My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources. 

 

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Advantage: This is topical oil that you can place on your dog or cat to kill fleas. It does not kill ticks. It is applied the same way as Frontline. I have found this to be extremely effective against the fleas, more so in my experience than Frontline. If you do not have a tick problem in your area, this is a great product. I use this on nearly all of the cats with flea problems.

Pros: Very effective in killing fleas quickly; relatively easy to apply. No bathing restrictions.

Cons: Does not kill ticks. Topical, so you have to have some concern with young children (need to keep the children away from the application spot for a day or so).

Designed as a flea control/preventive product.

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Revolution: This is the newest anti-parasitic product that has come out. It has some effectiveness against fleas, ticks, some internal parasites, heartworm in cats and dogs, sarcoptic mange, and ear mites. It is also a topical that you can apply similar to the other products. We have now had enough time to evaluate the product and it works quite well. It is very good for use in pets that have multiple problems such as ear mites and fleas, and is the easiest way to prevent heartworms in cats. So in many puppies and kittens, this has become our first line of defense. I think we will find this to be revolutionary in helping prevent the often fatal heartworm disease, especially in our feline friends.

Pros: Effective against a lot of parasites; easy to apply.

Cons: Topical, so you have to keep the kids away from the area of application on the first day.

I am very pleased with the results of this relatively new product!

As always, I’m happy to help your pet…and their people, too.

Dr. Ruan

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Most cats do not need to be bathed unless they have a skin problem such as fleas, ticks, miliary dermatitis, seborrhea, and in some cases hot spots etc. But if you have a cat that will cooperate and you wish to give it a try, (assuming your cat has the conditions I mentioned), here are a few tips to follow:

- Be sure to use a shampoo made for cats. Their skin’s pH is different from ours, so even the mildest of human shampoos can cause them to dry out. This is very important!

- Brush them before AND after you bathe them. Brushing beforehand makes the brushing after much easier.

- If your cat has any mats, please see your veterinarian or a professional groomer for advice on how to remove them. Sometimes they can be teased out with a comb, sometimes they need to be clipped out. If they need to be clipped let a professional show you how the first time so you do not cut their skin.

- Clip their toenails, front and back, before you start. This may save you some wear and tear on your own skin.

- Be careful around their eyes and ears. If your cat will let you, place a cotton ball in each ear before the bath (remember to remove these when the bath is over). There also are bland eye ointments (Duratears or others that you can buy at most pet stores) you can use to protect their eyes from soap or detergents.

- If your cat does not like the bathing routine, don’t push your luck. An angry cat can be very dangerous.

- Most cats do not have an odor from not being bathed. If you think your cat smells abnormal, don’t jump to a bath. Have a check up with your veterinarian. Most of the time the odor is NOT skin related, but has some other cause, and you may go through an unnecessary bath, which may not be much fun for you or your cat.

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Your dog’s ears are wonderful instruments, many times more sensitive than yours. They can hear sounds at far greater distances than humans can. And, in addition, are able to pick up sounds with a frequency so high that they are impossible for the human ear to detect. Persons who have trained dogs are familiar with this phenomenon, thanks to the so-called “silent” whistles, which, though inaudible to man, bring instant response from a conditioned dog.

The obviously different things about your dog’s ears are the large outer ears, their larger openings, and the highly developed muscular control it has over the outer “flaps.” Even dogs with flaps that completely cover the openings are able to lift them, to some extent, when “on alert.” Lifting the flaps, obviously, makes it easier to pick up the sound.

Because a dog’s ears are like ours in basic design, your dog can suffer from the same infirmities, damage and diseases. Even deafness is common, especially as an undesirable companion of old age.

Your dog’s ears require a good deal of care and attention. Frequent cleaning should be number one on your personal ear-care list. Periodic checkups by your veterinarian will be your assurance that your pet is protected from diseases and other problems.

Regular inspection of your dog’s ears is particularly important in keeping them clear of yeast, fungus, bacteria, external parasites, mites, and ticks in particular. Dogs with ears that flap over require extra attention in this respect and, in general, require more frequent attention than those with “erect” ears.

Working on a dog’s ears requires a steady hand and a thorough knowledge of just where and how cleaning should be done. To prevent irreparable harm from befalling your dog, ask your veterinarian to explain just how you should handle the cleaning procedures and get an absolutely clear reading on the do’s and don’ts.

In examining your dog’s ears, you’ll notice a series of “ridges and valleys” which comprise excellent places for wax and dirt to accumulate. Wax is the breeding ground for yeast and bacteria. These may be cleaned with a ball of cotton, used dry, or, if the dirt is stubborn, saturated with ear cleaner or a preparation recommended by your veterinarian. Remember to consult your veterinarian before you attempt to clean your dog’s ears and do not, under any circumstances, use a swab to probe in the canal area.

Just how important is it to keep your dog’s ears clean? A good way to answer that question is to point out that many people complain about “dog” odor and mention this as the reason they won’t have a dog in their house. My personal experience is that, in almost 80% of “dog odor” cases, the dog’s ears are the root of the problem.

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Feeding your pet should be one of the easiest things you do. However, with all the hype and advertising that exists in the media, it has become one of the most confusing areas for pet owners. Pet food has become a multi-billion dollar industry and each company is very interested in convincing you that their line of food is better than the others. Do they have your best interests at heart? Read on to learn more.

I suggest to stick with the major brands of food and avoid “generic” diets. The major brands are tried and true and they cross state lines during transport, which means they fall under stricter governmental controls. Diets that are made locally are not as rigorously controlled. And even some of the generic brands that are made by large super store chains cannot compete with the quality and research that is put into the diets that are made by companies making pet foods. So if you’ve never heard of a brand before, be sure you check with your veterinarian before you purchase.

Usually the commercially produced brands of food are complete. You do not need to add any supplements to these diets. Water is the only thing they are missing. Before adding anything else (vitamins, minerals, milk or other liquids, etc.), please consult with your veterinarian. Some of these supplements can actually cause more harm than good.

The only difference between the dry and canned versions of food is generally the water content. It is OK to feed canned foods if you want to deal with the added mess and work. Dry food is, however, very good for the teeth. If you do not feed dry food at all, and even if you do, be sure to give your pet things to chew on and consider brushing their teeth. This not only saves them from having dental problems, it will save them from having anesthesia to clean their teeth and save you veterinary bills.

As a general statement, puppies and kittens should be fed puppy and kitten food until approximately six months of age. At that time they should be slowly weaned onto adult foods. It takes about 2 to3 weeks to wean dogs and cats from young to adult food. This will vary from breed to breed, so please check with your breeder or veterinarian for your specific pet. Additionally, if you have a large breed dog (Great Dane, Golden Retriever, Burmese Mountain Dog, etc.), be sure to also check with your veterinarian about specific feeding instructions. It is extremely important to not overfeed the large breeds early in life. This will have an impact on their skeletal system and increase the chances of hip dysplasia.

Beyond all the hype of premium brands versus regular brands, pet store vs. supermarket brands, dry vs. canned, etc., I have found one thing to be true: the more money you spend on the foods, the less faeces you have to pick up! The premium brands are more concentrated and digestible, therefore there is less fecal material produced.

As your pet gets older, it is very important to discuss diet with your veterinarian. There are terrific diets on the market to help prolong the lives of our pets as they develop certain problems (obesity, kidney disease, liver problems, allergies, etc.). They may be more expensive, but well worth it. This is one area where the truth is as good as the hype. Dietary changes can make a significant difference in the older pets.

In summary, feeding your pet should not be hard. Pick a name brand that you are familiar with, feed puppy and kitten food to the young ones, adult foods to those generally over 6 months of age, check with your veterinarian on what to feed when they get past middle aged, and don’t get caught up in all the other advertising hype. Most of the diets out there are fine and our pets seem to thrive well on nearly all of them. Most importantly though, speak to your veterinarian or leave a comment with your specific questions.

As always, I’m happy to help your pet…and their people, too.

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Question: After adopting a dog from a shelter my dog was diagnosed with kennel cough.  Many people tell me their dogs never vomited when they had this.  My dog finally started eating but when she drinks water the dry cough starts and she vomits the water every time.  This has been one week now.  How long will this last??   My vet put her on antibiotics and he is away for a few days.  She isn’t lethargic like she was and is much more lively but I feel so bad for her to keep vomiting every time she drinks water.

Answer: Limit her water intake by offering her small amounts often so she doesn’t drink too much in one sitting. This can decrease the possible tracheal stimulation she is experiencing usually associated with kennel cough.  If it does not stop take her to your vet and ask him to do a culture and sensitivity by tracheal swab.  Your vet should be able to do this to determine the right antibiotics your dog should be on.

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Most often, bad dog breath is caused by dental or periodontal disease. Some dogs do not adequately chew their food; thus they don’t clean their teeth naturally by the chewing process. Also, some dogs and cats are just prone to dental plaque, tartar and disease. These pets may need more frequent dental cleanings and treatments.

Internal diseases such as kidney disease can also cause bad breath. A trip to your veterinarian is recommended in order to pinpoint the cause of your dog’s bad breath and to ensure he is in good health.

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Simply by watching your large breed puppy move and play, you can pick up the early warning signs of abnormal hip development at home. Early detection affords your puppy multiple medical and surgical options necessary to enjoy a comfortable life. Radiographic and orthopedic examination of the hips can be performed as early as 16 weeks with good accuracy in assessing your dog’s hip health.

Here are a few simple rules for optimum hip development in your ‘at risk’ puppy:

1. Feed “Large Breed Growth Diet”, then change to adult diet at 8 months. The protein, calcium, phosphorous, and electrolytes are balanced for gradual controlled growth. It’s better to err on the side of being too thin than too fat.

2. Moderate exercise only, for the first 8 months of life. Straight line walking or swimming are excellent. Jogging and vertical play (jumping for balls and frisbees) is not recommended.

3. Watch for any of the following warning signals of Hip Dysplasia:
-Bunny Hopping with the rear legs.
-Pain on extension of the hips, check weekly.
-Pulling up with the front legs from a sitting position.
-Tires very easily, resists strenuous exercise
-Occasional limping on one or both of the rear legs.
-Audible “pop” or “click” when walking.

Remember to see your vet if you see any of these signals!

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Cats, as you’re witnessing, have a much more sensitive vomiting reflex than we do, so it isn’t unusual for cats to vomit when they don’t appear sick. I assume your cat has a healthy, but not excessive, appetite; isn’t losing weight or acting lethargic; doesn’t have diarrhea; and that parasites have been ruled out. If any of these symptoms are present, or if he’s vomiting green or orange liquid (bile), a medical problem is likely and should be investigated by your Vet.

The two most common scenarios in which well cats vomit are (1) from eating too much or too fast, which results in vomiting undigested food very soon after eating, and (2) hairballs, which usually cause vomiting of the hairball itself. Hairballs have no sure-fire remedy, but the most popular thing to try is a hairball lubricant (make sure you give this on an empty stomach, not with food); also frequent combing; brushing, or even a “lion clip” (for a long-haired cat) will be helpful. Any hair you can remove is hair that your cat will not end up swallowing. There is also a new hairball formula cat food on the market that may help. Ask your veterinarian about this.

As for eating too much or too fast, this problem is usually worse in cases where cats have their food taken away and are only permitted to eat at certain times of the day, causing them to gorge when food is available. I personally don’t do this with my cat. I only give one bowl of food per day and she can eat ad lib until the next day. Usually there is still food left in the bowl the next morning. Trials of different brands of food may help. Anything else you can do (portioning the food out gradually, for example) to encourage eating smaller amounts frequently might also be helpful. If the vomiting is daily, you might want to try medication. However, most people don’t want to medicate their cats daily if vomiting only occurs once a week or less.

If these ideas don’t help you, the only way to get a certain answer as far as any medical cause, such as inflammatory bowel disease, would be to have biopsies of the stomach and intestinal tract done. Your veterinarian can tell you more about this.

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

I recently had someone ask me (over dinner) – what are the most common mistakes that pet owners make with their pets?

I had to think for a few minutes, but 6 major things came to mind. I thought I’d share them with you in hopes that we can prevent a problem with your pet.

Here are the most common mistakes many pet owners make:

1. Not having a yearly examination done on their pets. Yearly exams are important and can isolate potential health problems early while they are still treatable.

2. Don’t keep a current ID tag on their pet or embed microchip. Many pets don’t have a current ID tag or microchip. These two items provide the BEST information so your lost pet can be returned to you. At the clinics – we often see pets brought in without a tag or microchip for identification. Without Identification, many of these pets are never reunited with their owners and are either put up for adoption or in more sad cases, euthanized.

3. Allow their dog to run free. This is a problem for many reasons. Dogs that are permitted to “run free” often get into trash, ingest toxins or are traumatized by being hit by a car or in a fight with another animal. This can be prevented by keeping a dog within a fenced yard or on a leash.

4. Skimping on nutrition. A good quality food is important to dogs. Skimping on nutrition can be a problem. Dogs need a high quality balanced diet that is formulated to meet their life-stage needs.

5.  Don’t monitor their dogs and cats. It is important to monitor dogs and cats on a daily basis. They are so good at hiding their illnesses that often by the time we notice – the disease may be quite advanced. For this reason – it is important to look for early signs of problems.  Monitor your animal’s urinations, defecations, attitude and appetite every day.

6. Lastly, many pet owners don’t pay attention to toxins and medications that may be laying around and accessible to their dog. It is important to dog-proof your home to ensure your dog can’t get into common toxins such as rat poison, anti-freeze, medications (dog and human) or the trash.

I know that feeding a high quality diet costs a bit more, but in my opinion it is an investment in your dog’s well being. I know that in the current economy saving money is a top priority, so whatever you do, keep your dog safe. Most importantly, ensure your dog is being fed a good quality food, sees your veterinarian yearly. Also, make sure your home is “dog-proof”.

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)

My name is Dr. Ruan Bester, and my goal is to help you, the pet owner, improve your knowledge of your pet’s everyday needs and health care through a variety of pet services and veterinary resources.

Is your dog or cat itching at the spot above its tail? Is your cat scratching around its neck? Even if you do not see fleas, if you find flea dirt, the pin-prick-sized residue of these pests, your pet has a problem. Do not take fleas lightly. Beyond their itchy bites, flea infestations can lead to skin infections, spread diseases, and even suck enough blood to cause a life-threatening anemia. Pets can catch tapeworms as they groom themselves and eat the fleas. The scariest aspect of the flea however, is its ability to survive and reproduce.

After mating, a female flea can lay up to 45 eggs a day, which hatch in four to 10 days. A flea can live up to 18 months, potentially producing 18000 offspring. If all of these fleas were to reproduce, the succeeding generation could total over 130 million (the next generation would be 9 million billion, or 2 million fleas for every person on earth). It is easy to see why a flea infestation can be such a difficult problem to eliminate.

Fortunately, recent advancements hold the key to solving this problem. Flea control medications like Frontline and Revolution have virtually eliminated this aggravation. Which medication is best for your pet depends on your individual situation. The amount of time they spend indoors or outdoors, the amount they swim or are bathed, and other parasite problems will contribute to the decision.

Revolution and Frontline are a topical spot-on that are used once per month. Both these products kill fleas that come in contact with your pet, so it is a very good product for animals with flea allergies in which one bite can cause great discomfort. Make sure you test your dog at the vet for heartworm before using Revolution.

In warm climates, it is recommended that you use flea products for all 12 months of the year. Although the cost may seem expensive initially, it is much less than the combined cost of repeated sprays, flea bombs, baths and dips. You may obtain these medications at your local vet. It is recommended that you talk to your veterinarian before using any new medication with your pet because, as with people, all drugs are not suitable for all pets. Inappropriate uses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause major problems.

Fleas are not the only cause of itching. Allergies (to food, pollens, or bedding,) skin infections (by bacteria, yeast or fungi), parasites, and other metabolic problems can all cause dogs and cats to itch without fleas. If you have doubts about the cause of your pet’s scratching, it is best to have your pet checked by your local vet.

If you have any questions about fleas and flea bite allergies, please add your comment/questions below and I will do my best to help answer them.

Dr. Ruan Bester, BVSc (UP)