A year in review and a year looking forward from Animal Doctors

AD Team, missing Natalie, Dr Kirrily, Dr Lorraine, Jodie

Merry Christmas 

A big warm hello from Animal Doctors. In this post we have

• A year in review
• 2012 an exciting year ahead, what to expect from Animal Doctors
• Social connections

This last month has been full of itchy smelly skin cases, and insect bites and tick cases. There have been a few new products, including a new DAP collar (pheromone) to help settle stressed puppies. I have also heard further rumours of a long lasting tick collar coming that is usable on cats (exciting).

Fleas have been "jumping out of the ground" recently, with large numbers much earlier than expected. It is worth protecting all members of the house before any infestation can take hold. It is a common frustration from clients once they try hundreds of dollars worth of "products" to control fleas, only to need the right advice and EARLY preventation. Just quietly, flea collars are not a good product ;).

All the Team wishes you a very safe Christmas and a great 2012.

Animal Doctors Year in Review

Moments of pleasure, pride and triumph for us include

• 2 new babies, Congrats Dr Kirrily and Nurse Jodie
• Dr Lorraine completing her Post Graduate Small Animal Surgery course
• Inaugural Puppy Masterclasses
• Purchase of laproscopic equipment, meaning miminal pain for abdominal biopsies
• Purchase of advanced anaesthetic monitoring equipment, rarely seen outside Universtiy clinics, for safer and better patient anaesthetics
• Purchase of endoscope, allowing for pain free intestinal investigation and biopsies
• Upgrade of our dental drill, not that an air driven bright LED handpiece will push your buttons, it does ours, and it means a quicker, better dental surgery for your pet!
• 2 stem cell therapies trialled, first in Port Macquarie
• 2 new Nursing Team members, hitting the ground running, Tammy and Anna
• Countless positive outcome cases that make our day worthwhile, it has been thrilling (and some tear jerkers)
• Purchase of animal specific stretchers, allowing for less sedation and better positioned x-rays, better, safer and quicker for your pet
• New logo, letterhead, signage !!!
• Our first in house smartphone application went live, delivering pet health articles , tips, maps to android smartphones, all free.
• Genetic disease screening, and parentage testing
• Much MUCH more, but this list is getting long enough, suffice to say, we have grown and stretched ourselves to our very best this year. 

2012 - an exciting year ahead

Things we are looking forward to this year..... and a tad excited about.......

• Dr Johanna starting her Post Graduate Feline Medicine course  
• Further in house integration of patient images to better track patient recovery and progress
• New tick collar available for cats
• Renovation of consulting rooms to allow increased patient contact time with the Team
• In house repaint, maybe the purple walls will go.........
• Client masterclass sessions, such as ticks, arthritis, kidney, heart problems
• New website coming soon.........
• Several more Smartphone apps, medication reminder versions, map, info and more.
• Adaptation of new products and equipment, after serious scrutiny. We won't sell, use or offer anything we wouldn't use for our own family.
• Improved in house systems and procedures. Something you won't be aware of if everything goes well.
• Better communication with our clients, in all areas. 

We Love our Technology - wanna connect?

 Haven't seen us online? Loads of choice depending on your flavour

Please come say hello!

• Facebook - www.Facebook.com/animaldoctors
• Twitter - www.twitter.com/animaldoctors
• Google Plus - https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/116761330992689607053/
• Blog - http://blog.animaldoctors.com.au
• Pet Map - http://map.animaldoctors.com.au
• Flea Tick comparison table - http://blog.animaldoctors.com.au/p/product-comparisons.html

What shampoo should I use on my dog?

In a world of marketing and hype, how are you to know what shampoo is suitable for your dogs skin?

First a few important things about dog skin

• Dog skin has a different Ph and balance to human skin
• You need a shampoo that considers the skin and coat as separate "things" to wash
• You need to ask yourself -  WHY am I washing the dog

We are often asked by clients how often they should wash their dog and it entirely depends on the type of the dog, the health of the skin, and the shampoo being used.

Are you are washing your dog because

IT STINKS!

then ask....

Has it rolled in that really manky dead rat out in the backyard, or does it have a strong "doggy" smell?

If it looks at you with that "look at what I FOUND" look, and you can't get within a few feet before your stomach starts to churn, then an all purpose shampoo will suffice. In fact just about anything needs to gets that rotten dead animal or cow poo smell off the mutt before it comes inside. Good quality shampoos in this case include Fido's range, Dermcare range and Virbac range.

My own Dog Toby - loves rolling in dead animals, mud and cow poo, LOVELY!

But if there is a persistent "doggy smell" then you have an entirely different issue on your hands.

The MOST COMMON cause for a "doggy" smell, that persists after any bath (or returns within a day or two) is DERMATITIS!!

The yeasts and bacteria on the skin produce this characteristic smell. A simple, even good quality shampoo, will fail you here. You need a different strategy.

If there is redness, pimples, rash or scabs, then  realistically you need treatment, DRUGS. Yes, that means a vet visit.

We treat often these with antibiotics, anti-fungals (which yeast is) and specialised medicated shampoos.

Ok then - what Shampoos do we use for dermatitis?

The best options are Malaseb (Dermcare), Pyohex (Dermcare), Pyoderm S (Virbac). Their use varies between type of dermatitis and smell involved. Most "smelly dermatitis dogs" benefit from Malaseb. Pimply rashy itchy dogs often benefit from Pyohex. You need to get specific advice about this. 

But as a word of warning, many pet shop shampoos or worse, supermarket ones, say they are "medicated" but have very little ability to disguise the smell with perfume for a few days. It is best to stick with a REAL medicated shampoo with chlorhexidine and/or miconazole in it.

Fine, my dog doesn't stink, is not itchy but I just want to wash it every now and again, what do I use?

There are plenty of good general purpose shampoos available. You essentially want to use a soap free shampoo to avoid washing your precious and expensive flea products off. Brands that help prevent product loss include Fido's range, Dermcare Natural. 

Malaseb and Pyohex do wash out flea products BTW.

I personally like the Dermcare Aloveen shampoo and leave on lotion for the nice fresh odour, and it softens the coat nicely. The lotion can also be used between washes for a spruce up.

What if my spoilt pooch is under the covers and spends every night huddled with me? I want to wash them at least weekly?

For a frequent washer, the best, least damaging and drying shampoo is the Dermcare Aloveen. Stick with that (unless they are smelly and have dermatitis!).

Bottom line is this

1. Why are you washing them? 

2. Wash them as least often as you can, as we do see skin complaints from people over washing their dogs.

3. PLEASE NEVER USE WOOL WASH OR MIX. Or you will create the dermatitis described above.

4. If your dog smells and they haven't rolled in something, get us to look at them, chances are you have an undiagnosed dermatitis that needs treatment with things other than shampoo.

Good luck

Dr Stephen Rose

Animal Doctors