Natick Animal Clinic

Information may not be reliable

November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month
Thanks to all the advances in human medicine, veterinarians are now able to diagnose and treat animal cancers. According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA),"strong circumstantial evidence of cancer can be attained from x-rays, blood tests, ultrasonography, the pet's physical examination and medical history. Most cancers, however, will require a biopsy (a removal of a piece of tissue) for confirmation that cancer exists and to grade the level of severity from benign to aggressively malignant." These services are available for your pet at Natick Animal Clinic.
Our pets now live so much longer due to better diets, treatments and overall health, pet owners are afforded many more cancer options than even a decade ago. Common signs of animal cancer are available below. If your pet exhibits these symptoms or you have any health concerns about your pet, please don't hesitate to contact your pet's veterinarian at Natick Animal Clinic. Our staff is here to answer your questions, help you obtain reliable information and make sound decisions for your pet. For more information on pet cancer and signs to look for, please see the links below.
Just as in people, early detection is critical! This is why it is so important to have your pet examined regularly.

Adapted from Veterinary Practice News, October 2010
Leptospirosis is a waterborne zoonosis (infection shared between human beings and animal species) which occurs secondary to Leptospira spp. bacterial infection. Rural, urban, and suburban dogs may be at risk for Leptospira spp. infection, and clinical leptospirosis does occur in urban and suburban canine populations.
"There's good evidence to support an increase of diagnosed cases of leptospirosis in the U.S.," says George E. Moore, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl ACVIM, an associate professor of clinical epidemiology and director of the clinical trials group at Purdue University. "Wild animals have remained a reservoir for the disease, which then spreads to dogs and potentially to people. Lack of predators and increased food supply in suburban areas make wildlife concentrations eight to ten times higher per acre than rural areas."
In addition, "This isn't just a disease of large breeds or hunting dogs says Richard E. Goldstein, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ECVIM, an associate professor of small animal medicine at Cornell University. "Small-breed dogs are testing positive more and more. This is happening because of lack of vaccination and overlap of suburban living and wildlife."
Symptoms of clinical leptospirosis can vary and may include fever, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and other non-specific signs. The best way to determine whether your dog has been infected is through direct examination and consultation at your veterinary hospital.
Pet owners may not readily vaccinate their pets because of a perception that urban and suburban dogs are not at risk for infection. The best protection against leptospirosis is avoidance of exposure to contaminated water and soil as well as annual vaccination.
Please contact us at 508-653-5020 to determine whether your dog is properly vaccinated against Leptospira spp.
Where Tick-Borne Diseases Are Found
The following maps highlight the number of reported positive cases of Lyme disease in dogs across Southern New England. Because so many dogs go untested for tick-borne diseases, the actual number of dogs infected by ticks is likely many times higher than what is shown here. For more information on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, visit dogsandticks.com.

Have a great furry 4 legged friend? Or one with feathers, scales, a shell or quills? We'd love to hear from you with a Pet Tribute! Celebrate your pet(s) in our My Best Friend 2010 DVD! We are looking for photos and a few words about your pets who are still an active part of your family; and those from the past whose memories come alive just by saying their names. 2010 is our third edition of this commemoration of our clients' pets and as you can imagine, it is a huge production; therefore while the DVD will be released in September 2010, we are requesting photos and tributes from our clients beginning APRIL 15th! The deadline for submissions is JULY 5th, 2010. Each participating client will receive a complimentary DVD of all the commemorated pets, a truly beautiful audio visual experience.

You can email us (mybestfriend@natickanimal.com); mail in to (My Best Friend DVD, Natick Animal Clinic, 121 W. Central Street, Natick, MA 01760); or stop by with one or more photos along with your written tribute and we will make your pet part of our "Pet Tribute Corner" at Natick Animal Clinic. If stopping by with your tribute and photos, please place those in an envelope labeled "My Best Friend DVD".