What can be done about my pet's awful breath? Why must my pet undergo general anesthesia for his dental procedure? What can be done about my dog's/cat's foul-smelling ears? What can be done to alleviate my dog's/cat's arthritic difficulties? How can I get rid of fleas? What can I do?  My dog is destroying everything! Can my cat get heartworms? What can be done about my pet's awful breath? Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is only one of many possible clinical signs of dental disease due to dental calculus, plaque, and associated bacterial infection. Your pet's teeth, in fact, need to be cleaned periodically for the same reasons people have their teeth scaled and polished — to control harmful bacteria that can spread through the bloodstream to the heart, kidneys, liver, and other areas. For the very best results, we use an ultrasonic scaling device similar to the one used by your dentist. After scaling off the tartar, the teeth are polished to remove tiny scratches on the enamel. Finally, a fluoride foam application completes the procedure. After your pet's dental cleaning, it is very helpful to brush the teeth at home on a routine basis (optimally, at least every other day) with a toothbrush and paste designed for use in animals. When performed regularly and done correctly, home dental care for your cat or dog can yield wonderful results. The use of special brushes prevents damage to the delicate gingival tissue. Furthermore, pet toothpaste is formulated to be retained in the mouth after brushing. No rinsing is required! In addition to brushing, antibiotics are given in cases involving significant bacterial infection. Return to top of page Why must my pet undergo general anesthesia for his dental procedure? To properly clean all the surfaces of the teeth, especially at and below the gum line, and finally, to polish the enamel (to remove tiny scratches that would otherwise result in a rapid accumulation of new tartar), total cooperation using a sedative or general anesthetic is usually necessary. In addition, a preanesthetic blood test is required before this and any other procedure requiring anesthesia. In very cooperative cats and dogs, Dr. Yavitz can perform a significant amount of dental scaling without any sedation or anesthesia during the course of a routine office exam. What can be done about my dog's (or cat's) foul-smelling ears? Odor in the ears indicates the presence of inflammation of the ear canal (otitis), a condition that should be investigated by Dr. Yavitz. The ear canal is inspected for the presence of ear mites, a common external parasite of the puppies and kittens. In order to diagnose the cause of the ear problem in the absence of mites, a swab of abnormal discharge taken from the ear canal is examined under the microscope to help distinguish between bacterial and yeast infection. Another swab may be needed to obtain a bacterial culture.  After a proper treatment regimen has been determined, pet guardians will need to learn to examine and medicate the ears of their dog or cat.  When indicated, an antibiotic specific for the bacteria isolated from a culture is selected. Antifungal medications are used to treat common yeast infections of the ear. Corticosteroids (cortisone) are also frequently employed to reduce inflammation (usually characterized as swelling, redness, and itching). The ears will likely require additional cleaning at home using a product that will also help to dry out the ear canal. Often, final resolution of a typical ear infection could take three or more weeks. Relapse yeast infections are common, especially in floppy-eared canine breeds such as the golden retriever, labrador retriever, cocker spaniel, beagle, and standard poodle.  To prevent these recurring infections, the ears are treated weekly with an antifungal and antibacterial medication as directed by Dr. Yavitz.  Addressing predisposing factors, especially in cases of atopy or allergic dermatitis, can be quite rewarding in controlling stubborn cases of otitis externa. Return to top of page What can be done to alleviate my dog's/cat's arthritic difficulties? Left untreated, chronic arthritis can be very painful and debilitating, just as it is for people. When considering home care options for the arthritic pet, there are a number of simple steps that can be taken to make life a bit easier. Medications can also provide significant relief.  Previcox® and Rimadyl® are excellent choices for the treatment of pain in dogs when a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is indicated.   Complementary therapies including acupuncture, botanical (herbal) medicine and nutraceuticals can bring about remarkable improvements in quality of life by reducing inflammation and pain. We have received excellent feedback from patients (and their owners) regarding SynoviG3®, PhyCox-JS™, Vetriscience Glycoflex III, and Cosequin® for dogs and cats.  Adequan® is an injectable medication that can also be a very effective treatment alternative.  Dr. Yavitz can help you establish the best approach for controlling your pet's unique arthritic problems. How can I get rid of fleas? To effectively eliminate fleas, one must treat the pet, the house, and the yard (except in coldest winter months). Because flea eggs and larvae represent 90% of the flea population, a premise spray treatment that kills the flea adults, eggs, and larvae should be used inside the house and applied to the yard. It is imperative to properly prepare the house by thoroughly vacuuming or washing all surfaces where your pet has been. Preparation and treatment should extend under ALL furniture, including beds, couches, and chairs; also treat closets, carpet, and the underside of doormats and smaller area rugs. Home treatment can, in many cases, be successfully performed with a professional strength product (Knockout E.S.) available from Spoede Animal Hospital. Dr. Yavitz can also recommend a number of highly efficacious products to treat fleas on your pet. Because every pet has special needs, Dr. Yavitz can help determine which flea control product would be appropriate for the your cat or dog.  Frontline Plus® is a liquid that is applied once a month onto the skin. Within 48 hours after application, the medication spreads over the entire body where it is retained by and slowly released from the skin oil glands (sebaceous glands), killing fleas and ticks on contact. Revolution® for dogs and cats not only kills fleas and ticks, but also functions as a heartworm preventive. This prescription product, applied monthly to one area of the skin, is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Conventional flea sprays, powders, foams, and shampoos are still available.  However, they require frequent and careful application to be effective. Cats, in particular, find topically applied flea sprays, powders, and foams especially distasteful and will groom themselves in an endless attempt to remove the offensive products.  Dr. Yavitz never recommends flea dips. Return to top of page What can I do?  My dog is destroying everything! The dog may have to be temporarily confined in a cage or crate when you are not home or cannot provide direct supervision. Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety and vent their frustration by destroying things, by vocalizing (barking, howling, whining) excessively, and by urinating and/or defecating inappropriately.  Medications such as clomipramine are available that may help control this disorder in combination with behavioral modification training. A physical examination and blood chemistry panel would be required to initially rule out medical problems. Can my cat get heartworms? Yes!  Just like dogs, cats acquire heartworms from the bite of an infected mosquito. We now know that feline heartworm disease (FHD) is far more common than once thought and is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. The clinical importance of FHD is magnified by the fact that even light infections (1 or 2 worms) can result in severe disease with life-threatening consequences. The clinical signs of FHD are often transient or too non-specific to be suggestive of heartworm infection. They can include difficult breathing, coughing, vomiting, or simply loss of appetite and lethargy. Diagnosis of FHD can be difficult because several tests may be required and the methods used successfully for screening dogs are not as reliable in cats. Once diagnosed, treatment can be considered and involves intravenous chemotherapy using a medicinal arsenic compound given twice daily for two days. The cat must then be held in cage confinement for the next 3 - 4 weeks while the worms die and disintegrate in the heart and pulmonary arteries. Due to the possibility of severe complications, treatment for heartworms is only recommended in cats that continue to display clinical signs (vomiting, coughing) which cannot be controlled with symptomatic therapy. Because heartworm disease in cats can be so devastating and treatment just as dangerous, the current recommendation of the American Heartworm Society and the International Feline Heartworm Disease Council is to administer a monthly preventive medication after an initial blood test which can be performed in our hospital. Currently, there are two medications approved for use in cats for prevention of heartworms. Heartgard® is administered orally; Revolution®, which is applied topically to the skin, is also effective in killing fleas, ticks, and ear mites. Return to top of page