Bella's Byline

     It's been a full day for me patrolling the clinic. The one they call "Doctor" smiled at me this morning. I ran away from him  immediately. I know he wants to give me shots and examine my limbs to maintain my health. Although this is supposed to be good for me, I do not wish to participate. I will maintain my practice of fleeing when he approaches.

     No one appreciated me lying down on the appointment book this morning. They kept moving me to write in it. I merely wanted to cover up the names of all the pets so that none of their appointments could be cancelled. I like to observe others when they come to see the doctor. I even cleaned myself for half an hour while I covered up the book. At least Jo Anne appreciated that. She scratched behind my ears for a while.

     A very nice client brought in a fruit basket for everyone and a brand new bed for me. Everyone showed it to me and pointed at it. I stared at it for a full ten minutes to show my appreciation. Then I crawled under the front desk and stuffed myself into an old box I like and fell asleep. When I woke everyone was at lunch. I climbed out of my box and stretched. Then I headed to the lunch table to begin staring. I was offered bits of cheese and a piece of ham even though I know someone had a tuna fish sandwich. I could smell it from where I sat on the floor. I stared at the offensive offerings in an attempt to hold out for some tuna. When this did not work, I ate the piece of ham and stalked off.

     I made my way over to a jack russel who was boarding with us. He started barking at me, so I sat down in front of his cage so we could get to know each other better. This seemed to anger him. He continued to bark and then he kicked his water bowl, causing some of the water to splash my paw. Although I like to befriend all pets that come to stay with us, I do not like to be splashed, so I wished him well and left, reminding myself that I would have to set aside ample time to clean my paw thoroughly. This would interfere with my next nap, but it's all in a day's work for me.

     As I walked past the next cage I noticed another boarder, a collie, who wagged and smiled in my direction. I gave him my best welcome stare and told him how distinguished he looked in his Thundershirt. Courtney came over to give him some jerky treats. I smiled at the collie but glared at Courtney a little just in case she was the one who hadn't shared her tuna with me. I stayed with the collie for a while until he curled up and looked sleepy. Then I decided to do the same.

Rescue

What does it mean to be rescued? According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of rescue is, "to free or save from confinement, danger or evil."

When Napier's Horse and Animal Sanctuary was raided, over three hundred animals were removed. As their ordeal began, they waited to be discovered. Once they were, they endured until action was taken. As the process of removing them from squalid conditions began, they laid their fate in the hands of those who moved in to treat them. Our very own Dr. Bonda was there to administer medical attention during this rescue. He donated his time and his services to the effort. He laid his hands on several animals; seventy in all. According to Dr. Bonda, he observed no aggression among those he treated; no intent to harm. There was only fear; clear evidence that these animals had come from a state of hopelessness and despair into a new arena of hope.

I think it's safe to say a rescue is a journey. Once the confinement and danger are removed, there is room for renewal. Once safe, a pet can heal from the trauma experienced and go on to become a precious, loving animal full of gratitude. Dr. Bonda found all the animals he treated to be adoptable. Please consider a rescue when thinking of adding a pet to your household. With a little time and patience, you can take a wonderful journey with them; from the darkness into the light.

From The Desk of Dr. Fox: It's Allergy Season

Summertime is here in full force in Florida and with the sunshine and outdoor activities we all enjoy comes something that every dog owner hates - itchy dogs.  Skin problems are the most common problem that we see dog owners bring their dogs in for treatment for and they can be frustrating for owners to deal with at times.  There are numerous reasons that dogs itch, which leads to scratching, licking, biting and chewing, but the most common that we see are fleas and allergies.  Fleas are ever prevalent in Florida but worse in the warmer months.  The good news is flea control has never been easier with many easy to give monthly (or longer) products available. The bad news is allergies, which just like in us humans, are extremely common in Florida and they are not something that we can cure for good, also just like in people.

The most common cause of allergies in dogs is not food as many owners think - it's called atopy.  Atopy is an allergic reaction to the same things that we react to - oak pollen, pine pollen, grasses, mold spores, all the various weeds and plants outside. Basically dogs can be allergic to almost anything a person can.  The difference is how dogs react and can be summed up in one sentence:

People who have allergies have sneezing and respiratory signs (think hay fever) while dogs respond to the same things in a different way - ITCHING!! 

The symptoms of allergies can be treated in dogs just like people but it's not a one size fits all approach. There are many different ways allergies cause problems in dogs - skin infections (scabs, crusty spots on the skin), ear infections, infections on the feet, and hot spots which are extremely itchy, moist areas that pop up quickly.  The best approach is to stop the itching before it starts as much as possible and head off a lot of the issues before they develop.  We use everything from shampoos, topical sprays and creams, antihistamines and occasionally steroids to control itching and it's always best to start small and work up the ladder of treatment options to minimize side effects and cost. 

The take home message for allergies is this. They are extremely common in dogs, they are frustrating for owners to deal with and sometimes it takes a few tries to find the best medicines for your pet. After all there's a reason there are a dozen different antihistamines available at the local drugstore for you and at least that many more nasal sprays available from your MD.  Once we find something that works for your dog, don't stop using it. Prevention is the best approach.  Again, think people - taking a Zyrtec or Claritin everyday is much better than sneezing constantly, having itchy eyes and ending up with a sinus infection and feeling miserable.

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Meet the Staff: Isabella

We hope you've met her.

Maybe you've seen her sleeping on a chair in the lobby or waiting with hopeful eyes by the water cooler. There's a chance she has stepped on the scale with your pet at weigh in and a strong possibility that she has investigated the contents of your purse or wallet when you tried to pay your bill.

"She" is Isabella, our resident tabby cat, whom we call "Bella" for short. Dr. Fox adopted Bella from an organization called "Alley Cat Rescue" back in 2005. She is approaching her thirteenth birthday and is in good health but for some allergies that require medication. Alley Cat Rescue is now called "Gulf Shore Animal League" and they work tirelessly at their "Trap and Release" program, which catches feral cats to be altered and then released in an attempt to help control cat overpopulation. Over the years, Dr. Fox has worked closely with Gulf Shore, altering hundreds of cats and treating many more various health issues.

Our Bella loves to lick the plastic bag lining the garbage can. She likes to lie down on the appointment book when we need it and pull lollipops out of the candy basket and drop them on the counter when she feels like it. She offers no apology for these infractions and we allow them because of what she does offer. She is the welcoming friend in the lobby while you're waiting. She's the demanding but sweet inspector at checkout. She is comfort when a loss occurs and she is our one and only Bella; the feline member of our family. We hope you've met her.