Well a bit of a sad day today. We had a Lulu a 10 year old Labrador come in for xrays as she has had an ongoing cough for the last few months. Initially when she came in for this problem around a month ago - she had all the signs and findings of Bordetella bronchiseptica infection (otherwise known as Kennel cough!) and she was treated for this. With no improvement after a 2 week course of an appropriate antibiotic, the decision was made to take some chest xrays.

Chest xrays help us differentiate a lung problem from an upper airway problem and from a heart problem! Large breed dogs, particularly older labs, quite commonly get an upper respiratory problem called 'Laryngeal paralysis' - where the larynx (in the throat) doesn't open as wide as it should - often leading to coughing and hoarse breathing. Lung problems that could cause a cough include anything from asthma, infection, lungworm, pneumonia, cancer and many more! Heart problems include the common dilated cardiomyopathy which causes a dilated heart and thin walled heart muscle, heartworm, cancer and again, many more. This is why getting a least 2 - 3 chest films is so important.

Your vet is a pretty significant figure in your dog’s life – and thus, in yours. Hopefully, you’ll only ever need him or her for routine checkups and preventative procedures; but just in case, it’s worth taking the time to develop a good relationship with a suitable vet, before you need their services.

WHERE TO LOOK

Sure, you could just pick a vet at random from the Yellow Pages or from an Internet search; but having the right vet is crucial to your dog’s health and happiness (and, presumably, this plays at least some part in your own happiness and peace of mind as an owner, right?)

Think about it this way: if you were trying to choose a doctor for yourself, would you be happy to just select one at random from an impersonal list?

I have always explained to my clients that it is so important to keep on top of their pet's health. The age old saying is " Prevention is better than cure" and I couldn't agree more! A typical example is dental disease.

So many times I encourage owners to keep an eye on their dog's teeth regularly as well as consider dental chews, dental biscuits or tooth brushing. However, time after time their dogs return to me ages 7 - 8 onwards with appauling dental disease. These dogs primarily seem to be the small breeds like Yorkshire Terriers and Chihuahuas for example with small, crowded mouths. The end result is a full general anesthetic and multiple teeth to be removed. 

As cats age and come in to that middle age period from around 7 – 8 years of age, it is important for owners to keep an eye out for symptoms that could indicate the beginnings of a disease or syndrome. Middle aged to older cats are very prone to developing diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, arthritis and sometimes sadly, even cancer.