When the client called the Mt Pleasant, SC veterinarian and described the symptoms the pet was presenting, immediately a blood sample was collected.  Findings showed changes in the kidney function of the pet.  The kidneys are the bean-shaped organs responsible for filtering out waste products from the blood and for producing urine.  Sometimes, by the time kidney disease is detectable in the blood, up to 75% of kidney function may be lost and they are no longer able to do their job properly.

In most cases, the damage to the kidneys cannot be reversed.  It is imperative that you contact your Mt Pleasant veterinarian at the first signs of behavior changes whether dietary or physical.  You should schedule routine six-month wellness examinations at your animal hospital Mt Pleasant SC to ensure your beloved pets are seen by a professional more than once a year.  This will allow your veterinarian more opportunities to detect the early onset of kidney disease before the damage is done.

The health and wellbeing of your pets is important to you and your family. It is also important to keep down the cost of Mt Pleasant SC veterinarian bills! You need to carefully consider the food that you give your pets. People sometimes just pick the first dog food bag they see at the store. It is easy to overlook the importance of dog food but it is essential to pick the right one for your dog.

 To keep your dog or cat healthy, plenty of fresh water and good quality food.

How do you maintain the health and wellbeing of your pets and keep down the cost of veterinary bills? Carefully think about the food that you provide. Do not just grab the first dog or cat food bag you find at the store. It is very important to pick the right food for your pets.

 Fresh water and good quality dog food in proper amounts to meet energy requirements are the key. Follow the instructions on the food package to feed the correct amount.

How do you pick the correct pet food?  Select one that has overall quality. What we have learned is that you will pay a similar amount per nutrition unit. For example: Compare the cheapest bag you can find with Royal Canin from Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital. You will find that you will feed less with the high quality food, provide better nutrition and come close in cost per value.

A phrase you will hear about dog food is human grade, which means that the food is good enough for humans to consume. Many commercial dog foods are made from materials unusable or less desirable for human consumption. Often the meat that is used in dog food is of a quality considered unfit for humans.

Major dog food companies try to provide balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals for maximum benefit. Reputable dog food companies provide an explanation for each supplement and how it benefits your dog, simply provide rough labeling.

Check the proteins, vitamins and minerals provided. Meat-based protein rather than flour, corn gluten meal, or corn is best. Studies indicate dogs reap a healthier coat, fewer digestive problems and firmer stools with quality food. Pet nutrition experts agree that the best dog food is made from human grade ingredients like meat, whole grains and vegetables.

Ask us at Shuler Veterinary Clinic or Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital before selecting your dog food. The health of your pet is also our concern.

If you have a topic that you would like to see, please contact us from our Contact Us page and let us know. Thanks!

Canine Influenza is…

• An emerging threat to the respiratory health of dogs across the US
  - All breeds and ages are susceptible to infection
  - Because it is a new virus, dogs have no natural immunity to it
• Highly contagious and easily spread through:
  - Direct contact (licking or nuzzling)
  - The air (coughing or sneezing)
  - Contaminated surfaces (picked up on the hands or clothing of a person and then spread when another dog is touched or petted)
• Characterized by a persistent cough that may last several weeks, as well as runny nose, watery eyes, and a loss of appetite and/or energy
• Usually mild, but can progress to a more severe infection or pneumonia in 10% to 20% of cases, and is fatal in up to 8% of sick dogs
• A concern for owners whose dogs:
  - Come from a shelter, rescue center, breeder, or pet store
  - Board at a kennel
  - Attend doggie daycare or group training
  - Visit a groomer, dog park, or other places where dogs congregate
  - Participate in dog events and competitions

Canine Influenza Vaccine, H3N8 is…

• The first vaccine available to aid in the prevention of disease associated with canine influenza
• Proven to significantly reduce the coughing, severity, and spread of canine influenza infection
• Proven safe; a killed virus vaccine developed, manufactured, and marketed by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and conditionally licensed by the USDA
  - A conditional license is issued to meet a special circumstance such as the emergence of a new virus for which there is no existing vaccine
• Administered in two doses given 2 to 4 weeks apart
  - One annual booster injection is needed to continue protection

Please contact Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital or Shuler Veterinary Clinic to schedule an appointment for your pet! For more information on canine influenza, H3N8, visit www.doginfluenza.com.

Pets that can benefit from rehabilitation include post-surgical candidates, those with neurological or musculoskeletal injuries, and chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis.  If you feel rehabilitation would be beneficial for your pet, please contact Shuler Veterinary Clinic at (843) 884-4494.

Canine Rehabilitation Certification

The article talks about how memorial contributions to honor pets are not only being made by owners, but also by the pets’ veterinarians.  The story tells of how Dr. Kevin Shuler made a memorial gift in honor of a customer’s springer spaniel that had died.  The owner was so moved that he contributed $25,000 to the New Teaching Hospital Building Fund.

When interviewed, he told of how Dr. Kevin Shuler was a wonderful sincere caregiver, and that he and his father, Dr. K.C. Shuler, had taken care of his pets all of their lives. He further stated that the Shulers were more than just business owners to him and his wife, they were like family doctors. 

To teach your easy dog tricks you will need to have some small reward treats. Be in a quiet suitable place and keep the training sessions to ten to fifteen minutes or your dog will start to get bored.  When he gets something right, give lots of praise and a reward treat. Be careful not to get him over excited or he will loose concentration.

Getting your dog to give you his paw:
First get your dog to sit, then as you say the word ‘paw’ take your dog’s paw in your hand. Give a treat and repeat. After a few times do not take his paw so quickly, say the word, Count to one then take it. You should notice he is bringing his paw up as you say the word. If he does not, go back to saying it at the same time. Do this a few more times then slow your response. After two or three sessions most dogs pick this one up quite happily.

The high five:
Like a lot of tricks, the high five is a progression of the previous trick. Hold a treat in your fingers and raise your hand slightly higher than you would for the paw trick. Your dog will think you want to do the paw trick and will reach for the treat with his paw as you taught him earlier. As he reaches up you say “high five” and give him the treat. Once your dog has mastered the paw trick this one should be very easy to learn and with just a few sessions he will be doing it on hand signal rather than voice control.

Getting your dog to jump through a hoop:
Hold the hoop low enough so your dog does not hurt himself. Sit your dog on one side of a hoola hoop. Get his attention on your hand on the other side of the hoop. Take a treat in your hand and give the dog the command to release him from the sit. At first he may attempt to go around or under the hoop. If this happens, start again. Your dog wants the treat and will soon learn that going around or under does not get it so he will soon start going through it. When he does say hoopla and give him the treat. He will soon be jumping through the hoop on the command of hoopla.

80% of dogs and 70% of cats develop gum disease by the age of three.  Periodontal disease is the most common dental condition and can cause bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream and potentially affect internal organs.

Pet Smile at Mt Pleasant SC Veterinary Clinic

Routine dental cleanings include ultrasonic scaling and sub-gingival scaling and polishing. This procedure is always done under anesthesia.  The overall health of your pet outweighs the anesthetic risk.

If your pet presents any of the following, call our office to schedule a dental:

· Bad Breath or Mouth Odor
· Tartar Accumulation
· Oral Discomfort (Pawing at Mouth or Rubbing Mouth Along Ground)
· Trouble Chewing
· Red or Bleeding Gums
· Dropping Food While Trying to Eat
· Not Eating Well or Cries When Trying to Eat

Once your pet has received his/her dental cleaning, one of our Mt Pleasant SC Vet Clinic technicians will discuss at-home care for your pet.  There are many oral hygiene products to get your pet’s at-home dental care started.

29464 Vet Flea Pyramic

Only 5% of any given flea population is on the pet. 95% of every flea population is in the environment. You may have a problem without seeing the fleas.

The first step to eliminate a flea infestation is to stop reproduction.

The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the flea found on cats and dogs. This means you need to treat both dogs and cats, not just the dog or just the cat.

Fleas stay on the pet. When an adult flea hatches from its pupal stage, it jumps on a dog or cat passing by and stays with that animal for life.

Fleas do not jump from one dog to another. Fleas are acquired from an of infestation of the premises, whether that is outdoors or indoors.

Eggs are laid on the hair coat of the pet and then roll off into the environment where they hatch into larvae. They then enter a pupae stage before emerging as adults.

Once a flea jumps onto an animal, it immediately feeds and breeds, laying eggs within 24 hours. A female can lay 50 eggs a day, each day it is alive. That’s 2000 eggs in a lifetime!

You need a product to kill adults as well as a product to inhibit growth.

No one product does it all. Talk to us at Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital or Shuler Veterinary Clinic to see which flea prevention or treatment is right for your pet!