Tell Your Dog - It's Porcupine Season - No Quills About It

My wife and I were sound asleep on Friday morning, and our Irish Wolfe Hound came to see us but didn't say anything at 4:00 am.  My wife got up to make coffee at 6:00 am and our son comes up stairs and says, "Does anyone know our dog has quills in his mouth from a Porcupine?  My son and I removed as many quills as we could, then took him to our veterinary hospital with me where our Technician assisted me in removing the remaining quills.  Our dog was much happier after they were removed.  They do hurt!

Dogs do not like having porcupine quills removed, but it is necessary.  The removal of porcupine quills in a dogs muzzle is best done as soon as possible.  As the longer they are in the muzzle, the harder they are to remove.  Removing quills are not for the faint of heart.  Removing those quills were as hard on me as it was on my dog.  The agony, pain, and objection to the procedures is not very nice.  Then, making sure all were removed not only from the muzzle and lip but inside the mouth.  If the quill remain, they can work in deeper.

So in the event your dog is a curious one and gets surprised by a porcupine, remove them as soon as possible or call your local veterinarian for assistance.  Your dog will probably not thank you until they are all out.  Then, life is back to normal with a little healing.  Tell your dog "no" to porcupines and let them know it is porcupine season!

http://www.blaisveterinaryhospital.com

Sophia Fund Gift

Sophia Fund Gift

This is Sophia; Sophia had a lot of challenges in her life, but you would never know that by the way she greeted people.  Always happy to see a face, be it known to her or a new one, Sophia brought smiles and laughter to those who were privileged enough to meet her.  This is so true, in fact that when Sophia passed away an out of state friend of Sophia’s owner sent money to Blais Veterinary Hospital & Clinic in Sophia’s memory expressing how grateful she is for the care we give to all pets.  With this, Blais Veterinary Hospital & Clinic has started the “Sophia’s Fund” to help other pets at our clinic receive veterinary care.  If you wish to gift Sophia’s Fund, send a check payable to Blais Veterinary Hospital & Clinic with Sophia’s Fund written in the memo space, and mail to 107 Blais Road, Indiana, PA 15701.  Thank you in advance for reading Sophia’s story, and considering gifting her fund.  We at Blais Veterinary Hospital & Clinic are honored to have served Sophia and sincerely thank her owner for entrusting her care to us.

https://blaisvet.blogspot.com/2018/03/sophia-fund-gift.html

Love your Veterinary Technician

How important are Veterinary Technicians in a Veterinary Office?

Veterinary Technicians are the Veterinarian’s right hand from greeting the pet at an appointment, taking history, and relaying information to the Doctor.  The Doctor will enter the exam room with his Technician at his side.  Then who holds the pet?  Right it is the Technician.  Who prepares the vaccines?  It’s the Technician.  Who is with your pet from the beginning of pre-op surgery to surgery and monitoring the anesthesia and after care for the safety of your pet?   It is the Technician with the Doctor by their side.  Oh and it takes two to hold a pet for a blood draw which could be two technicians or one technician and the doctor.

Veterinary Technicians are equivalent to a physician’s assistant at your doctor’s office.  Veterinary Technicians assist the Veterinarian in all aspects of treating pets.  The work and skill involved for caring for pets is hard work but very rewarding.  A Technician loves animals and wishes to see the best outcome for all pet companions. 

Veterinary Technicians are an essential part of the overall function of a facility, the doctor, and any needs your pet may have.  So love your Veterinary Technician they will help your pet through any situation that may arise.

Acupuncture Channels

14 Acupoint Channels and Number of Acupoint on Each

Lung - 9

Large Intestine - 20

Stomach - 45

Spleen - 21

Heart - 9

Small Intestine - 19

Bladder - 67

Kidney - 27

Periardium - 9

Triple Heater - 23

Gallbladder - 44

Liver 14

Governing Vessel - 28

Conception Vessel - 26

About 150 of these acupoints are commonly used to treat diseases of animals

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What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture may be defined as the stimulation of a specific point on the body with a specific method, resulting in a therapeutic homeostatic effect.  The specific point on the body is called "Shu-xu" or acupuncture point (acutpoint).  The ancient Chinese people discovered 361 acupoints in human beings and 173 acupoints in animals.

Modern research shows that acupoints are located in the areas where there is a high density of free nerve endings, mast cells, small arterioles and lymphatic vessels.  Most acupoint are motor points. A great number of studies indicate that stimulation of acupoints are induce release of beta-endorphin, serotonin and other neurotransmitters.  Therefore, acupuncture for pain relief is well supported by these scientific studies.  As more studies are conducted, the mechanism of this ancient therapy will be better understood

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http://blaisvet.blogspot.com/2017/04/what-is-acupuncture.html

What Disorders can Acupuncture Treat?

Acupuncture can treat many disorders.  The following are some of the disorders.

Musculoskeletal
Dermatologic
Neurological
Opthalmological
Behavior
Cardiac
Pulmonary
Gastrointestinal
Renal
Reproductive
Endocrine
Immunological
Neoplastic

Is Acupuncture Painful?

http://www.blaisveterinaryhospital.comThis is a question I'm often asked.  I'll go through the various arguments with you here to let you see all sides of the argument.  The first thing to say is that it is impossible to put a needle through the skin without provoking some sensation.

It is not always painful, but can sometimes be a sharp sensation.  If the acupuncturist has chosen a point that is very blocked, then sometimes stimulation of the point when the needle gets through the skin is uncomfortable.

So why do we do it if it is painful sometimes?  Answer:  The benefits outweigh the mild discomfort of the treatment.  The first thing vets are taught that all animal and human healers learn is 'First, do no harm'.

In most cases, after the insertion of the needles, the pet will lay very comfortably on the table or on the clients lap until the treatment is over.

History of Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCVM

https://www.facebook.com/blaisveterinaryhospitalclinicindianapa/http://www.blaisveterinaryhospital.comAcupuncture was developed in southern China and moxibusion (where needles or skin is heated) was developed in northern China. Herbal medicines was developed in western China, and massage and acupressure techniques in central China.

These were all brought together during this reign as 'Traditional Chinese Medicine'.  It is said that doctors of this ancient time were paid by how many healthy people they had on their books.  This seems to be a very good idea, perhaps one that could help our modern medicine!

Animal acupuncture is nearly as old as human acupuncture.  Horses were incredily important at the time.  Their primary role was as war machines to help the feuding armies fight and mobilise resources.  Horses were also used in agricultrue on the wealthier farms.  To have a horse acupuncturist was as important then as the Royal Army Engeneers are today; no transport, no war!

Only during the last 30 years has attention been paid to the acupuncture treatment of cats and dogs.  In the 1070's, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society was launched in the United Staes.  Practitioners spouted up all over the world dealing with all types of species.  The last three decades has seen a massive boom in the popularity of small animal (pet) and equine acupuncture all over the world.  There are now practioners in nearly every country on the planet using basic needling techniques to sophisticated laser gadgetry to stimulate acupoints.  Pets and horses throughout the world are now benefiting from this wonderful Chinese healing art.

Acupuncture is a treatment method for all species, as well as humans, developed in the Orient over the last 3,500 years.As very practical peoples, they discovered that they  could stimulate healing within the body by stimulating certain special points, "acupoints", with 15 cm bian stone needles.  The Chinese believe that energy, or Qi (pronounced 'Chi') circulates around the body maintaining the vitality and health of all tissues.  When this Qi flow is blocked, disease flourishes.  These blockages can occur, according to Traditional Chinese philosphy through trauma, scars, or through exposure to 'pathogenic factors' such as wind, damp, and cold.  Huang Ti, the Yellow Emperor, warrior, road building, astronomer and author of "Huang Ti Nei Ching" (Yello Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine') wrote in China around 2,700 BC.

http://blaisvet.blogspot.com/2017/03/history-of-traditional-chinese.html

Veterinary Acupuncture

Modern Western Medicine has come to conclusions, in the last few centuries, similar to those realized by their Chinese counterparts 2,000 years ago.  Their investigation technique is called Science.  From the anatomical and physiological studies doctors have worked out how blood flows, how the immune system  works and how the nervous system controls is all.  Where Traditional Chinese Medicine theory says you have blockages of energy flow, modern medicine could describe this as poor blood circulation leading to fibrositis if in the muscles, angina if in the heart and strokes if in the brain.  Western medicine uses drugs to combat these effects where the Chinese would use needles and herbs.  Needling carefully chosen acupoints has been shown, scientifically, to release morphone-like substances called 'endorphins' and to change the way the brain and the nervous system recognizes an area of disease.  It is as if acupuncture has a re-educating effect on the body dealing badly with and injured limb or diseased organ.  So, waking up of the immune system, the circulatory system and focusing this new activity through carefully repeated needling seems to be the physical effect of acupuncture.  It must be said that the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach can often work better than the high-tech scientific approach!  This is especially true when dealing with longstanding disease.

http://blaisvet.blogspot.com/2017/03/veterinary-acupuncture.html

Dogs and Cats Don’t Wear Shoes

Dogs and Cats Don’t Wear Shoes

Dogs and Cats and No Shoes

Summer is coming to an end but the weather this past week has been hot with little rain.  The growth of weeds in the yard may have slowed.    Just in case the weeds are getting wild and pesticide use is an option of choice, pets don’t wear shoes to protect them from harmful chemicals and residue.  Pesticides can absorb through the pets paws and if they lick their paws they ingest the pesticide and can become very ill.  So checking the label for pet safety is always a safe rule of thumb.  Usually, there is a time frame on the label for your pet’s safety.  This will help keep your pet out of harm’s way and by your side for a very long time.  Unless, of course your pet does wear shoes?
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Blais Veterinary Hospital Saves Dog With Aneurysm

A very nice dog came into our office last week.  The owner had found a lump.  With a thorough exam and x rays we consulted with the owner and decided to operate.  What we found was an aneurysm. We ended up removing the liver and the aneurysm.  The dog is doing well.  Aneurysm's blow and the pet can bleed to death.  The aneurysm was removed in the nick of time.  As "bad things can happen to good dogs."  This was one "Lucky Dog!"Blais Veterinary Hospital Saves Dog With Aneurysmhttp://blaisvet.blogspot.com/
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Beware of Slow Moving Porcupines and Fast Moving Dogs ~

Porcupines don’t move very fast and waddle to their destination. Seemingly on a journey and minding their own business when here comes a furry animal with no quills that can move rather quickly.    This furry and fast animal is scarring me so I better protect myself.  Well the rest of the story is on the dog. The quills possibly hit in the mouth, nose, tongue, cheeks, and front legs because the fast dog is trying to play or check out the porcupines. Yikes!   When this happens know the sooner the quills are removed the easier they are getting out.  The longer they remain in the dog the deeper they migrate and the harder they are to remove.   Seek veterinary medical assistance as quickly as possible for the best result for your pet.  It was traumatic enough for the slow moving porcupine and the fast moving dog, the removal of the quills is best by a veterinarian.     /http://blaisveterinaryhospital.com/

Free Rides for Fleas and Ticks! No more.....

The furry friend comes through the door and is greeted with lots of love and hugs.  During the love session the human hand feels a bump in the fur.  The fur is spread to see what it is.  Oh no, it is the free riding tick!

I have had the same experience with my Irish Wolfhound.  I found a product that seems to be working very well for ticks and fleas, too. The product is the Scalibor Flea and Tick Collar.  Now, Tai Gou, my dog goes out and has a good time outside with very few free riding ticks.

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