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Doc's Journal  Dental Care ! Do you know how often you should have your pet's teeth cleaned? Do you know that the bad odor is coming from the bacteria in the mouth? Click on "Dental Care" above and find out everything you wanted to know about your pet's mouth!  Do dogs have allergies?
Allergies are one of the most common problems that we see in dogs. In contrast to the way allergy symptoms are manifested in people, dogs primarily show symptoms of itchy skin. The three most common ways dogs present with allergies are itchy ears, itchy feet, and itchy eyes. Normally dogs have a small amount of bacteria and yeast that reside in the ear canal and do not cause a problem. The dogs immune system is able to keep the organisms at bay. When dogs become allergic to things in the environment, or to food, the ear canal becomes inflamed. This provides a perfect environment for the overgrowth of the bacteria and yeast and results in an external ear infection. Many people think their dogs have ear mites, when in fact that is a fairly rare occurrence in Arizona. Dogs sometimes lick their feet when they have allergies. Many people think their pet has something in it’s foot (ie. stickers), but the foot is just itchy. After the dog licks for a while, then the moist environment causes a bacterial infection. Some dogs rub their faces on the carpet, couch, or with their paws. They can get red eyes, and this can contribute to infections Above is a diagram of a canine ear. You can see that there is an angle to the canal which allows debris and discharge to accumulate. It is very important to clean the total ear canal and not just the opening when there is an infection involved. Call us if you think your dog is showing symptoms of allergies.  What is your Diagnosis?
This x-ray was taken of a 7 month old Lab mix pup with a history of 3 months of lameness. The owner thought the lameness was due to a dog fight, and just never seemed to improve. The pup showed pain in the pelvis, and x-rays show extensive damage to the pelvic bones. No fractures were apparent. A Valley Fever test was run, and the results were positive. The dog was immediately started on antibiotics specific for Valley Fever, and is currently under treatment as of 10/1/02. Keep posted, as we will treat for 2 to 3 months and then re-test the animal. We will also re-take the xrays. -How can your animal get Valley Fever? -Is Valley Fever contagious? -Can my animal die from Valley Fever? -Is it expensive to treat ? For answers to these questions and more stay tuned............ Update 11/27/02. I talked to this client last week. Hoku has been on Fluconazole now for approximately 45 days. She is in good spirits and does not seem as painful. A re-check is scheduled for about 1 month, and the valley fever test will be retaken, along with additional x-rays. | Doc's Journal | | Return Home | Events | Services | Links | FAQ | Contacts | Info | Our Patients | Tour | |
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