Dangers Due to Rodenticides
Fall’s cooler temperatures drive rodents in search of shelter from the cold and into our homes. Rodenticides (poisons which kill mice, rats, and other creatures) can help deter vermin infestations, but rodenticide ingestion also causes life threatening toxicity to both dogs and cats. Brodifacoum, the active ingredient in D-Con and a common rodenticide, is an anti-coagulant that inhibits Vitamin K’s normal function in the blood clotting cascade. Within one to seven days post-ingestion, blood fails to properly clot and the following clinical signs occur:
Lethargy
Bruising
Bloody feces
Decreased appetite
Pale mucous membranes (gums)
Increased respiratory rate and effort
Black, tar-like stools (from digested blood)

KAH News

Macadamia Nuts. Many recipes for stuffing use nuts and around the holidays, macadamia nuts are often used. These too are
                              toxic for dogs. The amount of macadamia nuts a dog has to eat to be poisoned varies greatly, but in some
cases can be very small. Symptoms include ataxia (wobbliness), muscle tremors and vomiting.                     

Sage Advice - Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste delish, but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils. 

Flea ​& Tick Season

​​​​Fall Hazards

Raisins- It is not known exactly why raisins and grapes are toxic to dogs. However, there have been many documented cased where they have caused poisoning. Even in small amounts, they can be very dangerous. Symptoms to watch for are
vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite. Ultimately,
​it can lead to kidney failure and death. 

February is Dental Month!
Receive 20% off!
​By the age of three, 70% of cats and 80% of dogs have some sign of dental disease. Problems start with sticky plaque that hardens to form tartar. If not removed, this can lead to gingivitis, a painful condition of inflamed gums, and eventually periodontal disease. Pets might lose teeth and be prone to infections that can affect other organs in the body.

HEARTWORM 101

Essential Oils
Are they harmful to your pet?

More and more people are using essential oils and there is a big concern
about if or how they can affect our pets.
Click this link for more information

​​​​​​Kalkaska Animal Hospital​

​Here's some helpful tips to get you through the summer!

Animals are such agreeable friends they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. --George Eliot

Kalkaska Animal Hospital
625 M-72 NE
​Kalkaska, MI 49646
​
Office (231) 258-4107
Fax (231) 258-0671

Eating turkey or turkey skin – sometimes even a small amount – can cause a life-threatening condition in pets known as pancreatitis. Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest, and many foods that are healthy for people are poisonous to pets – including onions, raisins and grapes. A turkey carcass left
in an open trash container or one that’s easily opened could prove deadly if the
family pet finds it. A pet that “discovers” the carcass can quickly eat so much that it
causes pancreatitis, which can cause death fairly quickly. While cooking your turkey
dinner remember raw or under cooked turkey may ​contain salmonella bacteria and
​should not be fed to pets. 

HEARTWORMS ARE A REAL DANGER. 

We see heartworm cases here every year. 

HEARTWORM DISEASE IS HARD TO TREAT. 

Heartworm treatment can be dangerous and is very expensive (upwards of a thousand dollars depending on the size of the dog). 

HEARTWORMS ARE EASY TO PREVENT. 

All it takes is a once a month topical or chewable product to prevent heartworm (cost ranges from $6-23 per month depending on product).

If you find a tick attached:

• Remove it promptly without crushing it
• Disinfect the bite site
• Place the tick in a zip-lock bag for examination and testing
• Have your dog tested by a veterinarian

The sooner a disease is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat!

The following are warning signs that your dog or cat may have a disease that was transmitted by a tick:

• Fever
• Lameness
• Loss of appetite 
• Cough
• Sudden onset of pain in your pet's legs or body
• Arthritis or swelling in your pet's joint
• Lethargy or depression

The tick can retain the infection throughout its life cycle and give it to subsequent hosts, such as you or your dog. Usually, an infective tick must be attached 48 hours before transmission occurs.