Permethrin toxicity in cats

A common cause of toxicity in cats presented to emergency vet clinics is the application and/or accidental exposure to canine insecticide and flea products containing the active ingredient permethrin.

Permethrin is part of the “pyrethroid“ class of toxins which affect the central nervous system. As a general rule, any product containing pyrethroids should not be used in cats as they are very sensitive to these toxins.

Clinical signs usually occur within hours of exposure and affected cats can exhibit signs of seizures, muscle tremors, shaking, drooling and vomiting. Affected patients require emergency vet care to control and treat seizures and muscle tremors.

If you have any concerns about your cat having come into contact with permethrin or pyrethroid containing products then do not hesitate to contact your local animal emergency hospital.

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

 

Veterinary Emergency: Paraphimosis (Prolapsed penis)

 

Alfred was admitted to our Pet Emergency Centre for Paraphimosis (Prolapsed penis). Paraphimosis is the inability to retract the erect penis back into a normal position – into the preputial sheath.

Alfred’s owners had attempted to manually  fix the problem but with no success.

When Alfred arrived at our Essendon Pet Emergency Centre his prolapsed penis was very swollen/inflamed that our emergency vets needed to place Alfred under a general anaesthetic.

Causes of this condition can be from excess licking, sexual excitement or foreign bodies getting up under the skin(hair) and trauma.

If the swelling does not resolve within 30 minutes then immediate veterinary treatment is required due to tissue damage and urethral obstruction. In some cases the tissue of the penis dies off due to lack of blood supply and the dog requires a partial penis amputation.

In Alfred’s case our emergency vets had been able to replace his penis back into it’s normal position. He is a very sweet 5 month old Basset Hound puppy and the staff at AAE wish Alfred a speedy recovery.

If you have a pet emergency please contact one of Animal Hospitals located in Melbourne:

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700

Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Knowing When Your Pet Needs a Caesarean

A caesarean section is a major surgical procedure used to deliver babies when normal birth isn’t possible. This is done by surgically entering the abdomen to remove the babies directly from the uterus. While caesareans are sometimes needed for cats, they are a lot more common with dogs, especially particular breeds such as bull dogs. However, birth complications are life threatening to all mothers and their offspring when delivery isn’t progressing normally, regardless of species or breed. Therefore, pets experiencing birth complications may be in need of a caesarean and must be taken to a 24 hour vet clinic immediately for emergency surgery.

In most cases, pet owners won’t be aware that their pet is in need of a caesarean until they begin giving birth. When your pet is pregnant and close to giving birth, it is important to keep a close eye on them, especially during the delivery, and be at the ready to take them to a 24hr animal hospital in an emergency.

When your pet is in labour, the most obvious signs that they may be in need of a caesarean are:
• Your pet has been having contractions for more than 2 hours without delivering a puppy/kitten (even after the first delivery)
• Your pet appears too tired to push out the puppy/kitten
• There is a puppy/kitten stuck in the birth canal
• If your pet hasn’t delivered all puppies/kittens (providing you have had x-rays taken to determine the litter size)
• If there is a green discharge from the vulva and no puppies/kittens are produced

A caesarean section will normally take between 1-1.5 hours by an experienced emergency veterinarian and then a further 1-3 hours for recovery in a pet hospital. During the surgery and post-operative care, your pet will be closely monitored and administered anaesthetic, pain relief, IV fluids and antibiotics. Puppies/kittens will also be closely monitored to ensure they are suckling well and kept clean, dry and warm.

Generally within a few hours after surgery, your pet and her new puppies/kittens will be discharged to return home. It is important to allow your pets to have some time alone together to feed and bond, while still keeping an eye on them. Pet owners should also remember to bring their pet in for a veterinary check-up 1-2 days after surgery, and stitches will need to be removed in 10-14 days following surgery. Your vet will be able to instruct you on any additional pet care required and schedule an appropriate time to begin vaccinations and worming treatment (usually between 3-6 weeks after birth).

It is important to closely monitor your pet and her new puppies/kittens and contact a 24 hour veterinary clinic if you have any concerns at all. If you notice any of the following then it may be an animal emergency (such as mastitis, eclampsia or unwell puppies/kittens), which needs to be seen by a 24hr emergency vet urgently:

• The puppies/kittens aren’t feeding regularly or at all (roughly every 3 hours is normal)
• The puppies/kittens are crying excessively (they should be sleeping or feeding 90% of the time)
•  The puppies/kittens are cold (their environment should be kept at roughly 30°c)
•  The caesarean wound is discharging, red or inflamed
•  Mammary glands are swollen, inflamed, hard or painful
•  Mother reluctant to nurse or appears impatient with the puppies/kittens
•  Any signs of fever/high temperature, shaking, tremors, seizures or high heart rate

Animal Accident & Emergency have two 24 hour Animal Hospitals in Melbourne, which are ideally located in Essendon and Point Cook and both with easy freeway access and amble parking. Our emergency vet clinics operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (including public holidays), and offer all the latest equipment and state of the art technology, as well as a 24 hour intensive care unit. Our dedicated team of emergency vets and nurses provide the highest standards of emergency vet care, critical care medicine and surgery, and are experienced in treating all emergencies from right across Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat. So when you bring your pet to Animal Accident & Emergency you can rest assured that your pet will receive the best and most advanced vet care available.

If you believe your pet may be in need of a caesarean section or for any other veterinarian emergency, please contact one of our 24-hour animal emergency centres:

Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

 

Always Open. We Always CARE

 

http://www.animalemergeny.com.au

Knowing the Signs of Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis

When your dog is suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea it is always cause for concern, but when blood is included in the vomited material or stool then you should certainly be alarmed and treat it is an animal emergency. Bloody diarrhoea and vomiting can often be a sign of Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis, which is an acute disorder that can lead to your pet becoming seriously ill or even dying.

The exact cause of Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis remains unknown, making the diagnosis challenging and often requiring intestinal biopsies for persistent cases. However, it is known to be most common in small breed dogs. Some possible causes of Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis include change of diet, stress, intestinal obstruction, foreign bodies, trauma, gastrointestinal tumours and infectious diseases (such as canine parvovirus infection and coagulation disorders).

When testing for Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis, evaluation requires a wide range of tests and procedures to determine the cause and the best treatment plan. This includes taking a complete blood count, biochemical analysis of the blood, urinalysis, x-rays, coagulation tests, faecal evaluation, as well as ultrasound or endoscopic examination of the gastrointestinal tract.

Dogs that are suffering from Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis will appear severely ill and need to be treated by an experienced emergency vet or they may die. In most cases that are treated, the disorder appears to run its course within a few days, providing the dog is given the appropriate medical care. Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis causes stomach and/or intestinal ulcers that result in bleeding into the gut and severe dehydration. Therefore, the main treatment involves intravenous fluid therapy to correct their dehydration and circulatory shock. Other treatments include anti-nausea medications, gut protectant medications and pain relief.

Treatment usually requires the dog to be in an animal emergency hospital for between 2-4 days, so the appropriate medications can be administered and they can be closely monitored. Except for very severe cases that involve sepsis and blood clotting problems, the majority of cases that are treated intensively make a full recovery.

Melbourne pet owners should contact an emergency veterinarian at a 24 hour animal emergency centre if they ever observe blood in their dog’s stool or vomit, if vomiting or diarrhoea persists beyond six to twelve hours, if their dog is trying to vomit but unable to bring up anything, or if their pet becomes quiet, lethargic or weak. Other things to consider are if your dog is less than 6 months of age or older than 10 years, has any other medical conditions or on any medications, or if they may have eaten a foreign object.

In case of suspected Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis or any emergency, please phone Animal Accident & Emergency at either of our 24 hour animal emergency centres. Our clinics operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (including public holidays), and offer all the latest state-of-the-art equipment, as well as a 24-hour intensive care unit. Our dedicated team of emergency vets and nurses provide the highest standards of emergency and critical care medicine and surgery available, so you can be assured your pet will always receive the best treatment possible.

Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

We’re Always Open, We Always CARE

www.animalemergency.com.au