September is Senior Pet Care Month and TVV Decatur 's own Dr. Melissa Finke (left) gives us important tips and information on keeping our senior pets living longer, healthier and happier lives.

Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, our dogs and cats are living longer and longer lives. As they age, however, we find ourselves dealing with ailments more common to these senior pets. It is up to you and your veterinarian to provide the best possible preventative care and to recognize problems early.

So, at what point do our pets become seniors? We generally consider our feline patients to be seniors once they reach the age of eight. Dogs, due to their varied sizes, are not quite so simple but eight years of age is still a good average. However, smaller dogs may reach old age 3 or 4 years later than giant dogs. Keep in mind, our pets age 5 to 7 years for every year of our life.

What are the diseases more often found in geriatric patients?

Dr. Kari Addante reports:  Failure to use the litter box, even after years of seemingly following the rules, is a means of great frustration for many cat owners.  Such problems are generally lumped in two broad categories: medical or behavioral.  Medical problems are much easier to address and should always be considered first.  Behavioral problems can be frustrating, but generally, in time cats will resume use of the litter box again after appropriate actions are taken.  The aim of this article is not only to help those with a current problem but also to inform all cat owners of certain practices that can help reduce the possibility of litter box aversion for any cat.

Dr. Janine Franco (TVV Decatur)says.... We all love having pets.  They are our family members, friends and companions.  Sometimes we enjoy them so much we decide that we’d like to adopt another dog or cat deserving of a great home.  The tricky part comes when we are ready to introduce that new family member to the rest of our four-legged pack.  There are a few simple but important things to consider and plan for when bringing a new animal into your family.

The Village Vets and WebMD have joined forces to educate the public on proper pet dental care with 3 short videos.

See them here.

Itchy Skin. . . but No Fleas??

Food allergy is also referred to as dietary allergy/hypersensitivity, food intolerance and most recently, cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFR).  Food “allergy” implies an immune system- mediated process, in comparison to “food intolerance” which is simply an abnormal response to ingested food.  A true food allergy is the third most common cause of skin allergies in the dog, second to flea allergic and atopic (inhaled allergen, ie. seasonal) dermatitis. Up to 50% of the time pets have food allergy in combination with another type of allergy.

 

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Dr. Melissa Finke of TVV Decatur reports...

Over the years we have seen significant advancements in veterinary dentistry. This has lead to better diagnostics and treatment for dental disease resulting healthier, longer lives for our dogs and cats. One of the most important newer diagnostics has been dental x-rays.

In order to understand the importance of dental x-rays, it is necessary to realize that 2/3 of the teeth are below the gum line. In some cases, the visible portion of the tooth or gingiva (gum tissue) may give us a clue that there is a problem. However x-rays are required in order for us to understand the exact nature or extent of the problem and determine the best possible treatment.