What happens if my dog or cat bites a human in Florida?

Rabies is an infectious virus that affects many animals including our dogs and cats. By law, our pets must be vaccinated for Rabies once yearly. Some counties accept vaccination every three years with an approved 3 year Rabies vaccine.

There is no cure or antidote for Rabies once a person or animal is infected. Therefore, these guidelines are strictly enforced. If a dog or cat bites a human and is current on his/her Rabies vaccination they must be quarantined for 10 days at a veterinary facility or approved by animal control for home quarantine.

If a dog or cat is not current on his/her vaccination they must be quarantined for 10 days at a veterinary facility and then vaccinated upon release if deemed healthy.

Unfortunately, the only way to prove if an animal is infected with Rabies is to examine the brain of the deceased animal in question. Bottom line is, keep your pets current on their vaccines to keep everybody healthy.

More resources: 
Understanding Rabies
The Ins and Outs of Rabies

Blog by:

Kim Simons, DVM

Lap of Love

drkim@lapoflove.com

Dr. Kim Simons services all towns in and around Palm Beach county including Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, Highland Beach, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.

Radioactive Iodine (I131) - A Cure for Feline Hyperthyroidism

Radioactive Iodine is the safest, best and ultimately least costly lifetime treatment for most hyperthyroid cats.

I131 is a great alternative to lifelong daily medications that must be given to cats. These medications also have serious side effects in up to 10% of cats. The cost of these medications and follow ups can cost $550-$700 per year.

I131 is very effective in treating hyperthyroidism. The first dose will treat 97-98% of cats. 70% of cats will have normal thyroid levels within one week of therapy. 90% will have normal thyroid levels by one month and 97% have normal levels by three months. Following successful therapy, only 0.3% cats will become hyperthyroid again in their lifetime.

The I131 is administered as a single injection under the skin just like a vaccine is given. Treated cats are kept in the hospital for 4-5 days to allow most of the radioactive iodine to be excreted per Radiation Protection Statutes.

Blog by:

Kim Simons, DVM

Lap of Love

drkim@lapoflove.com

Dr. Kim Simons services all towns in and around Palm Beach county including Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, Highland Beach, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.

PARVO IN DOGS KIM SIMONS

PARVOVIRUS IN DOGS

WHERE DOES PARVO COME FROM?

Parvovirus has been around since the 1970s, is hard to disinfect, and is shed in extremely large numbers by infected dogs. This means that there is virus everywhere: on every carpet, on every floor, in every yard and park. 

Parvovirus infection occurs primarily in puppies, however adult dogs can occasionally become infected.  The most important factors in whether parvovirus infection occurs seem to be the experience the dog’s immune system has had with the virus plus the number of viral particles the dog is exposed to. 

Restrict dogs  from public outdoor areas

until vaccinations are complete at 16 weeks of age.

INCUBATION
The virus enters the body through the mouth as the puppy cleans itself or eats food off the ground or floor. A minuscule amount of infected stool is all it takes.

There is a 3 to 7 day incubation period before the puppy seems obviously ill.

SYMPTOMS

1.  Vomiting

2.  Diarrhea (often with blood)

3.  Lack of appetite

4.  Abdominal pain

5.  Fever

Parvovirus is a deadly virus.  The vomiting and diarrhea resulting from the infection leads to extreme dehydration until shock and death occurs and/or the dog becomes septic from bacterial invasion into the bloodstream from a damaged intestinal barrier.  

TREATMENT

Treatment for parvoviral infection centers on supportive care. This means that the clinical problems that come up in the course of the infection are addressed individually with the goal of keeping the patient alive long enough for an immune response to generate. We do not have effective antiviral drugs and must rely on the patient’s immune system for cure.

BE PREPARED FOR A 5 to 7 DAY HOSPITAL STAY AND SUBSTANTIAL EXPENSE. INTENSIVE CARE IS NEEDED TO TREAT THIS INFECTION.
In order to achieve the usual survival rate of approximately 75-80%, the basic therapies must be instituted which includes IV fluid therapy, antivomiting medication, antibiotics, stomach protectants, and plasma transfusions.  

PREVENTION
Make sure your dog is fully vaccinated for parvo.  It is highly effective with minimal if any side effects.  Your puppy should be vaccinated every 2-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age starting at 6-8 weeks of age.  

Blog by:

Kim Simons, DVM

Lap of Love

drkim@lapoflove.com

Pet Hospice and In Home Pet Euthanasia

Dr. Kim Simons services all towns in and around Palm Beach county including Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, Highland Beach, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.

Heartworm Disease in Dogs and Cats

Heartworm Disease and Treatment Shortage

Heartworm infection is a disease we see in both dogs and cats.  Heartworms are transmitted to the dog and cat via mosquito bite.  Due to the high prevalence of mosquitos in Florida (and the whole South-East US), our pets are particularly susceptible to infection.

Fortunately, heartworm disease is both treatable and preventable. HOWEVER, as Immiticide, the only FDA approved treatment for heart worm infection is in short supply for an unknown period of time, we must all be very diligent with our prevention strategies!  I like to use Trifexis or Heartgard Plus for my heartworm prevention options in dogs.

Heartworm disease causes a number of problems:

1. Damage to the pulmonary (lung) arteries
• Coughing and exercise intolerance result as areas of the lung are affected.
• Nose bleeds may occur due to abnormal blood clotting in the lung.
• A form of non-infectious pneumonia (pulmonary eosinophilic granulomatosis) can result from excessive infiltration of inflammatory cells into the lung in response to the parasite.
  
2. Heart Failure
   
3. Chronic Immune Stimulation -This immune stimulation causes problems with the eyes, kidneys, blood vessels, and joints resulting in tremendous tissue damage and pain.

Heartworm in Cats

Heartworm disease in cats is quite a bit different from dogs. Cats are so small that only one adult worm can be enough to cause heart failure, plus in cats there is much more inflammation involved with the immature worms. Unfortunately in cats there is NO treatment.  Prevention is our only option.  Revolution is my favorite cat preventative.

Blog by:

Kim Simons, DVM

Lap of Love

drkim@lapoflove.com

Pet Hospice and In Home Pet Euthanasia

Dr. Kim Simons services all towns in and around Palm Beach county including Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, Highland Beach, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.

Roundworms In Dogs and Cats

Intestinal parasites are a common infection of dogs and cats. Roundworms (Ascarid) are one of those parasites that can infect our dogs and cats and can also pose a threat to humans.

Roundworms are contracted a number of ways:

1.  Contaminated soil that harbors the parasite
2.  Via embryonic development while in utero
3.  Puppies ingest the parasite via the mothers milk

Roundworm infection can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, pot belly appearance, unthriftiness and pneumonia.    

   

  

But treatment with a number of available products (dewormer, Sentinel, Heartgard) is very easy and effective in resolving the infection. 

 

 

Human exposure is also a possibility and the infection is more likely in children and pregnant mothers.  Roundworm infection in humans can cause " visceral larval migrans".  This often leads to migration of the worm into the eyes causing blindness. (click here to see picture)

Prevention of parasitism is key for your pet's health as well as your own. Your pet should be on a monthly heart worm preventative which also contains a intestinal parasiticide.  In addition your pets stool should be picked up and disposed of to keep the environment clean.  

For more information visit the Companion Animal Parasite Council.

Kim Simons, DVM

Lap of Love

drkim@lapoflove.com

Pet Hospice and In Home Pet Euthanasia