 April is a very busy month for pet related awareness events. The month of April is considered Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month and National Heartworm Awareness Month. It is also Pet First Aid Awareness month, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, and there are weeks in the month that celebrate Dog Bite Prevention and Animal Control Officer Appreciation. There are also specific days in the month such as Earth Day, World Veterinary Day, Kids and Pets day, as well as National Bat Appreciation day, (those bats, although creepy to me, do a lot of good for us). Since I can't write about all of those things, I will devote this article to Lyme Disease. If you are interested, please check out the Eastview Animal Hospital Facebook page for further information on Bite Prevention, Pet First Aid, and Heartworm Disease. Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi and dogs come into contact with it by being bitten by a tick that is carrying the bacteria. The ticks that can carry the bacteria are very common in our area. The ticks can be in grass, under decks, and in wooded areas. They favor biting areas on the dog that do not have much fur, such as the inside of the ears, around the eyes and in the "arm pit" area. I think one of the most important points to know is that Lyme disease can affect any dog, even if they only use the outside as their restroom. I have seen Lyme disease in a chihuahua who weighed 4 pounds! Not every dog that gets exposed to the bacteria will get sick, and unfortunately we don't really have a good way to figure out which ones will get sick. If only a view into a crystal ball could help us out! When dogs get sick with Lyme disease, they can have a fever, painful joints, and in some cases it can even result in kidney failure. Once per year, a dog is should be tested for Lyme disease. This test is a part of the test that is done to check for heartworm disease. The test also looks for 2 other diseases that dogs can get from ticks. If a dog tests positive for Lyme disease, then we know that the dog has gotten exposed to Lyme disease. If this is the case, your veterinarian can discuss the options that you have an a pet owner. So, now it is time to address the best part of this article and that is how to prevent a dog from getting Lyme disease. First of all, a product should be used that will prevent ticks from biting the dog. There are several products available, both in an oral and topical form. Talk to your veterinarian about the product which would be best for your dog. Please do not buy a product before consulting with your veterinarian. The second thing that a dog owner can do is vaccinate their dog against Lyme disease. This shot is similar to dogs getting their distemper/parvo shot. It does not prevent the tick from biting the dog, but it does prevent the Lyme disease from developing. It is also very important to check your dog for ticks every day. The least amount of time that a tick is attached to your dogs skin the better. Remember ticks are attracted to areas that have minimal hair. Lyme disease is certainly a disease that we can associate with since it can also affect humans. It can be fatal for dogs, but it's also treatable in most cases. I hope that after reading this, you have gained some knowledge about Lyme disease. Please make sure that you address any questions about Lyme disease with your veterinarian.
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Dr. Lori Hickie  Congratulations to our Pets of the Month winners for the month of April!
April is Lyme Prevention and Heartworm Awareness Month. Lyme disease is very common in our area and we are seeing more Heartworm positive dogs so far this year than in the past 5 years. We offer a Heartworm & Tickborne Screening Test that lets you know if your pet is positive or negative for these diseases. This test is important because many dogs can go without showing symptoms for months. Call us at 641-682-0533 to schedule your dog for their Heartworm/Tickborne Screening today! Also, the best way to prevent these diseases is to use your Flea & Tick Prevention along with your Heartworm Prevention medication. Head on over to our online pharmacy for the convenience of online shopping https://eastviewpets.myvetstoreonline.pharmacy/ We are currently instituting a hybrid curbside protocol.
Masks must be worn to enter our building. If you have any questions about our protocol, call us at 641-682-0533.   Congratulations to our winners of Pet of the Month for the month of March!
We’re excited to announce our recently launched MyVetStoreOnline website! Our new store provides you a trusted source for prescriptions, diets, and supplies. With scheduling options and free shipping on most orders, we offer the ease of shopping online and the convenience of home delivery. Register Today At: https://eastviewpets.myvetstoreonline.pharmacy You can also go on our website www.eastviewpets.com and click on the direct link on our home page for our online store. If you need to schedule an appointment, call us at 641-682-0533.   Congratulations to our pets that are featured this month! Stay tuned at the end of the month to find out how to enter your own pets to be featured on our Facebook cover and on our website!
January is Train Your Dog month and Walk Your Dog month. As we begin a new year, I encourage all of you reading this to do at least some basic training. It does not matter where you got the dog from or how old the dog is, all dogs should be trained. Training should consist of, at the very minimum, some basic commands. By training your dog, it helps the bonding experience and also can help your dog realize his rank within the family. A dog needs to understand that he/she is not "top dog" in the house. There are many behavior problems that can be prevented by some basic training. Many times a dog may end up at an animal shelter or abandoned because of a bad or unwanted behavior. Most of these behaviors possibly could have been prevented or corrected if some basic training were in place. There are some good resources for training in our area. The doctors at Eastview Animal Hospital encourage each and every one of you to reach out to one of these trainers listed: Shadowland Kennels in Oskaloosa, Easy Dingo in Fairfield, or Pawsibilities in Ottumwa. All three trainers have experience and education to stand behind their services. The other topic that I want to bring up is walking your dog. One of the best things that you can do for your dog's wellbeing is to take them for a walk every day. This does not include letting your dog out in your yard. The length of the walk does not have to be miles (even a block or two will do). Dogs enjoy the interaction with their owner and benefit from the exercise. Walking can help prevent some unwanted behaviors in certain dogs. It is a chance for owners to have quality time with their dog and provide health benefits to the human and the dog. Many dogs will see this daily walk as their "job", something that many dogs need. Both training and walking are part of the responsibility of owning a dog. The opinion of the doctors at Eastview both are just as important as providing food, water and proper veterinary care. Thanks for reading this month. Happy New Year!
I've always had a hard time with goodbyes; when to say them and how to say them. So here it goes! I came to Ottumwa in 1985 for a three month summer job; thirty six years later, I'm saying goodbye. I've enjoyed my practice life. I've lived my childhood dream and I thank you! I thank you for allowing me the privilege of being a part of your human-animal bond! With that said, my last day in the office is December 30, 2020. Now I'm going home to begin a new chapter. Travel with my husband Steve; being a mom and grandma full time and of course enjoying my own animals! Thanks again and I will always love you Ottumwa, Iowa. Sincerely, Dr. Beth Doggett   I would like to address the benefits to humans that they get from pet ownership. When we own a pet, we can be so focused on caring for them. It can be nice to know how owning a pet can result in some important benefits. If you are reading this and do not have a pet, please consult with your doctor and one of us at Eastview Animal Hospital before getting a pet. There have been several studies done over the years that look at the benefits to people that comes from the bond between them and their pets. In the past, even just 20 years ago, there was not much time spent looking at this. But, overtime, as pets become more and more a part of our family, there is more emphasis placed on looking at advantages to both humans and animals. Research has shown that by owning or interacting with pets, there is a savings of more than 11 million dollars to the human healthcare industry. I got my information from the HABRI (Human Animal Bond Research Institute) website. I suggest if you want more information, visit there website, as it does have some really great information. First, I will bring light to the subject of human physical health. I think it is safe to say that people who own dogs are active. Dogs need to be walked and played with. Along with being more active, humans that own dogs weigh less than those who don't. Pet owners in general have lower blood pressure than people who do not own pets. Overall humans that have pets to care for have better heart health than those who do not. There is strong evidence that humans who own pets visit the doctor's office less. It has also been shown that people with cancer and their caregivers have a better quality of life during treatment if an animal is involved in their life. Animal assisted therapy provides much better outcomes to children with autism. Children who grow up with pets have less allergies as adults overall. There are also animals trained to help people with diseases such as diabetes or celiac disease. I have even heard of dogs being trained to detect COVID-19. Second, I will write about the mental health benefits that pets can provide. In the age of emotional support animals, we can certainly say that it is widely known that pets can provide comfort to humans. When we look at details, there are several factors that have been identified. Humans who suffer from PTSD and interact with an animal have less symptoms overall, including crying less, having fewer suicidal thoughts, and being more interactive. Research had shown that pets, even fish, help people feel more relaxed in general. Senior citizens with a pet can feel more needed and often feel that when they have a pet to care for, they have more sense of purpose. It is not uncommon today to see a cat living in a nursing home or a dog visiting a school or hospital. This is because interaction with an animal can improve the quality of life of individuals that are in those places. To wrap this up, owning a pet or even just interacting with animals provides great health benefits, both physical and mental. If you are thinking of getting a pet, please consult with your doctor and the staff at Eastview to make sure that you can get a pet that will be the best for you. Thank you for reading!
 Congratulations to our cat and dog winners for the month of October!
Nothing compares to the love from an animal. |
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