Buyer Beware VS Buyer Be Sure!

The care and well-being of your pet is our top priority. The treatment plan developed specifically for your pet is part of that care. If medications are prescribed, we recommend you purchase them through us so that you can be assured of the safety and efficacy of any medications dispensed for your pet. These medications are guaranteed by the pharmaceutical companies with whom we do business.

Products obtained through internet and catalog pharmacies are not regulated by federal or state agencies or well monitored. Because internet pharmacies and some catalog companies often purchase their products from unregulated sources, (including unauthorized or foreign dealers) the pharmaceutical companies will not stand behind these purchases for safety or efficacy.

Internet pharmacies have been repeatedly challenged by state Pharmacy Boards (whose mission is to protect the public) for numerous pharmacy law violations.

When you purchase products from us, you are provided with the information you need to use these medications properly. Some medications require patient testing before use and monitoring during use. We can discuss alternative methods of administration and can help with questions that arise during treatment. Refilling prescriptions through a veterinarian affords an opportunity to review your pet's medical history to be sure that the medication, dosage and route of administration are appropriate for your pet's medical condition.

The attention-grabbing, money-saving claims on the internet can be hard to resist. However, promotional free doses for many flea and tick preventatives are offered only through veterinary hospitals, making the products cost the same, if not cheaper.

Please feel free to talk with us. This information is intended to help you make an informed decision about your pet's health needs.

We know you want what is best for your pet. We are committed to the continued health and well being of your pet and we thank you for placing your trust in our practice.

Cancer in Pets

(a licensed veterinary technician prepares chemotherapy drugs for treatment in a dog)

Cancer In Pets

Cells naturally divide and increase in numbers in a process called mitosis. Normal cells divide to replace those lost or injured and then stop. Cancer cells are abnormal in that they continuously multiply uncontrollably, and may grow into adjacent tissues or spread to distant parts of the body. The accumulation of these cells eventually become large enough to produce lumps, masses, or tumors that can be detected. The tumor can be benign or malignant.

Benign tumors are not cancerous and can usually be removed. The majority of these do not return, nor do they spread to other parts of the body.

Malignant tumors are cancerous. They can also be removed but can invade nearby tissues and organs and can metastasize. Metastasis is when the cells break away from the tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system to form secondary tumors at different locations.

*** It is important to realize that if your pet has been diagnosed with some form of malignant cancer, it does not necessarily mean the end of his or her life. Many pets can be cured or go into remission for months or years.

Once we have a complete understanding of your pet's health and type of cancer, we can design an appropriate treatment plan.

Cancer Therapy

Cancer therapy in pets includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. One or a combination of these treatments may be used and is tailored to your pet individually. Whether a treatment or therapy is appropriate for your pet with cancer depends upon:

1. The type of cancer (based upon biopsy or cytology)
2. The grade or stage of cancer (how aggressive or fast moving it is)
3. The location of the growth

Surgery:

Surgery may be warranted in cancer treatment for many reasons including:

• Surgery to remove or destroy cancerous tissue including the removal of some tissue around the tumor and/or nearby lymph nodes.
• Surgery to remove samples of the tissue from a suspicious area for testing and evaluation to confirm a diagnosis or identify the type of cancer.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to treat cancerous cells. Chemotherapy is used at Georgetown Animal Clinic as a treatment for non-operable cancer involving more than one part of the body or post-surgical if the cancer is one that is likely to metastasize. The goal when using chemotherapy is to control the cancer and prolong survival while still maintaining a good to excellent quality of life for the patient. It is very important to understand the difference between complete remission and a cure.
For example, the majority of dogs with lymphoma (a cancer of the lymphoid tissue) will enjoy a rapid and complete remission following initiation of chemotherapy. Lymphoma, however, will ultimately relapse. A cure means the cancer is totally gone and will not likely return.

Radiation Therapy:

Radiation therapy is the treatment of cancer and other diseases with ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation deposits energy that injures or destroys cells in the area being treated (the target tissue) by damaging their genetic material making it impossible for these cells to continue to grow. Although radiation destroys both cancer cells and normal cells, the normal cells are able to repair themselves and function properly. Radiation therapy is generally used to treat localized solid tumors. Radiation therapy is performed at a facility specialized in this technique.

Treatment protocols for cancer is determined based upon:

• The pet's overall health and medical history
  
• The extent of the disease
• Expectations for the course of the disease
• AND MOST IMPORTANT, informed decision

FLEA CONTROL

Why is it so hard to control flea infestation?

Controlling fleas is a challenge because the adult fleas cause the clinical signs, yet the majority of the flea population (eggs, larvae and pupae) are found off the pet in and around the home. By the time a flea is seen on an animal, the life cycle has already begun.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE FLEA

Eggs: Eggs are laid in the hair coat and are designed to fall off the host.

Larvae: Larvae develop in the host’s environment and feed on adult flea feces (digested blood) that fall out of the hair coat of the pet. Larvae eventually spin cocoons (often within carpet fibers) called pupae.

Pupae: Pupae are resistant to freezing, desiccation, and insecticides. Pupae can lie dormant for many months; they are stimulated to hatch into adults by vibration, warming and increased carbon dioxide.

Flea: Fleas are fairly mobile and can survive a few days without a host, if in a suitable environment. New fleas begin feeding within hours of finding a dog or cat. Most fleas do not survive 72 hours on an animal, but because of its Life Cycle, flea infestation has already begun by the time you see fleas on your pet.

What is the best flea control?

The best flea control is always FLEA PREVENTION!

For cats, Revolution is the preferred product of choice because it also prevents heartworms, mites and intestinal parasites.

For dogs we recommend Sentinel, Frontline Plus, Revolution, Comfortis or Advantage Multi depending on the household, the severity of the problem and what other parasites we are trying to control.

If my pet does have fleas, how long do I need to treat him/her?

Animals should be treated for 6 months consecutively from the time of infection or treated preventatively from May to November every year in Buffalo.

Do fleas carry other diseases?

Yes. Most notably they carry Tapeworms. Dogs and cats get the Tapeworms by eating the fleas while grooming themselves.

Can I just go online to buy my flea prevention?

We cannot endorse going online to buy flea prevention. The FDA has found some companies sell unapproved pet drugs and counterfeit pet products, make fraudulent claims and sell expired drugs. Most recently we treated a dog that had been given a heartworm/flea prevention that was bought online, and found to have been manufactured in another country and not regulated by the FDA. If you would like home delivery, we recommend going to www.vetcentric.com

Heartworm Disease in Dogs

What is heartworm disease?

Heartworm disease is caused by a worm that lives in the heart.

How is it transmitted?

Heartworm disease is transmitted from dog to dog by a mosquito. It MUST go through a mosquito and can NOT go directly from dog to dog. EVEN INDOOR DOGS can get heartworm disease.

Do we have it in Western New York?

Yes. Absolutely. Anywhere there are mosquitos, there is heartworm disease.

What signs will my dog show when it gets infected?

Dogs will initially show NO signs. Once bitten by an infected mosquito, it takes 6 months for the parasite to grow up and migrate to the heart. After that the worms can live for months to years before a dog will show any signs of illness. Eventually the animal will go into heart failure and shows signs such as coughing, lethargy, exercise intolerance, weight loss, poor appetite, etc.

Is it fatal?

If left untreated, heartworm disease in dogs is fatal.

Can people get it? What about cats?

People can not get heartworm disease. Cats can get it but the disease differs from dogs. It is not as common in cats as dogs.

How do you test for heartworm disease?

An annual blood test is recommended for ALL dogs in this area. We test the blood for a protein that is produced by the worm. It is a very sensitive test.

Do I have to test every year?

Yes. AAHA and the AVMA standards of care recommend annual testing. The sooner we know about the infection, the easier it is to treat.

How do you prevent heartworm disease?

Monthly prophylactic medications include Revolution, Advantage Multi, Sentinel and Interceptor will prevent heartworm disease.

Are the preventative medications safe?

Yes they are very safe. Advantage Multi and Revolution are often used every two weeks for other parasites. Interceptor can be used at three times the monthly dose on a DAILY basis for mange for months at a time (this is about 90x the regular dose).

Can’t I just give the preventatives to my dog if/when the test comes back positive?

No. The monthly preventatives will kill any “baby” heartworms (within 6 weeks of being infected by the mosquito) but once they become adults they are no longer susceptible to these mild, well tolerated medications.

What is involved in treatment of the disease?

First an animal must be staged to find out how far the disease has progressed. This involves blood work and chest x-rays and can be costly. Then the animal is treated with a series of injections that may have numerous side effects and requires hospitalization.