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January 13, 2011
A Client Asks:
“We are adding a female English bulldog puppy to our family in the next two weeks. Can you provide detailed information with your experience with bulldogs and their particular needs[?]”
Our Response:
How exciting! New puppies can be so much fun!
It sounds as if you also know that new puppies can bring a lot of responsibility. The English Bulldog can be an expensive breed, so they are not exactly pervasive here, but we do have quite a few Bulldog patients in our practice. And, as veterinary professionals, we are familiar with this breed’s specific common issues. For instance, we know that Bulldogs can become obese relatively easily, so proper nutrition and exercise are topics that we like to discuss with clients from early on in the pet’s life. (Also see our "Puppy Visits Checklist" for further information about new puppy appointments).
It is also important to recognize that Bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed, meaning that they have short faces or “smushed” snouts. From Bulldogs to Boxers, from Pugs to Pekingese, our practice cares for brachycephalic dogs virtually every day. While this doesn’t necessarily pose a danger for every such pet, our staff is familiar with the special care that must be taken during restraint and handling, in hot conditions, or when a pet is under anesthesia. In fact, one of our doctors has her own brachycephalic dog, affording her daily experience with a “special breather.”
That smushy Bulldog face can call for specialized skin care as well. Along with facial fold maintenance, Bulldogs may require attention for sensitive skin all over the body. We can recommend products and techniques to help keep your specific pet’s facial folds clean and infection-free. Additionally, we can help you identify any allergens or other skin sensitivity triggers; then we can dispense or recommend appropriate medications, supplements, or specialty diet.
Since you’ll be welcoming a new puppy to your family, you should also consider daycare and puppy training classes, both of which we offer here at Stream Valley. “Bull”dogs are so-called because they do have the potential to be a bit stubborn or “bull-headed.” However, with proper training, socialization, and channeling of energy, these dogs can be the most loving, sweet, and playful companions.
We would love to meet your family, including your new little furry girl! If you have any further questions, or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please give us a call at (703)723-1017.
February 17, 2011
A Client Asks:
Late last summer, the veterinarian put my dog on thyroid medication. My dog was in the office for a few exams, and she had to have a lot of blood work done before the doctor made a diagnosis and gave her the medicine. My family is very grateful as our dog has been doing so well since she started on her medicine, but now the vet is asking to see the dog and run more tests before the medicine can be refilled again. If my dog’s medicine is working, why would she need more tests before she can get a refill?
Our Response:
It’s great that you’re seeing good results with your pet’s current medication! However, there is no guarantee that these results will be permanent. Whenever a veterinarian puts a pet on a long-term drug, we like to—really, we need to—monitor that pet for as long as that drug is in use. (It is worth noting that the same is often true for us if our physicians prescribe long-term medication). That usually means an exam and lab work every six or twelve months, depending on the pet’s condition and medication.
This monitoring is meant to ensure both the efficacy of the drug and the safety of the pet. For example, some medications are dispensed based on weight, so if a pet gains or loses weight, the dose must be recalculated. This is one reason why weight monitoring is an essential part of routine examination. Heartworm prevention is one of the medications that is dependent on a pet’s weight, but did you know that giving heartworm prevention to a heartworm-positive dog can be fatal? And, unfortunately, there is no way for any preventive product to offer 100 percent-guaranteed protection. Therefore, along with weight, we will also check a heartworm test annually. Most likely, a dog who is current on heartworm prevention will not contract heartworms, but, as the old adage goes, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Of course, medications are meant to help our pets: to manage illnesses, to prevent diseases, to control pain, or to generally make their lives better. However, as some medications are metabolized, they have the potential to damage organs such as the liver or the kidneys. This is another reason for regular examination and lab work. We want to check your pet’s overall health while she is on her medication, but we also want to look for some specific complications that may arise. To that end, we are additionally looking for the lowest effective dose so that your pet receives the smallest amount of the medication that will still have the desired effects (and hopefully avoid any unwanted side effects). As your pet ages or as any other health issues crop up, the lowest effective dose may change. Again, this means that regular check ups and lab work are in order.
For thyroid medication in particular, we also need to look periodically at something called the “T4 level,” and this is done via blood test. The amount of hormone produced by the thyroid gland can change, even while a pet is on medication. We look for any changes that may require an adjustment in medication dosage to help regulate your pet’s condition and to keep your pet as safe and healthy as possible.
We hope that this fully addresses your questions regarding veterinary visits, but if you have any other concerns for your specific pet’s health or medication, please give us a call at (703) 723-1017.
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