RVC Newsletter - Summer 2016

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A happy new year to all of our Riverclub Vet clients and patients.

We hope that everyone had a great break and are already in the swing of the new year and all it has to bring us.

Many animals these days seem to suffer from skin problems. It is very frustrating not only for the animal but their owners too because we never like seeing our animals uncomfortable. There are many ways to approach these issues but today we will be focusing on two skin supplements called Efazol and Mirra-Cote. Both of these supplements contain (have got) a balanced amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids along with other vitamins and minerals that help with treating some skin conditions and improving the condition of skin and coat. These supplements form part of an integrated skin treatment plan and their use should first be discussed with the vet.

Efazol

Mirra-Cote

Why do animals scratch?

An itchy dog or cat can be a very frustrating problem. Animals itch for all sorts of reasons and the underlying reason is not always apparent.

Broadly speaking, itching may be due to allergies (common), parasites (very common), immune mediated (rare) and infectious causes (common in young animals).

To effectively treat the problem, we often need to do certain skin tests that may include skin scrapings & smears, cultures, biopsies or blood tests. Each animal is different and the tests and treatments needed may vary dramatically from one pet to the next (even in the same family!).

Treatments may include medications to control itching & infection, parasite control, specific diets, omega oil supplements, medicated baths and even hypo-sensitisation vaccines.

It is vitally important to have any itchy animal carefully examined to decide on the best course of treatment.

Please remember your pets in this heat.

Always make sure that there is plenty of fresh drinking water for your dogs and cats.
Only walk your dogs during the coolest times of the day
Make sure that your dogs and cats always have a shady spot to laze around in on these hot summer days.