Author Archives d2030476

Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, NJ announced Dr. June Hacker-Traiger as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Posted by d2030476 on July 25, 2012 / Posted in Larry Code

Announcement from Our Physical Rehabilitation Department

We are pleased to announce that Dr. June Hacker-Traiger has completed her training and is now a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP). Physical rehabilitation can benefit patients recovering from orthopedic or neurological surgeries or injuries, patients suffering from debilitating arthritis or degenerative neurological disease and even patients who need weight loss and/or conditioning.

For each patient that she sees, Dr. Hacker-Traiger will examine the patient and formulate an individualized treatment plan. Some modalities of therapy that are used are: underwater treadmill, therapeutic laser, therapeutic ultrasound, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, therapeutic exercises and manual therapy. Following surgery or injury, rehabilitation helps restore function more quickly and fully. Physical rehabilitation helps maintain or build muscle mass, improve mobility and decrease pain.

Therapeutic laser is now available at Oradell Animal Hospital. It is used to decrease pain and inflammation and speed healing. It can be used for osteoarthritis, muscle injury, wounds, and post operatively. Laser treatments are noninvasive and painless. Laser therapy can reduce the need for pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication. The only contraindications to laser therapy are that it should not be used on tumors, eyes, or testes.

Dr. Hacker-Traiger is accepting referral appointments for consultation. Referring veterinarians will receive a status report following every visit.

[doctor name = “June Hacker-Traiger”]

As always, our goal is to provide exceptional service to you and your clients.

580 Winters Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652 201-262-0010 www.oradell.com

Clinical Excellence…Compassionate Care…Exceptional Service

Oradell Animal Hosptial Veterinarian Says” Bloating In Dogs Is Life-Threating”

Posted by d2030476 on July 23, 2012 / Posted in Questions and Answers

Question: What does it mean when a dog has bloated? And is it as dangerous as they make it out to be in the movies?

The most common signs of bloating are that your dog will begin to have non-productive retching or only producing variable amounts of stringy, foamy vomitus or drool. Often times these dogs are also very restless and cannot seem to get comfortable, and can be quite painful in the abdominal area. Sometimes (but not always!) you can see that their abdomens look very large and bloated, hence the name. Due to the close proximity of the stomach to the diaphragm, these dogs may show signs of respiratory distress, and may seem as if they cannot catch their breath, which will sometimes lead to your dog collapsing and not be able get up. The most common sequence of events leading to bloating is that the pet eats a meal and then soon after begins to play or rough-house, and then begins to exhibit the aforementioned signs shortly thereafter.

When a dog “bloats” it is an emergency and they should be seen by a veterinarian immediately, as time is truly of the essence in this disease process. Gastric Dilatation Volvuolous or “bloat” is a fairly common problem of large breed, deep-chested dogs such as Labrador Retrievers, Standard Poodles, German Shephard Dogs, Great Danes, and multiple others. What actually happens is that the dog’s stomach flips around on itself anywhere from 90 to 360 degrees; when this happens not only are the contents of the stomach not able to get out into the intestines, but the blood supply to and from the stomach are also diminished. Due to this twisting and lack of blood movement, the dogs enter into a state of shock wherein their bodies are unable to maintain proper blood pressure and blood flow to their bodies, which if left untreated is deadly. Once the dog arrives to the hospital, the doctors will immediately start to give aggressive volumes of IV fluids and pain medications to help with the shock, however, until the pet is taken into surgery, he will remain in great danger. Once in surgery, the doctors will manually untwist the stomach and then examine the tissues to ensure that the blood flow has returned and that the stomach tissue is healthy. Sometimes the veterinarian will have to remove part of the stomach or even the spleen of the pet to ensure a full recovery. Once the stomach is deemed healthy, the veterinarian will perform a procedure called a gastropexy, wherein they will attach the stomach to the dog’s body wall in the natural position, in an attempt to prevent the twisting from ever happening again. The success rate of the surgery is very good, with almost 80-90% of the pets returning to a completely happy and healthy life!

[doctor name = “Steven Berkowitz”]

Alaska

Posted by d2030476 on June 26, 2012 / Posted in Testimonials

Before I-131 treatment, she was very skinny and her eyes looked like they were wide open all the time. She had a funny smell and was shedding more than usual. Since her treatment she has gained her weight back, her eyes look normal and her coat is much fuller.

Mickey and Gizzie

Posted by d2030476 on June 26, 2012 / Posted in Testimonials

Mickey, on the left, is happy to have Gizzie home. Gizzie just underwent I-131 treatment and is doing great! Gizzie says thanks to Dr. Shah.

Baci

Posted by d2030476 on June 26, 2012 / Posted in Testimonials

Baci underwent I-131 treatment and is doing so well. Everyone at Oradell Animal Hospital was wonderful and took great care of him!

Oradell Animal Hospital surgeon says, “Dogs’ bone disease is usually temporary”

Posted by d2030476 on June 18, 2012 / Posted in Questions and Answers

My dog was diagnosed with panosteitis. What is the long term prognosis and treatment?

This disease affects primarily the long bones of large breed dogs and is often seen in dogs less than 2 years of age and frequently in puppies 8 to 12 months of age. Panosteitis causes limping in dogs in any of the four legs, and sometimes can shift from one leg to another over the course of weeks. The pain can be severe enough that the dog needs to be hospitalized, but most often they can be treated successfully with an anti-inflammatory medication. The pain and limping usually subsides within 1 to 3 weeks, however in some dogs the pain can return in the future in another leg. There seems to be no long term problems with panosteitis, so usually your veterinarian can give you an excellent prognosis.

The cause of panosteitis is still unknown despite the disease being recognized in dogs for over 50 years. Theories such as fast bone growth and too rich a diet are thought to contribute, but it is not due to too much calcium or not enough vitamin C in the diet. Interestingly, panosteitis was reported in a camel recently, though we know it does not occur in cats or people that we know.

[doctor name = “Jonathan Miller”]

Keep your pet cool and safe in summer

Posted by d2030476 on June 12, 2012 / Posted in General Information

The long hot days of summer don’t have to be hazardous to

your pet’s health. A little precaution can go a long way in

keeping your pet healthy this summer!

Never leave your pet in a parked car in warm weather; the temperature inside the car can easily reach 120º on a sunny day in a matter of minutes!
Provide plenty of cool and clean drinking water in a bowl that can not tip over.
Limit exercise to the cooler hours of the early morning or late evening.
On very warm days leave the air conditioning on at home while you are at work.
Be sure your pet is vaccinated against infectious disease and is on a monthly heartworm, flea and tick control program.
Keep your pet’s kennel in a well-ventilated and shaded area where they can avoid midday sun and heat. When outside, your pet must have a shady and sheltered place to rest as well as water at all times.
Direct consumption of lawn herbicides and pesticides may be fatal. Keep your pet out of the yard for 3 days after treatment.
Pets should be kept well groomed; long hair and mats should be clipped to help cool your pet and prevent skin disease.
If you are traveling, leave your veterinarian’s number and a number where you can be reached for your pet sitter in case of emergency.

Heat Stroke can be deadly to your pet!

Signs of Heat Stroke are:

panting
drooling
bright red tongue
warm dry skin
vomiting
anxious expression
not obeying commands
rapid heartbeat

If you notice the above symptoms, take immediate action by lowering your pet’s body temperature. Immerse your pet in cool (not ice-cold) water or spray it with a hose, then rush your pet to your veterinarian for continued treatment.

Feline chin acne is often easy to treat

Posted by d2030476 on June 06, 2012 / Posted in General Information, Questions and Answers

Q: My cat is 6 years old. He has black spots under his chin. They first showed up a few months ago & I had read that you could put peroxide on them to clear it up. They had disappeared for a while but now came back and just won’t go away. He had been eating from a plastic bowl but now he only eats from glass dishes as I heard that plastic could cause that problem. Is there anything I can do or should he go to the doctor and have them checked?

A: Your cat likely has feline chin acne, which is usually the appearance of comedones (blackheads) in the area of the chin and lips of cats. Many cases never progress past this stage are mostly a cosmetic concern, but many times there is an underlying problem or infection that needs to be addressed and can lead to bigger oozing lesions. Things that need to be ruled out are bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections which can be done relatively easily by your veterinarian and treated appropriately. Your vet can also prescribe a gentle antiseptic solution to scrub the area clean. This syndrome can also be secondary to a contact allergy and therefore (as you have done) glass or stainless steel bowls that are washed regularly are your best choice.

[doctor name = “Reena Shah”]

Dog Bite Prevention, What’s a Dog Owner To Do?

Posted by d2030476 on June 06, 2012 / Posted in General Information, Questions and Answers

This information was gathered from a public health news source of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Here are the facts:

4.7 million people in this country are bitten by dogs every year
children are by far the most common victims
800,000 Americans receive medical attention for dog bites each year
children are far more likely to be severely injured; approximately 400,000 receive medical attention every year
most dog bites affecting young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs
senior citizens are the second most common dog bite victims

There are a number of things that you can do to avoid dog bites, ranging from properly training and socializing your pet to educating your children on how, or if, they should approach a dog.

What’s a dog owner to do?

Carefully select your pet. Puppies should not be obtained on impulse.
Make sure your pet is socialized as a young puppy so it feels at ease around people and other animals.
Don’t put your dog in a position where it feels threatend or teased.
Train your dog. The basic commands “sit”, “stay”, “no”, and “come” help dogs understand what is expected of them and can be incorporated into fun activities that build a bond of trust between pets and people.
Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation.
Avoid highly excitable games like wrestling or tug-of-war.
Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog.
Keep your dog healthy. Have your dog vaccinated against rabies and preventable infectious diseases. Parasite control and other health care are important because how your dog feels affects how it behaves.
Neuter your pet.
If you have a fenced yard, make sure the gates are secure.

How can your protect your family?

Be cautious around strange dogs, and treat your own pet with respect.
Never leave a baby or small child alone with a dog.
Be alert for potentially dangerous situations.
Teach toddlers to be careful around pets. Children must learn not to approach strange dogs or try to pet dogs through fences. Teach children to ask permission from the dogs owner before petting the dog.

Dog Bite Emergencies: If you are bitten by a dog, here is a checklist of things you should do:

If the dog’s owner is present, request proof of rabies vaccination, and get the owner’s name and contact information
Clean bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible
Consult your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if it’s after office hours.
Contact the dog’s veterinarian to check vaccination records.

Our pets need to be buckled up too!

Posted by d2030476 on June 01, 2012 / Posted in Featured Articles, General Information, Hot News

Now that the beautiful weather is upon us, more families are inclined to travel with their pets. But beware: keeping your dog(s) unrestrained in the car can cause serious damage to your pocketbook and these consequences can be more severe than pet owners realize.

Fines for this offense can run anywhere from $250 to $1,000 per pet.

To read more about this subject click here to North Jersey.com’s article:

Road Warrior: Not buckling up your pet in the car can mean big fines