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LIFESTYLE

• Swollen paws Frontline (Zoetis) or Advantix (Bayer) spot- stumble around aimlessly and demonstrate
• Fever on will help protect your fur-family from abnormal behaviour for their species: wild
• Ruptured blood vessels deadly ticks. Remember that even dogs animals can appear tame, or domesticated,
• Secondary bacterial infections and cats who don’t have any contact with friendly animals may show aggressive
• Coughing/pneumonia. other pets are at risk, as ticks enter your behaviour. Children should be taught never
property via birds, rats and mice, reptiles, to approach unfamiliar animals.
The nodules in the oesophagus may form etc. DO NOT be tempted to discontinue
cancerous growths that can spread through anti-parasite treatment (or stretch the Preventable! It is a legal requirement to
the body. periods between doses) in winter - ticks can vaccinate all dogs and cats against rabies in
survive on penguins in the Arctic, so the SA. Due to the serious risk to human health,
Treatment involves killing the S. lupi worms warm and cosy conditions in our heated any animal suspected of being rabid, and
and simple infections caught early may homes are just as ideal for them to thrive without an up to date vaccination history
respond to anti-parasitic drug treatments in, as in the sweltering summer temps. that has bitten another animal or human,

repeated over time. However, advanced Veterinary hospitals deal with plenty of may be confiscated and destroyed. If you
spirocercosis that has become cancerous cases of biliary in winter, almost all of them take your pets on trips, please always travel DON’T FORGET TO ENTER OUR
cannot be treated and all that can be done due to pet parents relaxing their parasite with your vaccination certificate or the

is to alleviate the symptoms and relieve treatment. And another word to the wise: contact details of your veterinarian, who RESTAURANT COMPETITION
pain. NEVER rely on home remedies like garlic can provide proof of your pet’s vaccination

or any of the host of flaky concoctions history.
Preventable! The highest prevalence of that pepper the internet - your pets need
S. lupi is in Gauteng and KZN, so monthly tried and tested, scientifically researched The first vaccine is given from 3 months

deworming with Milbemax (Elanco) or spot- parasite control measures in order to of age and repeated before the animal is
on treatment with Advocate (Bayer) in these stay safe, and these need to be dosed/ 1 year old. Thereafter, a booster vaccine
areas is a must. These products are available applied strictly according to the package must be administered every 3 years.
from TW. We can even set up notes on our guidelines to ensure efficacy. Ask the TW In some parts of SA, like KZN, and for

system to provide them whenever your Team for their recommendation of the travelling pets, annual vaccinations are

pooches visit us for grooming. best tick and flea prevention product to usually required.
suit your and your pets’ lifestyles, as well as
BILIARY (DOGS. CATS ONLY IN your budget. Again, we can assist you with FELINE LEUKAEMIA VIRUS (CATS)
COASTAL AREAS) reminders when your furballs join us for Feline Leukaemia Virus, or FeLV, is
Biliary, similar to Tick Bite Fever in humans, their Spa days. increasingly a cause of death of cats in
is a very common killer of dogs in this South Africa. 85% of infected cats die within
country. The biliary parasite is transmitted RABIES (ALL MAMMALS, HUMANS) 3 years of contracting it, as it suppresses
through the saliva of infected ticks which, The Rabies virus is transmitted when an the immune system and predisposes

in turn, are infected by feeding off infected infected animal bites another animal or a them to deadly infections. FeLV cannot be
dogs. Once the parasites are in the blood person. Additionally, infected saliva that transmitted to people or dogs but is passed
stream, they multiply and destroy the encounters a skin wound can spread the between cats through infected saliva or

dog’s red blood cells. Red blood cells carry disease. The virus affects the brain of the blood (eg. when grooming or fighting) and,

oxygen throughout the body, so losing infected mammal, travelling along the to some extent, urine and poop (sharing
them results in the symptoms of biliary: nerves from the site of infection. litter trays). Kittens can contract the disease
pale or yellow gums, fever, listlessness, in the womb, or through their mum’s milk.
decreased appetite and red urine. These The incubation period can vary greatly Preventable! FeLV may be spread by cats
symptoms start about 10 - 21 days after from weeks to months, so it’s vital that any who appear to be healthy, so it’s important
the initial bite. Another tick-borne disease, animal or person who has been bitten by a to have all cats tested for it. Cats living
Ehrlichia, often occurs together with suspected rabid animal receives immediate in multi-cat environments, including
biliary, as they are transmitted by the same attention. The only way to confirm that residential complexes, should be vaccinated

ticks, and blood tests will reveal if a dog an animal is rabid is on post mortem, against it.
has one or the other, or both. Biliary isn’t which means that the animal suspected of
contagious, but dogs exposed to the same being rabid must be euthanised and sent Healthy but FeLV-positive cats should
infected ticks can develop it - ie. all dogs in for examination. Once symptoms have always be sterilised and, ideally, kept
your household may be at risk. developed, the disease is incurable and indoors. New cats or kittens over eight
always results in death. weeks of age should be tested for the
Treatment ideally involves hospitalisation virus before being introduced to a multi-
as, in severe cases, a blood transfusion All the symptoms of rabies relate to cat household. Most vets caution against
may even be necessary. It’s vital to seek inflammation of the brain and subsequent introducing a new cat into a household

treatment a.s.a.p. neurological disfunction. Hyper-salivation with a FeLV-positive cat, because the
(frothing at the mouth) and hydrophobia new kitty may be at risk of contracting
Preventable! Religious dosing with an (fear of water) are mostly associated with the infection – even with vaccination.

effective tick and flea treatment eg. Seresto rabies and occur as the animal or person Additionally, the stress of a newcomer

collar (Bayer), Bravecto (MSD) or Nexgard desperately wants to quench their thirst could affect the immunity of the FeLV-
(Boehringer-Ingelheim) oral tablets; or but cannot swallow. Rabid animals may positive cat.
CONCLUSION
It’s a relief to know that many of the most serious disease
threats to our beloved pets are entirely avoidable if we
ensure that their vaccination and parasite-prevention A microscopic view
programmes are kept up to date. Chat to your vet about of a blood slide with
the teardrop shaped
their recommended vaccination protocol (these may vary biliary parasite

in different parts of the country, or for individual pets) and (Babesia canis) inside
set calendar reminders to guarantee that you never skip a red blood cell of a
dog.
parasite control doses.
Article courtesy of Twisted Whiskers in Hobart Centre, Bryanston.
48 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 2 • 2019