When someone we love – such as a beloved pet – dies, the loss often causes grief and intense sorrow. By physically showing your grief, you actively mourn the death of your beloved pet. This active mourning will move you on a journey toward reconciling with the loss of your pet.


What Should I Do?
Your journey of grief will not take on a prescribed pattern or look like stages.  During the period when you are actively mourning your loss, it may help to consider the following: 

Acknowledge the reality of the death 
Acknowledging the full reality of your loss may take weeks or months, but will be done in a time that is right for you. Be kind to yourself as you prepare for the “new normal” of a life without your beloved pet. Just as it took time to build the relationship with your pet, it will take time to get used to him or her not being there.

Move toward the pain of the loss
Experiencing these emotional thoughts and feelings about the death of a pet is a difficult, but important, need. A healthier grief journey may come from taking your time to work through your feelings rather than trying to push them away or ignore it.

Continue your relationship through memories
Your memories allow your pets to live on in you. Embracing these memories, both happy and sad, can be a very slow and, at times, painful process that occurs in small steps. For example, take some time to look at past photos, write a tribute to your pet, or write your pet a letter recalling your time together.

Adjust your self-identity
Part of your self-identity might come from being a pet owner. Others may also think of you in relation to your pet. You may be “the guy who always walked the big black dog around the neighborhood” or “the friend whose cat always jumped on laps.” Adjusting to this change is a central need of mourning.

Search for meaning
When a pet dies, it’s natural to question the meaning and purpose of pets in your life. Coming to terms with these questions is another need you must meet during your grief journey. Know that it is the asking, not the finding of concrete answers, that is important.

Receive support from others
You need the love and support of others because you never "get over" grief. Talking or being with other pet owners who have experienced the death of a pet can be one important way to meet this need.


Things to Remember
The experience of loss is different for everyone and can present unique challenges.

The deafening silence - the silence in your home after the death of a pet may seem excruciatingly loud. While your animal companion occupies physical space in your life and your home, many times their presence is felt more with your senses. When that pet is no longer there, the lack of their presence – the silence - becomes piercing. It becomes the reality of the “presence of the absence.” Merely being aware of this stark reality will assist in preparing you for the flood of emotions.

The special bond with your pet - the relationship shared with your pet is a special and unique bond, a tie that some might find difficult to understand. There will be well-meaning friends and family members who will think that you should not mourn for your pet or who will tell you that you should not be grieving as hard as you are because “it’s just a cat” or “just a dog.”  Your grief is normal and the relationship you shared with your special friend needs to be mourned.

Grief can’t be ranked - sometimes our heads get in the way of our heart’s desire to mourn by trying to justify the depth of our emotion. Some people will then want to “rank” their grief, pitting their grief emotions with others who may be “worse.” While this is normal, your grief is your grief and deserves the care and attention of anyone who is experiencing a loss.

Questions of spirituality - during this time in your grief journey, you may find yourself questioning your beliefs regarding pets and the after-life. Many people around you will also have their own opinions. It will be important during this time for you to find the answers right for you and your individual and personal beliefs.

Source: https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/pet-loss.aspx

Recently there have been numerous reports in Minnesota of positive cases of Canine Influenza. 

Canine Influenza is an extremely contagious upper respiratory disease fairly new to the United States. Minnesota has a recent outbreak of disease involving the more problematic strain of disease- the H3N2 strain. Affected dogs develop coughing, purulent nasal discharge, fever, lethargy and loss of appetite.  The signs of infection are similar to those of other respiratory diseases in dogs but can progress rapidly.  With proper medical attention, most dogs will recover. However, in some cases, canine influenza can progress to a more severe or even life-threatening condition, such as pneumonia. 

Dog flu is very contagious and can spread through direct dog to dog contact, but also can be spread through indirect contact, like sharing of water bowls, toys, or leashes and also by general handling of sick pets.  It can persist for up to twenty-four days after infection.  
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How do you know your pet has influenza? 
Your pet will likely have a mild cough, low-grade fever anorexia, lethargy, fever, sneezing, nasal discharge and/or dyspnea. Signs typically appear within one to five days after a dog is infected. 

How can it be prevented?
The best way to protect your dog from canine influenza is through avoidance and vaccination.  If there is a local outbreak, avoiding common dog areas such as dog parks is strongly recommended.  Fortunately, there are vaccinations now available for canine influenza. The initial vaccination requires two doses of each vaccine, given 2 to 4 weeks apart. Thereafter, an annual booster is recommended for continued protection. 

My dog gets boarded and grooming, what do you recommend?
At Pipestone Veterinary Services, we carry the Nobivac vaccine to protect your pet from Canine Influenza.  As of August 1, 2017 we will be requiring all boarding pets to start their Influenza vaccination series.  

Call us today to discuss any questions you may have and to set up an appointment to protect your dog! 

​How is Heartworm Disease detected/prevented? 
Heartworm disease is detected by drawing three drops of blood and looking for an antigen to microfilariae. It takes only eight minutes and is done in-house. Once the animal is found to be negative, they are started on a preventative product. This product not only prevents heartworm but also intestinally deworms the dog on a monthly basis. For the pets overall interest, heartworm products should be given year- round. The product needs to be given at least 30 days past the las mosquito to thoroughly kill any microfilaria which may be inside the pet. There are different types of heartworm products available- either chewable tablets, topical products or even injectable which last for six months. The intestinal parasite coverage varies with each product but they all do a great job at prevention of heartworm disease. 

What happens if a dog tests positive? 
Usually, all but the most advanced cases of heartworm disease can be successfully treated in dogs. 
Adult heartworm is dogs are killed using a drug called an adulticide which is injected into the deep muscle of the back through a series of treatments. Because this is a very serious condition, we need to keep the activity level of the dog to a minimum for a number of months. When the dog is sent home, exercise should be limited to short leash walks for the duration of the recovery period. This restriction decreases the risk that a partial or complete blockage of blood flow happens which can result in sudden death. 
Many dogs are treated in the United States each year and have a very positive outcome, however, it is a much easier disease to prevent than treat. 

We recommend Interceptor Plus and Heartgard. Check out our specials we have on both.

Question: I’ve heard that sugarless gum can be toxic to my dog, is that true?
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Answer: There are a lot of myths out there regarding things that can be bad for your furry friends, but unfortunately, this one is indeed true. Sugarless candy and gum can contain an ingredient called xylitol, a common sugar substitute.

​There are two different ways that xylitol can have potentially fatal effects. First, the pancreas confuses xylitol with real sugar and then releases insulin to store the “sugar.” The insulin then removes real sugar from the blood stream instead, leading to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. This causes disorientation, weakness, tremors and even seizures.

Higher doses of xylitol can actually cause destruction of liver cells. In the worst cases, this can lead to an inability to clot blood and internal hemorrhage. It is still not understood how xylitol causes liver damage, and not all dogs will experience signs of low blood sugar first before liver damage occurs.
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As little as one stick of gum could cause hypoglycemia in a 10 pound dog. It takes about ten times that amount to cause liver damage in a 10 pound dog. If your dog ingests sugarless gum, it is best to get them to their veterinarian right away so that vomiting can be induced. IV fluids and blood monitoring may also be necessary.  As always, call you veterinarian if you have any questions.

Question: What is this and why is it green?

​Answer:  This is a corneal ulcer in the eye of a dog and the reason that it is green is because in order to diagnose a corneal ulcer, we must do a fluorescein stain to see if there is any green uptake indicating an ulcer. 

A corneal ulcer is a break in the outer layer of the cornea and though initially painful, should heal within 4 to 7 days with appropriate topical antibiotics.  However, ulcers that are not healing are deemed complicated and may require surgery to help the healing process. 

Signs of an eye ulcer include holding their eyelids shut, excessive tearing and blinking, and rubbing their eye on things.  

​If you suspect an ulcer, see a veterinarian immediately because simple ulcers can quickly develop into complicated ulcers which can compromise your dog’s vision.

​One of our patients got into some D-con. The owners noticed right away, and we were able to induce vomiting to get it out of her system. She is doing great!

D-con mouse and rat poison contains a chemical that prevents clotting. When an animal ingests the poison, it can take 3-5 days before clinical signs are noticed. Clinical signs include lethargy, coughing, exercise intolerance, vomiting, blood in the stool, pale gums, collapse, nose bleeds, blood in the urine or feces, and bruising. There is an anecdote to the poison, called vitamin K. Many patients who receive treatment survive, but if not caught early enough, ingesting the poison can be fatal.

Patients are treated for at least one month with vitamin K. A blood test to check clotting times should be performed after one month to make sure the patient is no longer affected.
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If you see your pet ingest D-con, you should contact your veterinarian right away. If your pet is showing signs of illness and you have D-con in the house, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

I found a tick attached to my dog yesterday and pulled it off.  Could he have Lyme disease?

​Lyme disease is caused by a tiny blood parasite that is spread by infected ticks.  Not all ticks have Lyme disease, but the prevalence of Lyme infected ticks is increasing across the Midwest.  Luckily, there are very effective measures that can be taken to prevent Lyme disease in our pets.  First, use a monthly tick prevention such as Frontline or Vectra.  These products cause the ticks to die before they are able to transmit diseases.  Second, remove any attached ticks that you find on your pet immediately.  Remove them by firmly grasping the body of the tick near the head and pulling back with firm traction.  A tick must be attached for at least 24 hours to successfully transmit the Lyme parasite to a pet.  Third, vaccinate and/or test your dog for Lyme disease if recommended for your specific situation.  If you remove a tick that is attached but not engorged (filled with blood) it most likely has not been attached long enough to cause a problem.  Watch any bite areas on your pet closely for continued redness or signs of infection like swelling and discharge.  Signs of Lyme disease include fever, lethargy, joint pain, joint swelling, and lameness.

Question:
I thought I would email you to see if you could give me any suggestions on Bandit, our 4 year old Blue Heeler.  Since we have had some nice warmer days recently; we have let bandit be outside running through the fields and playing down by the river.  We have noticed that he doesn’t want to swim this season and when we play fetch with him he coughs some and doesn’t want to play as long as he normally does.  This really concerns me since it seems like it has happened all of the sudden.

​Answer:
It sounds like Bandit may be having a problem with his heart.  These symptoms you list of decreased exercise tolerance and coughing are commonly seen with Heart Disease and Heartworms.  Although it seems like this is an acute problem if Bandit has been in the house with you all winter this problem has probably been building, but you are just now noticing it as his exercise level returns to normal.
 
I believe you should bring Bandit in right away for an examination and testing. We will perform a heartworm test to see if he has heartworms and may do a radiograph of his chest to evaluate his heart as well.   Prevention should be given year round without interruption.  Your proximity to the river is concerning as Heartworms are contracted through mosquito bites.  You do not have to live next to a river to contract heartworms though.  A mosquito may carry heartworms at anytime and may live through a winter if they are able to hide in warm areas, especially in urban regions. 
 
If you have left over heartworm prevention from last year please do not start it until we test Bandit as giving prevention to a dog carrying a large burden of heartworms can be fatal to him.  Please call us to schedule Bandit’s appointment at your earliest convenience.