The Latest News from PRAH

Common Toxin information for Pet Owners

• Heard it through the grapevine

  While the toxic dose of grapes/raisins remains unknown and seems highly variable between pets, a single grape has been known to cause kidney failure in susceptible animals. Definitely not worth the risk!

• Oh, nuts!

  Macadamia nut toxicity causes acute paralysis, but luckily symptoms generally resolve over 24-48hrs with supportive veterinary care.

• No substitute

  Xylitol is a common sugar substitute found in many sugar-free products including some mints, candies, chewing gum products, children's vitamins and oral and dental care products. Even a small amount can result in dangerous and potentially life-threatening low blood sugar levels and acute liver toxicity.

• Don't add to the pain
  
Did you know that most over-the-counter human pain relievers are unsafe for dogs and cats? Ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen (Aleve) cannot be broken down in your pet's body the same way they are in ours. Consult your family veterinarian prior to administering any unprescribed medications.

• Say no to drugs

  According to Pet Poison Helpline, about 40 percent of feline cases involved cats that improperly ingested human or veterinary drugs.

COMING SOON- December 2013

After over 22 years at our current location, we are moving!  Our new location is 94 Berthoud Street in Park Ridge.  It is right off of Kinderkamack Road, between Burger King and Liberty Gas and is nocated next to “A Little Cake” Bakery.  Our new location features four examination rooms, an expanded reception area and much more.  We have a spacious pharmacy and full in hospital laboratory to run bloodwork and other lab tests.  We also have a treatment room featuring a state of the art dental suite.  We have a separate surgery suite with state of the art safety and monitoring equipment.  We are so excited to offer your pet the same quality and compassionate care in this new facility.  We will notify our clients of the official moving date by e-mail, facebook and during phone calls.

Canine Influenza

Canine influenza is a newly emerging infectious disease caused by a “flu” virus. In dogs, a highly contagious strain of the influenza A virus known as H3N8 is able to cause respiratory illness. Canine influenza virus only affects dogs, although it originated in horses.

How contagious is canine influenza?

Just like the human “flu,” canine influenza is highly contagious. In fact, unless a dog has already had the illness and recovered, virtually every dog exposed to the virus will become infected. This is because the virus is relatively new and dogs have no natural immunity to it. While 100% of dogs are susceptible to influenza infection, about 80% will become ill from the virus. The other 20% of infected dogs will show no signs of infection but can still spread the virus to other dogs. The incubation period is usually two to four days from exposure to onset of clinical signs. The highest amounts of viral shedding occur during this time; therefore, dogs are most contagious during this period when they are not exhibiting signs of illness. Virus shedding decreases dramatically during the first 4 days of illness but may continue up to 7 to 10 days in some dogs.

What are the signs of canine influenza?