FLEAS 101

The Doctors and Staff at Animal Care Hospital would like to provide you with a crash course on fleas and flea treatment.

Successful Flea Treatment:

Key Points:

1) It can take up to 3 months to successfully get rid of a flea infestation.

2) Three 'zones' must be treated for success:
a. The pet
b. Outside environment
c. Indoor environment

3)Understand the flea life cycle
a. There are 4 stages of the flea life cycle: Eggs, Larvae, Pupae, and Adult Fleas.
b. NOTHING can kill the pupae stage of the flea life cycle
c. For ease of remembering, each stage of the life cycle lasts roughly 2 weeks, but pupae can lay dormant (inactive) for months in a quiet environment. (like an empty apartment or house)

4) For every 1 flea there are 10 flea eggs hiding in the environmnet. (10 fleas=100 eggs!)

5)Fleas love to live in cool, dark places as well as in places with lots of organic material. (i.e. mulch, dog beds, wood piles etc...)

Treatment Plan for Flea Infestation

1) Apply Frontline Plus monthly to ALL dogs and cats in the household regardless if they go outside or not.

2) Indoors:
a. Clean very well in and around furniture
b. Dispose of vacuum bag or clean vacuum well
c. Focus your treatment sprays where the animals generally are

3) Outdoors:
a. Use a good 'easy to use' spray
b. Remember key point #5 and..
i. Spray around house foundation
ii. Spray mulch
iii. Spray wood piles
iv. Spray dog house
v. Spray bedding etc...
c. Spray the indoor and outdoor environment once a week for 3 weeks, then monthly at the same time you apply Frontline Plus or Advantage to your pets.

STILL HAVE FLEAS?

We have all been there. What started out as a few fleas has become a major infestation in your home and on your pets. Here are a few facts to help you say goodbye to those nasty bugs!

Fact 1: Frontline IS working and it IS waterproof, however if you are using a flea and tick shampoo or a shampoo that strips the oils off of your pets skin (like Dawn dishwashing soap) those shampoos also strip off the Frontline. Call 1-800-660-1842 for help if you are unsure if the shampoo you are using is taking off the Frontline.

Fact 2: Nothing kills the pupae stage of the flea life cycle. Thats why is important to retreat your invironment 2-4 weeks later to kill the fleas that are just hatching out of the pupal stage. Click here for more info: www.pestproducts.com/flea-pupae.htm

Fact 3: Every pet in the household must be treated with Frontline, even if that pet does not go outside. Indoor cats can harbor fleas and keep the flea life-cycle going if they aren't treated with Frontline.

Still having problems with fleas? Click here for 9 quick questions to help solve a flea control problem: www.frontline.us.merial.com/prd_q.asp

CPR Training for Dogs AND Humans

The staff of Animal Care Hospital has recently been certified in CPR/AED.

Pet Oxygen Masks Donated to Area Fire and Ambulance Services

Animal Care Hospital of Morris conducted a fund raising even in which clients made donations to raise funds for the purchase and subsequent donations of Pet Oxygen Masks for fire departments in our area.

The need for pet oxygen masks on our emergency vehicles is very evident:
*More than 500,000 pets are affected by fires each year.
*Over 40,000 pets each year die on smoke asphyxiation.
*Overwhelmingly, pets are considered members of the family.

After generous contributions from our clients, and hard work by the staff of the hospital, Animal Care Hospital of Morris was able to donate 1 set of pet oxygen masks to the Seneca Fire Protection and Ambulance Service, and 2 sets of pet oxygen masks to the Braidwood Fire Department on Friday February 26th, 2010.
It is our deepest hope that these masks will benefit the citizens of our neighboring communities, by assisting in saving the lives of pets that sometimes need to be resuscitated due to smoke inhalation and other emergencies.
Further Information may be available from Matt Johnson, CVT Hospital Manager of Animal Care Hospital. 815-941-9924

TICKS-Prevention is the best Defense

Ticks, though tiny, may pose a significant threat to both pets and people, including the transmission of dangerous diseases. The deer tick may transmit Lyme disease which can cause serious health problems among you and your pet. Some signs of Lyme disease in dogs include lameness, hot and/or swollen joints, lack of appetite, fatigue, and fever. The signs of Lyme disease can take months to develop and are easily mistaken for signs of flu or arthritis. Only your veterinarian can make the proper diagnosis and recommendations.
Your dog may be at risk for Lyme disease if you live in a wooded area, removed a tick from your dog in the past year, or go hunting or camping with your dog. Applying Frontline and vaccination is by far the most effective way to protect your dog against Lyme disease. For more information call and ask to speak to one of our certified veterinary technicians. 815-941-9924.

DENTAL CARE FOR YOUR PET

STEP 1: Take your pet to the veterinarian for a dental exam. Don't wait for his annual checkup if you suspect a problem.

STEP 2: Begin a dental care regimen at home. Your veterinarian can suggest steps that may include brushing your pet's teeth. One of the most convenient and effective ways to combat oral disease is feeding specially formulated foods proven effective in combating plaque and tartar buildup. The Seal of Acceptance from the Veterinary Oral Health Council, an organization initiated by the American Veterinary Dental Society to guide consumers, appears on products that meet defined standards for plaque and tartar control in dogs and cats. For further information on the VOHC or their product standards, visit

www.vohc.org.

STEP 3: Schedule regular veterinary chechups. These are essential in helping your veterinarian monitor the progress of your pet's dental health routine. Your veterinary health care team can help you schedule the appropriate visits.

ANIMAL CARE HOSPITAL SURGERY
WHY IT IS BETTER!

SURGICAL SUITE CONTAINS:
*Hepa Filter
*Active Scavenger/Positive Pressure Ventilation system
*Climate Control-has own thermostat for temperature regulation

PATIENT MONITORING:
*Certified Veterinary Technicians
*Pulse oximetry, EKG, respirations, blood pressure, and esophageal probe

STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT:
*Ventilator Machine-microprocessor that takes care of patients breathing and anesthesia requirements
*Isoflorane anesthetic-a very safe gas anesthesia allows for quicker patient recovery
*Circulation warm water blanket-to help keep your pet warm while under anesthesia
*Hydraulic Surgical Table-assists in maintaining patient in a safe position for their respective procedures

HIGHEST LEVELS OF STERILITY (to help prevent infection in your pet)
*All surgical staff is in cap, mask,booties, and Doctors are also in sterile surgical gowns and sterile gloves.
*Surgical preparation takes place outside of surgical suite
*Final surgical scrub is performed wearing sterile gloves
*Pass through cabinet-allows supplies to be passed into surgical suite without staff leaving the room and breaking the sterility of the room.

COMPREHENSIVE PAIN CONTROL:
Our technicians and doctors maintain and monitor closely a pain management protocol for all of our surgical patients. Your pet will have pain control before, during, and after their surgical procedure.

HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF MONITORING RECOVERY
Our Certified Veterinary Technicians monitor all patients through their recovery. Vital signs, pain, and mentality are all closely monitored until your pet can sit on their own. All pets are monitored post surgery for mobility, appetite, and water intake.

WE HAVE EXPANDED!

Lately, you may have noticed that there has been a lot of construction activity taking place here at Animal Care Hospital! We have expanded our facility in order to provide our clients and patients state of the art veterinary medicine in a professional and comfortable environment.
Animal Care Hospital provides optimal nursing care for our sick and hospitalized patients in our new treatment ward. Our doctors and technicians are able to offer state of the art surgical procedures in our new surgical suite.
Our hospitalized feline patients are able to recover in their very own area of the hospital, free from the occasional barking of their canine counterparts.
Finally, out of respect for the owner-pet bond, we wanted to provide our clients a comfortable room in which to say goodbye to their companions, when it is their time to leave us. This room will have access to a private entrance and exit.
Stop in for a tour!

PET PORTALS

Animal Care Hospital is proud to be the only Veterinary Practice in the area to offer its clients direct internet access to their pets' health management. Pet Portals are private websites that give you secure online access to your pet's health information. We provide Pet Portals free of charge to all clients who have an active e-mail address.

How can I get a Pet Portal?

Just give us your e-mail address and you will receive a password by e-mail. To get your Pet Portal simply:

*Visit our website and click the Pet Portal login button. Just follow the instructions you'll find under the "Want a Pet Portal?" header.
*Give us your e-mail address when you visit the hospital.
*Give us your e-mail address when you next speak with us on the telephone.

How do I access my Pet Portal?

Visit our website at www.achmorris.com and enter your e-mail address and password in the Pet Portal login box. You can bookmark the login page but not your Pet Portal since it is a secure site.

What do you do with my e-mail address?

We use your e-mail address as your Pet Portal sign-in name. You have the option of receiving your pet's service reminders by e-mail. We use e-mail to contact clients about important practice and animal health news, such as information about Lyme Disease.

Use your Pet Portal to:

*Remind yourself with an e-mail when to give Heartworm or flea preventative. Medication Minders make it easy!
*Request refills of prescriptions and special diets-even when we're not open.
*Request an appointment.
*Print out your pets'vaccination record. If you ever forget to bring proof of vaccinations to your boarding facility, just print out your pets' vaccination record from your Pet Portal. Many facilities will accept this as proof of vaccination.
*Use PetNotes to easily create and print out pet health care instructions for petsitters or kennel staff when you are out of town.
*Ask us questions or communicate your concerns via Pet Mail - an easy-to-use messaging system available only from your Pet Portal. Our staff monitors Pet Mail each day that we're open for business and will make sure that your questions are answered quickly.

Why AAHA Benefits Your Pet

Animal Care Hospital is an accredited member of the Amerian Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Since 1999, we have regularly undergone inspections by AAHA to ensure that we comply with the association's high quality standards of care. These standards cover nearly every aspect of our hospital, including surgery, pharmacy, laboratory, exam facilities, patient care, cleanliness, client service, emergency services, diagnostic imaging, and anesthesiology. Approximately 17 percent of animal hospitals in North America are accredited by AAHA. Two areas your pet benefits from this accreditation specifically are in the areas of anesthesiology and pain control.

Medically important surgeries and dental cleanings for pets require anesthesia, which in turn requires close monitoring of vital signs, such as respiration rates, heart rates, ECG, and blood pressure. AAHA member hospitals are required to provide a highly trained staff member in surgery as well as state of the art monitoring equipment to monitor patients while under anesthesia, thus allowing the veterinarian to focus on performing the safest and most sterile surgery possible. Animal Care Hospital has taken this one step further by providing Certified Veterinary Technicians (CVT) to monitor your pet while it is under anesthesia.

Pain in animals can be very difficult to assess. Asking a dog or a cat to tell us how much pain they have on a scale of 1-10 just is not an option in veterinary medicine. AAHA member hospitals are required to have pain management protocols in place to minimize pain and discomfort in our furry friends. The entire staff at Animal Care Hospital has been trained to recognize pain and discomfort in our patients as well as how to educate our clients on how to recognize pain in their pets. Pain control is provided prior to, during and after all surgical procedures.

While providing the best possible surgical experience for your pet at times may raise surgery prices, it does help to protect the lives of your pets. We strongly encourage all pet owners to ask their veterinary professionals how they safeguard pet health during surgery.