Author: hiroxcharoadventures

Hello everyone! I am the owner of Hiro the shetland sheepdog and Charo the Singapore Special. Follow them on Instagram @hiroxcharoadventures, to see them goofing around with their crazy antics and all the fun places they get to explore around Singapore! Stay tuned for more content!

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Dog Vaccinations, are they necessary or not…?

Vaccinations help to protect the immune system from illness. They work by exposing the body to non-pathogenic viral or bacterial antigens and the immune system remembers how the pathogens cause disease and anticipates. Vaccines can prevent the onset of diseases (or reduce the severity of disease).

Canine Core Vaccines

  • Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)
  • Canine Parvovirus (CPV)
  • Canine Adenovirus (CAV)
  • Leptospira app

The canine core vaccines are recommended for puppies and dogs with an unknown vaccination history. It is recommended to vaccinate puppies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks and an annual booster a year from the last puppy vaccine.

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous system in dogs. It can spread through sneezing, coughing or sharing of food and water bowls with an infected dog. CDV causes discharge from the nose, fever, coughing, vomiting and diarrhoea, seizures, paralysis and often, death.

Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious virus that affects all dogs but unvaccinated dogs and puppies less than four months of age are at the most risk to contract the virus. CPV attacks the gastrointestinal system which can cause the loss of appetite, vomiting, fever and severe bloody diarrhoea. CPV causes death within 48-72hours following the onset of clinical signs.

Canine Adenovirus (CAV) consist of two serotypes, CAV 1 and CAV 2. CAV 1 causes canine hepatitis where dogs will suffer cell damage in the liver which can cause haemorrhage and death. CAV 1 can be contracted via dogs feces and urine of infected dogs. Symptoms of CAV 1 include abdominal pain, distension, lack of appetite, lethargy and fever. CAV 2 is a relative of the hepatitis virus and is one of the causes of kennel cough. The symptoms of CAV 2 are hacking cough, discharge after coughing and nasal discharge.

Leptospira app is caused by a bacteria and some dogs can show no symptoms at all. It can be found in contaminated water, soil or in rat’s urine. It is a zoonotic disease where it can spread from animals to people. Symptoms of leptospira app can cause lethargy, vomiting, jaundice, weakness and kidney failure.

There is no cure for any of the viruses mentioned above. Thus, it is important to vaccinate your pets if they have not received any vaccination before.

Non-core Vaccines

  • Canine Parainfluenza Virus (CPiV)
  • Bordetella bronchiseptica
  • Canine Coronavirus (CCV)
  • Rabies

Canine Parainfluenza Virus (CPiV) is highly contagious which can cause dry cough, difficulty breathing, sneezing, pneumonia, reduced appetite and lethargy. Most dogs can recover on their own but most dogs are treated immediately by vets using antibiotics since it is contagious. Cough suppressants may be given as well.

Bordetella bronchiseptica or kennel cough, is caused by a bacteria which can spread via close contact to an infected dog, sharing of food and water bowls. The bacteria destroys the lining of the dog’s trachea which can cause coughing. Dogs can wretch or gag as they cough. The symptoms include fever, nasal discharge and loss of appetite. The incubation of kennel cough is around five to seven days. It takes about 48 hours to develop immunity to the disease after receiving the vaccination. It is recommended to vaccinate against kennel cough for dogs doing to a boarding facility. The vaccine is given every 12 months from the first booster.

Canine Coronavirus (CCV) is a virus that affects the intestinal tract. It is not the same virus as COVID-19. It can be passed through saliva and feces. The symptoms include decrease in appetite, diarrhoea and lethargy.

Rabies is a viral disease carried by many mammals and it is also a zoonotic disease where it can spread from animal to humans. It is spread through a bite from an infected animal. Rabies causes acute encephalitis and eventually affecting the nervous system which results in death. Rabies vaccination is usually only required for international travel. Singapore has been rabies free since 1953.

There is no cure for Canine Coronavirus and Rabies.

General Considerations & Risks

Before vaccinating your pets, there are some considerations to and risks. The age of your pet, medical history, environment and overall health. Post vaccination reactions can be seen which include sluggishness, loss of appetite, facial swelling, pain, redness, lameness, difficulty breathing, seizures, collapse and death. It is important to bring your pet immediately to the vet if any of the post vaccination reaction occurs.

If pet owners are not keen to vaccinate annually, there is another option such as the Anti-body Titre testing. The titre test is a anti-body blood test which can help to identify if the previous vaccines is still protecting your dog’s immune system. The titre test can only identify antibodies of CDV, CPV and CAV. It does not measure the level of antibodies.

Conclusion

It is definitely recommended to vaccinate your pets if they have an unknown history for adult dogs and if they are still doing their puppy shots. An anti-body titre test can be done to prevent over-vaccination. Always check with your regular vet to see if your pet needs a vaccination or not.

Prevention is always better than cure.

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Allergies, allergies everywhere!

Allergy is defined as an over-reactivity or hypersensitivity of the immune system to a particular substance called an allergen. Allergens are protein that can come from plants, foods or animals.

Allergies are one of the most common issues here in Singapore. Allergies can start to appear when your pet is around six months of age and the majority of dogs affected with allergies are over the age of one or two.

Types of allergy

  1. Flea Bite Allergy
  2. Food Allergy
  3. Environmental Allergy (Atopy)

The most common type of allergies seen in pets is either environmental allergy or food allergy. Common food allergens are chicken, dairy, eggs or beef. Common environmental allergens are pollens from trees/grasses and dust mites.

Signs and symptoms of allergies

  • Itching of the skin
  • Constantly biting and licking of the skin
  • Scabs on the body
  • Flaking on the skin
  • Redness on the skin

Treatment options for food allergy would be elimination diet for 8 weeks with no other food, treats, flavoured chews or medications. A home cooked novel protein and carbohydrate diet or hydrolysed protein diet. Novel protein such as rabbit, kangaroo or frog meat can be sourced easily available from any meat supplier. Novel carbohydrate such as sweet potato, white potato and chickpea can be sourced easily from the supermarket. Hydrolysed protein diet can be found in veterinary clinics selling prescription diet.

Treatment options for environmental allergy would be giving medications or allergen specific immunotherapy. Medications such as apoquel, cyclosporine, corticosteroids and cytopoint injections can help to manage allergies. Allergen specific immunotherapy such as serum allergy testing or intradermal skin testing can help you identify what allergens your pet is allergic to. Most veterinary clinics can provide this service where they are able to draw your pet’s blood and send out the serum for lab testing.

*Do note that allergies CANNOT be cured but can only be managed

My Personal Experience

Hiro started showing signs of scabbing and crusting around his groin area when he was about six months of age. His main diet was kibbles and chicken is the main ingredient. We rarely give him treats and do not give him milk either.

Scabs started showing day by day and even though he wasn’t scratching or biting it, it definitely bothered me a lot and it was concerning. I immediately stopped his diet and avoided chicken at all cost and changed to another food brand with the main protein as lamb. To my relief, the scabs started going away and his groin area does not look nasty anymore!

Everything was going smooth sailing till he nearly turns 2 and that was the time when I found out that he has been licking and biting on his paws once in a while. It did not bother me at all as I thought he was only doing it due to boredom and a way to get our attention. Soon, the licking and chewing became so frequent that his paws were filled with saliva staining, fur loss and it was inflamed!

His angry red paws were definitely a red flag and worth the investigation! The vet did a simple skin cytology test and there is a yeast infection going on in all four paws! To manage the yeast infection in his paws, we got some antifungal and anti-itch medication to help him manage his allergies. The medication definitely helped to calm his angry red paws and he stopped biting and licking his paws! When there is no medication, I try to manage his allergies by washing his paws regularly with a medicated shampoo (Vetazole/Malaseb) and putting him on a cone to prevent him from traumatising his paws and applying antibiotic cream.

Conclusion

It is definitely worth a trip to the vet if your pet has been experiencing any of the above signs! Don’t let their skin issues deteriorate over time! If medications are not your preferred choice, regular washing of the paws with a medicated shampoo and putting on the e-collar at least so they do not traumatise their own paws just like silly Hiro!

I hope my personal experience dealing with Hiro’s allergies help to enlighten pet owners! Remember, each dog is different and our experiences may vary. Thankfully Hiro’s allergies are only his paws where yeast overproduces.

Follow us on Instagram: @hiroxcharoadventures to see the goofballs and their crazy daily antics!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CElh897jQOK/
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Dental Scaling for Pets

Dental scaling is one of the most important health topic yet it is a procedure that is not commonly done so by pet owners. What is dental scaling? Why is dental scaling important? What are the risks of dental scaling?

1. Dental Scaling

Dental scaling is the removal of plaque and tartar on the surface on the teeth and under the gum line. It is usually performed under general anaesthesia as most pets will fidget and some will not allow veterinarians or veterinary technicians to lift up the gums and scale off the built-up of plaque and tartar. Dental scaling performed without general anaesthesia only improves the aesthetic appearance of the teeth but does not improve periodontal health due to dirt and bacteria under the gumline. Dental scaling is recommended every 2-3years for medium to larger breed dogs and every year for smaller breed dogs. Smaller breed dogs tend to have overcrowding of teeth and some smaller dogs may retain their deciduous(baby) teeth which can increase plaque and tartar build-up.

2. Periodontal disease

Periodontal disease is the infection and inflammation of the gums covering and supporting the tooth. It comes in 4 stages (gingivitis, slight periodontal disease, moderate periodontal disease, and advanced periodontal disease). Removal of tartar and plaque can reverse gingivitis which can be achieved through proper dental scaling and polishing under general anaesthesia. Daily brushing of the teeth is recommended as it removes biofilm which can prevent the accumulation of calculus(tartar). If your pet do not allow tooth brushing, another alternative method would be using gauze to wipe the surface of the tooth. Plaque will form after 3 days to form calculus which cannot be removed by tooth brushing. Dental chews or toys that provide teeth cleaning provide little to zero effect in removing plaque and tartar.

Image of a dog with periodontal disease

Signs and symptoms of periodontal disease

  • Loss of appetite
  • Bad breath
  • Drooling
  • Constantly smacking of the lips
  • Loose teeth
  • Nasal discharge or sneezing
  • Bleeding of gums
  • Not wanting to be touched near the mouth

3. Prevention

To prevent your pet from having periodontal disease, regular dental scaling and polishing are recommended. Maintenance of healthy teeth can be done by daily brushing of the teeth or a healthy diet. If periodontal disease is left untreated, not only cause painful infected teeth or tooth abscesses which require removal, it can also affect your pet’s health negatively. It can affect the major organs such as the heart, kidney or liver as bacteria found in the animal’s mouth can enter the bloodstream which affects their immune system. Pets with healthy teeth and gums are signs that they are in good physical condition and can live much longer.

4. Risks

General anaesthesia is the number 1 concern of pet owners when it comes to dental scaling. Most owners heard of horror stories where their pet does not make it under general anaesthesia due to old age or underlying conditions(heart murmur, kidney/liver failure). Thankfully, with science being advanced these days, there are options that can be done to ensure your pet is healthy to undergo general anaesthesia. A simple blood test which takes no longer than 30mins could tell you if your pet is healthy to proceed with surgery. Dogs with heart murmur can also do an echocardiogram to check if they are fit to undergo surgery.

Another concern of pet owners would be having their pet’s teeth extracted. There are veterinary clinics in Singapore such as Maranatha Vet or Oasis Vet which provide dental x-ray services to determine if a particular tooth is viable or not.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, it is always better to check with your regular vet when it comes to your pet’s health. Do not hesitate to call up your regular vet especially if you have not done any dental scaling or dental checks before! Always brush your dog’s teeth daily especially when a dental scaling procedure is done to maintain clean healthy teeth! Just like us hoomans, we still have to go for dental cleaning even with regular brushing.

Here is a photo of Hiro’s before and after when he had his first dental cleaning.

The above article is written by the hooman of @hiroxcharoadventures.