aha................ What should I do if I have been told my pet has leptospirosis?

What should I do if I have been told my pet has leptospirosis?

If your pet has been confirmed by your veterinarian as having leptospirosis, the appropriate action to take will depend on the nature of contact with your pet. Normal daily activities with your pet will not put you at high risk for leptospirosis infection. Types of contacts that are considered to be high risk include direct or indirect contact with urine, blood, and tissues of your pet during its infection. Assisting in the delivery of newborns from an infected animal is also considered a high-risk activity for transmission of leptospirosis.

If you have had these types of high-risk contacts with your pet during the time of its infection, inform your physician. If common symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches, and headaches, occur within 3 weeks after a high-risk exposure, see your physician. Tests can be performed to see if you have this disease.

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rizaldoarbet@gmail.com

What pet animals get leptospirosis?

What pet animals get leptospirosis?

All animals can potentially become infected with leptospires, although cases of leptospirosis in cats are rare.

What are the signs of leptospirosis in pets?

The clinical signs of leptospirosis vary and are nonspecific. Sometimes pets do not have any symptoms. Common clinical signs reported in dogs include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, refusal to eat, severe weakness and depression, stiffness, severe muscle pain, or inability to have puppies. Generally younger animals are more seriously affected than older animals.

What should I do if I think my pet has leptospirosis?

Contact your veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian can perform tests to detect the presence of leptospiral antibodies or organism in your pet.

Is there a treatment for leptospirosis in pet animals?

Yes, leptospirosis is treatable with antibiotics. If an animal is treated early, it may recover more rapidly and any organ damage may be less severe. Other treatment methods, such as dialysis and hydration therapy may be required.

The time between exposure to the bacteria and development of disease is usually 5 to 14 days, but can be as short as a few days or as long as 30 days or more.

regard,

rizaldoarbet@gmail.com

Patellar Luxation - Kneecap Dislocation

Patellar Luxation is a common congenital (animals are born with this disease) health condition in small dog breeds such as miniature and toy poodle, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier, Pekingese and other breeds of dogs and cats. Patellar Luxation affects both knees in 50% of all diagnosed cases.

The patellar or kneecap is a small bone buried in the tendon of the muscles of the thigh. The tendon is a band of tough, inelastic tissue that connects a muscle with its bony attachement. With this condition, the kneecap may slip out of the tendon and then slip back. Patellar luxation is graded 1 to 4 based on the severity of the defect, 1 being occasional mild lameness. As the disease progresses in duration and severity, this lameness becomes more frequent and eventually becomes continuous. In young puppies with severe patellar luxation, the rear legs often present a "bow-legged" appearance that worsens with growth.

Surgical correction of patellar luxation grades 1, 2, or 3 results generally in a successful clinical outcome, whereas surgical correction of grade 4 patellar luxations may not be as effective in young dogs.

When the luxation is left alone, it causes deformity and disorder in the growth of the affected limb. In severe cases, the limb may cease to function or cause other degenerative joint diseases (DJD) such as osteoarthritis. Early surgical correction is therefore essential, but the owners are not able to detect the disorder at an early age and surgical intervention in most cases will take place after 6 months of age.

It is still unclear what exactly causes this orthopedic problem. Possible causes include: hip dysplasia, deviation of muscles and bones to which patellar attaches, etc.

• A study of 1,679 puppies sold in pet stores, conducted over a 2-year period (1987 and 1988), found that over 7% of 6- to 18-week-old puppies had congenital patellar luxation and other defects (heart murmurs, reproductive organs abnormalities, umbilical hernia etc.

 

Go Pets Indonesia recommends seeking the advice of your local veterinarian for the most appropriate vaccination program and for the diagnosis and treatment of your pet's health problems. For vaccination requirements please contact your state and local licensing authorities.

Chihuahua

If you are searching for a good companion in your apartment that is caring, exceptionally lively and affectionate, Chihuahua can be your pet. Chi is a small sized dog (6-9 inches in height and 1-3 Kg in weight) with ‘apple-dome’ shaped head; it is the characteristics of this breed. In fact it is the smallest natural toy breed among dogs. General life expectancy is about 15 years. They can short-haired or long-haired. The eyes are dark and bright, they are set wide apart. Chihuahuas tend to produce enough tears and it is usual to shed some tears when they shake their head during play.

Chihuahuas have a small gap over their skull, named Molera, which tend to close as with increasing age. But it may persist throughout their life and may be the root for some critical infection.

Colors of Chihuahua vary from chestnut, sand, fawn, steel blue, silver, blonde, black.

As said earlier, Chihuahua is a very much affectionate dog who loves to remain beside his master all day long. They will try to imitate every move of their master. They are so much affectionate that sometimes they become jealous from the small children in the family and may cause harm. Their first line of defense is their small sharp teeth.

Chihuahuas are difficult to socialize. But they can be trained properly; Chi can enjoy the company of strangers also.

They have to be lightly fed. Overweight Chihuahuas are prone to develop diabetes and brittle bones. It is necessary to take them for regular walking. They can identify their same breed. But Chihuahuas are notorious to other breeds as they always tend to make arrogant noises in front of them.

Chihuahuas can’t tolerate cold much and always shivers to exposure to snow. They can stand moderate summer. Therefore, Chihuahuas require their garments.

Chihuahuas need sweater during the winter months. Sweaters will keep them warm besides the personality will not be hampered. Mostly they are handmade and are available in an array of colors and styles. During the extreme colder days, a dog coat will not be a bad idea. There are fleece dog coats, raincoats, sweat shirts and even leather dog coats. Dog jackets for your Chihuahua are ‘in-thing’ these days. And the all time favorite dog-collars and belts are also available in different fashions and colors. Here it is advisable that it is unwise to force a Chihuahua to wear dress as it may hamper its natural habit and the dog will be morose. But Chihuahuas mostly don’t object to wear a light t-shirt. The price range varies from a mere $7.00 up to $ 20.00.