A “cherry eye” is a prolapsed third eyelid (yes..dogs and cats have three). Basically a pink mass protrudes from the animal’s eyelid because the gland is not anchored by the attachment made up of fibrous material as it should be.

The condition usually occurs in young dogs and cats and can occur in one or both eyes. There may be some accompanying swelling and irritation as well. This is commonly thought of as a congenital weakness however it is not known whether the condition is inherited or not.

This condition can occur in any breed, however it occurs more commonly in Cocker Spaniels, Bulldogs, Beagles, Bloodhounds, Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzus. Unfortunately, there are currently no known preventative measures.

Treatment often includes creating a pocket for the gland surgically and placing it into the pocket. If the condition is severe, the entire gland may be removed. Often, topical anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce swelling.

WE ARE RESTARTING THE PET PHOTO CONTEST! START SUBMITTING PHOTOS TODAY. THE WINNER WILL BE PICKED BY THE END OF THE MONTH!

To everyone who posted pictures of your pets for our previous contest…we are truly sorry that it was put on hold before a winner was selected. We are starting the new contest in May and will pick at winner by May 31st!

How would you like to see a photo of your pet on a bottle of Aloe & Oatmeal Shampoo?

Here’s how:

1. Submit a photo of your pet to our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/citycreatures

2. Have all of your Facebook friends “like” your pets photo.

3. The pet with the highest number of “likes” at the end of the month wins their picture on a shampoo bottle AND 10% off a case of shampoo! The cost of a case of 12 is: $83.29 with the discount.

City Creatures Animal Hospital will stock this shampoo to sell to hospital clients as well. If the winner does not wish to buy an entire case, the hospital will buy a case. The contest will restart when our stock is low or when an entire case has been purchased.

Aloe and Oatmeal Shampoo is a sweet and soothing formula that can be used on a variety of pets. It makes a great gift for friends and family! It is made by Sogeval USA, a company specializing in prescription shampoos and skin treatments for animals worldwide.

You can order as much as you want for family & friends!

GOOD LUCK!

Here is a cute bundle of Zeke wrapped up and peeking out at us! He is here for the first part of his Kitten Wellness Program. On the Kitten Wellness Program, he will be receiving vaccines, a feline leukemia testing, deworming, discounted flea prevention medications and his parents will receive a plethora of information regarding how to provide the best care possible for him! Can’t wait to see more of you Zeke!

Tye Diener, Veterinary Assistant, is our Employee of the Month for May!

Here is what her co-workers are saying about her:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SR66CZL

Meet Denali.

Denali is a sweet little Rottwelier who had her spleen removed this week at City Creatures by Dr. Albert and Josh Domaracki, LVT, his surgical assistant. Denali’s spleen was bleeding internally and it had to be removed in order to save her life, as there was suspicion of cancer. That was half the battle! Now that her enlarged spleen has been removed, we have to wait to see if her body can produce more red blood cells. If it doesn’t, she may need a blood transfusion.

The good thing about transfusions in dogs is that 42-45% of dogs are universal donors. Their blood types are different than the blood types in humans. There are 6 known blood types, however there may be up to 12 all together. Only dogs that have the most common blood type, DEA 1.1 negative, can be universal donors. Boxers, Irish Wolfhounds, German Shepherds, Dobermans, and Pit Bulls are often universal donors. Sixty percent of Greyhounds have a universal blood type.

At City Creatures Animal Hospital, our technicians perform a “cross match” test on the patient’s blood and the donor’s blood, prior to a transfusion. If a dog has never had a transfusion before, they can receive blood from a dog that is of a different type since dog blood does not have antibodies. After the first transfusion antibodies develop, which require that a “major cross match” is achieved between compatible donors before a second transfusion can be performed.

Thanks to Ellen Brown for asking a most excellent question about blood transfusions in dogs!

Keep checking out our Facebook page for updates on Denali!

Leptospira bacteria penetrate mucous membranes or abraided skin and spread to tissues including the kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system, eyes, and genital tract. The organism is cleared from most organs as the body fights the infection, however they may persist in the kidneys and be shed for weeks or months in the urine. After 7 or 8 days of infection, the animal will begin to recover, if the damage to the kidney or liver is not too severe.

The first symptoms of infection include fever, shivering, and muscle tenderness. Secondly, vomiting and rapid dehydration may develop. Severely infected dogs may develop hypothermia and depression. Some may even die before their kidneys or liver are affected.

A positive diagnosis can be made through a blood test.

Treatment consists of antibiotics, fluid replacement, controlling vomiting and the problems associated with kidney or liver infections.

The good news is that Leptospirosis can be prevented!

Prevention involves keeping animals out of contact with potential sources of infection including contaminated water sources, wildlife reservoirs, or domestic animals that are carriers.

There are currently many vaccines on the market that are available for a wide variety of species of Leptospirosis.

Call the office today to discuss vaccinating your dog for Leptospirosis. Dr. Albert, Dr. Poltis, Dr. Sood or any of our Licensed Veterinary Technicians can discuss the frequency of vaccines that are necessary to reduce the risk of your pet contracting this deadly disease.