VOLUME 1
Issue 4
THE WOOF & WHISKERS
KE E N
S T R E E T
V E TE R I NA R Y
CL I NI C
Autumn 2015
What’s Up Doc?
The silly summer season has finally
wound down and we can all have
a bit of a breather! It has been
super busy during the warmer
months - ticks, snakes, allergies,
heat stroke, combined with many
and varied illnesses & disease
amongst pets and livestock. In all
that, there has been some heartbreak but generally uplifting joy for
Vets, Nurses and owners! As we
move through 2015, we will continue to make sure that we can care
for your animals as if they were our
own. We know how special they
are! The tick season was busy with
over 220 patients admitted with a
high survival rate mainly due to
owners presenting their animals
early for treatment. Snake envenomation numbers were about the
same as last year with 20 animals
presented for treatment.
Quite a few interesting cases have
walked through the door which
may be of interest to you all. Let’s
start off with “Lola”, an 8 yo Tenterfield terrier that was causing her
owner some concern. Over a few
months she had seemed to become easily fatigued over a short
walk, collapsing with tremors in
both the fore and hind quarters. An
investigation began with full blood
profiles, ultrasound and urinalysis
but no clear diagnosis was evident.
Ray continued his effort to find out
what the problem was. Ultimately
the dog would have required further costly blood testing and an
MRI ($$$$) by referral at a Specialist Centre. The symptoms and the
history of the patient led Ray to
believe that this may be a neuromuscular disease—Myasthenia
gravis, an auto immune condition that
interrupts the transmission from the nerves
to the muscle. After investigating the
costs of further workup, the owner decided to treat “Lola” with a cholinesterase
inhibitor used in humans. The drug contains acetylcholine (pronounced "a cee
til coline") Acetylcholine is the chemical
that sends nerve impulses to the muscle.
With this drug there is more control of
voluntary functions such as eye movements, limited strength, swallowing and
breathing. So far so good. She has improved on the medication and will remain on this for the rest of her life. Go
LOLA!
“Pepe”, a 4yo domestic shorthair, is a
very lucky survivor. His owner found a
snake in the yard and “Pepe” did not
seem himself. He was presented to the
Clinic with the snake which was identified
at the time as a Yellow faced whip snake.
The cat had an increased respiratory
rate, but also had lacerations on his hind
leg and his nails were torn, usually associated with being hit by a car. Unlikely that
the snake was the culprit, he was hospitalised and treated for trauma. The next
day, his breathing hadn’t improved, so
radiographs were taken
of his chest, revealing a
diaphragmatic hernia.
The diaphragm which
separates the chest
from the abdomen was
torn and the intestines
were in the chest cavity
making breathing extremely difficult as well
as being painful and
inhibiting movement.
The kitty required life
saving surgery—a risky
business which can often be fatal– but
the owner agreed, if it meant
that there was a chance of survival. Luckily for “Pepe” he did
survive and after several days in
hospital, he returned home and
enjoyed some pampering during
his rehabilitation. Think he has
used up one life this time round!
Other interesting but worrying
conditions presented themselves. TOXICITY has been a
major concern. Grapes, macadamias and marijuana have
been some of the instigators—all
patients surviving with treatment
and supportive therapy.
And of course, SKIN CONDITIONS. A common ailment during the warmer months. Moist
pyoderma (hot spots) and allergic reactions to environmental
and parasitic factors can all be
major players.
There is always something of
interest in a Veterinary Hospital,
no matter what time of the year!
An image of a diaphragmatic hernia
NEW NEXGARD TICK & FLEA CHEW
The new monthly chewable NEXGARD has
been released on the market to tackle fleas,
paralysis, bush & brown dog ticks! A tasty
beef flavoured chew given once a month
will offer up to 98% protection for dogs.
Another alternative to consider when we
live on the Northern Rivers!
Available in all weight ranges in singles, 3 & 6
packs. Safe to use in puppies from 8 weeks
of age.
It is comparable in cost
against topical treatments
which need to be applied
fortnightly. Dogs can enjoy
the summer in the water,
no worries about topicals
being washed off or collars
getting wet!
In stock now!
Inside this issue:
Clinic Happenings
Save the Dates!
Meet Dr Kylie Carlton
The Blurb on Arthur Itis
LOL
APRIL CAT-ASSIST 2015
Nailing it!
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2
2
3
3
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Special points of interest:
 New Monthly Tick & Flea treatment
 April Cat Desexing Scheme
 Future Pet & Vet Events
 Seasonal Change & Joint Health
 Lots of Laughs!
 Free Nail Trimming Lessons
Clinic Goss
Holidays, hernias and humidity! It’s that
time of the year some of us get to enjoy
some time off. Tahlia has enjoyed a one
week break, a bit of ‘RnR’ at Kingscliff with
her dog “”Charlie”. Melissa took some time
out in January to spend with her little family, just hanging out, beaching, and visiting
friends & family. Robyn has taken the family to Tasmania for a wandering holiday in
their campervan. Travelbug Robyn has
her home town of Dubbo) for a couple of
weeks. Ray had a family escape early in
‘cute as a button’ girls camping on the
Clarence ‘bush style’ for a week. Now
after indulging over Xmas & the New year
he is in detox mode and has taken his
bike out of the shed, and pedals whenever he gets a chance! Daryl has had surgical repair of an abdominal hernia, so he is
down and dirty on the farms with the cattle work until he is 100% fit! James &
John are both competing in a weight loss
program...mmm...whether it’s working—
we will leave that up to you! KFC, cakes/
April. Sam is going to enjoy a couple of
weeks off from the front desk! She has
also booked herself an American trip to
enjoy the sights and the sounds of country
music at the CMA awards later in the year.
Lauren is off to ‘Dub Vegas’ in April (that’s
buying local goods!
the new year, taking Kate and his two little
on light duties at the Clinic—no getting
plans afoot for a visit to Vanuatu and Fiji in
meat….so make sure you’re out there
biscuits, fish fingers and chockies still
seem to be on the daily menu, and does a
bout of gastro count?
Our farmers have a bit of a grin on their
faces due to great rain and higher cattle
prices. About time for a lot of them...it’s a
Ex cyclone Marcia dropped beautiful
rain as you all know...as long it can get
away and not build up to moderate
flooding we will all be happy. Our Clinic
floods at about the 10m mark but that
puts our back buildings in water first. We
haven’t had (fingers crossed) water in
the building since we moved here before
2000 and we hope it stays that way forever more!
That my friends is about all I can tell you
about at this time! Until the next edition….Jane.
tough industry producing milk and
Upcoming Pet & Vet Events
The new year has kicked off and so it’s
time to let you all know about our
event planning for the year!
First off in April (please see back page)
is our annual April Cat-Assist Desexing
program. This program is much appreciated by cat owners that cannot afford full price cat desexing due to their
financial situation. We are committed
to pet health in our local community
and we endeavor to maintain this
event annually.
May will be the focus on Dental health
care for pets. Make sure you book for
your FREE dental health check for your
dog or cat. Discounts will be available
if any dental treatment is required dur-
ing this month.
For dog owners, we will once again offer
our June Dog-Assist Desexing program.
We started this program last year. Similar
to the Cat-Assist, this gives low income
earning dog owners a reduced fee for
dog desexing.
Stay in touch with us on our Facebook page for further notifications
on all these events!
FUN & GAMES @ PAWS
IN THE PARK
In July we have Seniors Month. For cats
and dogs, we offer a value package
that will evaluate & assess the health of
your older pet (7yrs plus).
And for those of you that keep asking...YES...Paws In The Park will be taking
place this year. The date to be confirmed but looking to be in early August!
Staff Profile
Kylie Carlton BVSc (hons)
Below With Tahlia P Vet Nurse
pictured
Graduated Qld Uni 1990. Kylie has been
school, Kylie likes to do some quilting, cooking
employed as a casual Vet by KSVC since
and socializing!
2000. Currently she job shares with Rebecca Knee working 2 or more days per
week. Kylie resides on a farm with a multitude of animals: cattle, chooks, ducks,
dogs and cats and a pig. She is married to
Barry & has 3 sons aged from 12 to 18.
Sports mad Kylie is often found at cricket
& footy ovals around the North coast and
Page 2
FAVOURITE ANIMAL: Border collies
BEST PART OF BEING A VET: Healthy animals
DREAM HOLIDAY: Visit North Wales, UK.
FUTURE AMBITIONS: CEO of Cricket Australia
IDEAL MEAL: Anything I don’t have to cook!
beyond. She is a definite fan of her sport-
TOP TV SHOW: Escape to the Country
ing sons! Between juggling work, home &
WHEN I RETIRE: Build a dream home at Irvington!
T HE W O O F & W H I S KE R S
The Blurb on Arthur Itis
It’s that time of year when the old bones
don’t work so well early in the mornings….and so we go...
We humans tend to moan & groan about
back pain, hip pain or any body pain…
but what about our animals?? Well they
may be suffering in silence.
It’s not just old pets that develop arthritis –
by the time a dog matures, arthritis has
most likely advanced in the last few years.
Stiff joints & reduced function & elasticity is
all part of the ageing process. The reduced production of glycosaminoglycans
result in altering the viscosity of synovial
fluid in the joint. The degeneration of the
joint leads to inflammation which in turn
leads to pain & stiffness. Bone surfaces in
a normal healthy joint are covered by a
thin layer of cartilage. This acts as a self
repairing, shock absorbing layer that allows smooth movement of the joint. The
joint is encased in a capsule filled with
synovial fluid, a lubricant that provides the
joint with nutrition. Wear & tear which
happens throughout life wears down the
cartilage exposing bone. This leads to pain
& impaired movement.
Finding out where it hurts is vital. Veterinary examination will identify which joints
are affected. Sometimes further testing
using manipulation or x-rays may be
needed to confirm diagnosis. Once you
have an accurate diagnosis, a treatment,
exercise & dietary plan can be made
specifically for your pet that will ensure the
best outcome for your best buddy. Hips,
knees, and spine are the most susceptible
joints, but elbows, shoulders, neck, hocks
& wrists can be a problem also. Some
arthritis can be a result of an injury (ie fractures) or be an inherited condition (ie
large breed dogs). As is always the case,
prevention is better than cure, and with
recommendation for pet owners to start
preventative action earlier in life, joint
health is maintained for a much longer
period. Ideally, we recommend that prevention be started for large breed dogs
>25kg at 6 years of age, smaller breeds at
7 years, and cats from 7 years.
Products we stock for this reason are
Sasha’s Blend, Paw Osteosupport Caps,
Paw Osteocare Chews, & Hills J/D. Mind
you there are many more available but
please check with your Vet before starting
any new medication. We are seeing great
results with these products & we will con-
tinue to recommend them. Before winter, we also recommend a course of
Pentosan injections. These weekly injections for 4 weeks help repair the
damaged cartilage & reduces the inflammation in the joint, which reduces
the pain. These courses can be given
every 6 or 12 months depending on the
severity of the joint damage. It has
been beneficial for many pets & is highly recommended. Treatment on the
other hand has improved out of sight in
the Veterinary world. Mostly they are
non-steroidal anti-inflammatories which
have a huge safety margin & are extremely effective in reducing pain &
Inflammation. Come & see us during
July! Promo details will be on Facebook!
SAVE THE DATE:
JULY IS SENIOR’S MONTH!
LAUGH OUT LOUD!
JOKE 1: What do you get if
you cross a cat with a dark
horse? A: Kitty Purry!
When my pet dog lapped up antifreeze, the Veterinarian ordered a
unique treatment: an IV drip mixing
JOKE 2: What is it called
when a cat wins a dog
show? A: A CAT-HASTROPHY!
fluids with vodka. “Go buy the
cheapest bottle you can find,” he
said. At the liquor store, I felt uneasy buying cheap booze so early
in the day, and felt compelled to
explain things to the clerk. “Believe
it or not,” I said, “this is for a sick
dog.” As I was leaving, the next
customer plunked down two bottles of rum and announced, “These
are for my cats.”
In fact, Vodka is a
treatment option
and antidote to
Antifreeze ingestion!
VOLUME 1
TRY SAYING THIS
QUICKLY…
“Sixth sick sheik’s
sixth sheep’s sick”!!
Apparently this is
one of the hardest
tongue twisters
known!
Page 3
Once again we are hosting our reduced rate
cat desexing scheme for low income earners
holding a current pension or health care card
in our community. Owning a feline brings a
lot of pleasure and entertainment to our lives.
By desexing your cat, you are being a responsible pet owner, but you are also protecting your cat from injury and disease, so
that they can live a longer and healthier life!
Our local rehoming groups still struggle to find
forever homes for cats of all ages. If we can
reduce these numbers by desexing then at
least we can hope that stray numbers will decrease in the future. Our Clinic is not subsidized from any organization. We commit ourselves to this scheme wholely.
Please call us for more information
and bookings for this APRIL!
Bits n’ Pieces...
Nailing It…
We understand clipping your pet's nails
can be a tricky and stressful occasion.
Left untrimmed, long nails can cause your
pet discomfort and lead to other complications. We offer a free nail clipping education service to pet owners so you, the
owner, can trim safely & regularly.
Animals that have suffer ‘Nail trim terror’,
to avoid injury to owner or staff, may require a soft muzzle to prevent biting. Although great care is taken to make sure it
is not too traumatic for the pet, we sometimes come across animals that just will
not tolerate it and may need a sedative.
Nails should be inspected monthly to see
how much wear and tear the little toes
have had.
To arrange an appointment to have your
pet's nails cut, or for our free nail trim education visit, please call to make a Nurse
appointment.
Love it or hate it...it’s still the best way
to keep owners up to date and informed of all the latest going’s on in
the world of Keen Street Vet Clinic!
We won’t inundate your notification
lists too much, just a little bit of info, a
few warnings and a touch of fun (with
very cute photo’s). Every now and
then there maybe a little comp to win
some goodies, or let you know of a
pet or animal event that may be
coming up!
We are always open to new ideas, so
if you have any please let us know!
Our website is always a useful tool for
animal lovers
Why support local business? There are
plenty of good reasons to buy from a
small business such as ourselves. From a
Veterinary point of view, we aim to offer
the best professional and personal experiences for both animals and owners
alike.
BUT WHY?
Professional advice and preventative health planning
Veterinary recommended products (that really work)
Socialisation for pets and owners (treats included)
Qualified and skilled Veterinary Nurses (that own lots of
animals themselves)
Comparable pricing on over the counter products (we
try our best to be on par with major Pet chains)
Friendly and welcoming staff (always happy to help)
www.keenstreetvetclinic.com.au
Family Owned and operated by local people
Committed to the wellbeing of animals in our local
community
Walk this way….
UNTIL NEXT TIME….