven months and has done a wonderful job in that time.  Justin recently began training to become one of our Veterinary Technicians, which will include more responsibility to our doctors and patients.   We are very excited about his new position and anticipate more great work from him in our new facility.

   What's Your Diagnosis?

This month's question will be an identification.  Here are some clues:

1. I lay eggs.
   
2. I like to sun myself.
   
3. I'm never far from home.
   
4. I'm sometimes called a living dinosaur.
   

"Molley,"  a fourteen year old Chihuahua, presented with a complaint of having difficulty with chewing, foul mouth odor and being less active than usual.  On examination we noted weight loss, a heart murmur, severe gum disease and tartar accumulation on the teeth.  After obtaining a blood sample and EKG to  check the heart, we proceeded with anesthesia and cleaning the teeth and treating the gums.  Molley had gum disease so severe that several teeth had to be extracted in order to facilitate proper gum healing. 

Gum disease, called periodontitis, involves an infection of deep tooth root pockets.  This leads to tooth loss, gum recession, foul breath and infections that travel through the body via the blood stream.  Molley's heart murmur was determined, in this case, not to be related to her dental disease.  Her mouth infection treatment started with taking all the tartar off the teeth, even below the gum line.  She was then treated for three weeks with appropriate antibiotic therapy.  Future care will consist of routine dental cleaning at home and pulse therapy with antibiotics.  Pulse therapy consists of giving antibiotics a few days out of each month.  This helps to greatly reduce bacterial counts that can cause recurrence of periodontitis.  Besides reducing infections, pulse therapy decreases associated pain and inflammation and allows pets to live longer, healthier lives.

Dental care is an important part of your pet's life.  It not only keeps you both happy, it also decreases problematic infections and helps your pet stay healthy.  If your pet is not currently receiving at home dental care, now is a good time to start.  Make an appointment with one of our veterinarians to discuss the proper dental care protocol that's best for you and your pet.

Name that Breed!  (Answers)

1)

The Egyptian Mau is a very distinguished cat, primarily because of the role it was believed to have played in Ancient Egyptian culture.  Based on artwork recovered from the period, it is apparent that the Egyptian Mau was worshipped as a deity and were even mummified upon their death. 

2)

3)

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                      Volume 5, Issue 2