September 28 is World Rabies Awareness Day: How to Prevent This Killer Disease

What would you do if you found your dog outside fighting with a raccoon? Or if you found your inside-only cat playing with a dying bat inside your home? You might think that these are uncommon occurrences, but these scenarios do happen and could have a deadly outcome. Rabies remains a major concern worldwide, killing more than 55,000 people every year.

Rabies is a disease we usually think of as having well under control with vaccines, but despite mandatory vaccines for all pets, hundreds of cats, dogs, horses, and other domestic animals contract this killer each year. The deadly disease seems to emerge each spring and summer as a problem in foxes, raccoons, skunks and bats and can be transmitted to pets and people through contact with their saliva. Rabies is a very scary disease because it is fatal to both people and unvaccinated pets. The good news is with vaccination, rabies is almost 100% preventable in our animals and with some common sense precaution when it comes to wildlife. 

Vaccination of your animals is the best way to prevent rabies. Vermont state law requires that all dogs and cats be vaccinated for rabies. If your pet is not vaccinated and fights with an unknown wild animal (or even a confirmed rabid one), your pet will be required to be quarantined for six months. Please remember that your unvaccinated pet can infect you and your family and that rabies is always fatal to our unvaccinated pets. There is no treatment and the only way to test for rabies in our pets is to examine a post-mortem sample of brain tissue.

Never assume that your "indoor" only pet is safe from rabies, either. Bats, the largest reservoir of rabies virus in North America, can easily find their way into homes. Attracted to their fluttering flight or a dying bat on the floor, our pets, especially cats, risk exposure. And, since bat bites are almost undetectable due to their size, you might miss the fact that your pet has been bitten.

Finally, always contact an animal control officer or wildlife expert if you see a wild animal acting strangely. Wild animals are just that: they avoid humans and should run away when they see you. Most are active at night, too. So if you see a wild animal in your yard that doesn't appear to be afraid of you, especially in broad daylight, or if it is acting strangely, do not attempt to capture the animal on your own. Keep your pets inside so they are not exposed, and call animal control.  It is especially important that cats that spend a significant time outdoors, and thus may come in contact with wild animals without the knowledge of the owner, be fully vaccinated. 

For more information including a county-by-county summary of rabies cases in Vermont, go to http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/rabies/Rabies.aspx or call the Rabies hotline at 1-802-223-8697.

By M. Kathleen Shaw, DVM

Vermont Veterinary Medical Association

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The Vermont Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA), founded in 1898, is a professional organization of over 330 veterinarians dedicated to compassionate animal care and quality medicine.  For more information, visit www.vtvets.org or call (802) 878-6888. 

Ridgelines & Below: Keeping Your Dog Safe and His Tail Wagging!

by Dr. Jennifer Lesser, DVM

First appearing in 4 Legs and a Tail, Fall 2014 Issue

Moosilauke, Cube, Cardigan and Smart’s Mountain trails. Footfalls on rocks and trodden earth, birds chattering, breeze blowing. Is your dog your most loyal and frequent hiking partner? Our community is rich with routes that navigate open ridge lines and narrow lush paths. Our dogs love them as much as we do! This article serves to review safety tips in keeping your dog safe, as well as to outline components of a solid canine first aid kit.

Before leaving the house, consider the needs of your companion.

Exercise tolerance: are they up for a 12 mile day on the trail or do they become winded after 2 miles? Also, does your friend have age limitations? Are they a growing puppy that requires caution of mileage that’s added to those growing joints? Is your dog becoming a bit arthritic? I recommend giving pain medications to many of our patients before and after the trip if they are subject to joint pain.

Pedicures and Haircuts: Another great precaution is to trim toenails before the hike (be careful - not too short!) to keep them from getting caught and tearing on the trail. Long haired breeds - consider a summer hair cut to avoid mats and burr accumulation, reduce the potential for “hot spots” and to aid in cooling. I generally do not recommend hair cuts for Arctic breeds as the regrowth is often terrible.

Food: If the trip requires food for you it likely requires food for your buddy. Bring their food or share some of your own; do not share trail mix that has either raisins or chocolate as both are toxic to dogs.

Water: Dogs pant! To maintain hydration and aid thermoregulation, please carry water for your dog as many natural water sources are unpredictable in volume and in safety. I love the collapsable water bowls by Ruffwear.

Consider the season: Summer has added concern for heat and humidity. Hunting season: your dog should wear a bright orange vest.

Wildlife: Keep an eye for porcupines and skunks. We share our woods with bears though there are generally very few close dog interactions.

Disease: Also, be sure to protect against the unseen dangers of Lyme and Leptospirosis diseases; vaccines are available. Lyme is spread by ticks; Leptospirosis is spread via wildlife urine and may be found in free standing water. Both infections may cause serious, sometimes life threatening, disease.

Almost nothing can ruin a day afield as much as an injured or sick dog companion. Following the precautions above work well to keep your dog happy and safe. As additional protection for lengthy trips (half day to many weeks), I recommend carrying a canine first aid kit. We have kits prepared for our wilderness inclined clients, complete with instruction, as the materials are only as effective as the medical provider. Also some commercial kits are available that may be modified per your needs. Our list details the recommended components to keep your canine friend safe:

Expanded Grooming Services

Our grooming services have expanded to include "By Breed" pricing. We recognize not all dogs are the same, and groomer Heidi Preston is able to accommodate any breed or size.                                                 
Call (802)296-2273 to schedule or talk to Heidi regarding your best friend's grooming appointment.