Happy February ! Here a t Crookston Pet C l in ic , we

are cont inuing to serve our c l i ents and pat ients to

make sure they rece ive top of the l ine serv ice and

care dur ing these t ry ing t imes . While our off ice is

open, our lobby is c losed . Please cal l for curbside

assis tance .

This i s the 19 th ins ta l lment of our d ig i ta l

newsle t t er that we pub l i sh for our c l i ents and

communi ty on a monthly bas is . Our goa l i s to

provide you wi th re levant informat ion that wi l l

benef i t you and your pe ts . We a lso fea ture pe t

prof i l es , c l in ic updates , and o ther th ings you may

f ind he lpfu l and enter ta in ing .

I f you have any informat ion you 'd l ike to submit ,

or perhaps a top ic you 'd l ike to see ta lked about ,

p lease send i t to us v ia emai l a t

crookstonpetc l in ic@gmai l . com. We look forward to

hear ing from you and provid ing you wi th

informat ion that you WANT to know about ! So l e t ' s

ge t to i t !

Welcome!

PRAIRIE PAWPRINTS

Crookston Pet Clinic's Newsletter

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

DENTAL HEALTH HELP

SNEEZY CAT? LEARN MORE!

CURRENT SPECIALS

DR. LEAH'S CORNER

I N T H I S I S S U E

We all know that climate change is occurring. With

a warmer than average winter, the ticks are more

ravenous than ever. Make sure to keep up on their

flea/tick preventatives!

Pets have problems with pandemic pounds too!

Watch their food intake and make sure to exercise

more. We want your pets to live LONG and happy

lives! Give us a call if you need help with a weight

management program for your pet.

Dr. Leah has a few words of wisdom to share:

...the saltwater crocodile! It canweigh in over 2,200 lbs and beover 23ft in length! Definitely a

creature you don't want tocome face to face with.

P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H

Brutus visited us the other week sporting a gorgeous scarf! He wasdefinitely dressed to the nines, what a handsome fella.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

The largestreptile in the

world is...

Dr. Leah's Corner

It happens fast. Within 20 minutes of eating, dental plaque starts accumulating. Left

in place, it begins to mineralize into yellow-brown tartar in two days. Tartar's rough

surface attracts more plaque along the gumline, speeding dogs toward full-blown

dental disease. Veterinarians often find signs of dental disease in dogs as young as 2.

The short timeline from plaque to tartar drives Gwenn Schamberger, DVM, a board-

certified veterinary dentist at Wisconsin Veterinary Referral Center, to recommend

brushing dog's teeth every other day, at least.

TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTES, AND TECHNIQUE

Use any American Dental Association-compliant, soft-bristle toothbrush. Small

ones for toddlers work well for small dogs. The free brush you might have received at

your own dental checkup is another easy option.

"It doesnt have to be a fancy pet toothbrush," Schamberger says.

Never use the human toothpaste. Even toothpastes that can be swallowed pose a

danger due to a sweetener called xylitol, which is toxic to dog's livers, and foaming

agents that can cause nausea, Schamberger explains.

Flavored pet toothpaste motivates some dogs to play along and often features

enzymes to inhibit tartar. Yet Schamberger sometimes suggests brushing with just

water to help focus on the mechanical action needed to break up the plaque layer.

Up and down, back and forth, or circular motions all work. Also, don't worry too

much about brushing the insides of dogs' teeth. Outside surfaces remain

veterinarian's main concern, according to Schamberger.

"I recommend taking your non-dominant hand and lifting up the lips so that you

can get back there better," Schamberger says about molars where tartar commonly

builds up. "Hold the brush close to the brush head, so a bit more like a pen versus how

we hold our toothbrush. Have your middle or your index finger on the brush head so

that you have more control."

Dental EssentialsMust-haves for maintaining a clean and healthy mouth

By Roxanne Hawn , AKC Family Dog Nov/Dec 2020

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

Before

Don't expect a miraculous new dental-care product for dogs--brushing is it.

Schamberger says, "If there was some sort of magical product that completely replaced

brushing or completely replaced going to the dentist, they would have it for people, but

they don't because there is no such thing."

CHEWS AND GELS

Many dog owners have their preferred methods and products that can help maintain

a healthy mouth.

Carol Bryant, president of the Dog Writers Association of America, swears by the

vanilla-mint flavor of Virbac's C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste for daily brushing for her

Cocker Spaniel Dexter. Bryant also brushes his teeth a couple of times each week with

Zymox Oral Care Dental Gel. Rather than specific dental chews, she provides marrow-

filled, butcher-type bones.

"I've had Cocker Spaniels for close to 30 years, and I'm proud to say we've never

needed a professional dental cleaning in any dog I've ever had," Bryant says.

Amy Jensen started working in a variety of veterinary roles 25 years ago. She jokes,

"I've always been the 'dental girl' at every clinic."

Jensen gives her Golden Retrievers the Power Chew line of toys from Nylabone--

sometimes even squirting pet toothpaste on them. She shares more dental-care advice

on her website, Madelynn's Morsels, named after her late, exceptional demo dog who

made it look so easy she helped motivate veterinary clients to brush their dog's teeth

at home.

Jensen gives her dogs OraVet Dental Hygiene Chews. "They are only effective if dogs

chew on them for at least 30 seconds," Jensen warns. "If they are a gobbler, you're

wasting money."

With each morning's first bowl of water, Jensen also uses pet::Essential Healthy

Mouth water additive, which is on the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) list of

accepted products for dogs.

She says, "Anybody can make a product and say it cleans teeth and freshens breath,

so I always recommend looking for the VOHC seal."

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H

UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS INCATS

Your four-year-old cat Elton seems to be in perfect

health. But about twice a year, he comes down with

what appears to be a bad cold, complete with sneezing,

coughing, lethargy, nasal congestion and water eyes.

These upper respiratory signs persist for a week or 10

days and then suddenly disappear, much to your relief.

but then, five or six months later, the very same

symptoms will pay a return visit, linger for a week or two

and repeat their vanishing act-- a frustrating cycle that is

bound to recur until you seek out proper veterinary

guidance and treatment.

A thorough examination of Elton will most likely

indicate that he is suffering from an upper respiratory

infection (URI) affecting his nose, sinuses, pharynx and

larynx. In your cat's case, the sneezing, wheezing, and so

forth are probably attributable to the herpes virus, which

has been lying dormant in Elton's system. Every once in

a while, after months or even years, the virus becomes

temporarily active, which results in the fleeting

resurgence of the unpleasant clinical signs--after which

the virus goes back to sleep. Once present in a cat's

BY TOM EWING

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

system, no medication can make such a virus simply

disappear.

"The clinical signs of infection are almost always in the

nose--sneezing, nasal discharge and the like--similar to

cold symptoms in a human," says Elizabeth Rozanski,

DVM, a specialist in respiratory disease; hematology; and

emergency and critical care at Tufts. "These signs tend to

come on fairly quickly, typically over the course of a half-

day or so." The common signs, which can vary from mild

to severe, are usually self-limiting and ultimately

harmless. However, secondary diseases may occur that

can have long-lasting and potentially severe

consequences. These diseases--which most frequently

affect kittens--include pneumonia, conjunctivitis, and a

host of other virus- and bacteria-borne illnesses resulting

from the entry of infectious microorganisms into the cat's

system.

THE TWO VIRUSES TO BLAME

According to Dr. Rozanski, the "vast majority" of feline

upper respiratory infections are caused by one of two

are particularly at risk. Especially vulnerable are kittens born to queens who have not been inoculated and are left

to fend for themselves in periods of wet, cold weather, when their resistance is impaired.

"It is uncommon for cats of any age to die as the result of an upper respiratory infection, although the infection

can certainly be fatal for a kitten whose health is very compromised," says Dr. Rozanski. "Usually an infected cat

will eventually get better with or without treatment, like people do with colds."

For the past several decades, vaccines have been available that help protect cats against herpesvirus and

calicivirus, as well as panleukopenia, an intestinal virus. Over the years, these vaccines have proven successful in

significantly reducing the occurrance and severity of feline respiratory infections. However, outbreaks of these

infections continue to threaten unvaccinated kittens and feral cat populations. Moreover, since the vaccines only

provide partial protection, some domestic cats can become ill despite being properly vaccinated; and others may

fail to receive their shots according to a recommended schedule.

HOW VACCINES CAN HELP

Nevertheless, Dr. Rozanski advises owners to make sure that their cats are vaccinated on schedule, that they are

kept indoors as much as possible, and that their environments are clean, dry and warm, which is especially

important for the health of kittens.

To significantly reduce the spread of feline upper respiratory infections, owners should make sure that all cats

are vaccinated according to schedules recommended by experts. In general, a s ingle vaccine designated to protect

against both herpesvirus and calicivirus should be administered when a kitten is between six and eight weeks of age

-- the period in which the natural immunity that the kitten has been receiving through antibody-rich mother's milk

is diminishing.

Follow-up shots are recommended at three- to four-week intervals until a kitten is 16 weeks old, after which a

single booster vaccination should be given one year later, and every three years thereafter. (A vaccine is available

viruses: the feline herpesvirus (FHV), which is also known as the

feline rhinotracheitis virus (FRV); and the feline calicivirus (FCV).

Bacterial agents such as Chlamydia and Bordatella; which are

commonly found in animal shelters, are also known to cause such

infections, but are far less frequently. Fortunately, none of these

disease agents is transmissible to humans. Once present in a cat's

system, no medication can make certain viral agents simply

disappear. Over time -- many months or perhaps years -- some

viruses will spontaneously vanish from an infected cat's body;

however, the herpesvirus, once present in the feline system, will

remain forever.

Recovered cats will intermittently shed small quantities of the

herpes-virus from the throat or nose for the remainder of their lives.

These eruptions can be brought on by such factors as stress, the

outbreak of some other illness or medications that suppress the

immune system.

Upper respiratory infections are, in general, rarely fatal;

nevertheless, they can be especially threatening to some cats.

Although any cat can become infected, notes Dr. Rozanski, kittens

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

to protect against the Chlamydia organism as well, although it is not as urgently recommended because these

bacterial infections are less common and can be treated with antibiotics.)

Although all existing vaccines are apt to reduce the severity of viral infection, non can be guaranteed to

immunize all cats against the organism that cause upper respiratory disease. Also, new viral strains are

continually developing and, therefore, the efficacy of a current vaccine may diminish as time goes by. However,

says Dr. Rozanski, "Vaccinations may not be 100 percent effective, but they're pretty good. They definitely help

prevent infection in most cats. And if they don't prevent infection, they make an infection less severe."

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

Stop!

It may still be winter but wepromise, the fleas & ticks AREOUT. Make sure your dog is on

their flea/tick preventative!

Our office will be closed thefollowing date:

Monday, March 1st

CLINIC INFORMATION

Crookston Pet Clinic

214 South Main Street

Crookston, MN 56716

Phone: (218) 281-4231

Fax: (218) 281-4233

Email: crookstonpetclinic@gmail.com

Upcoming ClosureDates

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 V O L . 1 9

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