Canine Information

Checklist for Maintaining Your Dog's Health
Your Dog's Health Checklist
Vaccinations
First Aid At Home
Here are some FAQ's from ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center
Rabies
AKC Registered Pets

Checklist for Maintaining Your Dog's Health:

	Physical examination every 6-12 months
	Parasite check, including fecal examinations one to four times per year
	Puppies should receive appropriate de-worming treatments
	Vaccination program
	Dental healthcare
	Heartworm test and preventive
	Appropriate year-round flea and tick control
	Periodic urinalysis and blood tests (CBC & chemistry)
	Spaying or neutering
	Monitoring of health problems
	Balanced nutrition
	Fresh water
	Exercise
	Grooming
	Adequate shelter
	Senior dogs should receive additional screening tests

Ask your veterinarian for more specific information concerning your pet's individual needs.

Please call Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital at 301.776.7744 to schedule an appointment for your dog or to speak with your veterinarian.

Your Dog's Health Checklist:

This simple checklist will help us evaluate your dog's health.

MY DOG...

	is inactive and/or depressed.
	has discharge from the nose or eyes.
	has soft, bloody, or watery bowel movements.
	drinks more than normal amounts of water.
	urinates greater volumes or urinates more times per day than usual.
	has fleas, ticks, or mites.
	walks with stiffness, pain, or difficulty.
	has odor from the ears or excessive ear wax.
	has teeth with plaque or discoloration, reddened gums, or bad breath.
	has lumps (anywhere).
	eats less than normal.
	has been gaining excessive weight.
	has been losing excessive weight.
	breathes with difficulty or has a cough.
	limps.
	has a dull or scaly hair coat.
	has sores on its skin or oily skin.
	scratches itself excessively.

If your answer to any of the above questions is yes...call Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital at 301.776.7744 to schedule an appointment for your dog or to speak with your veterinarian.

The information contained on our website is not intended to replace a physical examination by a licensed veterinarian. If you think your pet is ill, please contact a veterinarian right away.

Vaccinations

Here at Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital, we believe that an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure. This is especially important due to the fact that cats, dogs, and pocket pets age much faster than humans. We strive to examine all of our patients at least once a year. Please bring in your pet for a routine wellness exam, any needed vaccines, any required lab work, and preventative care for unwanted parasites. Together, we can ensure continuing quality of health and extend the life of your beloved companion.

Puppies and kittens should be examined by a veterinarian at a young age and often begin receiving their vaccinations when they are six to eight weeks old. Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital offers new puppy and kitten exams, which include advice about nutrition and training for your new pets and recommendations on vaccinations, de-worming, and parasite control.

Vaccines create antibodies, which protect your pet from disease. Up-to-date vaccinations play a large part in keeping your pet healthy and free from disease. However, not every pet requires the same series or frequency of vaccines. Current research in veterinary medicine has linked possible over-vaccination in senior and geriatric pets with certain immune-related conditions. Our veterinarians tailor a vaccine protocol that is specific to your pet based on his or her lifestyle and immune status. Blood samples may be taken and laboratory titers run to verify or measure a pet's immune status to specific contagious diseases.

Since vaccine schedules are subject to change based on the most current information available, we recommend that you call our hospital for information about our vaccine protocols. Maryland state law requires rabies vaccinations for both cats and dogs.

If you think your pet needs vaccinations, please call Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital to schedule an appointment for a physical examination and vaccinations. Vaccination schedules are determined by your veterinarian and are based on state law, physical examination findings, as well as the age and health of your pet.

First Aid at Home

First Aid is only a temporary measure until you can get to the vet. Call Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital at 301.776.7744 if you suspect something is wrong with your pet. Problems that worsen over several hours and/or are accompanied by pain, weakness, difficulty breathing, bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever, need the immediate attention of a veterinarian.

You should not use the Internet as a resource a pet emergency or when your pet is seriously ill. In an emergency, first aid is not a substitute for veterinary treatment. However, before you are able to get your pet to a veterinarian, knowing some basic first aid can help. Always seek veterinary care following first-aid attempts.

Bleeding

Wrap a towel around the wound and apply direct pressure. Call us immediately.

Diarrhea

Withhold food and offer small, frequent amounts of water. After 12 hours, introduce small amounts of soft, bland food, such as boiled rice, noodles, well-cooked chicken, or cottage cheese. Avoid hard foods.

Fever

You can take your pet's temperature with a Vaseline-lubricated rectal thermometer. The normal temperature range for a cat or dog is from 100 to 102.5 F.

Medication

Never give medication in any quantity to your pet without the direct advice of your veterinarian.

Poison

Please read The National Animal Poison Control Center website to find out more information on poisons and your pet. www.aspca.org

Here are some FAQs from ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center

I think my pet has ingested something potentially dangerous, but she seems normal. What should I do first: call the APCC or rush her to my local emergency veterinarian?

If you suspect that your pet may have become exposed to a harmful substance, but is not showing signs of illness, stay calm. Contact Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital at 301.776.7744 or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline at 1.888.426.4435 first. Not all exposure situations require an immediate trip to the clinic.

What should I do if I think my pet ate something poisonous?

If your animal is having seizures, losing consciousness, is unconscious or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your pet immediately to your local veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic. If necessary, he or she may call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

Otherwise, call Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline at 1.888.426.4435.

What information will I need when the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Hotline?

When you call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline at 1.888.426.4435, it's most helpful to be ready with the following information:

the species, breed, age, sex, weight, and number of animals involved
the animal's symptoms
information regarding the exposure, including the agent (if known), the amount of the agent involved, and the time elapsed since the time of exposure.

Have the product container/packaging available for reference. Collect any material your pet may have vomited or chewed in a sealed plastic bag.

Urinary Tract Infection

Small frequent urinating, straining to urinate, and blood in your pet's urine can be signs of a urinary tract infection. Call us immediately if your pet demonstrates any of these symptoms.

Vomiting

Below is a list of some first-aid items that you should have handy at home.

COTTON BALLS/COTTON SWABS—For applying ointments or cleaning a wound
FIRST-AID CREAM OR ANTIBACTERIAL SKIN OINTMENT
GAUZE BANDAGE (1-2 INCHES WIDE)
HAIRBALL REMEDY
RECTAL THERMOMETER
SELF-ADHESIVE BANDAGES
SYRINGE: FOR GIVING MEDICINES OR LIQUIDS.
STERILE GAUZE DRESSINGS—To help stop bleeding and protect wounds until you get to the vet.
TWEEZERS—To remove ticks, glass, or foreign objects from your pet's skin

Here are some websites that provide information on pet first aid:

The ASPCA

Healthy Pet

Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that affects all warm-blooded animals, including humans. The virus is transmitted through saliva when an affected animal bites a susceptible victim. On rare occasions, the rabies virus can enter the body through deep scratch wounds (or any break in the skin or mucous membranes) or by inhalation. Inhalation of the virus is an unusual method of transmission; however, it can occur in caves that are heavily populated by rabid bats.

A rabid animal bites its victim and injects saliva containing the rabies virus. In the newly infected animal, the virus begins to multiply. Virus multiplication occurs in the area surrounding the bite wound. After a period of time, virus particles enter large nerves and travel toward the spinal cord and brain. Once inside the brain, the rabies virus multiplies a second time. As multiplication occurs, viruses pass to the salivary glands. This is particularly important and accounts for the danger associated with saliva.

Early symptoms include personality changes. Friendly animals become shy, and reserved animals often become aggressive.

Two forms of rabies are recognized: the "furious" or "mad" type and the "paralytic" or "dumb" form.

The most common form of rabies is the furious type. Animals hallucinate and snap at imaginary objects. A rabid animal is extremely aggressive and may attack or bite other animals as well as his (or her) owner. Other signs include excitation, irritability, photophobia (extreme sensitivity to light), and seizures.

In the United States, wild animals are the reservoir for the rabies virus. Raccoons, foxes, skunks, and bats are commonly infected. Raccoons and skunks are particularly a problem due to their presence in urban and suburban areas. Pets become infected when they come into contact with these animals (and are bitten).

Vaccinating pets protects them from rabies!

Vaccinations begin at three to four months of age and should be continued throughout the animal's life.

State law often mandates rabies vaccinations.

If you would like additional information concerning rabies, contact Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital or your local public health official.

AKC Registered Pets

The AKC is not the only registry of purebred dogs, but it is the only non-profit registry and the one with which most Americans are familiar. Founded in 1884, the AKC is the largest purebred dog registry in the world. Along with its nearly 5,000 licensed and member clubs and affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership.*

Pets registered with the American Kennel Club are eligiible for a certificate that is redeemable for a first office visit at Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital. This certificate is only for the first office visit and does not cover any vaccines, x-rays, medications or procedures.

For more information about the AKC and their registered pet program go to the Register Your Dog area of their website: http://www.akc.org/public_education/regpromo.cfm

^{*source Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Kennel_Club}