Airpark Animal Hospital

12/01/2023

Way to go, Aspen!

Airpark Animal Hospital

11/21/2023

Thanksgiving is in just 2 days! Many households are in full blown preparation mode. Family is on their way to share in one of the best meals of the year. With that, many of people want to share the festivities and delicious meal with their fur-family. While we don't advise anything excessive, there are some foods your pets can share (and many to avoid completely).

A bite of cooked, unseasoned turkey is fine, but the skin, bones and drippings are off limits. Ham is usually too fatty for most pets to tolerate well. The days after Thanksgiving are the ones where veterinary hospitals see the most cases of pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas that causes vomiting and diarrhea and can result in hospitalization.

When in doubt, just let your pets stick to their regular kibble.

11/14/2023

With Thanksgiving just next week, many households are beginning the process baking their own breads. So, for Toxicity Tuesday, we've got information on Bread Dough/Yeast Toxicosis. This can be from homemade dough or commercial, prepackaged doughs. Any species is suspectable, but dogs tend to have the most indiscriminate eating habits.

Ingesting raw bread dough can cause both physical and mechanical issues for dogs. The environment in the stomach promotes the yeast to expand. This can cause gastric distension, causing damage to the blood supply to the stomach. It can even lead to bloat in some cases.

The other dangerous aspect of yeast ingestion is that it begins to ferment in the stomach. This can lead to signs of intoxication and, in severe cases, alcohol poisoning. You may notice that your dog becomes ataxic (stumbling, disoriented movements) or weak. Left untreated, seizures and even death can be a result.

So, what do you do if you find out your dog has ingested raw yeast dough? The first step is to call Animal Poison Control (we have some saved information at the top of the page). There you will be in contact with a toxicologist. If possible, have the packaging and ingredient list for what was ingested handy. They will want to know your dog's weight, the product ingested and the quantity, and approximate time. The toxicologist will formulate the plan for your veterinarian on how to proceed with treatment. From there, contact your veterinarian to let them know what Poison Control has directed you to do, and they will be able to direct you on if you should head to them or to the nearest animal emergency facility.
🐾Please note, we do not recommend inducing vomiting at home, except under the direction of a veterinarian.

11/11/2023

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them".

~John F. Kennedy

11/04/2023

For Caturday Saturday, Speckles wants to talk torties. Tortie is short for tortoiseshell, which is a coat color, NOT a breed. The tortoiseshell is noted by it's predominantly orange and black fur, although some small white patches might be found. However, if the coat color is predominantly a white base, with patches of black and orange, THAT would be a calico. Both torties and calicos are predominantly female, since orange and black fur both require an X chromosome. While a tortie or calico male can happen, those cats have an extra X chromosome and are infertile. Genetics also determine if the coat is "dilute", or gray and cream instead of black and orange. Coats can appear in two patterns; patched, which is obvious, large patches of orange and black, or bridled where the colors are more woven together. You may also see the occasionaly "Torbie", which is the classic tortoiseshell colors with the unmistakeable tabby stripes in it.

Do you have a tortie or calico?

10/31/2023

Just a reminder, Airpark Animal Hospital will be closing tonight at 6:00 pm.

In the event of an emergency, please contact Central Carroll Animal Emergency, or one of the other facilities found in pinned post at the top of this page.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween! 🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡

10/26/2023

To allow our employees to enjoy Halloween with their families, Airpark Animal Hospital will be closing at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, October 31st.

In the event of an emergency, please contact Central Carroll Animal Emergency or one of the facilities in the pinned post at the top of the page.

10/23/2023

10/18/2023

Your dog's yearly blood parasite test is used to screen for several tick-borne diseases, including Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichia. The first two we've covered in the previous weeks, so Ehrlichia is going to round out this series on blood parasite screening.

Ehrlichia is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. Many dogs are asymptomic when their screening test is positive. This indicates exposure, not necessarily an active infection. However, Ehrlichia symptoms can be immediate (acute) or long-term (chronic). Acute symptoms occur 7 to 21 days after the tick bite and are therefore common in summer, when ticks are active. Common symptoms are: Fever, lymph node swelling, limping and stiffness, reluctance to walk, reduced appetite, and tiredness, a cough or breathing difficulty. Most dogs recover quickly and well from acute disease when treated quickly. Chronic disease can appear at any time after exposure and can result in enlarged spleen or lymph nodes, a low platelet count resulting in bleeding, kidney failure, neurologic symptoms, weight loss, or lameness.

Treatment for ehrlichia is usually straightforward, with a month-long course of antibiotics, although chronic cases may require a longer treatment plan. Staying current on your dog's yearly blood parasite test allows us to stay ahead of a chronic infection and treat the infection before it becomes active.

The best prevention against Ehrlichia is keeping current on tick prevention (like Bravecto) year-round, even during cold months as the ticks in Carroll County are never far away.

10/16/2023

This week is National Veterinary Technician Week and we are also celebrating our entire staff. Each day will have some fun surprises for our staff. If you happen to come in, be sure to thank them all for the hard work and dedication to veterinary medicine. We couldn't do anything without them!